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 shoes, 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.
1. Sometimes it is necessary to insist on further explanation.
B
[解析] further explanation additional information,clarification 题干意为“有时坚持让讲话人做进一步的解释有必要的”与B段It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification形成对应。
2. You shouldn't focus on your response while others are still speaking.
C
[解析] shouldn't focus on your response thinking of what we are going to say 题干意为“当别人仍在讲话时,不应把精力集中在自己该如何回应”与C段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意思一致。
3. People are reluctant to admit that they don't listen well.
A
[解析] reluctant to admit,don't listen well pretending,haven't listened carefully enough 题干意为“人们都不愿意承认自己没有好好听”与A段Too often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hears we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough表述一致。
4. There are benefits in seeing things from the speaker's perspective.
D
[解析] seeing things from the speaker's perspective put yourself in the other person's shoes 题干意为“从他人的角度看待问题是有益处的”与D段Equally importantly you should put yourself in the other person's shoes, both intellectually and emotionally相对应。
5. Keen observation of the speaker can support our listening skills.
D
[解析] Keen observation remember,move and position 题干意为“对讲话人的仔细观察可以有助于我们提高聆听技巧”与D段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含义基本一致。
6. It is risky to think about a different issue while someone is speaking.
B
[解析] risky,different issue wander onto something else,critical 题干意为“当别人在讲话时想着不同的事情,这是很危险的。”与B段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意思相近。
7. People do not mind hearing their own views summarized.
C
[解析] not mind,summarized nobody is offended,explaining the main idea 题干意为“人们不介意听到他们所讲的内容被总结概括”与C段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表述一致。
PART TWO
Knowledge as a Strategic Resource
While having unique access to valuable resources is one way to create competitive advantage, in some cases either this may not be possible or competitor?, may imitate or develop substitutes for those resources. Companies having superior knowledge, however, are able to coordinate and combine their traditional resources and capabilities in new and distinctive ways, providing more value for their customers than can their competitors. That is, by having superior intellectual resources, an organization can understand how to exploit and develop their traditional resources better than competitors, even if some or all of those traditional resources are not unique. Therefore, knowledge can be considered the most important strategic resource, and the ability to acquire, integrate, store, .share and apply it is the most important capability for building and sustaining competitive advantage. 1 What is it about knowledge that makes the advantage sustainable? 2 Unlike many traditional resources, it is not easily purchased in the marketplace in a ready-to-use form. To acquire similar knowledge, competitors have to engage in similar experience. However, acquiring knowledge through experience takes time, and cempetitors are limited in how much they can accelerate their learning merely through greater investment. 3 Learning opportunities for an organization that already has a. knowledge advantage may be more valuable than for competitors having similar learning opportunities but starting off knowing less. For example, Big6 invested heavily in capturing and sharing knowledge about key engagements across the firm so that it could sustain its areas of advantage by always building on its latest knowledge, rather than "reinventing the wheel" while giving its competitors a chance to catch up. Sustainability may also come from an organization already knowing something that uniquely complements newly acquired knowledge, which provides an opportunity for knowledge synergy not available to its competitors. 4 Organizations should therefore seek areas of learning and experimentation that can potentially add value to their existing knowledge via synergistic combination. Sustainability of a knowledge advantage, then, comes from knowing more about some things than competitor combined with the time constraints faced by competitors in acquiring similar knowledge, regardless of how much they invest to catch up. 5 The mere it is used, the more valuable it becomes, creating a self-reinforcing cycle. If an organization can identify areas where its knowledge leads the competition, and if that unique knowledge can be applied profitably in the marketplace, it can represent a powerful and sustainable competitive advantage. A. New knowledge is integrated with existing knowledge to develop unique insights and create even more valuable knowledge. B. The broadest value proposition, then, for engaging in knowledge management is that it can enhance the organization's fundamental ability to compete. C. Unlike traditional physical goods that are consumed as they are used (providing decreasing returns over time), knowledge provides increasing returns as it is used. D. Knowledge-based competitive advantage is also sustainable because the more a firm already knows, the more it can learn. E. Companies having superior knowledge, however, are able to coordinate and combine their traditional resources and capabilities in new and distinctive ways, providing more value for their customers than can their competitors. F. As a competitive advantage, knowledge may generate more value for the company if it is appropriately used. G. Knowledge -- especially context-specific, tacit knowledge embedded in complex organizational routines and developed from experience-tends to be unique, and difficult to imitate.
1.
B
2.
G
3.
D
4.
A
5.
C
PART THREE
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 globalization 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 video-conferencing 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-organized language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organization. Unfortunately, however, many organizations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorized. 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 realize that overseas competition is increasingly 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.
1. 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
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。在第一段中,改善的沟通能够使公司获得什么改变: 定位段落第一段,定位句为“Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale.” 即:由于有了先进的IT技术与通信系统,公司可以真正地在全球范围内推销自己的产品了。 原文定位句中sophisticated IT and communications systems对应题干中improved communications;原文定位句中market their products on a truly global scale与选项B中expand beyond their domestic markets所表达的意思相近。 选项A、C、D均在本段定位处没有提及。
2. 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
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。一些企业在全球经营中取得了成功,即使…… 定位段落第一段,定位句为“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.”即:在某一特定市场中,与产品配套的服务是企业成功的关键。这种理念已经使得很多企业在海外市场中获得成功,尽管其中某些企业并没有提供优质产品。 原文定位句中gaining success overseas对应题干中succeeded at an international level;原文定位句中even offered products of a lesser quality对应选项A中produced inferior goods。 选项B、C、D均在本段定位处没有提及。
3. 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
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。各个国家企业经营方式截然不同的原因是: 定位段落第二段,定位句为“Although globalization may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards.”即:尽管在某种意义上全球化可能已经把各国的经济都紧密地连接在一起,但是不同的社会还是在期望值、过程和标准方面有着很大的不同。 原文定位句中societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards与选项B中the existence of cultural differences 选项A、C、D均未在文中提及。
4. 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
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。作者认为现代技术的使用会…… 定位段落第三段,定位句为“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.”即:但是当然,在商务沟通中人的因素是非常重要的,尤其是在商务谈判、发布会和团队建设方面。经理们有必要和员工、客户、合伙人定期见面,以便于讨论问题,沟通信息以及获得反馈意见。 原文定位句中it is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners的言外之意就是选项B中never replace the need for face-to-face interaction所表达的含义。 选项A、C、D均未在文中定位处提及。
5. 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
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。培训课程的普遍缺陷是: 定位段落第四段,定位句为“Unfortunately, however, many organizations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorized.”即:然而可惜的是,很多公司对于培训的观点过于狭隘。通常情况下,只有当有了紧急需求的时候才会批准培训。 原文定位句中Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorized. 对应选项C中are provided only if there is an immediate need。 选项A、B、D均未在文中定位处提及。
6. 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.
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。跨国公司使用当地语言的原因是: 定位段落第五段,定位句为“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.”即:如果公司想要在国际贸易中持续取得成功,就要做好适应环境的准备并且使用当地语言。如果不这样做,那么竞争对手就会这样做。 原文定位句中they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will. 与选项A中to prevent other companies taking their business所表达的意思相近。 选项B中to help them find new international partners表示帮助公司发现新的国际合伙人,选项C中to meet clients' current expectations表示满足客户的当前期望,而原文中陈述的是such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue;选项D中to become more aware of their competitors' activities表示变得更加关注竞争者们的活动,而原文陈述的是they realize that overseas competition is increasingly fast。
PART FOUR
Who Benefits Most from Company Training?
According to recent research, the better educated and the higher up the socioeconomic scale you are, the more likely you are to be offered workplace training. And, incidentally, the more likely you are to then turn 1 the offer, pleading family and personal commitments or 2 of work. Less qualified staff, on the other hand, are offered fewer training opportunities, but are more eager to 3 them up. In fact, people with few or no educational qualifications are three times more likely to accept training when it is offered. In the majority of companies, more 4 are allocated to management training than to other areas. Employers 5 their better qualified staff as more important to the business, so they pay them accordingly and invest more in them in 6 of training. This is 7 by the fact that organizations are dependent on properly 8 managers making the right decisions. But this 9 may mean that companies are 10 other parts of the workforce down. The researchers found a growing demand for training among the lower-skilled. Unfortunately this demand is not being 11 by employers, even though there are strong indications that companies would benefit from doing so. They also discovered that, despite the substantial 12 between the training provided for managers and that offered to other staff, there was still widespread endorsement of training. For the purposes of the research, training was defined as any 13 of planned instruction or tuition provided by an employer with the aim of helping employees do their work better. It therefore included a wide variety of approaches. On-the-job and classroom training 14 to be used equally by employers. But learning on the job, which involved observing a certain procedure and then practising it, was easily the most popular method for all categories of employees. While many felt that learning from colleagues was best, very few 15 the internet as an effective way to train.
[解析] 语义理解题。文中此处缺少一个名词与work搭配,构成拒绝培训的理由之一,将四个选项进行分析可知只有选项B最符合要求。短语pressure of work意为“工作压力”;选项A意为“力量,军队”;选项C意为“紧张,张力”;选项D意为“载重,负载”,work load意为“工作量”。 空格所在句语义为:“拒绝的理由有:家人的恳求,个人所承担的一些义务和工作压力。”
3.
A.pick
B.keep
C.take
D.put
A B C D
C
[解析] 固定搭配题。题中空格处需填入一个和介词up搭配的动词,四个选项动词均可以和介词up搭配,故需要判定每个短语的意思是否符合文章语境。选项A中pick与up搭配意为“捡起,拿起”;选项B中keep与up搭配意为“保持,继续”;选项C中take与up搭配意为“接受,占有”;选项D中put与up搭配意为“举起,建造”;将四个短语分别代入文章之中,可以判定选项C为正确答案,take them up在文中指接受培训的机会。 空格所在句语义为:“那些技能差的员工很少能够得到培训的机会,但是他们都很渴望接受培训。”
[解析] 惯用搭配题。此题空格处所填入的动词必须能够与fact搭配。选项A意为“允许,容许”;选项B意为“同意,批准”;选项D意为“接受,承认”;这三个选项均不能与fact搭配。只有选项C可以与fact构成语义搭配,this is justified by the fact that……意为“事实证明……”。 空格所在句语义为:“事实证明:公司的运营需要依靠那些信息十分灵通的经理来做正确的决定。”
[解析] 固定短语题。本题考查对固定短语let sb. down的用法,题中四个选项动词均可以与介词down构成短语搭配。选项B与down搭配,意为“削减,砍倒”;选项C与down搭配意为“损坏,出故障”;选项D与down搭配意为“规定,制定”;这三个短语搭配均不符合文章语境,故正确答案为选项A,let sb. down意为“让某人失望”。 空格所在句语义为:“这种对于高层经理人士的偏爱会让公司那些低层员工们失望。”
[解析] 修饰关系题。本题空格处的填入词必须能够修饰名词instruction。选项A意为“框架,结构”;选项B意为“结构,构造”;选项C意为“形式,方式”;选项D意为“命令,顺序”。将这四个选项语义代入文章中,只有选项C符合文义,any form of instruction意为“任何形式的指导”。 空格所在句语义为:“培训被定义为雇佣者所提供的各种形式的指导或指示,其目标是为了让员工更好地工作。”
14.
A.showed
B.appeared
C.demonstrated
D.presented
A B C D
B
[解析] 固定搭配题。空格处所填动词需与文中to be搭配,四个选项中只有选项B可以与to be搭配,appear to be意为“似乎,好像”。 空格所在句语义为:“雇佣者们似乎同等地采用在职培训和课堂培训这两种途径。”
PART FIVE ●In most of the lines (34-45) there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. ●If a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet. ●If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. ●The exercise begins with two examples, (0) and (00). ACCENTURE INNOVATION DELIVERED In today's what-have; you-done-for-me-lately environment, nothing is more valuable than innovative ideas. And it doesn't really matter so where the ideas 1 come from or who originates them. All that matters is what you do away with 2 them. An idea may live in a neatly bound presentation deck, but not for long 3 time. Because in business, an idea belongs not necessarily to those who 4 conceived it, but to those who make it happen either. Accenture Co. has been 5 the world's most leading management and technology services organization 6 not only for our ability to think, but for our ability to think and act. Having 7 worked along with more than half of the Fortune Global 500, we axe steeped 8 in experience across industries, geographies and through cultures. And that 9 combination of knowledge, depth and insight enables us to swiftly mobilize it 10 and, most importantly, deliver. Because in the end, it’s not only how many 11 ideas you have. It’s how many you make happen. For much more information, 12 including case studies in your industry, visit accenture, com, or you can call our hotline, 3366889.