六级模拟题2套.doc

Part Reading Comprehension (15 minutes)Buying the Best Insurance for Your BusinessGabrielle Melchionda broke into tears when firefighters accidentally flooded the headquarters of Mad Gabs, the beauty company she had founded two decades ago, even though she knew that insurance would replace the desks, computers, and shelves of lip balm(唇膏)she had lost. To her surprise, however, the real pain came in the months that followed, when she continued to owe salaries and rent while her sales slowed to a trickle(滴，淌，细流).“The critical piece that was missing was business-interruption insurance,” said Ms. Melchionda, who had property and liability insurance but had never got around to adding a policy that replaces income lost after accidents.Business owners have plenty of stories like Ms. Melchiondas, of policies that didnt cover enough damage or covered the wrong risk. Some of these complaints can be attributed to tight-fisted insurance companies or misinformed agents, but the fault often lies with entrepreneurs (企业家)who gloss over their insurance decisions.“Generally speaking, small-business owners are not completely aware of the coverage they have or the coverage they need,” said Steven Spiro, an independent insurance agent, explaining that many small-business owners buy insurance simply to comply with the requirements of an office lease.Picking an AgentBuying insurance can be intimidating(使人胆怯的), and its difficult to know who is trying to take advantage of you and who is giving honest advice. Thats why you should start by asking other entrepreneurs in your industry what kinds of insurance they carry and who they bought it from. There are three types of vendors who can help you pick insurance: independent agents, captive agents(专属代理人), and risk consultants.Independent agents, also known as brokers, offer the greatest choice because they typically represent many carriers. They are paid on commission by the insurance company, between 10 percent and 20 percent of the annual premium depending on the policy. Beware: because some carriers pay a higher commission than others, brokers may be tempted to play favorites. Captive agents represent one insurance company that pays them a salary and commands their loyalty. Some companies such as Allstate only deal with their own agents; that means you can only buy their policies through one of their agents.Both independent and captive agents receive bonuses at the end of the year based on their ratio of policies sold to damages paid. That means its in their interest to sell you as much insurance as possible and minimize your claims as much as possible.Understand, also, that most agents focus solely on insurance. “Sometimes there are solutions to your problem that might be better treated without insurance,” said Arthur Flitner, a small-business expert at the Insurance Institute of America. In some cases, for example, it makes more financial sense to self-insure against certain property risks by setting up a rainy-day fund, or to minimize lawsuit risks by enforcing strict employment policies.Thats when a risk consultant can help. Because theyre costly youll usually pay a few thousand dollars for a basic project it makes sense to hire a risk expert only if you have an unusually risky operation, or run a business with more than, say, $25 million in revenue(收入)or more than 100 employees.After youve found some trustworthy vendors, its time to shop for bids. Go to as many brokers and agents as you like, but keep in mind that insurance companies wont bid on the same account through different brokers.Picking a PolicyIf youre grossing less than $3 million, you will most likely end up with a business owners policy, known as a B.O.P., which bundles business policies and lets you add additional pieces as necessary. Every carrier assembles its B.O.P. differently, so make sure youre making accurate comparisons when shopping.If you are grossing more than $3 million, you will probably have to buy your policies separately. There are four policies you really cant do business without if you have more than a couple of employees:Workers compensation is required by state law and covers workers medical expenses, disability pay and death benefits. Rates vary widely by industry and occupation. While the premiums for a secretary might be 22 cents per $100 of payroll, the rate for a roofer might exceed $20 per $100 of payroll. Make sure your business is classified correctly, and dont try to pass off your toy factory (manufacturing is considered high-risk) as a design firm (low risk). Once employees start filing claims, carriers will conclude that you are a riskier-than-usual design firm and raise your premiums.Property insurance covers your physical premises as well as equipment in your office. Rates vary widely, depending on the age of your building, how far it is from the fire department, and whether it is made of steel or wood.Beware of coinsurance clauses, which allow carriers to pay only a share of damages if they believe you underinsured your property. Instead, ask your broker to add “agreed value” coverage in which you and the insurance company agree on an appropriate insurance level. This can add up to 15 percent to your premiums, but it leaves less room for dispute later.General liability insurance covers injuries your company causes to other peoples health, property or reputation. Rates usually take into account factors like revenue, size of your offices and number of customers. Most basic packages cover $1 million for each occurrence; umbrella policies can add more coverage quite cheaply.If its available, make sure you buy the more expensive “occurrence” policy, which covers you for accidents at the time they occurred even if you have since left the business and your policy has lapsed as opposed to a “claims made” policy, which covers you only if you are insured when the claim is made. Business interruption insurance the kind Ms. Melchionda should have had pays not just the lost sales and rent and payroll costs while you rebuild your business after an accident; it also pays for you to rent a temporary office or equipment so you can get back on your feet faster.These policies are just the first building blocks of your insurance coverage. There are dozens of other policies you could add, depending on the kind of business you run. Some, like medical malpractice for doctors and hospitals, are absolutely essential, while others are pure waste. To determine what you need, start by asking yourself two questions: how likely is it that youll sustain damage, and could you cover the cost of the damage yourself? As experts like to point out, insurance is meant to cover catastrophes, not pay for maintenance.“Its a gamble,” said George Von York, a public adjuster who helps business owners negotiate higher claims payments from insurers. “Most people will never have a substantial claim in their life. But boy, when you need it, its good to have that coverage.”1. The passage mainly focuses on .A) how to buy the most suitable insurance for your own businessB) how to pick an agent for you own businessC) how to pick a policy when you buy the insuranceD) how to deal with the insurance company2. Gabrielle Melchionda .A) did not realize that the insurance company will compensate her loss in the fireB) realized the real pain for her loss in the fire when the fire broke outC) had her company insured against business-interruptionD) was very sorrowful when her beauty company caught fire3. Buying insurance sometimes is frightening in that .A) you should ask other people in your industry for the adviceB) it is not easy to distinguish the honest advice and the lieC) there are different types of agents for you to chooseD) you do not know where to buy insurance for your company4. If you have an unusually risky operation .A) you should find a trustworthy vendorB) you should seek help from insurance companyC) you are supposed to hire a risk expertD) you are supposed to weigh the risk of your company by yourself5. What kind of policy is required by the state law?A) Workers compensationB) Property insuranceC) General liability insuranceD) Business interruption insurance6. In the policy of “workers compensation”, the rates _.A) are the same in different occupationB) are the same in different industriesC) are different in different occupation but the same in different industriesD). are different in different industries and occupations7. George Von York _. A) thinks to most people it is not necessary to buy insuranceB) thinks we are supposed to buy certain insurance in our lifeC) is a public adjuster who charges higher claims payments from insurersD) is an excellent seller in insurance8. Property insurance covers your physical premises as well as .9. It is necessary for you to buy the more expensive occurrence policy if it is .10. Business interruption insurance also pays for you to rent .Part Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Laziness is a sin, everyone knows that. We have probably all had lectures pointing out that laziness is immoral, that it is wasteful, and that lazy people will never amount to anything in life. But laziness can be more harmful than that, and it is often caused by more complex reasons than simple wish to avoid work. Some people who appear to be lazy are suffering from much more serious problems. They may be so distrustful of their fellow workers that they are unable to join in any group task for fear of ridicule or fear of having their ideas stolen. These people who seem lazy may be paralyzed by a fear of failure that prevents fruitful work. Or other sorts of fantasies may prevent work: some people are so busy planning, sometimes planning great deals of fantastic achievements that they are unable to deal with; strictly speaking, they are merely procrastinating-rescheduling their day.Laziness can actually be helpful. Like procrastinators, some people may look lazy when they are really thinking, planning, contemplating, researching. We should remember that some great scientific discoveries occurred by chance or while someone was goofing off. Newton wasnt working in the orchard when the apple hit him and he devised the theory of gravity. All of us would like to have some lazy build the car or stove we buy, particularly if that laziness were caused by the workers taking time to check each step of his work and to do his job right. And sometimes, being lazythat is, taking time off for a restis good for the overworked student or executive. Taking a rest can be particularly helpful to the athlete who is trying too hard, to doctor whos simply working himself overtime too many evenings, at the clinic. So be careful when youre tempted to call someone lazy. That person may be thinking, resting, or planning his or her next book.47. What is the main idea of this passage?48. According to the first paragraph, some people appear lazy because _ _ .49. What do you think of laziness according to the second paragraph?50. According to the author, we cannot call the people lazy who are not at work because _.51. The word fantasies probably means _.Passage One The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on the advertising calendar, as companies vie to produce the most memorable and innovative ads. The battle for the National Football Leagues ultimate prize attracts more viewers than anything else on American television and provides a symbolic pulsetaking for the advertising industry every February, says John Frelinghuysen, an analyst at Bain and Company, a consultancy. But this year the patient is in poor health. All the advertising slots(广告摊位) for the 2008 Super Bowl had been sold by the end of November 2007, despite the $ 2.6 million price of each. For 2009 the price has risen to $ 3 million, but at least, ten slots (out of 67) are still looking for a buyer.General Motors, which ran 11 ads on Super Bowl Sunday in February 2008, has already said that it will not run any in 2009. Americas two other big carmakers, Ford and Chrysler, are likely to follow suit. Tellingly, Monster com, an online job-search company, said recently that it was buying a slot. Instead of the usual parade of expensive ads paying tribute to American consumerism, 2009s Super Bowl will reflect a country in recession and indicate a hard year for the advertising industry.Most forecasts for next year say that ad spending in America will decline by 5% or more. Much depends on the fate of the automotive industry: carmakers and dealers normally spend around $ 20 billion a year on advertising, but Chrysler and Ford scaled back their expenditure by more than 30% in the first nine months of 2008, and are expected to make further cuts in 2009 as they struggle for survival.The car industrys situation will hurt all media, but especially television. Analysts at BMO Capital Markets predict that total spending on television ads will fall by almost 9% next year. Only newspapers, where a decline of 12% is expected, are forecast to fare worse. Carmakers have already shifted some of their advertising spending to the Internet, and are likely to go further in 2009. Car ads make up 25% of advertising revenues for local television channels, and carmakers have been among the most consistent buyers of high-priced ads on national television.So far local stations have been most affected by falling spending on advertising. National stations have been safer, because they operate on longer-term contracts with advertisers. But in the New Year they will also feel the chill, as companies fail to renew their contracts. Television, which has remained strong as print media have lost advertising dollars and readers to the Internet, could enter a decline of its own. Next on the list is TV stations, says Anthony Diclemente, a media analyst at Barclays Capital.52. Why does the author give the example of Super Bowl?A) Because it is the most popular football games in America.B) Because it shows advertisers enthusiasm in running slots has dropped.C) Because it is an event that attracts the attention of advertisers.D) Because it will be right on in America in 2009.53. Why cant at least ten slots find a buyer (Last sentence, Para. 1 ) according to the passage?A) The price for running the advertising slots has risen to $ 3 million.B) It is not attractive any more for the advertising industry.C) The advertising industry is suffering a hard year.D) The advertising slots have been on the rise since 2007.54. What may the carmakers resort to for promoting their automobiles and cutting down expenditure?A) Buying low-priced ads on national television.B) Renewing new contracts with national stations.C) Shifting their advertising spending to the Internet.D) Relying on such print media as newspaper.55. What does the sentence Next on the list is TV stations ( last paragraph) said by Anthony Diclemente mean?A) What he is going to analyze next is TV stations.B) What advertisers prefer to use is TV stations.C) TV station is the next to be defeated by Internet.D) He would choose TV station as a second choice.56. We can learn from the passage that _. A) Ford and Chrysler will run the advertising slots in 2009B) 2009s Super Bowl will still be an expensive ads paradeC) Americas ad spending this year will decline by 5% or moreD) Carmakers fate determines to certain extent the ad spending in AmericaPassage TwoAccording to some individuals, if your house is built in the right position, this may affect your success in life, which seems strange to many people. However, to believers in Feng-Shui, or the art of geomancy, not only the position but also the choice of decorations and even the color of your home can mean the difference between good fortune and disaster. This art has been practiced for centuries in China and is still used all over South East Asia. Even the huge Hong Kong banks call in a geomant if they are planning to build new offices. They have such faith in his knowledge that if he advises them to move, they will alter their plans for even their biggest buildings.Like many Oriental beliefs the geomants skill depends on the idea of harmony in nature. If there is no imbalance between the opposing forces of Yin and Yang, the building will bring luck to its inhabitants. This means that the house must be built on the right spot as well as facing the right direction, and also be painted an auspicious color. For instance, if there are mountains to the north, this will protect them from evil influences. If the house is painted red, this will bring happiness to the occupants while green symbolizes youth and will bring long life. Other factors, such as the owners time and date of birth, are taken into account, too. The geomant believes that unless all these are considered when choosing a site for construction, the fortune of the people using it will be at risk.Indeed, to ignore the geomants advice can have fatal results. The death of the internationally famous Kung-Fu star, Brucee Lee, has been used as an example. It is said that when Lee found out that the house he was living in was an unlucky one, he followed a geomants advice and installed an eight-sided mirror outside his front door to bring him luck. Unfortunately, a storm damaged the mirror and the house was left unprotect