剑桥商务英语中级模拟21.doc

Test 8READING 1 hourREADINGPART ONEQuestions 17Look at the statements and the materials about marketing disasters below.Which story (A, B, C or D). does each statement 17 refer to?For each sentence, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.You will need to use some of the letters more than once.1. Dont change something which is already a proven success.2. Dont spend more on the promotion than the product.3. Dont let competitors dictate your strategy.4. If things go wrong, change the name.5. A marketing mistake can put a company out of business.6. Doing things too quickly can produce disastrous results.7. Work out the exact cost of a promotional gift.AHoover offered any customer who spent at least 100 on its products two complimentary flights to Europe and the US. The offer attracted more than double the anticipated applications, leading to the dismissal of three senior managers and a bill for 19 million.BA large computer hardware retailer positioned itself at the bottom end of the market by undercutting all its competitors. To attract customers, it even offered a 0% interest Buy Now, Pay One Year Later deal. People did buy, but unfortunately, serious cash flow problems forced the company into liquidation before customers repaid them.CLever Brothers rushed Persil Power onto the market to coincide with a rival companys launch of its own new washing powder. Despite millions of pounds spent on research, Persil Power was fatally flawed, having the unfortunate effect of damaging clothes. It was quickly withdrawn and reformulated.DThe best has been made even better. said the Chairman of Coca-Cola about its decision to change the flavour of Coke for the first time in its 99-year history. However, of the 150 million people who tried the new Coke, nearly two-thirds preferred the original. The company was forced to re-launch the old Coke as Coke Classic three months later.PART TWOQuestions 812Read the article about supermarket.Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps.For each gap 812, mark one letter (AG) on your Answer Sheet.Do not use any letter more than once.There is an example at the beginning.SupermarketSupermarket is a type of retailing institution that has a moderately broad product assortment spanning groceries and some nonfood lines, that ordinarily emphasizes price in either an offensive or defensive way. As a method, supermarket retailing features several related product lines, a high degree of self-service, largely centralized checkout, and competitive prices. The supermarket approach to retailing is used to sell various kinds of merchandise, (8) .The term supermarket usually refers to an institution in the grocery retailing field. Most supermarkets emphasize price. Some use price offensively by featuring low prices in order to attract customers. Other supermarkets use price more defensively by relying on leader pricing to avoid a price disadvantage. Since supermarkets typically have very thin gross margins, they need high levels of inventory turnover to achieve satisfactory returns on invested capital.Supermarkets originated in-the early 1930s. They were established by independents (9) . Supermarkets were an immediate success, and the innovation was soon adopted by chain stores. In recent decades supermarkets have added various nonfood lines to provide customers with one-stop shopping convenience and to improve overall gross margins.Today stores using the supermarket method of retailing are dominant in grocery retailing. However, different names are used to distinguish these institutions (10) .A superstore is a larger version of the supermarket. It offers more grocery and nonfood items (11) . Many supermarket chains are emphasizing superstores in their new construction.Combination stores are usually even larger than superstore. They, too, offer more groceries and nonfoods than a supermarket but also most product lines found in a large drugstore. Some combination stores are joint ventures between supermarkets and drug chains such as Kroger and Sav-on.For many years the supermarket has been under attack from numerous competitors. For example, a grocery shopper can choose among not only many brands of supermarkets but also various types of institutions (ware house stores, gourmet shops, meat and fish markets, and convenience stores). Supermarkets have reacted to competitive pressures (12) : Some cut costs and stressed low prices by offering more private brands and generic products and few customer services. Others expanded their store size and assortments by adding more nonfood lines (especially products found in drugstores), groceries attuned to a particular market area (foods that appeal to a specific ethnic group, for example), and various service departments (including video rentals, restaurants, delicatessens, financial institutions, and pharmacies).A including building materials, office products, and, of course, groceriesB attracting more customers with their low pricesC primarily in either of two waysD to compete with grocery chainsE a type of retailing institutionF by size and assortmentG than a conventional supermarket doesPART THREEQuestions 1318Read the article below about inventory.For questions 1318, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose.InventoryInventory belongs to an important element of the cost of doing business in a large company. If a company is assembling cars, they must have a large number of parts in hand so that the assembly line does not stop because one part is missing. If cars are going down the assembly line and one person is supposed to fasten wheels on to the car, the whole line will stop if he runs out of fasteners. This means that several hundred men will be waiting while someone must find fasteners for the wheel. So there must be a sufficient number of parts of all sorts nearby in order to keep the car assembly line running smoothly.A large supply of spare parts is very expensive, so a company will try to keep its inventory as low as it can without finding it necessary to stop production for lack of a part.In a planned company, i.t was often difficult to secure spare parts and so many companies ordered many extra parts and kept large supplies of parts so that if a mistake was made in planning, they could continue to produce. This was known as just-in-case inventory.As an economy moves from s planned economy to a market economy, the-important thing for a business is to make money and not just produce. Its very expensive to keep large suppliers available just in case there is a delay in delivery. So increasingly, companies are moving to another system of inventory of spare parts as low as possible. This way they do not have to pay for parts used in production until just before they are paid for the finished product. This saves them much capital and is a much more efficient method of operating. The problem with this is that if a shipment is delayed or lost for some reason, the whole factory may have to stop because they dont have one little part. This is very expensive.Most modern industries try to keep inventory as low as possible, but when they adopt just-in-time inventory control, they try to keep at least some extra in stock for emergencies:13. In a planned economy it was often difficult to secure spare parts, _. A. so many companies manufacture them all by themselves B. so many companies have to stop the production lines while waiting C. so many companies place large orders for emergencies D. so many companies feel quite headache about this problem14. Why do companies adopt just-in-time inventory system? A. They try to keep their inventory of spare parts as low as possible. B. The can save lots of money. C. Its a more efficient method of operating. D. A, B and C.15. Just-in-time inventory control system _. A. is adopted in most modern industries B. is adopted only in very small company C. is adopted only by some people D. is adopted long long time ago16. As an economy moves from a planned economy to a market economy _. A. the companies pay more attention to money B. the companies care more about production C. the companies hae great emphasis on finished products D. the companies dont know what to do17. A large supply of spare parts is very expensive, so a company _. A. will try to keep as many as it can B. will try to keep as low as it can C. will try to make them all by itself D. will try to deliver it quickly18. Inventory is an important part of the cost of doing business _. A. just in the joined-venture companies B. in any company C. in state-owned companies D. in private-owned companiesPART FOURQuestions 1933Read the text below about brokers.Choose the best word to fill each gap, from A, B, C or D.For each question 1933 mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.There is an example at the beginning.BrokersBrokers neither physically handle products being distributed nor work on a continuing (19) with their principals (20) , a broker is an independent wholesaling middleman that brings buyers and sellers together and provides market information to either party. M0st brokers work for sellers, (21) a small percentage represent buyers.Brokers have no authority to set prices. They simply negotiate a sale and leave it up to the seller to accept or (22) the buyers offer. They also furnish considerable market information (23) prices, products, and general market conditions.Because of the limited services provided, brokers receive relatively small commissions5 percent or less. (24) , brokers need to operate on a low-cost basis.Food brokers (25) buyers and sellers of food and (26) general-merchandise items to one another and bring them together to complete a sale. They are well (27) about market conditions, terms of sale, sources of credit, price setting, potential (28) , and the art of negotiating. They do not actually provide credit but sometimes store and deliver goods. Brokers also do not (29) goods and usually are not allowed to complete a transaction (30) formal approval. Like other brokers, food brokers generally represent the seller, who pays their commission.Food brokers, (31) manufacturers agents, operate in specific geographic locations and work for a limited (32) of food producers within these areas. Their sales force calls on chain-store buyers, store managers, and institutional purchasing agents. Brokers work (33) with advertising agencies. The aver age commission for food brokers is 5 per cent of sales.19. A. basic B. basical C. basically D. basis20. A. Instead of B. Instead C. So D. Therefore21. A. for example B. as a result C. since D. although22. A. raise B. take C. reject D. lower23. A. regards B. in relation C. with regard D. regarding24. A. However B. Therefore C. For instance D. Because25. A. introduce B. to introduce C. take D. bring26. A. relating B. relate C. to relate to D. connected with27. A. informed of B. informing C. known D. informed28. A. sellers B. people C. buyers D. agents29. A. take title to B. take title of C. have title for D. give the title to30. A. with B. have C. in the possession of D. without31. A. alike B. tike C. resemble D. look like32. A. number B. sum C. amount D. quantities33. A. close B. loose C. closely D. closerPART FIVEQuestions 3445Read the text below about how to order products.In most of the lines 4152 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 on your Answer Sheet.Special Products Co. How to Order Our speciality is our convenient catalogue system. Instead of Spending time going to a shop, you simply order it direct from us.34. Ordering is easy and delivery fast. Once received, your order will35. normally be dispatched within 72 hours. We will inform to you36. immediately should any items be out of stock. If you are not happy37. with your purchases please return them to us within the 15 days in their38. original packaging and we will return you for in full. Quality is our main39. Criterion. Each item is under unconditionally guaranteed for 6 months.40. You will receive a receipt and with your order which is your guarantee.41. In the unlikely event of damage to an item during delivery, should please42. contact with us immediately on 0197 3101772 and we will arrange for43. its return or replacement.44. All prices and promotional45. offers are valid until 30th September.WRITING 45 minutesWRITINGPART ONEYou are the Purchasing Manager for a large company. Last month you decided to look for a new supplier for the stationery and office equipment that your company uses. You have found a new supplier, Compass Office Goods Ltd.Write a memo to your companys department heads: explaining why you looked for a new supplier. saying who the new supplier is. asking for feedback about the goods that they supply.Write 4050 words.PART TWOYour company needs new office places You have been asked to look at two warehouse properties, after adverts for these properties were sent to you by a commercial property agent, During your visit, you made notes on the adverts.Then, using all these handwritten notes you have made, write a short report for your Managing Director, saying which property you think your company should buy.Do not include postal addresses.Write 120140 words on a separate sheet. LISTENING 40 minutes (including 10 minutes transfer time)LISTENINGPART ONEQuestions 112You will hear three conversations.Write down one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One (Questions 14)Look at the note below.You will hear some information about a man.1. From the conversation, we know that he was born in (1) , India.2. He started school in England when he is (2) years old.3. He studied (3) languages.4. He have written (4) books all together.Conversation Two (Questions 58)Look at the note below.You will hear a mans schedule.1 On monday at (5) , he will meet with Mr. Brown, then, there is Lee Van Canh for (6) 2 On Tuesday, hell visit (7) all day.3 Hell meet accountant at 2:15 pm on (8) .Conversation Three (Questions 912)Look at the note below.You will hear a man talking his visit to Canada.1 Last week, Joanne got back from (9) .2 He visited (10) and (11) , and he advise you to go to a big city like (12) for excitement.PART TWOQuestions 1322Section One(Questions 1317)You will hear five short recordings.For each recording, decide the person who is speaking.Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay each recording.A a cleanerB a head of departmentC a studentD a lecturerE a receptionistF the proprietorG an agentH the technician13. _14. _15. _16. _17. _Section Two(Questions 1822)You will hear another five short recordings.For each recording, decide what task (AH) the person is being asked to do.Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay each recording.A thought it was very interestingB felt nervous about speakingC was not happy with the decisions madeD found it confusingG disagreed strongly with someoneE thought it was very boringG lost his/her temper with someoneH agreed with the final decision18. _19. _20. _21. _22. _PART THREEQuestions 2330You will hear a man giving advice on how to give a good presentation.For each question 2330, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording23. When giving a presentation, you should _. A. keep your knees straight B. keep your feet apart C. keep your head still24. If you have a cold, remember to _. A. drink small amounts of alcohol B. clear your throat before speaking C. use your tongue and lips carefully25. If you are nervous, you should _. A. examine for your feelings B. go for a message C. make detailed notes26. An aggressive body type is characterized by _. A. playing with hair B. clear voice C. swinging leg27. If you stick your neck forward _. A. your head will feel light B. your voice will sound strange C. your throat will get sore28. In order to make your presentation more interesting, you shoul