单选题 The rise of multinational corporations, global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR(public relation).
Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, the U.S. leadership in public relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries. Ten years ago, for example, the world's top five public relations agencies were American-owned. In 1991, only one was. The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative. A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate planning activities, compared to about one-third of U. S. companies. It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR.
Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? Firstly, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs. Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country. Secondly, American lag behind their European and Asian counterparts in knowing a second language. Less than 5 percent of Burson-Marshall's U. S. employees know two languages. Ogilvy and Mather has about the same percentage. Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language. Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs. In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal. Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country.
Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN (Cable News Network). Turner recently announced that the word "foreign" would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts. According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the would so interdependent that there is no longer any such thing as foreign.

单选题 According to the passage, U.S. leadership in public relations is being threatened because of ______.
A. shrinking cultural differences and new communication technologies
B. increased efforts of other countries in public relations
C. an unparalleled increase in the number of public relations companies
D. the increasing number of multinational corporations and technologies

单选题 The underlined word "provincial" (Para. 3) most probably means "______".
A. rigid in thinking
B. interested in world financial affairs
C. like people from the provinces
D. limited in outlook

单选题 London could soon replace New York as the centre of PR because ______.
A. British companies place more importance on PR than U.S. companies
B. British companies are heavily involved in planning activities
C. British companies are more ambitious than U. S.
D. Four of the world's top public relations agencies are British-owned

单选题 We learn from the third paragraph that employees in the American PR industry ______.
A. enjoy reading a great variety of English business publications
B. speak at least one foreign language fluently
C. are ignorant about world geography
D. are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts

单选题 What lesson might be the PR industry take from Ted Turner of CNN?
A. The American PR industry should develop global communication technologies.
B. People involved in PR should avoid using the word "foreign".
C. American PR companies should be more internationally minded.
D. People working in PR should be more fluent in foreign languages.