No, it isn"t the word "enterprise" spelled wrongly. Interprise is an EU agency that encourages cross-border business cooperation. It is like a "dating agency" that tries to match people who are looking for love. Interprise helps business to find partners in other countries to join in trading or distribution arrangements.
The agency"s task is to set up face-to-face meetings with business counterparts from other countries. This is how it works. The agency gets a request from a company, known as the "host company" (like a person who hosts a party), to help it find overseas companies. The host company creates a theme, that is, to say exactly what it wants. The Agency then helps it to team up with more host companies from at least two other EU regions who are looking for similar partners.
The Agency then publicizes the coming event to attract as many "guests" (visitors) as possible, that is, companies who might be interested in partnerships with the host companies. To do this, Interprise produces an "Interprise Catalogue" in which the host companies describe themselves and say what kind of partner they are looking for, for example, "a partner in Germany to distribute our products". The EU covers part of the running costs of the event, up to 70,000 Euros. In order to reach as many people as possible, the agency works through local Chambers of Commerce, who in turn publicize the event to their own members. Each member of Commerce is expected to bring at least fifteen companies. A recent Interprise event and over 200 registered visitors.
But Interprise is not an easy idea to "sell". It is not a trade fair in the usual sense. The average trade fair is like window-shopping: firms set out their goods, and visitors look around to see if there"s anything they want. With Interprise, everything is carefully arranged in advance. Foreign companies want a full programme of meetings—and with the right people. It is too early to say if Interprise is a success, but comments from both host companies and visitors have been very positive, "I"ve a pocketful of business cards and have made several useful contacts. " "Great. We have met some firms that are really interested in becoming distributors." Of course, they might have made useful contacts at an ordinary trade fair, except that it would have been only by chance.
单选题
What is Interprise?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 文章第一段“Interprise helps business to find partners in other countries to...Interprise”表明，是帮助生意者在其他国家找到工作伙伴。选项C符合题意。
单选题
The purpose of an Interprise event is to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 文章第三段“...the host companies describe themselves and say what kind of partner they are looking for...”表明，这些主办公司表述他们自己的情况，并说出他们想找什么样的搭档。选项B符合题意。
单选题
Interprise catalogues are distributed
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 文章第三段“The Agency then publicizes the coming event to attract as many "guests" (visitors)as possible...”表明，为了即将到来的活动大肆宣传。选项C符合题意。
单选题
The role of Chambers of Commerce is to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 文章第三段“Each member of Commerce is expected to bring at least fifteen companies...”可见，目的是为了找到合适的主办公司。选项B符合题意。
单选题
An Interprise event is different from a trade fair because
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 最后一段“everything is carefully arranged in advance.”表明，每一件事都提前安排好了。选项B符合题意。
单选题
Host companies are happy with an Interprise event if they are
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 由最后一段“"I"ve a pocketful of business cards and have made several useful contacts." "Great. We have met some firms that are really interested in becoming distributors." Of course, they might have made useful contacts at an ordinary trade fair, except that it would have been only by chance.”可知，这些评论指互相签合同。选项A符合题意。