单选题
UK comes bottom of European language league

The United Kingdom has the poorest language skills base in Europe, according to research findings published today. A European Union examination found that UK companies could be losing billions of pounds worth of (21) exports due to their poor foreign language skills. Nearly twice as many UK companies (22) experiencing difficulties due to language barriers as other European companies. Furthermore, one in eight UK companies thought they had probably missed out on a business (23) due to their inability to communicate effectively in an international (24) . According to the report, "failure to communicate effectively and efficiently with (25) export markets in Europe, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region means that for many British firms more than a quarter of their possible revenues are at risk."
The UK was (26) last in a European league table, with only 74 percent of companies saying they had employees with foreign language skills, compared with 89 percent in Germany and 84 percent in France. This is of particular (27) to UK exporters, who now ship less than 25 percent of their total (28) to traditionally English-speaking markets. A government spokesman said that new (29) were needed to encourage companies to develop their language skills. Many companies come away from negotiations convinced that they have secured a good deal with an overseas client only to find out that the (30) they had agreed on are not as profitable as they had hoped.

【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】A likely可能的；B feasible可行的；C potential潜在的；D conceivable可能的，可想像的。本句中的意思是公司因此可能失去价值数十亿英镑的潜在出口业务。故C是正确答案。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】A announced宣布，通告；B accounted 说明，总计有；C informed通知，告诉；D reported公布，发表。由于语言障碍，几乎有两倍的英国公司公布经历过困难，故D是正确答案。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】A favour支持，赞成；B opportunity机会，时机，良机；C chance机会，可能性，偶然性；D fortune好运，命运。在表示有利的机会或时机时，要使用opportunity，business opportunity意思是商机。故B是正确答案。
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】A scene现场，场面；B neighbourhood 邻居关系；C environment环境，外界；D atmosphere空气，气氛。在表示抽象的环境时，常使用environment，这里指的是国际环境。故C是正确答案。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】A lucrative赚钱的，合算的；B fertile肥沃的，富饶的；C beneficial有益的，受益的；D fruitful多产的，富有成效的。这里指的是有利可图的出口市场。故A是正确答案。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】A ranked排列，把……分等；B classed 把……分类(或分等级)；C graded评分，评级；D listed列出，列举。前三个词都有分等级的意思，rank侧重于排队，排成一排进行比较，class侧重于分类，归于一个类别等；grade侧重于评估，确定……的质量。故A是正确答案。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】A distress苦恼；痛苦；B anxiety忧虑，焦急；C worry烦恼，忧虑；D concern所关切的事，涉及(某人)利害关系。故D是正确答案。
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】A commodities货物，商品，物品；B holdings所有物，财产；C goods商品，货物(尤指布匹、食品、糖果等)；D assets资产。其中A和C都有商品的意思，但commodities更多出现在书面语中。故C是正确答案。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】A ambitions野心，雄心；B enterprises 事业心，进取心，干事业；C ventures冒险，投机；D initiatives主动权，积极性。此句意思是：一位政府发言人说，我们需要积极主动地去鼓励公司来培养他们的语言技能。故D是正确答案。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】A specifications规格说明；B terms条款，条件，术语；C conclusions结论；D clauses子句，条款。从一般意义上来讲，协调过的协议条款应该没有问题，term和clause都可用，但是由于理解的不同，他们很可能会在某些技术术语方面存在问题，故B是正确答案。