单选题
单选题Inherpresentation.Penelopewantsto
单选题· Read the article below about problems in the IT industry, and the
questions on the opposite page.· For each question (13-18), mark one letter
(A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.
{{B}}
Problems in the IT industry{{/B}}In the information technology industry,
it is widely acknowledged that how well IT
departments of the future can fulfil their business goals will depend not on the
regular updating of technology, which is essential for them to do, but on how
well they can hold on to the people skilled at manipulating the newest
technology. This is becoming more difficult. Best estimates of the current
shortfall In IT staff in the UK are between 30,000 and 50,000, and
growing.And there is no end to the problem in sight. A severe
industry-wide lack of investment in training means the long-term skills base is
both ageing and shrinking. Employers are chasing experienced staff in
ever-decreasing circles, and, according to a recent government report, 250,000
new IT jobs will be created over the next decade. Most employers are
confining themselves to dealing with the immediate problems. There is little
evidence, for example, that they are stepping up their intake of raw recruits
for in* house training, or retraining existing staff from other functions. This
is the course of action recommended by the Computer
Software Services Association, but research shows its members are adopting
the short-term measure of bringing in more and more consultants on a contract
basis. However, this approach is becoming less and less acceptable
as the general shortage of skills, coupled with high demand, sends contractor
rates soaring. An experienced contract programmer, for example, can now earn at
least double the current permanent salary.With IT professionals
increasingly attracted to the financial rewards and flexibility of consultancy
work, average staff turnover rates are estimated to be around 15%. While many
companies in the financial services sector are managing to contain their losses
by offering skilled IT stall 'golden handcuffs' - deferred loyalty bonuses that
tie them in until a certain date - other organisations, like local governments,
are unable to match the competitive salaries and perks on offer in the private
sector and contractor market, and are suffering turnover rates of up to 60% a
year.But while loyalty bonuses have grabbed the headlines, there are
other means of holding on to staff. Some companies are doing additional IT pay
reviews in the year and paying market premiums. But such measures can create
serious employee relations problems among those excluded, both
within and outside IT departments. Many Industry
experts advise employers to link bonuses to performance wherever possible.
However, employers are realising that bonuses will only succeed if they
are accompanied by other incentives such as attractive career
prospects, training, and challenging work that meets the
individual's long-term ambitions.This means managers
need to allocate assignments more strategically and think
about advancing their staff as well as their business. Some employers advocate
giving key employees projects that would normally be handled by people
with slightly more experience or capability. For many
employers, however, the urgency of the problem demands a more immediate
solution, such as recruiting skilled workers from overseas. But even this is not
easy, with strict quotas on the number of work permits issued. In
addition, opposition to the recruitment of IT people
from other countries is growing, as many professionals believe it will lead to
even less investment in training and thus a long-term weakening of the UK skills
base.
单选题Catching out the Dishonest CandidateMost personnel managers agree that job interviews are one of the least objective recruitment methods. But the advantages of testing are not going to change the attraction of the interview to employers. The appeal of the interview has everything to do with the (19) factor. Most people believe they are a (20) judge of character and trust their instinctive feelings. We might use some kind of test to aid the (21) process, but we usually pick a candidate who interviews will, has good (22) and an impressive work record.But (23) the candidate lies or is less than completely honest 'This can be a serious problem for employers', (24) Alan Conrad, Chief Executive at Optimus Recruitment. 'The most difficult liars to find out those who (25) half-truths rather than complete lies.' Research (26) that up to 75 per cent of curriculum vitaes are deliberately inaccurate. The most common practice is (27) Interviewers should therefore concentrate on areas of (28) such as gaps between periods of employment and job (29) that seem strange. 'Focusing on these areas will force candidates to tell the truth or become increasingly (30) This is usually when people signal their (31) by their body language. Sweat on the upper lip, false smiles and nervous hand movements all (32) discomfort.'Conrad does not suggest an aggressive police-style interview technique, but insists that (33) inspection of a curriculum vitae is absolutely essential. Only by asking the right questions can you confirm the suitability of the candidate or put pressure on those who are being less than completely honest.
单选题If we want to make a big impact, consider a TV campaign.
A. we'll have to
B. we better
C. we had to
D. we've got
单选题[此试题无题干]
单选题· For each question (13-18), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer
Sheet.
{{B}}SHEER GENIUS - OR A WASTE OF TIME?{{/B}}{{I}}Encourage your original
thinkers and live with their strange habits, says Alan
Worthin{{/I}} If one of your research staff announced
that he had worked out a way to propel a vehicle on a cushion of air, would you
tell him to concentrate on something practical, or suggest taking it further? If
a member of your development team asked if she could come in late because she
had her best ideas at 3 am would you insist that she is in the office at 9 am
like everyone else? Current business wisdom is that companies
need creative, innovative people to beat competitors. The reality is that
companies have always needed new ideas to survive and progress, but in the past
they weren't particularly good at encouraging the people who produced
them. Original thinkers don't always fit easily into the
framework of an organisation. However, the advice from managing director, John
Serrano is, 'Get rid of the dull people and encourage the unusual ones'.
Essentially, he believes that companies need to learn how to manage their
original thinkers in order to ensure that the business profits from their
contribution. He also says, 'Original thinkers often find it difficult to
drive change within the organisation, so they resign, feeling angry and
disappointed. It is essential to avoid this.' 'You can't
recognise original thinkers by the way they look,' says Ian Freeman. 'An
apparently ordinary exterior can conceal a very creative thinker.' His
consultancy, IBT Personnel, has devised a structured way to identify original
thinkers. 'We define employees as champions, free-wheelers, bystanders and weak
links, and most original thinkers come into the category of free-wheelers. They
may miss deadlines if they become involved in something more interesting. They
are passionate and highly motivated but have little or no understanding of
business directions and systems.' Headhunter George Solomon
also thinks original thinkers have their disadvantages. 'They may have a bad
influence within an organisation, especially given the current management trend
for working in teams. The original thinkers them- selves may be unaware of any
problem, but having them around can be disruptive to colleagues, who have to be
allowed to point out when they are being driven crazy by the original thinkers'
behaviour.' Yet, in his opinion, the 'dream team' in any creative organisation
consists of a balanced mixture of original thinkers and more practical,
realistic people. So, having identified your original thinkers,
how do you handle them? One well-known computer games company has a very
inventive approach. 'We encourage our games designers by creating an informal
working environment,' says director Lorna Marsh. 'A company cannot punish risk-
takers ff it wants to encourage creativity. Management has to provide support,
coaching and advice-and take the risk that new ideas may not work. Our people
have flexible working hours and often make no clear distinction between their
jobs and their home lives.' Original thinkers may fit into the
culture of 21st century organisations, but more traditional organisations may
have to change their approach. Business psychologist Jean Row believes that the
first step is to check that original thinkers are worth the effort. 'Are the
benefits they bring worth the confusion they cause? If so, give them what they
want, allow plenty of space, but set clear limits. Give them extremely demanding
targets. If they fall to meet them, then the game is up. But if they succeed,
your organisation stands only to gain.'
单选题
单选题· Read the article below about how to read annual report and the questions
on the opposite page.· For each question 13-18, mark one letter (A, B, C or
D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose.
{{B}}
How to read annual reports{{/B}} First, turn back to the
report of the certified public accountant. This third-party auditor will tell
you fight off the bat if Galaxy's report conforms with "generally accepted
accounting principles". Then go to the footnotes. Check to see whether earnings
are up or down. The footnotes often tell the whole story. Then
turn to the letter from the chairman, Usually addressed "to our shareholders,"
it's up front -- and should be in more ways than one. The chairman's tone
reflects the personality, the well- being of the company. In this letter, the
chairman should tell you how the company fared this year. But more important,
the letter should tell you why. Keep an eye out for sentences that start with
"Except for..." and "Despite the..." They're clues to problems. On the positive
side, a chairman's letter should give you insights into the company's future and
its stance on economic or political trends that may affect it.
Now begin digging into the numbers! One source is the
balance sheet. It is a snapshot of how the company stands at a single point in
time. On the top are assets -- everything the company owns. Things that can
quickly be turned into cash are current assets. On the bottom are liabilities --
everything the company owes. Current liabilities are the debts due in one year,
which are paid out of current assets. The difference between current assets and
current liabilities is working capital, a key figure to watch from one annual
report to another. If working capital shrinks, it could mean trouble, one
possibility: the company may not be able to keep dividends growing rapidly.
Owners' equity is the difference between total assets and liabilities. It is the
presumed dollar value of what the owners or shareholders own. You want it to
grow. The second basic source of numbers is the income
statement. It shows how much money Galaxy made or lost over the year. Most
people look at one figure first. It's in the income statement at the bottom:
earnings per share. Watch out. It can fool you. Galaxy's management could boost
earnings by selling off a plant. Or by cutting the budget for research and
advertising. The number you .should look at first in the income statement is net
sales. Ask yourself: are sales going up at a faster rate than the last time
around? When sales increases start to slow, the company may be in trouble. Have
sales gone down because the company is selling off a losing business? If so,
profits may be soaring. Another important thing to study is the
company's debt. Turn to the balance, and divide long-term liabilities by owners'
equity. That's the debt-to- equity ratio. A high ratio means the
company borrows a lot of money to spark its growth. That's okay -- if sales grow
too, and d there's enough cash on hand to meet the payments. A company
doing well on borrowed money can earn big profits for its shareholders. But if
sales fall, watch out. The whole enterprise may slowly sink. Some
companies can handle high ratios; others can't. Finally, you
have to compare. Is the company's debt-to-equity ratio better or worse than it
used to be? Better or worse than the industry norms? In company-watching,
comparisons are all. They tell you if management is staying on top of
things.
单选题
单选题If you ice in warm water, it soon melts.
A. will place
B. would place
C. place
D. placed
单选题· You will hear a news story on the latest development in the U.S.
government's legal battle against Microsoft.· For each question 23--30, mark
one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.· You will hear the recording
twice.
单选题·Read the article below about corporate culture on the opposite page.
·For each question 13-18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer
Sheet for the answer you choose.
The term corporate culture refers to an
organization's value system. Managerial philosophies, workplace practices, and
organizational network are included in the concept of corporate culture. Tyson
Food's corporate culture is reflected in the fact that everyone—even CEO Don
Tyson wears clothes of a yellowish brown color on the job. The
leaders who developed the company and the corporate culture typically shape the
corporate culture.One generation of employees passes on a corporate culture to
newer employees. Sometimes this is part of formal training. New managers who
attend McDonald's Hamburger University may learn skills in management,but they
also pick up the basics of the organization's corporate culture. Employees can
absorb corporate culture through informal contacts as well, by talking with
other workers and through their experiences on the job.
Corporate culture has a major impact on the success of an organization. In
organizations with strong cultures,everyone knows and supports the
organizations' objectives. In those with weak cultures, no clear sense of
purpose exists. In fact, the authors of the classic book In Search of Excellence
concluded the presence of a strong corporate culture was the single common
thread among many diverse but highly successful companies such as General
Electric and McDonald's. As you can imagine, changing a
company's corporate culture can be very difficult. But some managers try to do
just that when they feel the current culture is weak, or when the organization's
objectives change and the old culture no longer fits. Sometimes the competitive
situation of a company changes.For instance, electric utilities, which once had
their profits guaranteed by public regulation, now face more competition than
ever. Firms that were comfortable competing against other American companies now
find themselves fighting competitors from overseas, too.
Management expert Peter Duckers feels that, rather than trying to change
culture, managers should focus on changing employees and corporate practices, as
follows. ·Define what results are needed. Specify in measurable terms what
the organization or department,or office) needs to achieve. ·Determine where
these results are already being achieved within the current organization.
Analyze the departments that are already effective and find out what they are
doing differently from the rest. ·Determine what top management can do to
encourage these good results. Duckers suggests that executives openly ask what
they can do to help, and then do it. ·Change the reward system—or develop a
new one—to recognize these effective practices. When employees realize that the
organization really does reward the new approach, they will adopt it much more
quickly. Whether one wants to change an organization culture or not, it is
important to choose managers and employees whose personal styles fit the
organization's goals.
单选题
单选题What does "potential" mean in the sentence "01d pieces with great potential abound…"(Para1)
单选题·Read this letter about giving presentations.·Choose the best word to
fill each gap.·For each question (19 -33) , mark one letter (A, B, C or D)
on your Answer Sheet.·One answer has been given as an example.
Most presentations today depend on the
use of some sort of technology, such as a laptop computer linked to a projector.
While this technology can help to {{U}}(19) {{/U}} presentations better,
it also has a {{U}}(20) {{/U}} of getting in the way. As a general
{{U}}(21) {{/U}}. it is better to {{U}}(22) {{/U}} on the
content of a presentation as a means of {{U}}(23) {{/U}} your audience's
attention, rather than relying on sophisticated equipment. Bear
in mind that when an organization invites {{U}}(24) {{/U}} for a
contract, they may {{U}}(25) {{/U}} four or five presentations from
different companies on the same day. Each of these companies will probably be
using the same computer graphics {{U}}(26) {{/U}} and the same
equipment. The chances are the presentations will be similar too.
That's why the content and {{U}}(27) {{/U}} of what you say are
important. Think about what you want to say and how to say it as clearly as
possible. As a first step, you need to {{U}}(28) {{/U}} the main points
you want to get across. Audiences are easily bored and {{U}}(29) {{/U}}
to remember only the most entertaining, exciting or unusual ideas.
Next create your materials, choosing the images for your presentation
carefully. Remember you do not want to stop your audience from listening to you,
nor do you want to {{U}}(30) {{/U}}. them. Finally, make
all the necessary {{U}}(31) {{/U}} for the equipment you need. If
technology is to be an important {{U}}(32) {{/U}} of your presentation,
make sure you know how to use it {{U}}(33) {{/U}} and test it out
beforehand.
单选题Would you be kind enough to inform us whether the price you have quoted for the units does or does not include a twelve-month service contract, which we understood to be part of our agreement with you?
They want us to let them know ...
a. if we're providing a year's free service
b. how much our service costs
c. how much the units will cost
单选题
单选题FAMILY BUSINESSES A great many people maybe at some stage in their lives consider setting up a business with their family members. The idea may seem very attractive, but the reality of working with someone close to you can often cause unforeseen problems. 80% of family-run businesses think that when times get tough, love, romance or family bonds will see them through. But the fact is that although 70% of businesses are family-run, only 40% of these companies survive to the second generation. Why do so many family businesses fail? While money has traditionally been thought to be the root of all difficulties, the major problem is much more clear. In businesses which don't have family ties or relationships, people find it easier to communicate and to say what is on their mind. In contrast, with family businesses, people often make the mistake of thinking they know what views other family members have without actually discussing with them. There is one strategy which should be used in all family businesses to protect potential problems. As time goes by, one partner may lose interest or not work as effectively as they are expected to. If each partner's responsibilities are identified from the start so that they know exactly what is required of them, difficulties are less likely to arise as the business develops. It is also recommended to ask yourselves a few "what if" questions before starting a family business. For example, what if one of the partners brought a friend into the family business and others didn't like this person? What would you do? To avoid this kind of problem, you should talk it over amongst yourselves. This sort of research can make you aware of both your own attitudes and the attitudes of the other members of the family before problems actually occur. Contracts are another potential problems. Too many family businesses are run on the most informal terms. People often think it is unfriendly to ask a relative to sign a contract outlining the terms of a business venture. But you should treat the family business like any other business and be professional to draw up a contract. Whether the business is profitable or not, it is supposed who owns the shares must be clearly defined and written into a formal contract. It must also be clear who is running the company. Some family businesses take a vote on every decision. Perhaps this exercise in democracy should be applauded, but it created so many complications that in the end the business failed. Even a small committee can sometimes be too large. In matters affecting the entire company. only one of you should be the decision-maker. He or she doesn't have to be the largest shareholder, but should be the one best able to lead the business. Another type of problem arises when a relative decides to join an already established business. In these cases, you should do everything you can to avoid favourism. It is important to avoid putting him straight into any kind of managerial position. Instead, encourage him to learn not only the company but the people who make it work by working on the shop floor on the assembly line. They have to prove to be a valuable asset not to the family but to the business.
单选题PRICE SYSTEMPrices determine how resources are to be used. They are also the means by which products and services that are in limited supply are rationed among buyers. The price system of the United States is a very complex network composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a myriad of services, including labor, professional transportation, and public utility services. The interrelationships of all these prices make up the "system" of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to supply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return privileges, and other factors. In other words, both buyer and seller depend more or less upon everything else. If one were to ask randomly selected individuals to define "price", many would reply that price is an amount of money paid by the buyer to the seller of a product of service or, in other words, that price is the money value of a product of service as agreed upon in a market transaction.This definition is, of course, valid as far as it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular transaction, much more than the amount of money involved must be known. Both the buyer and the seller should be familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that should be fully aware of all the factors that comprise the total "package" being exchanged for the asked--for amount of money in order that they may evaluate a given price.