{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}} ● For questions you will hear 8 short recordings. ● For each question1-8, mark one letter (A,B or C) for the correct answer.

{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}} ● For questions 1—8 you will hear 8 short dialogues. ● For each question, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.

WhatdoesAlisonorder?

{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}}Questions 1-8 ·For questions 1-8 you will hear eight short recordings. ·For each question, mark one letter (A, B, or C). ·After you have listened once, replay each recording.

Whattimewilltheflightleave?

{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}} ● For questions 1--8 you will hear 8 short recordings. ● For each question, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.

· Read the following passage below about a successful steel executive.· For each question (23-28), choose the correct answer.· Mark one letter(A, B or C) on your Answer sheet. A year ago, the only steel assets Tom White Jr. owned were a Chrysler Cherokee and a Mercedes-Benz. Today thanks to his enormous effort with United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard, the New York financier is emerging as one of the most important steel executives in decades. White made a fortune investing in bankrupt companies such as Texaco and Fruit of the Loom, but didn't buy his first steel property until last April, when he bought the mills of bankrupt ATM Corp. no longer in use, for $262 million. At the time the industry was in retreat. Destroyed by extremely cheap imports, nearly half the nation's mills had gone bankrupt, including three of the top five. When assessing White's chances, those in the industry were not optimistic. Yet within a month, White and his partners were rehiring the old workers of what had been the No. 4 steel producer in the U. S. , the International Steel Group. Now, the 1SG chairman is close to finalizing his biggest deal yet—a $1.5 billion bid for the assets of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, which has slowly been descending into bankruptcy since October, 2001. How has White been able to do this? Partly, it is to do with his excellent business understanding. White, 65, perfected his restructuring skills through 24 years at investment bank Rothschild Inc., and negotiated to buy the ATM mills just before President Bush set restrictions that removed foreign suppliers. White brings an outsider's approach to management. Today, ISG has just 22 executives-ATM had more layers than that. More than just salary savings, the cost cuts have shifted more responsibility to the shop floor, which, in turn, has increased productivity. White says that mill workers suggested asking for new pieces of steel ten minutes before a production run was about to end, rather than waiting until it had ended, as was normal. This clever move adds thirty minutes of extra output a day. The bottom line even with a well-paid union workforce, ISG has lifted productivity levels close to the levels of nonunion Nucor Corporation. Not had for such a new businessman.

WhatdoesGeorgethinkaboutthenewcompanymagazine?

{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}}{{B}} Questions 1-8{{/B}} · For questions 1-8, you will hear eight short recordings. · For each question, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. · After you have listened once, replay each recording.

Onwhatdaywilltheymeet?

·Read the text below about a retail group.·For each question 23-28, choose the correct answer.·Mark one letter (A, B or C) on your Answer Sheet. {{B}}NOT JUST A SHOP!{{/B}}In his yearly report, the Chairman of a chain of retail outlets writes about the financial aspects of the business and describes the work which the company has done to benefit people in the areas where their shops are locatedIt continues to be an important part of our company policy to be responsible for the health and welfare of people in the areas which we serve. In the past year, we have concentrated especially on education and training, and have invested over ￡4,000,000 in this and other areas ranging from the care of the old to the arts.Let us look at these first. We have, as always, financed health research and care projects helping not only the old but children and the disabled too. We were especially pleased this year to provide alarms for disabled people who live alone and to run programmes which help children understand better the problems facing disabled people.The Groundwork Foundation encourages young people in poor areas to improve their environment, while the Schools Prom concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London includes 20,000 children nationwide. Both of these were given financial help.As mentioned above, in the last year we have been active in supporting a range of education projects. Two of our managers are now out of the company on 1-year projects, training young people for work in the retail industry and improving the quality of the teaching they receive. In addition, we have started a programme of 3-month schemes which our managerial staff are able to benefit from without having to take a long break from their jobs.Schools and universities have also benefited. A London Business School received ￡50,000 to develop a training programme for UK school staff, giving them the skills necessary to manage their own schools. A major University has received a promise of ￡100,000 over 5 years to fund a new teaching post in international retailing. This will allow 22 more students to study this subject each year.It is not only the company that supports good work for other people. Members of staff themselves are encouraged to join the company Give as You Earn system, to give money to others, especially those organisations working for the benefit of the local area. In such cases the company often gives its support by making an additional contribution.We look forward to committing even more money to these and other projects in the coming year.

Whichpiechartiscorrect?

· You will hear an interview with Peter Smith, CEO of Direct TV.· For questions 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.· You will hear the recording twice.

Whendoestheplanetakeoff?

Questions 29-40 ·Read the information below about Maureen Dowd. ·Choose the correct word to fill in each gap from A, B or C below. ·For each question (29-40), mark one letter (A, B or C). The Working Life of Maureen Dowd In the world of business, it is not always easy for women to do the same things as men.Consider the working dinner. In order to do your job well, it's important to sometimes see clients and business contacts away{{U}} (29) {{/U}}the office. In a more relaxed atmosphere, you can get to know your business partner{{U}} (30) {{/U}}In the end, after all, people do business with people they like. Women start out{{U}} (31) {{/U}}a disadvantage because，unless you're Nancy Lopez or Martina Navratilova，it's{{U}} (32) {{/U}}to invite men out for a game of golf or tennis．Men usually prefer{{U}} (33) {{/U}}play sports with other men． You might think that restaurants are the perfect playing field．But they can be dangerous ground．{{U}} (34) {{/U}}people from the office see two men they know having dinner together，they think it's business．If colleagues see a woman dining with a man，they often{{U}} (35) {{/U}}if it's another kind of business． I'm still looking{{U}} (36) {{/U}}the perfect solution．Breakfasts are out because I find it impossible to be pleasant at 7 a．m．over a bowl of muesli．I love lunching，but that's usually a bad time for busy people，{{U}} (37) {{/U}}if they are on the road．So that brings us back to dinner． One answer is to take another colleague or client to dinner{{U}} (38) {{/U}}no one can think it is a tete-a-tete．Of course，this isn't always convenient．So when I can't do this，I take guys out to dinner to one-on-one places where I'm most{{U}} (39) {{/U}}to see colleagues．The more your colleagues see you doing working dinners with different men，the{{U}} (40) {{/U}}they know it is part of your business style．

We support a staff development programme for all our employees. Courses are divided (29) two categories: technical training and personal development. In the first year of training, staff follow a structured personal development programme (30) is designed to teach the skills needed (31) succeed in the commercial world communication and business awareness, for example. (32) the same time, technical training courses teach the skills needed for a particular job, (33) as product design techniques. In addition to training, there is (34) regular individual supervision. (35) recruits have a training manager, who guides their individual staff development. Practical experience is gained in the company while (36) on a variety of team projects. These projects (37) last for a few months or for several years. The company provides a friendly atmosphere where we have managed to maintain (38) the pressures of rapid growth. This continuing growth contributes (39) a stimulating, exciting workplace, and creates excellent prospects for the individual at all levels (40) the organization.

Wherecanshefindtheotherprinter?

{{B}}How to approach Reading Test Part Five{{/B}} ·In this part of the Reading Test you read a longer text and answer six questions. ·First read the questions. Try to get an idea of what the text will be about. Then read the text for general understanding. ·Then read the text and questions more carefully. Note all the possible answers. ·Read for overall meaning. Do not choose an answer just because you can see the same words in the text. ·Go back and decide on the final answers.·Read the article about several companies who are successfully working together.·For each question 23-28 on the opposite page, choose the correct answer.·Mark one letter (A B or C) {{B}}Local success{{/B}} {{B}}Working together {{/B}}Goldlink, a newly-founded Birmingham-based company which produces designer jewellery, has recently started working with another young local company, Prima, Goldlink commissioned Prima to help it promote the company's exciting new range of iewellery by designing a new brochure and leaflets as well as designing and building exhibition stands. Gill Smith, Goldlink's Sales Manager, explained how the relationship with Prima began and stressed how successful it had already been: 'We weren't expecting to find a local company which would meet our requirements. But then we saw an article aboul companies m the area and Prima sounded as if it'd be just the kind of company we were looking for - even if it is much smaller than com panies we usually work with. Right from the start wa liked the friendly feel of the business and the professional attitude of the staff. The service Prima provides is excellent. For example, thanks to Prima, we won the award for best trade stand at a recent exhibition. We then got first prize for best product and .Just missed the award for best brochure, That's how good Prima's been for us!'{{B}}Assistance{{/B}} Goldlink and Prima have both received considerable support in their first year of business from Andy Reilly, a consultant who offers advice to companies in the Midlands. Reilly specialises in helping small firms to secure funding such as Iow-interest bank loans. As a result of the consultant's help, ' the companies applied for and were awarded separate government grants. Samantha Barry, Managing Director of Prima, said that the assistance given by Reilly and his team in working out an appropriate business strategy for the company had been essential in making .Prima such a success. She added: 'We've also been having a few problems with our website. Although we've done all the design work ourselves, we've been really grateful to Andy Reilly for the advice he's given on structuring the content.' Reilly says of his work: 'My work is very varied and I get to work with a lot of compames m the area, which I like. What I enjoy even more though is helping companies such as Prima and Goldlink to work to achieve their potential. It's really rewarding to see small companies doing well, especially when I've been working so closely with them.' For fiJrther information about any of the companies mentioned in this article, call: 01235 434 656.

{{B}}How to approach Reading Test Part Five{{/B}}·In this part of the Reading Test you read a longer text and answer six questions.·First read the questions, Try to get an idea of what the text will be about. Then read the text for general understanding.·Then read the text and questions more carefully Note all the possible answers.·Read for overall meaning. Do not choose an answer just because you can see the same words in the text.·Go back and decide on the final answers.·Read the article about a Chief Executive who has temporarily changed his job.·For each question 23-28 on the opposite page, choose the correct answer.·Mark one letter (A, B or C). Back to the shop floorot Attwood, Chief Executive of Attwood Publicity, has attracted the attention of his industry by going to work in one of the company's packaging facilities for two months. Why has ha done this? 'Definitely not for marketing purposes,' he says. 'Though I know that other people in my position have done that. My background's in finance rather than the operational side -and I must admit that I feel a bit out of touch. So what I'm interested in is getting to know the people working in an important part of the business.' Attwood's packaging facility is unusual in that the number of manual workers there is double that in similar companies. Attwood has a reputation for innovation, which explains why, although some extremely up-to- date machinery has just been installed, the majority of the work is still done by hand. Traditional machines simply cannot process certain brochures and other products quickly and cheaply enough. At first, Attwood was embarrassed by his lack of speed in comparison with the other workers. Now he feels he is beginning to catch up. He had thought that money was the main motivation and that payment by results was the best way of ensuring quick and efficient work. He now realises that while factors such as the type of background music being played have some short-term effect on speed, most workers keep up with other people simply in order to ensure an efficient style that works for everybody. Attwood was confident at the start that the work would allow him to experience problems directly for himself. Now, after seven weeks, however, he realises that the most useful knowledge comes from listening to others, learning about their years of experience - and being able to ask questions. He is also pleased that any early coldness shown towards him has now disappeared and most workers feel confident that he takes their work seriously. They also now feel that they can be honest with him. Attwood has listened to complaints about Iow wages and the fact that management are seen to have more flexibility than workers and more opportunities for promotion. The workers' openness has already had results. Vacancies have started to be displayed throughout the company and interested staff of all levels are encouraged to apply. As the two-month period approaches its end, Attwood feels 'amazingly positive' about the experience: 'I've had to think more about how and why we do things than I've done for years,' 'he says.

· You will hear an interview with Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe.· For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.· You will hear the interview twice.