CONVERSATION 2(Questions 5-8) MESSAGE Problem: There was a【L5】 1problem. Mr. Franks' company hasn't received the shipment of earrings that was supposed to arrive last【L6】 2The shipment was delayed from 【L7】 3. Meeting: At【L8】 4Friday morning.CONVERSATION 2(Questions 5-8) MESSAGE Problem: There was a【L5】 5problem. Mr. Franks' company hasn't received the shipment of earrings that was supposed to arrive last【L6】 6The shipment was delayed from 【L7】 7. Meeting: At【L8】 8Friday morning. 【L5】

Read the following article and answer questions 9~18 on the next page. Happy 75th Birthday, Social Security1. On its 75th anniversary Social Security is once again under attack and so are its defenders. Those who would axe benefits are spreading myths designed to make you think there is a looming crisis. Well, it is just not true. The stark reality is that it will be several decades before the program encounters any financial problems. The program's trust fund will have a $4.3 trillion surplus by 2023, and can pay all its obligations for decades to come. And strengthening Social Security is easy — making the very rich pay their fair share by lifting the cap on contributions by the wealthy would allow the program to pay all its obligations indefinitely.2. Social Security was a centerpiece of FDR(Franklin Delano Roosevelt)'s New Deal reforms that helped this country recover from the Great Depression. These programs provided Americans a measure of dignity and hope and lasting security against the vicissitudes of the market and life. FDR therefore accomplished what the venerable New Deal historian David Kennedy says is the challenge now facing President Obama — a rescue from the current economic crisis which will also make us "more resilient to face those future crises that inevitably await us."3. This anniversary is also a reminder of how major social reforms in this country have come about — in fits and starts. As former Clinton adviser Paul Begala observed in a Washington Post op-ed, "No self-respecting liberal today would support Franklin Roosevelt's original Social Security Act... If that version of Social Security were introduced today, progressives like me would call it cramped, parsimonious, mean-spirited and even racist. Perhaps it was all those things. But it was also a start. And for 74 years we have built on that start."4. Indeed when Social Security was first passed it left out African Americans and migrant workers. It was an imperfect piece of legislation but one that progressives built on to create the program we know today — a program like Medicare — that people feel an emotional connection to and will fight to protect. A new campaign from MoveOn and Campaign for America's Future will tap into that energy, enlisting candidates to pledge their support to Social Security this election season — opposing any cuts in benefits, including raising the retirement age. And these candidates would be wise to pay attention: A just-released poll shows that 65% of voters reject raising the retirement age to 70. And a separate AARP(American Association of Retired Persons)poll shows the vast majority oppose cutting Social Security to reduce the deficit, and 50% of non-retired adults are willing to pay more now in payroll taxes to ensure Social Security will be there when they retire.5. Progressives can also mark this anniversary by not only rededicating themselves to defending Social Security, but also going on the offensive to expand and improve our social security system to provide economic security for everyone.Questions 9-13(10 marks) For questions 9-13, choose the best title for each paragraph from the box below. For each numbered paragraph(1-5), mark one letter(A~G)on your Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice.A. Difficulty in implementing social reforms in USB. Grand celebration plan for Social SecurityC. Financial capacity of the present Social SecurityD. Progressives' contribution to Social SecurityE. Impact of Roosevelt's New Deal reformsF. Social Security's development and popularityG. Public confidence in new social reforms

You will hear five people talking about their first day at work. For questions 9-13, choose from the list A~F what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you do not need to use.A I was locked inside the office all night.B I was late and was mistaken by an older teacher.C I missed the bus because I could not find my keys.D I typed the notes and later was called to see the boss.E I scolded a man and then found out he was the boss. F I made a silly mistake and it enraged the boss. You will hear five people talking about their first day at work. For questions 9-13, choose from the list A~F what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you do not need to use.A I was locked inside the office all night.B I was late and was mistaken by an older teacher.C I missed the bus because I could not find my keys.D I typed the notes and later was called to see the boss.E I scolded a man and then found out he was the boss. F I made a silly mistake and it enraged the boss.

You will hear a conversation and recorded message. Write down one word or number in each of the numbered spaces on the forms below.CONVERSATION(Questionsl-4) HOTEL BOOKING FORMArrival date: 23 AugustLength of stay:【L1】 1weeksType of accommodation:【L2】 2roomName: Mr. and Mrs【L3】 3and childrenAddress: 29 Tower Heights, Dunbar【L4】 4Postcode: EH41 2GKTEL: 013199465723 You will hear a conversation and recorded message. Write down one word or number in each of the numbered spaces on the forms below.CONVERSATION(Questionsl-4) HOTEL BOOKING FORMArrival date: 23 AugustLength of stay:【L1】 5weeksType of accommodation:【L2】 6roomName: Mr. and Mrs【L3】 7and childrenAddress: 29 Tower Heights, Dunbar【L4】 8Postcode: EH41 2GKTEL: 013199465723 【L1】

阅读理解HOW THE CREDIT CARD CAPTURED AMERICA The proliferation of platinum American Express cards in the 1980s spawned rumors of an ultimate, highly exclusive, never publicized "Black Card". Carried by billionaires, it reportedly allowed holders to demand private shopping sprees at the world''s most exclusive shops and to summon helicopters in the middle of Sahara. American express vehemently denies the existence of such a charge card. But the persistence of the myth suggests the social importance credit cards have for so many Americans. As one business writer puts it, "to have one''s credit cards canceled is now akin to being excommunicated by the medieval church." America''s love affair with the credit card began in 1949, when businessman Frank X. McNamara finished a meal in a New York restaurant and then discovered he had no cash. In those days, gasoline and store charge cards were common, but cash was standard for almost everything else. The embarrassed McNamara called his wife, who rushed over to bail him out. His predicament gave him the idea for Diners Club. Within a year some 200 people carried the world''s first multi-use credit card. The problem was to persuade enough people to carry the cards. Diners Club turned to promotions. It gave away a round-the-world trip on a popular television show. The winners charged their expenses and made it "from New York to New York without a die in their pockets". Banks, sensing among less affluent a pent-up desire to spend, began issuing cards of their own. The first to turn a profit was Bank of America''s Bank Americard. Bankers from all over the country descended on its California headquarters to learn the secret of its success—so many that in 1966 Bank Americard, today known as Visa, began forming alliances with banks outside the state. The Bank Americard network soon faced a competitor when Wells Fargo Bank joined with 77 others to create what became Master Charge. After scooping up 1.3 million more "Everything Card" holders from what was then First national City Bank, Maser charge—today''s Master card—became for a while the biggest bank card in the country. Five million holiday credit-card shoppers would have created a bonanza for the banks, but in the rush to market, the banks had been less than cautious in assembling their lists. Some families received 15 cards. Dead people and babies got cards. Even a dachshund named Alice Griffin was sent one that promised she would be welcomed as a "preferred customer" at Chicago''s finest restaurants. Hundreds of Chicagoans discovered they could use or sell a car they "found", and by law, the person whose name appeared on it was liable for the charges—even if he or she had never requested or received the card. When the prime rate hit 20 % in 1981, the banks found that consumers didn''t mind paying rates of 18—22% on their credit-card balance. High interest rates helped attract new players into the credit-card area, including sears'' Discover Card and Visa. Airlines, car and insurance companies, even long-distance phone companies allied themselves with banks to offer credit cards. Experts estimate there are from 15, 000 to 19, 000 different cards available in the country. Of course, credit cards have not only replaced cash for many purposes, but also in effect have created cash by making it instantly available virtually everywhere. The credit-card advance is becoming as ubiquitous as the automated teller machine.

阅读理解Advertisement Too much to read! It''s impossible to find time to read today''s (0) business books—and thousands are published each year. Yet not keeping up with those books could be a serious and (19) mistake. Often the ideas and insights they contain are (20) nowhere else. But how can you even know which (21) are worthwhile—let alone find time to read them? Fortunately, there''s a (22) Soundview Executive Book Summaries. It really works. In fact, it''s guaranteed to (23). It is ingenious and essential. Every month, you receive two or three quick reading, time saving summaries of the best new business books. Each (24) all the key points in the original book. The big (25), instead of 200 to 500 pages, the summary is only several pages. Instead of taking five, ten or more hours to read, it (26) just 15 minutes. Of the thousands of business books published (27), only a (28) are really worth reading. To save your time, our Editorial Board goes (29) them all eliminating 90%. Our (30) are high, and the criteria rigorous. When a book meets all our (31), we prepare a Summary, instead of a review or a digest. You get a skillful distillation that (32) the content ad spirit of the entire books. The titles cover every subject of (33) to business people today. There''s nothing else like Soundview Executive Book Summaries. A. good B. excellent C. first D. top EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is D.

阅读理解Robots at Work The newspaper production process has come a (0) way from the old days when the paper was written, edited, typeset and ultimately printed in one building with the journalists working on the upper floors and the printing (19) going on the ground floor. These days the editors, sub-editors and journalists who put the paper together are (20) to find themselves in a totally different building or maybe even in a different city. This is the (21) which now prevails in Sydney. The daily paper is complied at the editorial headquarters, known as the pre-press centre, in the heart of the city but printed far away in the suburbs at the printing centre. Her human beings are in the (22) as much of the work is done by automated machines controlled by computers. (23) the finished newspaper has been created for the next morning''s edition, all the pages are (24) electronically from pre-press centre to the printing centre. The system of transmission is an update on the sophisticated page facsimile system already in use on many (25) newspapers. An image-setter at the printing centre delivers the pages as films. Each page (26) less than one minute to produce, although for color pages four versions are used, one each for black, cyan, magenta and yellow. The pages are then processed into photographic negatives and the film is used to produce aluminum printing plates (27) for the presses. A procession of automated vehicles is busy at the new printing centre where the Sydney morning Herald is printed each day. With (28) flashing and warning horns honking, the robots look for all the world like enthusiastic machines from a science-fiction movie, as they follow their random paths around the (29) busily getting on with their jobs. Automation of this kind is now (30) in all modern newspaper plants. The robots can (31) unauthorized personnel and alert (32) staff immediately if they find an intruder and not surprisingly, tall tales are already being told about the machines starting to take on (33) of their own. A. short B. far C. near D. long EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is D.

阅读理解SUCCESSFUL MARKETING After all, you plan to make money by selling a product or a service or both. The reasons people will want to buy from you should give you a clue as to the inherent drama in your product or service. (0). In Mother Nature breakfast cereal, it is the high concentration of vitamins and minerals. Always remember that people buy benefits, not features. People do not buy shampoo; people buy great-looking or clean or manageable hair. (8) Mothers of young kids do not buy cereal? they buy nutrition, though many buy anything at all they can get their kids to eat—anything. So find the major benefit of your offering and write it down. It should come directly from the inherently dramatic feature. (9). There is a world of difference between honesty and believability. You can be 100 percent honest (as you should be) and people still may not believe you. You must go beyond honesty, beyond the barrier that advertising has erected by its tendency toward exaggeration, and state your benefit in such a way that it will be accepted beyond doubt. The company producing Mother Nature breakfast cereal might say, "A bowl of Mother Nature breakfast cereal provides your child with almost as many vitamins as a multi-vitamin pill." (10). The word almost lends believability. People do not pay attention to advertising. They pay attention only to things that interest them. And sometimes they find those things in advertising. So you''ve just got to interest them. (11). I''m sure you''re familiar with advertising that you remember for a product you do not remember. (12). But you can prevent yourself from falling into that trap by memorizing this line: Forget the ad, is the product or service interesting? The Mother Nature company might put their point across by showing a picture of two hands breaking open a multivitamin capsule from which pour flakes that fall into an appetizing-looking bowl of cereal. [A]. This statement begins with the inherent drama, turns it into a benefit, and is worded believably. [B]. And while you''re at it, be sure you interest them in your product or service, not just your advertising. [C]. People do not buy cars; people buy speed, status, style, economy, performance, and power. [D]. Something about your offering must be inherently interesting or you wouldn''t be putting it up for sale. [E]. And even though you have four or five benefits, stick with one or two at most. [F]. Many advertisers are guilty of creating advertising that''s more interesting than whatever it is they are advertising. [G]. All along, you should be using your creative strategy to guide you, to give you hints as to the content of your ad. EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is [D].

阅读理解HOW BABY BOOMERS ENVISION THEIR RETIREMENT The Baby Boom generation—the cohort of Americans born between 1946 and 1964—has long commanded the attention of demographers, politicians, marketers, and social scientists. (0). Their mass alone has had an enormous impact on the national psyche, political arena and social fabric. From the youth culture they created in the 1960s and 1970s to the dual-income households of the 1980s and 1990s, this generation has reinterpreted each successive stage of life. (8). Baby Boomers envision a very novel type of retirement. (9). Fully eight in ten Baby Boomers say they plan to work at least part-time during their retirement; just 16% say they will not work at all; a little over a third say they will be working part-time mainly for the sake of interest and enjoyment; about one quarter say they will work part-time mainly for the income it provides; others envision stating their own business or working full-time at a new job or career. The survey findings also provide insight into some other ways Baby Boomers expect to define their retirement years. Close to half say they expect to devote more time to community service or volunteer activities during retirement. (10). Family, it seems, will play an important role in the Baby Boomer retirement: 57% expect to live near at least one of their children? seven in ten say they look forward to being a grandparent. Challenging the conventional wisdom which held that Baby Boomers are only concerned about the present, the study finds strong evidence that they have actually focused quite a lot on the prospect of retirement. (11). (12). Their self-reliance attitude is reflected in that: Fully seven in ten Baby Boomers say they don''t want to depend on their children during retirement; Six in ten feel confident in their ability to adequately prepare for the future; Only about two in ten have the attitude that "the future will take care of itself"? Just 9% believe that people ought to be able to depend on their family financially during retirement. [A]. With life expectancy rising, Boomers will live a long time and want an income as well as an occupation to sustain them. [B]. A strong majority of Baby Boomers (72%) say that they have given a lot or at least some thought to their retirement years, while just over one quarter say they have given only a little thought or none at all to their retirement years. [C]. As the oldest of the Baby Boomers, now 52, approach later adulthood, they are again poised to redefine the next stage, retirement. [D]. Seventy six million strong, Baby Boomers represent the largest single sustained growth of the population in the history of the United States. [E]. More than seven in ten Baby Boomers say they expect to have a hobby or special interest that they will dedicate a lot of time to when they are retired. [F]. A recent survey finds that most Baby Boomers believe that they will still be working during their retirement years. [G]. Baby Boomers'' definition of their retirement seems to include a large measure of self-reliance. EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is [D].

阅读理解A Critical Concern in Merger and Acquisition Strategies Mergers and acquisitions as (0) strategies are once again in vogue. This business drama seems to be (19) by recent highly visible mergers between rich and famous players. Even speculation around a low ball offer by Comcast to acquire Disney seems to excite global (20) in corporate marriages. However, like all such (21), long-term success is rarely accomplished by a mere combination of cool stuff and know-how. In the midst of all the hype, a well documented fact is that most merger and acquisition activity rarely (22) the highly anticipated cooperation between companies. Throughout a merger or acquisition, people in an acquired company often (23) that they don''t know what is happening, express fear about (24) their jobs, and feel demoralized as to the future of their contributions. Failed mergers that otherwise have a (25) strategic and financial fit are typically the (26) of the irretrievable loss of intangible, messy-to-measure, and difficult-to-implement human (27) on which the company''s tangible assets ultimately (28). Traditional integration practices have been (29) around consolidating key resources, financial and physical assets, (30) names, and tradable endowments. The most forward-thinking integration strategies also capture key pieces of elusive core competencies, such as a/an (31)''s best practices, skills, knowledge bases, and routines. (32) excluded are critical root strategic assets, which can make or break a union that is otherwise "made in heaven." These root strategic assets (33) collaborative leadership, cultural cohesion and talent retention. A. downsize B. employment C. increase D. growth EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is D.

阅读理解Employment Situation Opinion polls are now beginning to show that, whoever is to blame and whatever happens from now on, high unemployment is probably here to say. This means we shall have to find ways of sharing the available employment more widely. But we need to go further. We must ask some fundamental questions about the future work. Should we continue to treat employment as the norm? Should we not rather encourage many ways for self-respecting people to work? Should we not create conditions in which many of us can work for ourselves, rather than for an employer? Should we not aim to revive the household and the neighborhood, as well as the factory and the office, as centers of production and work? The industrial age has been the only period of human history in which most people''s work has taken the form of jobs. The industrial age may now be coming to an end, and some of the changes in work patterns which it brought may have to be reversed. This seems a daunting thought. But, in fact, it could offer the prospect of a better future for work. Universal employment, as its history shows, has not meant economic freedom. Employment became widespread when the enclosures of the 17th and 18th centuries made many people dependent on paid work by depriving them of the use of the land, and thus of the means to provide a living for themselves. Then the factory system destroyed the cottage industries and removed work from people''s homes. Later, as transport improved, first by rail and then by road, people commuted longer distances to their places of employment until, eventually, many people''s work lost all connection with their home lives and the places in which they live. Meanwhile, employment put women at a disadvantage. In preindustrial times, men and women had shared the productive work of the household and village community. Now it became customary for the husband to go out to paid employment, leaving the unpaid work of the home and families to his wife. Tax and benefit regulations still assume this norm today, and restrict more flexible sharing of work roles between the sexes. It was not only women whose work status suffered. As employment became the dominant form of work, young people and old people were excluded—a problem now, as more teenagers become frustrated at school and more retired people want to live active lives. All this may now have to change. The time has certainly come to switch some effort and resources away from the idealist goal creating jobs for all, to the urgent practical task of helping many people to manage without full-time jobs.

听力题A. a salary increase B. a change in internal budgets C. a move to new premises D. a new computer system E. the introduction of a social programme F. the loss of a contract G. a change of management H. a new clerk

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听力题 Results from Japan''s largest petrochemicals companies for the year to March 31st reflect the crisis facing a sector plagued by sluggish domestic demand, over capacity, plunging prices and the appreciation of the yen. News of the sectors cure trading position follow this weeks decision by Showa Denko to sell its polystyrene business. The company, a marginal manufacturer, sold its 30,000 tonnes a year Kawasaki plant to Asahi Chemical. Japans largest polystyrene manufacturer with capacity of about 333,000 tonnes a year, equivalent to about 25 percent of the market. The move was the latest in a series of alliances and mergers as the troubled industry restructures. Mitsubishi Petrochemical , the country''s biggest plastics group , reported a loss of Y8.39bn ( $ 80m) compared with pre-tax profits last year of Y8.25bn. The group made an operating loss of Y13.8bn, the first since 1982. The poor result came despite cost-cutting measures, lower raw material prices, and Y4bn worth of profits from equity sales. Turnover fell 12.2 percent from Y372bn to Y326bn, as prices and volumes declined. Earnings per share, which reached Y52.5 in 1991, fell to a loss per share of Y9.44. The group, which is scheduled to merge with Mitsubishi Kasei on October 1st, cut its dividend from Y8 per share to Y4. Mitsubishi Kaseis pre-tax profits fell 76.8 percent from Y9.3bn last year to Y2.2bn. The group reported its first operating loss in 40 years at Y467m, and only managed to post positive pre-tax results by selling Y15. 7bn worth of equities. Turnover fell 1.8 percent, the fourth yearly decline, to Y696bn. The dividend was halved to Y3 per share. Mr. Morihisa Takano, managing director, said the newly merged group would generate pre-tax profits of Y10bn on sales of Y855bn during the year to March 1995. He predicted petrochemicals prices would bottom out during the summer. No decision had been made about the dividend, but the new company could pass it during the current year, he Pre-tax profits at Mitsui Petrochemical industries. Japans biggest polyethylene maker, plunged 75 percent from Y9bn to Y2.26bn on sales down 9.3 percent at Y272bn. The company blamed poor demand for the slump which offset the benefits of cost-cutting measures. The dividend is unchanged at Y6 per share. The group forecast pre-tax profits for the current year marginally up at Y3bn on turnover of Y276bn. Shin-Etsu, one of Japans biggest makers of polyvinyl chloride, reported profits down 26.1 percent from Y17.6bn to Y13bn. Sales increased 0.2 percent from Y275bn to Y276bn. Net profits fell 26.6 percent to Y7.08bn, or Y21.85 per share. The group maintained the final dividend at Y3.75, making the full-year pay out Y7.5 per share. Shin-Etsu forecast pre-tax profits for the current year of Y15.5bn on sales of Y277bn. The outlook for the petrochemicals industry remains blank. The imbalance between supply and demand for ethylene, the basic building block of petrochemicals, is about 2.8m tonnes of ethylene and is set to deteriorate further this year. A massive 700, 000-tonne-a-year ethylene complex owned by Maruzen , Mitsui Petrochemical and Sumitomo Chemical comes on stream later this year and Mitsubishi Petrochemical is also commissioning a new 300,000-tonne-a-year plant this year. Results from Japan''s largest petrochemicals companies for the year to March 31st reflect the crisis facing a sector plagued by sluggish domestic demand, over capacity, plunging prices and the appreciation of the yen. News of the sectors cure trading position follow this weeks decision by Showa Denko to sell its polystyrene business. The company, a marginal manufacturer, sold its 30,000 tonnes a year Kawasaki plant to Asahi Chemical. Japans largest polystyrene manufacturer with capacity of about 333,000 tonnes a year, equivalent to about 25 percent of the market. The move was the latest in a series of alliances and mergers as the troubled industry restructures. Mitsubishi Petrochemical , the country''s biggest plastics group , reported a loss of Y8.39bn ( $ 80m) compared with pre-tax profits last year of Y8.25bn. The group made an operating loss of Y13.8bn, the first since 1982. The poor result came despite cost-cutting measures, lower raw material prices, and Y4bn worth of profits from equity sales. Turnover fell 12.2 percent from Y372bn to Y326bn, as prices and volumes declined. Earnings per share, which reached Y52.5 in 1991, fell to a loss per share of Y9.44. The group, which is scheduled to merge with Mitsubishi Kasei on October 1st, cut its dividend from Y8 per share to Y4. Mitsubishi Kaseis pre-tax profits fell 76.8 percent from Y9.3bn last year to Y2.2bn. The group reported its first operating loss in 40 years at Y467m, and only managed to post positive pre-tax results by selling Y15. 7bn worth of equities. Turnover fell 1.8 percent, the fourth yearly decline, to Y696bn. The dividend was halved to Y3 per share. Mr. Morihisa Takano, managing director, said the newly merged group would generate pre-tax profits of Y10bn on sales of Y855bn during the year to March 1995. He predicted petrochemicals prices would bottom out during the summer. No decision had been made about the dividend, but the new company could pass it during the current year, he Pre-tax profits at Mitsui Petrochemical industries. Japans biggest polyethylene maker, plunged 75 percent from Y9bn to Y2.26bn on sales down 9.3 percent at Y272bn. The company blamed poor demand for the slump which offset the benefits of cost-cutting measures. The dividend is unchanged at Y6 per share. The group forecast pre-tax profits for the current year marginally up at Y3bn on turnover of Y276bn. Shin-Etsu, one of Japans biggest makers of polyvinyl chloride, reported profits down 26.1 percent from Y17.6bn to Y13bn. Sales increased 0.2 percent from Y275bn to Y276bn. Net profits fell 26.6 percent to Y7.08bn, or Y21.85 per share. The group maintained the final dividend at Y3.75, making the full-year pay out Y7.5 per share. Shin-Etsu forecast pre-tax profits for the current year of Y15.5bn on sales of Y277bn. The outlook for the petrochemicals industry remains blank. The imbalance between supply and demand for ethylene, the basic building block of petrochemicals, is about 2.8m tonnes of ethylene and is set to deteriorate further this year. A massive 700, 000-tonne-a-year ethylene complex owned by Maruzen , Mitsui Petrochemical and Sumitomo Chemical comes on stream later this year and Mitsubishi Petrochemical is also commissioning a new 300,000-tonne-a-year plant this year.

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听力题A. the Manager of Office Supplies B. the Marketing Manager C. a young junior manager D. the Managing Director E. the Training Manager F. the temporary clerk G. the Personnel Manager H. the Sales Manager