Advanced Business English (Reading and Writing)
Ⅰ. Reading Comprehension
Directions: Choose the correct answersaccording to the information given from the passages. Read the passages throughcarefully before making your choices. Please mark the corresponding letter foreach item on Answer Sheet Passage One
It is said that the public andCongressional concern about deceptive packaging rumpus started because SenatorHart discovered that the boxes of cereals consumed by him, Mrs. Hart, and theirchildren were becoming higher and narrower, with a decline of net weight from12 to 10. 5 ounces, without any reduction in price. There were still twelvebiscuits, but they had been reduced in size. Later, the Senator rightlycomplained of a store-bought pie in a handsomely illustrated box that pictured,in a single slice, almost as many cherries as there were in the whole pie. The manufacturer who increases theunit price of his product by changing his package size to lower the quantitydelivered can, without undue hardship, put his product into boxes, bags, andtins that will contain even 4-ounce, 8-ounce, one-pound, Two-pound quantities of breakfastfoods, cake mixes, etc. A study of drugstore and supermarket shelves willconvince any observer that all possible size and shapes of boxes, jars,bottles, and tins are in use at the same time and, as the package journalsshow, week by week, there is never any hesitation in introducing a new size.and shape of box or bottle when it aids in product differentiation. Theproducers of packaged products argue strongly against changing sizes ofpackages to contain even weights and volumes, but no one in the trade commentsunfavorably on the huge costs incurred by endless changes of package sizes,materials, shape, art work, and net weights that are used for improving aproduct's market position. When a packaging expert explainedthat he was able to multiply the price of hard sweets by 2.5, from I dollar to2.50 dollars by changing to a fancy jar, or that he had made a 5-ounce bottlelook as though it held 8 ounces, he was in effect telling the public thatpackaging can be a very expensive luxury. It evidently does come high, when anaverage family pays about 200 dollars a year for bottles, cans, boxes, jars andother containers, most of which can' t be used anything but stuffing thegarbage can .
Questions 1-5 are based onpassage 1
1 . Whatstarted the public and Congressional concern about deceptive packaging rumpus?
A) Consumers' complaints about thechanges in the package size. B) Expensive packaging for poorquality products. C) A senator's discovery of thetricks in packaging. D) The rise in the unit price formany products. 2. Theword "undue" (Para. 2) means "__________".
A) proper B)adequate C)expected D)excessive
3. Consumers areconcerned about the changes in the package size, mainly because __________. A) they hate to see any changes inthings they are familiar with B) they unit price for a productoften rises as a result C) they have to pay for the costof changing package sizes D) this entails an increase in thecost of packaging 4. According to thispassage, various types of packaging come into existence to __________. A) meet the needs of consumers
B) suit all kinds of products
C) enhance the market position ofproducts D) introduce new products
5. Theauthor is critical mainly of _________.
A) dishonest packaging
B) inferior packaging
C) the changes in package size
D) exaggerated illustrations onpackages
Passage Two.
Theme-park-bound bargain seekers would bewise to spend some time surfing online before they get in line at the parksthis summer. A growing number of these attractions now allow customersto print e-tickets at home with large discounts off the gate price, in part tospur attendance that has declined in recent years. After boom times in the late 1990s, themepark attendance began to decrease, with an overall decline of about 4% over thepast few years at North America’s 50most-visited establishments, says James Zoltak, editor of Amusement Business. “Thebloom was off the rose as we turned the corner into 2000, so there’smore discounting now,” he says. Discounting isn’t new to an industry that haslong partnered with other commercial enterprises, such as soft drink companies,to offer deals. The e-ticketing adds a new opportunity that brings convenienceas well, since it allows visitors to avoid the line at the gate. “If you can get in early before the linesfill up, you’re getting more for your money,” says Robert Niles of the websiteTheme Park Insider.
Questions 6-10 are based onpassage 2
6. The word “attractions” (line 1, para. 2)refers to ___.
A. theme parks B. bargains C. e-tickets D. discounts
7. Why do more and more theme parks offer largediscounts off gate price?
A. To get in line at the parks this summer.
B. To encourage more people to come to theparks.
C. To enable people to get e-tickets athome.
D. To reduce the attendance figure.
8. What does the sentence “The bloom was off therose” mean?
A. the rose in the theme park was out ofbloom.
B. the year 2000 was lucky for the 50establishments.
C. the theme park attendance was like therose.
D. the best time for the theme parks wasgone.
9. What is the new opportunity e-ticketingbrings to the theme parks?
A. The theme park industry will be moreprofitable.
B. Soft drink companies will be betterpartners of the parks.
C. The tour to the parks will be moreconvenient.
D. Visitors to the parks will have morediscounts.
10. The last sentence of this passage is based onthe idea that ____.
A. it is wise to surf online.
B. discounting isn’t everything.
C. e-ticketing attracts more partners.
D. time is money.
Ⅱ. Close
Directions:In this section, there is a passagewith 10 blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a listof choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage throughcarefully before making your choices. Each choice in the blank is identified bya letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
When the Saudi government announced that it was going to 1 several million dollars in communications technology, and Americanbusinessman went to Riyadhto “ get something going”. His planefare and expenses for a week were 2 to be $ 3700. He arrived on aMonday, 3 into his hotel and began making phonecalls to the “obvious points of 4 ”. To his surprise he couldnot track down anyone to see regarding his business. By Wednesday he discovered that most officeswere closed on Thursday afternoon and on Friday, the Islamic day ofprayer. There was nothing he could dobut 5 his stay and hope for better luck nextweek. Eventually hemade several 6 , but in each case he was 7 by hour-or-more wais, interrupted meetings, endless cups of coffee,and instructions to “com back another day”. He was particularly unsettled bythe Arab habit of 8 from the subject. After a month he ran into an old army buddywho introduced him to the basic rules of Saudi 9 and how to do business with the Arabs. He was horrified to discover that he hadrepeatedly insulted his contacts by his 10 disguised impatience, refusal to take coffee, rush to talk business,aggressive selling, occasional swearing, exposing the sole of his shoe whensitting on the floor, and even when he conversationally asked an Arab officialabout his wife
frustrated projected directed checked invest etiquette contact extend investigated disappointed separating heavily straying thinly appointments |
Ⅲ. Translate the following phrases into English`
Part One
1. 促销的内容
2. 销售毛利率
3. 定单数与询购数比率
4. 销售区域图计划
5. 销售目标
6. 东方文化
7. 跨文化知识
8. 中途停留
9. 现金流量
10 销售成本
PartTwo
1.请务必保证预订此次旅行。
2.请确认目录中的价格依然有效。
3.除非我们在7日内听到消息, 否则我们就采取法律行动。
4.如果能让我们了解有关贵方产品的更多信息, 我们将不胜感激。
5.我先将信件传真给你, 我会把正本寄上, 以便贵方存档。
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