剑桥BEC高级真题第三辑TEST4

剑桥 BEC 真题集高级 第三辑 Test 4

READING 1 hour PART ONE Questions 1-8

• Look at the statements below and at the five extracts from a newspaper article on the opposite page about people who have set up their own internet companies. • Which extract (A, B, C, D or E) does each statement 1-8 refer to?

• For each statement (1-8), mark one letter (A, B, C, D or E) on your Answer Sheet. • You will need to use some of these letters more than once. • There is an example at the beginning. (0). Example: 0 These people sought help to forecast their likely cashflow.. 1

0 A B C D E

1 These people have not paid themselves out of their company‟s income so far. 2 These people had knowledge which they wanted to exploit in a different type of company.

3 These people's initial efforts to obtain start-up funding were unsuccessful.

4 These people have developed a very effective process for handling sales.

5 These people devised a mixed media approach to advertising.

6 These people felt that they could improve companies‟ focus on customers. 7 These people intend to make their marketing more cost-effective.

8 These people are targeting a relatively small number of discerning clients. A

E-GAMES

John and Stephanie both wanted a complete career change. Selling children‟s games over the internet seemed a foolproof idea, but their biggest challenge was to secure financial backing. First they contacted numerous venture capitalists, but from the response of the few that would even talk to them, they realized they would get nowhere until they had spelt out in detail how they intended to turn their concept into reality. So the next step was to work with a group of start-up consultants, to devise a business plan making their expected revenue streams more precise.

B

SUREK

Sue and Derek‟s plan was to sell clothes over the internet. After a shaky start, leading to serious cash flow problems, which meant they occasionally had little to live on, they realised they would have to advertise much more seriously: on the internet, they used online marketing tools to the full to produce increases in traffic, and combined this with intensive publicity outside the internet. Within six months they had built a large customer database, at which stage it was necessary to begin looking for capital to build the business. C

WONDERWEB

Two senior advertising executives, frustrated with the pace of change in an industry they felt was failing to take advantage of new media, Sally and Sue were keen to translate their advertising and marketing skills into an online environment. To their surprise, they found that many websites seemed to have been developed without taking any account of users‟ needs. Sure that the opportunity was ripe for a business with a strong marketing proposition, they started offering marketing services to other small online businesses. D

SUPERGIFTS

Michael and Tony set up a company to sell upmarket gifts, such as glassware and porcelain, online. The niche market they have identified is professional and affluent, a group which their research revealed is increasingly internet literate, is looking for exceptional goods at the right price and has high service expectations. A low-level marketing campaign generated more than 2000 customers, with a high-value average order. The entire system from web order to delivery is proving to be highly successful, with all orders being fulfilled within the advertised five days without any returns or breakages. E

ABBIE’S

The first phases of the company‟s growth have been funded through a mix of personal investment, foregone salaries and bank overdraft. The next phase will be crucial. Their biggest challenge will be to distinguish themselves from a plethora of competitive sites, most of which are spending far more than they are. To stand out

from the crowd, Paul and Abbie are working to target and reach their audience better, and generate higher sales, but of necessity without increasing their budget. The company‟s total marketing vision will be the key to success.

PART TWO Questions 9-14

• Read the article below about consumers‟ attitudes to goods described as premium. • Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. • For each gap (9-14), mark one letter (A-H) on your Answer Sheet. • Do not use any letter more than once.

• There is an example at the beginning, (0).

Shoppers wary of 'premium’ goods

One of the marketing industry‟s favourite While the word „luxury‟ had a clear and terms is ‘premium‟ — usually taken to definable meaning among respondents — mean „luxury‟ or „top quality‟. The ideal most related it to cars — „premium‟ was is to create a premium car, wristwatch or found to be harder to define. Oddly, the perfume — something that appears to only category apart from cars where transcend the ordinary. (0) H „premium‟ was understood to mean However, manufacturers should take note something specific was bread. (12) . of a recent survey of shoppers‟ attitudes Several respondents said they would to so-called premium goods. (9) In never pay much for a standard sliced loaf fact, the tag seems to have become but on special occasions would happily devalued by overuse. Consumers of all pay double for something that qualifies as socio-economic backgrounds are very a treat.

keen to buy the best- but not all product Packaging was found to be an important categories lend themselves to a premium factor in charging extra for premium status. ‘Premium‟ can be used in any products, with sophisticated design category where image is paramount, and enabling toiletries, electronics or food that includes cars, toiletries, clothes and items to sell for far more. Shoppers are electronics. (10) Banking and willing to pay extra for sometl1ing that insurance are typical of this second has had thought put into its outward group. appearance. (13) Yet the knowledge More than 70 per cent of consumers has no impact on their choice.

interviewed in the survey said that a The profit margin on premium-priced premium tag on everyday items such as toiletries and beauty items can be as coffee or soap is an excuse to charge much as 300-400 per cent — and in extra for products that don‟t always have excess of 500 per cent for hi-H and other extra benefits. (11) The prevalence electronic goods. (14) . In a crowded of such a suspicious attitude makes life marketplace such as cars or mobiles, it‟s hard for the marketers. far more difficult to achieve this

transformation than you might think.

A B C D E F G H Example: 0

A The term is less effective, however, in areas where style and fashion play a

smaller role.

B The product hidden behind this attractive exterior may be exactly the same as an

item selling for half the price, and shoppers may be quite aware of this. C The results suggest that the term 'premium‟ means very little to consumers.

D A fifth of them went further, and dismissed the very word as simply a way of

loading prices.

E It follows that price and utility are not the only factors in play when it comes to

purchasing decisions.

F With such an incentive, the challenge for marketers is to find the triggers that can

turn an ordinary product into something consumers will accept as premium.

G The survey found that consumers were prepared to pay top prices for speciality

items, just as long as prices for everyday products remained low.

H When they succeed, marketers are able to charge high prices for the resulting

product.

PART THREE Questions 15-20

• Read the following profile of Bruce Petter, the new Director of the Management Consultants Association (MCA), and the questions on the opposite page.

• For each question (15-20), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.

Bruce Petter has not always been people with mainstream business large but also some considerably an executive. He started his interests together. The association smaller firms. We are also aware career pumping petrol at a filling had 30 member companies at the that management consultancy is station, as he explains: „After I time, representing a large not always portrayed in a left the army, my friend‟s father, proportion of the best-known favourable light and he has done who was Managing Director of a names in the sector, and „they all quite a bit of work on public petrol company, recommended wanted to have a look at this image and has some very that I go into the oil industry. My individual who had applied to positive views in this area.‟

great-uncle was running our own represent their interests, so I saw So, Mr. Petter has taken over from retiring Director Brian family petrol company, and I an awful lot of the membership‟.

learnt the ropes at a petrol His principal area of expertise, he O‟Rorke, and a change of mood station. I subsequently married feels, is in running a trade is now in the air. O‟Rorke was at the daughter of the Marketing association and the briefing that he the helm for 13 years and his Director but this did not make has been handed suggests that this successor is reticent when it for the happiest of scenarios. will be of prime value. „If you comes to predicting how his own Depending on which side of the were to ask me if I was ever going approach will differ. ‘Brian did family they came from, my to be an expert management a magnificent job of sustaining relatives thought I should consultant, the answer would be the Association, of holding it support either my great—uncle no. But I am, I hope, able to together through thick and thin.‟ or my farther-in-law, so I articulate their views, to push I detect a „but‟ in his voice. But? decided the time had come for through policies they want to see „I think if you ask anybody who me to leave the warring factions in operation and to improve their or what the MCA was under his to fight it out among themselves image. I hope to make direction, the temptation would management consultancy a be to say \"Brian O‟Rorke\".‟ and move on.‟

He became founding Director of powerful voice in government and Petter feels his own style will be the Petrol Retailers Association. industry.' very much determined by the But after a few years he decided, The President of the MCA objectives of the members: he „I was getting to the stage where confirms what landed Petter the job. sees himself as a channel for

those aims. „I don‟t want the I wanted to move on again, so „We saw a lot of people, but

when I heard about the there were three things in MCA to be perceived as Bruce Management Consultants particular that impressed us about Petter‟s empire, but rather the Association (MCA) post, I Bruce. His experience of running a members‟ empire,‟ he says. Mr

applied.‟

He was aware that the selection process for the head of any trade association would, by definition, be protracted because of the difficulty of getting very busy

trade association was key and it seemed to us that he had a good understanding of how to relate to and inspire a membership made up of very busy partners, often in very Petter clearly has a difficult task ahead, but many of his staff will welcome a more open, modern style and there‟s every indication he will be a success.

15 What do we learn about Bruce Petter in the first paragraph? A He likes to think of himself as a loyal person. B He has a negative view of family-run businesses.

C His military background came in useful later in his career.

D An awkward situation influenced the development of his career.

16 When Petter applied for the post of Director of the MCA, he knew that A a decision was likely to take a long time.

B not everyone in the Association was interested in him. C he would have to face intense competition. D some members would oppose his appointment.

17 What does Petter believe he is able to change? A the views the MCA holds on industry

B the way in which the MCA decides on policy C how the MCA is perceived by other people

D the MCA's relations with other trade associations

18 Which of the following does the MCA President mention as a reason for appointing Petter?

A his ability to motivate members of an association B his experience of working in different trades C his broad network of business contacts

D his previous work in management consultancy

19 The writer notices that, when Petter talks about his predecessor, he A expresses some regret for how the Association dealt with him. B thinks he had been there for too long.

C questions changes he made within the Association.

D indicates he has mixed feelings about his leadership style.

20 Petter says his aim as Director of the MCA is to A modernise the Association.

B carry out the Association‟s wishes.

C set an example of firm leadership to his staff. D expand the membership of the Association.

PART FOUR Questions 21-30

• Read the article below about sickness at work in Britain.

• Choose the correct word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D on the opposite page. • For each question (21-30), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. • There is an example at the beginning, (0).

Sickness at work Small firms are counting the (0) A of sickness among employees. Research estimates that illness cost small businesses in Britain a month and a half in lost (21) last year. A recent (22) of more than 1,000 small and medium enterprises revealed that last year the average small business lost around 42 days through staff phoning in sick, and that this had a serious (23) on 27 per cent of smaller companies. Just over one in ten employees took time off for seven days in a (24) Of these, 9.5 per cent were ill for a week on more than one occasion. In Britain, employees can take sick (25) for up to a week before they have to produce a medical certificate. Owner—managers were far less likely to be off sick than their staff: 3.3 days on average, compared with the 10 days taken by employees. The head of the research team said, „The most common (26) of absence was minor illness, such as colds or flu, but back strain, fractures and the like (27) for very nearly as much. Of greater (28) is that more that 40 per cent of employers felt that their employees‟ sickness may not have been genuine.‟ Employers can do more to protect themselves by drawing up adequate (29) of employment that outline the company‟s sick pay (30) . Enhanced sick pay is then at the employer‟s discretion.

Example: A cost

B price 0 C charge A B C D expense D

21 A capacity

22 A report 23 A result 24 A row 25 A leave 26 A reason 27 A contributed 28 A concern 29 A details 30 A ideas

B productivity B enquiry

B consequence B line B break B symptom B accounted B anxiety B items B notions C capability C statement C impression C series C time C cause C totaled C regard C particulars C policies D efficiency D survey D impact D sequence D absence D motive D credited D bother D terms D intentions

PART FIVE Questions 31-40

• Read the job advertisement below.

• For each question (31-40), write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet.

• There is an example at the beginning, (0).

Examples: 0 O N E Empleyment with Kinson plc

Staff Support

Advisers required

We are a newly-formed division of Kinson plc, (0) ........ of the UK‟s largest quoted companies, and provide business customers (31) ........ solutions that combine leading—edge e-commerce technology and an integrated nationwide customer support network.

The formation of this new division has created a number of exciting and challenging roles within the call centres of two (32) ........ our seven sites. We have vacancies (33) ........ Staff Support Advisers. Working closely with the Business Managers, your job will (34) ........ to gear the business up for the challenges ahead by implementing a programme of radical change. When completed, this programme will enable the management team to use our people resources more effectively, and (35) ........ so doing facilitate the implementation of our company„s business plan. You will be involved in all aspects of human resources activity, including providing advice and guidance to your business partners and policy development, in (36) ........ to implementing any training and development initiatives the company may launch from time to time.

We are looking for talented individuals (37) ........ good generalist grounding has been gained in a customer services or customer-focused environment where your flair and ideas (38) ........ currently being underused. You must be able to influence business decisions from a human resources perspective and create innovative solutions. You should also be a resilient, adaptable team player; as (39) ........ as having a track record of coaching others. In return, an excellent salary and benefits package is (40) ........ offer: The successful applicant will have the advantage of outstanding opportunities for personal development and advancement.

PART SIX

Questions 41-52

• Read the extract below from the annual report of a bed manufacturer.

• In most of the lines (41-52) there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text. Some lines, however, are correct.

• If a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet.

• If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet.

• The exercise begins with two examples, (0) and (00).

Examples:

0 0 C G O R R E R A E T C E T R CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REVIEW

0 0 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

The prime focus for management recently has been the integration into the Group of Damon Beds. This acquisition is very much greater part of our strategy to grow our presence in the UK branded furniture market. We are neither convinced that leveraging the proven brand management expertise of which we are proud is the optimum route to continued and sustainable growth in shareholder value. Overall, sales grew more quickly than 9%, to reach £125 million. This represents a small increase in market share such as our strategy to build share in growing, added value sectors gains momentum. Our established brands had another excellent year with volumes and turnover at record levels. While we have increased capacity to cope with significantly increased demand, boosted by the return to television advertising in early last year. The purpose of the campaign is how to reinforce our position as the UK‟s leading volume bed business by improving brand awareness still further on and, more importantly, communicating to consumers regarding the message about the uniqueness of the product and yet the benefits and reasons for choosing our beds. Early indications show that the campaign is already having the desired effect.

WRITING 1 hour 10 minutes

PART ONE Question 1

• The bar chart below shows the profits made by each of a company's three factories for each quarter of the year 2003. The pie chart shows the number of workers in each of the factories during that year.

• Using the information from the charts, write a short report describing the trends in profits and the number of employees in each factory. • Write 120-140 words.

Profits from each factory per quarter (2003)

Number of employees in each factory (2003)

PART TWO

Write an answer to one of the questions 2-4 in this part. Write your answer in 200-250 words. Question 2

• This year, your company has used an advertising agency to promote your products or services. Your boss has asked you to write a report about the advertising campaign which the agency arranged. • Write the report for your boss:

• outlining what the advertising campaign consisted of

• indicating what you feel the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign were • explaining how successful you feel the advertising has been

• suggesting ideas for future advertising.

Question 3

• You have seen the following advertisement and you want to enter your organisation for the award.

Most Improved Organisation Award

If your organisation has made improvements in the last year affecting employees and customers, write and tell us about them. The most improved organisation will win a silver cup and money to help pay for a further improvement benefiting staff.

• Write your letter to the competition secretary, Michael James: • introducing your organisation and saying what it does

• describing improvements your organisation has made in the last year which have affected staff and customers

• saying how you would spend the prize money to benefit staff.

Question 4

• The Chief Executive of your company is concerned that staff morale seems to have deteriorated and has invited suggestions for making improvements. • Write a proposal to the Chief Executive: • suggesting why morale is low

• outlining the effects of low morale `

• proposing some ways of improving morale • indicating any disadvantages of your proposal.

LISTENING Approximately 40 minutes (including 10 minutes’ transfer time) PART ONE Questions 1-12

• You will hear a college lecturer talking to a class of business students about a supermarket chain.

• As you listen, for questions 1-12, complete the notes, using up to three words or a number.

• After you have listened once, replay the recording.

Williams Supermarket Chain

1 Initially Sharon Tucker was Williams‟s . 2 The company's programme of ........................................ its outlets was unsuccessful. 3 Last six months: l0% increase in ................................................................................. 4 Tucker decided against policy of ,........................................................ used by rivals. 5 The high-low strategy that Tucker introduced is usually called “ ” 6 Williams calls its special offers the company's “ ” 7 The company delivers............................................ to homes in the area of the stores. 8 Example of special offer: ......................................................... for half normal price. 9 Difhcult to ensure that........................................... are adequate to cope with demand.

10 Success of sales strategy is due to planning and the fact that

is not centralised.

11 Williams is now concentrating on selling . 12 Williams is planning to extend of stores. PART TWO Questions 13-22

• You will hear five people talking about a mistake they made at work, and about how they responded afterwards.

• For each extract there are two tasks. For Task One, choose the mistake that each person made, from the List A-H. For Task Two, choose the way in which

they

responded afterwards from the list A-H.

• After you have listened once, replay the recording.

Task One - What mistake did they make?

• For questions 13-17, match the extracts with the mistake that each person says they made, listed A-H.

• For each extract, choose the mistake that the person made. • Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract.

A I forgot to include some costs.

13 B I didn‟t calculate the cash flow.

14 C I miscalculated a time schedule.

D I appointed the wrong person.

15 E I gave out-of-date information.

F I didn‟t check someone else‟s work adequately. 16 G I complained through inappropriate channels.

17 H I didn‟t allow for a rise in the inflation rate. Task Two - How did they respond?

• For questions 18-22, match the extracts with how each speaker says they responded afterwards, listed A-H.

• For each extract, choose the response.

• Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract.

A by having my work checked by someone else

18 B by becoming less impulsive l

19 C by accepting that I was responsible for others

D by setting timetables for projects

20 E by setting up regular meetings F by resigning from the company 21 G by introducing a regular written update

22 H by arranging to change jobs within the company

PART THREE Questions 23-30

• You will hear a discussion between two managers, Jane and Oliver, about recent changes within the company where they work. • For each question (23-30), mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. • After you have listened once, replay the recording.

23 Jane says the changes are being introduced in response to

A a decrease in sales.

B the threat of a takeover. „ C the level of staff turnover. 24 Jane says the ideas for the changes

A were initiated by the leadership group.

B resulted from the expansion of the team system.

C were developed in conjunction with a firm of management consultants.

25 Referring to the skills audit, what problem does she mention?

A Its findings were not acted upon. B It included too many details. C Its results were inaccurate.

26 What criticism of the new divisional targets does she make?

A They focus exclusively on product sales. B They are too high for her department. C They ignore seasonal fluctuations. 27 She says the suggestions scheme would be better if suggestions were

A financially rewarded. B more widely publicised.

C encouraged from temporary staff.

28 Who does she say performance reviews should take into account?

A suppliers B competitors C customers 29 She expects the new training programmes to be popular because they A provide a wider choice of topics. B involve a greater use of technology. C have more flexible timetables.

30 She believes that, within a year, the various changes will be A fully integrated into company practice. B subject to a review process. C adopted by competitors.

That is the end of the Listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.

SPEAKING 14minutes SAMPLE SPEAKING TASKS PART ONE

In this part, the interlocutor asks questions to each of the candidates in turn. You have to give information about yourself and express personal opinions.

PART TWO

In this part of the test, you are asked to give a short talk on a business topic. You have to choose one of the topics from the three below and then talk for about one minute.

You have one minute to prepare your ideas.

A Customer service: the importance of providing an effective after-sales service for customers

B Purchasing: the importance of maintaining personal contact with potential suppliers

C Recruitment: how to ensure that the advertising of job vacancies is effective PART THREE

In this part of the test, you are given a discussion topic. You have 30 seconds to look at the task prompt, an example of which is below, and then about three minutes to discuss the topic with your partner. After that, the examiner will ask you more questions related to the topic. For two candidates

Reducing Staff Turnover

You work for the branch of your company that has been identified as having the lowest turnover of staff. You have been asked to suggest ways in which staff turnover could be reduced in the other branches. Discuss and decide together:

• what the reasons for high staff turnover in a company might be

• what effect high staff turnover might have on future methods of selecting staff.

For three candidates

Reducing Staff Turnover

You work for the branch of your company that has been identified as having the lowest turnover of staff. You have been asked to suggest ways in which staff turnover could be reduced in the other branches. Discuss and decide together:

• what the reasons for high staff turnover in a company might be

• what effect high staff turnover might have on future methods of selecting staff • what procedures concerning staff induction and training might need to be introduced.

Follow-on questions

• How can employees be affected by a high turnover of staff in their department? (Why?)

• Do you think a high turnover of staff can have a negative effect on customer service? (Why? / Why not?)

• Do you think there are any situations in which high turnover of staff is helpful to a company? (Why? / Why not?)

• Would it be beneficial for companies to bring in new staff to join existing work teams? (Why? /Why not?)

• Do you think people will change jobs more often in the future? (Why? / Why not?)

剑桥 BEC 真题集高级 第三辑 Test 4

KEY

Test 4 Reading Part 1

1 E 2 C 3 A 4 D 5 B 6 C 7 E 8 D Part2

9 C 10 A 11 D 12 G 13 B 14 F Part3

15 D 16 A 17 C 18 A 19 D 20 B

Part4

21 B 22 D 23 D 24 A 25 A 26 C 27 B 28 A 29 D 30 C Part5 31 WITH 35 BY/IN 38 ARE

32 OF

36 ADDITION 39 WELL

33 FOR 34 BE 37 WHOSE

40 ON

Part6

41 NEITHER 42 CORRECT 43 CORRECT 44 QUICKLY 45 SUCH 46 CORRECT 48 IN 49 HOW 51 REGARDING 52 YET

47 WHILE 50 ON

Test 4 Writing Question 1 Sample A REPORT This pie chart shows the number of employees in each factory in the year 2003. The factory in Bristol has the most employees with a number of 600. The factory in Leeds has 350 employees and finally, London employs 150 employees.

Bristol made each quarter most of the profits also if it is slowly going down during the year. The profits in Leeds remain stable except for the 3rd quarter where the profits decreased but not dramatically. The factory in London has the worse profits, but they reached a high in the 2nd quarter. Afterwards the profits remain stable. As a result we can see that more the number of employees in the factory is high, more it will have a positive impact on the profit. Band 3

This is a simplistic answer, but the range of structure and vocabulary is nevertheless

adequate for the task and there are minimal errors. The target reader would be informed about the trend in profits.

Sample B

This report outlines the development of profits in three plants, in London, Leeds and Bristol, in 2003 and describes the staffing situation in each plant.

Bristol, the company’s largest factory, employed 600 people and reached profits of £12 million in the first quarter of 2003. The profits declined steadily, dropping to £9 million in the last quarter.

The factory in Leeds had a workforce of 350 people. This made it the company’s second largest plant. Profits remained almost unchanged at £8 million. In the third quarter however, they reached a low at £7.5 million.

The London factory’s workforce comprised 150 people. Profits did not vary much and remained just over £3 million. Nevertheless, they peaked in the second quarter with earnings exceeding the £4 million level. Band 5

This is a virtually flawless answer, which fits all the descriptors for a band 5.

Question 2 Sample C Introduction

This report sets out to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of our advertising campaign and recommend the appropriate version for future advertising. Findings

In order to generate the competitive advantage in today’s hyper-competitive global market, we had successfully engaged a well—known advertising agency who has delivered its job perfectly. As the arrangement of our agency, we have attended an exhibition.

They have produced a series of pop advertisement show on television as well as building up a commercial web successfully. There are tremendous benefits have been generated by taking that three action.

1. Through attending the well-know exhibition, not only we have increased the awareness of our customer, but also we have demonstrated our product of new type mobile phone to their best advantages. 2. We have successfully built up the image of American myth among our target group young generation through the vivid television shows our product is already the symbol of dynamic energetic image.

3. Our customers have gain a easier access to us by visiting our newly launched web-site through which they can access to our automated order system and again the date they need.

On the other hand, the advertising campaign also exist some disadvantages.

The advertisement on television has narrowed the range of our customers. Not only the robust young generation should be taken account of the advertisement producing but also the dynamic business executives should be involved in our consideration.

Conclusions

The advertising campaign has increased the customers’ awareness and generated the sales, foster tremendous potential customers and enhanced our reputation effectively. Most importantly, all of these three ways of advertising have present our product effectively and built up our distinguished image among customers. The weakness also exist in narrowing our target customers. Recommendation

We should renew our contract of with our advertising agency and lure them to enlarge our image among the aggressive businessman and perfect our web advertising by giving our customers more tools to make them magement their relationship with us. Band 2

This is an ambitious attempt at the task, particularly in terms of vocabulary. However, it is marred by numerous errors, which obscure communication. This lack of clarity has a negative effect on the reader.

Sample D

Background and purpose of the report Our company, Fish-pro Ltd, carried out an advertising campaign in summer 2004 in cooperation with advertising agency RGS Ltd. Aim of this report is to evaluate how successfully the campaign was carried out and also to asses main points which need to be taken into account when organising summer 2005 campaign. Content of the campaign In the campaign three different methods were used when the customers were approached. Firstly, the current customers of Fish-pro were contacted by sending them a letter including a catalogue presenting all the new products Fish-pro has available. In, addition the general public was approached by the use of two mass medias: magazines and the radio.

Strengths and weaknesses of the campaign The strength of the campaign was that by using three different methods to approach the current and prospective customers, Fish-pro was able to reach an audience of 100,000 future customers. In addition, according to the survey made withing the current customers after the campaign, Fish-pro strengthened its image as the number one store of professional fishing equipment. The weakness of the campaign according to the survey and according to my personal view was that the campaign was very similar to the campaigns that the competitors of Fish-pro have introduced earlier. Therefore it is not certain that Fish-pro is able to increase its market share in the highly competitive fishing equipment markets. Future advertising campaigns When starting to prepare the summer 2005 campaign I suggest that Fish-pro would carry out a more visible and in certain ways more ‘aggressive’ campaign compared to the 2004 campaign. Band 4

This is a very well-organised answer with fairly natural use of language and a good range of structures. However, the final content point is not well developed and there

are a number of errors.

Question 3 Sample E

Geneva, the 27th November 2004 Dear Sir,

I am writing regarding the advertisement called ‘Most Improved Organisation Award.’

I work in a bank in Geneva. We are specialized in private banking.

Our organisation made big improvements for handicapped people last year. They rebuilt the building to order to make it accessible to wheelchairs. But they also engaged two deaf and two blind people. Being next to those people several employees asked to learn their language. The bank then organised lessons for barilla and sign language.

This new experience touched many clients and the building is now accessible for everybody.

Furthermore, there is a new positive motivation and atmosphere inside the organisation.

If the bank win the price, we will reinvest the money into advertisement for disabled people and we will create a foundation. We would like help people to communicate and to help handicaped people to find interesting jobs. It will be a hard task but a nice one.

I hope that you will be touched by the effort made.

If you have any requests or need any further information, please do not hesitate to call me.

I look forward to hearing from you and remain. Yours faithfully, Frangoise Dupont Senior Private Banker Band 3

This is a safe, not ambitious answer, which fulfils all the criteria for a band 3. Sample F Dear Michael James: I’ve read the information of Most Improved , Organisation Award in newspapers and feel it a good opportunity for my organisation.

Well, our organisation is not for profit. The aim of my organisation is to help those animals which need help. We treat those lovely animals as our good friends because we think life is also important to those animals although they could not speak.

With development of industry, the level of life of us human beings has improved a lot while that to those animals is getting worse and worse. During last year, we have saved about 1,000 kinds of animals. When Ending a dying animal, we immediately send it to the animal hospital and then take good care of it. When the animal recovers, we actively get touch with those kind people who are willing to help or animal

organisations. After sending those lives to related people or organisations, we leave our telephone number and keep touch with them. As far as we know, 80% of animals we saved have been leading a happy life while the others have died for age.

Every member of my organisation is perfect. They are kind and warm-hearted. Through our efforts, more and more people have come to realize that animals also have the same right of living as our human beings.

Comparing with those organisations for profit, I don’t dare to say how much profit my organisation has reiceived. But I think profit is not the only factor in the award, isn’t it?

If we are honored enough to gain the award, we’ll spend all the award on investment on animal hospitals and animal medical care. I believe that what we are doing is a good deed and we also believe that our organisation is the most improved one!

We’re waitingfor your reply and please contact me on 241989 during business hours. Thank you. Yours, Xu Xin Band 2

Although the level of language is sufficient for a band 3, the question has been inadequately dealt with as the second bullet point has been totally omitted and the response is purely a description of the organisation.

Question 4 Sample G

Introduction: This proposal aims at showing why staff morale has deteriorated and suggests ways of improving the current situation.

Findings: Apart from most superiors’ opinion that their subordinates are not happy with their job and have developed a low moral towards it due to unsatisfactory salaries and not enough fringe benefits, a survey among the workforce has shown that the real reasons for this problem are to be found elsewhere. Many of the employees mentioned their fixed working hours and yet constantly changing amounts of incoming orders, which - as they claim – leads to boredom at work on some days and pure stress on others. But even more staff members have complaint about constant organizational changes without ever getting the information of what exactly will change beforehand. The effects can be noticed in every department of the company. Superiors and department directors say that their subordinates are not willing to do any extra work and are absolutely not open for any changes. .

Recommendations: It is suggested that the first step towards a better work atmosphere be the introduction of flexi time. That way the employees can leave earlier when there isn’t much work to do and stay longer when the amount of work rises.

The problem of organisational changes should be tackled in three different ways. First of all superiors are to be encouraged to pass more information on to the workforce, secondly the employees should become more involved in the decision making process and at last there should be annual feedbacks by the employees about their superiors.

The downside of these actions is that they are quite time consuming and this of course leads to more costs but on the other hand there will be less fluctuation. Band 4

This answer shows a good range of structure and vocabulary, and a fairly natural use of language. It is well organised with good internal cohesion. However, there are a number of errors and some awkwardness, which keep this out of the top band.

Sample H

The employes’ moral is at a very low level and get deteriorated over the last year. There are some reasons for that:

— First of all, the market is not growing which means that nobody is seeing how things could go better and nothing is moving forward.

— There are more and more cost’s controls and in an other hand, employees can see other departments spending money for \"useless\" furniture.

— Customers are requesting more and more and employees have the feeling they have to do more relationship, politic than real technical work.

Because of those, people are spending time by shouting around against customers, company and colleagues. They are criticising others, sometimes to times they answer \"badly\" to customer and their job’s quality is falling down.

The proposals to Hght against these and to go back to the high quality with motivated employees are:

— Management should handle the political part out of the employee’s job.

Employees have to stay focused on their core competency, the technical things. — By implementing web based training employees could spent their \"shouting\" time to train themselves from their desk to improve their knowledge and to make their job better. By this, company avoids any extra costs for accommodations; travels and time spend in training classes.

These measure bring more workload on Management and more time spent with employees and customers. Web based trainings means less time spent on \"real\" work because of the time needed to learn and assimil the course’s contents. Band 2

There is an adequate range of lexis used in this answer and an attempt to expand on the task. However, numerous errors often obscure communication and the organisation is quite weak.

Test 4 Listening Part 1

1 SALES DIRECTOR 2 RE(-)DESIGNING 3 PROFIT(S)

4 (EVERY-DAY) LOW PRICING/LOW PRICES 5 LOSS(-)LEADING 6 (THE) BEST DEALS 7 FLYERS/LEAFLETS

8 SOFT DRINKS

9 STOCK LEVEL(S)/STOCKS

10 (THE) DISTRIBUTION (SYSTEM)

11 FRESH PRODUCTS/FRESH PRODUCE 12 (THE) OPENING HOURS Part2

13 C 14 G 15 A 16 F 17 E 18 G 19 B 20 H 21 C 22 E

Part3

23 C 24 A 25 B 26 A 27 C

28 B 29 A 30 B

Tapescript

Listening Test 4

This is the Business English Certificate Higher 3, Listening Test 4. Part One. Questions 1 to 12.

You will hear a college lecturer talking to a class of business students about a supermarket chain.

As you listen, for questions 1 to 12, complete the notes, using up to three words or a number.

After you have listened once, replay the recording.

You now have forty-five seconds to read through the notes. [pause]

Now listen, and complete the notes. [pause]

Man: Good morning. In today’s class we’ll be comparing two supermarket chains whose futures are looking very different at the moment. First of all, the Williams chain.

Sharon Tucker joined Williams two years ago as Sales Director, taking over as Chief Executive three months later. The company was struggling. ‘ Sales growth was fading away, and profits were falling. Its strategy of focusing on redesigning stores was doing nothing to boost sales. In short, Williams had lost its way. After just oneyear under Tucker’s leadership, it’s regained its confidence, and with good reason. Sales have been rising for fifteen months, starting almost as soon as she walked in the door. They’re up by five per cent in the last six months, excluding new space, with profits over the same period rising by ten per cent. And the company claims to have attracted a million new customers.

Tucker came from the American chain Hurst’s, and her experience there persuaded her that everyday low pricing, the strategy pursued by that giant and by most of the British supermarket groups, wouldn’t work for a small player like Williams. Its larger rivals could too easily undercut it.

Instead, she decided to use a high—low strategy, which is generally known as

loss-leading. The technique’s familiar: cut the price of twenty or so selected items each week. The radical part came in the implementation. Instead of making it a national campaign, which would allow Williams’s rivals to instantly follow its price cuts, the company’s ‘best deals’, as they’re called, vary from town to town, and change every week. The company employs five thousand distributors in order that, every week, a third of all the people living in the catchment area of a Williams store receive flyers through their doors, detailing these special offers. The price cuts are dramatic, like forty per cent off breakfast cereals, the same off bars of soap, fifty per cent off soft drinks, and so on. Indeed, many items are sold at below the cost to Williams.

Shoppers seem to love it, as is evident from Williams’s sales. But it’s high risk: sales have to increase by enough to limit the impact on profits, and they have to be able to deliver thegoods. That’s harder than it sounds. Some of the products on offer fly out of the door, selling as much in a week as they normally would in a year. Organising adequate stock levels for that, on different products around the country, is a nightmare of logistics. What makes all this feasible, apart from very good planning, is that Williams’s distribution system isn’t centralised, unlike some of the other supermarket chains.

Williams has just passed the first anniversary of its promotional campaign, so it’ll be more and more difficult to keep sales rising. But the company’s working hard to keep the momentum going with a renewed focus on fresh produce, having been tempted in recent years by clothing and electrical goods, which are both in highly competitive sectors. The company has also promised longer opening , hours at their stores in order to increase convenience for their customers.

Now let’s compare Williams’s success with one of their suffering rivals . . . [pause]

Now listen to the recording again. [pause]

That is the end of Part One. You now have twenty seconds to check your answers. [pause]

Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.

You will hear five different people talking about a mistake they made at work, and about how they responded afterwards. For each extract there are two tasks. Look at Task One. For each question 13-1 7, choose the mistake that each person made, from the list A-H. Now look at Task Two. For each question 18-22, choose the way in which they responded afterwards, from the list A-H.

After you have listened once, replay the recording. You now have thirty seconds to read the two lists. [pause]

Now listen, and do the two tasks. [pause]

Speaker One

Woman: I organise IT projects, and hire other companies or individuals to do the work.

With one, the contractor told me halfway through that it couldn’t be done the way I’d planned it, and it would be overdue. I took a chance that he was wrong, but he wasn’t, and it really inflated the cost of the project, because of course the contractor’s staff had to be paid for longer. When my boss found out, I only managed to keep my job by suggesting that I email him weekly progress reports on any future projects, and notify him of any potential or actual problems. It really helped me too, because I think if you make a mistake, you shouldn’t just say, ‘It won’t happen again’, you have to make sure it doesn’t. . [pause]

Speaker Two

Man: I worked for a publisher where you were allocated an art editor per issue from a studio team. I always got the useless one, because everyone else refused to work with him: he was so bad he should never have been given the job in the first place. In the end, I suddenly snapped, and instead of having a quiet word with my boss, as I should have done, I dashed off a furious memo about him to the head of his department. Well, that put me in the wrong, everyone was very angry with me, and I came very close to resigning. It certainly taught me not to rush into things: what seems the obvious course of action in the heat of the moment isn’t necessarily the most effective one. [pause]

Speaker Three

Woman: When I worked in import—export, the best thing I ever did was getting myself transferred from one section to another. It happened because I’d calculated how much we should charge a customer for some goods we were going to import on a regular basis, and didn’t allow for our agent’s commission. When the invoices started coming in, I realised we were making a loss. I tried to increase the price to the customer without telling my boss, but, in the end, I had to admit what I’d done, and I think that’s the only reason I didn’t get the sack. It gave us quite serious cash flow problems for a few months. But it made me realise that I really wasn’t interested in that side of the work. [pause]

Speaker Four

Man: I used to work in a catering company, and was promoted to Catering Manager, but at first I just kept on messing around with the rest of my staff. My duties included doing the rounds when everyone else had left. One evening, one of my staff put several thousand pounds’ worth of frozen food in a fridge by mistake. I should have discovered this, but I didn’t, and the next day the food was ruined. When I told my boss, I treated it as a joke, and put the blame on the person who’d made the mistake. My boss made it clear that I was ultimately answerable for what my staff did, and if my attitude didn’t change I’d be out of a job. Needless to say, it did change, and quickly. [pause]

Speaker Five

Woman: I used to work in a PR agency, doing publicity for lots of celebrities, and we were ‘ always too busy to pool our knowledge. Eventually, I instituted a working

lunch once a week, to swap the latest information. I’d realized that we needed something like that when I was publicising one of our clients, and gave a journalist from a national newspaper the phone number of the person I thought was the client’s booking agent. What I didn’t know, but some of my colleagues did, was that the client had changed agents, so the wrong one then got hundreds of calls. He was furious, so were our client and her new agent, and so was my boss. All I wanted was to hide away somewhere until it all blew over. [pause]

Now listen to the recording again. [pause]

That is the end of Part Two. [pause]

Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.

You will hear a discussion between two managers, Jane and Oliver; about recent changes within the company where they work.

For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. After you have listened once, replay the recording.

You have forty-five seconds to read through the questions. [pause]

Now listen, and mark A, B or C. [pause]

Man: So Jane, the changes are certainly quite wide-ranging, aren’t they?

Woman: Yes, Oliver, the skills audit, targets, suggestion scheme, training

arrangements . . . the list seems endless . . .

Man: I suppose different people will react differently — they won’t all see the

benefits of the changes . . .

Woman: Sure — and for some people, they’ll feel their areas of responsibility are

being taken over, become resentful, and the company must tread very carefully here . . . because it’s the tide of , high turnover that the company is trying to stem with these measures. These days, it’s often service that’s the key to maintaining an edge . . . so what the company needs to avoid happening in the future is sales decreasing if clients stop feeling they’re getting that treatment from happy, motivated staff here . . .

Man: Mm . . . I guess it was Human Resources that pushed for the changes, then? Woman: Well, they were consulted. Actually, they’re the kinds of ideas that you might

have expected the team system might have generated- because they’re quite wide-ranging, not just focused on one aspect. So, I guess it’s quite surprising, in a way, that it was the leadership group which authored them . . . what’s good, I think, is the way they’ve spent quite an amount of time consulting with management at all levels, so they have a kind of hands—on feel.

Man: So what will affect us first?

Woman: Well, the skills audit, though its real effects won’t be apparent for some time.

I don’t know, I think that was a wasted opportunity, really . . . It was so thorough, too thorough in fact . . . I mean, they asked absolutely everyone

about absolutely everything because they were so obsessed with wanting to be accurate, but the result is they’re just swamped with information . . . they didn’t need to be that in—depth . . .

Man: Uh-huh . . . So is it really these divisional targets that will have the first impact? Woman: Err, yeah! I suppose . . . but then again, there’s some poor design involved

there . . . Oh sure, they’ve carefully calculated how sales move throughout the year, but the point is that it’s not only shifting actual products that counts — the targets should really be looking at data on customer satisfaction too, which is certainly a major concern in my section, where we’re always looking for ways to keep that high enough to retain customers.

Man: So, are you unconvinced about the suggestions scheme too?

Woman: Err . . . I just think they should have gone further with it. After all the

publicity it’s been given, you’d think they’d want to involve everyone . . . what you don’t want is just the same ideas from the same people all the time . . . we’ve got all these short-term workers, they’re in and out of organisations all the time . . . we should be trying to capture their insights and observations, especially since they won’t personally stand to benefit from making suggestions.

Man: And do you think the performance reviews are similarly flawed in their

approach?

Woman: Oh, I don’t want to seem too negative! The only unfortunate thing there is

not incorporating what competitors are doing. We don’t want to be saying one of our reps is underperforming at the moment, only to End out that so is everyone in the business at the moment. That could be very unfair, especially on the reps abroad, who are at the mercy of the supply situation too.

Man: And do you think that people have been missed out of the training programmes

as well?

Woman: No, there I’m quite positive! They’re going to be a real winner, I’m sure. A

long time’s been spent on trying to get our training right, and I think the final results are great. We’ve been far too focused on IT training, and it’s much better now that it’s broadening out to include more aspects for staff to select from, according to their needs.

Man: So would you see all the changes having a lasting impact? Woman: Well, they must have some kind of future . . . after all, they’re the kind of thing our competitors have been doing for some time. But, well, by the end

of the year, I’m fairly sure they’ll get scrutinized, thoroughly checked and probably revised before they become fixed as company policy in the long term.

Man: So it’s a case of wait and see? Woman: Definitely. Now. . . [pause]

Now listen to the recording again. [pause]

That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to

your Answer Sheet. [pause]

Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining. That is the end of the test.