Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bec Vantage Practice Tests
Bec Vantage Practice Tests
Look at the statements below and the four paragraphs. Which section (A, B, C or D) does each statement 17 refer to? For each statement 17, mark one letter (A, B, C or D). You will need to use some of these letters more than once. Example: 0 The organisation is an eye-care company.
1 This organisation is a public limited company. 2 The organisation does not seem to have offices in Australia. 3 Glasses are one of the products the company manufactures. 4 This organisation belongs to another business organisation. 5 The organisation is related to information technology. 6 The organisation may also be called an optical equipment company. 7 The pre-tax profits of the organisation were flat. A XYZ, the media sales and market research group, yesterday said that it saw tentative signs of recovery in the US and expected global advertising spending next year to grow by nearly 3 percent. The forecast came as the company announced first-half revenues up by 10 percent to 273.3 million, although pre-tax profits for the period were flat at 27.5 million before goodwill. The shares edged 2 pounds higher to 71 pounds. B AK has developed a unique approach to transforming service delivery in the public sector by rapidly identifying and delivering substantial service and financial improvements. Backed by 5a, Europes leading venture capital company, we have established a nationwide client base and consistently outperform our targets. Our team of highly motivated, resilient and energetic people value commitment, integrity, teamwork and a sense of humour. All employees, over 1600, are shareholders.
C ZH is a leading marketing and technology agency that helps clients use the Internet to grow their sales and trade profitably. For example, the website we built for HC generated over $20 billion of e-commerce. We work with market-leading brands to get and keep customers and increase their value in the most cost-efficient way. ZH is part of Gocom the worlds largest communications holding company and was founded in 1995. We have more than 600 professionals, and eight offices in the US, Europe and Asia. D This manufacturing centre of excellence, with a workforce of 1,000 people, is of pivotal strategic importance within the European operations of this global eye-care company. Manufacturing very high volumes of vision care products in a regulated, continuous process driven, clean room manufacturing environment, the facility which supplies to global markets is poised for sustained growth in terms of volume and new product innovation in the next 12 months.
Read the article below about the securities exchange. Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps. For each gap 812, mark one letter (AG). Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning, (0).
The general approach in buying and selling securities, regardless of the exchange where they are purchased, is basically the same. We provide a general picture of how security transactions take place; and for a fuller understanding, we will discuss some of the important terminology and functions of security trading. (9) How would you go about buying stock in a major corporation? Its really quite simple. First, you would decide what you want to buy such as 100 shares of IBM. (10) Assuming your broker works for a major stock brokerage, the order would be telephoned directly to a company clerk on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The clerk would hand the order to a member of the Exchange who is a partner in the brokerage. This individual would then go to the appropriate locale on the trading floor and ask for the latest quote on IBM. Let us say it is 70 to a quarter. (11)
If your broker wants it, a sale can be struck at $70.25, since the order calls for a purchase at the current market price. More likely, however, your broker will bid $70.125 and hopes to save you in of a point or $12.5. And it is likely that another broker with the order to sell will show up and accept the bid of $70. The two brokers will then initial each others sale orders and see that the transaction is relayed to the Exchange employee known as reporter. The reporter sees that the sale is reported and a few minutes later it will come out on the ticker tape.
What does a bull mean? It is a term that is used to refer to an investor who expects prices to rise. (12) Of course, the market will not always rise. Sometimes stocks drop and remain low for extended periods of time. Those investors who expect stock prices to decline are known as bears. During the Great Depression, the bears made a great deal of money. While the bulls were buying long the bears were selling short.
A How would you know what a fair price for the security is? B This means that someone is currently bidding 70 for the stock and another party is willing to sell at 70.25. C How are stocks actually purchased? D Bulls buy in anticipation of the market going up. E In this way, the buyer or seller is ensured that the best price is secured and they are not shortchanged or cheated in any way. F Then you would place a call to your stockbroker, who would enter an order to buy the 100 shares at the current market price. G If the market is going down, the only way to recover your investment is to hang on to the stock and wait for it to come back.
Read the article below about the US banking system and the questions. For each question 1318, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) for the answer you choose.
officer saw danger signs and wrote a warning memo to her supervisors, but the memo went unheeded. Although the Comptroller of the Currency inspected Continental on a regular basis, it failed to see how serious its problems were going to be. Penn Square Bank was closed by regulators in July 1982. When energy prices began to slip, most of the $1 billion in loans that Continental had taken over from the smaller banks turned out to be bad. Other loans to troubled companies such as Chrysler, International Harvester, and Braniff looked questionable. Seeing these problems, hot money owners began to pull their funds out of Continental. By the spring in 1984, a run on Continental had begun. In May, the bank had to borrow $3.5 billion from the Fed to replace overnight funds it had lost. But this was not enough. To try to stem the outflow of deposits from Continental, the FDIC agreed to guarantee not just the first $100,000 of each depositors money but all of it. Nevertheless, the run continued. Federal regulators tried hard to find a sound bank that could take over Continental a common way of rescuing failing banks. But Continental was just too big for anyone to buy. By July, all hope of a private sector rescue had been dashed. Regulators faced a stark choice: Let Continental collapse, or take it over themselves. Letting the bank fail seemed too risky. It was estimated that more than 100 banks had placed enough funds in Continental to put them at risk if Continental failed. Thus, on a rainy Thursday at the end of July, the FDIC in effect nationalized Continental Illinois at a cost of $4.5 billion. This kept the banks doors open and prevented a chain reaction. However, in all but a technical sense, Continental had become the biggest bank failure in US history.
13 In the spring of 1984, Continental experienced a run attributed to A short-term borrowing from other banks B a risky growth strategy C questionable loans to troubled banks D all of the above .
14 By July, all hope of a private sector rescue was A destroyed B absurd C desperate D damaged
15 Which is not the reason that hot money owners began to pull their funds out of Continental? A Penn Square Bank was closed by regulators. B To find a sound bank was hard. C Loans that Continental had taken over from the smaller banks turned out to be bad. D Other loans to troubled companies looked questionable. .
16 Banking panics may not be prevented by means of A deposit insurance B inspections C long-term borrowing D regulation
17 Which of the following was not in trouble? A International Harvester. B Chrysler. C Braniff. D FDIC.
18 The word stark in the fifth paragraph means A bare B blunt C extreme D harsh
Read the article below about honesty in job interviews. Choose the best word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D. For each question 1933, mark one letter (A, B, C or D). There is an example at the beginning, (0).
Read the consumer reaction report below. In most of the lines 3445 there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. If a line is correct, write CORRECT. If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS. The exercise begins with two examples, (0) and (00). Examples 0 C O R R E C T
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00 W I T H
WRITING 45 minutes
PART ONE
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You are the HR manager of a company. Your assistant sent you an email and asked for 3 days off to attend a seminar on team building. Write a reply to him:
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PART TWO
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You are the owner of a toy factory. A retailer has sent you a letter summarising a recent negotiation. You have already made some handwritten notes on the letter. Then, using all your handwritten notes, write a reply to the retailer. Write 120140 words. Dear Martha, It was good to see you again last week and we are delighted to inform you that Big Boss will be included in our winter catalogue. As promised, listed below are the points agreed upon at the meeting. zz The contract is about the Big Boss in three colours.
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You will grant us exclusive import rights for Big Boss in the US. The quantity will be 15,000 pieces, with a further option of 4,000. The price per piece will be $6.00 for the first 15,000. You will confirm the price for the optional 4,000 pieces. The initial payment will be made after receiving the first batch of goods.
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Please let me know if further clarification is needed. I am looking forward to your written confirmation. Best regards, Stephanie Powell Chief Purchaser
You will hear three telephone conversations or messages. Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. You will hear each recording twice.
Look at the form below. You will hear a woman changing the arrangement. MESSAGE
Date: Tel:
November 7th
( 2)
Your message received. Shes not (3) the following week. The meeting is suggested on 28 November. Could you call her and (4) the date?
Look at the notes below. You will hear a woman checking the details of a job advertisement. Recruitment Ad #R9274758 Position: Salary: Documents: Interview schedule: (5 )
Competitive salary plus (6) full CV, references and details of (7) the week commencing 21st June
Look at the notes below. You will hear a man telephoning to book a flight ticket.
Detroit
(10) (11)
You will hear five short recordings. For each recording, decide where it happens. Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice. A exhibition B bank
13 14 15 16 17
C office letting agency D post office E airport F travel agency G supermarket H hotel
You will hear another five recordings. For each recording, decide what the speaker is doing. Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice.
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18 19 20 21 22
A making a complaint B requesting some information C changing an arrangement D declining an offer E giving feedback F confirming arrangements G making an offer H asking for permission
You will hear Eilish OShea, Public Relations Manager at Skoda, talking about how Skoda changed public attitudes to the brand. For each question 2330, mark one letter (A, B, or C) for the correct answer. You will hear the recording twice. .
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23 People used to make jokes about Skoda because they thought A the look of the cars was strange B the quality of the cars was poor C the cars were very boring .
24 Central European engineering A had very high standards traditionally B only started to improve after 1948 C has not developed since 1948
25 Skoda re-launched its brand in 1995 with a A range of new models B new network of showrooms C major advertising campaign
26 Good press is more powerful than advertising because A it communicates the message more quickly B the message can reach a lot more people C it is based on independent opinions
27 The company took journalists to the Czech Republic to A show them the manufacturing plant B enable them to attend the launch of the Octavia C thank them for the positive coverage they gave Skoda .
28 According to a recent UK consumer survey, A the company has sold over 40,000 cars in the UK
B Skoda consumers are the most satisfied car owners C Central European engineering is the best in Europe
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29 Eilish thinks the success of PR is best measured by A customer satisfaction surveys B the amount of press coverage C the companys sales .
30 The most satisfying part of Eilishs job is A working in a small team B having responsibility and influence C solving difficult problems
You now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.
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SPEAKING 14 minutes
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: What is important when ? Attending a business conference
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PART THREE
In this part of the test, you are given a discussion topic. You have 30 seconds to look at the task prompt, 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.
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For two candidates Organising a Language Training Programme The technical company you work for exports its products abroad, and needs foreign language speakers among its staff. You have been asked to help organise a language training programme for the staff. Discuss the situation together, and decide:
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whether the company should organise group or individual training sessions whether training should take place during or after working hours.
For three candidates Organising a Language Training Programme The technical company you work for exports its products abroad, and needs foreign language speakers among its staff. You have been asked to help organise a language training programme for the staff. Discuss the situation together, and decide:
zz zz zz
which staff members would benefit most from language training whether the company should organise group or individual training sessions whether training should take place during or after working hours.
Follow-on questions
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What types of language training have you found to be most useful? (Why?) How do you think companies can evaluate the effectiveness of language training programmes? (Why?) How important do you think it is for companies to recruit staff who speak other languages? (Why? / Why not?) Should staff be asked to bear some of the costs of language training? (Why? / Why not?) Do you think that language training will continue to be important to companies? (Why? / Why not?) What other skills do you think are important when doing business internationally? (Why?)
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Reading
Part One 1 A 2 C 3 D 4 C 5 C 6 D 7 A Part Two 8 E 9 C 10 F 11 B 12 D Part Three 13 B 14 A 15 B 16 A 17 D 18 D Part Four 19 C 20 A 21 B 22 D 23 C 24 D 25 B 26 A 27 C 28 C 29 A 30 C 31 C 32 A 33 D Part Five 34 AS 35 ABOUT 36 CORRECT 37 HAS 38 WERE 39 CORRECT 40 WHO 41 CORRECT 42 WHILE 43 DID 44 CORRECT 45 THAT Part Three 23 B 24 A 25 C 26 C 27 A 28 B 29 C 30 B
Writing
Model answers Part One To: Nick Young Subject: Team Building Seminar Im afraid you cannot attend this seminar because the annual meeting will be held next week and we have a lot of preparation to do. Also you are expected to speak at the meeting on behalf of our department. Mary Part Two Dear Stephanie, Thank you for your letter concerning Big Boss purchase. We are delighted that Big Boss will be sold in your stores. However, there are some small points needing clarification. Big Boss is available in seven colours. Please look at the samples and confirm the three colours you have chosen. You mentioned in the letter the further option of 4,000 pieces. I thought we agreed on 5,000. Please reconfirm the quantity. I can now confirm the optional pieces will cost $5.75 each. I thought we agreed on the first payment being made before the initial delivery, not after. Please feel free to contact me if further information is needed. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours, Martha Green
M: W: M: W: M: W: M: W:
Listening
Part One 1 RAMONE 2 688 566 3 AVAILABLE 4 CONFIRM 5 SALES MANAGER 6 BONUS 7 CURRENT 8 JUNE 9 KEVIN BEACHAM 10 SAN FRANCISCO 11 BUSINESS 12 CASH Part Two 13 H 14 C 15 F 16 B 17 A 18 B 19 G 20 C 21 H 22 E
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Well, Sales Manager is the final job title? Yes. Thats right. Sales Manager. You still havent decided the salary. What salary should I put? Well, it depends on the quality of the candidate. Just put competitive salary plus bonus. What well ask them to do is send details of their current salary and well go from there. Should I put that in the advert? Yes. Thats right. Add it to the bit about applicants including their CVs and references. And have you decided when youll be holding the interviews? Yes. Itll be the last week in June. Let me check. The week starts the 21st. And you give me a date of the 25th of June. Thats the closing date for applications? Thats right. Right. Alex. I think thats everything I need. Thanks.
Thirteen Im very willing to help you, but Im sorry, sir. Its against our policy. You know we cannot reveal guests room numbers, phone numbers or any information to anyone. Im really sorry, but if you are willing to give me your name I can call her room and see if shes in. Or you can leave a message for her, if you like. Well give it to her as soon as we see her. Fourteen Well, if you can wait a while, theres something coming up in the next few weeks. Now I havent seen it myself, but Ive been told by the owners that it should be ready for immediate occupation. So, as long as you can work out the finance and insurance in time, you should be in by the start of next month. And its a lot cheaper than the other site you were considering. Fifteen Good. These are the right places to spend your holiday in the depths of winter. These places are warm and have plenty of sunshine. You can organise your insurance through us against accidents, theft and loss of baggage for the duration of the trip. We use Nonstop, a leading company in the business. We find their rates very competitive. So, for two weeks thatll be $120. Shall I just add the premium on to the fare? Sixteen The interest rate for a regular savings account at present is 3.6% and we now offer a year-term account at 4.8% interest. But its very convenient with a regular account. Because you can deposit and withdraw money at any time. Its really very convenient if you deal with money in daily life. Which one would you like to choose, sir? Seventeen Please wait a moment. Let me check Sorry to have you wait. Luckily, there are some booths available. We still have 5 square metres and 8, two kinds. Please send your registration form and fees to us. We charge $160 per square metre. If you send them in a week, it is possible for you to have a stand. Now you will hear the five recordings again. [repeat]
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call me on 0465 255 699? Its my mobile number. I need to talk to you about that contract were trying to get in Helsinki because the customer accepted our proposal and I need to know whether its all right if I just go ahead and sign the contracts or whether you want to get involved as well. Could you get back to me ASAP? Thanks. Twenty-two Hello, its Janet Montgomery here. I got your proposal for the product launch and Ive finally managed to get a look at it. It looks OK. But I think there could still be one or two minor problems with it. I think the time schedule looks a bit on the optimistic side as well. Ive got a couple of suggestions, which Ill get off to you today. Let me know what you think, OK? Bye. Now you will hear the five recordings again. [repeat] That is the end of Part Two.
M: W:
M: W:
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M:
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in the showrooms. This was repeated with the arrival of the Octavia in 1998. Our overall aim was to communicate the quality of Skoda. And what role did the PR Department play? Well, regardless of how successful and effective advertising is, the public is always aware that the company has complete control over the message and content of the advert. However, when the public reads positive things in their favourite magazine or newspapers, its the journalists own comment and therefore much more powerful because it isnt influenced by the organisation. So, our job was to communicate the quality of Skoda to the motoring press. Having seen the very positive press the company now enjoys, you obviously managed to do that. But how? One of the first press events we arranged was a trip to see the manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic. We took almost 100 journalists with us to show them just how good the facility was. We organised a similar trip the following year to see the new Octavia plant, which is one of the most modern in the world. These trips really changed peoples attitudes. Well, you certainly won over the press. But what kind of feedback have you had from the public? Well, Skoda recently came top of a major consumer magazines annual survey of car owners. Its the biggest customer satisfaction survey of its kind in the UK based on over 40,000 car owners. The results of the survey made the evening news on national TV, so I guess the public has changed its mind about the quality of central European engineering. But the real indication of our success is the record growth in sales since 1995. The success youve had in dramatically changing the companys image in the UK must give you a great deal of personal satisfaction. Yes, it does. I think Im very lucky at Skoda. Working with a small team means a lot of personal responsibility. And thats the real enjoyment for me, seeing my ideas having a clear effect on the forward direction of the brand. Its down to me to sort out any problems, so when things go well, I really do feel Im making an important contribution to the success of the company. And thats an incredibly satisfying feeling.
Now you will hear the recording again. [repeat] That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet. That is the end of the listening test.
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Look at the statements below and the information about recruitment. Which section (A, B, C or D) does each statement 17 refer to? For each statement 17, mark one letter (A, B, C or D). You will need to use some of these letters more than once. Example: 0 You could communicate with people from fields other than yours.
1 You are expected to have a masters degree in economics, business, etc. 2 It requires that you should know a lot about European economics. 3 It requires that your reports should be easy for users to understand. 4 Your age is expected to be under 30 years old. 5 Your job has a connection with people from the media. 6 You are expected to have some skills to communicate with other organisations. 7 It requires that your analysis be based on data from various sources.
A Business Economist You will have excellent analytical skills and an ability to communicate effectively with noneconomists both orally and in writing. You will be expected to use data from a variety of sources for model-building and other forms of economic analysis. You will also liaise with clients, play an active role in business development, and present the results of your analysis in an incisive and accessible form.
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B Economic Policy Manager At the very heart of our business, you will need to be a highly confident and credible business shaper in economics or a related discipline and preferably, have postgraduate qualifications in economics, business or finance. You will also ideally have experience of regulatory issues and appreciate how they fit in with the bigger picture. Thus, you will be a key player in the team, leading our regulatory agenda both internally and externally, preparing government proposals, and using your excellent interpersonal communication and influencing skills to build strong links across our business and with external bodies.
C Outstanding Young Economists We are seeking to recruit outstanding young economists to join our team at our Dublin office. Candidates should have a brilliant academic record, ideally including a PhD in economics and two or more years post qualification experience. Ideal candidates will probably be in their mid to late twenties and will be focused on applying their exceptional economic skills to commercial and policy issues.
D Principle Economist Leading the European team from London and reporting to the Chief International Economist, the role focuses on producing top quality macroeconomic commentary, forecasts and country risk analysis. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are of paramount importance as the role involves liaising with both clients and the media. Experienced in modelling and forecasting, you will have an extensive knowledge of European economics, with particular reference to structural change and policy.
Read the article below about a risky business. Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps. For each gap 812, mark one letter (AG). Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning, (0).
A Risky Business
As everyone in business knows, working life can be difficult. At times, it seems impossible B Many disasters are to reach a position where everything is running smoothly. ( 0) completely unforeseen, and it is becoming increasingly important for managers to learn how to live with the unexpected. After several major disasters in the City of London, a group of managers have got together to form an organization, called Survive. (8) So far they have worked with 600 companies in the UK and they are rapidly branching out to locations around the world. Survive Singapore,
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which offers its services to companies in the Pacific Rim, is the latest branch of the organisation to be established. (9) Whatever the size of your company is, the basic lessons are the same. Firstly, if you listen to employees and customers, then you are more likely to discover the risks you may be running which you hadnt thought of. (10) Wider issues, such as polluting a local river, may be discovered through the public. If you have systems to keep in touch with what people are saying about you, then you will have a chance of preventing problems before they arrive. Secondly, many companies dont have adequate insurance. (11) A fire may break out in the office and bring damage to not only the office furniture but also invaluable customer records and legal documents. The effect of the damage to the company can often make recovery impossible. Survive will assist companies in assessing their risk of unexpected events, and point them in the direction of suitable insurance companies. (12) What you need is a business continuity plan. Professional assistance in drawing up a plan can be provided by Survive, who will give you access to publications, conferences, databases and workshops where you can discuss problems with people in similar situations to yours.
A In fact, many small companies have very little insurance at all and only discover that they are underinsured when it is too late. B Computer failure, client indecision and even mistakes by staff can quickly send a company into crisis. C The advice they offer can be broken down into three areas. D Survive can help you to calculate what is unexpected. E Their objective is to advise companies of the steps they should take in order to maintain business continuity in the event of disaster. F Maybe safety procedures have got a little out-of-date; it is your employees who can tell you which working practices are dangerous or inadequately supervised G The third area to look at is what to do if your office did burn down and all your records were lost.
Read the article below and the questions. For each question 1318, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) for the answer you choose.
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Life assurance has existed, in one form or another, for thousands of years. When Roman soldiers were paid, part of their earnings went into a fund on their behalf. If they were in battle then this money was given to their families. Or, if they were retired from the army, they were given this money to help them start a new career. In the days when pirates used to attack ships at sea, many sea captains used to club together by putting money into a fund. Then when one of these captains was unlucky enough to get captured, money from the fund was used to pay his ransom and so get him released as soon as possible. Gradually, over the centuries, the basic principles of life assurance were growing. One very important idea or principle that began to develop was that if life assurance worked well a fund of money was needed. People who wanted to have assurance would join a club or society and pay money regularly into the societys fund each year. In this way, the fund would gradually grow, and if one of the societys members did die there should be enough in the fund to be able to pay out the amount assured. The problem that remained was this: how much should each person put into the fund? This important question was solved by a mathematics teacher who worked in London two hundred years ago. He was James Dodson. He realized that the amount each person should pay into the fund rested on the principle of probability. That is how probable or likely it was that the person might die. Using his mathematics, James Dodson calculated the probability of death for each individual who wanted life assurance. Today, we say that we are working out a persons life expectancy how long the person can expect or hope to live. Much will depend on the age of the person, how healthy he or she is, and how risky the job he or she does. James Dodson realized that the more likely a person was to die, the fewer years he or she should be expected to pay into the fund and, therefore, the more he or she should pay each year. With this information, James Dodson could calculate mathematically the fixed amount that the person should pay each year, in order to be assured that an agreed sum of money would be given to his or her family when he or she died. This fixed amount of money is known as a level premium because it remains at the same level for as long as he or she keeps up the policy. So, in 1762, the first scientifically calculated life assurance began although, sadly, James Dodson himself died before his scheme started working properly.
13 Life assurance has existed for thousands of years. The statement is supported by two examples given in the passage, they are B Pirates attack and sea captains fund C Level premium and James Dodsons scheme D Roman soldiers fund and sea captains fund . A Roman soldiers fund and James Dodsons scheme
14 The problem of how much each person should put into the fund was solved by James Dodson based on the principle of A probability B health C level premium D club fund .
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15 A persons life expectancy has much to do with the following factors except A age B health C hobby D job
16 What does premium mean? A extra fund B benefit C compensation D an amount of money that you pay regularly for an insurance policy
17 If a person wants to have assurance, he has to pay money regularly into the clubs or societys fund each year. What the person does is generally referred to as A paying a premium B raising the fund C collecting money D getting the ransom .
18 Which of the following is the most proper title for this passage? A Life Assurance B History of Life Assurance C Basic Principles of Life Assurance D A Persons Life Expectancy
Read the introduction below about the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Choose the best word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D. For each question 1933, mark one letter (A, B, C or D). There is an example at the beginning, (0).
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Multilateral trade (24) within the GATT take place through a succession of Rounds dealing with a (25) of measures rather than single issues. The very first opened among the 23 founding members in 1946. (26) to eat into the many protectionist measures which remained in (27) from the 1930s, it led to 45,000 tariff concessions covering $10 billion about one fifth of world trade. Successive rounds became more complex, (28) more members and issues and taking longer to complete. Tariff cuts helped to contribute (29) high rates of world growth averaging 8% a year during the 1950s and 1960s. But (30) the early 1980s the deterioration in the trade environment from a series of economic recessions, the increasing globalisation of the world economy and loopholes, (31) had appeared in the GATT system, convinced its members of the need to (32) and extend the multilateral system a decision which led to the Uruguay Round. The concept of long, arduous Rounds is now (33) to be replaced by a rolling program of trade liberalisation initiatives.
0 A multilateral 19 A organised 20 A lately 21 A authorized 22 A turned 23 A one 24 A discussions 25 A list 26 A Desired 27 A place 28 A bracing 29 A for 30 A by 31 A that 32 A enlarge 33 A possible
B bilateral B directed B originally B specialised B changed B first B arguments B package B Supposed B position B embarrassing B with B at B which B improve B likely
C international C devised C primarily C specified C returned C sole C talks C lot C Designed C location C accepting C to C in C when C increase C unlikely
D national D produced D normally D generalised D developed D solo D negotiations D series D Expected D area D embracing D of D during D what D strengthen D necessary
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Read the extract of an article below about internet commerce. In most of the lines 3445 there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. If a line is correct, write CORRECT. If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS. The exercise begins with two examples, (0) and (00). Examples 0 T H R O U G H
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00 C O R R E C T
Internet Commerce
0 The ability to order and pay for products over through the Internet can revolutionise international trade. 00 It can provide purchasers in one country with access to goods and services from another of which they might otherwise not even be aware. 34 Since then many governments restrict imports of certain products and regulate advertising 35 and the other marketing tools within their national borders, 36 purchasers are often forced to choose products from a limited or even monopolistic supply of a desired product. 37 With Internet access, purchasers can search the world 38 in minutes as to find the right product at a reasonable price. 39 Until recently, however, suppliers used the Internet primarily for advertising purposes. 40 All orders were taken either over the telephone or by sending mail. 41 While this certainly opened the door and paved the way for the internet commerce, 42 it is still required that business be conducted through traditional methods. 43 Shopping at these days is easy and convenient with home shopping networks and mail order catalogues. 44 What has been added to is internet shopping. As you surf the Internet and 45 come across some vendors home pages youll be able to purchase commodities.
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WRITING 45 minutes
PART ONE
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You are the training manager for a truck manufacturer, which is going to set up a joint venture with a British automaker. You have been asked to organise a seminar on crosscultural communication for some of the staff.
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explaining why the training is necessary saying where the seminar will be held announcing which members of staff are required to attend.
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PART TWO
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You work for a manufacturing company called PKD Ltd. The Human Resources Manger has asked you to write a proposal on how the company can improve the situation of its female employees.
zz zz zz
Look at the information below, on which you have already made some handwritten notes. Then, using all your handwritten notes, write your proposal. Write 120140 words. Number of Females in Different Departments Current Number Finance Human Resources Production Sales 20 5 58 20 Standard Number 21 6 80 36 more female staff needed
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2008
2009
2010
2011
\ Unfair!
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You will hear three telephone conversations or messages. Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. You will hear each recording twice.
Look at the form below. You will hear a woman calling to check the schedule. Mrs Everetts Schedule 24th January 10 am: 11:0011:30: 12:30: 3 pm: Evening:
arrive at the airport of (1) meet Mr (2) sign a(n) (4) no specific arrangement from Sunrise with Mr McDonald from Ford lunch appointment with Mrs Rebecca from (3)
Look at the form below. You will hear a woman placing an order for office supplies. Customer Order Form Date Received 27/5/11 Customer Name: Delivery Address: For the attention of: Order Details: Delivery Time: Payment Method:
Estate, Hailsham
10 boxes of (7)
( 8)
Invoice
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Look at the notes below. You will hear a man talking about the boss. Mr Allan Virge
of the firm man, exacting, punctual and accurate workers with the forgetful and careless
You will hear five short recordings. For each recording, decide what each speaker is booking. Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice. A a tennis court B a conference room
13 14 15 16 17
C tables in restaurant D a holiday resort E a hotel room F opera tickets G a takeaway H a flight
You will hear another five recordings. For each recording, decide who the speaker is. Write one letter (AH) next to the number of the recording.
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zz zz
Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice. A sales representative B travel agent
18 19 20 21 22
C product designer D secretary E market researcher F receptionist G public relations officer H personnel officer
You will hear a conversation with Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Computer Corporation. For each question 2330, mark one letter (A, B, or C) for the correct answer. You will hear the recording twice. .
23 Michael talked about A how he started his business B why he became successful C what his corporation is like
24 Dell Computer Corporations core idea is A working for the welfare of the society B making computing technology easily available C serving the customers to the utmost
25 Michael Dells idea of sales mode is to sell computers A directly to the end customers B via resellers C on the Internet .
26 Before Michael set up his business, he did A plenty of market research B no market research at all C market research with a few people
27 Peoples attitude toward Michael Dells idea at the beginning was A appreciation B encouragement C disagreement
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29 When the company was incorporated as Dell Computer Corporation, Michael Dell was a A graduate B sophomore C freshman .
30 According to Michael Dell, his leaving school was A unacceptable to his parents B acceptable to his parents C encouraged by his parents
You now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.
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SPEAKING 14 minutes
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: What is important when ? Aiming to become a manager
zz zz zz zz
PART THREE
In this part of the test, you are given a discussion topic. You have 30 seconds to look at the task prompt, 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.
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For two candidates Staff Holidays You work in a busy sales department. Many employees tend to take their time off during the peak holiday season, which can have a negative effect on your department. You have been asked to suggest possible solutions to this problem. Discuss the situation together, and decide:
zz zz
whether to discourage employees from taking holidays at the busiest times whether to hire temporary employees to cover for absences.
For three candidates Staff Holidays You work in a busy sales department. Many employees tend to take their time off during the peak holiday season, which can have a negative effect on your department. You have been asked to suggest possible solutions to this problem. Discuss the situation together, and decide:
zz zz zz
whether to discourage employees from taking holidays at the busiest times whether to hire temporary employees to cover for absences what other ways there are of managing staff holidays during peak holiday season.
Follow-on questions
zz
How important do you think it is for employees to have enough holidays? (Why?) Would you prefer to have a job that offers long holidays, or one which offers a very good salary? (Why?) Do you think companies should contact their employees when they are on holiday? (Why? / Why not?) Do you think that companies will offer employees longer holidays in the future? (Why? / Why not?) Do you think companies should organise activities for employees in their free time? (Why? / Why not?) Do you think that companies have a responsibility to look after the health of their employees? (Why? / Why not?)
zz
zz
zz
zz
zz
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Reading
Part One 1 B 2 D 3 A 4 C 5 D 6 B 7 A Part Two 8 E 9 C 10 F 11 A 12 G Part Three 13 D 14 A 15 C 16 D 17 A 18 A Part Four 19 C 20 B 21 B 22 A 23 C 24 D 25 B 26 C 27 A 28 B 29 C 30 A 31 B 32 D 33 B Part Five 34 THEN 35 THE 36 PRODUCTS 37 CORRECT 38 AS 39 CORRECT 40 SENDING 41 THE 42 IS 43 AT 44 TO 45 CORRECT 10 EXPERIENCED 11 EFFICIENT 12 IMPATIENT Part Two 13 C 14 H 15 D 16 F 17 A 18 H 19 A 20 F 21 B 22 D Part Three 23 A 24 B 25 A 26 B 27 C 28 C 29 C 30 A
Writing
Model answers Part One To: All staff From: Training Manager Date: August 1, 2xxx Subject: Seminar on Cross-Cultural Communication Ive been asked to organise a seminar on cross-cultural communication because we will need to communicate with our British business partner. It will start at 9 am, 15th August. All staff, except those of the production department, should attend the seminar. Part Two Proposal on Improving the Situation of Female Employees Introduction This proposal aims to recommend the possible measures that could be taken to improve the situation of female employees in our company. Findings The table and graphs clearly show that the current numbers of females in the four departments are lower than what the standard requires, especially in sales and production, where additional 16 and 22 females are needed to meet the requirements. And the number of female managers has continued to fall since 2008. Female directors decreased by about 40% in 3 years. Also women have received lower salaries than men. Recommendations It is recommended that more females should be recruited to balance the numbers of the two sexes. Also more women should be considered for promotion. Excellent women should be given the chance to compete with their male counterparts. And the female employees should be offered a pay rise.
Alice: Karen:
Alice: Karen:
Listening
Part One 1 LIVERPOOL 2 PETERSON 3 NATIONAL BANK 4 AGREEMENT 5 INDUSTRIAL 6 OFFICE MANAGER 7 PHOTOCOPY PAPER 8 THURSDAY 9 MANAGING DIRECTOR
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Now listen, and fill in the spaces. M: Initial Business Supplies. Good morning. W: Good morning. This is Lacey Graphics. Id like to place an order, please. M: All right. Ill just get an order form. Right. Now, its Lacey Graphics? W: Thats right. We have an account with you. M: Oh, really? Im sorry. Im new here. W: OK, thats fine. M: Could you give me your address, please? W: Yes, of course. Its Unit 5, Hailsham Industrial Estate, Hailsham. M: Hailsham Industrial Estate, right? W: Yes. M: And could I have your name, please? W: Well, Im Liz Price, but Id like you to address it to the Office Manager, please. M: OK. Fine. Now whats the order for? W: Wed like 10 boxes of printer paper. M: Well, Ms. Price, Im afraid we havent got any printer paper at the moment. Will photocopy paper do? W: Yes. Thatll be fine. M: And when would you like it? W: Well, as soon as possible, really. Weve nearly run out. M: I can get it to you on Thursday, if its okay. W: Thats great. Thanks. M: And how will you be paying? W: Well, you usually send us an invoice. M: OK. And thats to the same address? W: Thats right. Now you will hear the conversation again. [repeat]
Do not use any letter more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice. You have 15 seconds to read the list AH. Now listen, and decide what each speaker is booking. Thirteen There will be about 20 of us, so well need a large room. There must be enough seats, including three for kids and two tables. Could you please arrange them near the windows so that well have a good view of the outside? I wonder if we could have some hot appetisers and wine before the meal. Well arrive at the airport at 11 oclock, so please make preparations before that time. For most of us, its our first visit to the country, so can you provide us with some knives and forks? Thank you. Fourteen Well be in a large group of eight people including three kids. Wed like to leave early Friday morning and come back on Sunday afternoon. Can you have our seats arranged in the same area with three window seats? Our kids really enjoy watching the clouds. By the way, Id also like to know if its possible to have a car to pick us up on Friday morning. Fifteen Were two couples with no children. We just want to spend the weekend in a quiet place with fresh air to relax. Wed like to leave early Saturday morning and come back on Sunday evening What else do we need? Well, some really nice food, a hot spring, some sports like table tennis or bowling and Id like to watch a Beijing Opera. Thank you. Sixteen Hello, can I have two adult tickets and a kid one for tomorrow evening, please? I hear its marvellous. Hope you will have some left. Are second class tickets cheaper? OK, Id like second class tickets and I want to sit on the second floor near the front row. Sitting in the middle is very necessary, so well have a clear view of it, but I dont want to pay too much for it. Seventeen Hello, we are in a group of four and just want to find a quiet place with fresh air to play for two or three hours. We really need to relax after a hard week. Well bring our own rackets. How much will that be? We want a place off the main road but with some trees. Can I also ask if your price includes soft drinks and snacks? We want some really nice food, but dont want to pay too much. Now you will hear the five recordings again. [repeat]
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Twenty We have reserved a suite for Ms. Black and a deluxe room for Mr. Reid nearby on the same floor. Both are decorated first-class, with bathroom. Hope you enjoy your stay here. By the way, I would like to know how long you will be staying and how you would settle your account. Twenty-one A car is arranged to pick you up at your hotel at 2:30 for you to get 4 oclock flight. But I think youll have to change flight in Chicago for the connection to Denver because there is no direct flight at that hour. Youll arrive in Denver at 6:30. Your flight number is written down here for you. Any questions, please contact 232 543. Twenty-two Good morning, Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Clark from Springfield Housewares is expecting you in the meeting room at the moment. You also have to go to your insurance agent at 10:30 this morning. Then at 2 pm a car will pick you up to take you to the airport. The flight to Denver is at 2:40. Youll arrive in Denver at 6, then a car will pick you up and take you to the hotel. Now you will hear the five recordings again. [repeat] That is the end of Part Two.
M: Y ou know it hadnt occurred to me that others hadnt figured it out. I thought it was pretty obvious. Im sure if I had taken time to ask, plenty of people would have told me that my idea wouldnt work I have heard that a lot in the fifteen years since starting the business. W: Do you think you should ask other peoples opinions? M: Im not sure about that. Sometimes its better not to ask or to listen when people tell you something cant be done. I didnt ask for permission or approval. I just went ahead and did it. W: When did you begin your company? M: On January 2, 1984. I went back to Austin earlier than I would have to attend classes, and and I did all the things you need to do to set up a business. I registered the company with the State of Texas as PCs Limited. I placed ads in the classified section in our local newspaper. W: Was everything going well? M: Through my previous contact with customers and the small ads I placed in the paper, I was already getting a lot of business. I was selling between $50,000 and $80,000 upgraded PCs, upgrade kits, and add-on computer components to people in Austin area. Not long after starting the classes I was able to move from a stuffy room that I shared with a roommate to a condominium with high ceilings and two bedrooms. I didnt, however, tell my parents for a few months that I moved. W: It seemed everything went well. M: Well, it is OK. In early May, about a week before I took my final exam to complete my freshman year, I incorporated the company as Dell Computer Corporation, doing business as PCs Limited. We moved the business from my condo to a 1000-square-foot of office space in a small business centre in North Austin. I hired a few people to take orders over telephone and a few more to fulfil them. Manufacturing consisted of three guys with screwdrivers sitting at six-foot tables upgrading machines. Business continued to grow, and I began to think of what the potential could be if I could devote myself to the venture, full-time. W: What about your parents opinion on your career and study? M: Where I came from, not going to college is not an acceptable option. Convincing my parents to allow me to leave school would have been impossible. So I just went ahead and did it, whatever the consequences. I finished my freshman year and left. After a while, my parents forgave me. And a little bit after that, I forgave them, too. W: Were you scared back then? M: Oh, sure. But it turned out, the timing for PCs Limited couldnt have been better. Now you will hear the recording again. [repeat] That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet. That is the end of the listening test.
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