BEC商务英语中级考试历年真题

　剑桥商务英语证书(CambridgeBusinessEnglishCertificate，简称BEC)考试，是英国剑桥大学考试委员会(UCLES)专门为非英语母语国家的人员进行国际商务活动的需要而设计的。由于证书颁发机构的权威性较强，该项考试在欧美许多国家被广泛认可，是求职英语能力证明的上选证书，并被英国50多所大学认可作为入学英语语言能力证明。

　　在中国，在“考证热”的影响下，BEC的考生60%为在校学生，其目的是为了获取证书，作为求职就业的敲门砖。

　　2011年上半年BEC商务英语考试时间

　　BEC商务英语中级考试历年真题（28）

　　Personal Assistant of the Year
　　0 Anne-Marie Garrard was shocked when it was announced that she had won the
　　00 Personal Assistant of the Year award. ‘The other candidates seemed me
　　34 to be very strong, and I have to say I found that the selection procedure really
　　35 hard,' she says. 'I didn't think I had any chance of winning. When I heard my
　　36 name, my legs were so weak I could only hardly stand up,' she laughs. So
　　37 how is 'the best' personal assistant chosen from a group of so extremely good
　　38 and very different individuals? The final decision was reached after a
　　39 day-long session of the tests, interviews and exercises. Garrard believes
　　40 the skills she uses in her job helped her how to perform well. For instance, although
　　41 most of her work is for her company's Managing Director, she works for six bosses
　　42 in all, so she always tries out to be prepared for anything that might happen.
　　43 As for the future, her firm has closed for its summer break now; as soon as
　　44 they will open again, there is a pay rise waiting for her. But Garrard is not
　　45 going to be relax. She says, 'There's always room for personal development.You must keep trying to improve.
　　这篇文章讲的是一个女生获得个人助理奖后的情况。表达了一下激动了心情并且展望了未来。
　　34题，find后面直接可以接复合结构，例如find the story very interesting。如果是find that的话，that后面要接从句。所以这里that多余。
　　35题，正确的
　　36题，从意思上理解，说的是由于激动差点都站不起来，I could hardly stand up。Only多余。
　　37题，extremely是副词，直接用来修饰good，so在这里多余。
　　38题，正确的
　　39题，tests, interviews and exercises并不是特指，不需要用the。
　　40题，help sb.to do sth.固定词组，how多余
　　41题，正确的
　　42题，try out是试验，考验的意思，后面一般接for，这里应该直接用tries to be表示尝试。
　　43题，正确的
　　44题，as soon as，一…..就，后面从句通常用一般现在时表示将来时，所以will多余。
　　45题，be going to后面直接接动词，表示将来的动作，如果有be的话后面接形容词。relax是动词，所以be多余。

　2011年上半年BEC商务英语考试时间

　　BEC商务英语中级考试历年真题（27）

　　Managing a career on the way up is quite different from managing one at the top of an organisation. Individuals on the way up have to build relationships with the people they (19)to.They usually have to (20) with subordinates in addition to people at the same level as themselves. The most senior staff only have those under them to relate to. This book (21)the idea that all working relationships, including the relationship with one's boss, can and should be managed.
　　You do not have to be (22) than your manager in order to manage the relationship. Nor do you have to be better than your manager in any (23).Your manager may well be your career (24) and guide: he or she may have taught you almost everything you know about your(25) of business - and may continue to teach you more. You may be planning to remain under his or her guidance in the future. None of these (26)should alter your relationship with your manager or (27) you off 'managing upwards'. I use this phrase to (28) to the management of one's boss because, for many people on the way up, it is the first relationship they have to get right.
　　You can, of course, get on at work just by (29) positively to your manager, but that is not likely to be the most successful way to (30) your working life. An active policy of managing upwards will make you more successful and, at the same time, make the business of going to work more enjoyable. It can also be a way to show (31) to your manager for the efforts he or she has made on your (32) Finally, managing upwards will make it easier for your manager to manage you,leaving him or her more time for other (33) and tasks.
　　19 A notify B inform Caccount D report
　　20 A unite B contact C handle D deal
　　21 A promotes B presses C advertises Dconvinces
　　22 A clearer B deeperCsmarter Dfuller
　　23 A respect B fashion Cpart D means
　　24 A leader B supporter C adviser D helper
　　25 A courseB line C path Droute
　　26 A factors B aspects Ccauses D topics
　　27 A put B see C keep D take
　　28 A specify B identify C indicate D refer
　　29 A giving B operating C reacting D co-operating
　　30 A run B forward C move D make
　　31 A appraisal B value C appreciation D regard
　　32 A advantage B benefit C side D behalf
　　33 A posts B roles C positions D acts
　　Managing upwards，打理同上司的关系。
　　19题，report to，对什么。。。负责，隶属；从属。用在这里句子意思正好：处于上升阶段的个人需要同他们所从属的人处理好关系。A、B的词后面都接of，account to 是解释的意思，用在这里意思不对。
　　20题，联系此空上下文，应该是说处理与下属的关系。deal with后接somebody是表示处理和某人的关系。A、B意思不对，C是及物动词，后面不需要with。
　　21题，promote促进，推动。promote the idea，推动某个想法。
　　22题，根据意思选词。处理与上司的关系不需要比上司更聪明。其他几个词用在此处的话都有些怪异，很容易排除。
　　23题，respect，指方面。与aspect同义。常见的用法。
　　24题，这个空要联系上下文，并且参考后面的guide。“ he or she may have taught you almost everything you know”，也就是说TA会对你的工作进行很多指导，因为有taught，所以不是supporter或者helper，选leader又感觉拉远了距离，因此选adviser。
　　25题，一个让人头疼的商业英语固定词组。line of business，有业务和经营产品的意思。提供几个例句就很好理解含义了：
　　We specialize in this line of business我们专门经营此项服务；
　　Does this item come under your line of business? 我想知道这种产品属您经营的范围吗?
　　You meet some very interesting people in my line of business干我们这行，你会遇到很多有趣的人。
　　26题，根据前后文意思，选factors，因素。
　　27题，put off一般表示延迟，但它还有一个不太出名的意思是阻碍。see off，送行；keep off,远离；take off，起飞。
　　28题，根据意思选refer to，提及，描述。
　　29题，react to，固定搭配，对什么作出反应。用在这里意思也吻合。
　　30题，the most successful way to (30) your working life，意思上应该填入表示经营、管理等的意思，run有这个意思。C和D　用法不对，forward something是指转发邮件。
　　31题，appreciation，，表示感激之情。
　　32题，on one’s behalf，站在某人的立场上，为某人的利益。此处的意思是对他为你所做出的努力表示感激。
　　33题，role，职能，角色。为经理腾出空来扮演其他的角色。position是位置，位置一直是经理，没别的；act是行为，法案。

　2011年上半年BEC商务英语考试时间

　　BEC商务英语中级考试历年真题（26）

　　Department Store Magic
　　For most of the 20th century Smithson's was one of Britain's most successful department stores, but by the mid-1990s, it had become dull. Still profitable, thanks largely to a series of successful advertising campaigns, but decidedly boring. The famous were careful not to be seen there, and its sales staff didn't seem to have changed since the store opened in 1908. Worst of all, its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own-brand products,the major part of its business, and showing a preference for more fashionable brands.
　　But now all this has changed, thanks to Rowena Baker, who became Smithson's first woman Chief Executive three years ago. Since then, while most major retailers in Britain have been losing money, Smithson's profits have been rising steadily. When Baker started, a lot of improvements had just been made to the building, without having any effect on sales, and she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe's most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area, the heart of the store. This very quickly led to rising sales, even before the goods on display were changed. And as sales grew, so did profits.
　　Baker had ambitious plans for the store from the start. 'We're playing a big game, to prove we're up there with the leaders in our sector, and we have to make sure people get that message. Smithson's had fallen behind the competition. It provided a traditional service targeted at middle-aged, middle-income customers, who'd been shopping there for years, and the customer base was gradually contracting. Our idea is to sell such an exciting variety of goods that everyone will want to come in, whether they plan to spend a little or a lot.' Baker's vision for the store is clear, but achieving it is far from simple. At first, many employees resisted her improvements because they just wouldn't be persuaded that there was anything wrong with the way they'd always done things, even if they accepted that the store had to overtake its competitors. It took many long meetings, involving the entire workforce, to win their support. It helped when they realised that Baker was a very different kind of manager from the ones they had known.
　　Baker's staff policies contained more surprises. The uniform that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared. Moreover, teenagers now get young shop assistants, and staff in the sports departments are themselves sports fans in trainers. As Baker explains, 'How can you sell jeans if you're wearing a black suit? Smithson's has a new identity, and this needs to be made clear to the customers.' She's also given every sales assistant responsibility for ensuring customer satisfaction, even if it means occasionally breaking company rules in the hope that this will help company profits.
　　Rowena Baker is proving successful, but the City's big investors haven't been persuaded. According to retail analyst, John Matthews, 'Money had already been invested in refurbishment of the store and in fact that led to the boost in sales. She took the credit, but hadn't done anything to achieve it. And in my view the company's shareholders are not convinced. The fact is that unless she opens several more stores pretty soon, Smithson's profits will start to fall because turnover at the existing store will inevitably start to decline.'
　　13 According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department store
　　A was making a loss.
　　B had a problem keeping staff.
　　C was unhappy with its advertising agency.
　　D mostly sold goods under the Smithson's name.
　　14 According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because of
　　A an improvement in the retailing sector.
　　B the previous work done on the store.
　　C Rowena Baker's choice of designer.
　　D a change in the products on sale.
　　15 According to Rowena Baker, one problem which Smithson's faced when she joined was that
　　A the number of people using the store was falling slowly.
　　B its competitors offered a more specialised range of products.
　　C the store's prices were set at the wrong level.
　　D customers were unhappy with the service provided.
　　16 According to the writer, many staff opposed Baker's plans because
　　A they were unwilling to change their way of working.
　　B they disagreed with her goals for the store.
　　C they felt they were not consulted enough about the changes.
　　D they were unhappy with her style of management.
　　17 Baker has changed staff policies because she believes that
　　A the corporate image can be improved through staff uniforms.
　　B the previous rules were not fair to customers.
　　C customers should be able to identify with the staff serving them.
　　D employees should share in company profits.
　　18 What problem does John Matthews think Smithson's is facing?
　　A More money needs to be invested in the present store.
　　B The company's profits will only continue to rise if it expands.
　　C The refurbishment of the store is proving unpopular with customers.
　　D Smithson's shareholders expect a quick return on their investments.
　　《Department store magic》，字面上是百货公司的魔力。讲的是英国的一个百货公司如何摆脱困境。第一段是点明公司所遭遇的困境，接着第二段讲一个女CEO上台开始转变局面，第三段和第四段具体讲这位女CEO的应对措施，最后一段总结：革命尚未成功，同志仍需努力。
　　13题，问在90年代中期这个百货公司的情况是什么样的。答案是第一段的最后一句：its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own-brand products, the major part of its business, and showing a preference for more fashionable brands.这个题目的答案有相当的迷惑性。整个句子都是在讲客户购买的越来越少，偏好更多的时尚品牌。所以很容易误选A，但实际上这里并没有说亏损。关键是这个地方：its own-brand products, the major part of its business。自由品牌仍然是公司业务的主要部分。所以应该选D：主要销售Smithson名下的产品。Under the Smithson’s name也就是its own brand products。
　　14题，问Smithson的利润从三年前开始增长，原因是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句：she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe's most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area她做出了一个大胆的决定，邀请了欧洲最刺激的室内设计师来开发时尚领域。后面紧接着就说This very quickly led to rising sales，所以答案选C：Rowena Baker的设计师选择。
　　15题，问当Rowena Baker加入时公司面临的一个问题是什么。这题的关键是要理解一个句子中一个词的含义：It provided a traditional service targeted at middle-aged, middle-income customers, who'd been shopping there for years, and the customer base was gradually contracting.。它提供的传统服务目标人群是中年中等收入者，这些人已经在那购物多年。并且客户基数逐渐减少。Contracting:缩小，收缩的意思。所以答案选A。
　　16题，问很多员工反对Baker计划的原因是什么。答案是这么一句：many employees resisted her improvements because they just wouldn't be persuaded that there was anything wrong with the way they'd always done things。不愿意被说服他们以前做事情的方式有什么问题。意思也就是不愿意改变他们工作的方式。选A。
　　17题，问Baker改变员工政策的原因是什么。答案在第四段，Baker的原话：How can you sell jeans if you're wearing a black suit? Smithson's has a new identity, and this needs to be made clear to the customers。你怎么能穿着黑西服卖牛仔？Smithson有一个新的身份，这些必须对客户很明确。也就是C选项说的“客户必须能辨别出服务他们的员工”，A不对，没有提到改善公司形象，B和C在原文没有提到。
　　18题，问John认为Smithson面临的问题是什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：The fact is that unless she opens several more stores pretty soon, Smithson's profits will start to fall because turnover at the existing store will inevitably start to decline.事实上除非她尽快的开更多的店，Smithson的利润将会减少因为现有商店的营业额将不可避免的开始下降。也就是B所说的除非扩张，公司的利润才会继续增长。