发布时间 : 星期一 文章剑桥商务英语中级习题集(2010年春季)听力原文更新完毕开始阅读
Woman: You know, you work hard, get all sorts of qualifications, try to be the best in your
field, and then what? Well, I've done all that, and now I'm interested in the new generation of men and women coming into business. I remember I needed plenty of encouragement and guidance along the way, and I believe that with my experience I can steer youngsters in the right direction to achieve what they want. That's my priority for the future.
[pause]
Now listen to the recordings again. [pause]
Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.
You will bear another five recordings. Five people are phoning about conference arrangements. For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is. Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once.
After you bare listened once, replay the recordings. You have fifteen seconds to read the list A-H. [pause]
Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is. [pause] Eighteen Man: Now the conference has started, I feel pleased with our preparation. The speakers
have been popular with audiences - we could ask one or two more next year. The centre we've booked is fine for this time, but the rooms are already being used to their full capacity. If we don't look elsewhere, we'll have to restrict delegate numbers next year. So, we should consider other options. Perhaps the location could also be more convenient for people coming by train.
[pause] Nineteen
Woman: I'm afraid I shan't be able to get to the conference on the first day as we'd planned. My
flight's now been cancelled, so I'm trying to make alternative travel arrangements. Could we discuss your business proposal over dinner on the second day instead? And you can tell me then about the parts of the programme I missed. Or else, I could get my secretary to tell the centre we'll need to hire one of their meeting rooms.
[pause] Twenty Man: Thanks for your letter asking me to attend this year's conference, and to give a talk
again. I'd already made other arrangements for that week, but I've managed to cancel them. I see it's going to be at the same place, so there's no need to send a map. I shall be driving to the venue and am intending to arrive in time for the preconference dinner, so yes please, do book me accommodation for that night.
[pause] Twenty-one
Woman: I've got an early morning meeting at the airport. I'm not sure exactly what time it'll
finish, but could you let me know the different options for getting from there to the centre, so that I can arrive in time to deliver my talk. According to the schedule you sent, I'm down as the first presenter. Also, I don't know this particular venue at all, so if someone could meet me at the entrance, that would be most helpful.
[pause] Twenty-two Man: I filled out the accommodation request form in the pre-conference information pack,
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but I hope it's not too late to change my mind - I only sent it in last week. The thing is, I've now got an urgent appointment at the office, so I'll have to leave early - I've tried moving the meeting to another day, but that just isn't possible. It's a shame, because this is the first time I've been able to come.
[pause]
Now listen to the recordings again. [pause]
That is the end of Part Two. [pause]
Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.
You will hear an interview with Giles Milton, the Operations Director of the National Weather Centre, about this organisation's relocation project.
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]
Woman: ... And our studio guest today is Giles Milton, Operations Director at the National
Weather Centre. Giles, welcome.
Man: Thank you.
Woman: Giles, firstly, most people will know the Centre provides weather reports for TV and
radio stations, but they're not your only 'customers', are they?
Man: Not by any means. The Centre started out a hundred and fifty years ago, largely
serving the shipping industry, but now it provides a whole range of services. We've been helping supermarkets for some time to predict when to buy more stocks of ice cream, for example, when a heat wave's approaching. Our forecasts for administrators of health authorities help them predict when flu outbreaks might occur. That's something we've only just got off the ground. And there's also our long-standing industrial advisory service for farmers, fishermen and airlines.
Woman: A real industry, then! Two years ago, the Centre announced its plan to relocate. What
brought about that decision?
Man: Well, our first premises were near London and were leased to us by the government,
and we'd always expected to stay there. But the site offered no scope for desperately needed development, and we had to do something. Although we were initially reluctant to borrow money to finance a relocation, there was no other choice.
Woman: Hm. Did it take long finding an alternative site? Man: Over a year - which looking back seems excessively long, as we only seriously
considered three locations: Oxford, Ipswich - and Plymouth, which was the one we eventually chose. All three places had a good labour supply and running costs were comparable, although I guess Plymouth is slightly cheaper - while being the furthest by road and rail from London. I think, in the end, we realised we could do our work just about anywhere - the data we deal with are all received and sent out via computer, after all.
Woman: And you were sure staff would be happy to make the commitment of moving
permanently to such a nice part of the country?
Man: Well, yes, but this is different from tourism. We rely on the expertise of specialist IT
people and where we were before, there are hundreds of businesses in the same position. We think there'll be less demand for their services here.
Woman: Didn't you have to offer them more money to relocate?
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Man: We decided on a generous relocation package, and that seemed to be enough. Woman: Are staff who relocated to your new base happy they made the move? Man: So far, yes. We thought they'd be most impressed by the beautiful countryside, but all
they've said is how pleased they are they can now afford to move up the ladder in terms of finding a place to live - accommodation costs near London have shot up in recent years. And they're finding Plymouth has the same amenities they were used to before, so no complaints there.
Woman: Did the Centre receive any local government support to relocate? Man: Yes, and that was enormously useful. We didn't have to buy land from the local
council, and our offices were purpose-built according to our specifications. We were liable for business taxes from day one, but our first rent isn't due until the site is fully developed, in about twelve months' time.
Woman: A big incentive, then! Man: Yes. We're very pleased we've established such a good relationship with the local
government. There's a range of generous incentives in this region, and they are available equally to local and national organisations. They see us as a nationally high-profile organisation which, by moving here should attract a number of London-based companies to the region.
Woman: So, is there any other helpavailable, from local business agencies, for example? Man: We've been offered various things - one agency provided a consultant to advise us on
the initial design phase. We've just signed an agreement with the local employment agency, whereby they're prepared to pay fifty per cent of the cost of sending our technicians on external computer courses. We could have benefited financially from another scheme if we'd been able to take on school leavers, but our openings are only for experienced workers.
Woman: Quite. Tell me about the logistics of... [pause]
Now listen to the recording again. [pause]
That is the end of Part Three. You now bare 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.
TEST 7
Part One. Questions 1 to 12.
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. After you have listened once, replay each recording. [pause]
Conversation One. Questions 1 to 4. Look at the note below.
You will hear an answerphone message from a woman about a meeting. You have fifteen seconds to read through the note. [pause]
Now listen, and fill in the spaces.
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[pause]
Woman: This is a message for Mr. James. It’s Maria Hopwood calling from the London office.
Please could you give him some information about our meeting next week? First of all, would you first let him know that a new trainee should be coming along too. However, unfortunately the sales manager has had to drop out, but I don’t want to change the date at this stage. Ask him to make sure he brings the information we worked out last time about our profit margins, as I don’t seem to have a note in the latest report of how we arrived at those figures. I’ll bring a draft press release, which I’ve been working on since we last met. Oh, and could he also bring along all the ideas he has in mind for the product launch. I’ve got the advertising copy to show him. It should be a good meeting! I’ll fax the final agenda the day before the meeting—no, on second thoughts, I’ll email it. It’ll be easier that way.
[pause]
Now listen to the recording again. [pause]
Conversation Two. Questions 5 to 8. Look at the notes below.
You will hear a PA explaining suggestions for improvements to a document. You have fifteen seconds to read through the notes. [pause]
Now listen, and fill in the spaces. [pause]
Woman: Hello. This is Alison in Head Office. Man: Oh, hello.
Woman: The CEO has asked me to contact you about the memo you sent everyone yesterday ...
where you asked for comments on the bid you've just put together - for Stratford Electronics.
Man: Oh, right.
Woman: Well he's very happy with it on the whole, but does think the introduction is rather
lengthy and includes more statistics than are necessary.
Man: No problem, I can shorten it easily.
Woman: And most of the contents of the actual bid are fine, but you do refer to the annual
report which won't be out until May.
Man: Oh, right... I'll get rid of that.., yes. And I was thinking there's enough with the section
on the existing contracts we have, so I could take out the stuff on the new contracts ... the ones we're about to start.
Woman: In fact, he specifically said that he thought mentioning them was a very good selling
point.
Man: OK.
Woman: And he'd like you to have something in your concluding remarks about the growth in
overseas sales, not just the stuff on domestic markets.
Man: Yes, I was wondering about that.
Woman: And that's all really. Easy to adjust I think. Man: OK, well thank the CEO for looking at it. It's very helpful. [pause]
Now listen to the recording again. [pause]
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