11月商务英语中级阅读题训练

XX11Neverlietosomeonewhotrustsyouandnevertrustsomeonewholiesto.以下是为大家搜索的xx11Formostofthe20thcenturySmithson’swasoneofBritain’smostsuessfuldepartmentstores,butbythe1990s,ithadbeedull.Stillprofitable,thankslargelyaseriesofsuessfuladvertisingcampaigns,butdecidedlyboring.Thefamouswerecarefulnottobeseenthere,anditssalesstaffdidn’tseemtohavechangedsincethestoreopenedin1908.Worstofall,itscustomerswerebuyingfewerandfewerofitsown-brandproducts,thepartofitsbusiness,andshowingapreferenceformorefashionablebrands.Butnowallthishaschanged,thankstoRowenaBaker,whobecameSmithson’sfirstChiefExecutivethreeyearsago.Sincethen,whilemostmajorretailersinBritainhavebeenlosingmoney,Smithson’sprofitshavebeenrisingsteadily.WhenBakerstarted,alotofimprovementshadjustbeenmadetothebuilding,withouthavinganyeffectonsales,andshetookthebolddecisiontoinviteoneofEurope’smostexcitinginteriordesignerstodevelopthefashionarea,theheartofthestore.Thisveryquicklyledtorisingsales,evenbeforethegoodondisplaywerechanged.Andassalesgrew,sodidprofits.Bakerhadambitiousplansforthestorefromthestart.‘We’replayingabiggame,toprovewe’reuptherewiththeleadersinoursector,andwehavetomakesurepeoplegetthatmessage.Smithson’shadfallenbehindthepetition.Itprovidedatraditionalservicetargetedatmiddle-aged,middle-inecustomers,who’dbeenshoppingthereforyears,andthecustomerbasewasgraduallycontracting.Ourideaistosellsuchanexcitingvarietyofgoodsthateveryonewillwanttoein,whethertheytospendalittleoralot.’Baker’svisionfortheisclear,butachievingitisfarfromsimple.Atfirst,manyemployeesresistedherimprovementsbecausetheyjustwouldn’tbepersuadedthattherewasanythingwrongwiththewaythey’dalwaysdonethings,eveniftheyaeptedthatthestorehadtoovertakeitspetitors.Ittookmanylongmeetings,involvingtheentireworkforce,towinsupport.IthelpedwhentheyrealizedthatBakerwasadifferentkindofmanagerfromtheonestheyhadknown.Baker’sstaffpoliciescontainedmoresurprises.Theuniformthathadhardlychangedsincedayonehasnowdisappeared.Moreover,teenagersnowgetyoungshopassistants,andstaffinthesportsdepartmentsarethemselvessportsfansintrainers.AsBakerexplains,‘Howcanyouselljeansifyou’rewearingablackSmithson’shasanewidentity,andthisneedstobecleartothecustomers.’She’salsogiveneverysalesassistantresponsibilityforensuringcustomersatisfaction,evenifitmeansoasionallybreakingpanyrulesinthehopethatthiswillhelppanyprofits.RowenaBakerisprovingsuessful,buttheCity’sbiginvestorshaven’tbeenpersuaded.Aordingtoretailanalyst,JohnMatthews,‘Moneyhadalreadyinvestedinrefurbishmentofthestoreandinfactthatledtotheboostinsales.Shetookthecredit,buthadn’tdoneanythingtoachieveit.Andinmyviewthepany’sshareholdersarenotconvinced.Thefactisthatunlessopensseveralmorestoresprettysoon,Smithson’sprofitswillstarttofallbecauseturnoverattheexistingstorewillinevitablystarttodecline.’Aordingtothewriter,intheSmithson’sdepartmentstorewasmakingalosshadaproblemkeepingstaffwasunhappywithitsadvertisingagencymostlysoldgoodsundertheSmithson’snameAordingtothewriter,Smithson’sprofitsstartedrisingthreeyearsagobecauseofanimprovementintheretailingsectorthepreviousworkdoneonthestoreRowenaBaker’schoiceofdesignerachangeintheproductsonsaleAordingtoRowenaBaker,oneproblemSmithson’sfacedwhenshejoinedwasthatthenumberofpeopleusingthestorewasfailingslowly.itspetitorsofferedamorespecializedrangeproducts.thestore’spricesweresetatthewronglevel.customerswereunhappywiththeserviceprovided.Aordingtothewriter,manystaffopposedBaker’splansbecauseA.theywereunwillingtochangetheirwayofworking.B.theydisagreedwithhergoalsforthestore.C.theyfelttheywerenotconsultedenoughaboutthechanges.D.theywereunhappywithherstyleofmanagement.17Bakerhaschangedstaffpoliciesbecauseshebelievesthatthecorporateimagecanbeimprovedthroughuniforms.thepreviousruleswerenotfairtocustomers.customersshouldbeabletoidentifywiththeservingthem.employeesshouldshareinpanyprofits.WhatproblemdoesJohnMatthewsthinkSmithson’sisfacing?Moremoneyneedstobeinvestedinthepresentstore.Thepany’sprofitswillonlycontinuetoriseifexpands.Therefurbishmentofthestoreisprovingunpopularwithcustomers.Smithson’sshareholdersexpectaquickreturntheirinvestments.lReadtheadvicebelowabuthowtomakemeetingsmoreeffective.lChoosethebestwordtofilleachgapfromA,B,CorDontheoppositepage.lForeachquestion19-33,markoneletter(A,B,CorD)onyourAnswerSheet.lThereisanexampleatthebeginning,(0).Manypeoplefeelthatmeetingsareaplete(0)……oftimeandtrytoavoidthem.However,theydon’thavetobe,aslongasafewrulesare(19)……Meetingsareveryrarelyheldwithoutatleastoneday’s(20)……Thisisbecausethefirstrulesisthatalltheparticipantsneedto(21)……forthemeeting,justtheChair.Beingaskedto(22)……ameetingmeansyouareseenashavingsomethingto(23)……,somakesurethisisthecase.Youshouldalsoensurethatanyyouwanttodiscussisputontheagenda.Ifyouareplanningto(24)……anissueyouknowisdifficult,findoutbeforethemeetingifyouhaveany(25)……foryourpointofview.IfyouaretheChair,therearethreeother(26)……rules.Firstly,respectyourparticipantsbybeingpunctual,alwaysstartingandendingontime.Ifyoudon’t,they’llspendthe(27)……meetinglookingattheirwatchesandwonderinghowlateyou’regoingto(28)……them.Secondly,(29)……ameetingonlywhenitisabsolutelynecessary.Lookcloselyatwhatyouwantto(30)……inthemeeting.Ifyouraimistopleteataskthatrequires(31)……ornodiscussion,askyourselfwhethere-mailorthephonecoulddothejob.Finally,inviteonlyasmanypeopleasareneededtogetthejobdone.Don’t,however,excludepeoplewhomaybeableto(32)……t