Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions: There are ten incomplete sentences in this section. For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE that best completes the sentence. Then write down the right answer in the brackets for each sentence. This section totals 10 points, one point for each sentence.

( )1.We can supply all the bicycles you required ____________ stock and are arranging shipment by M.V. Mermaid.

A. for B. from 　C. to 　D. against

( )2.We would like to remind you that the __________ L/C must reach us before March 10

so that we can make shipment in good time.

A. covering B. cover 　C. covered 　　D. being covered

( )3.We have received your letter of 28 March, ___________ us to modify the previous arrangements for the shipment of the captioned order.

A. asked B. to ask 　C. being asked 　　D. asking

( )4.In our letter of May 5, we made __________ clear that shipment is to be effected in June.

A. you B. them 　C. that 　　D. it

( )5.We always deal _______________ payment by sight L/C.

A. with　　　　　B. in 　　　C. at 　D. on

( )6.This offer is _____________ to your reply reaching us before the 20th of February.

A. subjecting B. subject 　C. subjected D to subject

( )7.____________ we are appreciating the good quality of your black tea, we regret that your price appears to be on the high side.

A. While　 　　　B. When　　 　　　C. However　　　　D. Therefore

( )8.We hereby authorize you to ___________ on us at 60 days after sight to the extent of USD20,000.00.

A. open　　　　　B. establish　　　　　C. draw 　 D. build

( )9.If parties to a contract desire to settle disputes, an arbitration clause is usually made in the contract well before a dispute _____________ .

A. rises B. arises C. look 　　D. appear

( )10.Some customers requested us to _____________ our price because they considered it

too high.

A. put down B. get down C. take down 　D. bring down

MRKConsultingLtdhasbeenoperatingintheglobalmarketsince1988.WehavesuccessfullyplacedhundredsofIT&BankingprofessionalsinleadingcompaniesintheFinance,BankingandITindustries.

Afriendofminewasfondofdrawinghorse.Hedrewthehorsesverywell,buthealwaysbeganthetail.NowitistheWesternruletobeginattheheadofthehorse,thatiswhyIwassurprised.Itstruckmethatitcouldnotreallymakeanydifferencewhethertheartistbeginsattheheadorthetailorthebelly(肚子)orthefootofthehorse,ifhereallyknowshisbusiness.Andmostgreatartistswhoreallyknowtheirbusinessdonotfollowotherpeople’srule.Theymaketheirownrules.Everyoneofthemdoeshisworkinawaypeculiar(奇特的)tohimself;andthepeculiaritymeansonlythathefindsitmoreeasytoworkinthatway.

Nowtheverysamethingistruetoliterature(文学).Andthequestion,"HowshallIbegin?"onlymeansthatyouwanttobeginattheheadinsteadofbeginningatthetailorsomewhereelse.Thatis,youarenotyetexperienced(有经验的)enoughtotrusttoyourownpowers.Whenyoubecomemoreexperiencedyouwill

neveraskthequestion,andIthinkthatyouwilloftenbeginatthetail--thatistosay,youwillwritetheendofthestorybeforeyouhaveeventhoughtofthebeginning.

1.Afriendofthewriter’sdrewthehorses____.

A.verywell

B.inthewayofwesternrule

C.inthewayofhisownrule

D.alloftheabove

2.Thewriterwassurprisedbecause____.

A.theartistbegantodrawattheheadofthehorse

B.theartistbegantodrawatthetailofthehorse

C.theartistmadehisownrule

D.theartistdidnotfollowotherpeople’srule

3.Youarenotyetexperiencedbecause____.

A.youdon’tknowwheretobegin

B.youwanttobeginattheheadinsteadofbeginningatthetail

C.youalwaysaskedquestion

D.youdonottrusttoyourownpowers

4.Whenyoubecomemoreexperiencedyouwill____.

A.neveraskquestion

B.oftenbeginatthetail

C.shouldwritetheendofthestory

D.shouldthinkofthebeginning

5.Thetopicofthepassageis______.

A.Howtodrawahorse

B.Howtowriteastory

C.Howtomakeyourownrules

D.Trusttoyourownpowers

TheImportanceofGoodCommunications

Effectivecommunicationisessentialforallorganizations.Itlinkstheactivitiesofthevariouspartsoftheorganizationandensuresthateveryoneisworkingtowardsacommongoal.Itisalsoextremelyimportantformotivatingemployees.Staffneedtoknowhowtheyaregettingon,whattheyaredoingrightandinwhichareastheycouldimprove.Workingalonecanbeextremelydifficultanditismucheasierifsomeonetakesaninterestandprovidessupport.Employeesneedtounderstandwhytheirjobisimportantandhowitcontributestotheoverallsuccessofthefirm.Personalcommunicationshouldalsoincludetargetsetting.Peopleusuallyrespondwelltogoals,providedtheseareagreedbetweenthemanagerandsubordinateandnotimposed.

However,firmsoftenhavecommunicationproblemsthatcanunderminetheirperformance.Inmanycases,theseproblemsoccurbecausemessagesarepassedoninaninappropriateway.Thereare,ofcourse,severalwaysofconveyinginformationtoothersintheorganizationwhichincludespeakingtothemdirectly,e-mailing,telephoningorsendingamemo.Themostappropriatemethoddependsonwhatexactlyitisyouarecommunicating.Forexample,anythingthatisparticularlysensitiveorconfidential,suchasanemployee'sappraisal,shouldbedoneface-to-face.

Oneofthemainproblemsforseniorexecutivesisthattheydonothavethetimeorresourcesneededtocommunicateeffectively.Inlargecompanies,forexample,itisimpossibleforseniormanagerstomeetanddiscussprogresswitheachemployeeindividually.Obviouslythistaskcanbedelegatedbutatthecostofcreatingagapbetweenseniormanagementandstaff.Asaresult,managersareoftenforcedtouseothermethodsofcommunication,likememosornotes,eveniftheyknowthesearenotnecessarilythemostsuitablemeansofpassingonmessages.

Theuseoftechnology,suchase-mail,mobilephonesandnetworksystems,isspeedingupcommunicationimmensely.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatmoreinvestmentintechnologyautomaticallyprovesbeneficial:systemscanbecomeoutdatedoremployeesmaylackappropriatetraining.Therearemanycommunicationstoolsnowavailablebutafirmcannotaffordallofthem.Evenifitcould,itdoesnotactuallyneedthemall.Thepotentialgainsmustbeweighedupagainstthecosts,andfirmsshouldrealizethatmorecommunicationdoesnotnecessarilymeanbettercommunication."

Asthenumberofpeopleinvolvedinanorganizationincrease,theuseofwrittencommunicationrisesevenfaster.Insteadofaquickconversationtosortsomethingoutnumerousmessagescanbepassedbackwardsandforwards.Thiscanleadtoatremendousamountofpaperworkandisoftenlesseffectivethanface-to-facecommunication.Whenyouareactuallytalkingtosomeoneyoucandiscussthingsuntilyouarehappythattheyhaveunderstoodandfeedbackisimmediate.Withwrittenmessages,however,youareneverquitesurehowitwillbereceivedwhatyouthinkyouhavesaidandwhattheotherpersonthinksyouhavesaidcanbeverydifferent.

Theamountofwritteninformationgeneratedinlargeorganizationstodaycanleadtocommunicationoverload.Somuchinformationisgatheredthatitgetsinthewayofmakingdecisions.Takealookattheaveragemanager'sdeskandyouwillseetheproblem--itisoftencoveredwithletters,reportsandmemos.Thisoverloadcanleadtoinefficiencies.Forexample,managersmaynotbeabletofindtheinformationtheywantwhentheyneedit.Communicationisalsobecomingmoredifficultwiththechangesoccurringinemploymentpatterns.Withmorepeopleworkingpart-timeandworkingathome,managingcommunicationisbecomingincreasinglycomplex.

1.InthefirstparagraphthewriterrecommendsthatcommunicationwithstaffshouldincludeA.somefeedbackontheirjobperformance.

B.anexplanationofhowcompanytargetshavebeenset.

C.informationonpromotionprospectswithinthecompany.

D.anindicationofwhichdutiestheycanexpectassistancewith.areastheycouldimprove

2.Accordingtothewriter,thebestwayofachievingeffectivecommunicationistoA.adaptthemessagetosuitaparticularaudience.

B.makethecontentofmessagesbriefanddirect.

C.selectthemostsuitablemeansofconveyingaparticularmessage.

D.ensurethatinformationistargetedattheappropriategroupofpeople.

3.Whatdoesthewritersayaboutthecommunicationoptionsavailabletoseniormanagers?A.Sendingmemostostaffisoneofthemostefficientmethods.

B.Itisimportanttofindthetimetodiscusscertainmatterswithstaff.

C.Theyshouldincreasetherangeofoptionsthattheyuse.

D.Gettingjuniormanagerstotalktostaffcancreatedifferentproblems.

4.Whatadviceisgivenaboutthecommunicationtoolsmadeavailablebytechnology?A.Aimtolimitstaffuseofcertaincommunicationtools.

B.Evaluatethemintermsoftheexpenditureinvolved.

C.Selectthemonthebasisofthefacilitiestheyoffer.

D.Encouragemorestafftoattendtrainingcoursesintheiruse.

5.Accordingtothewriter,aproblemwithwrittencommunicationisthatA.themessagecanbeinterpreteddifferentlytowhatwasintended.

B.itcanbeeasyforpeopletoignorethecontentsofawrittenmessage.

C.mostpeoplearemorecomfortablewithface-to-facecommunication.

D.itispossibleforcorrespondencetogetlostwithinalargeorganization.

6.Accordingtothearticle,whatistheeffectofreceivinglargeamountsofwritteninformation?A.Itiscounter-productive."

B.Itcausesconflictinacompany.

C.Itleadstochangesinworkpatterns.

D.Itmakesthemainpointsmoredifficulttoidentify.

Thereisno(　)betweenthenations.