BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 1 PART 1 Coaching
1 the contact between coach and employee not solving all difficulties at work
2 the discussion of how certain situations could be better handled if they occur again
3 a coach encouraging an employee to apply what has been taught to routine work situations
4 coaching providing new interest to individuals who are unhappy in their current positions
5 coaching providing a supportive environment to discuss performance
6 employees being asked to analyse themselves and practise greater self-awareness
7 coaching enabling a company to respond rapidly to a lack of expertise in a certain area
Coaching
A
Coaching involves two or more people sitting down together to talk through issues that have come up recently at work, and analysing how they were managed and how they might be dealt with more effectively on subsequent occasions. Coaching thus transfers skills and information from one person to another in an on-the-job situation so that the work experience of the coach is used to advise and guide the individual being coached. It also allows successes and failures to be evaluated in a non-threatening atmosphere.
B
Coaching means influencing the learner's personal development, for example his or her confidence and ambition. It can take place any time during an individual's career. Coaching is intended to assist individuals to function more effectively, and it is a powerful learning model. It begins where skills-based training ends, and helps individuals to use formally learnt knowledge in day-to-day work and management situations.Individuals being coached are in a demanding situation with their coach, which requires them to consider their own behaviour and question their reasons for doing things.
C
The coach professionally assists the career development of another individual, outside the normal manager/subordinate relationship.In theory, the coaching relationship should provide answers to every problem, but in practice it falls short of this.However, it can provide a space for discussion and feedback on topics such as people management and skills, behaviour patterns, confidence-building and time management.Through coaching,an organisation can meet skills shortages, discuss targets and indicate how employees should deal with challenging situations, all at short notice.
D
Effective coaches are usually those who get satisfaction from the success of others and who give time to the coaching role. Giving people coaching responsibilities can support their development, either by encouraging management potential through small-scale one-to-one assignments, or by providing added job satisfaction to managers who feel they are stuck in their present jobs. A coach is also a confidential adviser, accustomed to developing positive and effective approaches to complex management, organisational and change problems.
这篇文章讲的是培训（coaching）的作用。培训对一个公司的发展和员工的成长都是至关重要的。文章的内容比较泛，但是题目的答案比较明显。
第一题，教练和员工之间的接触不能解决工作中的所有困难。答案是C段的这么一句：In theory, the coaching relationship should provide answers to every problem, but in practice it falls short of this.理论上，培训可以提供所有问题的答案。但是实践中达不到这样。Fall short of是关键词。
第二题，讨论某些情况如果再度出现的话怎么样可以处理的更好。答案是A段的这么一句：analysing how they were managed and how they might be dealt with more effectively on subsequent occasions.分析应该如何进行处理并且在接下来的情况下怎样可以处理的更有效。这里的dealt with more effectively对应于题干中的better handled，on subsequent occasions.也就是occur again。
第三题，教练鼓励员工将所学应用到日常的工作中。答案是B段的这么一句：helps individuals to use formally learnt knowledge in day-to-day work and management situations.帮助个人将学到的正式知识用在日常工作和管理情况下。这里的day-to-day work and management situations就是题干中的routine work situations，what has been taught也就是formally learnt knowledge。
第四题，培训为在现有岗位上不高兴的个人提供了新的兴趣。答案是D段的这么一句：providing added job satisfaction to managers who feel they are stuck in their present jobs。对感觉自己在现有岗位上受困的经理们提供附加的工作满足感。这里的stuck in their present jobs就是题干中的unhappy in their current position，added job satisfaction可以对应于题干中的new interest。
第五题，培训提供了一个有力的、支持性的讨论工作表现的环境。答案是A段的：It also allows successes and failures to be evaluated in a non-threatening atmosphere.它允许成功和失败在一个没有威胁的气氛下被评估。成功和失败也就是performance，supportive environment可以对应于non-threatening atmosphere。
第六题，员工被要求分析他们自己并且培养出更强的自知。有必要理解下self-awareness 的含义，不能简单的从中文理解成自我意识，看英文解释：knowledge and understanding of yourself。所以答案是B段的这么一句：requires them to consider their own behaviour and question their reasons for doing things.要求他们考虑自己的行为并且思考这么做的理由。consider their own behaviour可以对应于题干中的analyse themselves，思考这么做的理由也是为了进一步增进对自己的认识。
第七题，培训可以使得公司对某个领域的技术缺失迅速做出反应。答案是C段的最后一句：indicate how employees should deal with challenging situations, all at short notice.指出员工怎样处理有挑战性的情况，在短时间内。At short notice是一接到通知就，短时间内的意思,可以对应这一题的respond rapidly，challenging situations可以指代题干中的a lack of expertise in a certain area.
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 1 PART 2 自助餐领域
BUFFET ZONE
Lucy Robertson started working at a takeaway food business to supplement her income during her student days at Edinburgh University, Several years later she had bought the business and now, 17 years on, she owns Grapevine Caterers, probably Scotland's leading independent caterers, with a turnover of almost ￡6m.
She had never planned to own a business, and had certainly never considered a career in catering.
(0)... ... . However, her unplanned career began in 1985, when she returned to Edinburgh and
discovered that the takeaway she had worked in was up for sale. On impulse, she bought it, but admits that at the time she knew nothing about catering. (8).........It was a difficult time, but essential in terms of gaining the experience she needed. The late 1980s boom was good for business, with large numbers of office workers wanting takeaway food for their lunches.
(9)........'At one point there were 26 food outlets within a 5-kilometre radius,' Robertson recalls. As the economy changed and the once packed office blocks started to become vacant, it became clear that Robertson would need to diversify.(10)........It changed the direction of the company for good.
As Robertson began to win catering contracts, she decided that the company would have to move to larger premises. In 1994, the move was made when she bought another catering business that already had a number of profitable contracts for boardroom lunches.
Meanwhile, Robertson's main competitor, the oldest catering company in Edinburgh, was causing her some anxiety. 'Customer loyalty is not to be underestimated,' she warns. But Robertson is not someone who is easily put off.(11)........Partly as a result of this, turnover doubled, and having outgrown another site, Robertson bought a city-centre location for the group's headquarters.
By now, Grapevine's main competitor was a new catering company called Towngates. Although Robertson tried to raise enough money to buy Towngates, she did not succeed.Then luck intervened and Towngates went bankrupt. (12)........Many accepted and the company's turnover went from ￡700,000 to ￡l .5 million almost overnight.
However, the company's growth was not as smooth as it sounds in retrospect. Robertson admits, 'We were close to the edge during the growth period. Like many under-capitalised companies trying to grow, it might easily have collapsed.' But that, she feels, is the challenge of developing your own business.
A But there are plenty of similar contracts to be won in the east of Scotland before Robertson turns her attention elsewhere.
B Her way round this particular problem was to recruit the catering manager of the rival company.
C But this demand was short-lived, and before long, increasing competition made it harder to make a profit.
D 'It was a dramatic learning curve and very small amounts of money were earned at firs t,’says Robertson.
E She decided that the solution,since many companies required working lunches for meetings with clients, was to prepare and deliver meals to business premises.
F On hearing this,Robertson immediately contacted all of their clients and offered the services of Grapevine Caterers.
G Instead, she studied accountancy after leaving university, and a steady if unspectacular professional path seemed set.
《Buffet Zone》，自助餐区域，在这篇文章里的意思应该是自助餐领域，讲的是一个在自助餐领域取得了惊人成绩的杰出女性创业的故事。这套题目不难，尤其比起第四辑的题目。文章本身有很清晰的故事发展脉络，选项和原文的对应也比较明显。文章的几个段落是按照时间先后、故事发生的先后进行的，很明确。第一段是总括，第二段是讲的创业起步阶段的一些困难以及应对困难的对策，第三段是公司好转后的办公室重置（relocation），第四、
五段是公司的竞争情况，最后一段总结。
第八题，前面说一时冲动她买下了这个外卖餐馆（takeaway），事实上那个时候她对餐饮业一无所知。空格后面说的是这段时间很困难，但是对获得所需要的经验却是很有必要的。所以第八题的空格部分应该填入跟学习、积累经验有关的内容。D选型最吻合，It was a dramatic learning curve，这里的learning是关键词，很明显的答案信号。还有very small amounts of money were earned at first，at first也是关键词。
第九题，空格前面说large numbers of office workers wanting takeaway food for their lunches，大量的办公室员工需要外卖食品做午饭，这里的wanting是个很关键的词。空格后面话锋一转，说曾经一度5公里内有26家食品商店，但是经济转变了，一条街都空了（blocks started to become vacant）。从上下文来分析，第九空的内容应该和办公室员工的外卖需求有关，同时带有转折意思。C选项完全符合这一条件：但是这种需求是短暂的，不久，逐渐增长的竞争使得赢得利润变得更加困难。
第十题，上文说经济形势转变了，所以Robertson决定从事多样化的经营。后面说这种做法永远的改变了公司的经营方式。所以第十空应该填入相应的对策，怎么样来应对经济形势的转变。符合这一条件的是B和E，都是关于解决问题的，但是B选项所说的招募竞争对手的餐厅经理在上下文内容中没有提到。应该选D，为商业大厦送饭，正好对应下一段所说的。第十一题，这一题才应该选B，前面说竞争对手给自己造成了很大的困扰。但是Robertson 却不是那么容易屈服的人。后面说部分原因是这个，营业额翻倍了。所以中间应该也是填入对策。和竞争对手有关的，应该选B，B的particular是个关键词，rival company也很明显。
第十二题，前面说Robertson想收购一个竞争对手，但是没成功，结果人家公司自己破产倒闭了。后面来了一个many accepted，可以看出这中间应该填入的是人家公司破产后Robertson的一些举措。F满足这一条件：一听到这些，Robertson马上联系他们的客户并且提供了自己公司的服务。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 1 PART 3 怎样开发自己
HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF
We manage our own careers now. So knowing how to brand and position yourself in the market as 'Me plc' at different stages of your working life is becoming an increasingly vital skill. At least that is what image expert Mary Spillane believes. 'Employment as we know it is decreasing. Jobs don't exist, work exists. In the next decade most of us will be suppliers, not staff. We will have clients not bosses. If you are under 30, you probably know that there is only one firm to join for life: Me plc. It promotes you and your potential to others.'
'We're working in multi-national, multicultural, multi-corporate teams and it's important to understand the implications of this. We need to create a personal brand that is unique, but complements the brand of the corporation we are working for. You have to find a way to do it so that you are not just a typical employee,' advises Spillane. 'You have to decide what central values you want to project, and also what may need to alter from situation to situation.'
Many people only remember Mary Spillane for the years she spent running a cosmetics company, but she actually has masters degrees in information science and politics. She used to hide that hard-hitting side, but is now eager to show it and forget about cosmetics. 'Now that I'm working in the boardrooms of major plcs and global companies, I'm playing up my degrees and management background so that the image side is seen only as an addition to the value side,' says Spillane.
Some contracts take longer than others. 'The City law firms I'm currently working for are really difficult because they don't have any idea of what their brand should be, and are still very traditional even when talking about becoming modern. I'm showing them how to do everything from changing their reception areas -which tend to be very off-putting with their high-fronted reception desks - to how to make small talk that is less formal and rigid. Companies rebrand themselves all the time, spending millions on new office interiors and so on. But without an underlying change of attitudes, it can prove an empty exercise.'
She argues that for individuals too, there must be more than a surface change, as rebranding goes deeper than a mere change of wardrobe. Beyond advice on appearance, she tells clients, 'Remind yourself of what you are selling: the personal values that comprise your brand. Learn to present yourself in a way that will project what you want to deliver. Lifelong learning is essential, together with the sort of discovery and adventure that promote personal growth. Always have an up-to-the-minute CV ready to print out, refreshing it every few months with your most recent achievements, just to remind others of your brand value.'
She believes it is essential that you understand both your public self and your private self, as well as your blind spots and your potential, in order to create an effective brand. The public self is the image you project to the world, the private self is what you know about yourself but others don't, arid blind spots are those things that others see about you but you can't see for yourself. By deciding what image you want other people to see, emphasising more of your private self and sorting out a few blind spots, you will increase not only your potential to influence others, but also your self-esteem and self-confidence.'
《How to market yourself》，怎样开发你自己。这篇文章主要是一个专家（Mary Spillane）对个人在职业生涯中的一些建议，包括怎么定位、怎样正确认识自己等等。很实用很中肯的一篇文章。看来这国外的专家并不也是夸夸其谈之辈啊。
13题，问第一段Mary Spillane认为人们应该学会开发他们自己的原因是什么。第一段里这个专家认为就业机会在减少，job不存在了，存在的是work，在未来十年所有人都将成为才华和能力的提供者（supplier），而不是员工（staff），老板将变成自己的客户。从专家的这段话可以看出她认为人们应该学会开发自己的原因是适应就业市场的发展，也就是D 答案所说的。A在原文没有提到，B的理解有误，原文说there is only one firm to join for life: Me plc。生活中只有一个值得加入的公司：自我公司。这句的意思还是说人们要学会开发自己，而不是将来有公司需要。C在原文中也没有提到。
14题，问在创造个人品牌的时候，很重要的是什么。答案是第二段的最后一句：You have to decide what central values you want to project, and also what may need to alter from situation to situation.你必须决定自己要建立的中心价值什么，同时还有哪些是需要随着环境的改变而改变的。A的表述正确，根据环境来改变事情。B不对，不是说决定人们想要你呈现的形象，而是自己决定自己想要建立的中心价值。C、D在原文都没有提到。
15题，问第三段可以了解到Spillane的什么事。第三段介绍说这个女人曾经经营过一家化妆品公司，但其实她还拥有信息科学和政治的硕士学位。当在化妆品公司的时候她试图把学历的一面深藏不露，但是现在换了一家公司，她迫不及待的想将这一面给展现出来。从这些可以看出这个女人的思路：需要哪一面就表现哪一面。15题的答案是C：她拥有的素质很多人都不知道。A不对，没有提到尴尬，B不对，在适当的时候才会去谈论自己的学历背景，D 在原文也没有提到。
16题，问Spillane指出了现在工作公司的什么问题。答案是第四段的这么一句：they don't
have any idea of what their brand should be, and are still very traditional even when talking about becoming modern.对于自己的品牌应该是怎么样的他们没有任何概念，同时在谈到变得现代时依然很传统。这一段是讲这个公司在转变时的一些问题，他们投入了巨大的财力想重新树立自己的品牌，但是没有一个深层次的态度的转变，是很难有实效的。答案是B，不知如何重新树立自己的品牌。A不对，没有说不愿意接受，C不对，公司投入巨大，D不对，不是不愿意现代化，而是不知道怎么现代化，说要现代化还是显得很传统。17题，问对于想要重新树立自己品牌的个人，Spillane的建议是什么。答案是第五段的最后一句：Always have an up-to-the-minute CV ready to print out, refreshing it every few months with your most recent achievements时刻要有一个准备打印的最新的简历，每隔几个月用你最新的成绩来更新一次。总结起来就是B选项所说的“固定更新关于自己能做什么的书面证明”。
18题，问为了能成功的重新树立自己的个人品牌，很重要的是什么。最后一段强调了人应该了解自己的几个方面：公我（public self）、私我（private self）、盲点和潜力,并且分别介绍了四种方面的含义。答案是这么一句，需要提炼总结：By deciding what image you want other people to see, emphasising more of your private self and sorting out a few blind spots。更多的强调私我，并且挑选出一些盲点。总结起来就是B所说的：学会怎样全面利用自己性格的各个方面。
理解一下D选项一个词组的含义：model yourself on(after) somebody：to try to be like someone else because you admire them
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 1 PART 4 Planning
这篇文章是关于公司计划的（planning），做计划时的过程和需要考虑的一些因素。
全文的第一句话说公司做的决定是一个年度过程（annual process）。接下来谈到原因。19题，make up是组成、捏造、化妆的意思，用在这里和accounting搭配不上；carry out 是执行（to do something that needs to be organized and planned）；bring about 是带来，使发生（to make something happen）；put down 放下，镇压。从意思上看，应该选B，carry out。
事实上，carry out accounting on …..basis是金融英语里专业且地道的说法。最常见的一种是carry out accounting on the accrual basis 执行权责发生制。相应的，20题选basis，公司时在一年的基础上执行会计准则的。
21题，这里需要理解上下文的含义。这一整句话仍然是在说明公司进行planning的原因。正是因为相似的模式会在市场上出现，所以公司才需要进行计划。选patterns是最符合原义的。
22题，很明显，这里填入的词是表示批准、通过之类的，是指年前三个月完整的计划就会被通过。从中文意思上看，A、B、C三个词都是符合的。具体看英文解释对几个词的用法进行区分。
approval：when a plan, decision, or person is officially accepted批准，正式的eg:The president has already given his approval to the plan.
permission：when someone is officially allowed to do something允许，也是正式的eg:You must ask permission before taking any photographs inside the church. consent：permission to do something不那么正式的允许
eg:He took the car without the owner's consent.
这一题是讲的计划被批准或者通过，所以用approval。
23题，这里的前后文的意思是计划贯穿全年始终，所以经理们需要回顾过去，展望未来。后面的looking forward to是个答案信号，相对应的前面应该选review，根据目标回顾过程。
24题比较简单，理解了句子含义不难做出选择。现在发生的事情将会影响未来的目标和计划。选influence。
25题，从这个句子来看，填入的词是应该可以直接和market搭配的。Predict the market 是商英里地道常见的用法，市场预测。
26题，往他们的操作中增加一点灵活性，这样可以对突然发生的变化做出反应。Operation: the work or activities done by a business or organization, or the process of doing this work.
27题，respond to 对…..做出反应。
28题，为了开发公司的长期目标，需要一年以上的时间来计划。从意思和用法上，只能选择develop。
29题，in market terms 用市场术语来说。固定用法。
30题，position in the market，市场上的地位。前面已经暗示了这里要用市场术语来表述，position in the market就是固定表达
（positioning is that exclusive space your brand owns in the marketplace. It's relevant and compelling to your customers, and different from your competitors.）31题，只需要理解preferred的意思：首选的
32题，想让这个航空公司成为特定路线上商务旅客的首选，必须先计划好相关的步骤。按步骤来拟定计划，最后才能成功，所以选step。
33题，需要理解四个词组的含义。
hand over:to give something to someone with your hand, especially because they have asked for it or should have it.交出
draw up: to prepare a written document, such as a list or contract起草
（draw up plans/proposal）
e.g: He was asked to draw up proposals for reforming the law
make out:to be just able to see or hear something 看见或听见
to understand something, especially the reason why something has happened理解write off:to write a letter to a company or organization asking them to send you goods or information写信寄出
to decide that someone or something is useless, unimportant, or a failure 注销
to officially say that a debt no longer has to be paid, or officially accept that you cannot get back money you have spent or lost 勾销
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 1 PART 5 客户服务总监
这篇文章是一则招聘启事，招的是客户服务总监（customer services director)。简单介绍了一下公司的情况以及这个工作的职责。
34题，appoint是及物动词，后面直接接人，表示任命，itself在这里多余；
35题，involve doing，in多余，这是常见的地道的表述。看个例句：What do research jobs involve doing?
36题，正确
37题，这行要联系下一行，从整体上来体会句子的含义。介词through表方式，连词while 是多余的。这句的意思是通过对20个员工的管理和激励，你会成为管理客户期望的焦点。38题，be和seen在这里谓语动词重复了，必须去掉一个。从意思上看，是说你可以成为什么，而不是你可以看见什么。所以用you will be,seen多余。
39题，keeping them up to date …..现在分词作伴随状语，是对前面的补充说明。介词from在这里是多余的。
40题，正确
41题，with后面直接接宾语，代词those是多余的
42题，in return是固定搭配，表示相应的，反过来，for多余
43题，offer sb. sth固定搭配，with多余。offer与with搭配时是offer sth. with sb. 44题，中间的if appropriate是插入语，可以不予考虑，整个句子就是assistance with relocation expenses是主语，is是谓语，后面是宾语，主谓宾都很齐全，that是多余的45题，正确。这一行有个词组，in confidence，是in secrecy的意思。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 2 PART 2 Listening
1 Sometimes it is necessary to insist on further explanation.
2 You shouldn't focus on your response while others are still speaking.
3 People are reluctant to admit that they don't listen well.
4 There are benefits in seeing things from the speaker's perspective.
5Keen observation of the speaker can support our listening skills.
6 It is risky to think about a different issue while someone is speaking.
7 People do not mind hearing their own views summarised.
A
Too often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hearts we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough.We get things wrong because we haven't quite understood what someone meant when they were talking to us. Anyone who has ever taken the minutes of a long meeting will know how hard it is to remember - despite the benefit of notes - exactly what everyone said. But success depends on getting things right - and that means listening.
B
Listening is not the same thing as hearing; it is not an effortless activity. It demands attention and concentration. It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification - it is always better to ask than to continue regardless and get things wrong. However, if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying - probably at the very moment when he or she is saying something critical. And not having heard, you won't know you've missed anything until it's too late.
C
The most common bad habit we have is to start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject long before the other speaker has finished.We then stop listening. Even worse, this often adds rudeness to inattentiveness, as once you have decided what to say there is a fair chance you will interrupt to say it. Good listeners don't interrupt. In fact it is often worth explaining the main idea of what you have just been told before going on to make your own points. Nobody is offended by this and it shows that you have listened well.
D
Above all be patient and accept that many people are not very good communicators. It's helpful to remember that the ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying. Equally importantly you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally; it will help you to understand what they are getting at and form a response. But don't be too clever. Faced with a know-all, many people keep quiet because they see no point in continuing.
这篇文章讲的是倾听（listening）的重要性。一个好的管理者必然是一个好的倾听者，所以要讲究倾听的艺术。
第一题，有时坚持进一步的解释是很有必要的。答案是B段的这么一句：It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification - it is always better to ask than to continue regardless and get things wrong它可能意味着为了进一步的信息和说明去询问说话的人——问总比不顾情况的继续并且把事情办错的好。这里的additional information对应于further explanation.
第二题，不能在别人还在说的时候就开始关注自己的回应。答案是C段的第一句：The most common bad habit we have is to start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject long before the other speaker has finished。我们最常见的坏习惯就是在讲话者远还没结束的时候就开始思考我们将对这个话题说些什么。这里的before the other speaker has finished就是others are still speaking，focus on your response就是start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject。
第三题，人们不愿意承认自己没有听好。答案是A段的第一句：Too often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hearts we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough。我们经常指责别人没有好好听，假装我们自己是无可指责的，其实在我们心里知道，很多我们所犯的错误都是由于听的不够仔细。这句的意思就是说我们心里知道什么原因，但是口头上喜欢指责别人。也就是第三题题干说的不愿意承认。
第四题，从说话者的视角去考虑问题是有好处的。答案是D段的这么一句：Equally importantly you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally。同样重要的是你必须把自己置于别人的位置上，既是智力上的也是情感上的。这里的put yourself in other person’s place就是seeing things from the speaker’s perspective。
第五题，对说话者的敏锐观察可以提高倾听技巧。答案是D段的这么一句：It's helpful to remember that the ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying。记住说话人的移动方式和姿势是很有用的，这些可以揭示出很多他们所说话的信息。连说话的姿势都要记住，当然是keen observation了，helpful可以对应于support。
第六题，当别人在说话的时候去想着另外一件事是很危险的。答案是B段的这么一句：if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying如果你让自己走神了，哪怕是仅有的几分钟，你也将错过别人所说的话。allow your mind wander onto something else也就是think about a different issue.
第七题，人们不介意听到他们自己的观点被总结。答案是C段的这么一句：In fact it is often worth explaining the main idea of what you have just been told before going on to make your own points. Nobody is offended by this事实上在作出自己观点之前往往很值得解释下刚刚所听到内容的主要观点。没有人会被这个所冒犯。explaining the main idea of what you have just been told也就是hearing their own views summarised。do not mind也就是nobody is offended by this。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 2 PART 2 找到合适的人
When a small company grows, managers must take on many new roles. Besides the day-to-day running of the business, they find themselves responsible for, among other things, relations with outside investors, increased levels of cashflow and, hardest of all, recruitment.
For most managers of small and medium-sized enterprises, the job of searching for, interviewing and selecting staff is difficult and time-consuming. (0) ... .G... . Interviewing, for example, is a highly skilled activity in itself.
'We have found the whole process very hard,' says Dan Baker, founding partner of a PR company. 'In seven years we have grown from five to eighteen staff, but we have not found it easy to locate and recruit the right people.' (8).........As Dan Baker explains, 'We went to one for our first recruitment drive, but they took a lot of money in advance and didn't put forward anybody suitable. In the end we had to do it ourselves.'
Most recruitment decisions are based on a pile of CVs, a couple of short interviews and two cautious references. David Rowe, a business psychologist, studied how appointments were made in five small companies. He claims that selection was rarely based on clear criteria.
(9).........This kind of approach to recruitment often has unhappy consequences for both employers and new recruits.
Small companies often know what kind of person they are looking for. (10)......... According to David Rowe, this means that small company managers themselves have to devote more time and energy to recruitment. It shouldn't be something that is left to the evenings or weekends. Many companies start the recruitment process with over-optimistic ideas about the type of person that will fit into their team. 'It's very easy to say you must have the best people in the top positions,' says Alex Jones, managing partner of an executive recruitment company. 'But someone who is excellent in one company may not do so well in another environment.(11).........You can never guarantee a successful transfer of skills.'
Whatever the candidate's qualifications, their personal qualities are just as important since they will have to integrate with existing members of staff. This is where, the recruitment industry argues, they can really help.
According to Alex Jones, 'A good recruitment agency will visit your company and ask a lot of questions. (12).........They can ask applicants all sorts of questions you don't like to ask and present you with a shortlist of people who not only have the skills, but who are likely to fit in with your company's way of doing things.'
A finance director in a big company, for example, will often make a terrible small company finance director because he or she is used to having a team doing the day-to-day jobs.
B More often than not, the people making the choice prioritised different qualities in candidates or relied on guesswork.
C Recruitment would seem an obvious task to outsource, but the company's experience of recruitment agencies was not encouraging.
D They need paying for that, of course, but you will have them working for you and not for the candidate.
E They are usually in very specific markets and the problem they face is that recruitment agencies may not really understand the sector.
F This means that companies cannot spend more than the standard ten minutes interviewing each applicant.
G Yet few are trained and competent for all aspects of the task.
Finding the right people，寻找合适的人。是说的小公司在起步发展阶段找到合适人才的难度和重要性。第一段总论小公司的经理们往往身兼数职，而其中最有难度的，还是招人。文章介绍了找到合适的人应该注意的问题，并且说招人这种事不可能过度寄希望于招聘机构。第八题，这一题的前面说招人相当的困难，后面一个as Dan Baker explains，说曾经找过招聘机构，结果人家要提前收钱并且也没有提供合适的人，最后还是得靠自己。从这里的as …explains和后面的解释可以看出，第八空的内容应该是和招聘机构有关，招聘机构并不能满足公司的需要。选项C正好满足这一特点：招聘看起来像是个很明显的适合交外办理的任务，但是这个公司同招聘机构打交道的经历不那么的鼓舞人。was not encouraging是关键点。
第九题，这一段都是讲招人的决策不够科学。基于简历或者是简短的面试，很少有明确的准则。第九空的后面是This kind of approach to recruitment often has unhappy consequences。可见第九空的内容还是和招聘的方法有关，并且是负面的。B选项符合这一条件：通常（more often than not是often的意思，插入语），做决定的人将候选人身上的不同素质按优先顺序给排好，或者依赖于猜测。
第十题，这一题的后面说this means the small company managers themselves have to devote more time and energy to recruitment。这意味着小公司自己要多花时间和精力在招人上。这里的this means的this是个暗示，可以看出第十题这里应该填入的是一些不太有利的因素，使得公司只有自己去招人。E选项符合这一要求：他们通常处于一些特殊市场上，面临的问题是招聘机构并不真正理解这一行业。
第十一题，这一段是讲招的人能否适应公司的环境的问题。这一空前面说的很明确：But someone who is excellent in one company may not do so well in another environment。在一个公司出色的人并不一定能在另一个环境里干的好。这一空的后面一句也是补充说明这一观点的。可见第十一空的内容仍然是这个，没有转折。A选项填入正好，是举例说明11空前面的观点：比方说，一个大公司的财务总监在小公司往往会干的很糟糕，原因是他或她已经习惯有一个团队来进行每日的工作。
第十二题，最后一段是和招聘机构相关的。前面说招聘机构会上门服务并且询问很多的问题。这一空的后面说的是招聘机构如何帮助招人。选项D可以填入，D的They need paying for that的that是个暗示，指代前面的上门服务。D选项的后半部分说要让招聘公司为你而不是为候选人服务，可以和这一段的后半部分对应上。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 2 PART 3 百货商店魔力
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.'
《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 th e 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。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 2 PART 4 处理好与上司的关系
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。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 2 PART 5 年度个人助理
Personal Assistant of the Year
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。
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 3 PART 1 管理你的老板
C 1 Listen to what your boss tells you about how well you are working.
D 2 Realise that your boss will occasionally need to be left alone.
A 3 Comment on your boss's work in a positive spirit.
B 4 Try to impress your boss with your thoroughness.
A 5 Do not hesitate to involve your boss if you have difficulties with your work.
B 6 Show your boss that you are capable of working at a higher level.
C 7 Speak to your boss, even about matters not directly related to your work.
MANAGE YOUR BOSS
Advice from four top business people on how you should treat your boss
A
The Consultant
No boss likes nasty surprises. Thinking you can solve a serious problem before he or she finds out is a doomed strategy. Much better to inform your boss about the situation early on, together with your suggested solution. A lso, remember that bosses like praise as much as any employee. Do this without making it obvious, if only to earn the right to criticise (constructively, of course). 'Consideration' is the key word. Treat bosses as you hope to be treated - it should help you to move up to the next level.
B
The Director
Of course there are all the formal things in managing your boss - ensuring that you come to meetings well prepared, that you have a good eye for detail, and so on. But you also need to distinguish effectively between things that are important and things that are merely small details. Bosses like it if you can see 'the big picture' because they want to be able to delegate. So it's all about psychology, as well as performance.
C
The Chairman
Bosses want people to understand their objectives, their way of working and the pressures they are under. If you can understand what sort of individual your boss is, it is easier to appreciate why certain reactions might arise, and thus avoid problems. Also, keep the lines of communication with your boss open. You need to receive ongoing feedback on whether your work is effective, asking about what you do not understand, and, if necessary, discussing personal issues from outside the workplace. When the gap between you is reduced, so are the difficulties.
D
The Chief Executive
Understand that a boss will want to take the glory when things go well. After all, they take ultimate responsibility, so they deserve some of the credit. Also, find out about your boss's outside interests, as this can help to improve the relationship. You may find you have an interest in common. Similarly, recognise that everyone is human, and there are times when a request from you may be unwelcome. Get to know your boss's Personal Assistant, who can advise you when it is a good time to talk to him or her.
《Manage your boss》，管理你的老板，文章是四个业内人士就如何与老板相处给出了自己的意见，哪些应该做的，哪些不应该做的，是一门技巧，更是一门学问。
第一题，听你的老板告诉你工作得怎么样。答案是C段的这么一句：You need to receive ongoing feedback on whether your work is effective。你需要接受关于你的工作是否有效率的持续反馈。这一段是在讲要和老板保持沟通，否则两人之间有隔阂的话，麻烦就来了。How well you are working也就是whether your work is effective。
第二题，认识到你的老板有时候也需要独处。答案在D段最后一句，但是比较隐晦，需要理
解：recognise that everyone is human, and there are times when a request from you may be unwelcome. Get to know your boss's Personal Assistant, who can advise you when it is a good time to talk to him or her.认识到大家都是人，有时你的要求可能并不受欢迎。想办法去认识老板的个人助理，他可以给你建议什么时候找老板谈话合适。找老板谈话要选择合适的时机，也就是说有的时候老板也不想被人打扰。这也就是第二题所说的老板有的时候也需要独处。
第三题，用一种积极的精神评价老板的工作。答案是A段的这么一句：remember that bosses like praise as much as any employee.记住老板也和员工一样喜欢赞扬。praise也就是comment in a positive spirit。
第四题，试图用你的周全来给老板留下印象。Thoroughness的意思是周全，看朗文词典对thorough的解释：including every possible detail。但看中文“彻底的”不容易理解。所以答案是ensuring that you come to meetings well prepared, that you have a good eye for detail, and so on.确保你开会时已准备充分，你有一双发现细节的好的双眼，等等。You have a good eye for detail可以对应于including every possible detail。第五题，如果对工作有困难不要迟疑告诉你的老板。答案是A段的第一句：No boss likes nasty surprises. Thinking you can solve a serious problem before he or she finds out is a doomed strategy. Much better to inform your boss about the situation early on, together with your suggested solution.没有人喜欢恶心人的惊喜。想想你自己可以解决一个重要的问题结果他却发现是一个注定失败的策略。最好在事情刚开始的时候通知你的老板，以及你提议的解决办法。
第六题，表现给你的老板你能在一个更高的水平上工作。答案在B段：Bosses like it if you can see 'the big picture' because they want to be able to delegate.。如果你能看到大的“图景”老板会喜欢的，因为他们也需要委派任务。这个句子前面说要能区别重要的事情和旁枝末节。能够看到“大的图景”是需要眼界和决断力的，因此这里的see ‘the big picture’可以对应于题干中的working at a higher level。
第七题，同你的老板交谈，即便是并不直接与工作相关的事情。答案是C段这么一句：if necessary, discussing personal issues from outside the workplace.如果有必要的话，讨论工作外的私事。整个C段都是讲同老板沟通的重要性，最关键的一句是keep the lines of communication with your boss open。有的时候并不需要直接在原文中找到和题干相同意思的句子，凭借每一段的中心意思就可以做出来。这里的personal issues也就是matters not directly related to your work.
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST 3 PART 2 SELL SELL SELL
《SELL,SELL,SELL》
Last year over ￡ 13bn was spent on advertising in the UK and research indicates that most people will have seen 2m sales messages by the time they are 30. Advertising is big business and often acts as the interface between commerce and culture. While there are many adverts that just irritate, there are some that are miniature works of art. (0)... .The advertisers themselves believe they are delivering an important message because they are protecting and promoting a client's brand and extending greater choice to the consumer. (8).........Instead of being free, many TV channels would only be available on subscription packages of about ￡500 per month and newspapers might cost six times more than their present cover price.
There are many different models of advertising practice, but no one is precisely sure what makes a
good advert. (9).........While some try to get you to buy a product, others, such as anti-smoking campaigns, aim to get you not to do something. Some adverts are not aimed at consumers at all, but at retailers, shareholders or employees. For example, manufacturers often advertise their products in trade magazines to reassure retailers that a new brand will be widely promoted. Petrol companies often choose to emphasize how environmentally friendly they are; this is to offset any negative public perceptions of the industry rather than to persuade consumers to buy an individual brand of petrol.(10).........This is because petrol is regarded, in advertising terms, as a distress purchase. We get it because we can't do without it, not because we really want it. In general, however, the main aim of advertising is to attribute emotional qualities to a product in order to create an individual brand that the consumer can associate with.
Working out whether an advert has been successful is extremely difficult.(11).........For example, what persuaded them to buy a car? You cannot be sure whether it was the advertising, the price, the opposition's distribution, changes in the law or changes in consumer attitudes that was the determining factor. What advertising can't do is make consumers buy something they don't want. It can perhaps persuade you to try something once, but if you don't like what you get, you won't try it again.(12).........In other words, where there is no emotional engagement,such as a consumer's feelings about a bag of peas, beliefs are much harder to shift.
A Moreover, it is almost impossible to get people to c hange the way they view things they are indifferent to.
B Over the last ten years, other forms of advertising, such as direct marketing, have become increasingly popular as well as scientific.
C They don't, as the industry well knows, care enough to be brand loyal to such a product.
D Whether you accept this argument or not, you have to recognise that without advertising our world would be very different.
E The problem lies in isolating precisely what motivates people to behave in a particular way.
F This i s partly because not all advertisements are designed to do the same thing.
G The production costs involved in these can reach higher figures than those for the average movie.
《Sell,Sell,Sell》，听名字像是跟销售有关，其实是关于广告的。广告的最终目的就是提升销售。第一段是总体讲述广告业的情况以及广告的作用。第二段介绍了广告的几种形式，不同的公司对广告的要求是不一样的。第三段讲怎么样才能打好广告，一不小心就容易让观众产生逆反心理。
第八题，这一空的前后都是在讲广告的作用。前面说做广告的人认为他们是在传递一种重要的信息，因为他们保护并且提升了客户的品牌同时又给消费者提供了更多的选择。后面说要是没有广告的话，很多电视节目就不会免费，而且报纸会比现在贵六倍。从前后的信息可以看出这里是在讲广告的重要性，广告是必不可少的。D选项可以和这里的前后内容相吻合：不管你接不接受这个论断，你都得承认没了广告世界将大不一样。this argument是指前面广告商的那段话，而very different就是引出后面的电视不免费、报纸涨价等等。
第九题，这一段是讲广告的不同模式。第一句话就说广告有很多模式，但是没有人能够精确的确定什么才是好的广告。紧接着后面说了不同的广告有不同的目的和侧重点。从while some…的句式可以看出这里是扩展说明的，那么F空应该接一个过渡的句子，表示不同的公司对广告有不同的需求。选项F符合这一特点：这部分是因为不是所有的广告都被设计成干相同的事情。也就是说不同的广告会满足不同的需求。This是指代前面的no one is
precisely sure。空格后面的扩展说明可以对应于do the same thing。
第十题，这一空前面是以汽油公司为例，说明这些公司的广告并不怎么强调个人品牌，他们更加看重的是整个大环境的友好。后面也是具体解释这一现象的原因。所以相应的第十空也是填入一个过渡句，前面的rather than to persuade consumers to buy an individual brand of petrol是一个暗示，这一空应该填入C：他们并没有像这个行业所熟知的那样看重对这种产品的品牌忠诚度。Brand loyal也就是buy an individual brand of petrol
第十一题，最后一段讲什么样的广告才能算是成功的。第一句就说评判很困难。11题空格后面是举例说明。what persuaded them to buy a car是一个关键的句子。因为没有办法判断到底是什么最终说服消费者购买，所以很难评判一个广告是否成功。11题选E，motivate 是关键词，可以对应最后一段反复出现的persuade。
E选项的句子值得分析理解：The problem lies in isolating precisely what motivates people to behave in a particular way.
Isolating在这里不是形容词，孤立的，而是动词的分词形式，isolate此处的用法是：if you isolate an idea, problem etc, you consider it separately from other things that are connected with it。（isolate something from something）将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）。
所以这个句子的含义就是问题在于准确的将人们某种行为的动机给剔除出来。
第十二题，这一空的前后都是在说客户对产品喜好的重要性。前面说if you don't like what you get, you won't try it again，后面说where there is no emotional engagement, beliefs are much harder to shift.。没有感情依赖的话，观念很难被转变。从前后内容来看，A选项最适合填入：另外，让人转变对他们不感兴趣的事情的看法几乎是一件不可能的事情。Change the way对应于shift，indifferent to对应 there is no emotional engagement.
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST3 PART 3 团队合作的麻烦
Trouble with Teamwork
Mary Owen examines the role and efficiency of teams
Recruiters say that candidates who can give examples of work they have done as members of a successful team are in as strong a position as those who can point to significant individual achievement.Indeed, too much of the latter may suggest that the person concerned is not a 'team player' - one of the more serious failings in the book of management.
The importance of being a team player is a side effect of the increasing interaction across departments and functional divides. Instead of pushing reports, paperwork and decisions around the organisation, 'teams provide a dynamic meeting place where ideas can be shared and expertise more carefully targeted at important business issues,' says Steve Gardner, in his book Key Management Concepts. He adds, 'Globalisation has added a further dimension to teamwork. Multinational teams now study policy decisions in the light of their impact on the local market.'
But is teamworking being overdone? 'Some managers are on as many as seven or eight different teams', says Dr Cathy Bandy, a psychologist who recently ran a conference on the subject. 'They take up so much time that managers can't get on with core tasks.' Forming teams and having meetings has, she says, become an end in itself, almost regardless of purpose. There is also the danger of an unhealthy desire to keep the team going after the work has been done. 'People feel
the need to belong, and team membership can provide a kind of psychological support.'
The idea behind teamworking is that, when the right group of people is brought together, a 'force' develops which is greater than the sum of their individual talents. This is often true in sport, where good players can reach unexpected heights as members of an international team. However, few business situations have as clear a set of objectives, or as clear criteria of success or failure, as winning a match.
'In business,everyone needs to be clear about what the challenge is and whether a team is the right way of approaching it', says Steve Gardner. 'Unfortunately, people focus instead on who the members of the team should be and what roles they are to play' Dr Bandy agrees. 'There is always a danger that teams can turn into committees,' she says. 'In a lot of situations, one or two individuals would be much more effective.'
So what makes a successful team? There are some general qualities that have been identified. Steve Gardner recommends that in every team there should be someone who is good at researching ideas and another who is good at shooting down impractical ones. There should be those who can resolve the tensions that naturally occur in a team and others who are focused on getting the job done. Also, providing a clear and achievable target at the outset is the best way of ensuring that the team will move on to greater things.
《Trouble with Teamwork》，团队合作的麻烦。文章讲了团队的重要性和很多团队存在的问题，以及怎么样才能打造一个成功有效的团队。
第十三题，问文章开头作者针对团队合作做了什么论点。第一段是强调团队合作的重要性，太多的个人成果会显得这个人不是个合格的团队成员。选答案要理解第一句话的含义：Recruiters say that candidates who can give examples of work they have done as members of a successful team are in as strong a position as those who can point to significant individual achievement.招聘者说能够给出自己作为一个成功团队成员的例子的候选人同那些指出重要的个人成果的人具有同样重要的地位。言下之意，拥有团队成员的经历也很重要。所以选D，作为一个团队成员如今被视为必要的管理技巧。A、B、C都没有提到。
第十四题，问公司内部的团队合作是作为对什么的回应。也就是问团队合作的目的是什么，答案是第二段的这么一句：'teams provide a dynamic meeting place where ideas can be shared and expertise more carefully targeted at important business issues 团队提供了一个动态的会议场所，使得思想可以分享，技能可以更加仔细的对准重要的商业问题。这句里的dynamic meeting place可以对应于B段的changing work practice。
第十五题，问在第三段Dr Bandy暗示什么。答案是她的一句原话：Forming teams and having meetings has, she says, become an end in itself, almost regardless of purpose.形成团队然后开会成了它本身的终点，几乎不管目的是什么。也就是说很多团队的建立是没有意义的，多余的。选C，一些团队被不必要的创建了。
第十六题，问作者认为团队合作在体育领域里更有效的原因是什么。第四段讲当一群正确的人被组合到一起时会产生一种高于这些人个人能力的力量，在体育比赛里就是如此。这一题的答案是第四段的最后一句：few business situations have as clear a set of objectives, or as clear criteria of success or failure, as winning a match.。很少有企业能像赢得一场比赛一样有一系列清晰的目标，或者是对成功或失败有清晰的评判准则。也就是A 选项所说的：知道他们想要实现什么。what they want to achieve可以对应于a set of objectives。
第十七题，问这两个人同意当一个商业团队被创立时人们没有把注意力放在什么上面。这一
题要理解第五段的意思。第一句说In business, everyone needs to be clear about what the challenge is and whether a team is the right way of approaching it。在企业，每个人都必须很清楚挑战是什么以及团队是否是实现它的最好的办法。考虑团队是不是最好的办法，也就是说要考虑其他可能的途径，即B选项所说的团队的替代品（alternatives to the team），后面有句focus instead….人们却把注意力放在了其他的地方。从这些可以看出答案是B。
第十八题，问关于运作一个成功团队Steve Gardner的建议是什么。这题的答案是对最后一段的概括。答案是最后一段第三句recommend后面的一长串there…who，要有不同的人胜任不同的角色。归纳起来，就是各司其职选C：选择能够自然融洽的胜任某个角色的人。其他几个选项都没提到。
第二段有个地方值得解释下。Globalisation has added a further dimension to teamwork。这里的dimension用法比较特别，表示方面，特征，并且是很地道常见的说法
牛津词典的解释：an aspect or feature of a situation, problem, or thing。
麦克米兰的解释：a part of a situation, especially when it influences the way you think about the situation。
e.g: Doing volunteer work has added a whole new dimension to my life.
常见搭配：an extra/added/additional/further dimension
BEC中级真题详细解析：第二辑TEST3 PART 4 人力资源政策
《Human Resource Policy》，人力资源政策。主要是讲的CBA银行的人力资源政策，。先简单介绍了这个银行的管理结构，是扁平化的组织结构（flatter organizational structure），而不是等级制公司（hierarchy）。总体原则是不招应届的刚出校门的毕业生，而要有一定的生活经验或者是工作经验。
第19、20、21题，这几空都是举例说明前面提到的human resources practices。19空是说的将公司的发展目标传达给员工。公司目标，用objective。purpose是指具体做某件事情的意图。这里有必要区分一下objective和purpose，看英文解释。
purpose: the reason you do something, and the thing you want to achieve when you do it
objective: something that you are working hard to achieve, especially in business or politics
第20题，个人培训和发展计划的制定。个人发展计划，personal development plans，选C。
第21题，定期的表现回顾。用review。hold在这个句子里是举行的意思。the holding of regular performance review，定期举行员工的表现回顾。
第22题，说扁平化的组织结构可以给员工更加定义广泛的角色。broadly defined roles,选C。
第23题，人际交往技巧是很重要的。interpersonal skills,是地道的说法。参见一个例句：you will need good interpersonal skills.
第24题，这一句的意思很好理解，是说员工们越来越看重或者说是承认一个事实：顾客的满意是组织的主要目标。recommend是推荐、建议，后面不接the fact（事实），honour 是敬重，obey是遵守，这里应该选择respect。respect这里是重视或者接受的意思，看英英词典上的解释：to accept that something which is established or formally agreed