The bank with ideas
With several hundred years of history behind it, the APL Bank has few problems in convincing
businesses that it is reputable and secure__19_ of a range of banking serving. Now, it is
demonstrating to business customers that it is flexible and responsive enough to ___20___ their
changing needs in the 21st century.
Based in London, APL offers banking services to businesses throughout the UK via its branch
__21___. Most customer service provision is ___22_ out by personal account managers based in
local branches, together with ___23__ staff at company headquarters.
An important ___24__for APL has been to make it easy for customers to __25__business with the
bank. They can contact their account manager by direct line or email; if the manager is on holiday,
a carefully chosen colleague becomes the ‘account contact’ and ___26__with the customer during
the manager’s ___27___. In addition, for those who want ___28__ to their bank at any time of day
or night there is now a 24-hour phone-based service.
In order to remain competitive and build customer loyalty, the bank guarantees to turn around
urgent loan___29__within 24 hours. This focus on the customer has also been a driving __30__in
APL’s recruitment and development policy. For example, newly inducted staff ___31__a
‘customer service review’ to find out what it is like to be on the other side of the desk, asking to
borrow money.
Together, these ___32__in banking have achieved excellent results. The customer__33___is
growing fast, and last year the bank gained 36,000 new business accounts.
19. A. producer B. supplier C. provider D. giver
20. A achieve B. reach C meet D. assist
21. A. system B. web C. grid D. network
22. A. taken B. brought C. carried D. put
23. A. aid B. support C. guidance D. backing
24. A. objective B. purpose C. direction D. scheme
25. A do B. run C. make D. have
26. A copes B. arranges C. handles D. deals
27. A vacancy B. departure C. absence D. retirement
28. A access B. entrance C. approach D. opening
29. A. demands B. applications C. proposals D. orders
30. A power B. strength C. force D. pressure
31. A take over B. go through C. set down D. put up
32. A. innovations B. adaptations C. revisions D. modernization
33. A. source B. base C. centre D. foundation
19题、争议的焦点可能在B和C之间，supplier 还是provider。
supplier更侧重于提供某种产品（朗文：a company or person that provides a particular product）
provider强调提供某种服务（朗文：a company or person that provides a service）
联系这个空后面的banking serving，这里应该选择provider。
21题、network 相互关系（配合）的系统
branch network 由分支机构构成的网络。应该算的上是商务英语里，尤其是在银行业中的一
种固定的
表达。搜索国外一些银行的网站，会有这个banch network指的是由分支机构组成
的一个银行网络系统。从汉语意思上看，system好像也能说的通，但考虑问题不能使用汉语
思维
23题，support staff是一种固定的用法，意思是支持人员，或者是后勤人员、运维人员，填
入这个句子的空格处正好合适。
这是《金融时报》词典的解释：Employees whose work is helping a company or organization to
operate, for example technical or administrative workers
（https://www.doczj.com/doc/cc15534816.html,/term.asp?t=support-staff）
这里不能选择backing。back有支持的意思，但是backing表支持时却是名词
（support or help, especially with money。地址https://www.doczj.com/doc/cc15534816.html,/dictionary/backing ）
查了朗文词典和剑桥词典，backing做形容词时只在朗文词典里有一种解释：backing singers
意思应该是背景歌手或者是伴唱歌手。所以23空不能选择backing.
24题，根据上下文的意思就是应该选择objective（目标）APL这个银行的一个重要目标。
如果要选purpose的话，后面应该用of.
26题、cope with后接事 deal with可接人和事
handle是及物动词，后面直接接人和事，相当于deal with
28题，access to：the right to enter a place, use something, see someone etc进入某地方或使用某
东西的权利。这个句子是说对于想在任何时间段使用银行的人来说，那儿有一个24小时电
话服务系统
29题、loan application 贷款申请apply for loan 固定用法
31题、go through 仔细的查看，后面正好和customer service review搭配。
30题的driving force和33题的customer base属于固定说法。