2020商务英语BEC中级阅读材料

2020年剑桥商务英语BEC中级阅读练习试题及答案Questions 8-12l Read the text below about work uniforms.l Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.l For each gap 8-12, mark one letter A-I on your Answer Sheet.Altered ImagesWe have teamed up with The Career and Workwear Show to find the best-dressed organization. Two hotel groups and a management center have made it to the shortlist.Uniforms project an instant image about a business, as well as creating a team spirit among staff. Choose the wrong workwear and you risk upsetting your customers and employees.Three entrants have been shortlisted in the competition to find the best-dressed business： Country Hotel Group, Goring Residential Management College and Major Hotels. (example) ----------.A detailed entry form set out to discover the thought processes the entrants had used before they selected their new uniforms. (8) ____. In addition to price and style the judges wanted to know how the organisation introduced the new look and what lessons it had learnt.The Country Hotel Group was looking for a uniform that was comfortable to wear and presented a relaxed country imageto guests. The firm admits to placing a great emphasis on the clothing and appearance of its staff. (9) ____. A brief was issued to a number of companies who then had to present their ideas in a fashion show format to 50 employees. After the design was chosen, one hotel tried out the uniform for three months. (10) ____The aim of the new uniform at Goring Residential Management College was to make staff instantly recognisable to course participants. The chosen design from Classy Rags established a clear corporate image at the college. There were many different outfits but only three fabrics had been used throughout the range and therefore the uniform waseasily recognisable. One of the judges in the competition, fashion journalist Sally Bain, was also impressed with the value for money aspect of the uniforms. (11) ____At Major Hotels a new uniform was needed to replace the old one which was considered to be ‘old-fashioned and unattractive.’ The new design was well received by the reception staff of the hotel chain. (12) ____. The newbottle-green uniforms were selected from Rayner Corporate Clothing. It was felt that it was a functional choice of colour and made a pleasant change from the more traditional black.l Do not use any letter more than once.A. Feedback was then collected from staff at the hotel and minor changes were made before the uniform was introduced across all hotels.B. The award will be presented to the competition winners at The Career and Workwear Show which will be held at Business Design Centre in London.C. They all believe that its introduction has led to a modern, more professional corporate image and greater confidence among them.D. One entry predicted that uniform fabrics would incorporate security aids which are read by sensors on doors and only allow access to authorised personnel.E. In her opinion this had been achieved at half the cost of the other entries, with the average cost per person being ￡201,and each uniform being expected to last two years.F. It asked why the uniform was introduced, who it was designed to be worn by, and how the firm went about selecting a supplier.G. She felt that the head receptionist at the hotel should be asked to put forward the views and preferences of the team.H. In its entry it said：‘Substantial investment has been made in this uniform because uniforms are seen as a very important area.I. One reason for this is that all three proved to the judges that they had thoroughly researched their choice of new uniforms.参考答案：8.F 9.H 10.A 11.E 12.C。

2020年商务英语BEC中级阅读练习试题及答案Questions 13-20Read the article below about stress management, and answer questions 13-20 on the opposite page.A Lesson In Stress ManagementDemands placed on us at work can often lead to considerable worry and discomfort. There are, however, ways of protecting ourselves from the stress we face at work. We interviewed Jane Collard, a consultant in stress management.1. In Jane Collard’s opi nion, stress is becoming an increasingly common feature of the workplace. Stress is a highly individual reaction, which varies considerably from person to person, and it is difficult for some employees to avoid it. Indeed, stress is regarded by many as part of the organizational culture of our institutions： it comes with the job. Recent figures indicate that time taken off work because of stress has increased by 500 per cent since the 1950s. Undoubtedly, changes in working conditions have led to greater pressure at work at all levels. With reductions in staffing, workloads for individual employees have increased. In addition, many employees are left worrying about the security of their jobs.2. On the stress management courses that she runs, Jane Collard tries to make the trainees realise that stress in itself is not harmful. Everyone needs a certain level of stress to enable them to feel motivated and to perform effectively. A complete absence of stress can be as damagingas overstress, since it can make people lose interest intheir work, and even lead to depression. The difficulties occur when the amount of stress rises above a level which is healthy for a particular individual. If this happens, the effects are very obvious and the trainees are taught to recognize the signs. Stress may be expressed physically, for example through headaches and tiredness, or through emotional problems such as depression. A person suffering from stress may also start to behave differently, and can be difficult to deal with.3. While it may not always be possible to prevent stress, there are a number of ways in which it can be controlled. The first thing that the trainees learn is how to manage their time effectively. This involves, first of all, setting realistic goals for both the short and long term. Once this framework has been established, tasks are then prioritised on a daily basis. The trainees are also reminded that when they are under pressure the less important items should be left, and they should never hesitate to delegate. Everyone is encouraged to look at ways of reducing ’wasted time ’, for example by grouping similar tasks together or dealing with items immedkiately.4. Jane feels that one of the most useful features of the course is that it enables trainees to deal with those demands or deadlines that they regard as unreasonable. They are encouraged to avoid being defensive, but at the same time they are advised not to be afraid of saying ’no’. They are asked to give reasons only if necessary. The training helps them to foresee difficult situations or unwanted demands, and they learn how to prepare themselves mentally. Everyone isencouraged not to get stuck in negative thought patterns, where stress can feed a circular sense of helplessness. One solution they discuss is to think of a more encouraging alternative for each negative message. They learn, for example, to remind themselves that nothing terrible happens when a demand is refused or a deadline missed. Life goes on.Questions 13-16For questions 13-16, choose the best title for each numbered paragraph from the list below.For each numbered paragraph 1-4, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once.13 Paragraph 1 ______ 14 Paragraph 2 ______15 Paragraph 3 ______ 16 Paragraph 4 ______A Higher stress levels among top managersB Coping with stress through a positive attitudeC Time lost at work through sicknessD Causes of increased stress in the work environmentE Explanations for missed deadlinesF stress reduction through better organisationG Typical problems associated with stressQuestions 17-20Using the information in the text, complete each sentence 17-20 with a phrase A-G from the list below.。

2020最新BEC中级阅读材料精选为了让大家更好的准备商务英语BEC考试，给大家整理了BEC中级阅读材料,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。

BEC中级阅读材料：中国今年IPO融资将达610亿美元中国今年IPO融资将达610亿美元中国的能源集团中石油(PetroChina)将于本周在上海上市交易，届时，中国内地今年公开发行额将达到610亿美元的创纪录水平，领先于纽约、伦敦和香港。

The value of mainland China’s public offerings for this year will hit a record $61bn (?42bn, ￡29bn) this week when PetroChina debuts in Shanghai, leaving New York, London and Hong Kong trailing in its wake.中石油股票将于今日在上海开始挂牌交易，它在首次公开发行(IPO)中募集了89亿美元，成为今年中国规模的IPO。

PetroChina shares will start trading in Shanghai today, having raised $8.9bn in mainland China’s largest initial public offering this year.在中石油A股上市之前，近期A股市场进行了数次规模高达数十亿美元的发行，包括一些内地银行、保险公司及能源公司。

中石油目前是全球市值第二大公司，仅次于埃克森美孚(Ex.xon Mobil)。

The listing of China’s biggest energy group, currently the world’s second most valuable company behind Ex.xon, follows several recent multi-billion dollar A-share listings of Chinese banks, insurance and energy companies.中石油是中国石油天然气集团公司(China National Petroleum Corp) 的一家子公司，目前已经在香港证交所上市。

BEC商务英语中级阅读真题及参考答案 bec中级其实不算特别难，是介于cet4到cet6的难度，只要我们认真备考就会通过的，为了⽅便⼤家的备考，下⾯⼩编给⼤家带来2020年bec中级真题及答案。

BEC商务英语中级阅读真题 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 tobecome 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 first,’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. BEC商务英语中级阅读真题参考答案 《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。

2020 年商务英语考试（BEC 中级）阅读理解练习题For each statement(1-7),mark one letter(A,B,CorD)on your Answer Sheet.1、根据下面内容，回答1-7 题：Focus on what you do best. This age-old strategy has worked well for Real Networks.Microsoft's main competitor in multimedia software for the Internet. Now, the smaller Seattle-based firm is trying a novel way to contain the software giant. On October 29t",it released the underlying recipe, or source-code, of its Real layer software and will soon do the same for its other programs giving away a big chunk of its intellectual property.BThis may sound like a desperate echo of 1998, when Netscape, struggling in Microsoft's chokehold, published the source-code of its web browser (an initiative that yielded few real results until this June, when the first sedous new version of the open-source browser, Mozilla, was released). Yet Real Networks is not playing defense. It is trying to encourage the creation of a common multimedia software infrastructure for every kind of file format and device, thus thwarting Microsoft's ambitions in this promising market.The firm hopes that others in the industry (volunteer programmers, media firms and hardware makers) will take the code, called Helix DNA, mprove it and make it run on new devices, such as mobile phones and home stereos, turning Real Networks' software into an industry standard. Clever licensing termsare supposed to ensure that this standard does not splinter and that the firm still makes money.CIndividual developers, universities and other non-profit organisations can modify the software as they please and even redistribute it for free, so long as they also publish the source-code for their changes. This is a sort of payment in kind, for Real Networks is then allowed to use these contributions. Firms, on the other hand, must pay royalty fees if they distribute more than 1 m copies of the code. They also have to make sure that their software works with other Helix DNA products. The software's development community already has 2, 000 members. And several hardware makers back the effort. But there are risks. Afraid of piracy, media groups are suspicious of anything that might be related to hackers (although they also do not want to depend on, and pay for, technology controlled by Microsoft). The selfcreated competition could also hurt Real Networks if customers decide its commercial products, which will be based on the open source-code but with extra features, are not worth paying extra for.DReal Networks' move is another sign that the software industry is going hybrid. Mixing elements of proprietary software, where the source-code is tightly controlled, with open-source programs enable firms to expand a market, harvest the ideas of others and, they hope, still make money. Even Microsoft is edging this way ：it recently announced that partners can now look at but not modify or reuse the sourcecodefor Passport, its controversial digital-identity service.In 1998 Netscape made a dangerous copy 。

2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料2为了让大家更好的准备商务英语BEC考试，给大家整理了2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。

2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料一Lego Wants Your Old Legos Back – So It Can Give Them AwayAdele PetersIf you have a box of old Lego bricks sitting unused in an attic or garage, Lego now wants them back. In a new pilot program, consumers in the U.S. can dump old bricks in a box, print a free shipping label, and send them off to Give Back Box, a social enterprise that will clean the toys and repackage them for Teach for America and the Boys and Girls Club of Boston..“We want the bricks to be played with as much as possible,” says Tim Brooks, vice president of corporate responsibility at Lego Group. It’s a small piece of the company’s work to become more environmentally sustainable. The company has invested in windfarms in Germany and the U.K. that now produce more electricity than it uses at its factories, offices, and stores. It’s beginning to make its toys out of plant-based plastic instead of petroleum-based plastic; by 2030, it plans to make everything out of plant-based or recycled materials. And while the bricks themselves are recyclable –if someone lives in a city that accepts the right kind of plastic – the company wants to keep them in use.The classic Lego brick is made from a tough material called ABS, and the toys can be played with for decades without breaking. It’s already fairly common, of course, that Legos are handed down from one child to another. “We don’t want to compete with anything that’s already g oing on, if people are already giving bricks away to friends or family or local charities… it deserves to be played with by multiple generations,” Brooks says. But the company realized that there was an opportunity to put more of the toys back in use. In research, about 35% of its customers said that they would be “extremely likely” to participate in the new take-back program if they had access to it.The company looked for a partner that could process the used toys while maintaining Lego’s standard of qu ality. Give Back Box will steam clean the toys and repackage them by hand. “We want tomake sure that all kids are getting a great experience,” he says. “It shouldn’t be that you get a really inferior experience just because the bricks are donated.” If the pilot goes well, Brooks says, it may expand.He sees it as one version of the circular economy, a system of keeping materials in use – and argues that the toys themselves illustrate the idea of the circular economy. “You can build a rocket and then you can take it apart and build a ship, and take that apart and build a car or a house or whatever you like,” Brooks says. As toys are reused, that’s another circular system. “We want to show that great quality toys like Lego can be used in lots of repeating circles –used, reused, donated, used, reused, donated.”2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料二Eating Mushrooms Every Week Appears to Lower the Risk of Prostate CancerKashmira GanderEating mushrooms could lower a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, scientists believe. However, experts have stressed no single food is known to lower a person’s risk of developing the disease by itself.。

2020年BEC中级阅读理解练习题为了让大家更好的准备商务英语BEC中级考试，给大家带来BEC中级阅读习题,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。

2020年BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解练习题一In 1620, about half the USA was covered by forests. Today the forests have almost gone. A lot of good land has gone with them, leaving only sand. China doesn’t want to copy the USA’s example. We’re planting more and more trees. We’ve built the " Great Green Wall" of trees across northern part of our country.The Great Green Wall is 7,000 kilometres long, and between 400 and 1,700 kilometres wide. It will stop the wind from blowing the earth away. It will stop the sand from moving towards the rich farmland in the south. More "Great Green Walls" are needed. Trees must be grown all over the world. Great Green Walls will make the world better.根据短文内容，选择正确答案。

1.In 1620, about ______ the USA was covered by forests.A.a thirdB.halfC.two thirdsD.a fourth2.A lot of good land has gone with ______.A.sandB.waterC.windD.forests3.The Great Green Wall in China is ______ long.A.7,000 kilometersB.1,700 kilometersC.7,000 metersD.400 kilometers4.Trees must be grown in ______.A.ChinaB.the USAC.some countriesD.every part of the world5.______ will make the world better.A.The Great WallB.Tall buildingsC.Great Green WallsD.Flowers and grass【参考答案】1-5 BDADC2020年BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解练习题二A friend of mine was fond of drawing horse. He drew the horses very well,but he always began the tail. Now it is the Western rule to begin at the head of the horse, that is why I was surprised. Itstruck me that it could not really make any difference whether the artist begins at the head or the tail or the belly(肚子) or the foot of the horse, if he really knows his business. And most great artists who really know their business do not follow o ther people’s rule.They make their own rules. Every one of them does his work in a way peculiar(奇特的) to himself; and the peculiarity means only that he finds it more easy考生如果怕自己错过考试报名时间和考试时间的话，可以免费预约短信提醒，届时会以短信的方式提醒大家报名和考试时间。

headquarters in the home country, R&D facilities should be close to these. Today, however, leading manufacturing companies are increasingly establishing a presence at different locations around the world. This enables them to benefit from the research of foreign companies and institutions of higher education. These manufacturing companies need to move products from development to market very quickly. The intention is that the new R&D facilities familiarise themselves with a number of markets around the world, and recommend when to enter each of them with the company's new products.There are two main types of overseas R&D facilities. The first absorbs information from universities and other institutions in the foreign country. The second gives support to production sites based in the foreign country. With the first type, the facility will normally be headed by a scientist, and information will flow from the facility to the central laboratory at corporate headquarters. The second type is run by a manager from within the company, and information flows in the opposite direction.With both types of facility, identifying a highly competent leader is crucial. In one case, CRS Components, a US electronics company, established an R&D facility in the UK. Although the engineer appointed to head the facility was an outstanding researcher, itbecame apparent that very few ideas were flowing back to corporate headquarters. At first, the problem was attributed to staff changes and slow scientific discovery. It emerged, however, that this was not the problem. In fact, the facility leader lacked the skills required to explain and promote research results within the company. Consequently, the number of staff attached to the facility remained small, and its productivity low.Companies also have to decide the best size for their R&D facilities. According to Tore Hansen, manager of a telecommunications R&D facility, 'A small facility doesn't command sufficient respect in the scientific community. Also, with a larger facility like ours, fixed costs can be spread more easily. However, an unfriendly working atmosphere can be a problem. At one point, staff at the facility were reluctant to walk into one another's offices to talk about research. We had to initiate a programme to make them feel less isolated; this involved sending researchers to different laboratory units at the facility.'R&D facilities abroad which are far from a company's powerful central laboratory are often particularly good at combining knowledge from different scientific fields into new products. Forexample, a Japanese manufacturer had an R&D facility in the UK which developed a successful new loudspeaker. The scientists located in the UK were no better qualified than their counterparts in Japan, but senior researchers in Japan acknowledged that a research team based in Japan probably wouldn't have come up with the product. The research management there was too focused on existing products and would not have encouraged the pioneering loudspeaker project. When companies set up a new R&D facility, it is important they integrate its activities into the company as a whole. Management must pay close attention to the facility's research agenda and create mechanisms to keep this in line with the company's overall objectives. But with the high high degree of uncertainty of R&D outcomes, continuous adjustments to research agendas will also need to be initiated.13According to the first paragraph, companies may move their R&D section abroad so that it canA operate more cheaply than in the home country.B specialise in products not sold in the domestic market.C advise when to launch products in different countries.D receive training from foreign higher education establishments.14What feature of the first type of R&D facility is mentioned in the second paragraph?A It passes information from universities to other organisations.B It is led by a member of the company's executive staff.C It is near to the company's manufacturing facilities.D It sends information back to the home country.15What was the cause of the difficulties at CRS Components' R&D facility?A the rate of staff turnoverB the speed of scientific discoveryC the failure of the head engineer to communicateD the inadequate research skills of the facility head16According to Tore Hansen, the researchers at his R&D facilityA became too expensive to employ.B rarely discussed their work with colleagues.C believed they were not sufficiently respected.D asked to move to a different section at the facility.17According to the fifth paragraph, a new loudspeaker was developed in the UK, where researchersA had more freedom to develop new ideas.B shared information more effectively.C had a higher level of qualifications.D had access to more resources.18According to the final paragraph, one role of managers is toA hold regular meetings to decide on R&D objectives.B improve predictions of the outcomes of R&D work.C divide responsibilities fairly among R&D staff.D ensure that R&D reflects corporate goals.PART FOURQuestions 19-33Read the article below giving advice about flexible working hours.Choose the best word or phrase to fill each gap from A. B. C or D on the opposite page. For each question 19-33 mark one letter (A.. B. C or D) on your Answer sheet. There is an example at the beginning.Flexible Working HoursIf you're (0) ..Efor introducing flexible working hours in your company, howdo you do it.A policy of flexible working hours should (19)operational benefits for yourorganisation, and a better work/life balance for your staff. For example, it could (20)longer business opening hours and having people in the office whenthey're really needed, not when standard working hours (21) Employersshould also benefit from better morale and improved recruitment and retention of staff. Every company and workforce is different, so look (22) what your staffwant, and (23) how the needs of the business would be (24) byflexible working hours. Different employees may have different needs: parents like time off in school holidays, while young, single employees may prefer a later start. The introduction of flexible working (25) a good opportunity to re-examine how you operate. It's surprising how many jobs can be flexible, but if somebodywants to work flexible hours and their job doesn't (26) it, it may beadvisable to move that person. It's also important to ensure that line managers (27) the policy consistently. There's no (28) in one managerpermitting a member of staff to work flexible hours if another manager doesn't. Up-to-date records will keep you informed about when staff are working. In customer service jobs, shifts must beproperly covered and in an office (29)you can't ask for something to be done by the next day if the relevantperson isn't there.In order to (30)if there's a business case for flexible working hours, checkabsenteeism, staff turnover and key (31) indicators. When reaching adecision, you will need to (32)into account savings such as reduced office(33)as well as extra costs like longer opening hours19 A cause B propose C offerD suggest20 A lead B mean C result D intend21 A demand B ask C direct D insist22 A through B up C overD into23 A regard B consider C reckon D consult24 A met B completed C suited D kept25 A sets B provides Ccontributes D arranges26 A admit B give C letD allow27 A force B apply C driveD carry28 A purpose B objective C pointD goal29 A location B position c siteD environment30 A secure B establish C create D fix31 A performance B development C production D capacity32 A bring B put c takeD make33 A space B room c areaD placePART FIVEQuestions 34-45Read the letter below promoting the services of a company that writes technical documents.In most of the lines 34-45 there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meeting of the text. Some lines, however, are correct.If a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet.If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPTAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet.The exercise begins with two examples. (0) and (00).0 We hope you can take a moment to look at the materials as we have enclosed 00 describing the work that we do at Communications Design.Our companyoffers a unique service to give all companies that manufacture technical34equipment. We design and write those documents such as instruction manualsso that they can be easily understood by all users of the manufacturers35products, and whatever their technical background. Recent market research hasquite indicated that there is a strong relationship between well-written manuals36and marketing success. Although inside the pack of materials which accompany37to this letter you will find samples of work we have done for clients, ranging38from mobile phone companies to such manufacturers of domestic appliances. Ourrepresentative will be in your area all next week, and would be glad to39call at your office to discuss with your company's requirements regarding40technical literature. In the meantime, we would be happyto answer before41any questions you might have wanted about our services, by telephone or email.Yours sincerelyJames BerggruenMarketing ManageRead the review below of a book which gives advice on running asuccessful family business.Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once.There is an example at the beginning, (0).FAMILY BUSINESSESPeople like dealing with family businesses; the trick to make sure these firms surviveSome of the world's most powerful companies are also family-run businesses whose members exert a significant influence on the company's I business strategy. However; most family businesses fail to progress to the stock market or even the next generation, as Successful Strategies for Family Businesses, a book by business analyst Steve Owen, makes clear. (0)...G.….If this is achieved, owner managers can plot a course leading to both commercial success and good family relationships.Family businesses, the majority of them very small, account for about three-quarters of all companies in the UK, yet only 30% are handed down to the next generation and just 13% make it to the third. (8) Most notable is the ability of familybusinesses to provide customers with a friendly, personal service.Owen believes there are additional reasons for predicting a greater role for family businesses in the future. For example, he believes that more i and more consumers will expect companies to foster connections with the local community. (9)Failure to do so is without doubt an opportunity lost.Instead of re-examining traditional approaches to the running of family businesses, the book focuses on the case study of a family-owned technology company. The two brothers who run the company are having to resist moves by their relatives to gain greater control of the company's direction. (10)Thesemight include who is most suited to take over the business and who has no interest in the company's future.Owen believes that business has at least one area of concern it fails to discuss, sometimes with disastrous results. But it is possible to debate controversial matters in a structured way and at a neutral location such as a conference facility. He also recommends that the founders of family businesses determine the level of commitment that each family member should have to the firm. (11) If this is the case, it is important to ensure their talents are developed and appropriate qualifications are gainedOnce these questions have been addressed, drawing up a strategy should be relatively straightforward and dealing with the more common problems of ownership should become easier. Nevertheless, Owen points outthe importance of having non-family members involved in the running of the company. (12) Preparing for such an eventuality is go a long way tosecuring the company's survival.Example:0 A B C D E F GA This is essential in case a dispute occurs and it becomes necessary to have independent executives acting as mediators.B This and similar examples illustrate the need for the family to take priority.C When faced with such conflict the key, according to the book, lies in families being preparedto talk openly about important business issues.D This poor survival rate is somewhat surprising given the apparent advantages they offer.E Clearly, a good family business is in an ideal position to do this and owner managers who areforward-thinking can develop such links to their advantage.F This will involve establishing whether they are willing to accept the day-to-day responsibilities of running a business.G It demonstrates that family businesses usually struggle to succeed unless family members。

2020年商务英语BEC中级阅读试题及答案Questions 8 - 12Read this advertisement about business book reviews.Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.For each gap 8 - 12, mark one letter A - I on your Answer Sheet.Special Introductory Offer!Gain a working knowledge of the topBusiness books – rapidly and easilyNow you can read the best business books - in just 15 minutes each!It’s the executive dilemma of the Nineties： information overload. ____(example).____ There should be a simpler way to keep track of the latest ideas. And there is.A systematic solution：Suppose you had an assistant who screened and selectedonly the quality books for you. ____ (8)____ . So you could obtain a working knowledge o f the book’s contents in afraction of the time. Now you can have that assistant with Executive Book Summaries. Every month, you receive quick-reading, time-saving summaries of the best new business books. ____(9)____ . This means that rather than taking five to ten hours to read, it takes just 15 minutes!How you’ll benefit.Executive Book Summaries, designed for the busy executive, are a solution to the growing management problem of too muchto read and too little lime to do it.Improve your business confidence.You gain a real understanding of the key points of thebest new business books.Learn more, remember more.We’ve taken account of extensive research into the memory functions of the human brain ____(10)____ .Get ideas you can use.____(11)____ . In a summary, these ideas are more accessible and ‘actionable’.Cut hundreds of hours off your reading load.How often have you opened a new book with great expectations - only to find it a huge disappointment?____(12)____The books we summarise cover just about every subject you need to know, from management techniques to guidance on your career.Do not mark any letter twice.A) These introductory texts are the most important books and using them can pay big dividends.B) Discover practical tips and techniques you can apply without delay.C) In order to avoid this problem, we select for you only the truly worthwhile titles and reject the rest.D) According to studies published in psychology journals, you retain the content of a summary better than a book.E) He or she would take the most important ideas from each one, and compile them into a neat executive summary.F) With the breadth and depth of knowledge gained from books, it is less likely that you’ll be caught off guard.G) Each contains all the key points in the original book, but instead of 200 to 500 pages there are only eight pages.H) There’s a sample of the superb business titles that we summarise for you.I) With all the reading you have to do in the normal course of your work, you find it impossible to keep up with all the new business books.参考答案：8.E 9.G 10.D 11.B 12.C。

2017年BEC商务英语考试中级阅读翻译资料（1）贝尔斯登(Bear Stearns)与中国券商中信证券(Citic Securities)正在就去年达成的股份互换协议重新展开谈判，以更好地反映协议达成后双方股价的下跌。

Bear Stearns and Citic Securities, China’s largest securities firm, are renegotiating the share swap agreement they reached last year to better reflect a subsequent fall in their stock prices.一位知情人士称，两家公司的高管正在讨论一项“对等调整”，这将增加双方最终持有的对方股份。

Senior executives from both firms are discussing a “reciprocal adjustment”that would increase the amount they eventually hold in each other, according to a person familiar with the matter.根据去年10月达成的交易条款，中信证券同意支付10亿美元购入最终将转换为贝尔斯登约6%股份的证券，而美国投行贝尔斯登最终将支付同等金额，购得中信证券约2%股份。

Under the terms of the deal struck last October, Citic agreed to pay $1bn for securities that would convert to about 6 per cent of Bear Stearns and the US investment bank would eventually pay the same amount for about 2 per cent of Citic.这宗交易仍需获得中国监管机构批准，若交易成功，作为中国国务院控制的中国中信集团(Citic Group)旗下证券交易子公司的中信证券将成为贝尔斯登的单一股东。

2020年商务英语BEC中级阅读试题练习Questions 8-12·Read the extract below from an article about the coffee industry.·Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. ·For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-I)on your Answer Sheet.·Do not use any letter more than once.Coffee is worth approximately $50-60bn per annum in terms of world sales. It is a truly international commodity, and today more than 50 countries in the world grow coffee beans. (example) ______I_____. ICO organization helps coffee producers and promotes coffee conumption worldwide.ICO estimates that world production next year will reach 97.5 million bags.11.3 million bags higher than the current year.(8) ____________. As the largest producing country, Brazil is particularly important in the coffee world. In 1994 Brazil was responsible for 25% of world production, Colombia was next with 13.4%, Indonesia had 7.5%, Mexico 4.7%, Guatemala3.8% and Ethiopia and Vietnam were equal with 3.4%.Coffee isa tough crop, and can be grown in areas where it is difficult or impossible to grow other crops. (9) However, disease is always problem for coffee production, as we can see in some parts of South America at the moment.ICO is active in educating farmers about avoiding disease and dealing with problems when they occur.The distribution chain varies from country to country, explains Pablo Dubois. In most countries the smaller farmers sell their crop to a local trader, whothen sells it on to exporters. There are, however, other distribution systems. (10) ____________. Some countries, like Vietnam, have special government marketing organizations for coffee.Coffee prices often vary greatly from one year to the next. In 1997, for example, there was a large rise in the world price, which was immediately felt by the consumer. Rising prices always result in a drop in sales, which will have a bad effect on those developing countries, which are highly dependent on foreign exchange from coffee exports. (11)____________.In the opinion of Pablo Dubois, the biggest problem for his organisation is to create greater consumer awareness of the different varieties of coffee and different ways of preparing it. (12)____________. ICO is therefore concentrating its promotional activities on Russia and China. It is also encouraging environmentally friendly coffee production, and last year’s seminar on coff ee and the environment created a lot of interest.The future looks bright for the coffee industry. It is estimated that consumption over the next few years will continue to rise steadily. New markets like Eastern Europe and China are expected to develop fast.A. As a result, the membership now represents 94% of all exporters and 60% of all importers.B. In some of these countries, this can amount to as much as 50% of all export earning.C. In North America, most consumers already have above average knowledge of the range available.D. For example, frost and wind are particularly damaging to coffee crops.E. Larger coffee growers, for example, frequently export directly.F. The main reason for this is higher Brazilian output as production recovers from weather damage to crops.G. It is cultivated in mountain regions which can only be reached by animal transport, and in other difficult areas where modern agricultural equipment cannot be used.H. This is because there is a demand for coffee in Germany, and it is also sold in the UK and in the US.I. This make the coffee industry fairly universal, according to Pablo Dubois, Head of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), based in London.参考答案：8.F 9.G 10.E 11.B 12.C。

2020年bec中级阅读试题答案大全为了方便同学们的BEC商务英语学习，为大家准备了2020年BEC 中级阅读理解模拟题及答案，供大家阅读参考，希望以下内容能够为同学们的BEC商务英语考试提供帮助。

更多有关BEC商务英语考试的内容，尽在!2020年bec中级阅读试题答案大全BEC中级阅读理解模拟题11 SunT ours runs a risk by selling similar holidays to customers in different income brackets.2 It is worth offering holidays at a discount to increase the number of bookings.3 SunT ours needs to reflect on its marketing methods if it wants to boost repeat custom.4 It would be a good idea to sell holidays to locations which other promoters have ignored.5 SunTours has been disadvantaged by its approach in the past.6 In certain locations, SunTours may be able to negotiate more favourable contracts.7 There is an alternative to discount holidays that would be more satisfactory for SunTours' customers.Four market experts offer advice to SunT ours, the middle-market tour operatorA Robert WorthMarketing to a wider audience could lead to more people buying direct from SunTours rather than going through travel agents, and the consequent reduction in agents' commissions might boost company profits. Towards the end of the season, reducing the cost of holidays would attract last-minutecustomers, thus avoiding any possible loss on unfilled accommodation and flights. The company could also increase profits by selling more specialised holidays here in Britain, perhaps by offering breaks at historic sites and coastal destinations.B Steven WorrelWhether it's worth discounting surplus holidays is an arguable point, as it not only cuts into profits, but also results in budget-conscious holidaymakers being put next to SunT ours' more affluent customers, thus damaging the brand. It may seem attractive at first because of tight margins, but SunT ours should think twice before taking up this option. Currently, SunTours is planning to sell higher-margin holidays to previously 'unmarketed' destinations for which demand is greater than supply. It is likely that accommodation providers in these emerging holiday destinations will be more flexible when it comes to setting terms. The firm should go ahead with this policy.C Ursula CapalboGood risk management and higher sales can guarantee higher profits. Although SunTours has always been averse to planning, the company would in fact benefit from a risk model that forecasts the impact of discounting on cash flow and profitability throughout the year. SunT ours would then be able to change direction when things go wrong, as they inevitably do from time to time. Diversification can increase rather than spread risk, so caution is needed as the company enters regions where facilities for tourists are not yet fully developed. T argeting customers nearing retirement age, whose disposable income and leisure time are increasing, would be ideal.D Gillian WilmotSunT ours knows that good relationships with customers is the key to success in the travel business. With this in mind, the company should consider that brochure mailings, unlike electronic communications, can attract customers and maximise year-round opportunity. They encourage summer tourists to take another break and can even be used to send a thank-you letter to returning customers. Selling holidays at a reduced price is definitely not a sensible option. A better choice would be value-added promotions which can improve profitability and build on SunT ours customers' desire for high-quality service.四个专家分别对一个度假公司的发展给出了自己的意见。

BEC商务英语中级阅读精品讲义2020为了让大家更好的准备商务英语BEC考试，带大家整理一下商务英语中级阅读精品讲义,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。

BEC商务英语中级阅读精品讲义1第七课时试题2PART TWOQuestions 8-12l Read this proposal about the CPT Word Processor.l Choose the best sentence from the list A-I to fill each of the blanks.l For each blank (8-12) mark one letter (A-I) on your Answer Sheet.l De not mark any letter twice.l One answer has been given as an example.15 June 1993Ms. Martha WestonWord Processing SupervisorABC CompanyPost Office Box 107228 King’s Street LondonDear Ms. Weston,Performance of the CPT EquipmentI’m Pleased to tell you about our experience with the CPT Word Processor asyou requested recently____example____ I assume you have looked at severalmachines and have narrowed down your choices.Here are my observations.An approach to adopting word processorsEighteen months ago we adopted CPT equipment on limited scale with the ideain mind that we could gradually get rid of electric typewriters as we becamefamiliar with the word processor. ____8____ The stations are actually in pairsso each pair can share a common printer ____9____We use the equipment as dedicated word processors, although we do have theability to link up with our computer installation.The step-at-a-time development of our word-processing center has, we think,saved us money and training time. ____10____PerformanceIn terms of performance, the CPT equipment is excellent.____11____Moreover our service contract and warranty have covered all maintenancecosts.We have software packages that check spelling and signal when a mistakeoccurs. ____12____ Using both printers, we recently prepared 1200 individuallytyped form letter mailings a under four hours. We have no complaint about ourpreparation of executive reports.Example: IA. So it works very well and has so many different functions.B. Also it has reduced the confusion that exists about buying softwarepackages.C. The train stops at each station for only fifteen minutes.D. We began with two work stations and now have four.E. Our routine letters are prepared from disc-stored masters.F. The Rotary W printer with a speed of 45 characters a second can easilyhandle two input stations.G. In contrast, its size and weight are ideal for carrying.H. We have not yet experienced mechanical problems so far.I. We are pleased with its performance and multi-functions.8. D 9. F 10.B 11. H 12. EBEC商务英语中级阅读精品讲义2第八课时PART TWOQuestions 8-12l Read this text on Dave’s dream.l Choose the best sentence from the Opposite page 68 to fill each of thegaps.l For each gap 8-12, mark one letter A - I on your Answer Sheet.l Do not mark any letter twice.Icon Acoustics: Bypassing TraditionLike most entrepreneurs, Dave Fokos dreams a lot. He imagines customerseagerly phoning Icon Acoustics in Billerica, Massachusetts, to order his latest,custom-made stereo peakers ____example____Like most entrepreneurs, Dave has taken a long time to develop his dream.____(8)____ Dave discovered that he had a strong interest in studio engineering,He took independent-study courses in this area and by graduation had designedand built a pair of marketable stereo speakers. Following graduation, Davepursued his interest in audio engineering. He landed a job as a loudspeakerdesigner with Conrad-Johnson, a high-end audio-equipment manufacturer headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia ____(9)____Dave identified a market niche that he felt other speaker firms had overlooked ____(10)____These affluent, well-educated customers are genuinelyobsessed with their stereo equipment. ‘They’d rather buy a new set of speakersthan eat,’Dave observes.Dave faced one major problem---how to distribute Icon’s products. He hadlearned from experience at Conrad-Johnson that most manufacturers distributetheir equipment primarily through stereo dealers. Dave did not hold a highopinion of most such dealers; he felt that they too often played hardball withmanufacturers, forcing them to accept thin margins. ____(11)____This kept thosefirms that offered more customized products from gaining access to the market.Perhaps most disturbing, Dave felt that the established dealers often sold notwhat was best for customers, but whatever they had in inventory that month.Dave dreamed of offering high-end stereo loudspeakers directly to theaudio-obsessed, bypassing the established dealer network. ____(12)____ “Myvision for the future is one where all manufacturers sell their products directly to end user. In this way, even the audiophiles in Dead Horse, Alaska,can have access to all that the audio-manufacturing community has to offer.”Example: I.A. At the age of 28, Dave set out to turn his dreams into reality.B. Furthermore, the dealers concentrated on only a handful ofwell-knownproducersC. Who provided mass-produced models.D. The firms tend to plow their money in to developing their products andhave little left over to market them.E. Within four years, Dave had designed 13 speaker models and decided tostart his own company.F. To serve the audio-addicts segment, Dave offers only the highest-qualityspeakers.G. It all began while majoring in electrical engineering at Cornell.By going directly to the customers, Dave could avoid the dealer markups andoffer top-quality products and service at reasonable price.H. This niche consisted of “audio-addicts”----people who love to listen tomusic and appreciate first-rate stereo equipment.I. He sees sales climbing , cash flowing, and hundreds of happy workersStriving to produce top-quality products that delight Icon’scustomers.答案：Questions 8 - 12: F, D, H, B, GBEC商务英语中级阅读精品讲义3试题13PART TWOQuestions 8-12l Read the text below about career planning.l Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill eachof the gaps.l For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-I) on your Answer sheet.l Do not use any letter more than once.Career PlanningFor many employees, automatic promotion up the ranks of a company isbecoming increasingly rare. A new study suggests that, in response, employersneed to consider how they can help staff develop their careers.Employers need to rethink their approach to career management completely,according to the latest research by the Institute of Employment Studies. The newstudy finds that in fact there is little opportunity for individual career development in many large organisations. (example)____.The Institute of Employment Studies makes it clear that it is not good practice for companies tohand over career development to individual employees and then simply leave themto get on with it. (8) ____.So how should employers help their staff develop a career? Most employeeshave come to accept that career development is not always the same thing asupward promotion and a higher salary. (9) ____.They must also ensure that theseopportunities are extended to all their staff and not just to selected individuals.Nick Bridges, who is Director of Human Resources Policy at the Bank ofEastern England, believes there is more talk than action in this area. (10) ____. One way, he believes, for companies to show how serious they are aboutindividual learning is to make it an official part of company practice, as theBank of Eastern England has done. (11)____. This document, he points out, hasmade the role of managers clear, and the company has also invested huge amountsof money educating managers so that they can then train their staff.Another company, British Chemicals, has contracted an independent organisation to help staff with confidential career advice. According to JohnYates, the head of Individual Learning and Development at British Chemicals,there is an important role for outside agencies to play in the career managementprocess. He adds that it is company policy for managers to give all staff ‘roadmaps’which show possible career routes within the company structure.(12)____. This has worked especially well, he says, for staff who are used todepending on their line managers for guidance.Many large organisations now recognise that career development cannot beregarded in isolation, and must be part of an overall business strategy. HumanResources has a real role to play in building a strong workforce which meets acompany’s long-term business needs and makes it more competitive.A Its policy statement says that by 2006, eighty per cent of its staff willhave a professional qualification.B His recommendations go even further than that, and he has called for anational debate on the issue of what should be regarded as a career in the future.C This change of attitude means employers need to place more emphasis ongiving staff the chance to develop a range of skills through horizontal job moves.D It points out that employees need to know what the overall company visionis in order to achieve many of these.E The problem that often arises is that, while they are increasingly encouraged to manage their own careers, they are not provided with the knowledgeand training to do this.F They are able to see that, contrary to expectations, jobs in differentfields are similar, and they can also see how it is possible to cross over to other areas.G Its employees are no longer motivated by these factors alone, and theproblem today is matching a person’s motivation with the right job.H He argues that while Human Resources managers are saying the way forwardis through self-managed learning and self-development, they are still failing toprovide adequate learning resources.I The main reasons for this, it concludes, are the recent cuts in the number of middle-management posts, and the changes that have taken place in theresponsibilities of personnel departments.答案：8.E 9.C 10.H 11.A 12.DBEC商务英语中级阅读精品讲义4试题8PART TWOQuestions 8 – 12l Read the following text.l Choose the best sentence from the list on page 36 to fill each of the gaps.l For each gap 8 – 12 mark one letter A – I on your Answer Sheet.l Do not mark any letter twice.MarketingIn the past, the concept of marketing emphasised sales. The producer ormanufacturer made a product he wanted to sell. ____ example ____ . Basically,selling the product would be accomplished by sales promotion, which includedadvertising and personal selling ____ (8) ____ Distribution consisted of transportation, storage, and related services such as financing, standardisationand grading, and the related risks.The modern marketing concept encompasses all of the activities mentioned,but it is based on a different set of principles ____ (9) ____ In other words,goods should be produced only if they can be sold. Therefore, the producershould consider who is going to buy the product ------ or what the market forthe product is ---- before production begins.Marketing now involves first deciding what the customer wants, and designing and producing a product that satisfies these wants at a profit to thecompany ____(11)____ This is much more difficult since it involves humanbehaviour. ____(12)____ Thus, demand and market forces are still an importantaspect of modern marketing, but they are considered prior to the productionprocess.Example: CA. It subscribes to the notion that production can be economically justified only by consumption.B. Marketing was the task of figuring out how to sell the product.C. Marketing is as important in today’s economy as the production of goodsand services.D. Production, on the other hand, is mostly an engineering problem.E. Such markets must be created and stimulated by managers.F. This is very different from making a product and then thinking about howto sell it.G. More than half the cost of consumer goods can be traced to marketingactivities.H. In addition to sales promotion, marketing also involved the physicaldistribution of theproduct to the places where it was actually sold.I. Instead of concentrating solely on production, the company must considerthe desires of theconsumer.答案：Questions 8 - 12: H, A, F, I, D试题9PART TWOQuestions 8-12l Read the text below about career planning.l Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill eachof the gaps.l For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-I) on your Answer sheet.l Do not use any letter more than once.Career PlanningFor many employees, automatic promotion up the ranks of a company isbecoming increasingly rare. A new study suggests that, in response, employersneed to consider how they can help staff develop their careers.Employers need to rethink their approach to career management completely,according to the latest research by the Institute of Employment Studies. The newstudy finds that in fact there is little opportunity for individual career development in many large organisations. (example)____.The Institute of Employment Studies makes it clear that it is not good practice for companies tohand over career development to individual employees and then simply leave themto get on with it. (8) ____.So how should employers help their staff develop a career? Most employeeshave come to accept that career development is not always the same thing asupward promotion and a higher salary. (9) ____.They must also ensure that theseopportunities are extended to all their staff and not just to selected individuals.Nick Bridges, who is Director of Human Resources Policy at the Bank ofEastern England, believes there is more talk than action in this area. (10) ____. One way, he believes, for companies to show how serious they are aboutindividual learning is to make it an official part of company practice, as theBank of Eastern England has done. (11)____. This document, he points out, hasmade the role of managers clear, and the company has also invested huge amountsof money educating managers so that they can then train their staff.Another company, British Chemicals, has contracted an independent organisation to help staff with confidential career advice. According to JohnYates, the head of Individual Learning and Development at British Chemicals,there is an important role for outside agencies to play in the career managementprocess. He adds that it is company policy for managers to give all staff‘roadmaps’which show possible career routes within the company structure.(12)____. This has worked especially well, he says, for staff who are used todepending on their line managers for guidance.Many large organisations now recognise that career development cannot beregarded in isolation, and must be part of an overall business strategy. HumanResources has a real role to play in building a strong workforce which meets acompany’s long-term business needs and makes it more competitive.A Its policy statement says that by 2006, eighty per cent of its staff willhave a professional qualification.B His recommendations go even further than that, and he has called for anational debate on the issue of what should be regarded as a career in the future.C This change of attitude means employers need to place more emphasis ongiving staff the chance to develop a range of skills through horizontal jobmoves.D It points out that employees need to know what the overall company visionis in order to achieve many of these.E The problem that often arises is that, while they are increasingly encouraged to manage their own careers, they are not provided with the knowledgeand training to do this.F They are able to see that, contrary to expectations, jobs in different fields are similar, and they can also see how it is possible to cross over to other areas.G Its employees are no longer motivated by these factors alone, and theproblem today is matching a person’s motivation with the right job.H He argues that while Human Resources managers are saying the way forwardis through self-managed learning and self-development, they are still failing toprovide adequate learning resources.I The main reasons for this, it concludes, are the recent cuts in the number of middle-management posts, and the changes that have taken place in theresponsibilities of personnel departments.答案：8.E 9.C 10.H 11.A 12.D。

2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料一Lego Wants Your Old Legos Back – So It Can Give Them Away Adele PetersIf you have a box of old Lego bricks sitting unused in an attic or garage, Lego now wants them back. In a new pilot program, consumers in the U.S. can dump old bricks in a box, print a free shipping label, and send them off to Give Back Box, a social enterprise that will clean the toys and repackage them for Teach for America and the Boys and Girls Club of Boston..“We want the bricks to be played with as much as possible,” says Tim Brooks, vice president of corporate responsibility at Lego Group. It’s a small piece of the company’s work to become more environmentally sustainable. The company has invested in wind farms in Germany and the U.K. that now produce more electricity than it uses at its factories, offices, and stores. It’s beginning to make its toys out of plant-based plastic instead of petroleum-based plastic; by 2030, it plans to make everything out of plant-based or recycled materials. And while the bricks themselves are recyclable – if someone lives in a city that accepts the right kind of plastic – the company wants to keep them in use.The classic Lego brick is made from a tough material called ABS, and the toys can be played with for decades without breaking. It’s already fairly common, of course, that Legos are handed down from one child to another. “We don’t want to compete with anything that’s already going on, if people are already giving bricks away to friends or family or local charities… it deserves to be played with by multiple generations,” Brooks says. But the company realized that there was an opportunity toput more of the toys back in use. In research, about 35% of its customers said that they would be “extremely likely” to participate in the new take-back program if they had access to it.The company looked for a partner that could process the used toys while maintaining Lego’s standard of quality. Give Back Box will steam clean the toys and repackage them by hand. “We want to make sure that all kids are getting a great experience,” he says. “It shouldn’t be that you get a really inferior experience just because the bricks are donated.” If the pilot goes well, Brooks says, it may expand.He sees it as one version of the circular economy, a system of keeping materials in use – and argues that the toys themselves illustrate the idea of the circular economy. “You can build a rocket and then you can take it apart and build a ship, and take that apart and build a car or a house or whatever you like,” Brooks says. As toys are reused, that’s another circular system. “We want to show that great quality toys like Lego can be used in lots of repeating circles – used, reused, donated, used, reused, donated.”2020年中级商务英语考试阅读材料二Eating Mushrooms Every Week Appears to Lower the Risk of Prostate CancerKashmira GanderEating mushrooms could lower a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, scientists believe. However, experts have stressed no single food is known to lower a person’s risk of developing the disease by itself.Researchers studied 36,499 men in Japan aged between 40 and 79 over a period of 13 years. The participants filled out questionnaires on their lifestyle habits, including their diets.Those who ate mushrooms at least three times a week had a 17 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those who ate the vegetable once a week, according to the paper published in the journal International Journal of Cancer. This dropped to 8 percent in those who consumed the fungus twice a week.The link was most obvious in men aged 50 or older. The association lingered no matter how many vegetables, fruits, meat or dairy products, the participants ate.The research ers aren’t sure of the mechanism behind this link. They believe it could be due to some mushrooms, particularly shiitake, oyster, maitake and king oysters, contain antioxidants. Past studies also indicate the fungus has anti-cancer properties.While there is no way to prevent prostate cancer, the authors wrote, past research has suggested eating a healthy diet full of vegetables and fruits could cut the risk.The authors also acknowledged their study was limited because the participants only reported how many mushrooms they ate at the start of the study, and this could have changed over time.“This finding suggests that habitual mushroom intake might help to reduce prostate cancer risk. Further studies in other populations and settings are required to confir m this relationship,” they wrote.Weilin Wu, a health information officer at Cancer Research U.K. who did not work on the study, told Newsweek: “Since not much is known about preventing prostate cancer, studies like this are intriguing. But we need a lot more research to back it up and explain any possible link before we can say that people shouldstock up on mushrooms to cut their prostate cancer risk.“It’s unlikely that one single ‘miracle food’ will reduce the risk of cancer by itself,” he stressed. “An d your overall diet is much more important than eating any one particular type of food. So instead of packing your shopping basket full of mushrooms, try thinking about having a range of vegetables, whole grains and fruits as part of a balanced diet and a way to help you keep a healthy weight.”Ying Wang, a principal scientist in Epidemiology Research at the American Cancer Society who did not work on the study, told Newsweek food questionnaires are subject to error, and other unmeasured factors might explain the link.“Readers should keep in mind that the evidence is still limited,” he said. “The finding in the Japanese population may not be expanded to other populations. Further studies are needed before providing dietary guidelines for prostate cancer pre vention.”Prostate cancer is the most common form of the disease in the U.S. in men. According to the American Cancer Society, one in nine men will be diagnosed with the disease, amounting to over 174,000 new cases each year.。

2020年商务英语考试(BEC中级)阅读理解标准练习题READING 1 hourFor each statement(1-7),mark one letter(A,B,CorD)on your Answer Sheet.1、Questions 1-7·Read these sentences below and the transfer agency on the opposite page．·Which business(A。

B，C or D)does each sentence(1-7)describe?·For each sentence(1—7)，mark one letter(A，B，C or D)on your Answer Sheet．·You will need to use Some of these letters more than once．A．EBTA BUSINESS TRANSFER AGENTSThe following businesses in the region are offered for sale：RESTAURANTA large, well-decorated restaurant in an excellent position near the city centre.Opened three years with annual turnover of ￡ 100, 000.Regular trade and bookings for weddings, special occasions etc.Available on 50-year lease.Price on requestB．ESTABLISHED POTTERYFamily business established for over fifty years incity's main commercial area.Small pottery currently employs twelve people producing china figures, vases and other decorative items.Price includes premises plus equipments and raw materials.Price ~ 200, 000C．VACANT SHOPLocated in a superbly preserved historic building nearcity center. Large premises recently renovated to very high standards.Would suit a wide range of different trades. Available on limited (three-year) lease, or longer if required.Short lease ￡ 15, 000D．GARAGE & CAR REPAIRSmall business with great potential for development.Garage with petrol station on main road between city and the coast.Includes large workshop suitable for car repair business. Small, three-bedroomhouse attached to workshop, and room for further conseruction.Whole property ￡ 190, 000It is located outside the city．2、 It will be easy to use for various types of retail business．3、 You know how much money it took last year．4、 This business already manufactures goods for sale．5、 Its price includes living accommodation．6、 It has been operating for many year．7、 You will have to find out the price from the agents．。