商务英语高级阅读题目与讲解

PART ONE

Questions 1-8

· Look at the statements below and the reports about five different companies on ai the opposite page.

·Which company(A,B,C,D or E)does each statement(1-8)refer to?

· For each statement (1-8), mark one letter(A, B, C, D or E) on your Answer Sheet.

· You will need to use some of these letters more than once

·There is an example at the beginning(0).

 

1 This company has expanded at a time of high demand.

2 Good results in one part of this company made up for disappointing results in another part

3 It is difficult to predict future prospects for the kind of products this company sells.

4 Profits for this company are likely to be different from those that were earlier predicted

5 This company produced more goods than were needed for certain markets.

6 This company has denied rumours about its future plans.

7 A recovery in this company's financial position is expected.

8 This company is likely to benefit from charging more for its products.

 

A

Following the company's poor annual results in November, the share price plunged and has since remained around 200p. Analysts now believe that the company is seriously undervalued by the stock market. The company's biggest problems were in Germany and France last year where supply outstripped demand, leading to a f20 million loss for the year. However, the company has recently appointed a new chairman who has a first-rate track record of reviving failing companies. It is believed that he will be successful in turning round the company's fortunes.

 

B

Analysts are impressed with the company's recent performance. In the last six months, it has managed to increase prices by 3 per cent without adversely affecting sales. In such a low-margin, high-sales sector, this ought to translate directly into increased profits. The company's recent sale of its packaging division has eliminated all its debts. Shares have risen in the past month from 80p to 100p. Despite these promising signs, it must be remembered that the company is trading in an extremely volatile market.

 

C

For some weeks, there has been widespread expectation that the company will announce the sale of its troubled newspaper-and-magazine distribution arm. Speculation came to an end when this was firmly ruled out as a possibility at the annual general meeting last week. Profits from this division were down from f13 million to f8 million. However, this drop was more than offset by an improvement in the company's retail division, which has taken the innovative step of opening stores in places such as hospitals and colleges. Profits in this division rose from£79 million to f90 million.

 

D

The company has had steady growth prospects since it opened four more upmarket hotels and several health and fitness clubs. This move has come at a time when the market is particularly buoyant. There were rumours that the company might become the subject of a takeover bid by one of the large American corporations. However, this has not materialised, and it now seems unlikely that any such bids will be made in the immediate future. This is expected to lead to an easing of the share price.

 

E

The company has always been popular with shareholders as, for the past ten years, it has consistently provided them with above average returns. Profits for the first half of the year were up by 15 per cent. Development profits from some 30 projects around the country will provide a balanced stream of earnings in the second half of the year. Given this, and the sale of a loss-making division in Bradford, pre-tax profit forecasts have been increased to £21 million and earnings to 12. Sp per share.

 

 

【A段要义】由于公司11月公布全年业绩不好，公司股价暴跌，随后股价一直保持在每股200便士左右。现在，分析家认为公司的价值被股票市场严重低估。去年，公司最大的问题是出在德国和法国，那里的市场供大于求，导致公司全年亏损两千万英镜。但是最近公司任命了一位新董事长，他有着一流的拯救失败公司的记录。人们相信他会成功地将公司转亏为盈。

【答案精解】与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第5句和第7句。第5句指出“这家公司为某些市场生产了超出需求的产品。”正是该段第三句所述内容，即...where supply out-stripped demand...,故此句为相关选项。第7句指出“人们期待该公司财政状况的改善。”正是该段最后两句表述的内容，因此也是正确选项。

 

【B段要义】该段讲述的是：分析家对该公司最近的表现印象深刻。在过去的六个月里，公司成功地将价格提高了3%,并且未对销售造成负面影响。在这个低利润、高销量的领域，价格的提高会直接转化为利润的增加。公司最近将其包装部门出售掉了，以此清除了它的债务。在过去八个月中，股票的价格从每股80便士提高到了100便士。尽管有种种利好迹象，但是不要忘记，公司是在一个极不稳定的市场上进行贸易交易的。

【答案精解】与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第3句和第8句。第3句指出“很难对公司产品的销售前景做出预计。”这与该段最后一句所述内容相符，故此句为正确选项。第8句指出“公司很可能从提高其产品价格上受益。”这正是该段第二、三句所表达的内容，因此也是正确选项。

 

【C段要义】几周来，人们普遍预测该公司会宣布出售其处于困境的报刊发行部。上周年度股东大会坚决排除了这个可能性，从而终止了猜测。该部门的利润从1300万英镜降到了800万英镜，但是公司的零售部采取了革新性的举措，他们在医院、大学等地开设了商店，使利润获得增长，从而大大抵消了报刊销售部利润下降的不利影响。（零售部的利润从7900万英镜提高到了9000万英镜。）

【答案精解】与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第2句和第6句。第2句指出“公司一部门的良好业绩弥补了另一部门令人失望的业绩。”这正是该段后半部分所述的内容，故此句为相关选项。第6句指出“该公司否定了关于其未来计划的谣言。”即文中前两句所表述的内容，因此也是正确选项。

 

【D段要义】公司在稳步发展、前景良好的情况下，又新开了四个高档酒店和数家健身俱乐部；此举又赶上市场需求旺盛期。曾有传言说，公司可能成为一家美国大公司收购的对象，但这并没有成为现实，而且现在看来近期内不可能有任何此类的投标活动。

【答案精解】与该段内容相匹配的选项句只有第1句，“这个公司在市场处于高需求时扩大了规模”，即该段第一句所述的内容，所以选择此句。

 

【E段要义】在过去十年里，公司一直受到股民的青味，因为它一直能给股民带来高于平均值的收益。上半年的盈利上升了15%。下半年全国大约30个项目将带来投资发展利润，这会给股东带来均衡持续的收益。综合以上，再加上出售掉Bradford城里一个亏损的部门、税前利润预计可增至2100万英锈，每股的收益将增长到12.8便士。

【答案精解】与该段内容相匹配的选项句只有第4句，“公司的利润可能和早期预期的不同”，即该段最后一句所述的内容，所以选择此句。