&8226;Read the article below about Microsoft a...

•Read the article below about educational background of successful managers.

•Choose the best word to fill each gap, from A, B, C or D,

•For each question 19—33 mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.

•There is an example at the beginning.

Educational Background of Successful Managers

Psychologist Douglas Bray and Ann Howard have for more than 25 years been studying college graduates in entry-level management rank for AT&T. Here are some of their findings.

Master's degree can be (19) Howard says of Master's degree holders, "They bring us greater (20) and interpersonal skills and more motivation for (21) and money, but they are not any smarter." This applied equally to (22) of an MA, MS, and MBA.

There are key (23) between technical and non-technical majors. Business majors led the pack in organizing, planning, and decision-making skills (24) and social science graduates also (25) high. Math, science, and engineering majors scored much, lower in these skills. Technical majors did have (26) general mental ability, but they were not as (27) or as good at interpersonal skills. As you might expect, social science majors were quite low on (28) skills. Business majors were the ones most eager to get ahead.

For the future managers, AT&T is still looking for about a third each of business, technical, and liberal arts majors. While they are still looking for master's degrees, some firms say that the (29) of the MBA has passed. Many companies (30) the same management training programs for their new people, whether or not they have a master's degree.

(31) the success/failure studies of managers, educational background is probably less important than (32) skill that people develop. As one president of a large company puts it, "We're really looking for a particular kind of (33) rather than a particular degree."

(19)

A．useful

B．helpful

C．successful

D．beneficial

Read the article below about educational background of successful managers.

Choose the best word to fill each gap, from A, B, C or D.

For each question 19—33 mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.

There is an example at the beginning.

Educational Background of Successful Managers

Psychologist Douglas Bray and Ann Howard have for more than 25 years been studying college graduates in entry-level management ranks for AT&T. Here are some of their findings.

Master's degree can be…19… Howard says of Master's degree holders, " They bring us greater...20…and interpersonal skills and more motivation for…21…and money, but they are not any

smarter. " This applied equally to…22…of an MA, MS, and MBA.

There are key…23…between technical and non-technical majors. Business majors led the pack in organizing, planning, and decision-making skills…24…and social science graduates also…25...high. Math, science, and engineering majors scored much lower in these skills. Technical majors did have …26…general mental ability, but they were not as…27…or as good at interpersonal skills. As you might expect, social science majors were quite low on…28…skills. Business majors were the ones most eager to get ahead.

For the future managers, AT&T is still looking for about a third each of business, technical, and liberal arts majors. While they are still looking for master's degrees, some firms say that the…29…of the MBA has passed. Many companies…30…the same management training programs for their new people, whether or not they have a master's degree.

…31…the success/failure studies of managers, educational background is probably less important

than…32…skill that people develop. As one president of a large company puts it, " We're really looking for a particular kind of…33…rather than a particular degree. "

(19)

A．useful

B．helpful

C．successful

D．beneficial

?Read the article below about general managers and the questions.

?For each question 13- 18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose.

General Managers (GMs) are a part of middle management and play a key role in organisations. Depending on the size of the organisation a GM can be, for example, a senior manager responsible for a division or a subsidiary company or a less senior manager in charge of a department or section. They are a link or a less senior manager in charge of a department or section. They are a link between top management, who make policy decisions, and junior managers, who carry out these policies. Top management work through GMs and they can make the difference between good and bad policy and a motivated or demotivated workforce. The relationships GMs have with their bosses, subordinates and each other are very important for the success or failure of an organisation. GMs within the same organisation need to have good working relationships with each other in order to apply policies in the same way throughout the organisation. At the same time, GMs are also required to make broad policies into plans that suit their particular divisions or departments.

In a company conflicts between the activities of various departments will inevitably arise, and it is the job of the GM to act as a link between the departments. Research has shown that the personality of a GM is very important in helping to resolve these departmental problems. The research has also shown that (as far as the personalities of GMs are concerned) GMs are ambitious people who have balanced temperaments and are good with people. In addition, good GMs combine these personality traits with a detailed knowledge of their business. They work hard to fit into and be accepted by the culture of their particular organisation. It has also been demonstrated that high performing GMs have three sets of skills.

First, they need agenda-setting skills, so that they can identify and convince others of the most important objectives of a project. Second, GMs need to develop networking skills. Good GMs deliberately attempt to develop contacts-within and outside the organisation. Such a network of contacts means that the GM is aware of issues and can act on them quickly. To develop agenda-setting and networking skills, it is essential for a GM to be skilful in dealing with people. This is particularly important as they spend such a large amount of time working with employees at all levels of a company.

In terms of work, tasks and attitude, the research has shown that managerial work is done in short bursts, with managers Working on many simultaneous projects, which can sometimes have conflicting aims. GMs discuss a wide range of subjects in an unconnected way and tend to ask questions rather than give orders. They require large amounts of information which they pass on to top management to help them to make decisions. In order to collect this information, they must learn to work in uncertain and changing environments. As a result, both the approach and style. of a GM change to adapt to the setting in which they are operating. They must be flexible to succeed.

GMs must have good relationships with each other in order to______

A．carry out policies uniformly.

B．manage each other's departments.

C．motivate junior management.

D．find out the differences between departments.

&8226;Read the article below about the importance of staff appraisals.

&8226;Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

&8226;For each gap (8-12), mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.

&8226;Do not use any letter more than once.

&8226;There is an example at the beginning, (0).

Staff appraisals

Good preparation for staff appraisals can pay dividends in terms of staff loyalty and satisfaction Many managers, particularly those running smaller companies, feel they are too busy to give their employees appraisals, and many staff clearly dread them. (0) G .They provide the opportunity for the manager to have one-to-one discussions with an employee and find out about any concerns, as well as identifying training needs and discovering career aspirations. They can make a staff member feel valued and so build loyalty.

The annual appraisal can either be a rewarding or painful experience. According to research carried out among 500 employees, the standard office appraisal is far from perfect. (8) The possible outcome for the company is even worse; up to a quarter of employees will look for a new job within two weeks of a bad appraisal and 40% within a month.

The quality of the appraisal lies with how the boss decides to carry it out. When it is done well, employees are able to use the feedback they receive to improve their performance. (9) So how should a constructive appraisal be carried out？ According to Andrew Gillingham, a consultant trainer, appraisals can be manager -led. with the appraiser preparing a document and sharing it with the employee. Establishing training needs and motivating the employee towards bigger and better things are part of this process. (10) .In both cases, Gillingham believes that the effectiveness of the appraisal discussion can determine the performance of the company.

Gillingham believes that anyone who thinks it's just the employee who doesn't like the appraisal experience has got it wrong. Too many managers regard appraisals as a waste of time. (11) Managing people is a difficult matter, and without the necessary training, many managers try to avoid the uncomfortable issues that often need to be discussed at appraisals.

Gillingham believes that calling the process an appraisal may be unhelpful. (12) In either 'case, it is important to ensure that the meeting is successful and results in better quality management. Gillingham firmly believes that the main thing is to emphasise an open communications ethos in the workplace that gives staff a chance to talk about issues and feel valued.

A. Alternatively, managers may want the employees themselves to evaluate their work performance.

B. In larger companies, the people likely to do something with this information will be found in the HR department.

C. Problems such as rushing through the appraisal and being appraised by a manager who doesn't understand the employee's role were common concerns.

D. Arguably, 'performance review' is more appropriate since it helps create correct expectations from the meeting and indicates what will happen.

E. This is mainly because they have not been shown how to carry out appraisals properly.

F. But all too often, the format of the appraisal doesn't allow this.

G. But this can be avoided and, given a more positive attitude from participants, appraisals can prove enormously useful for all involved.

(8)

&8226;Read the article below about setting up the appraisal scheme.

&8226;Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

&8226;For each gap (8--12), mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.

&8226;Do not use any letter more than once.

Setting up an appraisal scheme

Appraisals can be a wonderful opportunity for your staff to focus on their jobs and make plans to develop their unused potential. They can also be a means of getting the best out of staff, both as individuals, and as team members. So, if you have decided that an appraisal scheme should be set up in your company, you need to establish some formal procedures and make some decisions before you begin. Even if your company already has a scheme, you need to consider what you want to achieve and how you are going to do this.

First of all, you need to decide on your key objectives and the real purpose of your scheme. (8) A scheme should never be introduced at a time of redundancies, or simply for profit or competitive edge, because this will create fear and alienate staff. The next step is to decide how the scheme can most successfully be managed. It is essential that all senior staff are committed to the process and willing to make a positive contribution.

The person given responsibility for designing the scheme and the appraisal forms needs to have knowledge of all roles within the organisation. He or she must also be aware of employees' potential needs. (9) It should be someone who is trusted and whom staff will turn to if they are concerned about their appointed appraiser or the appraisal interview. The design of the scheme should indicate who will be appraising whom. This needs great tact and sensitivity. First, remember that no manager can effectively appraise more than seven or eight people. It is equally important to remember that, if significant numbers of staff are appraised by someone they dislike, or by a person whose values they do not share, the success of your scheme may be threatened. (10) So bear this in mind from the beginning and, if necessary, establish an appeals procedure.

Having decided on your policy and who will appraise which members of staff, you need to communicate this in the simplest possible way. Avoid lengthy documents - few people will read them. (11) Host organisations choose a person's line manager to be the appraiser. This can be seen as an opportunity or a threat, so be ready to consider alternatives if necessary. Once you have established the appraisal process, make sure that appraisal interviews take place at a convenient time, and ideally on neutral ground. It should be borne in mind that some appraisals may involve the disclosure of confidential information. (12) These will show the decisions that were taken during the interview and will also indicate any new performance targets that have been agreed.

A It is important to select a manager who can deal effectively with any suspicions staff may have about appraisals.

B Such a measure can also reduce insecurity and unite staff in recognising the positive elements of appraisal.

C Having even one staff member in such a position may affect how others respond to the process.

D Ideally, this should be to provide a supportive framework that aids staff development.

E Simply make sure that staff know who will appraise them and why, and what form. the interview will take.

F It is therefore important to decide who will have access to written records of the appraisal.

G They can also be a means of getting the best out of staff, both as individuals, and as team members.

(8)

&8226;Read the article below about video games.

&8226;Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

&8226;For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.

&8226;Do not use any letter more than once.

Strong players

Video games let you escape into an alternative reality -- something gaming firms know about at first hand. For as other technology firms face stagnant or shrinking markets, the video-games industry seems to inhabit a parallel universe. It has had a bumper year, maybe the best it ever will. Global sales of games software and hardware will exceed $31 billion this year. This summer, UBS Warburg invested 17% of its model technology portfolio in two games publishers, Electronic Arts and Activision. Gaming, it seems, is recession-proof.

The industry is booming because it has its own cycle, as one generation of hardware succeeds another every few years. (8) Games consoles are flying off the shelves. The current line-up is of Sony's PlayStation2, the market leader by far, plus Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube, which are fighting for a distant second place.

Each gaming boom is bigger than the last. Children who have grown up with games keep on playing, which expands the market. It also increases the players' average age: the average American gamer is 28. (9) This shift is reflected in the rise of "mature"-rated games, which now account for 13% of the American market, up from 6% in 2001.

(10) Many observers are optimistic about the prospects for games sales next year, particularly in America. But the figures suggest that 2002 was the peak of the cycle, and that the market will shrink next year. Other observers expect console sales to grow only slightly next year.

Things will then cool off until the next generation of consoles appears in 2005. The next peak is not expected until 2007. (11) Both are dwarfed by console gaming at the moment, but are the focus of much activity, and could provide recurring revenues to help smooth out the industry's cyclical nature.

Online gaming has got off to a small but promising start in recent weeks with the release of adaptors that link consoles over the Internet. In America, Microsoft sold 150,000 starter kits for its "Xbox Live" service within a week of its launch last month. Sony says it has signed up 175,000 subscribers to its rival online service, launched in August. Both services will launch in Europe next year.

Gaming on mobile phones is also taking small but crucial steps forward. Today's phones mostly have one or two simple games built in. The latest handsets have colour screens and can download software remotely. (12) Games take roughly a minute to download, but adding one to a handset is almost as easy as downloading a new ringing tone or screen logo. It is predicted that mobile-gaming revenues will reach $3.5 billion in the next five years; other estimates are higher.

A Older players tend to have more disposable income to spend on games than do teenagers.

B Their processing power matches that of the arcade-game machines of the 1980s, so classic games run well.

C But how much longer will the good times last？

D That cycle, unrelated to the broader economic cycle, is now at or near its peak.

E But the industry has two new tricks up its sleeve, in the form. of online and mobile gaming.

F They are so wisely designed that they can be connected to any game machines.

G It has had a bumper year, maybe the best it ever will.

(8)

&8226;Read the article below about the history of IBM.

&8226;Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

&8226;For each gap 8--12, mark one letter (A--G) on your Answer Sheet.

&8226;Do not use any letter more than once.

IBM was established in the state of New York on June 15, 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. But its origins can be traced back to 1890, when the United States was experiencing waves of immigration. The U.S. Census Bureau knew its traditional methods of counting would not be adequate for measuring the population, so it sponsored a contest to find a more efficient means of tabulating census data. The winner was Herman Hollerith, whose Punch Card Tabulating Machine used an electric current to sense holes in punch cards and keep a running total of data. Capitalizing on his success, Hollerith formed the Tabulating Machine Co. in 1896.

(8) The combined Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co., or C-T-R, manufactured and sold machinery ranging from commercial scales and industrial time recorders to meat and cheese slicers and, of course, tabulators and punch cards.

Thomas J. Watson joined the company as general manager in 1914, when the diversified businesses of C-T-R proved difficult to manage. Watson boosted company spirit with employee sports teams, family outings and a company band. He preached a positive outlook, and his favorite slogan was "THANK". (9) He understood that the success of the client translated into the success of his company, a belief that, years later, manifested itself in the popular saying, "Nobody was ever fired for buying from IBM."

Within 11 months of joining C-T-R, Watson became its president. The company focused on providing large-scale, custom-built tabulating solutions for businesses, leaving the market for small office products to others. During Watson's first four years, revenues doubled to $ 2 million. He also expanded the company's operations to Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. (10)

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, IBM managed to grow while the rest of the U.S. economy struggled. Watson took care of his employees. (11) While most businesses had shut down, Watson kept his workers busy producing new machines even while demand was slack. Thanks to the resulting large inventory of equipment, IBM was ready when the Social Security Act of 1935 brought the company a landmark government contract to maintain employment records for 26 million people. It was called "the biggest accounting operation of all time, " and it went so well that orders from other U.S. government departments quickly followed.

IBM's size and success inspired numerous anti-trust actions. A 1952 suit by the Justice Department, settled four years later, forced IBM to sell its tabulating machines--at the time, IBM offered them only through leases--in order to establish a competing, used-machine market. Another federal anti-trust suit dragged on for thirteen years until the Justice Department concluded it was "without merit" and dropped it in 1982. (12) .

A IBM was among the first corporations to provide group life insurance, survivor benefits and paid vacations.

B IBM is the most prominent casualty of the technology spending freeze, but others are suffering as well.

C In 1911, Hollerith's company was merged with two others, Computing Scale Co., of America and International Time Recording Co..

D But its origins can be traced back to 1890, when the United States was experiencing waves of immigration.

E IBM's competitors filed 20 anti-trusts during the 1970s and none succeeded.

F In 1924, to reflect C-T-R's growing worldwide presence, its name was changed to International Business Machine Corp., or IBM.

G Watson also stressed the importance of the customer, a lasting IBM principle.

(8)

&8226;Read the article below about the life cycle of a condensed employee.

&8226;Choose the best sentence from the list (A-G) to fill each of the gaps.

&8226;For each gap (8-12), mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.

&8226;Do not use any letter more than once.

A CONDENSED EMPLOYEE LIFE CYCLE

An employee life cycle is the steps the employees go through from the time they enter a company until they leave. Often Human Resources professionals focus their attention on the steps in this process in hopes of making an impact on the company's bottom line. That is a good thing for them to do. Their goal is to reduce the company's cost per employee hired.

Employees are one of a company's largest expenses these days. Unlike other major capital costs (buildings, machinery, technology, etc.) human capital is highly volatile. You, as a manager, are in a key position to reduce that volatility using the condensed employee life cycle of HIAR (pronounced hire) —Hire, Inspire, Admire, and Retire.

Hire: This first step is probably the most important. It is important to hire the best people you can find. (8) The cost of replacing a bad hire far exceeds the marginal additional cost of hiring the best person in the first place.

Inspire. Once you have recruited the best employees to come to work on your team, the hard part begins. You have to inspire them to perform. to their capabilities. (9) That is where you will get their best effort and their creativity which will help your organization excel.

Admire. Once you have hired the best employees and have challenged and motivated them, you cannot relax. (10) The same attention you should pay to their work assignments, to their satisfaction levels, to their sense of being part of a great team needs to continue for as long as they are in your group. As soon as you start to slack off, their satisfaction and motivation will decrease. If you don't do something, they will become disenchanted and will leave. They will become part of the "employee turnover" statistic you were trying to avoid.

Retire: This is when you know have been successful. When employees see your company as the employer of choice, they will join you. (11) As long as you continue to inspire, motivate, and challenge them, they will continue to contribute at the high levels you need in order to beat your competition. They will be long-term employees even staying with you and your company until they retire. (12) You will attract and retain second and even third generation employees.

A．This is not a time to be cheap.

B．When they recognize you as a good boss and a real leader, they will stay around.

C．To the extent that you can be a good boss, you can keep employees, keep them happy, and reduce the costs associated with employee turnover.

D．Their goal is to reduce the company's cost per employee hired.

E．The biggest mistake a manager can make is to ignore employees.

F．You have to challenge and motivate them.

G．They will refer other quality employees to your company, including their relatives.

(8)

Read the article below about profit.

Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps.

For each blank 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.

Profit

Entrepreneurship is directly responsible for F The business person (entrepreneur) takes a cue from consumers in deciding what they want—or, in the case of a new product, …8…

Profit means different things to different people. According to some public opinion polls, many people are not sure what it is, but they are sure…9… Workers may look at profit as an unfairly large payment to the entrepreneur that deprives them of a higher wage. The business person thinks of profit…10… During negotiations before the settlement of the second baseball strike in August, 1985, the Players' Association claimed the owners had made profits of $ 91 million, an accounting firm said owner profits were $ 43 million, and the owners insisted they had lost $ 9 million. The truth was that all three were correct. The disparity in the figures was due to the fact that each group was defining profit differently. Let us now see if we can develop a more exact definition of what profit is.

Gross profit is the difference between what a business firm sells its product for and what it costs to produce that product. The merchant buys $ 200, 000 worth of merchandise during the year and sells it for $ 270, 000. His gross profit is $ 70, 000. The percentage difference between his cost and the selling price is 35 percent, and he calls this markup. Net profit is…11…—rent, wages, and interest—and setting aside money to allow for the loss due to depreciation (wearing out) of capital. Our merchant has to subtract from his gross profit his payments for rent ($6, 000), wages ($ 20, 000) interest on money borrowed ($ 1, 000), repairs and upkeep ($ 1, 000), taxes ($ 1, 000), electricity and other expenses $ 1, 000. Expenses for operating the business come to $ 30, 000. Gross profit is $ 70, 000, and net profit is $40, 000.

Economists have a narrower definition of what constitutes profit. They are concerned with payment for all the resources that have gone into production, …12…, like those listed above, or from inside the business.

A what profit really means

B it is too large and represents too much of the consumer's dollar

C as the difference between total revenue and total cost

D what the business person has left after paying expenses

E what they might want

F production

G whether they come from outside the business

(8)

？Read the article below about a survey of businesswomen staying in hotels.

？Choose the best sentence from below the passage lo fill each of the blanks.

？For each gap (8—12), mark one letter (A—G) on your Answer Sheet.

？Do not use any letter more than once.

Hotelkeepers should take note because they are facing serious criticism! Women account for more than half of all business travelers, but hotels are not doing enough for them. This is evident from the results of a questionnaire distributed to hotel guests by the Business Travel Association. These show that the number of complaints made about the way women guests are treated is increasing.

The Harbor Hotel in Hong Kong also conducted a recent survey of. Hong Kong's businesswomen, which reveals that 70% feel they receive an inferior service. (8) The attitude of hotel staff made them feel out of place in public areas: for example. 62% chose to eat in their rooms because they were made to feel uncomfortable by staff when dining alone. (9) Four years ago, for example, a similar survey had revealed that a significant number of women traveling alone and wishing to use the hotel restaurant were actually turned away.

Many of the suggestions for improved services put forward by the Business Travel Association are relatively simple. (10) Placing tables in restaurants in a way that allows the head waiter to introduce guests to one another, so they can choose to sit together over a meal, was a further suggestion. Guests in the dining room would then have the opportunity to meet up with others who might, for example, be attending the same conference, or have the same business interests.

Wendy Wang, Executive Manager of the Harbor Hotel, agreed with the Business Travel Association that hotel star ratings should be influenced by the level of service they offer lo female business guests. (11) Our survey highlighted the unwillingness of many women to air their views if they are treated badly, ' Wendy Wang pointed out.

A group of influential businesswomen recently met to discuss the results of the Business Travel Association questionnaire. They suggested that businesswomen should not hesitate to make it clear if they have a problem. (12) Once clients have gone. it is all too easy all the issue to be ignored by hotel managers, and it will also be forgotten by the overworked business executives themselves.

A. The hotel staff assumed they should be booked into the same room.

B. But there is clear evidence that things are slowly improving.

C. This would enable women to make an informed choice about a hotel, and they would not be placed in the uncomfortable position of having to complain about poor service.

D. It is advisable for them to do this during their stay rather than waiting until they check out.

E. Making sure that facilities in guest bedrooms eater equally to the needs of male and female guests is one such idea.

F. Most of the women, when questioned further, thought that the reason for this was that they were female and traveling alone.

G. This is evident from the results of a questionnaire distributed to hotel guests by the Business Travel Association.

(8)