BEC商务英语高级

Page 69 B E C H IG H E R A DETAILED LOOK AT THE TASKS Part One This is a matching task involving either a single text or five related shorter texts. Examples are a set of related product descriptions, a set of advertisements (for instance, for different types of services), notices, book reviews, short newspaper items on related topics or a single magazine article divided into five sections. Texts may be edited, but the source is authentic. They are identified as texts A – E. There are eight items, each of which is one sentence, numbered 1 – 8. Each sentence is a statement which can be matched with only one of the texts. The candidate’s task is to read the sentence and then scan the texts for the one to which the sentence applies. Candidates are tested on whether they can understand the language of the item and relate it to the meaning of the text, which is expressed in different language. Preparation • Present students with sets of related short texts (e.g. job advertisements, hotels, etc.) from newspapers, magazines, brochures. • Longer texts may also be divided into sub-headed sections. • Students should be encouraged to identify facts or ideas within each text, describing how the texts are similar and what differences they contain. • The register or style of the task sentences is likely to differ from that of the texts, and students should be given practice in recognising the same information in different styles, e.g. by rewriting advertisements into objective prose. • The task is designed to go beyond simple word- matching and students will need to practise paraphrasing. • Activities that help students to identify target information among otherwise superfluous text (e.g. choosing what to watch from TV listings) would be beneficial. • Above all, students should treat the task as an example of information-processing skills which are frequently employed in social and professional life. A D E TA I L E D G U I D E TO B E C H I G H E R TEST OF READING Timing: 1 hour Number of PART Main Skill Focus Input Response Questions 1 Reading for gist and global meaning Authentic business-related text – Matching 8 either a single text or 5 short, related texts (approx. 450 words in total) 2 Reading for structure and detail Authentic business-related text Matching 6 (approx. 450 – 500 words) with sentence-length gaps 3 Understanding general points and Longer text based on authentic 4-option multiple 6 specific details source material (approx. 500 – choice 600 words) 4 Reading – vocabulary and structure Single business-related text with 4-option multiple 10 primarily lexical gaps (approx. 250 choice cloze words) 5 Reading – structure and discourse Single business-related text with Rational deletion 10 features structure and discourse gaps Open cloze (approx. 250 words) 6 Reading – understanding sentence Short text (approx. 150 – 200 words) Proof reading 12 structure; error identification Identification of additional unnecessary words in text Page 70 B E C H IG H E R Part Two This is a gapped text with six sentence-length gaps. The text comes from an authentic business-related source, although it may be edited. Sources include business articles from newspapers or magazines, books on topics such as management, and company literature such as annual reports. Candidates have to read the text and then identify the correct sentence to fill each gap from a set of eight sentences marked A – H. Sentence H is the example, and one other sentence is a distractor which does not fit any of the gaps. Understanding, not only of the meaning of the text but of some of the features of its structure, is tested. Preparation • This task requires an overt focus on cohesion and coherence to which many students may not be accustomed. • It would be helpful for students to piece back together texts that have been cut up, discussing why texts fit together as they do. • It would also be useful for students to discuss why sentences that do not fit together do not do so. • Students could benefit from altering the cohesion of texts to make sentences that do not fit together do so, and vice versa. • Since culture affects discourse, including the order of argument development, discussions exploring this would be beneficial. • The cut and paste functions of word-processing, where available, could be exploited for this task. Part Three This task consists of a text accompanied by four-option multiple choice items. The stem of a multiple choice item may take the form of a question or an incomplete sentence. There are six items, which are placed after the text. Sources of original texts may be the general and business press, company literature and books on topics such as management. Texts may be edited, but the sources are authentic. Preparation • Multiple choice questions are a familiar and long-standing type of test; here they are used to test opinion and inference rather than straightforward facts. • Correct answers are not designed to depend on simple word-matching, and students’ ability to interpret paraphrasing should be developed. • Students should be encouraged to pursue their own interpretation of relevant parts of the text and then check their idea against the options offered, rather than reading all the options first. • It could be useful for students to be given perhaps one of the wrong options only, and for them to try to write the correct answer and another wrong option. Part Four This task is a modified cloze: in other words, a gapped text in which the gaps are carefully chosen. There are ten multiple choice items, most of which test vocabulary. The text is based on authentic source material of one of the text types listed above. The candidate’s task is to choose the correct option from the four available to fill each gap. Preparation • It is important for students to appreciate that the correct answer in each case is correct in relation to the gap itself, rather than in relation to the other three options. • It is worth emphasising that this task tests lexical and collocational knowledge, and that the best (if not the only) route to this knowledge is to read widely within the kinds of texts that the task employs. • It is worth discussing what aspects of linguistic knowledge are tested (collocations, fixed phrases, register, etc.). • It might be useful to give students gapped texts and have them produce alternative words which fit or do not fit the gaps. • Any vocabulary-building activity is likely to be helpful in preparing for this task. Part Five This task is an open cloze: a gapped text in which the candidate has to supply the word to fill each gap. There are ten items. Gaps are formed by rational deletion, being chosen rather than being simply those which occur if (for example) every seventh word is deleted. The focus is on structure, and coherence/cohesion in the text. Items tested may include prepositions, auxiliary verbs, pronouns, conjunctions, etc. The text is based on authentic material. Preparation • The kinds of words which are gapped may well correspond to the kinds of errors students make; and therefore discussion of photocopied examples of students’ compositions could be helpful. • Students should be encouraged to circle the word or words in the text that dictate what the answer is, in order for them to see that such clues to the answer may be adjacent to the gap or several words distant. • Students should brainstorm various likely words which might fit a particular gap, and then discuss why others do not fit. Page 71 • Students could be given several possible answers for a gap and discuss why the correct answer is correct. • This task tests grammatical and structural aspects of language, and any practice in these areas should be beneficial. Part Six In this task, candidates identify words that have been introduced into a text in error. This exercise can be related to the authentic task of checking a text for errors, and suitable text types therefore include letters, publicity materials, etc. The text contains twelve numbered lines, which are the test items. Further lines at the end may complete the text, but these are not test items. Preparation • Students should be reminded that this task represents a kind of editing that is common practice, even in their first language. • Any work on error analysis is likely to be helpful for this task. • A reverse of the exercise (giving students texts with missing words) might prove beneficial. B E C H IG H E R Page 72 B E C H IG H E R 3 A D B E C Th e gr ow th o f o ut so ur ci ng m ea ns th at a n um be r o f M SS s ar e fin di ng th em se lv es d ra w n in to th e es ta bl ish ed m an ag er ia l t hi nk in g of th ei r O W O s to a po in t w he re t he ir re pu ta tio n be co m es de pe nd en t o n th e O W O ’s pe rfo rm an ce – in b ot h po si tiv e an d ne ga tiv e w ay s. Th is a nd o th er co n se qu en ce s of g ro w th a re g en er at in g ca lls fro m M SS s fo r bo th t he p riv at e se ct or a nd go ve rn m en ts to t hi nk m or e str at eg ic al ly a bo ut th ei r re la tio ns hi p w ith M SS s, ra th er t ha n on a di sjo int ed co ntr act -by -co ntr act ba sis . Th e gr ow th in o ut so ur ci ng h as c oi nc id ed – a nd m ay c on tin ue t o co in ci de – w ith i nc re as in g in te re st in th e co nc ep t o f t he v irt ua l o rg an isa tio n – o n e w hi ch ch oo se s to ou ts ou rc e al m os t ev er yt hi ng so th at it c an c on ce nt ra te o n ha nd lin g re la tio ns hi ps w ith it s cl ie nt s. H ow ev er , a re ce n t re po rt w ar ns th at th e no tio n of vi rtu al o rg an is at io ns m us t be b al an ce d ag ai ns t th e n eg at iv e po ss ib ili ty o f ‘h ol lo w ’ o rg an isa tio ns , le ft w ith o nl y a ‘fr ag ile s he ll re m ai ni ng ’. Th e re po rt al so e xp re ss es c on ce rn t ha t so m e la rg e M SS s ha ve ‘g ra du al ly ta ke n co nt ro l of si gn ifi ca nt p ar ts o f pu bl ic s ec to r ac tiv iti es ’, ch an gi ng t he b as is on w hi ch t he s uc ce ss o r o th er w ise o f t ho se a ct iv iti es is a ss es se d. Es tim at es o f th e sc op e an d va lu e of m an ag ed se rv ic e su pp ly in g va ry ac co rd in g to th e de fin iti on s u se d of w ha t a ct iv iti es ar e i nc lu de d or ex cl ud ed in c al cu la tio ns . A lth ou gh s om e M SS s ar e la rg e – fo r e xa m pl e, th e A lfi s G ro up is , w ith 20 0, 00 0 em pl oy ee s, on e of t he t en b ig ge st pr iv at e se ct or e m pl oy er s in E ur op e – th ey e njo y lit tle o f th e pu bl ic n am e re co gn iti on o f th e O W O s f or w ho m th ey w or k. A t t he sa m e t im e, in fie ld s su ch a s IT an d re se ar ch , O W O s no w o u ts ou rc e no t on ly n on -c or e ac tiv iti es b ut a lso th os e w he re t he y be lie ve s pe ci al ist M SS s ca n br in g ad di tio na l e xp er tis e. Th er e ar e sig ns th at th e sp re ad o f c on tra ct in g ou t to M SS s i s i m pa ct in g on th e w ay O W O s a re ru n, ge ne ra tin g a n ee d fo r h ig h- le ve l s ta ff w ho w ill b e sk ill ed a t n eg ot ia tin g an d ha nd lin g re la tio ns hi ps w ith p ar tn er o rg an isa tio ns r at he r th an s im pl y gi vi ng i nt er na l di re ct io ns . M ea nw hi le , m an y M SS s fa ce n ew e m pl oy m en t an d re cr ui tm en t iss ue s as th ei r w or kf or ce s of te n co ns ist o f sta ff in he rit ed f ro m d oz en s of o rg an isa tio ns i n bo th th e pu bl ic a nd p riv at e se ct or s. B as ic a ct iv iti es s uc h as c at er in g, c le an in g an d se cu rit y w er e of te n th e fir st to b e co nt ra ct ed o ut as b ot h th e pr iv at e an d pu bl ic s ec to rs y ie ld ed to th e 19 90 s’ ph ilo so ph y of c on ce nt ra tin g on c or e ac tiv iti es . A s a re su lt of o ut so ur ci ng , m an y ca n te en s ha ve lo st th ei r i ns tit ut io na l a tm os ph er e an d re se m bl e hi gh -s tre et r et ai l o ut le ts, b oo sti ng bo th t he r an ge o f pr od uc ts an d fa ci lit ie s fo r w o rk er s a nd th e M SS s’ tu rn ov er . Pr of its fr om th e gr ow in g U K o ut so ur ci ng m ar ke t a re h el pi ng th e bi gg es t c at er in g M SS s t o ex pa nd o ve rs ea s a s t he in du str y de ve lo ps a g lo ba l d im en sio n. Tu rn O ve r � 2 A B C D E PA RT O NE Qu es tio ns 1 – 8 • Lo ok a t t he s ta te m en ts b el ow a n d at th e fiv e e xt ra ct s fro m a n ar tic le o n th e op po sit e pa ge a bo ut o rg an isa tio ns w hi ch o ut so ur ce (O W O s). Th es e ar e or ga ni sa tio ns w hi ch g ive c o n tra ct s fo r so m e o f t he ir ac tiv itie s to b e ru n b y m a n a ge d se rv ic e su pp lie rs (M SS s). • W hi ch a rti cl e (A , B , C, D o r E) do es ea ch st ate me nt 1 – 8 re fe r to ? • Fo r e a ch s ta te m en t 1 – 8 , m a rk o ne le tte r ( A , B , C, D o r E) on yo u r An sw e r Sh ee t. • Yo u w ill ne ed to u se s om e of th es e le tte rs m or e th an o nc e. • Th er e is a n ex a m pl e at th e be gi nn in g, (0 ). Ex am pl e: 0 Th er e ar e si gn s th at s om e M SS s ar e m ov in g in to fo re ig n m ar ke ts . 0 1 Th er e is a ri sk th at o ut so ur ci ng to o m an y op er a tio ns c ou ld w e a ke n a n O W O. 2 OW O s ar e fin di ng th at th ey n ee d to a da pt th ei r m an ag em en t m et ho ds a s a re su lt of th e in cr ea se d ou ts ou rc in g th ey c om m iss io n. 3 Th er e ar e di ffe re n t w ay s of a ss es sin g th e to ta l f in an cia l w o rth o f o ut so ur ce d bu si ne ss . 4 Th er e m ay b e im pr ov e m e n ts fo r a n O W O ’s st af f w he n it ou ts ou rc es s er vi ce s. 5 D es pi te th ei r s uc ce ss in b u si ne ss te rm s, M SS s m ay n ot b e hi gh p ro file . 6 OW O s m ay n ot h av e co n si st en t p ol ici es w ith re ga rd to M SS s. 7 It is th eo re tic al ly po ss ib le fo r th e m ajo rity o f a n OW O ’s a ct iv iti es to b e co nt ra ct ed to M SS s. 8 O ut so ur cin g is af fe ct in g th e wa y pe rfo rm a n ce is m ea su re d in s om e ar ea s of b u si ne ss . READING SAMPLE PAPER Page 73 B E C H IG H E R A B C D E F G H A It wo u ld b e fa r be tte r, th ou gh , i f d iss id en ts in th e or ga ni sa tio n ra is ed th ei r d ou bt s be fo re ha nd , a nd w e re li st en ed to . B Th ey w a n t t o be re co gn ise d as h av in g ch an ge d th e co m pa ny in a w ay th at h ist or y w ill re m em be r. C Th is is n ot to a rg ue th at c om pa ni es s ho ul d n ev e r a tte m pt a ny th in g br av e o r ris ky . D To o m u ch m on ey h as b ee n sp en t a nd to o m a ny re pu ta tio ns a re a t s ta ke to th in k a bo ut s to pp in g at th is st ag e. E O ne s ol ut io n is to s et ta rg et s fo r a p ro jec t a n d to a gr e e in a dv a n ce to a ba nd on it if th es e ar e no t m et . F Af te r a ll, pe op le w ho p er sis te nt ly po in t t o po te nt ia l p itf a lls a re s ee n as n eg at ive a n d di slo ya l. G Bu t t he y of te n re ly on ly on th os e pa rts o f i t th at s up po rt th ei r c as e. H Co up le d wi th th is, th ey in sis t t ha t t he fa ilu re w a s so m e o n e e ls e’ s fa u lt. 5 0 Ex am pl e: Tu rn O ve r � PA RT TW O Qu es tio ns 9 – 1 4 • R ea d th is te xt ta ke n fr om a n ar tic le a bo ut h ow c o m pa ni es ’d ec isi on -m ak in g ca n go w ro ng . • Ch oo se th e be st s en te nc e fro m th e op po sit e pa ge to fi ll e ac h of th e ga ps . • Fo r e a ch g ap 9 – 1 4, m a rk o ne le tte r ( A – H ) o n y o u r An sw e r Sh ee t. • D o no t u se a ny le tte r m or e th an o nc e. • Th er e is a n ex a m pl e at th e be gi nn in g, (0 ). 4 Th os e w ho m ak e di sa str ou s bu sin es s de ci sio ns ge ne ra lly e xh ib it tw o ch ar ac te ris tic t yp es o f be ha vi ou r. Fi rs t th ey m ak e a se le ct iv e in te rp re ta tio n of th e ev id en ce w he n de ci di ng to g o ah ea d w ith a p ro jec t.( 0). . . H . . . H ow d o su ch b ad d ec is io ns c om e ab ou t? O ne r ea so n is th at t he p eo pl e in c on tro l ar e de te rm in ed to m ak e th ei r m ar k by do in g so m et hi ng d ra m at ic . (9) . . . . . . . . . . O nc e th e le ad er ha s de ci de d to p ut h is or h er n am e to a p ro jec t, m an y in t he o rg an isa tio n be lie ve i t po lit ic t o su pp or t it to o, w ha te ve r th ei r pr iv at e do ub ts. (10 )... . . . . . . . Th es e do ub te rs k no w t ha t su ch a pe rc ep tio n w ill c lo ud t he ir fu tu re c ar ee rs . Th e de si re t o ag re e w ith t he b os s is t yp ic al o f co m m itt ee s, w ith g ro up m em be rs o fte n ta ki ng co lle ct iv e d ec isi on s t ha t t he y w ou ld n ot h av e t ak en in di vi du al ly . Th ey lo ok a ro un d th e ta bl e, se e th ei r co lle ag ue s no dd in g in a gr ee m en t an d su pp re ss th ei r ow n do ub ts. I f al l th es e in te lli ge nt p eo pl e be lie ve th is is th e rig ht th in g to d o, th ey th in k to th em se lv es , pe rh ap s it is. I t ra re ly o cc ur s to co m m itt ee m em be rs th at a ll th ei r c ol le ag ue s ha ve m ad e th e sa m e du bi ou s c al cu la tio n. R es po ns ib le m an ag er s us ua lly a sk t o se e th e ev id en ce b ef or e re ac hi ng a d ec isi on . ( 11 )... . . . . . . . Ev en t ho se w ho c on sid er a ll th e ev id en ce , g oo d an d ba d, fa il to ta ke a cc ou nt o f t he fa ct th at e xp er t pr ed ic tio ns a re o fte n w ro ng . T he re as on fo r t hi s i s th at f ee db ac k is on ly e ffe ct iv e if it is re ce iv ed qu ic kl y an d of te n; a nd s en io r ex ec ut iv es r ar el y b