2019年商務(wù)英語考試BEC中級強(qiáng)化題

2019年商務(wù)英語考試BEC中級強(qiáng)化題1BuffetZoneLucyRobertsonstartedworkingatatake-awayfoodbusinesstosupplementherincomeduringherstudentdaysatEdinburghUniversity.Severalyearslatershehadboughtthebusinessandnow,17yearson,sheownsGrapevineCaterers,probablyScotland'sleadingindependentcaterers,withaturnoverofalmostε6m.Shehadneverplannedtoownabusiness,andhadcertainlyneverconsideredacareerincatering.(0)...G…However,herunplannedcareerbeganin1985,whenshereturnedtoEdinburghanddiscoveredthatthetakeawayshehadworkedinwasupforsale.Onimpulse,sheboughtit,butadmitsthatatthetimesheknewnothingaboutcatering.(8).....Itwasdifficulttime,butessentialintermsofgainingtheexperiencesheneeded.Thelate1980sboomwasgoodforbusiness,withlargenumbersofofficeworkerswantingtakeawayfoodfortheirlunches.(9)....."Atonepointtherewere26foodoutletswithina5-kilometreradius,"Robertsonrecalls,astheeconomychangedandtheoncepackedofficeblocksstartedtobecomevacant,itbecameclearthatRobertsonwouldneedtodiversify.(10)......Itchangedthedirectionofthecompanyforgood.AsRobertsonbegantowincateringcontracts,shedecidedthatthecompanywouldhavetomovetolargerpremises.In1994,themovewasmadewhensheboughtanothercateringbusinessthatalreadyhadanumberofprofitablecontractsforboardroomlunches.Meanwhile,Robertson'smaincompetitor,theoldestcateringcompanyinEdinburgh,wascausinghersomeanxiety."Customerloyallyisnottobeunderestimated,"shewarns.ButRobertsonisnotsomeonewhoiseasilyputoff.(11)......Partlyasaresultofthis,turnoverdoubled,andhavingoutgrownanothersite,Robertsonboughtacity-centrelocationforthegroup'sheadquarters.Bynow,Grapevine'smaincompetitorwasanewcateringcompanycalledTowngates.AlthoughRobertsontriedtoraiseenoughmoneytobuyTowngates,shedidnotsucceed.ThenluckintervenedandTowngateswentbankrupt.(12)......Manyacceptedandthecompany'sturnoverwentfromε700,000toε1.5millionalmostovernight.However,thecompany'sgrowthwasnotassmoothasitsoundsinretrospect.Robertsonadmits,"Weclosetotheedgeduringthegrowthperiod.Likemanyunder-capitalizedcompaniestryingtogrow,itmighteasilyhavecollapsed."Butthat,shefeels,isthechallengeofdevelopingyourownbusiness.thereareplentyofsimilarcontractstobewonintheeastofScotlandbeforeRobertsonturnsherattentionelsewhere.wayroundthisparticularproblemwastorecruitthecateringmanageroftherivalcompany.thisdemandwasshort-lived,andbeforelong,increasingcompetitionmadeithardertomakeaprofit.D．"Itwasadramaticlearningcurveandverysmallamountsofmoneywereearnedatfirst,"saysRobertson.E．Shedecidedthatthesolution,sincemanycompaniesrequiredworkinglunchesfor meetingswithclients,wastoprepareanddelivermealstobusinesspremises.hearingthis,Robertsonimmediatelycontactedalloftheirclientsandofferedthe servicesofGrapevineCaterers.shestudiedaccountancyafterleavinguniversity,andasteadyifunspectacularprofessionalpathseemedset.（8）2、FindingtherightpeopleWhenasmallcompanygrows,managersmusttakeonmanynewroles.Besidestheday-to-dayrunningofthebusiness,theyfindthemselvesresponsiblefor,amongotherthings,relationswithoutsideinvestors,increasedlevelsofcashflowand,hardestofall,recruitment. Formostmanagersofsmallandmedium-sizedenterprises,thejobofsearchingfor,interviewingandselectingstaffisdifficultandtime-consuming. (0)G .Interviewing,forexample,isahighlyskilledactivityinitself. “Wehavefoundthewholeprocessveryhard,”saysDanBaker,foundingpartnerofaPRcompany.“Insevenyearswehavegrownfromfivetoeighteenstaff,butwehavenotfounditeasytolocateandrecruittherightpeople.” (8) .AsDanBakerexplains,“Wewenttooneforoutfirstrecruitmentdrive,buttheytookalotofmoneyinadvanceanddidn’tputforwardanybodysuitable.Intheendwehadtodoitourselves.” MostrecruitmentdecisionsarebasedonapileofCVs,acoupleofshortinterviewsandtwocautiousreferences.DavidRowe,abusinesspsychologist,studiedhowappointmentsweremadeinfivesmallcompanies.Heclaimsthatselectionwasrarelybasedinclearcriteria. (9) Thiskindofapproachtorecruitmentoftenhasunhappyconsequencesforbothemployersandnewrecruits. Smallcompaniesoftenknowwhatkindofpersontheyarelookingfor. (10) .AccordingtoDavidRowe,this