BEC Preliminary Test Paper() READING QUESTIONS 1-45 PART ONE Look at the question 1-5 In each question, which sentence is correct? For each question, mark one letter(A, B, or C)on your Answer Sheet Office Staff Required Experience essential Full training given (leading to recognized qualifications) Applicants must have a. relevant qualifi b. previous experience c recognized training SPORTMASTER Pakistan-based manufacturers of sports items wishing to do business in Europe is looking for importers TEL:925554321 Sportmaster wants to a. sell its products abroad b import products into Pakistan. c.manufacture in Europe NOTICES FOR DISPLAy ABOVE THIS PHOTOCOPIER MUST FIRST BE HANDED TO RECEPTION
BEC Preliminary Test Paper (I) READING QUESTIONS 1 – 45 PART ONE Questions 1 – 5 ⚫ Look at the question 1 – 5. ⚫ In each question, which sentence is correct? ⚫ For each question, mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet. 1. Applicants must have a. relevant qualifications. b. previous experience. c. recognized training. 2. Sportmaster wants to a. sell its products abroad. b. import products into Pakistan. c. manufacture in Europe. 3. Office Staff Required Experience essential Full training given (leading to recognized qualifications) NOTICES FOR DISPLAY ABOVE THIS PHOTOCOPIER MUST FIRST BE HANDED TO RECEPTION SPORTMASTER Pakistan-based manufacturers of sports items wishing to do business in Europe is looking for importers TEL: 92 555 4321
a. You can photocopy notices at Reception for display here b. Photocopied notices can only be displayed at Reception c. Take your notice to Reception if you want it displayed here THE AIRPORT EXPRESS DEPARTS FROM PLATFORM 3 EVERY 20 MINUTES DURING THE DAY(EVERY 30 MINUTES AT NIGHT a. The train service to the airport runs 24 hours a day b. Airport trains leave Platform 3 at 20 minutes past the hour c. The airport express takes half an hour at night. Goods not normally dispatched unless paid for at time of ordering ----payment on delivery by special arrangement only Customers should normally pay for goods a. when their order is processed b. when the goods are delivered c. when they place an order PART TWO Questions 6-10 Look at the advertisement below. It shows services offered by a business consultancy. For questions 6-10, decide which service(A-H)would be suitable for each person For each question, mark one letter(A-H)on your Answer Sheet o Do not use any letter more than once THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS? Need expert advice and or assistance in one or more of the following areas? a Market research B Constructing a schedule C Calculating costs D Meeting legal requirements E Obtaining finance F Renting or purchasing premises G Recruiting and training staff H Promoting products and services 6. Margaret Williams needs help in choosing the business loan with the most competitive terms
a. You can photocopy notices at Reception for display here. b. Photocopied notices can only be displayed at Reception. c. Take your notice to Reception if you want it displayed here. 4. a. The train service to the airport runs 24 hours a day. b. Airport trains leave Platform 3 at 20 minutes past the hour. c. The airport express takes half an hour at night. 5. Customers should normally pay for goods a. when their order is processed. b. when the goods are delivered. c. when they place an order. PART TWO Questions 6 – 10 ⚫ Look at the advertisement below. It shows services offered by a business consultancy. ⚫ For questions 6 – 10, decide which service (A – H) would be suitable for each person. ⚫ For each question, mark one letter (A – H) on your Answer Sheet. ⚫ Do not use any letter more than once. THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS? Need expert advice and / or assistance in one or more of the following areas? A Market Research B Constructing a schedule C Calculating costs D Meeting legal requirements E Obtaining finance F Renting or purchasing premises G Recruiting and training staff H Promoting products and services 6. Margaret Williams needs help in choosing the business loan with the most competitive terms. Goods not normally dispatched unless paid for at time of ordering ---- payment on delivery by special arrangement only THE AIRPORT EXPRESS DEPARTS FROM PLATFORM 3 EVERY 20 MINUTES DURING THE DAY (EVERY 30 MINUTES AT NIGHT)
7. Ibrahim Shaw wants to be sure that there will be enough demand for his products 8. Maria smith would like some advice about where to advertise a new line of goods 9. King Seng wants to research new laws on constructing buildings 10. Peter Anderson needs to know whether his existing funds are enough to set up his business PART THREE Questions 11-15 The following two bar charts illustrate the employment in Someland in 1975 and 1995 Tell whether the statements 11-15 are true or False Employment in Someland by sex in 6 sectors, 1975(000) Public sector(defence) Public sector( non-defence) Wholesale retail trade banking Communications 10020030040 00 600700800900 Employment in Someland by sex in 6 sectors, 1995(000 Public sector( defence) Public sector(non-defence) inance/banking Communications Manufacturing 0 100 300400 600700800900 During the two decades between 1975 and 199 11. Women made gains in all sectors of the Someland work force 12. In three sectors, the number of women employed rose while the number of men employed 13. In the wholesale and retail trade sector, the number of women employed rose greatest
7. Ibrahim Shaw wants to be sure that there will be enough demand for his products. 8. Maria Smith would like some advice about where to advertise a new line of goods. 9. King Seng wants to research new laws on constructing buildings. 10. Peter Anderson needs to know whether his existing funds are enough to set up his business. PART THREE Questions 11 – 15 ⚫ The following two bar charts illustrate the employment in Someland in 1975 and 1995. ⚫ Tell whether the statements 11 – 15 are TRUE or FALSE. Employment in Someland by sex in 6 sectors, 1975 (,000) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Manufacturing Communications Finance / banking Wholesale & retail trade Public sector(non-defence) Public sector(defence) Men Women Employment in Someland by sex in 6 sectors, 1995 (,000) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Manufacturing Communications Finance / banking Wholesale & retail trade Public sector(non-defence) Public sector(defence) Men Women During the two decades between 1975 and 1995 11. Women made gains in all sectors of the Someland work force. 12. In three sectors, the number of women employed rose while the number of men employed remained unchanged. 13. In the wholesale and retail trade sector, the number of women employed rose greatest
14. In Public sector(defense), the number of men declined, while the number of women rose 15. Women appear to have made gains but not at the expense of men in the Someland work force PART FOUR Questions 16-22 Read the advertisement below for a hot drinks machine ● Are sentences16-22“ right”or“ wrong": If there is not enough information to answer “ right”or“ wrong”, choose“ doesn'tsay For each sentence 16-22, mark one letter(A, B, or C)on your Answer Sheet. ADVERTISING FEATURE Save money and keep your staff happy It can be expensive to keep the canteen open to serve drinks to your through the day. Our QVM hot drinks machine replaces this service,So that you can close the canteen between mealtimes You can install the QVM hot drinks machine anywhere in the building. One machine is suitable for a staff of ten to fifteen people. It costs 1300 pounds to buy, or ll pounds per week to rent over 60 months It is not expensive to operate: for example, the cost of power for one day 30p, nearly as cheap as the price of one hot drink from the machine Our company will carry out a weekly service, at a charge of 10 pounds. We can also refill the machine with drinks ingredients for an extra charge of 8 pounds. Some customers prefer to do this themselves, There are eight choices of hot drink available from the QvM machine, and our company offers one month's trial free of charge, so that you can estimate how popular the machine will be and see what the actual savings are 16. With a QVM machine, companies can avoid having a canteen altogether A B Wrong C. Doesn t say 17. The QVM machine provides enough hot drinks for up to fifteen people B. W 18. Most customers prefer to rent the QVm machine over sixty months A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say 19. The electricity used daily by the machine costs less than the price of a hot drink. A Right B C Doesnt say 20. The machine company empties the money from the machine as part of its service agreement A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesnt say 21. Customers can refill their machines with drinks ingredients, if they want to A B. W 22. During the trial period, the customer pays a reduced amount to rent the machine A Right B. Wrong C Doesnt say
14. In Public sector (defense), the number of men declined, while the number of women rose. 15. Women appear to have made gains but not at the expense of men in the Someland work force. PART FOUR Questions 16 - 22 ⚫ Read the advertisement below for a hot drinks machine. ⚫ Are sentences 16 - 22 “right” or “wrong”? If there is not enough information to answer “right” or “wrong”, choose “doesn’t say”. ⚫ For each sentence 16 - 22, mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet. 16. With a QVM machine, companies can avoid having a canteen altogether. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 17. The QVM machine provides enough hot drinks for up to fifteen people. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 18. Most customers prefer to rent the QVM machine over sixty months. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 19. The electricity used daily by the machine costs less than the price of a hot drink. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 20. The machine company empties the money from the machine as part of its service agreement. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 21. Customers can refill their machines with drinks ingredients, if they want to. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 22. During the trial period, the customer pays a reduced amount to rent the machine. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say ADVERTISING FEATURE Save money and keep your staff happy It can be expensive to keep the canteen open to serve drinks to your through the day. Our QVM hot drinks machine replaces this service, so that you can close the canteen between mealtimes. You can install the QVM hot drinks machine anywhere in the building. One machine is suitable for a staff of ten to fifteen people. It costs 1300 pounds to buy, or 11 pounds per week to rent over 60 months. It is not expensive to operate: for example, the cost of power for one day is 30p, nearly as cheap as the price of one hot drink from the machine. Our company will carry out a weekly service, at a charge of 10 pounds. We can also refill the machine with drinks ingredients for an extra charge of 8 pounds. Some customers prefer to do this themselves, however. There are eight choices of hot drink available from the QVM machine, and our company offers one month’s trial free of charge, so that you can estimate how popular the machine will be and see what the actual savings are
PART FIVE Questions 23-28 Read the following review of a book called The bosses speal o Choose the correct answer for each question 23-28 Mark one letter(A, B, or C)on your Answer Sheet. he Bosses Speak John Stuart is an executive recruitment specialist who has turned to writing. The result is this book, based on interviews with twenty Chief Executives Each top manager ---none of them famous names, surprisingly -- is given a short chapter, and there is some introductory material and a conclusion. This means you can jump from one person to another, in any order, which is good for people who are too busy to read a book from cover to cover. For a management book it isnt expensive, although whether its good value for money is doubtful Some of the twenty interviewees started their own businesses, while others joined a ompany and worked their way up. Some are fairly new in their position, and others have had years of experience, though, strangely, Stuart doesnt seem interested in these differences. The interviewees work in everything from retailing to airlines to softwar and it is this variety that forms the main theme of Stuarts book I have to say that Stuarts approach annoys me. He rarely stays at a distance from his interviewees, who are mostly presented in their own, positive words If this were al ways the case, at least you would know where you were. But he seems to dislike certain interviewees. As a result, I don t know whether to accept any of his opinions It also means that the book gives no clear lessons. At the very least, I expected to learn what makes a successful Chief Executive. But these people seem to share two types of qualities. Some of them are very common, suggesting that anyone can be equally successful, which is definitely not the case. And the other qualities are ones which most successful bosses I have seen definitely don't have So in the end I am no wiser about what really goes on Perhaps I am being unfair. As long as you don' t think about whether you'd like them as friends, and pay no attention to most of the advice they give, the most readable parts are where the bosses describe their route to their present position Stuart seems to think that his book would be useful for people aiming for the top, and it might even make a few want to start their own company; but, in fact, what they could learn here is very limited. Seen as light business reading for a doctor or teacher, though, this book would provide some good entertainment. 24. The book concentrates on the fact that the twenty executives who are interviewed a. work in a number of different industries c have worked for different lengths of time 25. The reviewer cannot accept Stuarts opinions because Stuart a. makes unreasonable complaints about the interviewees
PART FIVE Questions 23 – 28 ⚫ Read the following review of a book called The Bosses Speak. ⚫ Choose the correct answer for each question 23 – 28. ⚫ Mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet. 23. The reviewer suggests that one advantage of this book is that a. it is better value than other management books. b. it doesn’t need to be read right through. c. it is about well-known people. 24. The book concentrates on the fact that the twenty executives who are interviewed a. work in a number of different industries. b. started their companies. c. have worked for different lengths of time. 25. The reviewer cannot accept Stuart’s opinions because Stuart a. makes unreasonable complaints about the interviewees. The Bosses Speak John Stuart is an executive recruitment specialist who has turned to writing. The result is this book, based on interviews with twenty Chief Executives. Each top manager ---- none of them famous names, surprisingly ---- is given a short chapter, and there is some introductory material and a conclusion. This means you can jump from one person to another, in any order, which is good for people who are too busy to read a book from cover to cover. For a management book it isn’t expensive, although whether its good value for money is doubtful. Some of the twenty interviewees started their own businesses, while others joined a company and worked their way up. Some are fairly new in their position, and others have had years of experience, though, strangely, Stuart doesn’t seem interested in these differences. The interviewees work in everything from retailing to airlines to software, and it is this variety that forms the main theme of Stuart’s book. I have to say that Stuart’s approach annoys me. He rarely stays at a distance from his interviewees, who are mostly presented in their own, positive words. If this were always the case, at least you would know where you were. But he seems to dislike certain interviewees. As a result, I don’t know whether to accept any of his opinions. It also means that the book gives no clear lessons. At the very least, I expected to learn what makes a successful Chief Executive. But these people seem to share two types of qualities. Some of them are very common, suggesting that anyone can be equally successful, which is definitely not the case. And the other qualities are ones which most successful bosses I have seen definitely don’t have. So in the end I am no wiser about what really goes on. Perhaps I am being unfair. As long as you don’t think about whether you’d like them as friends, and pay no attention to most of the advice they give, the most readable parts are where the bosses describe their route to their present position. Stuart seems to think that his book would be useful for people aiming for the top, and it might even make a few want to start their own company; but, in fact, what they could learn here is very limited. Seen as light business reading for a doctor or teacher, though, this book would provide some good entertainment