首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
How to approach Listening Test Part Three • In this part you listen twice to a long conversation, interview or monologue, and an
How to approach Listening Test Part Three • In this part you listen twice to a long conversation, interview or monologue, and an
admin
2010-01-24
47
问题
How to approach Listening Test Part Three
• In this part you listen twice to a long conversation, interview or monologue, and answer eight questions.
• Before you listen, read the questions. Think about what will be said.
• Note all possible answers as you listen for the first time. Do not make an immediate decision.
• Listen for overall meaning. Do not choose an answer just because you hear the same words in the recording as in the question.
• Decide on your final answer only after you have listened for the second time.
• You will hear a college lecturer talking to a class of business students about a merger between two supermarket chains.
• For each question 28 - 30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.
• You will hear the recording twice.
Today’s case study concerns a merger between two supermarket chains, and subsequent problems. Before I hand out the’ documentation, here’s a quick overview.
Five years ago, Kelway Supermarkets merged with ’its low-cost rival Duncan, to form a company called KD. Although the new business was still far smaller than the chief players in the retail food sector, analysts believed its increased size would allow KD to put pressure on its suppliers to keep their prices down. However, Duncan and Kelway both had strong, rather different images, and doubts were expressed about how well they fitted together
The merger wasn’t Successful. The company maintained both chains, while converting some of the low-cost Duncan stores to the Kelway format, which meant these rebranded stores took on Kelway’s name, product range and higher prices, The conversion was possible once the supply chains of the two brands had been unified. But this policy seriously underestimated the difference between the customers of the two chains, and the rebranded stores lost customers. However, fears of competition from foreign supermarkets moving into the country failed to materialise.
Another problem resulted from the new structure introduced after the merger With two sets Of senior managers competing for positions, there was a risk of allocating them equally to the two chains, rather than on merit. The negotiations led to a satisfactory outcome, however, which included Kelway’s former chief executive becoming responsible for stores, and Duncan’s taking charge of systems, supply chain and logistics. Both worked conscientiously for the good of both chains. However, certain problems slipped between the two of them and failed to be resolved.
After two years of poor results, increasing KD ’S debt burden, the company decided to sell off a number of stores, particularly on out-of-town sites, which were too large to fit its new concept. The sale was intended to fund the transformation of both chains into convenience retailers, operating particularly in town centres, on petrol forecourts and within department stores. Unfortunately, though, few companies were interested in purchasing the sites which were for sale.
KD believes its appeal to customers is the fact that it’s a discounter, and hopes that the resulting high sales volume will compensate for its thin profit margins. This is a strong feature of its advertising, which even makes direct comparisons with its competitors, and the company has never felt the need to follow other supermarkets in setting up loyalty schemes to encourage repeat custom.
Despite its efforts, though, sales are still falling. Last month the Chairman admitted that this wasn’t caused by the general market slowdown, as KD is underperforming most other supermarket chains. While rejecting claims that the company is still suffering from internal stresses, he acknowledged the chief cause by launching a change of philosophy: for the first time the company will find out what purchasers actually want in its supermarkets.
The Chairman also announced several further moves to turn round the company’s performance. One is to examine new ways of promoting .the brands, in order to spend the advertising budget as effectively as possible, Secondly, the company will take a close look at all its suppliers, to ensure that they are the best ones to use: And thirdly, the range of goods on offer will be significantly broadened, to attract a wider spectrum of customers.
OK; that briefly is the recent history of KD. Your first task is to identify all the factors which have contributed to the company’s troubles since the merger, and assess how it dealt with each of them. Take the merger itself as given. Alter that we’ll look at where the company goes from here. So could , you pass round these papers, and then start work.
选项
A、reduce its costs.
B、improve its public image.
C、compete with the market leaders.
答案
A
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/3LzO777K
本试题收录于:
BEC中级听力题库BEC商务英语分类
0
BEC中级听力
BEC商务英语
相关试题推荐
PROBLEMSFACINGPOTENTIALEXPORTERS1Inordertobesuccessful,afirmmustclearly______,objectivesandpotentialproble
TaskTwo—SummaryofthenewsForquestions18-22,matchtheextractswiththesummariesofthebusinessnews,listedA-HForeac
TaskTwo—SummaryofthenewsForquestions18-22,matchtheextractswiththesummariesofthebusinessnews,listedA-HForeac
SELLINGTACTICSNOTESBusinessPresentationPayAttentiontoGettingAttention1Amajorobstacleofsellingthingsisthatyou
Youwillhearadialogueamongfourspeakers.TheyaretalkingaboutMegadromeParkproblem.Foreachquestion(23-30),markone
Youwillhearpartofaconversationbetweentwocompanyemployees,awomancalledRoseandamancalledSteve.Foreachquestio
Youwillhearadiscussionbetweentwomanagers,KathyandDuncan,whoworkintheHumanResourcesdepartmentofacompany.For
Youwillhearfivedifferentbusinesstelephonecalls.Foreachextracttherearetwotasks.ForTaskOne,choosethereceiver’s
•Thethreechartsbelowshowacompany’soperatingprofit(in$million),turnover(in$million)andunitsales(i.e.numbero
ThebarbelowshowsthenumberofstudentsatDiversityCollegewhoareimmigrants,bylastcountryofpermanentresidence.Usi
随机试题
星形细胞瘤据其组成的细胞类型可分四型,不属于其类型为
患者男性,53岁,1d前突发神志不清,右侧肢体活动障碍。头CT示脑出血。1h前出现呕血,量约50ml,查体;肝脾无肿大。引起呕血最可能的病因是
乳牙根尖周炎常出现瘘管的原因是
患者,男,20岁。口舌生疮,面赤口渴,心烦失眠,舌红脉数,应选
A.阿司匹林B.布洛芬C.尼美舒利D.吡罗昔康E.保泰松
对钢结构防火涂料施工的验收要求是()
躯体运动的最高级中枢位于()。
A、 B、 C、 D、 C在这组图中,五个图形呈现出以第三个图形为中心的轴对称的规律,在选择正确答案时要注意图形中阴影的变化。本题正确答案为C。
简述H—O模型的基本论点并进行评价。
请在【答题】菜单下选择【进入考生文件夹】命令,并按照题目要求完成下面的操作。注意:以下的文件必须都保存在考生文件夹下。在考生文件夹下打开文档.EXCEL.XLSX。【背景素材】财务部助理小王需要向主管汇报2013年度公司差旅报销情况,现在请按照如下
最新回复
(
0
)