BANKING UNIVERSITY OF HCMC

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

READING 4
PROGRESS TEST 1
NAME: Time allotted: 60 minutes
………………………………………….. (Students are not allowed to consult any types of
materials and dictionaries.)
CLASS: D05

PART 1
Questions 1:
Read the texts and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the text?
Help wanted: executive assistant with minimum 2 – 3 years' experience. French or Spanish desirable.
Excellent computer skills necessary: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, internet. Application pack
downloadable at www.bright-sparks.co.uk/recruitment.
Bright Sparks would like to recruit French or Spanish native assistants.
An experienced executive assistant needs help finding a job.
Applicants looking for a job as an executive assistant need to go to the company's website.

Questions 2:
Read the texts and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the text?
Dear all, Due to last quarter's results the sales meeting scheduled for next Friday has been moved forward
to this Tuesday. All sales reps are required to attend.
Regards,
David Clarke
David Clarke is most likely a sales rep.
David Clarke is most likely the sales manager.
David Clarke is most likely the CFO

Questions 3:
Read the texts and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the text?
Please do not power off computers before leaving this evening. We will be working on a new login
procedure over the weekend. Refer to the email we sent earlier to see the new login protocol.

the computers should stay on all weekend.

it will not be possible to login on Monday.
emails will not be active under the new protocol.

Questions 4:
Read the texts and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the text?
All expense reports must henceforth be accompanied by receipts for the full amount. Any reports not
fulfilling these criteria will be at the cost of the employee.

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 the company no longer reimburses expenses.
employee costs are rising.
the accounting department needs receipts.

Questions 5:
Look at the graph and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the graph?

Total debt in the UK rose exponentially between 2008 and 2012.

Debt as a percentage of GDP plummeted sharply in 2009.
GDP rose rapidly over the last five years on the chart.

Questions 6:
Read the texts and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the text?
A new government initiative designed to drive the sales of electric cars in the UK was launched today. A
budget running into the millions has been made available to explore the feasibility of using electric car
batteries to create electricity that could be pumped straight back into the power grid. This plan follows hot
on the heels of similar clean transport projects being launched Europe wide in the wake of recent national
elections.

Electric cars are costly to the national grid but necessary for the environment.
The British government has joined a general trend to promote clean driving.
The government was forced to spend millions to deliver on European election pledges.

Questions 7:
Look at the graph and click on the best answer.
Which sentence most closely matches the meaning of the graph?

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 Asian sales are predicted to soar while European sales will remain stagnant.
The slight drop in North American sales will be offset by the sales in Latin America.
Sales in Europe and Africa are predicted to grow at a lesser rate than those in Asia.

PART 2
Click in each gap. A choice of words will appear. Click on the word you think completes the sentence.

Questions 8:
If we            receive the payment by this time tomorrow contact an outside collection agency.

Questions 9:
Most of our products are            by truck but some go by sea.

Questions 10:
All of our personnel            part in the customer service training and should now be fully
operational.

Questions 11:
If we're on the stock exchange, we'll have to            our financial statements.

Questions 12:
What attracted me to this company was the            training

Questions 13 :
We'd only pay €10,000 if you            an extra year's guarantee.

Questions 14:
For our most loyal customers we tend to            the shipping fee for orders over £10,000.

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Questions 15:
Had they rejected that offer, we would            with a counter offer worth a further 10%.

Questions 16:
It has been suggested that our sales division            closer to our target market.

Questions 17:
We feel it best that our sales launches be            so that we don't overwhelm the market with
too many products at the same time.

PART 3
Click in each gap. A choice of words will appear. Click on the word you think completes each phrase
or sentence.
Text 1: Questions 18-22
To open a bank account in the UK you will need to have some kind of I.D., proof of address such as an
electricity            and a minimum deposit which can be as low as ten pounds. Choosing a
bank can be more challenging. Most major banks will offer you a free credit or debit            
as well as a chequebook and online banking tools. Some banks may have better interest          
 for savings than others and some may not charge you for using your card abroad. One
solution that some people take is to use different banks for different purposes. One bank may be chosen
for day to day            while another may be chosen to pay your mortgage and bills and
yet another for savings. By diversifying you give yourself more power over the banks and can easily
threaten to            banks if you are unhappy.

Text 2: Questions 23-27

These days, employees in the UK are generally paid monthly at the end of each month. It is not so very
long ago, however, that an employee would receive his or her pay            in cash once a
week. For this reason many flats and houses still            their rental prices per week rather
than per month. It could be said that this system has a certain logic since each week has seven days and
some months are longer than others. Why should tenants pay the same for February as for March? In the
United States many companies still pay their employees bimonthly and            cheque. Their
rent will be paid monthly but also in many cases by cheque. This system by comparison seems quite
antiquated since the first British employees know about their monthly wage is when they see it appear on
their bank account by using the app on their smartphone. If they need cash they simply go to what British
people still sometimes refer to as ‘the hole in the           ' but Americans would know as an
ATM. Otherwise almost all purchases are paid for by           , using the chip and pin
technology that is commonplace in Europe but has yet to convince banks or consumers across the pond.

Text 3: Questions 28-32

Andrew Adonis, known as the ‘architect' of university tuition fees in the UK recently criticised the latest
incarnation of his creation as a Ponzi scheme. The intention was clearly to discredit the way that fees have

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 risen incrementally in recent years but the            was not quite correct. The concept of a
Ponzi scheme was named after Charles Ponzi who was arrested in 1920 after running a          
 aimed at fleecing customers out of their money. In recent times the term has become more
synonymous with Bernard Madoff who, in the midst of a global economic crisis, was caught falsifying
trading reports in order to convince customers they were making a profit while he            
the extra.
In essence a Ponzi scheme is little different to a pyramid scheme. The key is to constantly have a flow of
new customers. The money given by the newest arrivals is used to pay the profits to the first subscribers
and can            as long as there are more people willing to join. As soon as the flow of new
arrivals dries up, the plan implodes leaving the favoured few making            with the money
and the rest out of pocket.

Text 4: Questions 33-37

Bright Sparks is pleased   announce that our search for a new marketing director is over. Starting
next Monday, Debbie Harris   take on the position with a brief to revitalise the department and
particularly our overseas brand identity. Before joining us, Debbie was VP Marketing for several IT
companies   Silicon Valley and was responsible   some of the most innovative
promotional campaigns of the last few years. We   like you all to welcome her to Bright Sparks
and assist her in putting us at the forefront of our sector.

Text 5: Questions 38-42

Talent Management is one of the growth sectors in Human Resources. In the past, we referred to our
most valuable employees   ‘high potential' – a term now employed for what we used to call
‘gifted' children – but that is no longer considered quite so politically  Much more than just the
job of identifying who the best workers  , it is increasingly essential to make sure that we create
an environment that allows them to thrive. Furthermore, we need to let them see that we value them if
we don't want to see them snapped   by a rival firm. High salaries and fringe benefits help but
the pleasure of a pay rise is known to be relatively short  . Other means need to be deployed to
retain those top talents.

Text 6: Questions 43-47

 to our telephone conversation of this morning, I would like to go over what we have agreed.
We will be setting   a work group to study the efficiency of our internal systems as well as the
quality of our customer service. Starting   the first week of May, Tom Stones will run a training
course setting   the criteria to be evaluated and the scales we will be using. The results will be
compiled during the second week of June and Sara will be in charge of   the numbers to give us
the key ratios that we will use as our benchmark for the next phase of evaluations.
Should any of you have any queries or points to add to our project schedule, do not hesitate to contact

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 me or Tom.
Regards,
Henry Winkler
Text 7: Questions 48-52

A triple whammy effect has hit the pound this week causing it to tumble   both the Euro and
Dollar at rates not seen in over a decade. The drop in manufacturing output allied   the
slowdown in the construction industry and an ever widening trade deficit has left Britain
vulnerable   a crucial time so soon after election and so close to key trade negotiations.
Traders had been giving even odds on interest rates rising this year if not this quarter but all bets
are   at the moment given that a hike could prove catastrophic to households already
feeling   squeeze. The Prime Minister's speech at the House of Commons is more eagerly
awaited than usual this week.

PART 4
Read ALL the questions. Find the answers by reading the passage.

Passage 1:
Consumer groups are issuing a warning to customers to be extremely careful this summer when
choosing a car rental firm. A number of complaints from the general public have pushed Right Choice,
one of the UK's biggest consumer watchdogs, to write a list of do's and don'ts which they have posted
on their website for anyone planning to rent a car over the holiday period. Number one on their list is:
check the car very carefully before taking the keys. Even the slightest damage or scratch can cost you
hundreds of pounds if you don't point it out before leaving. Some well-known companies will charge
customers for damage caused by the previous customer. Since they have your credit card number they
can even take the money without informing you first. The second tip is to take photos of the car when
you give it back. Some companies will mysteriously discover damage that wasn't there when you
returned the car. The only way to be sure to fight your claim is to have photographic evidence. Right
Choice has already helped several customers who had taken photos to prove the car was in good
condition when they gave it back. Finally, beware of the cheapest car hire firms. Renting a car for £40 a
day is simply not profitable except if you have high extra charges for insurance or can fraudulently
invent extra charges for damages. Few customers have the time or energy after the summer to fight
these claims in court. Fortunately, consumer groups are happy to help out.

Questions 53: What have Right Choice put on their website?

A list of car hire firms.

Customer complaints.
Advice for travellers.
Summer holiday destinations.
Questions 54: What do they say amount damages to the car?

Check for scratches before taking the car.

Never give your credit card details.

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 Only use well-known companies.
Never pay more than one hundred pounds.
Questions 55: Why do they suggest taking photos?

Right Choice can put it on their website.

It proves that you have returned the car.
To fight additional charges.
To claim money back.
Questions 56: Why should customers avoid the cheapest firms?

They will not make a profit.

The companies might not exist after the summer.
These firms need additional charges to be profitable.
The cheapest companies are usually fraudulent.

Passage 2
From : [email protected]
To : all departments
Subject : a brighter future

Dear colleagues, As you know Delta Electronics is entering a crucial phase. It is up to us to take the
right decisions now to take the company into new markets and to make it stronger and healthier. All
levels of our personnel need to be aligned with our objectives and it will be your mission to train them
and build their commitment to what I feel certain will be an exciting and profitable future with
increased turnover and benefits to all levels of personnel. We have explored various means of funding
our expansion and the board feel that the best avenue is to issue bonds. As yet we have to define the
maturity and the coupon that will be applied to them but the executive committee will be taking these
decisions by the end of this quarter and so I ask you all to be patient and supportive of them as our
mutual commitment to this course of action will be key to our success. There are difficult choices to be
made but we will approach them as we always have in this company with clarity and assurance. Please
do not hesitate to contact me should any of you have any thoughts or queries. As ever I will be happy to
discuss them with you.

Sincerely yours,
Faye Smith COO, Delta Electronics Ltd
Questions 57: What is the purpose of this email?

to inform them of the company's future plans.

to ask them for their opinion about the company's future.
to involve them in a decision making process.
to invite heads of department to a meeting.
Questions 58: What does she ask them to do?

take part in a training course.

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 cascade this information to their direct reports.
create employee commitment.
take part in a profit sharing scheme.
Questions 59: What does turnover mean?

the profits.
the expenses
the outgoings.
the income.
Questions 60: How does the company plan to finance their expansion?

by using various means.

by issuing company stocks.
by issuing bonds
by taking out a loan
Questions 61: Who most likely is Faye Smith?

an employee of the finance department.

an executive of Delta Electronics.
the company's managing director.
The Chief Executive's personal assistant.

Passage 3
INNOVATIVE MARKETING

Marketing can be described as the process of planning and carrying out the conception, pricing,
distribution and promotion of products and services, summed up by marketers as the four P's – Product,
Price, Place and Promotion. Successful companies are capable of managing all aspects of the marketing
mix yet still there are companies that believe that marketing can be reduced to just one P, promotion.
Many of the world's top executives were trained as engineers or come from a background of finance
and don't have a grounding in marketing. From the outside it might seem that a well-crafted TV spot or
a well-placed billboard will suffice but these ‘one P' CEOs are falling behind the companies that
believe in real innovation in products. This can be most easily seen in the world of new technology
where not only has a ‘need' been created but growth has still not been abated. The power of branding is
perhaps stronger than at any time in the past and the tech companies are leading the way. Over half of
the top ten brands in the world come from Silicon Valley knocking the world's best known soft drink
off the top spot on their way. We have entered a period of ‘lust' marketing where brands would
genuinely be missed if they were no longer available. These brands have pushed the public to ask
themselves which website they go to automatically when they turn on their computers or which product
do they turn to when they need information. Companies have also been careful to avoid entering into
price wars. Prices are higher than ever but rather than lowering the cost to attract customers, the trend is
to maintain the price and offer an additional service for free, thus adding value. The customer is
convinced that he is getting a good deal and the company can maximize profits. This practice is only
sustainable however if the company has a strong brand which is backed up by innovative and continual
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marketing. The exceptions to this rule are what are known as ‘cult' brands such as Harley Davidson or
Fender Stratocaster. The customers of these brands automatically have something in common in a way
that toothpaste manufacturers or even mobile phone producers cannot manage. They have created a
concept of community among their customers which give them the additional advantage of not needing
to devote large sums of money to marketing expenses with little or no impact on the prestige of the
brand identity.
Questions 62: What is said about the marketing mix?

You only need one of the four Ps.

The four parts need to be managed successfully.
Some companies do not use all aspects.
They are only used by marketing specialists.
Questions 63: Who most often are ‘one P' CEOs?

People only trained in promotion.

Engineers with a grounding in marketing.
CEOs from the world of new technology.
Executives who didn't study marketing.
Questions 64: Why does the author think it is dangerous to only concentrate on one P?

It hinders innovation.
The growth can be abated.
It creates unnecessary needs.
It causes new technology companies to fall behind.
Questions 65: What is meant by a period of ‘lust'?

There are some brands that are no longer available.

A need exists that we can't do without.
Companies are missing the innovation to satisfy customers.
It exists in only half the brands in Silicon Valley.
Questions 66: Why does the author warn against price wars?

It devalues the brand.

Companies can find other ways to justify high prices.
Low prices are not sustainable.
Customers are not convinced of the quality of cheaper products.
Questions 67: Why are ‘cult' brands an exception?

Their customers consider themselves part of a community.

They have mimicked the marketing of toothpaste manufacturers.
They don't have the money to spend on advertising.
They don't believe in developing their brand identity.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~THIS IS THE END OF THE PROGRESS TEST #1~~~~~~~~~~~~

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