Reading:

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

Pros and Cons of Global Business

Travel

Global business travel is a successful industry these days. Business air

travelers make up a large part of ticket sales on major carriers. These
frequent fliers know how to book the best fares. They can work with flight
schedules. They have ways to recover from jet lag. Many of them can even
work well during flights. Laptops are now the most common piece of carry-
on luggage.

There are good reasons for companies to have their employees travel
overseas. Sending staff members to a new country means they can meet
with clients face to face. They can generate fresh ideas and find answers to
questions. They can also create ties in other countries. A dinner with a
client can create a valuable bond. These relationships help firms expand
their global networks.

But business travel has its downsides too. It costs money, and there's a

human toll as well. The problems include burnout and exposure to disease.
Then there's the lost time and lost luggage. Never mind the frayed nerves
and hours spent waiting in airports.

What does the future hold for business travel? Airlines are nervous. Email
and other electronic systems may soon make 15-hour trips for 3-hour
meetings things of the past. The video conference could replace air travel as
the main means of long-distance communication within the next decade.
Companies will soon invest more in video equipment than
in airfares. It's not a certainty, but it is likely. Unpack your bags and open
your laptop.
In this article, carriers refer to
__________.

(A) luggage handlers

(B) people who fly frequently

(C) people infected with disease

(D) airline companies

1 of 16 Next

The trend for the future, according to this

article, will probably be __________.

(A) increased video

communications
(B) more international air travel

(C) business travelers being nervous

(D) more in-person meetings with

clients

2 of 16 Next

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

TO: Kristin Donner, President

 Next week the employees in the International Loan Department will
receive training on the new computer system. Two trainers from the
ABC Training Group will come to our office next Wednesday.

I feel that managers should also attend the training. They need to
understand how to use the new system too. However, some of them
said they don't have the time to come.

We must start using this new system now, and there is not a good
time to do another training just for the managers. What do you
suggest we do to make sure that everyone receives the training?

Please me as soon as you can. Please email any helpful

ideas or other suggestions to me directly.

Thank you for considering this problem. I hope to hear from you this
week.

What is the problem Louis Johnson has

with the training?

(A) There are not enough people for two

training sessions.
(B) The two trainers don't have time do
the training on Wednesday.
(C) Some of the managers can't
attend the training on
Wednesday.
(D) The new computer system is too
difficult to understand.

3 of 16 Next

Look at the word  in the memo. Which

phrase means the same thing as ?

(A)  to agree with someone

(B)  to call someone on the telephone

(C)  to ask a question

(D)  to give useful suggestions

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.
 How to Get Reimbursed for Business Expenses

You will be paid back for any company expenses that you pay out of
pocket. For instance, if you take a taxi to a meeting with a client, the CFO
will approve a refund for the money you spend.

In order to get your money back for business expenses, you must follow
these steps:

1. Fill out the Reimbursement Form (form series 236-A). Be sure to

explain the expense in the box marked "Reason."
2. The Reimbursement Form must include your full name (printed),
your signature, and the date.
3. Your manager must approve the expense. Ask your manager to
sign and date the Reimbursement Form on page 2. If your
manager is on vacation, you may request a signature from your
manager's supervisor.
4. Submit the Current Address Form (form series 967-B). This is an
important step.
5. Write your Employee I.D. Number on both forms. Write it clearly.
6. Specify your department.
7. Compile and submit the original receipts for your expenses. Sign
and date them.
8. Make copies of the receipts and the forms.
9. Submit both forms and the receipts together.

Failure to supply any of the required information or signatures can result in

a delay in repayment. Allow six weeks for repayment. The money will be
mailed to the address you provided on the Current Address Form.

If you have any questions about these directions, please contact the Bursar's
office at extension 0812. We will be happy to answer your questions.
In order to get reimbursed for expenses,
an employee must __________.

(A) have a manager sign both forms

(B) visit the Bursar's office

(C) submit two different forms

(D) approve all the expenses

5 of 16 Next

In these directions, the word them refers

to __________.

(A) the photocopies

(B) the expenditures

 (C) both forms

(D) the receipts

6 of 16 Next

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

Thank you for your fax of April 29.

Here is my new flight arrival information: AL #603 at SFO Airport

on May 15 at 9 a.m. I wanted to arrive an hour earlier, but there
were no direct flights from Boston to San Francisco at that time.
The only reservations I could get at an earlier time required a 2-
hour in Chicago. I didn't want to waste time waiting at
the Chicago airport. Could you please arrange for me to pick up a
rental car at the airport in San Francisco?

Also, please change the 10 a.m. tour time to 11 a.m. because of

my later flight time. Thank you for making these changes to the
schedule.

Joseph Kolb, our Production Manager, will be coming with me. I

would like him to take a company tour with us. The tour should
not last more than an hour because we have a 12:00 noon lunch
meeting.

See you on the 15th.

Kind regards,

Ms. Natasha Gold

Look at the word in the fax. Which

words or phrases mean the same thing as
?

(A) a period of rest after a trip

(B) a short stay between the parts of a

trip
(C) interruption of plane arrival and
departure times
(D) a cancellation for mechanical
problems

7 of 16 Next

How long will the tour be?

(A) more than an hour

(B) at 10 a.m.

(C) from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

(D) one hour or less

8 of 16 Next

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
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can help you! Our staff of computer experts can fix

almost any type of computer you have.

 Cost savings
You can save as much as 25% the first year.
  Fixed-price contracts
Costs of computer repair and new computer equipment
will not change.
 Fast response
Call anytime. Our staff will come to your office within two
hours of your call.
 Discount on new software
Our staff of technical experts will advise you on new
software programs. can install the software, and
we can offer you a very low price when you buy the
software from us.

Don't wait! Call now at: (555) 121-1112

How quickly can the staff at Compfix be at your

workplace?

(A) immediately following your call

(B) in 3 hours or more

(C) any time

(D) in 2 hours or less

Look at the word in the

advertisement. Who does the word
refer to?

(A) the computer technicians

(B) management staff

(C) the software designers

(D) the office workers

10 of 16 Next

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

by Jane Gilman

When I travel on business, I don't

want to waste time deciding what to
eat, where to eat, or how to get to
a restaurant. The best idea is to ask
 about places to eat before you leave on your trip. Find out if
friends, family, and co-workers know of any good restaurants in
the city where you will be staying. Write down the names,
addresses, and phone numbers of any restaurants that are
recommended to you. Be sure to put this list in your wallet or
purse so it's easy to find.

If you can't get any helpful before you go, you can always
ask for advice at the hotel where you are staying. The person
you should talk to for suggestions is usually called the
concierge. The concierge's job is to help guests make restaurant
reservations, get tickets to theater or music events for them, or
to suggest places for them to shop.

Talk to the concierge as early as you can. Tell the concierge

what kind of food you want (I always ask for a good Italian
restaurant, as most cities seem to have one). In addition, tell
the concierge what time you want to eat, how far you want to
travel, and how much money you want to spend. This is a very
fast and easy way to find good restaurants if you didn't get
recommendations before leaving home.

Good luck and happy eating!

What is the best way to find a good restaurant?

(A) ask people about it before you travel

(B) ask the travel agents

(C) ask the front desk of your hotel

(D) ask at a good Italian restaurant

Look at the word in the article.

Which words or phrases mean the same
thing as in this article?

(A) restaurants or hotels

(B) tickets and places to shop

(C) money

(D) advice or suggestions

12 of 16 Next
Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

The City of Roland Hills

Memorandum - DRAFT

TO: Mayor Jackson and City Council Members

FROM: Mary Smith, Chief City Accountant

Subject: Revision to loan agreement between the city and Sunnyside Mall

Proposal: Sunnyside Mall will provide the city with space for a teen
recreation center. In exchange, Sunnyside Mall will not be required to pay
back its loan from the city for last year's renovation.

Loan Agreement: The city and Sunnyside Mall entered into a loan
agreement in August. The city loaned Sunnyside Mall $520,000. Terms
included a 2.4% interest rate and no fees on a 20-year loan. Sunnyside Mall
now agrees to provide mall space to the city in exchange for forgiveness of
this loan.

Reason for Revision: When the loan agreement was signed, the city did
not know it would need to rent space for an expansion to the existing City
Teen Center (CTC). Space in Sunnyside Mall will give the city access to
low-income youth on the city's north side. It will use the CTC expansion to
provide recreation facilities and job training.

Financial Impact: The city and Sunnyside Mall agree that rent for the
CTC expansion for one month is equal to one monthly loan payment of
$4,000. This means that city revenues will decrease by $48,000 per year
over the remainder of the loan agreement.

Recommendation: The City Manager or a member of our legal staff

should draft a new agreement between the city and Sunnyside Mall stating
that as long as the mall provides space for an expanded CTC, it will not
have to make its monthly loan payments.

In the new agreement between the city and the mall, ______.
(A) the city will receive space for the CTC and the mall will not
have to pay back its loan from the city
(B) the city will pay $4,000 per month for space to build an expansion
for the CTC
(C) Sunnyside Mall will rent space from the city for an expansion to
theCityTeenCenter
(D) Sunnyside Mall will save $4,000 per month, but the city will lose
$48,000 per month
My answer is A

In this passage, It refers to the

 __________.

(A) the mall

(B) the city

(C) the loan

(D) youth

14 of 16 Next

READING

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D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

Next month, the Geo Tech Mining Inc. headquarters will relocate to
the Paris office. Two thirds of our business is in Europe now, and a
full third of this European business is in France. Therefore, it is
more convenient to have our main office where a majority of our
clients will be able to meet with us much more easily.

However, I know that many New York employees do not want to

move to Paris. When we move to Paris, some people will probably
quit and look for other jobs.

I don't want to lose our employees, but it is too expensive to keep

both locations open. Do you have any ideas about what we could
offer to our staff so that they won't ? I really don't
want them to leave the company. We want our best people on
board when we move.

Thank you for your help with this serious problem. I hope to hear
from you as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Daniel Ferrier

Why is the Geo Tech Mining Inc.

headquarters moving?
 (A) to encourage European clients to
visit New York
(B) to make it easier for employees to fly
to France
(C) to be closer to more of their
business contacts
(D) to get a less expensive office

15 of 16 Next

Look at the words in the memo.

Which phrase means the same thing as
?

(A) get on the next boat

(B) change staff

(C) get away from a troublesome

situation
(D) ask for a position on the board

16 of 16 Next

Reading

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Rico Rocha bought his two-bedroom hill cottage near the sea for what he thought was
a very high price. Rocha paid $250,000 for the one-bathroom place, which needed a
lot of fixing up.

Just two years later, Rocha feels pretty lucky. He thinks he can sell his tiny home for
close to $400,000.

"I can't believe it," Rocha said. "I feel like I've just made $150,000 by sitting on the
couch in my living room."

Is Rocha crazy? Not in this real-estate market, respond local experts.

"Prices in the West Bedford region have increased across the board by an
unbelievable 30 percent every year," says long-time real-estate broker Mimi Shue.
"And in my opinion, there's no trend to show that the local market is slowing down."

Rocha and Shue are not alone. Real estate in West Bedford has historically increased
no matter what is happening across the country. In this area, people are selling and
buying homes based on their love of the city and its location, not logic.

Not everyone thinks that's a great idea.

"People in the region feel that a house is the best financial risk these days," reports
Vijay Tandon, senior economist at the Schmidt Institute. "And the market scenario
has made them believe that. But prices can't continue to increase forever."

Tandon thinks that prices in West Bedord are up to 20 percent higher than they
should be.

The bottom line, he says, is "we don't know when, but the market is likely to shift
eventually--and people will get hurt. I just don't think it's going to last."
According to the article, Mr. Tandon has
the opinion that __________.

(A) Mr. Rocha is quite lucky

(B) prices could decrease 30 percent

(C) people could lose money

(D) real estate is the best risk

1 of 16 Next
In this article, eventually means ________.

(A) over a large part of West Bedford

(B) by a large amount, significantly

(C) permanently or forever

(D) sometime in the future

READING

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or D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to
the next question.

To: Mr. Takeshi Hirano

From: Jaime Orozco
Subject: a few questions

Dear Mr. Hirano,

I just wanted to coordinate my trip to Nagoya with you. I am scheduled to arrive

at Narita Airport on Tuesday, the 14th. I know our meeting is not scheduled until
the 16th, but I want to give myself sufficient time to recover from jet lag.

When I get to Narita, I will take the airport bus into Tokyo. Should I stay in
Tokyo that night? If so, can you please recommend a comfortable hotel?

Also, can you please give me some advice about transportation to Nagoya? I
usually rent a car when I travel, but my friend told me that it's preferable to
travel by train in Japan. My friend also said he missed a train in Tokyo because
he couldn't locate the correct platform. So could you please advise me about
which station and platform I should use? Do I have to make any transfers? Also,
can someone from your office please meet me at the station in Nagoya?

I apologize for bothering you with these many detailed questions. This is my first
trip to Japan and I don't speak or read Japanese, so I feel considerably nervous
about traveling between Tokyo and Nagoya. Thank you in advance for your
assistance.

Best wishes,

Jaime Orozco
In this email, recommend means
__________.
 (A) write a letter about

(B) make a suggestion

(C) repair something

(D) make a reservation for

3 of 16 Next

Mr. Orozco wants Mr. Hirano to

__________.

(A) meet him at Narita Airport

(B) advise him about bus travel

(C) meet him at the Tokyo station

(D) advise him about train travel

4 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Women in the Business World:

A Look into the Life of Helen
Sinclair, CEO of Net Graphics
by Ronald Marks

Women hold only 83 of the top jobs in

corporate America compared to 2,184
men who have jobs as chairmen, vice
 chairmen, CEOs, presidents, or executive vice presidents. So
what kind of woman makes it to the top?

Meet Helen Sinclair. She is one of the most powerful CEOs in the
business world. Ms. Sinclair speaks four languages, was
educated at MIT's Sloan School, and just set up a $3 billion
stock sale.

Her average weekly schedule is so full, most people would get

tired just thinking about . This week, she's on a flight to
Rome for lunch with an Italian graphic designer on Monday. On
Tuesday, she is in Germany meeting with government officials
who want to set up a Web site. By Wednesday, she will be on
another plane to meet with a Japanese corporation that markets
products on the Internet. If she is lucky, she will get to see her
two children on Saturday.

"At first, it was difficult to leave my family so often. And it was

also very hard to be a woman in my position. But I stayed
positive, and as the company grew more successful, fewer
people questioned my ability, as a woman, to do the job."

Sometimes, just sometimes, there is a happy ending!

Look at the word in the article. What or
who does the word refer to?

(A) all the graphic designers,

government officials and corporate
lawyers

(B) Ms. Sinclair's typical job

responsibilities from Monday to
Friday

(C) the selling price of Net Graphic's

stock

(D) Ms. Sinclair's powerful position

within the corporation

Why is Ms. Sinclair "lucky" to see her

children on the weekend?
(A) She travels a lot.
(B) She balances her work and
family life easily.
(C) She gets to fly home every
Saturday.
(D) They live in Italy.

5 of 16 Next
READING

Directions:
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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Employee Relations Committee Meeting Summary

by Chris Gonzalez, Ombudsman

The Employee Relations Committee meeting was held on Thursday. The

union representatives for the six area offices and the company managers
from those same regions were present at the meeting. I sent out a copy of the
agenda before the meeting. We discussed all the items on the agenda. I am
writing this summary in my official role as the company ombudsman.

The meeting went well. We discussed the employees’ concerns at length.

Here is a list of the issues and the points of consensus that we reached.
These are the ideas the committee would like to put forward:

 Employees know that healthcare costs are rising. Management

agrees to provide more day-care options for employees’ children if
employees pay a higher percentage of healthcare costs.
 Employees know that no merit raises are possible at this time.
Management agrees to a 3% cost-of-living increase across the board.
 Management agrees to work with employees to develop more
schedule options. These will include the 40-hour, 4-day work week.
Job sharing might also be possible if two employees can work out a
weekly schedule between them.

As ombudsman, my role is to promote understanding and fair decisions. I am

happy with these suggestions. All present at the meeting worked hard to
compromise, and the discussions were calm and helpful. I am optimistic
about the future of our company now and am hopeful about relations between
employees and management.

I will prepare the formal minutes of the meeting next week. After you read
them, please call me if you have any questions. I am always happy to talk
with you.
The person who wrote this report
__________.

(A) is very worried about the company's

future

(B) thinks that the union is being

unreasonable

(C) represents one of the six regional

offices
 (D) is pleased with the outcome of the
meeting

7 of 16 Next

In the report above, the word minutes

means __________.

(A) a unit of time (60 seconds)

(B) a written record of a meeting

(C) time passing in a meeting

(D) a written agenda for a meeting

8 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Office Manager Needed Now!

Jetco Shipping Service needs an office manager for its New York office.

 Responsibilities
 supervise ten staff members
 train new employees
 oversee maintenance of computer records and current inventory
 facilitate staff meetings

 Required Experience and Education

 A bachelor's degree in business or a related field from an accredited four-year university
 A minimum of five years of management experience
 A minimum of two recommendations that demonstrate the candidate's good judgment and
knowledge of current laws related to supervising employees

 Salary and Benefits

 competitive salary
  paid vacation and sick leave
 comprehensive medical and dental plan
 employee retirement plan
 health club membership

This position will require some travel, including visits to offices in Asia and South America. We
encourage bilingual candidates with experience supervising a multicultural staff.

Jetco Shipping Service is a well-known firm in the shipping industry. It has a thirty-year history of
success and a reputation for quality. The new office manager must be team oriented. This job will
be demanding but rewarding for an individual who thrives on challenges.

Email your cover letter and resume to jobs@jetco_shipping.com. Please include the names,
addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least two professional references. Email your
application without delay. We will be hiring someone within the month.
In the advertisement, the word It refers
to __________.

(A) the shipping industry

(B) Jetco Shipping Service

(C) a history of success

(D) a competitive salary

According to the advertisement, the

office manager must ________.
(A) be trained as a new office worker
(B) have two years of university
education
(C) have international shipping
experience
(D) be willing to take business trips

10 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
These days there are many new theme parks worldwide. Shenzen in China has its
cultural villages and Los Angeles has Universal Studios. There are now Disney theme
parks in France, Japan, Hong Kong, Florida, and California. There are theme parks
for people who want to see cartoon characters. There are theme parks for people who
want to learn about history. There are theme parks for everyone.

But is every theme park right for you? Think about these questions before you choose
a park.

Who is going with you? Theme parks with cartoon characters are better for small
children. Parks with exciting rides, like huge roller coasters, appeal to teenagers.

Why do you want to visit a theme park? Is it for a birthday or a graduation? Are you
having a family reunion? Choose a theme park that fits your purpose.

What kind of attractions do you enjoy? Do you prefer water slides or 3-D movies?
Do you like rides better than shopping?

Finally, when will you visit the theme park? You should avoid hurricane season in
Florida and the cloudy winter season near Paris. It's no fun to go to a theme park and
stay inside all day because it's raining or cold.

Wherever you go, do some research first. You have a right to expect good food,
polite employees, and safe rides. Check the park's safety record. There should be no
risk in visiting a theme park. Each theme park is unique. You can find one that's
perfect for you.
According to this article, when choosing a
theme park it is best to __________.

(A) go to California or Florida for

choices

(B) look for a park that is unique

 (C) prepare for bad weather and smog

(D) look for a park that's good for

you

11 of 16 Next

In this article, the word attraction refers

to __________.

(A) pulling something out of a situation

(B) something fun to see or do

(C) a romantic interest in a person

(D) the force from a magnet

12 of 16 Next

READING

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A six-piece shaving set, perfect for home or travel--

From WINDSOR, the number 1 name in men's fashion

Yours, with any MAGRUDER'S men's clothing purchase of

$89.95 or more
 Take home a set of travel-sized Windsor shaving favorites for men.
includes a sample of Windsor's newest
aftershave scent, High Seas.

Limit one set per customer, while supplies last

The Windsor shaving set _____.

(A) now costs only $89.95 at

MAGRUDER'S

(B) includes six aftershave samples

(C) is for sale at many department stores

(D) is free after you spend a certain

amount

13 of 16 Next

Look at the word this in the

advertisement. What does the word this
refer to?

(A) the shaving set

(B) the aftershave

 (C) your home

(D) MAGRUDER'S department store

14 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

In many countries around the world, the New Year's holiday is a time
for getting together with friends and family to remember the past year
and to wish for a successful new year. Each country celebrates with its
own interesting customs and traditions such as parties, fireworks,
bonfires, parades, and special holiday foods and drinks.

In Japan, the New Year’s celebrations continue for three

days, from January 1 to January 3. Because the Japanese believe that
the new year must be completely separate from the old year and should
be the start of a new beginning, the house is completely cleaned, inside
and outside, all business is finished, and all bills are paid before New
Year’s Day. The Japanese eat special long noodles on New Year’s Eve.
The long noodles are for a long and healthy life and lots of luck for the
future. On New Year’s Day, many Japanese eat a special soup called
ozoni, made with rice cakes. It’s a Japanese custom to relax on New
Year’s Day, and ozoni is perfect for the occasion. The rice cakes for the
ozoni are made before New Year’s Day. They stay fresh, so nobody has
to work to make the soup on New Year’s Day.
 Italians celebrate holidays with food and rituals. So it’s
no surprise that during New Year’s, people in Italy enjoy eating many
special sweet cakes and foods, and they watch beautiful fireworks light
up the sky. The Italians take the idea of cleaning the house further than
the Japanese do. Italians throw old things out of their windows to help
them forget everything that was bad about the past year and to wish
for good luck and success in the new year.

According to the article, which statement

is NOT true?

In the U.S.A., Americans usually begin celebrating the

(A) People in Japan eat a soup made

with long noodles for good luck
on New Year's Day.

(B) Italians celebrate New Year's by

watching beautiful fireworks and
eating desserts.

(C) Americans have parties on New

Year's Eve and make a lot of noise at
midnight.

(D) Americans celebrate New Year's by

drinking eggnog.

15 of 16 Next

According to the article, what do

Americans promise to do in the new year?
 (A) to welcome friends and family into
their homes for food and drink

(B) to finish all their business and pay

their bills from the past year

(C) to make changes in their lives

and do good things in the new
year

(D) to throw old things out of the

window for good luck and success

16 of 16 Next

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Are you frustrated with the boring options for business dinners? Are you hesitant to
take a client out to eat? Well, a new restaurant in town may be just what you are
looking for! Andre's has been open only three months but it's already positioned as
the "in" place to go for a special treat.

Named for its chef, Andre Dupont, the restaurant is decorated in the colors and
images of the South Pacific. "I love the Orient and the tropics," comments Dupont,
who is in charge of the menu as well as the decor and the artwork. In addition, he
selects all the wines for the wine list.

The menu features a French-Asian blend of innovative dishes. You can start with a
cocktail and a wide range of appetizers, including seafood and
salads. I had the spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. For the entree, try one of the
unique salmon dishes. Whether you prefer your fish sauteed, grilled, or steamed, all
of the sauces can be created from mild to spicy, as you prefer.

For dessert, I suggest the Hawaiian strawberry pie, with fresh strawberries and
bananas. "I like to experiment," says Dupont. "New food combinations are fun and
exciting. It is my vision to combine traditional French seafood recipes with tropical
fruits and the spices of Asia."

And at Andre's, a stylish meal doesn't have to be expensive. The prices are very
reasonable. Andre's is always crowded, so be sure to call ahead to book a table.
According to the review, at this
restaurant, Andre Dupont __________.

(A) is the manager as well as the owner

and decorator

(B) prefers to eat fish sauteed, grilled,

or steamed

(C) combines some spices with bananas

and strawberries

(D) likes to experiment with new

combinations of food

1 of 16 Next

In this article, innovative means

__________.

(A) traditional

(B) tropical

(C) expensive

(D) original

2 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

James,

Mr. Lee will be arriving tomorrow at 7:45 a.m. on Asia Airlines. We

have arranged for him to be picked up and driven to our office. He
should get here around 8:30 a.m. or a little later. I will greet him
when he arrives at the office.

We want him to have a tour of our production . Would

you mind being the one to show him around? It should only take
thirty minutes for this introductory tour.

After a short meeting with Mr. Turner, the Vice President of

Production, we would like to take Mr. Lee out for a very nice lunch.
I was thinking of the Italian restaurant, Primo. Would you mind
making a lunch reservation for five people at 1 p.m. tomorrow at
this restaurant?

Call me if there is any problem with the reservation.

Thanks for your help,

Susan
Look at the word in the email.
Which words or phrases mean the same
thing as ?

(A) the production management

workers

(B) the production machines

(C) all the work places and services

in the production area

(D) the areas outside the production

department

3 of 16 Next

How many people are going to lunch at

Primo?

(A) four, including Mr. Lee

(B) three

(C) two, just Mr. Lee and Mr.Turner

(D) five

4 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Layoffs May Be Looming!

Are you feeling worried? Anxious? Even overwhelmed? Does your career
seem limited? Are you concerned that you may be laid off? What if the rumors
about a takeover are true?

Well, your worries may be justified. Statistics show that even well-trained,
senior workers can't count on guaranteed employment these days. The
corporate world is volatile--even cut-throat. Downsizing is rampant. Says
Mitch Jones, head of Future Alternatives, Inc., "Workforces everywhere are
being reduced. Even skilled employees run the risk of losing their jobs, and
possibly their careers, if they are not flexible."

Could this happen to you? If you are over 30, you are a prime target for being
laid off. If you haven't been keeping your skills current, you also could be in
serious danger.

What can you do if you're afraid that you may lose your job? The consensus
among career counselors is that today's workers need to keep their skills up to
date and have an emergency fund in a savings account. Clare DeBout is head
of Career Choices, an Atlanta firm that helps people make a new start after
they've been laid off. She says, "It also helps to have an optimistic outlook
about the future. Anything you can do to boost your skills and knowledge base
will help you after a layoff."

Consider taking evening classes in a subject that interests you. And

remember, in the long run, it's smart to pursue more than one career option.
Don't limit your vision of the future to a narrow range of jobs. Think about
what you'd like your next job to be!
According to the article, employees should
__________.

(A) be cut-throat on the job

(B) be flexible in job choices

(C) cash their paychecks

(D) pursue one career option

 5 of 16 Next

In this article, the word this refers to

__________.

(A) not being flexible at work

(B) workers losing their jobs

(C) continued employment

(D) getting a good education

6 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Annual Sales Report

We had an excellent year at Dymo Industries. Total sales were
US$550 million. This is an impressive growth of 10% compared to
last year.

There are a few important reasons for the large increase in sales.
All the international divisions performed very well. The new sales
training helped many of us promote our new line of toys. In
addition, the creation of new products opened more markets for us.

We continued last year to provide our customers with improved

products. We all know that product can lead to
larger market shares. Therefore, we hope to continue increasing our
sales by creating better products in the coming year.

I am pleased to end this report with further good news. Because of

 our dramatic rise in sales, employees will be receiving a yearly
bonus of twice the amount given last year.

Congratulations on your great teamwork! We look forward to

reporting on another successful year this time next year.

Which of the following is NOT a reason for

Dymo Industries' increased sales?

(A) sales training

(B) a new international division

(C) new markets

(D) good performance

7 of 16 Next

Look at the word in the

sales report. Which phrase or words mean
the same thing as ?

(A) increased numbers

(B) promotion

(C) customer satisfaction

(D) improvement

8 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
 Tip Selects Chadwick and Sons
Tip of New York, the five-star restaurant owned by the Atlantic Gold Corporation,
announced yesterday that Chadwick and Sons of New York, a division of the
GlobeCom Group, is taking over the creative side of its branding initiatives.

The Tip account had been handled by Reveres in Los Angeles, part of the Capades
Group.

Tip's costs in this deal are thought to be close to US$500,000.

Tip considered four firms during a lengthy review that became quite competitive,
according to Matthew St. Michael, Public Relations Director at Tip. Potential
agencies included Reveres; Bell, Bond & Bar of New York; and Gold, Choi &
Partners of London, part of the Gold Choi Creative Outlet division of TNT Partners.

"Our primary goal is to work toward reestablishing consistency in Tip's local and
national branding," said Galina Felton, Vice President of Public Relations and
Branding at Chadwick and Sons. "Tip is an icon of purity in the preparation

and presentation of fine foods. We will capitalize on that to reinforce their image of
quality, excellent service, and luxury."

Ms. Chadwick said that clientele should remember eating at Tip as a "healthful and
seductive experience. The new branding campaign will accomplish that goal," she
said.

Chadwick and Sons holds accounts with more than 20 major restaurants in the New
England and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Tip opened in 1967 and was owned privately by Chef Remi St. Jean until 1987, when
it was sold to the Atlantic Gold Corporation for US$2.7 million. Rumors have
circulated for years that Atlantic Gold intended to open new Tip restaurants in several
major U.S. cities. The move to Chadwick and Sons is seen by some restaurant
industry insiders as an obvious first step in that direction.
According to the article, Chadwick and
Sons will __________.

(A) make the most of Tip's wealthy

customers
 (B) seduce Tip customers with creative
pricing

(C) try to create the same image of

Tip everywhere

(D) help Tip improve its food

presentation practices

9 of 16 Next

In the article, that refers to __________.

(A) Tip's local and national branding

(B) an impression of a lifestyle of luxury

(C) reestablishing local branding

consistency

(D) being a symbol of purity in food

service

10 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

 subscribe
 sections
 blog
 contact
Stock: Not a Dream Come True
Penelope Lopez

Why do we never learn? People continue to get hurt financially by not following simple
investing advice from financial advisors. Take the case of investing only in stock. This
unfortunate habit goes against the first basic rule of investing: spread your risk over many
types of investments in order to avoid disaster during economic downturns.

The worst cases are those of ordinary people who believe that they can research companies
and pick a few that are going to do well. Even professional investment managers have
trouble predicting which companies will prosper and which will stumble and fall.
Investing in a few individual companies is like gambling. You may get lucky in the short
term, but over your lifetime, you will have some big losses.

A second stock trap that individual investors fall into is investing heavily in their own
companies. Many employees are able to buy stock from their own companies at a discount.
Instead of selling some of it to diversify their holdings, they keep the stock, believing that
their companies will prosper. In many cases, the companies do poorly and employees lose
their jobs and their investments.

What can you do to avoid these problems? In a word, diversify! Make a variety of
investments, like real estate, mutual funds, and bonds. Don't keep more than 25 percent of
your money invested in your company.

Mutual funds are a particularly attractive option. The big advantage of mutual funds is that
the managers of the funds buy shares of a large range of companies. This means that if one
or two of the companies have a bad year, or even go bankrupt, it doesn't hurt the fund very
much. Some mutual funds have a mix of domestic and international stocks and bonds.
Some invest in real estate or mortgages. Mutual funds are a far less risky option than
investing in individual stocks or in your company's stock. The professional fund managers
are more aware of market conditions and can react quickly to changing economic
situations than individual investors.

Diversifying can save you a lot of agony down the road.

What would be another good title for this
article?

(A) Choosing a Financial Advisor

(B) Mutual Funds: Pros and Cons

(C) Why You Should Buy Your Company's

Stock

(D) Diversifying: a Key Investment

Strategy
 11 of 16 Next

In this article, prosper means

__________.

(A) go bankrupt or fail

(B) increase in value

(C) make a guess

(D) be very lucky

12 of 16 Next

READING

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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Eighty-Year-Old Entrepreneur
Some people believe that senior citizens should retire, enjoy their free time, make
baby clothes for their grandchildren, and play mah-jong or checkers in the park. If
you're eighty years old, you've certainly earned the right to relax and do nothing.

Well, don't tell that to Nathaniel Hendersen. This octogenarian has more energy than
a team of adolescent soccer players. And he has been in on the ground floor of more
than 200 important inventions in the plastics industry.

What's the secret of his success?

Janice Aldridge, head of Luxury Lifestyles, a customized office furnishings company

based in Manhattan, says Hendersen's genius resides in his innovative designs.
"Nathaniel is a pioneer in plastics," she reported. "He once told me that he loved
imagining solutions to problems and challenges and then making them happen in his
design studio."

Hendersen's long-time business partner, Olivier Despuits, would agree. He says

Hendersen's contributions to plastics design stem from his unique ability to think
outside the box. "Nathaniel is one of the most innovative, creative thinkers I have
ever known. His designs for ergonomic keyboards transformed the industry almost
overnight."

K.L. Wong is a venture capitalist who had the foresight to invest millions in
Hendersen's ideas. From his corner office on the thirty-second floor, Wong gazes out
the window and contemplates the far-reaching impact of Hendersen's inventions.
"You asked me what makes Nathaniel so special. Look out there. He has influenced
daily life in thousands of offices. Millions of employees are using equipment for
which Nathaniel holds the patent." It was Wong who supplied the infusion of seed
capital that catapulted Hendersen's designs into the global spotlight.

What does Hendersen himself think? For him, fame and financial success are almost
irrelevant. What matters to him is doing what he enjoys. "I love thinking freely!" he
exclaims. "My talent is looking at a product that people use on the job and figuring
out how to improve it. Fortunately for me," he adds, "that's a talent with wide
applicability. And it's fun!"

With his white hair and bristling eyebrows, the diminutive Hendersen is more
energetic than many people half his age. Whatever his secret, he is a vital self-starter
whose mission in life is to solve problems through innovative designs. You certainly
won't find this creative eighty-year-old playing checkers in the park.
The author of this article probably
believes that Nathaniel Hendersen
__________.

(A) should take more time to rest and

relax

(B) is proud of his fame and financial

success
 (C) has not significantly affected office
workers

(D) has made a good decision to

keep working

13 of 16 Next

In this article, the word them refers to

__________.

(A) solutions

(B) challenges

(C) problems

(D) designs

14 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
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the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Consumer Products Manufacturing, Inc.

Memo to: Bob Karran, Vice President of Legal Affairs

From: Mary Johnson, Director of Human Resources
Re: Next steps in the Healthways International contract
Date: September 28

Bob,

I need to express some concerns I have about the contract we are negotiating
with Healthways International. While I am quite excited about the possibilities
for an expanded product line, I am also a bit hesitant about the possible
effects on our staffing in the proposed venture.

I understand that these discussions could result in a financial benefit for our
company and an expanded product line. However, I don't want us to get
carried away by the potential infusion of capital without thinking about our
employees. What if the deal were to fall through after we've started preparing
for increased production? We need to plan for all possible outcomes.

Likewise, we shouldn't go overboard in committing funds to plant development

at this early stage in the negotiations. While it is important to build our
infrastructure--and especially the assembly line--we need to answer some
critically important questions first. For example, if we switch over to more
modern machinery to increase production for Healthways, would we have to
hire and train a large number of new employees quickly? If the answer is yes
and we can be certain about that, then we should pursue this opportunity
actively but cautiously.

Basically, I'm saying that this undertaking may turn out to be very profitable
for our company, but I want to make sure that my department is ready for any
employee-related changes.

Can we meet Tuesday morning? I want us to be clear about our strategy for
moving forward. If you and I have a chance to talk before we meet with the
CEO of Healthways, we will have a more coordinated plan of action for talking
to her. Please let me know what time is good for you. Thanks.

Mary
The person who wrote this memo
__________.

(A) is currently working for Healthways

International

(B) is opposed to working with

Healthways International

(C) has no reservations about a contract

with Healthways

(D) has some reservations about a

contract with Healthways

15 of 16 Next

Mary raises the possibility that a contract

with Healthways would mean that
__________.
 (A) the company would have to
increase its production staff
quickly

(B) the company would have to lay off

a large number of employees

(C) many Healthways International

employees would be laid off

(D) the company might be able to

increase its global market share

16 of 16 Next

Reading

READING

Directions:
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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

by Jan Smith

How much time do you spend on

business activities after work or on the
weekend? Do you take time to relax and
have fun? A recent survey of 200
American managers revealed how most
of them spend their free time. The survey
results are based on the number of
managers that listed each activity.

The managers were asked to list the

kinds of business and leisure activities
 that they did at least once a week after work or on the weekend.
The most common business activity (50%) was working on a
computer at home. This was followed by going to dinner with
business contacts (24%), telephoning business contacts (15%),
and working on a job report (14%). A full 5 percent of managers
didn't work at home in their free time.

On the other hand, a large percentage of these managers also took

time for some . The survey revealed that over half
(59%) listed spending time with friends and family as their leisure
activity. Other leisure activities included reading books for fun
(41%), listening to music (41%), and playing sports (30%).

The good news is that a large percentage of the managers spend

their time doing leisure activities. While managers have traditionally
taken their work home with them, the results of the survey indicate
that this trend may be changing. Life for the average manager is no
longer all work and no play.

Look at the word in the article.

Which phrases mean the same thing as
?

(A) a sports activity that you do only

on the weekend

(B) an activity that you do for fun

or relaxation

(C) an activity that involves the

creation of art

(D) a leisure activity that you do many

times

1 of 16 Next

What do most managers spend their free

time doing?

(A) working on the computer at their

office

(B) staying at home with their family

(C) telephoning and having dinner with

business contacts
 (D) relaxing with their friends and
family

2 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Two years ago, my uncle Frank was the kind of person

who never slowed down. At work or at play, he always pushed himself
harder than anyone else. People say that he didn't know how to relax.
He always got very impatient when he had to stand in line at a bank or
a movie theater because he didn't like to waste time. When he was
young, he was great at sports, not because he was a natural athlete
but because he was so competitive. He simply hated losing! As an
adult, he had the same aggressive attitude about his career. He
became a highly successful lawyer through hard work and long hours.
Then suddenly, at the age of 43, Uncle Frank had a heart attack. That
was when I learned how dangerous a stress-related disease could be.

Everyone experiences stress. Stressful experiences

are impossible to avoid. However, different people
respond to stress in different ways. Most doctors say
that you can reduce the harmful effects of stress by
doing the following things:

 get regular exercise

 eat good food
 get plenty of sleep
  give yourself time to relax

Uncle Frank did none of these things. He was always

Look at the phrase the key in the
article. Which phrase below means the
same thing as the key?

(A) a tool used to open a door

(B) the best way

(C) something that causes stress

(D) a very competitive person

3 of 16 Next

What is the lesson that the writer

learned about stress?

(A) Stress can help make you

successful in your career.

(B) Healthy living will decrease the

bad effects of stress.

(C) You should always avoid stressful

situations.

(D) There is really no relationship

between stress and health.
 4 of 16 Next

READING

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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

How to Record Your Personal Greeting

This is the message that callers will hear on your telephone

answering machine. For example: This is George Smith. I'm not
at home right now. Please leave a message at the tone and I'll
return your call as soon as possible.

Press and hold down the RECORD button.

Speak your greeting clearly and in a strong voice into the

microphone on the answering machine.

Take your finger off of the RECORD button immediately after you
have completed your greeting. The message will automatically
repeat so you can listen to it.

Press the # if you like your greeting. If you don't like , press
the * to erase and start with Step 1 to record your personal
message again.

When should you stop holding down the

RECORD button?

(A) before you finish your message

 (B) if you don't like your greeting when
you are recording it

(C) as soon as you finish saying your

personal greeting

(D) after your personal greeting is

automatically repeated

5 of 16 Next

Look at the word in Step 5. What does

refer to?

(A) the # button

(B) the * button

(C) the RECORD button

(d) your Greeting

6 of 16 Next

READING

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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
 Protect Your Company's Information!
High-Quality Shredders -- Two Models Available

Every day companies lose information--from their trash! Someone may be stealing your secrets
from the documents you throw away.

You could be at risk as an individual too. Recently, identity theft has become a major problem.
Someone can steal your bank account number or credit card number from the papers that you
throw in the garbage.

Don't let this happen to you! If you have confidential documents that you don't need, destroy
them! Using a good shredder on a daily basis ensures that your private information won't fall into
the wrong hands.

We have two models in stock right now. Choose the one that's right for your needs.

 The Melbourne Mini-Shredder

 Lightweight
 Shreds up to 6 pages of paper at a time
 Built-in basket for paper
 Hand guards
 Plastic frame
 One-year warranty

 The Melbourne Maxi-Shredder

 Heavyweight
 Shreds up to 20 pages of paper at a time
 Shreds CDs, DVDs, and credit cards
 Built-in basket for paper
 Warning light for safety
 Hand guards
 Reinforced plastic frame
 Two-year warranty

These will go fast, so hurry down to Melbourne Office Supply to buy one today! All major credit
cards are welcome.
What is the purpose of shredders?

(A) to store confidential information

(B) to destroy private documents

(C) to ensure employees' health

(D) to communicate private information

9 of 16 Next

At the end of the advertisement, the

word these refers to __________.

(A) all private documents

(B) the pages of paper

(C) the two shredder models

(D) the hand guards

10 of 16 Next

READING

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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
Which of the following is NOT a part of
Fred Stern's management style?

(A) to answer telephone calls from his

employees

(B) to read letters from his employees

(C) to create different jobs for his

employees

(D) to listen to his employees' problems

11 of 16 Next

Look at the word in the

magazine article. Which phrase means the
same thing as ?

(A) to talk about things that you

are not pleased about

(B) to call someone on the telephone

to make a suggestion

(C) to inform others about your work

day

(D) to take care of a problem that

someone else has

12 of 16 Next

READING

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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
 FROM LUXOR CAR COMPANY SEPT. 5 1996 03:05PM PO1

FAX

To: The Marianna Hotel (New York)

From: Elizabeth Gilbert, Luxor Car Company (Los Angeles)

Date: 9/5/96

Dear Marianna Hotel:

This fax is to confirm my room at your hotel for five nights--

September 15 to September 20. I would like a single room with a
connection for my computer. I would also like a nonsmoking
room.

The room price is at a special business rate of $180 per night.

However, I may need to stay an extra night. Do you think is
possible to arrange after I arrive? Will I still get the special price
for the additional night?

I will arrive at the hotel at about 6 p.m. I hope to hear from you
soon about adding the extra night after I arrive.

Sincerely,

What did Elizabeth NOT ask for?

(A) a single room

(B) a computer connection in the room

(C) the price of staying another night

(D) to stay for five extra nights

13 of 16 Next
 Look at the word in the memo.
What does the word refer to?

(A) getting the special business price

(B) staying an extra night

(C) arranging things after she arrives

(D) staying in a nonsmoking room

14 of 16 Next

READING

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best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Metropolitan Bus Has Record Sales

Metropolitan Bus, Inc. reported yesterday that profits rose last year. The company is the
country's main bus manufacturer. J.M. Lee, CEO of Metropolitan Bus, said today, "We are
very proud of our workers. They have made the Metropolitan Bus brand popular with large
bus companies. They build comfortable and reliable transportation for our customers." Lee
adds, "The company's sales team is also great. Everyone focuses on our customers' needs
and provides excellent after-sales service. That's why profits rose last year. But teamwork is
really the key. All of our employees work well together!"

Angela Corno is an engineer with Metropolitan Bus. She says that there have been some
changes in production that have improved efficiency. These changes have helped the
company's global business. "We sell our products worldwide," she said. "Our buses are not
unique, but they are of very high quality. They are a
 good value at a reasonable price. Other companies try to copy our products but don't
succeed. It's a good company to work for," says Corno.

Metropolitan Bus is also famous for its batteries and other automobile parts. Asia is the
biggest market for Metropolitan Bus. However, some cities in Europe purchase Metropolitan
Bus products too. This trend should continue. Mr. Lee said annual revenues will rise for the
next three years. "We are talking with a major company in Latin America about a new
contract," said Lee. "This deal involves very little risk. We know we can produce what they
need."
The CEO of Metropolitan Bus says that __________.
(A) profits rose last year and will continue to rise
(B) the company's advertising is now very efficient
(C) the company produces innovative truck parts
(D) the company is negotiating with a big company in Asia
Angela Corno says that Metropolitan Bus
__________.

(A) copies other companies' products

successfully

(B) makes unique batteries and other

parts for buses

(C) sells products that are popular in

many countries

(D) sells buses, batteries, and parts at

high prices

16 of 16 Next

Reading

READING

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select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.
 How Employees Rank Their Jobs
by Glen Conway

Today the economy is stronger than it

has been for several years and there
are many job opportunities in the
labor market. It is not surprising then
that workers' expectations and
requirements are high as they search
for the perfect job. The position,
salary, and conditions of a job must
meet the workers' .

In a recent survey commissioned by

the Labor Department, fifty thousand
employees throughout the country
were asked to rank the desirability of 250 jobs in today's
market. The criteria used to rank these jobs were environment,
income, security, stress, and physical demands.

Four of the five top-ranked jobs were connected to the high-

tech industry, namely Web site manager, computer systems
analyst, software engineer, and computer programmer.
Meanwhile, jobs involving difficult working conditions, like long
hours, heavy lifting, or an element of danger, were ranked
toward the bottom of the list; the bottom five were taxi-driver,
dancer, cowboy, construction worker, and fisherman.

Some critics argue that other criteria should have been included
in this list. However, the results of the survey indicate that more
and more people see jobs related to computers and the Internet
as the way to go in their employment search.
The article says that __________.

(A) people are interested only in

computer- and Internet-related jobs

(B) the economy is responsible for the

limited number of job opportunities

(C) experts agree on the criteria for

ranking jobs

(D) many of the most popular jobs were

high-tech

1 of 16 Next
 Look at the word in the
article. Which phrases mean the same
thing as ?

(A) jobs related to the high-tech

industry

(B) different working conditions

(C) things that people want in a

workplace

(D) the criteria used for ranking jobs

2 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

MEMORANDUM

To: Angel Simon, Manager, Sales Department

From: Kim Sanders, Director, Production Department
Re: Notes from March 23 meeting
DATE: March 24

Thank you for meeting with me yesterday. This memo documents our
discussion and our ideas for addressing the company's current
situation.

In the long run, we must be flexible in order to deal with the problems
our company faces. But more immediately, we should show the CEO
that we can work with reduced staff to achieve our goals.

We have a great opportunity to produce a fine product even though the

number of employees on our assembly line has been reduced. As we
agreed yesterday, we want to increase our global reach while boosting
our ability to provide our products locally. This is a key balance that we
must continue to pursue.
We also agreed to meet again on Tuesday of next week to discuss
additional strategies for achieving these goals. When our two
departments have discussed our ideas, we can schedule a meeting
with the executive team to present our suggestions.

As you pointed out yesterday, we have experienced some significant

layoffs as a result of the recent merger. Like you, I'm concerned that
the remaining employees may feel overwhelmed because of their
increased workloads. But I know I can count on you and your team to
implement the new strategies for expanding our sales. I am optimistic
about the future of our company. I am sure that, working together, we
can come to a consensus about the next steps we should take.
Kim Sanders has written to Angel Simon
to __________.

(A) tell Angel exactly what to do next in

the assembly line

(B) express disapproval of Angel's ideas

about the company

(C) encourage Angel to dismiss more

employees very soon

(D) summarize the ideas that they

discussed yesterday

3 of 16 Next

In this memo, the phrase count on means

__________.

(A) rely on

(B) work with

(C) add up

(D) explain to

4 of 16 Next
READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

Money: The currency of Mexico is the peso. You can

change money at banks or currency exchange booths.
The currency exchange booths may offer better
exchange rates than the banks and usually stay open as
long as the nearby stores do.

Climate: Mexico has two seasons: rainy and dry. The

rainy season lasts from June until September.
Remember, however, that Mexico is a very large country
with many different regions, and you’ll need to check on
the specific area you want to visit.

Health: One of the biggest health problems in Mexico is

the water. Never drink or use water that isn’t bottled!
This includes using ice cubes in your drink and brushing
your teeth. You should always ask for purified water in
restaurants and hotels.

Driving: An international driver’s license is not

necessary in Mexico. The from your own country is
OK as long as it’s up-to-date.

Tipping: Sometimes it’s difficult to know when to leave

a tip in Mexico. Just to be safe, give a few pesos to
anyone who provides you with a service--the person who
carries your luggage, the hotel employee who delivers
your meals from room service, etc. Taxi drivers are not
tipped in Mexico, except in Mexico City. In restaurants,
good service deserves at least a 10 percent tip. Don’t
forget to say Gracias, which is Spanish for "Thank you."

According to the brochure, which of the

following statements is true?

(A) Banks always offer the best

exchange rates.
 (B) Few tourists visit in January since
it's the rainy season.

(C) Never drink the water in Mexico,

even the bottled water.

(D) You should give tips to Mexico

City taxi drivers.

5 of 16 Next

Look at the word one in the brochure.

What does the word one refer to?

(A) rental car

(B) international driver's license

(C) driver's license

(D) local address

6 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

To: Charles Varga From: Peter Woods

Tanner & Smith (New York)
Book Company
(Washington, DC) Time/Date: 01:00pm
3 December
 No. of pages incl. top sheet: 1

Dear Mr. Varga:

We are sorry that your printer did not arrive last week. The big
snowstorm in New York made it impossible for our driver to
it. However, the weather is not so bad this week, so we
can send your order on Friday, December 7. Please let us know if
this is not a good day for you.

In addition, we will send you a free month's supply of paper

because you had to wait an extra week. This is our way of saying
we are truly sorry for any problems that the late delivery caused
your company.

We look forward to continuing to do business with the Tanner &

Smith Book Company in the future.

Sincerely,

Peter Woods

Look at the word in the memo.

Which phrase means the same thing as
?

(A) come to work that day

(B) telephone the company

(C) take the product to an address

(D) drive in bad weather conditions

7 of 16 Next

Why will PrintSmart send paper to the

Tanner & Smith Book Company?

(A) PrintSmart is sorry that the printer

didn't arrive.

(B) PrintSmart made them wait an

extra week for the paper.
 (C) PrintSmart is sorry about the bad
weather in New York.

(D) PrintSmart couldn't deliver the

paper last week.

8 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

City Club Meeting

Please join us for the next meeting of the City Club. We will meet at noon on
Friday, June 6, at the Hungry Baker Lunch Room. The address is 490 King
Street. Lunch will be at 12:30. There will be a choice of four menus.

The speaker will be Ms. Mae Smith. She is from the First Women's Bank. She
will talk about new ideas for saving money. Her talk will begin at one o'clock.

Menu

Chef's Choice Healthy Choice

rib eye steak tossed green salad
French fries cheese and fruit plate
sweet pears and cream rice with butter

Midday Meal Friday Special

spicy shrimp cocktail ham and melon
beef stew fried chicken
fresh cole slaw mashed potatoes

Dessert (choose one)

spice cake
apple pie
fresh fruit
ice cream

Drinks (choose one)

coffee
hot tea
iced tea
soft drinks
 lemonade
The cost for lunch (including an appetizer, main dish, side dish, drink, and
dessert) is $30.00 per person, with $5.00 of this going to the club's general
fund. We are saving money to plant new trees in the park.

Please call 555-1324 to make a reservation. We hope you can join us.
At this lunch meeting, someone who
doesn't eat meat or fish should order
the __________.

(A) Chef's Choice

(B) Healthy Choice

(C) Midday meal

(D) Friday Special

9 of 16 Next

The word this refers to __________.

(A) the dessert

(B) the lunch

(C) the cost

(D) the person

10 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.
 Pros and Cons of Global Business Travel

Global business travel is a successful industry these days. Business air

travelers make up a large part of ticket sales on major carriers. These frequent
fliers know how to book the best fares. They can work with flight schedules.
They have ways to recover from jet lag. Many of them can even work well
during flights. Laptops are now the most common piece of carry-on luggage.

There are good reasons for companies to have their employees travel overseas.
Sending staff members to a new country means they can meet with clients face
to face. They can generate fresh ideas and find answers to questions. They can
also create ties in other countries. A dinner with a client can create a valuable
bond. These relationships help firms expand their global networks.

But business travel has its downsides too. It costs money, and there's a

human toll as well. The problems include burnout and exposure to disease.
Then there's the lost time and lost luggage. Never mind the frayed nerves and
hours spent waiting in airports.

What does the future hold for business travel? Airlines are nervous. Email and
other electronic systems may soon make 15-hour trips for 3-hour meetings
things of the past. The video conference could replace air travel as the main
means of long-distance communication within the next decade. Companies
will soon invest more in video equipment than

in airfares. It's not a certainty, but it is likely. Unpack your bags and open your
laptop.
In this article, carriers refers to
__________.
 (A) luggage handlers

(B) people who fly frequently

(C) people infected with disease

(D) airline companies

11 of 16 Next

The trend for the future, according to this

article, will probably be __________.

(A) increased video

communications

(B) more international air travel

(C) business travelers being nervous

(D) more in-person meetings with

clients

12 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

When Do You Need a Consultant?

Many companies hire consultants for short-term projects. But when is it
advantageous and cost-effective to do so? There are four situations when
you should consider using a consultant.

First, if specific expertise is lacking in your own staff, hiring a consultant can
help. Bringing someone in for a short time may be better than hiring new
employees. It depends on the type of knowledge or skills you need, as well
as the nature and length of the project.

Second, if your company's market or industry has changed, someone with a

broad perspective can help you adjust to altered circumstances. In this case,
it is good to bring in a consultant with wide knowledge of your industry.

Third, if there is disagreement within your team, an experienced consultant

can sometimes help untangle problems. Staff members who seem stubborn
or unreasonable with their colleagues may be open to new ideas from an
outside expert.

Fourth, if your firm is facing a temporarily increased workload, consider

using a consultant to manage that work. A consultant can keep you from
having to pull key managers away from their own jobs to handle the new
projects.

If you do choose to pursue the option of hiring a consultant, however, keep

in mind that you'll get a better result if you clearly define your objectives
ahead of time. What is it you want this person to do? If you are not clear
about this at the outset, you run the risk of wasting time and money. You
may also offend your own employees if they feel they could have done the
job better than the consultant.
The author of this article believes that
hiring a consultant is __________.

(A) almost always quite cost-effective

(B) rarely advantageous for companies

(C) worthwhile under some

circumstances

(D) often not very cost-effective

13 of 16 Next

In the article, what does the word this

 14 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

As you know, we need to choose potential candidates for the

position of Human Resource Director at the WorldSpeak Spain
office. Because you have many contacts in the local business
community, I would like you to be the one responsible for
recruiting. As you are looking for possible personnel to interview
and hire, please feel free to spend the money you need for local job
advertisements in the industry newspapers or magazines.

Do you think it would be a smart move to post the job position on

the Internet? Here in New York, we have found this to be a
productive and fast way to recruit talented people. It is especially
convenient to receive and read resumes using the Internet. I don't
know whether or not this would work in Spain.

Finally, remember that we really want to hire someone who has

excellent English-language skills. The Human Resource Director you
hire will need to communicate and work with headquarters daily, so
the ability to speak English well and to write various letters and
reports is very important.

Good luck with the job search. I will contact you within the week.

Which reason below is NOT suggested by

Mr. Johnson as a good reason to use the
Internet?

(A) Using the Internet works well

in Spain.
 (B) In New York, using the internet
worked well.

(C) It is a fast way to recruit new

employees.

(D) It is a convenient way to receive

resumes.

15 of 16 Next

Why does Mr. Johnson want a Human

Resource Director with excellent English
skills?

(A) The director will be working in New

York.

(B) The director will communicate

often with people in New York.

(C) The director will need to write

reports to Ms. Gonzalez.

(D) The director will be visiting

headquarters daily.

16 of 16 Next

READING
Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the
best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Next month, the Geo Tech Mining Inc. headquarters will relocate to
the Paris office. Two thirds of our business is in Europe now, and a
full third of this European business is in France. Therefore, it is
more convenient to have our main office where a majority of our
clients will be able to meet with us much more easily.

However, I know that many New York employees do not want to

move to Paris. When we move to Paris, some people will probably
quit and look for other jobs.

I don't want to lose our employees, but it is too expensive to keep

both locations open. Do you have any ideas about what we could
offer to our staff so that they won't ? I really don't
want them to leave the company. We want our best people on
board when we move.

Thank you for your help with this serious problem. I hope to hear
from you as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Daniel Ferrier

Why is the Geo Tech Mining Inc.

headquarters moving?

(A) to encourage European clients to

visit New York

(B) to make it easier for employees to fly

to France

(C) to be closer to more of their

business contacts

(D) to get a less expensive office

 3 of 16 Next

Look at the words in the memo.

Which phrase means the same thing as
?

(A) get on the next boat

(B) change staff

(C) get away from a troublesome

situation

(D) ask for a position on the board

4 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the
best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

What Makes a Company

Successful?
by Elizabeth Franks

We asked fifteen of the most innovative

and well-known leaders in business today
about what made their companies so
successful. They all agreed that a truly
competitive and fast-growing company
must have the following qualities.

 Leadership: No one person today is

smart enough to be in total control of all
 the parts of a company. The role of today's company leaders is to
teach, encourage creativity, and help produce other leaders in each
level of an organization.

 Innovation: The ability to invent new products, processes, and

possibilities is what innovation is all about. In an economy led by
change and speed, every company needs leaders who can motivate
workers to be innovative.

 Learning: Competition today means that the knowledge an

organization gathers is more important than the number of branch
offices it opens. If a company wants to grow quickly, it needs
people who can keep learning quickly.

The industry leaders whom we spoke with stressed that it is not

only the upper management, but also the employees, who help
develop these essential qualities. must work together to build a
successful business.

Why is learning an important part of a

successful company?

(A) It will develop essential qualities

in management personnel.

(B) It will give the employees in a

company a chance to change jobs
more quickly.

(C) It will help a company to open

new branch offices.

(D) It will help a company to grow

quickly in a competitive world.

5 of 16 Next

Look at the word in the article. What

or who does refer to?

(A) those in management and the

employees of the company

(B) the essential and successful

qualities of business

(C) the various companies in

business today
(D) the organization and its branch
offices

6 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

To: Mariam de Grange

From: Chris Wang
Subject: Interview for documentary

Hi! I just want to follow up on our plans to interview Jason

Carrington for the documentary about craftsmanship. I think we can
use some of the ideas below. Let me know what you think.

First of all, he is a very interesting character and my impression is

that we could emphasize his distinctive work in the film. He is
certainly on the cutting edge of furniture design, and he's also a very
charismatic person.

His furniture is sleek and sophisticated. Carrington seems to blend

an unconventional approach with respect for Asian and Eastern
European heritage in his designs. His skill and imagination flow from
a certain nostalgia for the past, but he somehow manages to put a
new twist on conventional concepts. He is not so much a
revolutionary as a subtle innovator.

According to Carrington's Web site, there has been a dramatic rise in

the popularity of his designs. The distribution of the products--
especially the living room ensembles and executive office suite
furnishings--is primarily in the luxury market, but he caters more to
businesses than to individuals buying furniture for their homes. In
fact, several multinational companies have commissioned Carrington
to design furniture for their major global offices. He says his primary
goal is to blend form and function, using locally grown or produced
materials to provide a distinctive style that respects the historical
heritage of a culture while looking toward its future.

I wouldn't say his furniture has universal appeal--it's too

unconventional for some tastes--but he is a pacesetter in the
design world. A champagne company recently had Carrington design
four sofas to be used in a marketing campaign. He showed me the
mock-ups: Each photo features a woman with a champagne glass.
The models are dressed in gowns that draw on the style of the
couches. The overall impression is one of elegant simplicity.

This guy definitely thinks outside the box. I think his state-of-the art
designs will impress our viewers, but I'd like to hear what you think
before I schedule another appointment. In the meantime, he's
sending us the permission-to-film contract this week. He wanted to
have his attorney review the specifics first.
According to this email, furniture designer
Jason Carrington displays __________.

(A) a strong commitment to traditional

local designs

(B) a blend of traditional and

modern elements

(C) universal appeal in the design of

his office suites

(D) a totally futuristic design sense in

his furniture

7 of 16 Next

In the email above, the word pacesetter

means that Carrington __________.

(A) is on the cutting edge of design

(B) is similar to other designers

(C) is unpopular among designers

(D) is commercially successful

8 of 16 Next

READING
Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

special to The Daily Business News

Failure Can Make You Stronger: A

Look Into the Life of Peter Hill
By Joyce Robinson

Peter Hill is Hill admits that in the

one of the beginning, his management
most talked style was difficult for some
about men in members of his team at
Silicon Valley. Micronex. "I believe in
However, he confrontation--getting in each
was not always other's faces, disagreeing a
so successful. little. It's a powerful tool if it
Hill lost so doesn't get too personal and if
much money in 1975 on his it has a goal."
first business that he had to
sell it. It was the only way to However, more than anything
stop the bank from taking else, Hill believes in
away his home. innovation. He encourages his
employees to dream up new
Today he is the vice president ways to do things every day.
of Micronex, one of the world's But he warns that
semiconductor superpowers. innovation can't be scheduled
In fact, Micronex just like a meeting. "Sometimes I
exceeded revenue estimates just don't have any idea how
for the third quarter by 12 to approach a particular issue.
percent when all the other Then suddenly, at 3:00 in the
semiconductor businesses in morning, I wake up shouting,
the Valley saw a decrease in 'I've got it! I know what to
revenues. do.'"

"Although I lost my first

business, I learned a great
deal about management, cash
flow, and how to talk to
bankers," he recalls, with a
smile. "But what I really
learned was how to do things
better."

Which example does the writer use to

indicate how successful Peter Hill's
company is?

(A) Mr. Hill didn't have to borrow

money from the bank
 (B) Micronex increased revenues in
the third quarter, but other
companies didn't.

(C) Mr. Hill sold his business for a 12

percent profit.

(D) Micronex had higher revenues

during the first three quarters of
the year.

9 of 16 Next

Look at the word in the newspaper

article. What or who does refer to?

(A) innovations that are created by

employees

(B) employees at Micronex

(C) new ways to do things that Mr. Hill

dreams up

(D) scheduled meetings

10 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.
Dear Ms. Limman:

Thank you for your credit application. Credit Corporation

International will be happy to establish a credit account for your
company, L.M. Consolidated. We look forward to the beginning of a
long relationship between our two companies.

We trust that you are now familiar with the basic introductory
information you have received. Please see the additional enclosed
information, which discusses the many services we offer. We
believe you will find the 24-hour telephone and online assistance
very beneficial. These are helpful services for someone like you who
frequently travels internationally and needs to get information
. You will be able to look at your credit
information any time, day or night.

On the fifteenth of each month, we will send you a list of everything

you bought through the last day of the month before. Any of these
purchases will be discounted an additional 10 percent if you pay for
them within 30 days from the date you receive the list.

Again, let me welcome you as a new customer. If you have any

further questions, please contact me at any time. If I am not in the
office for some reason, my assistant, Mr. Kautner, will be happy to
help you.

Sincerely,

Account Representative

Why did Ms. Jaimez write this letter?

(A) to encourage Ms. Limman to apply for

a credit account

(B) to get basic information about the

credit company

(C) to offer Ms. Limman a new computer

and a new telephone discount

(D) to inform Ms. Limman that L.M.

Consolidated has been accepted
for a credit account

11 of 16 Next

Look at the phrase in

the letter. Which phrase means the
same thing as ?
 (A) during international office hours

(B) only during the day

(C) any time during the day or

night

(D) from 12 midnight to 12 noon

12 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or
D to select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the
next question.

Know What You’re Worth

Brent Snodgrass

Money. When you're looking for a job, that's what you want. Nevertheless,
these days--I'm sorry to say--money doesn't grow on corporate trees. You
can't clamber up the corporate ladder with the attitude that each new
employer is going to tack on 10% to your existing salary.

This means that, unless you can capitalize on your number-one product--
yourself--you're out of luck.

Wake up and smell the coffee! You're going to have to do some serious
negotiating, and that takes some know-how.

"Salaries have been on a roller-coaster ride," acknowledged Abu Baquir,

CEO at Martinson and Shrift Management Consultants. "It's very difficult
to predict what a complete compensation package will include these days."

Job candidates can find out what they're worth by investigating, Baquir
added. "The strategy is to find the salaries of your high-profile peers right
on the Internet." There are several easily accessible Web sites that have
sophisticated search engines. You type in your job title or description and
your region. The Web site will give you a range of possible salaries. If you
know people in your industry, you can also talk with them. They may be
able to set up informational interviews with people who can tell you what
to expect if you change jobs. The key is to do your research before you
begin looking.

Once you've discovered what you're worth, it's time to start looking at job
postings. Remember, though you want to be properly compensated, an
enormous salary may not be the only alternative. Stop to think about the
different compensation packages you might accept and what a company
might be willing to offer.

One angle to consider is supplementing your expected salary with cash,

stocks, or bonuses, according to Sara Greenwald, a career architect at
JobBuild Magazine.

"Go into the salary negotiation expecting to adjust the equation and present
alternate scenarios," Greenwald suggested. "For example, ask for 40% in
salary and 60% in stocks and bonuses that will be based on your
performance. Make the pitch that you'll show them what you're made of
before they have to pay you."
According to the article, employees who
are considering moving to a new company
should __________.

(A) compare companies and choose

the one that offers the highest
salary

(B) research compensation ranges

for their job in a variety of
companies

(C) think about compensation that is

based solely on their job
performance

(D) expect to make 10% more money

when they start a new position

13 of 16 Next

At the beginning of the article, the word

this refers to __________.

(A) less money available for salaries in

 corporations

(B) what compensation you want as

a job candidate

(C) trying to find a new and better job

these days

(D) taking advantage of your number-

one product

Reading Section:

You will have 15 minutes to complete the 16 questions in this section. Once you have answered a question, you may not
or change your answer.

There are three types of reading questions: General Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Pronoun Reference. The questions a
variety of reading materials, including magazine articles, email messages, charts, and memos. Look at the examples belo
begin the test. If you want to skip the examples, click here to begin the reading section.

Example 1 - General Comprehension

In this type of question, read the passage and then answer the question about the information in the reading.

Directions: Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the best answer.

Question #1 - General
< td> Comprehension
The Food and Travel Review
When should you order a fu
of wine?
(A) when it is the chea
wine on the menu
(B) when everyone is
by Dorothy Gold different kinds of f
(C) when more than o
person wants the
Trying to order anything in a wine
foreign language at a
restaurant can be difficult and
(D) when the waiter s
confusing. Ordering a bottle of it
wine is worse because you Explanation: Choice C is correc
have to read a long list of article states that it is cheaper
strange names on the wine full bottle of wine when a few p
 want the same kind of wine.

menu. The waiter is standing there waiting to take your Next

order, and your business client is looking thirsty. Example

Below are some suggestions to help you get the right kind of
wine at a good price. are not intended to be a
complete list, but they should get you started.

 Decide how much you want to spend. Don't let the

waiter sell you anything too expensive. The best
buys on a wine list tend to fall between $18 and
$35.
 Decide on the food that you're going to order and
discuss your choices with the wine waiter. If
everyone is eating varied foods, order an
light red wine that complements
assorted dishes, a couple of different half bottles, or
order individual wines by the glass. Remember that
when a few people want the same wine, it is
cheaper to order a full bottle.

Enjoy your wine, and cheers!

Question #3 - Pronoun Reference

Look at the word in the article. What does the word refer to in the previous
sentence?
(A) suggestions

(B) good wines

(C) the right kinds

(D) good prices

READING
READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

What Makes a Company

Successful?
by Elizabeth Franks

We asked fifteen of the most innovative

and well-known leaders in business today
about what made their companies so
successful. They all agreed that a truly
 competitive and fast-growing company must have the following
qualities.

 Leadership: No one person today is smart enough to be in total

control of all the parts of a company. The role of today's company
leaders is to teach, encourage creativity, and help produce other
leaders in each level of an organization.
 Innovation: The ability to invent new products, processes, and
possibilities is what innovation is all about. In an economy led by
change and speed, every company needs leaders who can motivate
workers to be innovative.
 Learning: Competition today means that the knowledge an
organization gathers is more important than the number of branch
offices it opens. If a company wants to grow quickly, it needs
people who can keep learning quickly.

The industry leaders whom we spoke with stressed that it is not

only the upper management, but also the employees, who help
develop these essential qualities. must work together to build a
successful business.

Why is learning an important part of a successful company?

(A) It will develop essential qualities in management

personnel.

(B) It will give the employees in a company a chance to

change jobs more quickly.

(C) It will help a company to open new branch offices.

(D) It will help a company to grow quickly in a

competitive world.

Look at the word in the article. What or who does refer to?

(A) those in management and the employees of the

company

(B) the essential and successful qualities of business

(C) the various companies in business today

(D) the organization and its branch offices

Reading
Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the best answer. Click on the
arrow button to go to the next question.

As members of the marketing department, we have been given the

task of writing the new company brochure. The purpose of this
brochure is to appeal to potential employees. The brochure should
present this company as a great place to work.

I think we should begin by listing all of the most attractive qualities

of our company. We shouldn't be considering just the basic
qualities, like good benefits and competitive salaries. Many other
companies have these qualities; we need something that makes us
unique or different from them.

However, we must limit the list, since we can't include everything.

Therefore, I've asked the human resources department to assist us
by giving us a list of the few truly unique characteristics that they
think the brochure ought to stress.

After doing some brainstorming myself, I've come up with the

following characteristics: job security, stock options for employees,
physical fitness centers on site, and open communication. Do a
little yourself, and after thinking about all the
appealing qualities of our company, please email a limited list to
me.

See you at the meeting this afternoon,

Arthur

How will the human resources department help?

(A) by producing a brochure that appeals to all

companies

(B) by helping to characterize the basic qualities

(C) by identifying some special qualities

(D) by stressing the importance of the brochure

Look at the word in the email. Which phrase means the same thing as
?

(A) qualifying the characteristics

(B) providing services for potential employees

(C) contacting employees

(D) thinking about as many ideas as possible

Reading

Directions:
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arrow button to go to the next question.

special to The Daily Business News

Failure Can Make You Stronger: A

Look Into the Life of Peter Hill
By Joyce Robinson

Peter Hill is Hill admits that in the

one of the beginning, his management
most talked style was difficult for some
about men in members of his team at
Silicon Valley. Micronex. "I believe in
However, he confrontation--getting in each
was not always other's faces, disagreeing a
so successful. little. It's a powerful tool if it
Hill lost so doesn't get too personal and if
much money in 1975 on his it has a goal."
first business that he had to
sell it. It was the only way to However, more than anything
stop the bank from taking else, Hill believes in
away his home. innovation. He encourages his
employees to dream up new
Today he is the vice president ways to do things every day.
of Micronex, one of the world's But he warns that
semiconductor superpowers. innovation can't be scheduled
In fact, Micronex just like a meeting. "Sometimes I
exceeded revenue estimates just don't have any idea how
 for the third quarter by 12 to approach a particular issue.
percent when all the other Then suddenly, at 3:00 in the
semiconductor businesses in morning, I wake up shouting,
the Valley saw a decrease in 'I've got it! I know what to
revenues. do.'"

"Although I lost my first

business, I learned a great
deal about management, cash
flow, and how to talk to
bankers," he recalls, with a
smile. "But what I really
learned was how to do things
better."

Which example does the writer use to indicate how successful Peter Hill's company is?

(A) Mr. Hill didn't have to borrow money from the bank

(B) Micronex increased revenues in the third quarter, but other companies
didn't.

(C) Mr. Hill sold his business for a 12 percent profit.

(D) Micronex had higher revenues during the first three quarters of the year.

Look at the word in the newspaper article. What or who does refer to?

(A) innovations that are created by employees

(B) employees at Micronex

(C) new ways to do things that Mr. Hill dreams up

(D) scheduled meetings

Reading

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the best answer.
Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
Ms. Lily Kwan
Animation Plus Studios
10 Downtown Plaza
M6B 2B3 Toronto
Canada

Dear Ms. Kwan,

Thank you very much for sending us your sketches. Our design team felt that your two main cartoon
characters would be compatible with our marketing approach. In particular, the character of the witty
skunk as the intelligent partner of the teenage superhero was immensely appealing. We think we can
use the concept of their partnership in the advertising campaign for our new line of athletic shoes.

We would like to meet with you as soon as possible to see if we can set something in motion for the
coming fiscal year. We think we could incorporate the skunk as a symbol of independence. His
personality is very charismatic and we could pitch him as the visual image associated with the
product line. In our assessment, the friendship between the skunk and the teenager is an incredibly
powerful image that will appeal to the adolescent and pre-teen markets. The skunk's humorous
attitude is a great complement to the teenage hero's seriousness.

I would appreciate it if you could come to London this month and stay for two or three days. Would
that be feasible? Our design team can meet with you either Thursday and Friday, the fourteenth and
fifteenth, or Monday and Tuesday, the eighteenth and nineteenth. We would, of course, cover all
your expenses and pay your stated consulting fee. Your accommodations would be at Hotel
Excelsior, which is a pleasant jaunt from our headquarters.

Please let me know whether you will be able to join us on the dates I have proposed. We are very
enthusiastic about our innovative line and are delighted to be working with you.

Sincerely yours,

J.P. Petrakis
Product Development Unit

Mr. Petrakis wants Ms. Kwan to __________.

(A) create two new cartoon characters for marketing

(B) fly to London in order to work at the Excelsior Hotel

(C) fly to London to meet Olympic Attire's design team

 (D) move to London in order to work for Olympic Attire

In this letter, the word partnership means a __________.

(A) legal marriage pact

(B) financial agreement

(C) legal arrangement

(D) stable relationship

READING

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Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the best answer.
Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

A Quick Course on Job Interviews in the United

States from The Job Finding Journal:
International Edition
by Ronda Parks

There are many books available about job

interviews, but unfortunately, there's very
little time to read them. To make your
busy life easier, here is a quick list of
essential points. Keep in mind

next time you have a job interview in the

United States.

 Be clear on what you want to ask

about the company and the job.
 Plan to talk half the time and let the employer talk the
other half of the time (or more).
  Keep each answer to two minutes or less. Don't talk on and
on.
 Never say anything negative about a previous employer or
previous place where you worked.
 Take any evidence, such as a portfolio, you have of past
accomplishments to show your potential employer. The
artist's portfolio, for example, would include a collection of
samples of his or her best artwork. Computer programmers
would have printouts of programs they have written.
 Always write a thank-you note the same day as the
interview, and send it to the employer.

Remember that the person who gets the job is not always the one
who has the best qualifications. The person who gets hired is often
the one who knows the most about interviewing well.

Why should someone read this article?

(A) People who are prepared for

interviews frequently get jobs.

(B) It explains the two-minute

employer response.

(C) It makes a person's job

qualifications clearer.

(D) Interviewers will also read this

article.

Look at the word in the memo. What does the word refer to?

(A) the books available on the market for interviewing techniques

(B) helpful tips when speaking to potential employers

(C) the people who conduct the interview

(D) a portfolio of work done when going for an interview

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select the
best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Memo
From: President Hiram Beeker
To: All members of the Department of Information Technology and Management
Subject: Departmental Restructuring

It is with great regret that I announce the retirement of the department's dean, Dr.
Martin Johnston. He has served the department with great distinction for 25 years and
we will always remember his vast contributions.

Based on suggestions from department members, we will be restructuring the

Department of Information Technology and Management. Dr. Herbert Laveson,
currently a senior professor of information management, will assume the post of dean.
Dr. Laveson will now oversee the splitting of the department into two major divisions:
the education branch, under its new director, Dr. M.S. Ahn; and a new research and
development branch, under the internationally known researcher, Dr. C.S. Choudhury,
whom we have recruited from the Institute of Technology of Bangalore. Dr.
Choudhury's area of expertise is the development of new technological platforms that
enable businesses to handle larger amounts of data more efficiently. Aiding businesses
in their quest to handle information is an area which we hope will prove to be a
lucrative source of funding for our educational mission.

Details of our new department structure are provided in the chart below. For the near
future, we will maintain our existing structure in the education branch. In the coming
year, however, Dr. Laveson will be soliciting recommendations for departmental
evolution that will allow us to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Organizational Chart: University of the Cascades

Department of Information Technology and Management

According to the memo and organizational chart, which people will be changing
positions?

(A)  Dr. Choudhury, Dr. Ahn, and Dr. Laveson

(B)  Dr. Johnston, Dr. Beeker, and Dr. Wang

(C)  Dr. Takacs, Dr. Lopez, and Dr. Laveson

(D)  Dr. Wang, Dr. Takacs, and Dr. Lopez

Based on the memo and organizational chart, which of the following statements is true?

(A) Dr. Choudhury is currently a professor in the department.

(B) A new program has been created in the education branch.

(C) Dr. Laveson is replacing Dr. Johnston as department dean.

(D) The education branch will be working with businesses.

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select
the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Ripley's
BIGGEST SALE EVER!!
Save, SAVE, SAVE!

This sale is a gold mine! You can refurnish your entire office at considerable savings! We are
shutting down our downtown branch and must liquidate our entire stock of office furniture now!
For a limited time only, we have great prices on all your office furniture needs. Come see our
huge selection of styles.

All Prices Reduced!

Task Chairs Managers' Chairs

 padded arms for comfort  padded leather or micro suede

 strong, aluminum swivel base  many classic colors to choose from,
 three traditional colors (black, including navy, brown, grey, and tan
white, and tan)  high back for added comfort
 collapsible  polished aluminum base for strength

Executive Chairs Modern, Modular, L-shaped Work Stations

Must Go TOO!
  desks for office workers, receptionists,
 luxurious genuine leather, and administrative assistants
suitable for executive offices
 modular shelves for books, office
 high back and extra padded seat supplies, and photos--enormous
for relaxation capacity
 polished chrome base for  movable keyboard trays for ease of
strength and style storage
 sophisticated colors (ivory,  locking drawers for security and privacy
ebony, burgundy, and walnut)

We have many secretarial and receptionist desks in stock (walnut, blond oak, golden oak, and
mahogany). There are also a limited number of executive wrap-around desks available (dark
walnut, mahogany, and maple).

Call now and save! We will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for this
sale. The store is still packed with office furniture, so don't miss it!
According to the advertisement, Ripley's
is having a sale of office furniture because
__________.

(A) the company is closing its

downtown store

(B) Ripley's wants to buy a new style

of office furniture

(C) some liquid was spilled on the

office furniture

(D) there are too many chairs but not

enough desks

The word "it" refers to ________.

(A) the store's furniture
(B) a price reduction
(C) the downtown store
(D) the store's big sale

9 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select
the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.
  subscribe
 sections
 blog
 contact

Stock: Not a Dream Come True

Penelope Lopez

Why do we never learn? People continue to get hurt financially by not following simple
investing advice from financial advisors. Take the case of investing only in stock. This
unfortunate habit goes against the first basic rule of investing: spread your risk over many
types of investments in order to avoid disaster during economic downturns.

The worst cases are those of ordinary people who believe that they can research companies
and pick a few that are going to do well. Even professional investment managers have
trouble predicting which companies will prosper and which will stumble and fall.
Investing in a few individual companies is like gambling. You may get lucky in the short
term, but over your lifetime, you will have some big losses.

A second stock trap that individual investors fall into is investing heavily in their own
companies. Many employees are able to buy stock from their own companies at a discount.
Instead of selling some of it to diversify their holdings, they keep the stock, believing that
their companies will prosper. In many cases, the companies do poorly and employees lose
their jobs and their investments.

What can you do to avoid these problems? In a word, diversify! Make a variety of
investments, like real estate, mutual funds, and bonds. Don't keep more than 25 percent of
your money invested in your company.

Mutual funds are a particularly attractive option. The big advantage of mutual funds is that
the managers of the funds buy shares of a large range of companies. This means that if one
or two of the companies have a bad year, or even go bankrupt, it doesn't hurt the fund very
much. Some mutual funds have a mix of domestic and international stocks and bonds.
Some invest in real estate or mortgages. Mutual funds are a far less risky option than
investing in individual stocks or in your company's stock. The professional fund managers
are more aware of market conditions and can react quickly to changing economic
situations than individual investors.

Diversifying can save you a lot of agony down the road.

What would be another good title for this
article?

(A) Choosing a Financial Advisor

(B) Mutual Funds: Pros and Cons

(C) Why You Should Buy Your Company's

Stock

(D) Diversifying: a Key Investment

Strategy

11 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select
the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

A Quick Course on Job Interviews in the United

States from The Job Finding Journal:
International Edition
by Ronda Parks

There are many books available about job

interviews, but unfortunately, there's very
little time to read them. To make your
busy life easier, here is a quick list of
essential points. Keep in mind

next time you have a job interview in the

United States.
  Be clear on what you want to ask about the company and
the job.
 Plan to talk half the time and let the employer talk the
other half of the time (or more).
 Keep each answer to two minutes or less. Don't talk on and
on.
 Never say anything negative about a previous employer or
previous place where you worked.
 Take any evidence, such as a portfolio, you have of past
accomplishments to show your potential employer. The
artist's portfolio, for example, would include a collection of
samples of his or her best artwork. Computer programmers
would have printouts of programs they have written.
 Always write a thank-you note the same day as the
interview, and send it to the employer.

Remember that the person who gets the job is not always the one
who has the best qualifications. The person who gets hired is often
the one who knows the most about interviewing well.

Why should someone read this article?

(A) People who are prepared for

interviews frequently get jobs.

(B) It explains the two-minute employer

response.

(C) It makes a person's job qualifications

clearer.

(D) Interviewers will also read this article.

13 of 16 Next

Look at the word in the memo.

What does the word refer to?

(A) the books available on the market

for interviewing techniques

(B) helpful tips when speaking to

potential employers

(C) the people who conduct the

interview
 (D) a portfolio of work done when going
for an interview

14 of 16 Next

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to select
the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next question.

Percentages For Success In Staff Training and

Development
The following summarizes a variety of studies about the probability
of success for different types of staff training and development
activities. The chart is based on what elements are included in the
training session. Success means that, after the training session, the
staff person actually uses the training as part of his/her job, with a
high degree of skill.

Percent of Group
Element Of Training and
Likely To Be
Development
Successful

Excellent presentation (speech, lecture, 0-10%

film, etc.)

Five or more demonstrations by 10%

presenters

Participants try out what was taught-- 10-20%

hands-on involvement during the
session

Simulations--participants act out make- 50%

believe work situations with immediate
feedback

Participants try out new skills on the 90-100%

 job; cooperate in feedback sessions,
support groups, "peer coaching"

What is the purpose of this chart?

(A) to give percentages of staff attending

training sessions

(B) to list information about the different

types of training and development

(C) to train and develop new employees

(D) to show which elements of

training and development are the
most effective

15 of 16 Next

What should employees do in order to

ensure the most success?

(A) test new skills at work

(B) test new skills during the training

session

(C) test new skills five times or more

(D) test new skills when required by

management

16 of 16 Next

July 14, 2000

Hi, Mom!
Greetings from Korea! Wow! Korea is such an amazing place! The city of Seoul is really interesting, and
I'm having a great time! Yesterday, I visited Kyung Bok Palace and a wonderful neighborhood called
Insadong. There are many art galleries in this neighborhood, and shops that sell traditional handmade
crafts. I bought you a present in Insadong. I think you will like it very much, but I'm not going to tell
you what it is now, OK? I want to surprise you! I went camping with some friends in Sorak National Park
for three days last week. Tomorrow, we are going to leave Seoul and go to an island called Cheju--
everyone here says it's Korea's Hawaii. I'm going to go swimming first thing!  ! Listen,
Mom, I'm flying back into San Francisco on the 7th at 4:00 in the afternoon. Can you pick me up at the
airport? I'll call you when I get to Cheju.

Love, 
Nancy

Where is Nancy now?

(A)  in Seoul

(B)  in Insadong

(C)  in Sorak National Park

(D)  in Cheju Island

postcard. Which sentence below means the same thing as  ?

(A)  I can't go swimming.

(B)  I'm not waiting to go swimming.

(C)  I'm excited to go swimming.

(D)  I'm planning to go swimming.

Thank you for the telephone message about the meeting you had last week with the Zee Computer
Company. Please fax a copy of the notes you took during this meeting to my office. I'd like to read them
before our marketing strategy meeting tomorrow.   will really help me to understand the problems
the company is having with marketing. Don't worry about how they look! I can usually read anything
you write.

I look forward to working with you on new ways to market the Zee Computer Company's products.

How does George know that Suzanne had a meeting with Zee Computer Company?

(A)  He was at the meeting.

(B)  He received a fax.

(C)  He called Suzanne.

(D)  Suzanne called him.

Look at the word   in the memo. Which words or phrases mean the same thing
as  ?
 (A)  Suzanne and George

(B)  the notes from the meeting

(C)  the people at the computer company

(D)  the telephone messages

The Claims Division has been moved to our new location in Connecticut. This move gave us the chance
to achieve the required reduction in personnel. We have cut back the staff from 15 to 8 employees.

We were able to meet the reduction goals due to the fact that two employees retired, since they were at
the legal retirement age of 60. Furthermore, two more employees chose to take early retirement at 50
and 55 when we offered a good financial incentive. This monetary encouragement was equal to two
years of their annual salary.

Of the remaining three, one worker took a year-long leave to have a baby, another left the company to
return to university, and the third was fired for sharing company secrets. None of these workers will be
replaced.

Therefore, I am happy to report that, with very few problems and very little financial loss, we have met
our reduction goals in the Claims Division.

Next month, we will be working to meet new reduction goals in the Marketing Division as   makes its
planned move to the Connecticut location.

What is the main purpose of this report?

(A)  to report that some workers are leaving the

company
(B)  to report that many older employees have
retired
(C)  to report that there has been a cutback in
the number of workers
(D)  to report that there has been a change of
company location

Look at the word   in the report. Who or what does   refer to?

(A)  the Claims Division in the Connecticut office

(B)  goals for reducing the number of employees

(C)  the Marketing Division

(D)  the plans for moving to the Connecticut office

Percentages For Success In Staff Training and Development

The following summarizes a variety of studies about the probability of success for different types of staff
training and development activities. The chart is based on what elements are included in the training
session. Success means that, after the training session, the staff person actually uses the training as
part of his/her job, with a high degree of skill.

Percent of Group
Element Of Training and
Likely To Be
Development
Successful

Excellent presentation (speech, lecture, 0-10%

film, etc.)

Five or more demonstrations by 10%

presenters

Participants try out what was taught-- 10-20%

hands-on involvement during the
session

Simulations--participants act out make- 50%

believe work situations with immediate
feedback

Participants try out new skills on the 90-100%

job; cooperate in feedback sessions,
support groups, "peer coaching"

What is the purpose of this chart?

(A)  to give percentages of staff attending training

sessions
(B)  to list information about the different types of
training and development
(C)  to train and develop new employees

(D)  to show which elements of training and

development are the most effective

What should employees do in order to ensure the most success?

(A)  test new skills at work

(B)  test new skills during the training session

(C)  test new skills five times or more

(D)  test new skills when required by management

Can you think of a better place to have a conference? Your employees can let their imaginations sail
away on the blue waters, clean beaches, and soft winds. We will take special care of them from the time
our shuttle bus picks them up at the airport to the day we send them home.

In addition to the natural beauty and relaxing environment, our modern conference facilities provide our
guests with important equipment and services.   include multi-system VCRs, movie projectors,
computer presentation modules, electronic copier screens, excellent sound systems, and
teleconferencing services. Hotel employees are available to help maintain and operate these systems at
no extra charge.

 Each room at our beachfront hotel gives your employees a view of

the ocean. Each is equipped with computer desks and modem connections. The hotel is a five-minute
drive from the many shopping areas in downtown Kihei.

When the work is finished, your employees can relax at one of our six restaurants, four bars, or our
famous Hana Hula Nightclub located inside the hotel.

This is the perfect place to work and play.

Which item below is NOT offered at the Royal Luau Resort?

(A)  rooms with a beautiful ocean view

(B)  a well-known nightclub

(C)  airport pick-up service

(D)  a variety of places to shop

Look at the word   in the advertisement. What does   refer to?

(A)  the conference

(B)  the beauty of Maui, a calm environment, and additional rooms

(C)  important equipment and services

(D)  extra room service offered by hotel employees

READING

Directions:
Read the document below. Then read the question. Click A, B, C, or D to
select the best answer. Click on the arrow button to go to the next
question.

Confidential: Interim First-Quarter Marketing Report

As announced last week, the first quarter revenues for BoostQuik did not
meet expectations. However, even though the initial reactions of
consumers have not been as positive as we might have wished, we will
soon be able to capitalize on the endorsement of our energy/vitamin drink
by three up-and-coming athletes--a female tennis player, a male cyclist,
and a male soccer star--who will be featured in our advertising. (Note:
Their names cannot be released until contract negotiations have been
officially concluded.)

The tennis player is particularly charismatic and well-respected in our

target market. Although the older-adult market is saturated with diet
supplements, this campaign should enable us to reach a vast younger
audience using her distinctive image. Her value as a status symbol has
increased because of her success in several international competitions
over the past year.

Several recent inquiries and orders from wholesale distributors suggest

that second-quarter sales will be stronger. We should try to maintain that
momentum through the third quarter, using television advertisements at
major sporting events. The fitness industry is both booming and highly
competitive at this time, so we must brainstorm some creative
approaches for growing market share.

The marketing team brainstormed several strategies this morning and

came up with four recommendations:

1. All three athletes should wear our company logo on their clothing
and consume BoostQuik publicly at sporting events.

2. The athletes' life stories and latest accomplishments should be

featured on our Web site.

3. The athletes' pictures should be prominently displayed on all our

packaging.

4. We should take out full-page ads in the leading tennis, soccer,

and cycling magazines. Highlighting the benefits of BoostQuik for
these particular sports enthusiasts should help us gain wider
name recognition.

Our primary marketing goal is to raise the visibility of BoostQuik in the

fitness industry. For this reason, we suggest adding a fourth athlete,
possibly a female gymnast, to our group of celebrity endorsements. We
should hold off on selecting a gymnast, however, until after the annual
world competition this summer. This will allow us to select a young
athlete with star appeal. For the long term, it would also be very helpful if
BoostQuik could become an official sponsor of the Olympic Games.
Implementation of this marketing strategy will greatly raise our profile in
the energy/vitamin drink market and will lead to increased sales later this
year
This report indicates that sales of BoostQuik will increase because
__________.
 (A) the new
marketing
campaign
will be
effective

(B) the beverage

will be sold at
TV sports
events

(C) the beverage's

effectiveness
will be
enhanced

(D) wholesale
distributors
have started
using it

In the report, the word this refers to __________.

(A) results of the world gymnastics competition

(B) raising the company's visibility of BoostQuik

(C) selecting a gymnast from the competition

(D) delaying the selection of a fourth athlete

Level 7