BEC考生手册

University of Cambridge ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) Examinations Business English Certificates Information for Candidates BEC VANTAGE Why take BEC? More than ever, you need a good knowledge of English to succeed in international business and commerce. If you can show you have relevant language skills, you’ll have a great advantage in the jobs market and more choice if you want to work or study abroad. The Business English Certificates (BEC) from Cambridge ESOL have been created specifically for individual learners who wish to obtain a business-related English language qualification. By taking an internationally recognized business qualification like BEC, you can show that you have learned English to an appropriate standard and can use it in a professional context. BEC is available at three levels: BEC Preliminary, BEC Vantage and BEC Higher. BEC Vantage is set at Level 2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Why take a Cambridge ESOL exam? University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) offers the world’s leading range of qualifications for learners and teachers of English. Around 1.75 million people in over 135 countries take Cambridge ESOL exams every year. · Develop effective communication skills The Cambridge ESOL examinations cover all four language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. They include a range of tasks which assess your ability to use English, so that you develop the full range of skills you need to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts. · Worldwide recognition Universities and employers all over the world recognise Cambridge ESOL exams as a measure of your achievement in English. Whether you are hoping to study architecture in Australia or work in IT in Italy, a Cambridge ESOL examination is a valuable stamp in your passport to success. · Quality you can trust We do extensive research and trialling to make sure that you get the fairest, most accurate assessment of your ability and that our exams are most relevant to the range of uses for which you need English. Preparing for BEC If you would like more practice material to help you prepare for BEC Vantage, there are past paper packs available to buy which include an audio CD of the Listening test. You can find more information, prices and details of how to order on our website at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/pastpapers.htm What does BEC Vantage involve? This booklet is a brief introduction to BEC Vantage. If you would like to see a full sample paper for BEC Vantage, you can download one from our website at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/support/dloads/bec_downloads.htm The table below shows the different parts of BEC Vantage and how long each paper takes. Reading Time: 1 hour Reading is worth 25% of the total marks. Part One (7 questions) This is a matching task. There are four short texts on a related theme or a single text divided into four sections. Although the context of each text will be similar, there will also be information that is particular to each text. There is also a set of seven statements related to the texts. You have to match each statement with the relevant text. In the example below, you can see four statements (1–4) about the mobile phone industry and four texts which are comments by mobile phone retailers. You have to say which text refers to each statement. In the exam, there are seven statements like those below, so you may have to use each text (A–D) more than once. Part Two (5 questions) This is a matching task. There is a text which has had six sentences removed from it and a set of seven sentences. You have to match each gap with the sentence which you think fits in terms of meaning and structure. The first gap is always given as an example so that you have five gaps left to complete. Remember that only one sentence fits each gap. When you have finished this part, there will be one sentence which you have not used. The texts for this part have a clear line of thought or argument which you can still understand without all the sentences. Read through the gapped text and the list of sentences first, in order to get an idea of what it is about. When you choose the correct sentence for a gap, you should read before and after the text to check that it fits well. Finally, read through the entire text inserting the sentences as you go along to check that the information makes sense. In the example below there is an article about a survey of businesswomen staying in hotels. Six sentences have been removed. Read the sentences after the text and decide which sentence belongs in which gap. In the exam you mark the correct answer (A–G) for each gap (8–12) on your Answer Sheet. You can only use each letter once. Part Three (6 questions) This task consists of a text and six comprehension questions. Each one has four possible answers (A, B, C or D). The example below is an article about product life cycles. Read it and try to answer the questions (13–15) which follow. You have to choose A, B, C or D for each question. There are three more questions like the ones below in the exam. Product Life Cycles and Sales Strategy One of the most important concepts in sales management and marketing is that of the product life cycle. This is a historical record of the life of a product, showing the stage in its life the product has reached at a particular time. By identifying the stage that a product is in or may be heading towards, companies can formulate better marketing plans. All products have ‘lives’ in as much as they are created, sell with varying profitability over a period of time, and then become obsolete and are replaced or simply no longer produced. A product’s sales position and profitability can be expected to fluctuate over time and so, at each successive stage in the product’s cycle, it is necessary to adopt different tactics. The two main features of the product life cycle are unit sales and unit profit. The unit sales figures usually jump on introduction, as a response to heavy advertising and promotion, as customers buy the product experimentally. This is generally followed by a leveling off while it is evaluated – the length of this period depending on the use to which the product is put. Then, unit sales rise steadily through the growth phase to the maturity phase, when the product is widely accepted, and so on to saturation level. By this time, competitors will have entered the market with their own version and, from this point, the sales team will have to work even harder to win all additional sales. Eventually, the product’s sales decline as better versions enter the market and competition becomes too strong. In retrospect, most firms know what happened to their products from launch to withdrawal. They can compile this information from the records of unit sales. Unfortunately, unit sales are not the complete story as it is unit profit that is the decisive factor, although this is not always recorded accurately. It is this figure that sales management has to monitor, though, to ensure an effective marketing strategy and to produce effective profits. At launch, the product is costed accurately on the basis of production costs plus selling costs. Initially these remain fairly stable, but, when the product is proving successful, competitors will bring out their own ‘copy-cat’ products. With a competitor in the field, the original firm has to respond in order to maintain its market position. It can run special sales promotions, improve deliveries, make more frequent sales calls and so on. Often the extra expenditure is not accurately charged to the product and the result is that, long before unit sales are noticeably falling, the unit profit has already fallen. The product life cycle, then, presents a picture of what happened in the product’s ‘lifetime’, so how can this be used as an ongoing aid to management decision-making? Every sales manager has a chart on which the progress of sales is plotted and this can be used as a guide to the stage of development each product is currently in. An essential management skill is being able to interpret sales results and draw in the stages as they occur. Deciding where each stage begins and ends can be a random exercise, though usually the stages are based on where the rate of sales growth or decline becomes pronounced. 13 According to the text, the end of a product’s life cycle is marked by A a sharp rise in production costs. B the product becoming outdated. C an increase in customer complaints. D less support from sales management. 14 What does the writer say about sales management in the first paragraph? A Companies should spend more time on their sales planning. B There are many managers who need to improve their sales performance. C Most sales managers fail to recognise which stage a product has reached. D The sales approach should change with each phase of the product life cycle. 15 According to the text, a greater sales effort is required for a product when A it is particularly innovative. B the advertising budget has been cut. C rival companies start to produce something similar. D consumer interest switches to a new product category. Part Four (15 questions) In this part you have a text with fifteen gaps. You have to decide which word belongs in each gap. The example below is some advice about the use of technology in presentations. You have to choose a word (A, B, C or D) to fill each of the gaps in the text (19–23). We only show five questions below. In the exam, there are ten more questions like these. Guidelines for giving Presentations Most presentations today depend on the use of some sort of technology, such as a laptop computer linked to a projector. While this technology can help to (19)...... presentations better, it also has a (20)...... of getting in the way. As a general (21)...... , it is better to (22)...... on the content of a presentation as a means of (23)...... your audience’s attention, rather than relying on sophisticated equipment. Bear in mind that when an organisation invites (24)...... for a contract, they may (25)...... four or five presentations from different companies on the same day. Each of these companies will probably be using the same computer graphics (26)...... and the same equipment. The chances are the presentations will be similar too. That’s why the content and (27)...... of what you say are important.Think about what you want to say and how to say it as clearly as possible. As a first step, you need to (28)...... the main points you want to get across. Audiences are easily bored and (29)...... to remember only the most entertaining, exciting or unusual ideas. Next create your materials, choosing the images for your presentation carefully. Remember you do not want to stop your audience from listening to you, nor do you want to (30)...... them. Finally, make all the necessary (31)...... for the equipment you need. If technology is to be an important (32)...... of your presentation, make sure you know how to use it (33)...... and test it out beforehand. 19 A produce B make C construct D build 20 A behaviour B habit C practice D routine 21 A method B law C rule D course 22 A focus B define C target D direct 23 A gaining B acquiring C collecting D taking Part Five (12 questions) This task is similar to something you may have to do at work if you sometimes have to check business documents to make sure that there are no mistakes before the final version is sent out. The example below is an article about a training company. In most of the lines 34–45, there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the text. If you can find the extra word, you have to write it in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. Some lines are, however, correct and you should write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet. There are two examples at the beginning of the text, (0) and (00). In line 0 the extra/wrong word is ‘so’ and line 00 is correct. Writing Time: 45 minutes For BEC Vantage, you have to produce two pieces of writing: ·a communication with a colleague or colleagues within the company on a business-related matter. It may be a note, message, memo or e-mail; and one of the following: ·a piece of correspondence with somebody outside the company (e.g. a customer or supplier) on a business-related matter. It may be a letter, fax or e-mail ·a report; this means the presentation of information in relation to a specific issue or event. The report will contain an introduction, main body of findings and conclusion; it may be a memo or an e-mail ·a proposal; this has a similar format to a report, but remember that a proposal is about the future and includes recommendations for discussion; it may be a memo or an e-mail. The Writing paper is worth 25% of the total marks. Part One In this part the task rubric explains who you are and who you are writing to. You may have to write a note, message, memo or e-mail and you have to write 40 to 50 words. The instructions include bullet points which tell you the pieces of information that you must use in your answer. If you have to write a memo or an e-mail, it is not necessary to include to/from/date/subject details. The example below is a typical task for Part One of the Writing section. PART ONE ·You are a regional sales manager for an international company. You have been asked to go to a meeting at your company’s head office. You cannot go, so somebody else will go in your place. · Write an e-mail to Erica Young, who is organising the meeting: · apologising for not being able to go to the meeting · explaining why you cannot go · saying who will go. · Write 40 – 50 words. · Write on the opposite page. In the exam, you write your answer on the opposite page of the question paper. Part Two In the second Writing task, you have to write 120 to 140 words in the form of business correspondence, a short report or proposal. There is an explanation of the task and one or more texts as input material. These texts may contain visual or graphic material and have ‘handwritten’ notes on them. The format for proposals and reports is very similar. At this level, reports must be clearly organised and should not contain letter features. If you have to write a letter, it is not necessary to include postal addresses in your answer. If you have to write a fax, you don’t have to include ‘fax header’ details, and if you have to write a memo or an e-mail, you don’t have to include to/from/date/subject details. In the example below, you work for Business Space plc, a company which rents fully serviced offices to other businesses. You have just received the fax below. To write your answer, you need to read this fax from Reinhard Mieter and the other information given on the next page. As you can see, you have already made some handwritten notes. You have to write a fax in reply to Reinhard Mieter and it is important to include the information from all your handwritten notes. In the exam you write your answers in pen in your question paper booklet. Listening Time: approx. 40 minutes including 10 minutes’ transfer time. The Listening paper is worth 25% of the total marks. Part One (12 questions) In this part there are three conversations or answering machine messages, with a gapped text to go with each. Each text provides a very clear context and has four spaces which you have to fill with one or two words or a number. The texts may be forms, diary excerpts, invoices, message pads, etc. You will hear each conversation or message twice. As you listen, you have to complete the empty spaces. In this part of the Listening test you have to listen carefully using the prompts on your question paper in order to find the missing information. Remember that the correct answer may not be the first possible answer you hear and you may have to work out what the answer is from the information given. In the example below, a woman is telephoning a conference centre office. You have to listen carefully to the conversation and write one or two words or a number in each of the numbered spaces. In the exam, there are two more conversations like this one. Part Two (10 questions) This part is divided into two sections. Each section has the same format: you will hear five short monologues and have to match each monologue to a set of items A–H. In each section, the eight options all belong to the overall theme or topic which will be clearly stated in the task rubric. The two sections will always test different areas and so if the first section focuses on, say, topics, the second section will focus on something else, such as functions (e.g. agreeing/disagreeing, expressing preferences). In the example below, five people are talking about a problem. For each recording, you have to decide what the speaker is talking about. You should write one letter (A–H) next to the number of the recording. You can only use each letter once. You will hear the five recordings twice. There is a second section like this one in the exam. Part Three (8 questions) This is a longer recording, usually lasting approximately 4 minutes. It will typically be an interview, conversation or discussion with two or more speakers, or possibly a presentation or report with one speaker. There are eight questions that focus on details and main ideas in the text. There may be questions on opinions and feelings, but these will be relatively simple. You will not have to remember long or complex pieces of information. You will hear the recording twice. In the example below, you will hear a radio interview with José Martínez, the Director of Pizza Rapida, a pizza delivery chain. For each question (23–25), you have to choose A, B or C. In the exam, there are five more questions like these. Speaking Time: 14 minutes The Speaking test is conducted by two external examiners and you will be tested in pairs of candidates. At centres with an uneven number of candidates, the last single candidate is examined with the last pair in a group of three. The Speaking test is worth 25% of the total marks. Part One In the first part of the test, one of the examiners addresses each of you in turn and asks first general, then more business-related questions. The purpose of this is to test your ability to talk briefly about yourself, to provide concise information on your home, interests and jobs, and to show that you can agree/disagree, express preferences, etc. Part Two The second part of the test is a ‘mini-presentation’. In this part, the examiner will give each of you a choice of three topics (A, B or C) and you have 1 minute to prepare a speech lasting approximately 1 minute. After each of you has spoken, the examiner invites your partner to ask a question about what you have said. Part Three The third part of the test is a conversation between both of you. The examiner gives you a topic to discuss and you have to speak with your partner for about 3 minutes. The examiner will support the conversation if appropriate and then ask further questions related to the main theme. Next steps We wish you every success in taking BEC Vantage and we hope that you will take other Cambridge ESOL exams in future. BEC Higher is the next level of the BEC suite of business-oriented exams (see www.CambridgeESOL.org/exams/bec.htm) or, if you prefer a general English qualification, you should consider the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) as the next step. You can find out more information about CAE on our website at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/exams/cae.htm What people have said about BEC BEC has helped develop cross-cultural communication skills and overall development of the students. It has had an impact on confidence levels through international certification. Laura Cirello, Head of Learning and Development, JP Morgan Treasury and Security Services At our school we prepare our students for BEC Preliminary because it is a realistic goal for a 3-year course. We encourage them to attend the BEC Vantage course on a voluntary basis. … It is a good opportunity for them to get in addition an international language certificate during their commercial training. Margrit Walter-Wettstein, Berufsbildungszentrum Weinfelden, Switzerland In order for our students to pick up a successful professional career we felt that they must hone their skill in communication and the Cambridge BEC programme seemed to us to offer an excellent opportunity for our students. Dr Ashoke R Thakur, Vice Chancellor, West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata Companies who recognize Cambridge ESOL exams