Texas Reading Benchmark Answer Document for 46 Questions

Part 1

Questions 1 -eight

Wait at the statements beneath and the five news items on various companies. Which study (А, В, C, D or East) does each argument (1-8) refer to?

For each statement (1-8), mark one letter (А, В, C, D or E). Yous will need to use some of these letters more than once. In that location is an instance at the beginning (0).

Case:

(0) Some new bounds are going to be opened. A

1. This company reports non being able to pass on higher costs to its customers.

two. The sale of part of a company has had an adverse affect on profits.

3. This visitor's response to fluctuations in sales has not had the desired event.

4. Jobs have been lost because a company has ended one of its activities.

5. There are fears about the impact of internal contest within the visitor.

6. This company has reported contrasting results from different parts of its operations.

vii. This company has spent money on moving part of its operation.

8. Efforts are to be made to turn around sales at a shop

А

New Store

Parkin's search for a site for its next shop has been ended past Marsden's misfortunes, with Parkin agreeing to purchase half of the latter's Birmingham shop for Ј40m. Parkin's main shop is in London, but it opened its second, in Birmingham, three years ago, and has been seeking sites in other large cities. In that location was surprise that the new store, likely to open adjacent twelvemonth, is so close to the existing one, where profits have and so far browbeaten Parkin's sales targets, in example it draws customers abroad from the existing outlet.

В

Chapters Cutting

The packaging industry has typically suffered from a cruel cycle, with rising prices leading to excess capacity, which in turn leads to a collapse in prices, and Johnson Keithley is no exception. The visitor has been attempting to shine the boom/bosom cycle past better capacity management, but it admitted yesterday that it has been forced to make meaning cuts to capacity because of a surprisingly sharp downturn in demand. The group at present expects its second-half results to fall below expectations, and warned of further problems on the horizon.

E

Pocket-sized Improvement

Dorcas Foods has posted a modest rise in acting profits. Nevertheless, the visitor says it has had to absorb increased costs at its Quality Sugar subsidiary and the impact of a margin clasp at its Australian baking operations. In sugar, the continued strength of sterling has capped profits, and with Dorcas's movement out of sugar-beet refining, expenditure on redundancy is having a serious bear on. At the same time, floods in Australia take led to college wheat prices, which in turn have reduced margins in the visitor's baking operations

С

Hit by College Costs

Higher raw-textile costs have reduced full-yr profits at Bonner'southward, the plastics manufacturer, with prices of polyethylene, the primary component of its business concern, ascent 8% since final year. Profits were also held back by the disposal of its packaging sectionalisation, which deemed for over half of turnover the previous yr. Boosted costs were incurred by relocating the head office from Wrexham to Cardiff, and from reorganisation and redundancy in its plastics business. Bonner'south said that trading in the current yr has started slowly, particularly in its European markets.

D

Surprise Fall

Shares in regional supermarket concatenation Couldson fell steeply yesterday after the retailer warned of losses at its biggest outlet, in Bristol. The alert was in stark contrast to its trading argument three months ago, which reported a rise in like-for-like sales of v% in the preceding calendar month. Withal, trading across the residuum of the chain, including seven outlets bought last twelvemonth from Luxona, showed a healthy improvement. The company has promised to do all it can to stem the pass up of the final 4 weeks at the Bristol outlet.

1. E
2. C
3. B
4. E
5. A
6. D
7. C
8. D

Role 2

Questions 9–14

● Read this text taken from an article about future developments in advertising.

● Cull the best sentence o fill each of the gaps. For each gap (9–14), marker one letter (A–H).

● Practise not mark whatsoever alphabetic character more once.

Futurity Developments in Advertising

The explosion of new media, ranging from the internet to digital television, means that people working in advertising will accept to devise more cunning ways to take hold of the public's attention in the future. The traditional Television set advertisement campaign will not reach the whole family unit whatever more. The advert industry will take to piece of work 'harder and smarter' to cut through the 'clutter and noise' of the future with this vast array of new media, all competing to take hold of the consumer'south eye.

 People accept become more individual in their consumption of advertising. (nine) ………… New engineering has made experimenting with new forms of advertising a possibility. The monologue where the advertising tells housewives that this is the washing powder they should buy is just a cliché now. The internet, for example, has fabricated such ads look old-fashioned. (10) ………… A much closer relationship with the consumer is gradually being forged.

The definition of what constitutes advertizement will expand well beyond the conventional mass media. Shopping environments volition themselves become a part of the advertising process. (11) ………… The aim volition be to 'warm' people towards these places and so that they volition return to purchase goods at that place again.

In spite of these and other changes, information technology is highly unlikely that TV, print and radio will disappear altogether as ad media. (12) ………… But other marketing disciplines, such as public relations and straight marketing, will become as important as advertisement. Advertising agencies volition have to reinvent themselves. They will no longer be able only to produce advertisements and then support these through PR, direct marketing or the internet. (thirteen) …………

Thus, creativity will be the most valuable commodity in the future. (14) ………… It will continue to be so in the time to come. But there will exist an increasing premium on the advertiser's power to be imaginative, and to retrieve laterally nigh engaging the consumer in a broader multifariousness of media.

A On the contrary, there is near certain to exist an increase in every form of advertising in future years.

B Increasingly, they will exist not simply to sell goods, but likewise to entertain people and to brand certain that they enjoy their time at that place.

C Originality of thinking has e'er been in brusk supply.

D There is, consequently, little hope of them surviving for more than another 20 years.

E This fragmentation has already shown the demand for a more than sophisticated understanding of where and how to reach people in the most effective mode.

F Instead, they will have to change the whole way they look at communication and offset thinking about ideas which are not specific to 1 subject.

G It has made possible a situation in which customers can tell advertisers what they think, and the advertisers can supply information.

H No longer volition all members exist watching the aforementioned programme: some will be watching different channels on their own TVs, surfing the net or doing both at the same time.

1. Eastward
2. G
3. B
4. A
5. F
6. C

Part 3

Questions fifteen–20

● Read the following article about Grasmere, a pocket-size British visitor that articles steel components, and the questions below.

● For each question (15–20), marker i letter (A, B, C or D).

In a tough climate for Uk manufacturers, Malcolm Drake thinks he has hit on a mode for his visitor, Grasmere, to succeed: by becoming a bespoke manufacturer. This involves working very closely with customers to produce precisely what they desire. As a upshot, Grasmere has become indispensable to its big customers, which are based effectually Europe. Grasmere makes a range of small metallic items that are tailored to fit into much larger products, and its customers include big electronics and electrical goods manufacturers. 'When we start talking to customers about an guild, they oft take merely a rough thought what they want,' says Drake. 'We help them in identifying and specifying their needs, and we suggest them on the all-time style to industry the product. Then nosotros fulfil the lodge, which could involve making annihilation between 40 and i billion parts in a twelvemonth.'

Grasmere'due south chief tools are printing machines that stamp out metal items in its Birmingham premises. The company was started by Drake'south great-grandfather in 1903, when its best-selling products were pen nibs, and the company prides itself on never having fallen below the exacting standards which it set then.

While today'south range has moved a long mode from those pen nibs, some of the original mechanism stands in the reception area, every bit a memento of the company's roots. But in the concluding year has the visitor relocated from the cramped and grimy workshop it moved to in 1910, to a more modern and open-plan edifice on the outskirts of Birmingham, an operation that involved a major logistical do to motion the machinery. The new site has allowed Grasmere to make itself more than efficient. The company has cut staff from 150 to 125 past shedding low skilled employees without reducing turnover.

Malcolm Drake says that 18 of Grasmere'due south customers each contribute revenues of more than £100,000 a year, with half of all turnover coming from 3 of them. 'It isn't the usual supplier–customer relationship,' he explains. 'We are very open with them and provide them with a lot of internal data about costs. Only nosotros select them as much as they select us. If we are  asked to do something that is too difficult or expensive, nosotros say "no". Nosotros educate the client every bit to what is possible. If yous permit yourself to be dictated to, that'due south not a partnership – it's grovelling.'

Grasmere's business has spread more than widely to other parts of Europe in the past few years, though not because of any deliberate strategy to push upwardly exports. Equally Drake points out, if a company such as his is keen to yoke itself to successful companies that think strategically, inevitably this volition mean more overseas sales to relatively farflung divisions of these businesses, to meet their own need for the components Grasmere tin produce.

The visitor depends on having technically literate people who can talk intelligently to customers. Hence 90 of Grasmere's employees are engineers  employed in a range of jobs including making products, sales, marketing and purchasing. While about 100 of the staff are direct involved in shop-flooring production piece of work, they often also have an outward-facing role, such equally talking to customers most design or manufacturing.

Malcolm Drake sums upwards his company'southward strengths every bit offer five attributes that customers desire: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and low costs. As a issue, the company is flourishing.

15 What do nosotros learn near Grasmere in the first paragraph?

A Information technology concentrates on working in a item sector.

B It helps customers to formulate their ain requirements.

C It makes a range of products for a small number of applications.

D It designs products so looks for suitable customers for them.

xvi What links Grasmere now with when it was founded?

A The company has always operated in the aforementioned premises.

B Some of the original machines are however used for manufacturing.

C The present range of products includes the original lines.

D The company has always had the same mental attitude to quality.

17 Grasmere's workforce has fallen because

A productivity has improved.

Binformation technology is difficult to recruit skilled staff.

Cnew machinery has been introduced.

Dsome staff chose to leave the visitor.

18What does Malcolm Drake say about the visitor's human relationship with its customers?

AGrasmere works on equal terms with its customers.

B Grasmere has a amend relationship with some customers than others.

C Grasmere can acquire a smashing deal from its customers.

D Grasmere is expected by some customers to provide too much

information.

19 The company's exports are rising because

A it is following a strategy of promoting its products away.

B there is a growing demand abroad for the types of products it makes.

C overseas sections of its client companies are buying from Grasmere.

D information technology is gaining access to the overseas clients of its own customers.

20 It is part of Grasmere's policy to ensure that

 A every customer is allocated to a specific salesperson.

B many of its engineers deal directly with customers.

 C each activeness is carried out past dedicated staff.

D it has a section which designs new products.

1. B
2. D
3. A
4. A
5. C
6. B

Part iv

Questions 21-thirty

Read the article below virtually customer relationship management. Choose the right word or phrase to fill each gap from А, В, С or D. For each question (21-30), marker one letter of the alphabet (А, В, С or D).

Client Human relationship Management

In today's fast-moving market place, it is a simple (0) ..D… that products are constantly beingness replaced by something new. For companies large and small, the most of import existent (21) …….. with measurable, long-term value is loyal, i-to-one customer relationships. However, despite their importance, they do not (22) ……. on any visitor'south balance sheet. If a company lost 10% of its inventory to theft, it would react swiftly, simply if the company loses 10% of its customers, this may not exist (23) ……. In this age of production (24) ……, in which the marketplace fails to perceive any profound difference between products or companies, effective management of customer relationships is critical in achieving a competitive (25) ……. Delivering quality service and achieving high client satisfaction accept been closely (26) ……. to  profits, and consequently the (27) ….. all companies are trying to brand is to provide more than internal and external client relationship focus. By (28) ….. available data technology, leading companies take already shortened process and response times, increasing customer satisfaction.

Merely companies must make a turn a profit to survive, and then telling a chief executive to focus more than on customers, through the use of expensive information technology, may autumn on deafened ears unless it  can  be  demonstrated that such investments volition be (29) …… in terms of acquirement, market place share and profits. Certain companies are responding to this new customer focus by completely (30) ……… their traditional financial-merely measurements of corporate performance, and seeking new ways of measuring customers' perceptions and expectations.

21

А worth

В value

С asset

D property

22

А turn out

В brand up

С write out

D show up

23

А detected

В regarded

С conceived

D distinguished

24

А coincidence

В similarity

С agreement

D connectedness

25

А authority

В command

С advantage

D preference

26

А joined

В linked

С associated

D combined

27

А shift

В fluctuation

С motion

D deportation

28

А profiting

В capitalising

С exploiting

D benefiting

29

А reinstated

В restored

С replaced

D recouped

30

А modifying

В mending

С refurbishing

D overhauling

1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. D
10. D

Function 5

Questions 31–40

● Read the article beneath nigh computer printers.

● For each question (31–40), write 1 discussion in Majuscule LETTERS.

● There is an instance at the beginning (0).

PRINTING AT A Toll

Nigh companies now realise that the so-called 'paperless office' is clearly an illusion – and probably e'er volition (0) ….BE…….. . Digital engineering has revolutionised working practices and methods of advice, but information technology has created boosted media rather (31) ………… replacing existing ones. Therefore, paper is hither to stay, and the printer tin be sure of keeping (32) ………… place alongside the computer, fax and phone equally a basic detail of part equipment, fundamental to the life of most companies.

However, like many other basic items, the printer is often seen (33) ………… peripheral, and insufficient attention is given to its selection. Information technology is worth remembering that the equipment that y'all adhere to your figurer is merely as of import equally the computer's technical specification. You will soon find that (34) ………… you are using a printer that jams and smudges your work, or makes getting names and addresses onto envelopes seem an impossible task, then (35) .……….. supersonic speed of your microprocessor will be no great advantage.

Printing applied science has developed rapidly over the (36) ………… few years, and it seems gear up to continue to (37) ………… so.   Finding the all-time printer for your particular needs depends on many factors, not least (38) ………… which is cost. Still even before cost comparisons come (39) ………… consideration, the questions of make, colour, volume, speed and quality of output all need careful thought. The best motto is 'try before yous buy'. That way, you will become the best printer for your company, and information technology will be (40) ………… the all-time possible price.

1. THAN
2. ITS
3. AS
4. IF / WHEN / WHENEVER
5. THE
6. By / LAST
7. Practise
8. OF
9. INTO / UNDER
10. AT / FOR

Office vi

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