MBA(英语)阅读理解练习试卷27(题后含答案及解析)

MBA（英语）阅读理解练习试卷27 (题后含答案及解析)

题型有：1.

Marriage guidance counsellors never stop hearing it. “He (or she) never listens,” warring couples complain, again and again, as if they were chanting a mantra(吟颂祷文) . And it is the same at work. Bosses say it of executives they are displeased with, and the executives return the compliment with interest when complaining about their bosses. Customers say it about suppliers who have cocked up, and suppliers—having patiently explained why on this occasion they cannot provide exactly what is wanted—say the same about their customers. Like married couples, we all shout the accusation at others, pretending that we ourselves are faultless. Yet in our hearts we know many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven’t listened sufficiently carefully. We get things wrong because we haven’t quite understood what was wanted, or haven’t sussed out(推断出) the implications of what we were told. Anyone who has ever written the minutes of a long meeting will know how hard it is to remember—even with the benefit of notes—exactly what everyone said and, more importantly, exactly what everyone meant. But success depends on getting things right and that means listening; listening, listening, listening. Hearing is not listening. Listening is not a passive activity. It is hard work. It demands attention and concentration. It may mean probing the speaker for additional information. If you allow your mind to wander, even for a few minutes, you’ll naturally miss what the speaker is saying—probably at the very moment when the speaker is saying something crucial. But not having heard, you won’t know you’ve missed. Until too late. The most common bad habit we all have is to start thinking of what we are going to say long before the other speaker has finished. Then we stop listening. Worse still, this often adds rudeness to inattentiveness, as once you have determined what you intend to say there is a fair chance you will rudely butt in on the other person to say it. The American wit Letitia Baldridge quipped: “Good listeners don’t interrupt ever—unless the building’s on fire.” It’s a good rule of thumb. One of the key ways to improve your listening ability is by learning to keep a wary eye on the speakers’ body language. The ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying. Being a good listener involves being a good watcher: eyes and ears must go hand in hand. For example, people who cover up their mouths with their hands while they are speaking are usually betraying insecurity, and may well be lying. When people rub their noses, it generally indicates they are puzzled; when they shrug their shoulders they are indifferent; when they hug themselves they are feeling threatened. If they are smiling as they speak they want you to feel the message is friendly, even if its content sounds hostile. On the other hand, if they are clenching their fists and drumming their fingers they may be restraining their anger, and may be much more furious than their words suggest. The American psychologist Robert C. Beck, who has specialized in research into how people can teach themselves to be better listeners, offers the

following half-dozen rules for self-improvement. Be patient—accept that many people are not very good communicators, encourage them to make things crystal clear, and don’t interrupt impatiently or jump to conclusions. Be empathetic—put yourself in the other person’s shoes, both intellectually and emotionally; it will help you understand what they are getting at. Don’t be too clever—faced with a know-all, many people become silent, either because they don’t want to look foolish .or because they see no point in bothering to continue. Use self-disclosure—admitting to your own problems and difficulties, and to your own mistakes, will encourage people to speak openly and honestly about theirs. Ask for explanations—get people to explain points or words you have not fully understood; it is always better to ask than to press on regardless—and then get things wrong. Ask “opening up” questions—these are gentle, unthreatening and open-ended; they cannot be answered with a mere “yes” or “no” and should provide no clues as to the answer the questioner might want to hear. Finally, it is almost always worth summing up the gist of what you have just been told, as quickly and briefly as you can, before the discussion ends. Nobody is ever offended by having what they have just said repeated to them. It ensures you have listened accurately and grasped the correct messages. If things go pear-shaped thereafter, at least the pears can’t be dumped on your doorstep.

1． When people say “He (or She) never listens,” they ______. A．mean they cannot obtain what they want B．mean that he/she should take the blame C．are really displeased with him/her D．feel regretful at his/her behaviour

正确答案：B

解析：选项A、D明显不是答案，C受系动词are和题干中they的限制，也不合理。正确的说法应为：He/she is really displeased with her/him。只有B是正确答案。 知识模块：阅读理解

2． According to the author, listening is different from hearing in that it ______. A．may well mean hard work

B．demands more additional information C．requires attention and concentration D．helps get things right

正确答案：C

解析：关于“听见”与“(全神贯注地)听”之间的差异在短文的第三段。该段的首句是主题句，言简意赅地说明了段落的大意：Hearing is not listening。选项A与第三句的情态不一致，选项B与第五句的意思有出入。关于选项D，文中没有相应的内容。C选项与第四句完全吻合 (require和demand是同义词)。 知识模块：阅读理解

3． One of the essential ways to develop your listening ability is ______. A．not to interrupt speakers no matter whatever happens B．not to be furious with whatever a speaker says C．to observe the speaker carefully

D．to watch the speaker’s body language carefully

正确答案：D

解析：第三题的答案在短文第六段的主题句(首句)中：One of the key ways to improve your listening ability is by learning to keep a wary eye on the speaker’s body language(提高听力的核心办法之一是注意观察说话人的手势语言)。题干和D选项合起来，与主题句的意思完全吻合，只是在用词表达方面有些差异。 知识模块：阅读理解

4． By saying “put yourself in the other person’s shoes” the author means that when you listen______.

A．take control over the speaker’s remarks

B．understand the speaker’s situation and feelings C．take over the speaker’s job and do it well

D．say something that never embarrasses the speaker

正确答案：B 解析：根据短语put oneself in the other person’s shoes的意思(把自己放在别人的位置上，或设身处地地想)可以判断正确的选项是B。 知识模块：阅读理解

5． What does the last sentence of the passage most probably mean? A．Even if something goes wrong, it’s not at all your fault. B．When pears get rotting, they will pile up on your doorstep. C．If something goes wrong, you will take the blame.

D．If pears are decaying, not all of them will fall onto your door step.

正确答案：A

解析：本题和第一题互相参照。短文的最后一句用pear打个比方，并不真的将话锋转到“梨子”上面，选项B、D首先被排除掉，剩下两个选项意思正好相反。根据上文的意思，如果你(听话人)积极地、全神贯注地去听，即使事情有什么差错，责任不在你，所以C与原文相悖。 知识模块：阅读理解

It has been said that management is a science and that leadership is an art. Management is comprised of concrete, measurable skills: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Thumb through any management textbook and you’ll see specific models, formulas, procedures, or techniques for monitoring and Controlling performance Output. Controlling productivity through adherence to standards is the stock-in-trade of the effective manager. It’s not always an easy task, and talented managers should be given the credit they deserve in helping their organizations succeed. No organization can survive for very long, let alone earn any sort of

substantial profits, without sound management. But management alone is not enough in today’s marketplace. It is the right balance, a combination of efficient management and leadership, that every organization is seeking. Just what is the new model of leadership for the 21st century? It revolves around five abstract qualities. Managers may possess some or all of these abilities to one degree or another, but these skills are distinct from the particular qualities that define management. To better understand how leadership and management differ, let’s review the five leadership competencies. Self-mastery is the foundation upon which a leader’s credibility is built and from which a leader’s image will evolve. Self-mastery involves awareness, acknowledgment, and acceptance. It’s about discovering the qualities that make you special and unique. It’s about your own talents and abilities--your personal areas of excellence. Effective leaders create opportunities to showcase their natural abilities. They uncover their potential talents by continually stretching themselves and pushing themselves to their limits. At the same time, however, the successful leader acknowledges his or her limitations. To achieve true self-mastery you must accept yourself, including your faults, totally and unconditionally. Vision is in many ways the heart and soul of leadership. While the manager must deal with issues and produce results on a day-to-day basis, a leader must focus on both the present and the future. The manager’s concern is today; the leader has a vision for tomorrow. But simply having a vision is not enough: you must make others believe in it, too. Put your plans for the future before the eyes and ears of the people around you. When other people begin to buy into your vision and make it their own, good things start to happen—and happen quickly. Leaders turn their vision into reality by constantly letting others know what’s in it for them. “Personal power” is the ability to influence and persuade others. It is not to be confused with “position power”. Position power is embedded in hierarchical, organizational structure. Personal power is earned. You do not necessarily need to have direct authority over others to display personal power. In fact, in the most successful companies, leadership exists at all levels. Develop personal power by being dependable, following through on commitments, and demonstrating concern for the welfare of others. People will recognize your personal power and look to you for direction. Empowerment completes the set of leadership skills. Although it has become a buzz word in the 90’s, leaders have been aware of the concept of empowerment throughout the ages. Empowerment is the process by which a leader enables other individuals to successfully complete a certain job or task. It is a technique that allows you to delegate responsibility for tasks throughout your organization, even at the lowest levels. As a leader, it is in your interest to nurture and develop individuals who will one day take your place, so make empowerment a top priority. Empowerment involves three critical ingredients: skills, confidence, and authority. Evaluate your followers’ skills and provide training to improve or enhance their abilities. Instill confidence in others and raise their self-esteem by maintaining face-to-face contact and offering praise for a job well done. Furthermore, bestow authority onto other people, giving them the right to exercise their best personal judgment. True leaders are always willing to give credit to others and accept responsibility for failure, while

simultaneously supporting, encouraging, and empowering their followers. If you do so, you will develop an unshakable trust bond with others in your organization, establishing your own credibility while ensuring results. No one can deny the importance of good management in a successful organization. But good management alone is no longer enough. Recognizing the difference between management and leadership, and striking the correct balance between the two, will provide substantial dividends in the long run. Management will get you through today; leadership will ensure a better tomorrow. After reading the passage, please make the best choice from the options given for each item below.

6． The passage is mainly about ______. A．management skills B．leadership principles

C．the qualities that define management

D．the distinction between management and leadership

正确答案：C 解析：第1题是问文章的大意是什么，解这种题目可以通过浏览文章的首段和末段的句首、句尾来搜寻答案。A、B、C选项都较片面，D选项是答案。 知识模块：阅读理解

7． What is the heart and soul of leadership according to the passage? A．Personal Power. B．Self-mastery. C．Vision.

D．Empowerment.

正确答案：C

解析：答案在第四段的第一句：Vision is in many ways the heart and soul of leadership。题干与原文在文字表达上基本一致。 知识模块：阅读理解

8． In paragraph 1“stock-in-trade” means ______. A．quality

B．usual tactics C．credibility D．responsibility

正确答案：B

解析：quality、usual tactics、credibility和responsibility四个选项的汉语意思分别为：品质、常用策略、可信性和责任。根据上下文和stock-in-trade所在句子的意思，选项C应首先排除。句子的主语controlling productivity through adherence to standards(坚守规章，调控生产力)是一种做事的方法，所以选项B的意思最合理。 知识模块：阅读理解

9． According to the four leadership competencies, which of the following is not the skill of a leader?

A．Dealing with daily issues and producing results. B．Recognizing the talents of others and giving them the knowledge and the tools they need to succeed.

C．Nurturing and developing successors.

D．Making macro-plans and ensuring results.

正确答案：A

解析：根据题干的意思，四个选项中有一个选项不是关于“领导能力”的。由于B选项句子较长，可以先搁置一边，从较短的选项着手。选项A的原文在第四段的第二句：While the manager must deal with issues and produce results on a day-to-day basis，a leader must focus on both the present and the future(领导不仅要立于现在，还要放眼未来，而管理人员则要处理日常事务并做出业绩)。显然，A选项是答案。确定答案后，其他尚未处理的选项可以忽略不看。 知识模块：阅读理解

10． From this passage, we learn that ______. A．leadership is more important than management B．a good manager must have leadership competencies

C．leading and managing involve distinctly different sets of skills

D．people with exceptional leadership qualities are usually undeveloped

正确答案：C

解析：本题和第一题互相参照。参照第一题以及文章的最后两句可以得知，文章的主旨在于管理与领导的差异而不是二者孰重孰轻的问题。A选项与文章主旨相悖，B选项较片面，D选项在文章中没有提及，所以答案是C。 知识模块：阅读理解

What do the extraordinarily successful companies have in common? To find out, we looked for correlations. We know that correlations are not always reliable; nevertheless, in the 27 survivors, our group saw four shared personality traits that could explain their longevity. Conservatism in financing. The companies did not risk their capital gratuitously. They understood the meaning of money in an old-fashioned way; they knew the usefulness of spare cash in the kitty. Money in hand allowed them to snap up options when their competitors could not. They did not have to convince third-party financiers of the attractiveness of opportunities they wanted to pursue. Money in the kitty allowed them to govern their growth and evolution. Sensitivity to the world around them. Whether they had built their fortunes on knowledge (such as Dupont’s technological innovations) or on natural resources (such as the Hudson’s Bay Company’s access to the furs of Canadian forests), the living companies in our study were able to adapt themselves to changes in the world around them. As wars, depressions, technologies, and politics surged and ebbed, they

always seemed to excel at keeping their feelers out, staying attuned to whatever was going on. For information, they sometimes relied on packets carried over vast distances by portage and ship, yet they managed to react in a timely fashion to whatever news they received. They were good at learning and adapting. Awareness of their identity. No matter how broadly diversified the companies were, their employees all felt like parts of a whole. Lord Cole, chairman of Unilever in the 1960s, for example, saw the company as a fleet of ships. Each ship was independent, but the whole fleet was greater than the sum of its parts. The feeling of belonging to an organization and identifying with its achievements is often dismissed as soft. But case histories repeatedly show that a sense of community is essential for long-term survival. Managers in the living companies we studied were chosen mostly from within, and all considered themselves to be stewards of a longstanding enterprise. Their top priority was keeping the institution at least as healthy as it had been when they took over. Tolerance of new ideas. The long-lived companies in our study tolerated activities in the margin: experiments and eccentricities that stretched their understanding. They recognized that new businesses may be entirely unrelated to existing businesses and that the act of starting a business need not be centrally controlled. W.R. Grace, from its very beginning, encouraged autonomous experimentation. The company was founded in 1854 by an Irish immigrant in Peru and traded in guano, a natural fertilizer, before it moved into sugar and tin. Eventually, the company established Pan American Airways. Today it is primarily a chemical company, although it is also the leading provider of kidney dialysis services in the United States. By definition, a company that survives for more than a century exists in a world it cannot hope to control. Multinational companies are similar to the long-surviving companies of our study in that way. The world of a multinational is very large and stretches across many cultures. That world is inherently less stable and more difficult to influence than a confined national habitat. Multinationals, like enduring companies, must be willing to change in order to succeed. These four traits form the essential character of companies that have functioned successfully for hundreds of years. Given this basic personality, what priorities do the managers of living companies set for themselves and their employees?

11． Which of the following does not belong to conservatism in financing? A．Money burns a hole in one’s pocket. B．Money doesn’t grow on trees.

C．Money called for is money well spent. D．Money breeds money.

正确答案：A

解析：阅读文章时，标题、醒目字体等部分是特别需要关注的。此外，为本篇短文设置的多项选择题的顺序与原文的顺序是一致的。本题题干中的关键词是not和conservatism(保守主义)。根据文中的黑体段落标题(Conservatism in financing)，答案很可能在第二段。此外还可凭借逻辑推断，“信贷中的保守主义”

做法必然不会“有钱就花完”(Money burns a hole in one’s pocket)，而是遇事谨慎、累积资金以待时机，所以答案是A。选项B、C在文中没有提及。 D的意思太泛，因为“钱生钱”(Money breeds money)是所有投资的最终目的。 知识模块：阅读理解

12． The longevity of successful companies is determined by ______. A．knowledge on which they built their fortunes

B．easy access to natural resources from which they made money C．their ability to learn and adapt to changes

D．information on packets carried over vast distances by portage and ship

正确答案：C

解析：第二题的答案在第三段。根据短文，选项A是某些公司的投资领域而非个性特质 (personality trait)。选项B中的easy以及选项D在第三段中没有提及。只有C符合原文的意思，成功的公司都“善于学习、善于调整应变”(They were good at learning and adapting)。 知识模块：阅读理解

13． Awareness of their identity means ______. A．knowing who they are in a community

B．knowing what role they should play in society

C．knowing that they are connected with the fortune of their company D．knowing which positions they belong to

正确答案：C

解析：题干的主语awareness of their identity明示答案在第四段，选项A、B意思相近，比较宽泛，而选项D的意思不明确，只有C与原文贴切。 知识模块：阅读理解

14． W.R. Grace is a typical long-lived company that has run the following business except ______.

A．sugar and tin B．natural fertilizer C．chemical products D．air planes

正确答案：B 解析：根据题干的主语(W.R.Grace)，首先在短文中寻找包含该公司名称的段落(在第五段)，然后确定哪些选项被提及过，没有明指或提到的即是答案。第五段中有sugar and tin、a natural fertilizer和a chemical company，所以选项A、B、C不是答案，只有D符合题意。W.R.Grace公司成立了“泛美航空公司”，经营航空运输而不是飞机本身。 知识模块：阅读理解

15． In what way are multinational companies similar to the long-surviving companies studied?

A．keeping central control B．willing to change

C．saving money in an old-fashioned way

D．choosing managers from within the company

正确答案：B

解析：答案在第六段：多国公司和老牌公司一样，要想成功，必须愿意变化(willing to change)。选项A、C、D在原文中均未提到。 知识模块：阅读理解