New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It’s now a “global village” where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech munications equipment is greatly increased by foreign language skills.
Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modern businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts.
Overseas assignments (指派) are being increasingly important to advancement within executive (行政) ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being “out of sight and out of mind.” He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the pany’s plan for success, and that promotions often follow or acpany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to manage back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are being more and more mon.
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive munications devices (装置) with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn’t generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal.
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight (洞察力) to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can municate well with foreign customers over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset (有价值的人或物) to the firm.
【小题1】With the increased use of high-tech munications equipment, businesspeople .A．are eager to work overseas B．have to get familiar with modern technology C．are gaining more economic benefits from domestic operations D．are attaching more importance to their overseas business【小题2】In this passage, “out of sight and out of mind” (Line 3, Para. 3) probably means . A．leaving all care and worry behind B．being unable to think properly for lack of insight C．being totally out of touch with business at home D．missing opportunities for promotion when abroad【小题3】According to the passage, what is an important consideration of international corporations in employing people today? A．Ability to speak the customer’s language. B．Connections with businesses overseas.C．Technical know-how. D．Business experience.【小题4】The advantage of employees having foreign language skills is that they can . A．fast-forward their proposals to headquarters B．better control the whole negotiation process C．easily make friends with businesspeople abroadD．easily find new approaches to meet market needsD
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(答案→)D
解析：这篇材料讲的是外语能力在国际商业中的作用，论述的重心落在了国际商业的重要性和易行性上，仅仅在最后两段提到了外语能力的作用。
【小题1】细节题：根据第二段的句子： have a growing respect forthe economic value of doing business abroad，意思是对海外业务的经济价值的认可正在增加。第三段认可了海外业务所能带来的仕途价值，这两点共同说明bussinesspeople对海外业务的重视。选C。
【小题2】句意理解题：前一句是Overseas assignments are being increasingly important toadvancement within executive ranks，句意较好理解，意思是海外职务对于管理人员的升职越来越重要了。从上下文大意来看，确实是在讲述海外任职和职位升迁的关系。文中的观点是海外任职有助于职位提升，那么out of sight可能就是指自己的业绩不入领导的视野，out of mind就是指有了升职机会时，海外高管从来不在领导的考虑之列。符合这个意思的是D
【小题3】细节题：第五段开头先讲到英语作为国际通用语的重要作用，但马上话锋一转，指出会讲客户的语言越来越受到重视。此后则直截了当地表示语言技能会增加应聘者被聘用的机会：having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal，这里的edge就是指的优势。选A
【小题4】推理题：从最后一段的句子：The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s principal language，意思是能够说当地语言的海外员工。下文对这样的员工有两点描述，一是有机会把某些谈判快速推进（has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations），二是具有文化洞察力，知道何时该把谈判放慢（can have thecultural insight to know when it is better to move more slowly）。这两点都是和谈判有关，一快一慢，也就是如何把握谈判的节奏。选B