BEC Preliminary Test Paper (I) READING QUESTIONS 1 – 45 PART ONE Questions 1 – 5 Look at the question 1 – 5. In each question, which sentence is correct? For each question, mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet. 1.  Applicants must have a. relevant qualifications. b. previous experience. c. recognized training. 2.  Sportmaster wants to a. sell its products abroad. b. import products into Pakistan. c. manufacture in Europe. 3.  a. You can photocopy notices at Reception for display here. b. Photocopied notices can only be displayed at Reception. c. Take your notice to Reception if you want it displayed here. 4.  The train service to the airport runs 24 hours a day. Airport trains leave Platform 3 at 20 minutes past the hour. The airport express takes half an hour at night. 5.  Customers should normally pay for goods when their order is processed. when the goods are delivered. when they place an order. PART TWO Questions 6 – 10 Look at the advertisement below. It shows services offered by a business consultancy. For questions 6 – 10, decide which service (A – H) would be suitable for each person. For each question, mark one letter (A – H) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. THINKING OF STARTING A BUSINESS? Need expert advice and / or assistance in one or more of the following areas? A Market Research B Constructing a schedule C Calculating costs D Meeting legal requirements E Obtaining finance F Renting or purchasing premises G Recruiting and training staff H Promoting products and services 6. Margaret Williams needs help in choosing the business loan with the most competitive terms. 7. Ibrahim Shaw wants to be sure that there will be enough demand for his products. 8. Maria Smith would like some advice about where to advertise a new line of goods. 9. King Seng wants to research new laws on constructing buildings. 10. Peter Anderson needs to know whether his existing funds are enough to set up his business. PART THREE Questions 11 – 15 The following two bar charts illustrate the employment in Someland in 1975 and 1995. Tell whether the statements 11 – 15 are TRUE or FALSE.   During the two decades between 1975 and 1995 Women made gains in all sectors of the Someland work force. In three sectors, the number of women employed rose while the number of men employed remained unchanged. In the wholesale and retail trade sector, the number of women employed rose greatest. In Public sector (defense), the number of men declined, while the number of women rose. Women appear to have made gains but not at the expense of men in the Someland work force. PART FOUR Questions 16 - 22 Read the advertisement below for a hot drinks machine. Are sentences 16 - 22 “right” or “wrong”? If there is not enough information to answer “right” or “wrong”, choose “doesn’t say”. For each sentence 16 - 22, mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet.  16. With a QVM machine, companies can avoid having a canteen altogether. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 17. The QVM machine provides enough hot drinks for up to fifteen people. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 18. Most customers prefer to rent the QVM machine over sixty months. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 19. The electricity used daily by the machine costs less than the price of a hot drink. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 20. The machine company empties the money from the machine as part of its service agreement. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 21. Customers can refill their machines with drinks ingredients, if they want to. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say 22. During the trial period, the customer pays a reduced amount to rent the machine. A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say PART FIVE Questions 23 – 28 Read the following review of a book called The Bosses Speak. Choose the correct answer for each question 23 – 28. Mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet. 23. The reviewer suggests that one advantage of this book is that a. it is better value than other management books. b. it doesn’t need to be read right through. c. it is about well-known people. 24. The book concentrates on the fact that the twenty executives who are interviewed a. work in a number of different industries. b. started their companies. c. have worked for different lengths of time. 25. The reviewer cannot accept Stuart’s opinions because Stuart a. makes unreasonable complaints about the interviewees. b. writes too positively about the interviewees. c. has different attitudes towards different interviewees. 26. Reading the book made the reviewer think that a. there are certain qualities which all Chief Executives need. b. it is difficult to discover how people really run a company. c. running a company is easier than many people think. 27. Which parts of the book did the reviewer most enjoy reading? a. how the interviewees became Chief Executives. b. what sort of people the interviewees are. c. the advice given by the interviewees. 28. The reviewer recommends the book for people who a. intend to set up in business b. want to become senior mangers. c. are outside the field of business. PART SIX Questions 29 - 40 Read the article below about team-building. Choose the correct word to fill each gap, from A, B, or C given. For each question 29 - 40, mark one letter (A, B, or C) on your Answer Sheet.  29. A. calling B. calls C. called 30. A. such B. like C. so 31. A. at B. for C. in 32. A. who B. which C. what 33. A. and B. but C. or 34. A. ought B. will C. shall 35. A. because B. although C. since 36. A. on B. of C. with 37. A. a B. these C. this 38. A. still B. ever C. never 39. A. must B. would C. might 40. A. made B. had C. done PART SEVEN Questions 41 – 45 Read the memo and note below. Complete the claim form followed. Write a word or phrase (in CAPITAL LETTERS) or a number on lines of 41 – 45 on your Answer Sheet    WRITING QUESTIONS 46 and 47 PART ONE Question 46 You are going to attend an engineering exhibition in Frankfurt soon. Write a memo to your assistant: ---- Explaining why you will be away. ---- Letting her know the dates you will be away. ---- Saying what work she should do while you are away. Write 30 – 40 words. Write on your Answer Sheet. PART TWO Question 47 Read this part of a letter from Mary Bennett applying for a job.  Write a letter to Ms Bennett: ---- acknowledging her letter. ---- offering her a date and time for an interview. ---- requesting the names and addresses of two referees. ---- telling her the best way to reach you by public transport. Write 60 – 80 words. Write on your Answer Sheet. Do not include any postal addresses. Writing (part two) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Answers Reading: 1 – 5: B A C A C 6 – 10: E A H D C 11. F. Two sectors that retained stable employment numbers for both men and women were manufacturing and the public sector (non-defense). 12. T. They are the communication sector, the wholesale and retail trade sector, and finance and banking sector. 13. F. It’s communication sector. 14. T 15. T 16 – 22: B A C B C A B 23 – 28: B A C B A C 29 – 40: C A C B A B B A C C B A 41. PETER ROGERS 42. (A/THE/ONE) CARPET 43. PHOTOCOPIER ROOM 44. 300 Pounds 45. FLOOD/FLOODING Writing samples: Part one: I am going to attend an engineering exhibition in Frankfurt, and I am leaving on 20th March. I will be away for one week. During this week I would like you to arrange the training meeting which we have decided and make an appointment with selling manager. I would like to see him on 27th March morning 10:30 when I come back. Part two: Dear Ms Bennett, Thank you for applying our company. We arranged an interview for you. The date is the 14th April. Please arrive at 9:15 in the morning. The interview starts at 9:30. Please arrive on time. We also need the names and addresses of two referees. The best way to reach our office is using underground. You can find the name of the street where our office is on the map. You could take the underground from train station to our company. (You don’t need change train.) If you have any questions, please contact us at the telephone 879 6785. Yours sincerely