Directions: There are two passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then write down the correct answer in the brackets for each question or statement. This section totals 20 points, two points for each question.Passage OneThe UK is extremely dependent on foreign trade. About 40 per cent of the population’s food and a large proportion of the raw materials used by industry have to be imported. In 1980 exports of goods and services were equal to about 25 per cent of the Gross National Product.In the exports of manufactures, the UK, in recent years, has done less well than her major competitors. The UK’s share of the value of the main manufacturing countries’ exports fell from 16 percent in 1980 to about 9 per cent in 1999. This was due to the fact that the volume of UK exports increased at an annual average rate of 5 per cent, only about one-half the rate achieved by the main manufacturing countries as a whole and about one-third the rate for Japan.Changes in the commodity composition of exports have been very small in recent years. The share of manufactured goods has increased slightly while the share of basic materials has declined. There has been a steady decline in the share of textiles and an increase in the share of chemicals in total exports. Over the next decade the possibility of exporting North Sea Oil and the diminishing dependence on imported oil should have a beneficial effect on the UK’s visible trade balance.The most striking change in the geographical distribution of UK exports in recent years has been the swing away from the traditional Commonwealth markets and a growing dependence on the market in Western Europe. Exports to Western Europe accounted for about 34 per cent of UK exports in 1989 but by 2000 this share had grown to nearly 60 per cent. This is much in line with developments in world trade as a whole, because trade between industrialized countries has been the fastest growing sector of world trade. The other important development is the growing importance of the markets in the oil-exporting countries.______ ___ The export of manufactures of U.K. during recent years .A. has risen.B. has done better than the major competitors.C. has fallenD. has done less well that developing countries.______ The export of textiles .A. has declinedB. has declined sharplyC. has increased slightlyD. has increased sharply______ The export of basic materials A. has increasedB. has declinedC. has remained steadyD. has little changed______ What is the most striking change in UK exports? A. The swing away from the traditional Commonwealth markets and a growing dependence on the market in Western Europe.B. Changes in the commodity composition of exports.C. The increase of the share of manufactured goods and the decline of the share of basic materials.D. the beneficial effect of the export of oil on the UK’s visible trade balance.______ Which statement is not true? A. UK is exporting more to Western Europe.B. trade between UK and Western Europe has been the fastest growing sector of world trade.C. UK will possibly import less oil over the next decade.D. UK is exporting more chemicals.Passage TwoIs a quiet revolution under way in the nation’s shopping habits? Are we gradually allowing an increasingly select number of large companies to take care of all our basic requirements? The supermarket chains certainly hope so. ‘People don’t have the time to shop around any more. If they’re happy with the quality of a company’s service, then they’re likely to buy other product types from them as well,’ says Jim Austin, an industry analyst.With the major supermarket brands such as Tesco, J Sainsbury and Asda already offering financial services, credit cards, own-label clothing, mobile phones, and cut-price electrical goods including computers, Austin believes that the supermarkets’ diversification is set to continue.‘The UK retail food market is saturated, so their only real prospect of growth is either to enter foreign markets or diversify into new markets at home..’ Tesco and J Sainsbury have done both. Having already bought foreign subsidiaries, both large supermarket chains have set up their own banks in order to offer customers financial services such as personal loans, mortgages and savings accounts.Together, the two new banks took over ￡2bn of customer deposits within the first year of trading. ‘They are winning business by using a lower cost base to offer their customers better interest rates on savings than traditional banks,’ says Austin.However, there are question marks over long-term profitability. The traditional providers say there is bound to come a point when the new banks will eventually want to widen margins and boost profits. ‘When they start to raise prices, they might create bad publicity, which could hurt their brand,’ says one observer. ‘How will a major supermarket react, for instance, when it is faced with having to repossess a regular shopper’s home?’Shoppers, however, do not share these fears. A recent survey of 1,000 people by brand consultants Cook & Pearson concludes that shoppers will continue to buy a wider range of goods and services from supermarkets. Many people said that they would be prepared to buy a supermarket own-label car or even a house from a supermarket-branded estate agent. Interest was also shown in combining a food shopping trip with a visit to a supermarket dentist.Loyalty schemes are another incentive for customers. ‘Most supermarkets now offer bonus points with every purchase. These points add up to free air miles or cash discounts, so it really pays to stay loyal to the brand in all its diversified forms,’ says Austin.______ Why are the large UK supermarket chains diversifying? .A. Because the retail food market in the UK has been occupied by foreign companies.B. Because the retail food market in the UK is saturated.C. Because the retail food market in the UK is quite small.D. Because diversification into new markets can promote the growth of the retail food market in the UK.______ ．How are the supermarkets able to attract business in the banking sector? A. Because they can offer more services.B. Because they can offer more varieties of commodities.C. Because they can offer better interest rates.D. Because they can offer free car parking for customers.______ ． What are the risks involved with brandstretching? A. There may come a point when providers will want to raise prices.B. There may come a point when providers lose all their banking business.C. There may come a point when customers lose their confidence in the banking sector.D. All the UK large supermarkets will have to close all their banking business.______ ．How do the large UK supermarket chains encourage brand loyalty?A. By offering free samples of commodities.B. By offering a wide range of goods and services.C. By offering convenient banking services.D. By offering loyalty schemes like bonus points.______ ． The headline “Banking on a brand” means .A. selling a brandB. purchasing a brandC. relying on a brandD. stretching a brand