In the more and more competitive service industry, it is no longer enough to promise customer satisfaction. Today, customer “delight” is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry, and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people; those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people, and 80 percent of the people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal.
New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Internet. For example, many companies now have to invest a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”—caused by delays in answering calls, being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines,” says Dr. Storey Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them. The aim is to make the customer feel they know you and that you can trust— the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours, but getting it done within two); replacing a faulty product immediately; throwing in a gift voucher (购物礼卷) as an unexpected “thank you” to regular customers; and always returning calls, even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well, but if services do not reach the high level promised, disappointment or worse will be the result. This can be eased by offering an apology and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example, “I know how you must feel”), and possible solutions (replacement, compensation or whatever fairness suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care. Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather, unclaimed luggage and technical problems .
For British Airways staff, a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume of calls about bookings and flight times. They are trained to answer quickly, with their name, job title and a “we are here to help” attitude. The company has invested heavily in information technology to make sure that information is available instantly on screen.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as "we do as we please”. On the other hand, the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that .
| A．complaining customers are hard to satisfy |
| B．unsatisfied customers receive better service |
| C．Satisfied customers catch more attention |
| D．well-treated customers promote business |
The writer mentions “phone rage” (Paragraph 3) to show that________.
| A．customers often use phones to express their anger |
| B．people still prefer to buy goods online |
| C．customer care becomes more demanding |
| D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
What does the writer recommend to create delight?
| A．Calling customers regularly | B．Giving a “thank you” note. |
| C．Delivering a quicker service | D．Promising more gifts. |
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph 6), what would he probably say?
| A．“I know how upset you must be.” | B．“I appreciate your understanding.” |
| C．“I’m sorry for the delay.” | D．“I know it’s our fault.” |
Customer delight is important for airlines because________.
| A．their telephone style remains unchanged |
| B．they are more likely to meet with complaints |
| C．the services cost them a lot of money |
| D．the policies can be applied to their staff |
E
The earth is getting warmer. The planet is suffering. But what can you do about it? Reduce the amount of waste you generate. Use cleaner energy sources and go greener today, starting with these steps:
1. Get a reusable water bottle
Americans buy about 25 billion single-serving plastic water bottles each year. That's an average of 83 bottles per person per year. Plastic bottles take plenty of resources to produce, including fuel for transportation and petroleum to make the plastic. Even recycling bottles uses energy.
2. Eat less meat
You don't need to become a vegetarian to help save the planet. Eating meat just one day less a week can reduce your negative impact on the environment. More water, energy and land are required to produce meat than to produce grain.
3. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
Most households use standard incandescent (白炽的) bulbs. But compact fluorescent (荧光的) light bulbs, or CFLs, use 66 percent less energy than standard bulbs, produce just as much light, last up to 10 times longer and don't need to be replaced as often. If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL bulb, it would equal removing one million cars from the road.
4. Buy organic and local food
Did you know that only 1 percent of pesticides (杀虫剂) applied to crops reach the pests they target? The rest enter the environment. Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides. Organic farming can use 50 percent less energy than traditional farming methods. Buying local food saves on the fuel used to transport food grown elsewhere, thousands of miles across the country or around the world.
5. Recycle your electronics
Everyone knows the importance of recycling glass and plastic, but what about cell phones, computers, CDs and batteries? Electronics are responsible for about 40 percent of toxic (有毒的) heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Check with your city's recycling facilities to see if they take electronics.
72. The readers of this passage are called on to ______.
A. help reduce global warming B. use water in a wise way
C. donate money for charity D. keep a balanced diet
73. What is an advantage of CFLs according to the passage?
A. They use more energy but produce more light.
B. They can last longer so don't need to be replaced often.
C. They cost less than standard incandescent bulbs.
D. They are as energy-efficient as incandescent bulbs.
74. Which of the following figures is correct according to the passage?
A. Every year an American buys 63 plastic water bottles on average.
B. Eating meat one day less a week helps cut environment costs.
C. 99 of the pesticides used on crops is effective in practice.
D. Electronics account for half of poisonous heavy metals on the earth.
75. Which can be the best title for this passage?
A. Why is the earth getting warmer? B. What can we do about pollution? C. How can you lead a greener life? D. Who is to blame for global warming?
D
A curriculum vitae (CV) provides an overview of a person's life and qualifications. You know that you're a star but without a knock-out CV, no-one else will believe you. Here's how to impress and write yourself into a better job.
First, be concise (简洁的). "It's not War and Peace." says Steven Kirkpatrick, the managing director of Adecco Staffing. Recruiters (考官) who have to plough through hundreds of CVs don't enjoy flowery long articles. Use active verbs and ensure that every sentence counts.
Second, tell the truth. "The most important thing is not to lie," Kirkpatrick says. "People decorate their CV by adding things to make themselves more attractive," he says, only to embarrass themselves later. "If your first impression is a lie, it's not a great basis for moving forward."
Then, focus on your skills. A CV is a selling tool and how you break down what you have learnt and what you can do is me most important. "It's OK to simplify job titles to make them clearer," Sharman says. "Just outline your achievements and experience to back that up, and say more about your recent roles."
Also, personalize it. "There's nothing as bad as getting an automatically created CV from a website," Kirkpatrick says. "What they are buying is you, so sell them you. It's always nice to have personal information that makes you a human being," Sharman says. But do try to stand out from the crowd.
Finished? So you've written the perfect CV. That's the job half done. Last but not least, check out how to write the perfect covering letter.
68. For what purpose does the author write this passage?
A. To teach readers how to behave in job interviews.
B. To tell readers how to improve their writing skills.
C. To instruct readers on how to apply for a job.
D. To advise readers on how to write a CV.
69. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. It doesn't have to be too long. B. It should be true.
C. It needs to be fun to read. D. It ought to be polite.
70. Which of the following would the author recommend?
A. Tell lies about your education and experience.
B. Focus on what work you are able to do.
C. Download sample CVs from websites.
D. Provide a nice photo of yourself.
71. How many tips are given in this passage?
A. Five. B. Four. C. Three. D. Two.
C
Sitting in a dark movie theater with your friends. and a tub of popcorn (H^) sounds like a perfect way to spend a Saturday night, and it could be, if you are willing to share your popcorn with the entire row of moviegoers around you.
A review of movie-theater popcorn reveals an alarming amount of fat, salt and calories in even the smallest sizes. A large tub of popcorn at Regal Cinemas, for example, holds 20 cups of popcorn and has 1,200 calories, 980 milligrams of sodium (钠) and 60 grams of saturated (饱和的) fat. Adding just a tablespoon of butter adds 130 calories. And do not forget that it comes with free refills.
Not so hungry? The medium size popcorn, even the small, at 11 cups, delivers 670 calories, 550 milligrams of sodium .and 24 grams of saturated fat. The findings may surprise those who believe it is a relatively healthy snack. In fact, plain air-popped popcorn is low in calories and free of saturated fat. Movie theater popcorn, however, is popped in oil, often coconut oil, which is 90 percent saturated fat. Add salt to it, and your once-healthy snack turns into a health offender.
One way to make your popcorn healthier? Ask the theater to pop the corn without salt. The best way to make your movie snack healthier, however, would be to skip the popcorn.
"You could share a tub of popcorn with 10 friends," Dr. Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, said. "Or, what a concept, watch the movie without eating anything."
64. The review finds that movie theatre popcorn may contain all the following EXCEPT ______.
A. butterB. sodium C. saturated fat D. pepper
65. What does the author think of popcorn prepared in coconut oil?
A. It is a healthy snack. B. It does harm to our health.
C. It looks like a perfect choice. D. It is very nutritious.
66. Which kind of popcorn causes the least health concern?
A. Movie theatre popcorn. B. Popcorn sold at Regal Cinemas.
C. Large size popcorn. D. Plain air-popped popcorn.
67. What is Dr. Nestle's suggestion to moviegoers?
A. Avoid eating popcorn. B. Share popcorn with friends.
C. Not eating anything in the movie theatre. D. Try eating other kind of food.
B
On the last day of his life, my dog Otto spent that morning of spring napping in the garden. This was always one of his favorite things to do, even before the days when he was too old and too weak to get out of a car by himself.
I probably would have started crying over Otto right then, if my two other little dogs hadn't suddenly raced past. Larry, who was a puppy, got knocked into Otto, then licked Otto's ear, and that got Otto excited, and Otto barked and tried to stand up again, but it was hard for him.
Soon it was time for me to drive to see Steve, our vet.
When Steve gave Otto the first shot, it made him woozy (眩晕的). Otto wandered over to where Steve and I were sitting and settled down between us. He has always liked to touch everyone in his pack, if possible, while he sleeps.
After Steve gave him the last shot and Otto stopped breathing, he didn't look like Otto anymore. He looked like an old gray-brown piece of beat-up carpet, and I suddenly realized what bad shape he'd been in for a long, long time. I wondered if he'd been in much more pain than I knew. Wondering made me feel even worse.
The week after Otto died was not good. Every morning when I walked Larry and Sticky in the neighborhood, somebody would come up and say they had heard about Otto and they were sorry. They were all Otto's friends and some of them cried. Others, like Debbie who lives on my street, reminded me about how, even at the end. Otto would stand between her twins' stroller (婴儿车) and the street when the garbage truck went by. "Like it was his job to protect them," she marveled.
Otto has left us, but his memory lives on.
60. How did the author feel when Otto was napping in the garden?
A. She felt like crying. B. She thought life was beautiful.
C. She found spring was wonderful. D. She was relieved.
61. According to the passage, how did the dog die?
A. He had an accident on the street. B. He died naturally.
C. He was made to die by a vet. D. He starved.
62. What can we know about Otto?
A. He was already too old to bark. B. He liked people to keep him company. C. He died a very painful death. D. He was protected by the neighbours.
63. We can see from the passage that Sticky is a ______.
A. cat B. dog C. child D. neighbour
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分；满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出最佳选项。
A
Mr. Brozina is a single father and an elementary school librarian who reads aloud for a living. When his daughter, Kristen, hit fourth grade, he proposed The Streak: to see if they could read together for 100 straight bedtimes without missing once.
When The Streak reached 100, they celebrated with a pancake breakfast, and Kristen whispered, "I think we should try for 1,000 nights."
Mr. Brozina was delighted, but what he was thinking was, a thousand nights?! "I thought, we'll never do it," he recalled. "And then we got to 1,000, and we said, 'How can we stop?' "
For 3,218 nights (and some mornings, if Mr. Brozina was coming home too late to read). The Streak went on. It progressed from picture books to middle-school classics to Harry Potter, Agatha Christie, Dickens and Shakespeare, continuing on, until Kristen's first day of college.
In those nine-plus years, they survived many close calls. When Kristen was still in elementary school, her father went to Washington. "The phone rang at 10:45 at the hotel and it was Kristen," Mr. Brozina recalled. "She said, 'Dad, we forgot The Streak!' Fortunately, I always traveled with several books and we read right then and there."
This spring, Kristen graduated from Rowan' University. She has performed as you'd expect for a product of The Streak, an English major with a 3.94 average. She also won two national writing contests, was an editor of the humor arid literary publications and won the annual English department award.
56. According to the passage, Mr. Brozina and his daughter read together for .
A. 100 bedtimesB. 1000 nights
C. over nine yearsD. nearly 3000 nights and some mornings
57. In the passage, the underlined phrase in Paragraph 1 probably means _____.
A. the period of time for reading together B. me children's book
C. the special night C. the school work
58. How has Kristen benefited from reading with her father?
A. She has grown closer to her father. B. She has become a school librarian herself.
C. She has performed well at university.D. She has won many reading awards.
59. This passage is about a father who _____.
A. is very strict in his work B. enjoys reading when travelling
C. makes his daughter love reading D. has a hard time bringing up his daughter