1. This company has been involved in diversifying its business activities.
2. Although this company is doing well, it has a number of internal difficulties to deal with
3. This company has reduced the profits it makes on individual items
4. One statistic is a less accurate guide to this company’s performance than another
5. The conditions which have helped this company are likely to be less favourable in the future
6. This company’s share price has been extremely volatile over the last twelve months
7. This company is likely to be the subject of a takeover bid in the near future
8. This company’s performance exemplifies a widely held belief
A Chemical Company
Masterson’s interim pre-tax profits growth of 20% was somewhat inflated as a result of the income received from the disposal of several of the company’s subsidiaries. The underlying 8% rise in operating profits is a more realistic gauge of the company’s true progress. However, Masterson’s impending merger with Bentley and Knight and its appointment of a new chief executive should mean that the company will be able to sustain growth for the foreseeable fut5ure. The share price has varied little during the course of the year and now stands at ￡ 6.75
B Hotel Group
During the past year the Bowden Hotel Group has acquired 77 new properties, thus doubling in size . last week the group reported pre-tax profits of ￡ 88 million in the first six months of the year, ahead of expectations and helped by a strong performance from its London-based hotels and newly expanded US business. However,there is still some way to go. Integration of the new acquisitions is still not complete and, while the share price has risen recently, major problems with integration have yet to be solved.
C High-tech Company
This time last year a share in Usertech was worth just over ￡ 1. six months ago it was worth ￡ 40. today it is priced at under ￡ 8 . if proof were need, here is an illustration of how much of a lottery the technology market can be. But some technology companies are fighting back and Usertech is one of them . What has renewed excitement in the company is the opening of its new American offices in Dallas and its ambitious plans to expand its user base in both North and Latin America.
D Building Company
Renton’s share price has risen gradually over the past year from ￡2.4 to ￡ 3.8 . The company has been successful in choosing prime location for its buildings and has benefited from the buoyant demand for housing. Whilst this demand is expected to slow down somewhat during the next year, investors are encouraged by the company’s decision to move into building supermarkets. Work has already begun on two sites in London, and the company is expected to sign a contract within the next month for building four large supermarkets in Scotland.
E Pottery Manufacturer
Milton Dishes has been through a shake-up over the past year. The group, which has been cutting margins and improving marketing, may post a small profit this year. The many members of the Milton family, who between them own 58 per cent of the business, have been watching the share price rise steadily and several are looking to sell. Trade rival Ruskin has bought up just over 17 percent of the shares and could well be spurred into further action by the signs of a recovery at the firm.
做BEC的阅读，可以先看看说明的第一句话，了解这篇文章总的讲的是什么：Look at the statements below and at the five reports about companies on the opposite page。有关5个公司的报告，介绍了这些公司的股价以及并购等一些发展策略。很概略，而且抢眼一看，内容都是大同小异，要在这些散而简要的信息中迅速准确的寻找答案，就需要对一些关键词格外敏感，好比表示程度（多和少，大和小）的形容词，还有类似increase和reduce之类的动词。这种敏锐捕捉答案的能力，只能在不断做题不断总结中积累。
第一题，说这个公司涉及到多样化它的商业活动。Diversify是关键词，原文中不一定要出现一个类似的动词，但是在意思理解上一定要严格从这个方向上找。多样化，就是不把鸡蛋放在一个篮子里。答案在D段，相当的隐晦：Whilst this demand is expected to slow down somewhat during the next year, investors are encouraged by the company’s decision to move into building supermarkets。这方面的需求（指housing）预计要减少，投资者被公司进军超市建筑市场的决定所鼓舞。也就是说，这个建筑公司原本是做housing的，在housing的需求下降时，转而开拓了supermarkets的市场。综合起来，就是diversify。
第二题，说虽然这个公司做的很好，但还是面临很多困难。这个好把握，所对应的公司一定是讲了一堆成绩后，来一个BUT或者是HOWEVER，说明问题。答案是B段，关键句子是：However,there is still some way to go.整个B段的逻辑就是，前面一堆成绩，然后以这个however引导的句子为转折句，承上启下，后面说明面对的问题，最后一句也很明显：major problems with integration have yet to be solved.
第三题，说公司减少了他们在单个物件上的利润。关键词是reduce。答案是E段：The group, which has been cutting margins and improving marketing。这里的cutting margins就是reduced the profits。不过比较纠结选项中的individual item指代的是什么，估计是指pottery（陶器），因为这个公司是pottery manufacturer。
第四题，说对于公司的表现，一个统计数据没有另外一个统计数据准确。答案在A段，一开头就提到了两个统计数据，一个是interim pre-tax profits growth，另一个是underlying 8% rise in operating profits.认为前面一个inflated（夸张的），后面一个是a more realistic gauge（是个更精确的测量）。
第五题，说曾经帮助过这个公司的环境在未来可能不那么有利。答案还在D段，前面说has benefited from the buoyant demand for housing（公司曾经受益于住房市场的火爆需求），但是这个需求在未来预期要放缓（this demand is expected to slow down somewhat during the next year）。选项中的the conditions which have helped the company，就是指的住房需求。
第六题，公司股价在过去12个月波动很大（volatile）。答案在C段，开头的一段数字，相当的明显：This time last year a share in Usertech was worth just over ￡ 1. six months ago it was worth ￡ 40. today it is priced at under ￡ 8。由1变到40再变回了8，波动很大。
第七题，公司在近期将成为一起收购案件的主角。答案在E段，绕了几个圈。先说Milton family的成员一共拥有58%的股份，有些人准备卖（own 58 per cent of the business, have been watching the share price rise steadily and several are looking to sell.），最后一句说对手Ruskin已经购买了超过17%的股份，并且针对这个公司复苏的迹象可能有进一步行动（Ruskin has bought up just over 17 percent of the shares and could well be spurred into further action by the signs of a recovery at the firm.）。自家的股东要卖，对手可能要买，综合起来就是这个公司近期可能会卷入收购案件中。
第八题，说这个公司的表现例证了一个被广泛认同的观点。答案是C段的这么一句：if proof were need, here is an illustration of how much of a lottery the technology market can be.如果说需要证据的话，那么这就是高科技市场多么像彩票的证明。意思是股票市场经常大起大落，投机现象很严重，这个观点毫无疑问是被广泛认同的。此题要想做对还真需要一定的想象力，选项太抽象，太概括，无头无尾，而原文说的又很具体，没有一定的思维突破和转变还真不太好选。
总结下这篇阅读，可以说难度明显比中级的上了一个档次。中级的阅读算的上是同义词转换，选项中的词都可以在原文中找到意思相近的。而高级的这篇阅读，选项非常概括和抽象，不再只是对原文某一句话的简单总结。原文的信息虽然具体，但是很散。选项和原文就不是一个路数的文字。要想保证准确率并提高解题速度，一定要能迅速判断原文的大致内容，概括能力要强。多练多总结，这才是做BEC真题的关键。
