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第十七套题PartADirections:Readthefollowingfourtexts.AnswerthequestionsbeloweachtextbychoosingA,B,CorD.MarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEET1.(40points)Text107.8Lastyearendedwithabangintelecom.Duringthefinalthreemonths,Cingularclosedits$41billionacquisitionofAT&TWireless,andSprintannounceda$35billionmega-mergerwithNextelCommunications.Atatimewheninterestintraditionaltelecomcompaniesisasrareasrotaryphones,mergersareasignoftheprofoundchangesafoot.“Thesekindsofdealscreateenormousopportunitiestorethinkthewholetelecomsector,”saysFrancisMcInerney,managingdirectorofconsultantNorthRiverVenturesLLC.Bybulkingupandbearingdown,companiesaresparkinginnovationsthatwilltransformcommunication.Moreandmore,mobilephoneswillbeusedtoexchangee-mail,musicclips,andevenvideo.Likewise,Internettechnologywillreplaceold-fashionedphonegear,usheringinaneraofsouped-upservices.ConsumerswillgetvoicemailontheirPCsandall-you-can-eatphoneserviceforunder$25amonth,whilebusinesseshandoutmobilephonestoroadwarriorssotheycanreceivecallsande-mailjustasiftheywereintheoffice.Thedistinctionsamongindustrieswillgetfuzzy,too.In2005,telecomgiantsVerizonCommunicationsInc.andSBCwillpursuelicensestomarketcableTV.AT&Tplanstomarketsecuritysoftwaretocorporatecustomers.Comcastandothercableplayersarebarrelingintoresidentialphonemarkets,andevensportspowerESPNexpectstounveilhipmobilephoneofferings.Competitioninthosemarketswillgrowevenkeener.ComcastCorp.isleadingaconsortiumofcableoperatorsthatisexploringwaystobreakintowirelessservices.There’sastrategicreasonforthemove:ThecablecompaniesareofferinghomephoneservicewithInternetprotocoltechnology,butwithoutamobileoffering,theylackanessentialelementofthetelecombundle.ThecablecompaniesaretryingtoworkoutapartnershipwithSprintNextelorpossiblyT-MobileUSAtosellconsumersadual-modephonethatwouldhandletheirIPcallingserviceinsidethehouseandswitchtocellularsystemsoutside.AT&Twillunveilasimilarservicethisyear.Thescrummaysparkmoreconsolidation.Cablecompaniescouldconsideracquiringawirelesscompanyifthepartnershipapproachfails.WhileSBCandBellSouthCorp.arefocusedonhelpingcombineAT&TWirelesswithCingular,whichSBCandBellSouthco-own,SBCmightnotbefinished.CEOEdwardE.WhitacreJr.hasmadenosecretofhisdesiretoownCingularoutright.“OfcourseIwishIowneditall,”hetoldBusinessWeekinOctober.ThatcouldhappenbyhisbuyingBellSouth’sstakeinCingularorbuyingBellSouthitself.BellSouthsaysit’snotinterestedinbeingacquiredanddoubtsthatregulatorswouldapprovesuchadealanyway.Thebattleamongprovidersmeanslowerprices,too.ConsidertheimpactoftinyVonageHoldingsCorp.BydeployingvoiceoverInternetprotocoltoofferinexpensivephoneservice,Vonage,unknownayearago,isnowthefastest-growingU.S.phonecompany.ButVonagehascompetitionfromsomeunlikelyquarters.AT&Thasembarkedonapricewarwiththeupstart,resultingineachloweringpricesacoupleoftimesin2004beforebottomingoutatlessthan$25amonth.［530words］1.“Abangintelecom”inthefirstparagraphrefersto.［A］worriesriseovermergersinthetelecomindustry［B］monopoliesheldbytelecomcompanies［C］significantchangeswithtelecomconsolidations［D］fiercecompetitioninthetelecomsector2.Accordingtothetext,innovationsinthetelecomindustrywill.［A］enabletelephoneuserstogetavarietyoffreeservices［B］stopthebattlebetweencommunicationcompanies［C］bringaboutacombinationofcommunicationtechnologies［D］leadtoadeclineinthenumberoftelecomcompanies3.Whichofthefollowingistrueaccordingtothepassage?［A］ComcastisinterestedinenteringthecableTVbusiness.［B］AT&Tisplanningtoprovideadual-modephoneservice.［C］SBCissellingsomepartofitsstaketoCingular.［D］BellSouthisgoingtobeacquiredsoon.4.Whatislikelytohappeninthefuturetelecomsector?［A］Mobiledevicesmaybecometheprimarytoolforplay.［B］Telecomservicesaregrowingevermoreadvanced.［C］Wirelesssubscriberswillsurpasscablesubscribers.［D］Thepriceofcommunicationsservicesisexpectedtoclimb.5.Theword“upstart”(Line4,Paragraph6)mostprobablymeanssomeonewho.［A］hassuddenlyrisentoahighereconomicorsocialstatus［B］lackstheskillsappropriateforanewandhighposition［C］hasnotgainedacceptanceofothersinthefield［D］hascompetedbyusingimproperactionsText206.8PressureismountingonAhold’sembattledsupervisoryboardfollowingtheDutchgrocerygroup’sdecisiontopayitsnewchiefexecutivemorethanC=10mtoleaditsrecoveryfromaruiningaccountingscandal.AndersMoberg’spaypackage—andthetimingofitsdisclosureatashareholdermeetinglastweek—hasconfrontedAholdwithanewcredibilitycrisisasitstrugglestorestoreconfidenceaftertheC=970m($1bn)scandal.Thedispute-evidentinaseaofcriticalmediacommentintheNetherlandsattheweekendthreatenstodivertmanagementfromitsrecoverystrategy,builtonsignificantdivestmentsandalikelyrightsissuetoreduceC=11bninnetdebt.Unitsdeemedunabletoattainfirstorsecondpositioninfoodretailwithinthreetofiveyearswillimmediatelybeputupforsale.Theboard’spositionappearsallthemoredelicatefollowingcommentsmadebyMr.MobergtotheFinancialTimes,inwhichhecriticizednon-executivedirectorsforignoringhisadvicetodisclosehissalaryinMay,whenheagreedhiscontract.InsteadAholdwaitedmorethanfourmonthstomaketheannouncement,onthedayshare-holderswereaskedtoapproveMr.Mob