BEC中級(jí)閱讀材料精選四篇

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BEC中級(jí)閱讀材料1

英國工資減少工資差別

牛津大學(xué)(Oxford University)的一份報(bào)告顯示，引入工資已導(dǎo)致薪資級(jí)別受到擠壓，這“在消除工資差別，同時(shí)在影響對(duì)高技能的獎(jiǎng)賞和激勵(lì)。

The introduction of the minimum wage has led to pay levels being compressed, “destroying differentials and removing rewards and incentives for improving skills”, according to a report by Oxford University.

英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)(British Retail Consortium)委托進(jìn)行的這項(xiàng)研究顯示，接待行業(yè)96%的員工以及零售和批發(fā)行業(yè)75%的員工拿到的都是工資，今年10月，英國工資將升至?xí)r薪5.35英鎊至5.52英鎊。

The study, commissioned by the British Retail Consortium, found that 96 per cent of workers in the hospitality industry and 75 per cent of retail and wholesale workers earned the minimum wage, which is due to rise from ￡5.35 to ￡5.52 an hour in October.

自1999年實(shí)行工資標(biāo)準(zhǔn)以來，英國工資已提高46%，為逾100萬員工提供了經(jīng)濟(jì)安全保障。歐盟(EU)統(tǒng)計(jì)機(jī)構(gòu)歐盟統(tǒng)計(jì)局(Eurostat)的一份報(bào)告顯示，在20個(gè)歐盟成員國中，英國工資水平排名第三，幾乎是美國聯(lián)邦標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的兩倍。

Britain’s minimum wage, which has risen by 46 per cent since it was introduced in 1999, provides a financial safety net for more than 1m workers. It is the third highest out of 20 European Union nations and almost twice the US federal level according to a report from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical arm.

英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)表示，低收入委員會(huì)(Low Pay Commission)確定工資水平的方法，應(yīng)考慮到一個(gè)事實(shí)：即工資已成為數(shù)十萬員工的工資標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，而非基本工資基數(shù)。

The BRC says the way rates are set by the Low Pay Commission should take into the account the fact that the minimum wage has become the norm rather than a basic pay floor for hundreds of thousands of workers.

英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)會(huì)長凱文?霍金斯(Kevin Hawkins)表示，遏制通脹因素的工資漲幅已開始影響到雇主創(chuàng)造新就業(yè)崗位的能力。英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)表示，低收入委員會(huì)不應(yīng)“試圖成為雇主和工會(huì)不同出價(jià)之間的裁判”，而是應(yīng)以各行業(yè)薪資中值和生產(chǎn)率的變化為指引。

Inflation-busting rises have begun to undermine the ability of employers to create new jobs, says Kevin Hawkins, BRC director-general. The Low Pay Commission instead of “trying to act as a referee between conflicting bids from employers and unions” should be guided by movements in median wages and productivity in individual sectors, says BRC.

英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)警告稱：“許多雇主，特別是那些在零售業(yè)等競(jìng)爭(zhēng)激烈、普遍處于通縮市場(chǎng)上經(jīng)營的雇主，發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的薪資結(jié)構(gòu)受到了擠壓。因此，那些出錢培訓(xùn)員工、支持員工再教育、并希望能夠認(rèn)可并獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)員工新增技能和技能提高的企業(yè)，無力做到這些。”

It warns: “Many employers, particularly those who operate in fiercely competitive and generally deflationary markets such as retailing, have seen their pay structures compressed. As a result, those who invest in training their staff and supporting further education and who want to be able to recognise and reward new and enhanced skills are un-able to do so.”

薪資福利專業(yè)機(jī)構(gòu)IDS 2005年年底進(jìn)行的一項(xiàng)研究顯示，在引入工資制后，超市已削減了薪資等級(jí)的數(shù)量，在一家超市，已“引入了單一的副主管薪資等級(jí)”。

A study at the end of 2005 by IDS, the pay and benefits specialists, reported that supermarkets had reduced the number of pay grades and in one case had “introduced a single sub-supervisor grade” following the introduction of the minimum wage.

英國零售商協(xié)會(huì)表示：“如果工資繼續(xù)以近來的平均速度增長，那么就業(yè)率將下降，雇主也會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)自己無力獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)技能高超的員工、保持薪資差距并提供寶貴的非薪資福利。包括零售業(yè)在內(nèi)的多個(gè)行業(yè)已感受到這些影響?！?/p>

The BRC said: “If the minimum wage continues to grow at its recent average rate, employment will fall and employers will find themselves unable to reward skills, preserve wage differentials and provide valued non-wage benefits. These effects are already being felt in several sectors, including retail.”

然而，英國職工大會(huì)(TUC)秘書長弗朗西斯?奧格拉迪(Frances O’Grady)表示：“工資標(biāo)準(zhǔn)已發(fā)揮了作用，因?yàn)檫@個(gè)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)由低收入委員會(huì)確定，該委員會(huì)將雇主和工會(huì)代表組織在一起，討論對(duì)英國經(jīng)濟(jì)為有利的政策。用機(jī)械的指數(shù)來替代這一成功的合作過程，將是愚蠢的?！?/p>

BEC中級(jí)閱讀材料2

世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇公布全球競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力排名

在近日發(fā)布的一份備受關(guān)注的經(jīng)濟(jì)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力排行榜中，美國躍居榜首，理由是美國經(jīng)濟(jì)因其市場(chǎng)效率和創(chuàng)新能力而受到好評(píng)。

The US rose to top spot in a closely watched economic league table yesterday, as its economy was praised for its market efficiency and ability to innovate.

總部位于瑞士的智庫世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇(World Economic Forum)昨日發(fā)布了其一年一度的全球競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力報(bào)告。該機(jī)構(gòu)在報(bào)告中表示，美國經(jīng)濟(jì)失衡對(duì)其生產(chǎn)率和全球經(jīng)濟(jì)構(gòu)成了威脅，但結(jié)論是，美國的經(jīng)濟(jì)成就超過了這些風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。 In its annual report on global competitiveness, the World Economic Forum, the Swiss-based think-tank, said US economic imbalances posed a threat to its productivity and the global economy but concluded that its achievements outweighed these risks.

除美國以外，排在前10位的包括7個(gè)歐洲經(jīng)濟(jì)體——瑞士、丹麥、瑞典、德國、芬蘭、英國和荷蘭——以及新加坡和日本。

Also appearing in the top 10 were seven European economies – Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland, the UK and the Netherlands – as well as Singapore and Japan.

世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇自1979年開始發(fā)布這一排名。許多國家要么用它贊揚(yáng)一國政府的成就，要么用它批評(píng)其失敗。但今年這樣做的難度要比往年大，因?yàn)槭澜缃?jīng)濟(jì)論壇調(diào)整了其評(píng)估模型，這對(duì)各國的排名產(chǎn)生了很大影響。

The rankings, which have been produced by the WEF since 1979, are used by many countries either to shower praise on a government’s achievements or to criticise its failings. But this will prove harder than usual this year as the WEF has adjusted its model, with large effects on countries’ places in the league table.

世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇還根據(jù)其新排名方法，發(fā)布了一份去年排行榜的修正版本。曾高居榜首多年的芬蘭跌至第六位。世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇在去年發(fā)布的報(bào)告中將芬蘭排在第二，但昨日在修正后的報(bào)告中指出，芬蘭應(yīng)一直排在第六位。

The WEF also released a revised league table for last year, based on its new methodology. Finland, which topped the league for many years, has dropped to sixth. The WEF gave it the second spot in last year’s published report but yesterday’s revisions suggest it should always have been sixth.

美國顯然從世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇排名方法的變化中獲益。去年，世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇報(bào)告將美國這個(gè)全球經(jīng)濟(jì)體排在第六位，但昨日修正后的報(bào)告將其排在首位。

The US has clearly benefited from the change in the WEF’s calculations. Last year, the report ranked the world’s largest economy sixth but the revised table puts it top.

人們常常認(rèn)為中國和印度是世界上有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的經(jīng)濟(jì)體——其低成本制造業(yè)和服務(wù)業(yè)對(duì)發(fā)達(dá)經(jīng)濟(jì)體構(gòu)成了威脅，但其巨大的市場(chǎng)和合計(jì)超過20億的人口，也為發(fā)達(dá)經(jīng)濟(jì)體提供了機(jī)遇。

China and India are often believed to be the most competitive economies in the world – a threat to advanced economies with low-cost manufacturing and services, but also an opportunity with huge markets and combined populations of more than 2bn.

盡管中國和印度的經(jīng)濟(jì)成就令人敬畏，但在世界經(jīng)濟(jì)論壇的全球競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力指數(shù)中，兩國分別排在第34位和第48位。它們較低的排名表明，要想與發(fā)達(dá)經(jīng)濟(jì)體相提并論，它們市場(chǎng)中的許多方面尚有待改進(jìn)，并需要提高居民的平均生活水平。

For all the awe that their economies create, China and India rank 34th and 48th respectively in the World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness index. Their low ranking reflects the need for these economies to improve many aspects of their markets and average living standards before they can be compared with advanced economies.

中國需要改善其高等教育、金融市場(chǎng)和培訓(xùn)領(lǐng)域，而印度則受到宏觀經(jīng)濟(jì)不穩(wěn)、健康和教育體系落后以及勞動(dòng)力市場(chǎng)效率低下的困擾。印度今年的排名略有下滑。

China needs to improve its higher education, financial markets and training, while India, falling slightly down this year’s league, is plagued by macroeconomic instability, poor health and education systems and low labour market efficiency.

但在分類指數(shù)中，中國在國內(nèi)市場(chǎng)規(guī)模和外國市場(chǎng)準(zhǔn)入方面分別排在第二位和位，而印度則在創(chuàng)新方面排在第四位。

But in the sub-indices, the size of China’s domestic market and its access to foreign markets are ranked 2nd and 1st respectively, while India ranks 4th on innovation.

BEC中級(jí)閱讀材料3

中國今年IPO融資將達(dá)610億美元

中國的能源集團(tuán)中石油(PetroChina)將于本周在上海上市交易，屆時(shí)，中國內(nèi)地今年公開發(fā)行額將達(dá)到610億美元的創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄水平，領(lǐng)先于紐約、倫敦和香港。

The value of mainland China’s public offerings for this year will hit a record $61bn (€42bn, ￡29bn) this week when PetroChina debuts in Shanghai, leaving New York, London and Hong Kong trailing in its wake.

中石油股票將于今日在上海開始掛牌交易，它在首次公開發(fā)行(IPO)中募集了89億美元，成為今年中國規(guī)模的IPO。

PetroChina shares will start trading in Shanghai today, having raised $8.9bn in mainland China’s largest initial public offering this year.

在中石油A股上市之前，近期A股市場(chǎng)進(jìn)行了數(shù)次規(guī)模高達(dá)數(shù)十億美元的發(fā)行，包括一些內(nèi)地銀行、保險(xiǎn)公司及能源公司。中石油目前是全球市值第二大公司，僅次于?？松梨?Ex.xon Mobil)。

The listing of China’s biggest energy group, currently the world’s second most valuable company behind Ex.xon, follows several recent multi-billion dollar A-share listings of Chinese banks, insurance and energy companies.

中石油是中國石油天然氣集團(tuán)公司(China National Petroleum Corp) 的一家子公司，目前已經(jīng)在香港證交所上市。

PetroChina, a unit of China National Petroleum Corp, is already listed on the Hong Kong exchange.

中石油此次發(fā)行將使今年中國內(nèi)地企業(yè)發(fā)行融資總額達(dá)到創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的610億美元--為香港的兩倍以上，而近年來，香港一直是中國企業(yè)的主要融資中心。數(shù)據(jù)供應(yīng)商Dealogic表示，相比之下，美國今年的發(fā)行融資額為510億美元，而英國IPO的融資額為430億美元。

The PetroChina listing will take the aggregate raised this year by mainland Chinese listings to a record $61bn - more than twice that of Hong Kong, which in recent years has been the primary centre of capital raising for Chinese companies. By comparison, listings in the US have raised $51bn this year, while $43bn has been raised in the UK in initial public offerings, according to Dealogic, the data provider.

中石油在上海市場(chǎng)開始交易當(dāng)日，中國領(lǐng)先的B2B網(wǎng)站阿里巴巴(Alibaba.com)將在香港進(jìn)行意義重大的IPO，此次發(fā)行已引發(fā)了空前的投資者熱捧。

PetroChina’s Shanghai trading debut comes ahead of tomorrow’s landmark $1.5bn initial public offering in Hong Kong of Alibaba.com, China’s leading online business-to-business marketplace, which generated an unprecedented investor frenzy.

阿里巴巴已吸引了創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的1600億美元國內(nèi)散戶投資者和全球機(jī)構(gòu)投資者認(rèn)購。上周，該股IPO價(jià)格定為13.50港元，而香港"地下"市場(chǎng)的活動(dòng)表明，該股上市交易時(shí)可能至少要上漲50%。

Alibaba.com shares have attracted a record $160bn worth of domestic retail and global institutional demand. Its shares were priced last week at HK$13.50 and activity in Hong Kong’s "grey" market last week suggested that they could rise at least 50 per cent when dealings begin.

阿里巴巴是避開納斯達(dá)克(Nasdaq)、選擇一個(gè)地區(qū)交易所進(jìn)行發(fā)行的大型亞洲科技企業(yè)。以往，亞洲科技企業(yè)通常在納斯達(dá)克上市，因?yàn)橥顿Y者的流動(dòng)資金更為充沛，對(duì)科技股理解力也更強(qiáng)。

Alibaba.com is the first large Asian technology company to shun a primary listing on Nasdaq in favour of a regional exchange. In the past, Asian technology companies have typically listed on Nasdaq because of greater investor liquidity and understanding.

BEC中級(jí)閱讀材料4

油價(jià)金價(jià)再創(chuàng)新高

在美元再度走軟之際，原油及黃金價(jià)格昨日再創(chuàng)新高，因投資者試圖躲避第二輪信貸動(dòng)蕩的沖擊。

Crude oil and gold prices surged to fresh highs yesterday amid renewed dollar weakness as investors sought refuge from a second wave of credit turmoil.

西德克薩斯中質(zhì)原油(West Texas Intermediate)大幅上漲逾3美元，創(chuàng)下每桶97.07美元的名義高點(diǎn)，交易員警告稱，如果本周美國原油庫存數(shù)據(jù)較上周又有下降，油價(jià)早可能于今日試探每桶100美元的水平。

West Texas Intermediate jumped more than $3 to a nominal record of $97.07 a barrel and traders warned it might test the $100-a-barrel level as soon as today if US crude oil inventories show another weekly decline.

美國能源情報(bào)署(Energy Information Administration)一份看漲的報(bào)告推動(dòng)了油價(jià)上漲，報(bào)告稱“緊張的基本面因素”將繼續(xù)推高油價(jià)。能源情報(bào)署是美國能源部(Department of Energy)的統(tǒng)計(jì)機(jī)構(gòu)。

The price jump was helped by a bullish report from the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the US Energy Department, warning that “tight fundamentals” would continue to push up oil prices.

能源情報(bào)署預(yù)測(cè)原油價(jià)格“在未來數(shù)月內(nèi)將超過每桶80美元”，在2008年將維持在每桶75美元以上，因?yàn)椤叭蛟褪袌?chǎng)可能仍將處于緊張狀態(tài)?！痹摍C(jī)構(gòu)表示，石油輸出國組織(OPEC，簡(jiǎn)稱歐佩克)需要在目前每日增產(chǎn)50萬桶的基礎(chǔ)上，再增產(chǎn)70萬桶，從而使市場(chǎng)維持平衡狀態(tài)，直到明年季度。

The EIA forecast that crude oil prices would “exceed $80 per barrel over the next several months” and trade above $75 a barrel in 2008 as “global oil markets will likely remain stretched.” It said the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would need to add another 700,000 barrels a day on top of its current production increase of 500,000 b/d to balance the market through the first quarter of 2008.

針對(duì)原油價(jià)格在1年內(nèi)超過每桶100美元的看漲期權(quán)價(jià)格飆升至每桶4.15美元，較10月底上漲近70%。

The cost of using options contracts to insure against crude oil trading at $100 in a year’s time surged to $4.15 per barrel, up almost 70 per cent since the end of October.

在原油價(jià)格上漲和美元不斷走軟的共同作用下，黃金價(jià)格升至824.3美元/盎司的28年高點(diǎn)，僅略低于1980年1月份850美元/盎司的歷史高點(diǎn)。

The combination of strong crude oil prices and a weakening dollar boosted gold prices to a fresh 28-year high of $824.3 an ounce, just below its all-time high of $850 reached in January 1980.

貴金屬交易員們表示，投資者在增持黃金——沒有人賣出。Dresdner Kleinwort駐倫敦的貴金屬業(yè)務(wù)主管大衛(wèi)?赫爾姆斯(David Holmes)表示，金價(jià)升至每盎司850美元的“可能性很大?！?/p>

Precious metals traders said investors were adding to their gold positions – no one was selling. David Holmes, head of precious metals at Dresdner Kleinwort in London, said a rise to $850 was “very much on the cards”.

瑞銀集團(tuán)(UBS)駐倫敦的貴金屬策略主管約翰?里德(John Reade)將其1個(gè)月期金價(jià)預(yù)測(cè)定為“不可避免的”每盎司850美元。

John Reade, head of metals strategy at UBS in London, upgraded its one-month gold forecast to an “inevitable” $850 an ounce.