题目
Bruno Lundby, 39, was one of the ranks of typically low paid, low status workers who fill supermarket shelves, serve fast food, change hotel beds or empty office waste bins, often at unsocial hours and with little expectation of anything better. Lacking formal qualifications, he drifted from the army into odd cleaning jobs. Then, unexpectedly, he found the opportunity for advancement in a management training programme offered by ISS, the Danish support services group. Today he sits in a spotless, air-conditioned office supervising all ISS damage control operations in the greater Copenhagen area. “I couldn’t have imagined getting to where I am today when I started,” he says. “I was surprised to be offered a future at ISS in 1993 when I became a supervisor.” In the past three years, he has been promoted three times. ISS, which employs 272,000 people in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America in cleaning and other contract work, still appears to be an exception in the service sector in offering career progression to workers. The pursuit of customer satisfaction is a strong feature of companies that treat blue-collar staff as more than a commodity. Tesco, the supermarket group that is the UK’s largest private sector employer with 210,000 employees, recently formalised a practice of nurturing management potential among shelf stackers and checkout staff. “The ones who respect customers are the ones who get on,” says Clare Chapman, human resources director. In the past five months, 245 employees have been promoted from general store assistant to section manager, 149 from section manager to senior store team and 33 from senior team to store manager. These staff are coached, assessed and then trained for their new responsibilities. The talent spotting programme applies to all staff, including 45,700 in Tesco’s overseas stores. ISS acknowledges that by offering career progression it has changed the nature of its contract with blue-collar employees, raising expectations on both sides that may not always be met. For Mr Lundby, career progress has induced loyalty to his employer and greater self-esteem. “Personal skills are often more important than high educational qualifications if you have to deal with people every day,” he says. “I’m a practical, not an academic person. I know the business from the bottom. I know the loopholes and the hardships.” 1 It is implied from the passage that Mr Lundby ____ . A has anticipated his condition would be improved B works hard but still has no chance to improve his condition C has been promoted for he has formal qualifications D had some of the toughest, dirtiest jobs before 2 What can we learn about the service sector from the passage? A Blue-collar workers in the service sector have little chance to be promoted. B Workers in the service sector have more chance to be promoted than in other sectors. C Companies in the service sector always treat blue-collar staff as a commodity. D Companies in the service sector seldom pursue customer satisfaction. 3 In Tesco, employees will have a chance to be promoted if ____ . A they are loyal to their employer B they join management training programme C they satisfy their customers D they work hard 4 It can be concluded that when offering career progression to blue-collar employees, ____ . A the company has to increase its expenditure B workers of the company will complain less about their salary C the company will have high expectations D managers of the company will have less responsibility 5 The best title of this passage is ____ . A The Story of Bruno Lundby B Management Training Programme C Career Progression Inducing Self-esteem D From Dead-end Job to Bright Career
Bruno Lundby, 39, was one of the ranks of typically low paid, low status workers who fill supermarket shelves, serve fast food, change hotel beds or empty office waste bins, often at unsocial hours and with little expectation of anything better. Lacking formal qualifications, he drifted from the army into odd cleaning jobs. Then, unexpectedly, he found the opportunity for advancement in a management training programme offered by ISS, the Danish support services group. Today he sits in a spotless, air-conditioned office supervising all ISS damage control operations in the greater Copenhagen area. “I couldn’t have imagined getting to where I am today when I started,” he says. “I was surprised to be offered a future at ISS in 1993 when I became a supervisor.” In the past three years, he has been promoted three times.
ISS, which employs 272,000 people in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America in cleaning and other contract work, still appears to be an exception in the service sector in offering career progression to workers.
The pursuit of customer satisfaction is a strong feature of companies that treat blue-collar staff as more than a commodity. Tesco, the supermarket group that is the UK’s largest private sector employer with 210,000 employees, recently formalised a practice of nurturing management potential among shelf stackers and checkout staff. “The ones who respect customers are the ones who get on,” says Clare Chapman, human resources director. In the past five months, 245 employees have been promoted from general store assistant to section manager, 149 from section manager to senior store team and 33 from senior team to store manager. These staff are coached, assessed and then trained for their new responsibilities. The talent spotting programme applies to all staff, including 45,700 in Tesco’s overseas stores.
ISS acknowledges that by offering career progression it has changed the nature of its contract with blue-collar employees, raising expectations on both sides that may not always be met.
For Mr Lundby, career progress has induced loyalty to his employer and greater self-esteem. “Personal skills are often more important than high educational qualifications if you have to deal with people every day,” he says. “I’m a practical, not an academic person. I know the business from the bottom. I know the loopholes and the hardships.”
1 It is implied from the passage that Mr Lundby ____ .
A has anticipated his condition would be improved
B works hard but still has no chance to improve his condition
C has been promoted for he has formal qualifications
D had some of the toughest, dirtiest jobs before
2 What can we learn about the service sector from the passage?
A Blue-collar workers in the service sector have little chance to be promoted.
B Workers in the service sector have more chance to be promoted than in other sectors.
C Companies in the service sector always treat blue-collar staff as a commodity.
D Companies in the service sector seldom pursue customer satisfaction.
3 In Tesco, employees will have a chance to be promoted if ____ .
A they are loyal to their employer
B they join management training programme
C they satisfy their customers
D they work hard
4 It can be concluded that when offering career progression to blue-collar employees, ____ .
A the company has to increase its expenditure
B workers of the company will complain less about their salary
C the company will have high expectations
D managers of the company will have less responsibility
5 The best title of this passage is ____ .
A The Story of Bruno Lundby
B Management Training Programme
C Career Progression Inducing Self-esteem
D From Dead-end Job to Bright Career
ISS, which employs 272,000 people in 36 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America in cleaning and other contract work, still appears to be an exception in the service sector in offering career progression to workers.
The pursuit of customer satisfaction is a strong feature of companies that treat blue-collar staff as more than a commodity. Tesco, the supermarket group that is the UK’s largest private sector employer with 210,000 employees, recently formalised a practice of nurturing management potential among shelf stackers and checkout staff. “The ones who respect customers are the ones who get on,” says Clare Chapman, human resources director. In the past five months, 245 employees have been promoted from general store assistant to section manager, 149 from section manager to senior store team and 33 from senior team to store manager. These staff are coached, assessed and then trained for their new responsibilities. The talent spotting programme applies to all staff, including 45,700 in Tesco’s overseas stores.
ISS acknowledges that by offering career progression it has changed the nature of its contract with blue-collar employees, raising expectations on both sides that may not always be met.
For Mr Lundby, career progress has induced loyalty to his employer and greater self-esteem. “Personal skills are often more important than high educational qualifications if you have to deal with people every day,” he says. “I’m a practical, not an academic person. I know the business from the bottom. I know the loopholes and the hardships.”
1 It is implied from the passage that Mr Lundby ____ .
A has anticipated his condition would be improved
B works hard but still has no chance to improve his condition
C has been promoted for he has formal qualifications
D had some of the toughest, dirtiest jobs before
2 What can we learn about the service sector from the passage?
A Blue-collar workers in the service sector have little chance to be promoted.
B Workers in the service sector have more chance to be promoted than in other sectors.
C Companies in the service sector always treat blue-collar staff as a commodity.
D Companies in the service sector seldom pursue customer satisfaction.
3 In Tesco, employees will have a chance to be promoted if ____ .
A they are loyal to their employer
B they join management training programme
C they satisfy their customers
D they work hard
4 It can be concluded that when offering career progression to blue-collar employees, ____ .
A the company has to increase its expenditure
B workers of the company will complain less about their salary
C the company will have high expectations
D managers of the company will have less responsibility
5 The best title of this passage is ____ .
A The Story of Bruno Lundby
B Management Training Programme
C Career Progression Inducing Self-esteem
D From Dead-end Job to Bright Career
题目解答
答案
1 D
2 A
3 C
4 C
5 D