中级
单选题根据下面内容，回答题：
But now all this has changed，thanks to Rowena Baker，who became Smithson’s first woman Chief Executive three years ago．Since then，while most major retailers in Britain have been losing money，Smithson’s profits have been rising steadily．When Baker started，a lot of improvements had just been made to the buildin9，without having any effect on sales， and she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe’s most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area，the heart of the store．This very quickly led to rising sales，even before the goods on display were changed．And as sales grew，so did profits．
Baker had ambitious plans for the store frOm the start．“We’re playing a big game，to prove we’re up there with the leaders in our sector，and we have to make sure people get that message．Smithson’s had fallen behind the competition．It provided a traditional service targeted at middle—aged，middle—income customers，wh0’d been shopping there for years， and the customer base was gradually contractin9．Our idea is to sell such an exciting variety of goods that everyone will want to come in，whether they plan to spend a little or a lot．”Baker’s vision for the store is clear,but achieving it is far from simple．At first，many employees resisted her improvements because they just wouldn’t be persuaded that there was anything wrong with the way they’d always done things，even if they accepted that the store had to overtake its competitors．It took many long meetings，involving the entire workforce，to win their support。It helped when they realised that Baker was a very different kind of manager from the ones they had known．
Baker’s staff policies contained more surprises．The unifbrm that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared．Moreover，teenagers now get young shop assistants，and staff in the spots departments are themselves sports fans in trainers．As Baker explains，“How can you sell jeans if you’re wearing a black suit?Smithson’s has a new identity，and this needs to be made clear to the customers．”She’s also given every sales assistant responsibility for ensuring customer satisfaction，even if it means occasionally breaking company rules in the hope that this will help company profits．Rowena Baker is proving successful，but the City’s big investors haven’t been persuaded． According to retail analyst，John Matthews，“Money had already been invested in
refurbishment of the store and in fact that led to the boost in sales. She took the credit, but hadn't done anything to achieve it. And in my view the company's shareholders are not convinced. The fact is that unless she opens several more stores pretty soon, Smithson's profits will start to fall because turnover of the existing store will inevitably start to decline."
According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department store_______
Department Store Magic
For most of the 20th century Smithson's was one of Britain's most successful department stores,but by the mid-1990s,it had become dull.Still profitable，thanks largely to a series of successful advertising campaigns，but decidedly boring．The famous were careful not to be seen there，and its sales staff didn’t seem to have changed since the store opened in l908． Worst of all，its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own-brand products，the major part of its business，and showing a preference for more fashionable brands． But now all this has changed，thanks to Rowena Baker，who became Smithson’s first woman Chief Executive three years ago．Since then，while most major retailers in Britain have been losing money，Smithson’s profits have been rising steadily．When Baker started，a lot of improvements had just been made to the buildin9，without having any effect on sales， and she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe’s most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area，the heart of the store．This very quickly led to rising sales，even before the goods on display were changed．And as sales grew，so did profits．
Baker had ambitious plans for the store frOm the start．“We’re playing a big game，to prove we’re up there with the leaders in our sector，and we have to make sure people get that message．Smithson’s had fallen behind the competition．It provided a traditional service targeted at middle—aged，middle—income customers，wh0’d been shopping there for years， and the customer base was gradually contractin9．Our idea is to sell such an exciting variety of goods that everyone will want to come in，whether they plan to spend a little or a lot．”Baker’s vision for the store is clear,but achieving it is far from simple．At first，many employees resisted her improvements because they just wouldn’t be persuaded that there was anything wrong with the way they’d always done things，even if they accepted that the store had to overtake its competitors．It took many long meetings，involving the entire workforce，to win their support。It helped when they realised that Baker was a very different kind of manager from the ones they had known．
Baker’s staff policies contained more surprises．The unifbrm that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared．Moreover，teenagers now get young shop assistants，and staff in the spots departments are themselves sports fans in trainers．As Baker explains，“How can you sell jeans if you’re wearing a black suit?Smithson’s has a new identity，and this needs to be made clear to the customers．”She’s also given every sales assistant responsibility for ensuring customer satisfaction，even if it means occasionally breaking company rules in the hope that this will help company profits．Rowena Baker is proving successful，but the City’s big investors haven’t been persuaded． According to retail analyst，John Matthews，“Money had already been invested in
refurbishment of the store and in fact that led to the boost in sales. She took the credit, but hadn't done anything to achieve it. And in my view the company's shareholders are not convinced. The fact is that unless she opens several more stores pretty soon, Smithson's profits will start to fall because turnover of the existing store will inevitably start to decline."
According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department store_______
A． was making a loss
B． had a problem keeping staff
C． was unhappy with its advertising agency
D． mostly sold goods under the Smithson's name
参考答案：D进入在线模考
【题干考查点】细节题。20世纪90年代中期，Smithson’S百货公司的经营状况：
【原文定位句】定位段落第一段，定位句为“Worst of all，its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own—brand products，the major part of its business，and showing a preference for more fashionable brands。”即：最糟糕的是，顾客越来越不愿意购买公司的自有品牌的商品，而自有品牌的商品却是该公司的经营主体，他们逐渐开始对更加时尚的品牌感兴趣。
【答案对应点】原文定位句中its own—brand products，the major part of its business选项D中mostly sold goods under the Smithson’s name。
【干扰项分析】选项A中making a loss表示亏损，而原文中陈述的是still profitable；选项 B中had a problem keeping staff表示公司不能留住员工，而原文中陈述的是its sales staff didn’t seem to have changed；选项C中unhappy with its advertising agency表示对广告部门不满意。而原文中陈述的是thanks largely to a series of successful advertising campaigns。
【原文定位句】定位段落第一段，定位句为“Worst of all，its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own—brand products，the major part of its business，and showing a preference for more fashionable brands。”即：最糟糕的是，顾客越来越不愿意购买公司的自有品牌的商品，而自有品牌的商品却是该公司的经营主体，他们逐渐开始对更加时尚的品牌感兴趣。
【答案对应点】原文定位句中its own—brand products，the major part of its business选项D中mostly sold goods under the Smithson’s name。
【干扰项分析】选项A中making a loss表示亏损，而原文中陈述的是still profitable；选项 B中had a problem keeping staff表示公司不能留住员工，而原文中陈述的是its sales staff didn’t seem to have changed；选项C中unhappy with its advertising agency表示对广告部门不满意。而原文中陈述的是thanks largely to a series of successful advertising campaigns。
你可能感兴趣的试题
1
According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because of ________
According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because of ________
A． an improvement in the retailing sector
B． the previous work done on the store
C． Bowena Baker's choice of designer
D． a change in the products on sale
2
According to Bowena Baker, one problem which Smithson's faced when she joined was that_______
According to Bowena Baker, one problem which Smithson's faced when she joined was that_______
A． the number of people using the store was falling slowly
B． its competitors offered a more specialized range of products
C． the store's prices were set at the wrong level
D． customers were unhappy with the service provided
3
According to the writer, many staff opposed Baker's plans because_______
A．they were unwilling to change their way of working
B． they disagreed with her goals for the store
C． they felt they were not consulted enough about the changes
D． they were unhappy with her style of management
最新试题