Question

【題目】A Brief History Of Waterstone’s

Waterstone’s is the largest bookstore chain in the UK and Ireland, with 296 stores and 4500 employees, but its market share has recently declined and sales have been poor. The book market suffered during the economy declines and the emergence of new e-readers, such as the Amazon Kindle, was pulling more customers away from the high street. A&NN will pay for Waterstone’s in two parts, one of 40million and one of 13million.The deal will only complete if HMV can renegotiate its bank facilities, though HMV says the banks are supportive of the sale. Pension trustees and the pensions regulator also have to approve. HMV chief executive Simon Fox said A&NN would be a good home for Waterstone’s, while the sale will reduce borrowings and enable HMV to focus on plans for transforming the business into a broad-based entertainment business. A&NN will appoint James Daunt as managing director of Waterstone’s once the deal completes. Mr. Daunt currently runs Daunt Books, a small chain of London-based bookshops he founded in 1990.

Waterstone’s founder Tim Waterstone opened his first store in 1982 at a time when fellow book-lovers were presented with few options on the high street. The top bookseller was WH Smith, Mr. Waterstone’s former employer of eight years before he was dismissed, which he felt was failing to go into a broad market of literature fans. The first store was opened in Old Brompton Road, and the former banker’s intuition was correct as the chain went from strength to strength. Mr. Waterstone, who has written four novels, saw a recovery in the market driven by demand for the works of a new wave of literary stars including Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, John Banville and Martin Amis. Having founded the firm with his 6,000, Mr. Waterstone sold the chain to his former employer WH Smith in 1993 for 47million.

【1】According to the passage, who is the most likely to be the managing director of Waterstone’s in the near future?

A.Mr. WaterstoneB.John Banville

C.James DauntD.Simon Fox

【2】What does the word “intuition” mean in the passage?

A.instinctive knowledgeB.mental image

C.calm considerationD.indirect suggestion

【3】Which one of the following is not true according to the passage?

A.At present the brand Waterstone’s belongs to HMV.

B.During the economy declines, the book market was hit and sales were poor.

C.Waterstone’s has long been the largest bookstore chain in the U.K and Ireland.

D.Mr. Waterstone made 41,000 when he transferred the chain to WH Smith.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】A

【3】D

【解析】

本文是一篇說明文，介紹了英國最大的連鎖書店沃特斯通公司的歷史。

【1】細節(jié)理解題。根據左側第二欄中的“A&NN will appoint James Daunt as managing director of Waterstone’s once the deal completes.”可知，一旦交易完成，A& NN將任命James Daunt為水石公司的董事總經理，也就是說James Daunt最有可能成為沃特斯通公司的董事總經理，故C項正確。

【2】詞義猜測題。根據畫線詞前的“The top bookseller was WH Smith, Mr. Waterstone’s former employer of eight years before he was dismissed, which he felt was failing to go into a broad market of literature fans.”可知，當時最暢銷的書商是WH史密斯，他是沃特斯通為之工作八年的前雇主，但沃特斯通覺得他沒有進入一個廣泛的文學迷市場，于是他也在老布羅姆普頓路商業(yè)街上開了一家書店，連鎖店的不斷壯大證明了沃特斯通認為WH史密斯沒有打開一個廣泛的文學迷市場的感覺是正確的，由此可知畫線詞詞義為“直覺”，故A項正確。

故A項正確。

【3】細節(jié)理解題。根據右側第二欄中的“Having founded the firm with his 6,000, Mr. Waterstone sold the chain to his former employer WH Smith in 1993 for 47million.”可知，沃特斯通用6000英鎊創(chuàng)辦了這家公司，1993年他以4700萬英鎊的價格將這家連鎖店賣給了他的前雇主WH史密斯，所以當沃特斯通把連鎖店賣給WH史密斯時他賺了41000英鎊的說法是錯誤的，故D項正確。

本篇第2題詞義猜測題的難度較大，抓住上文中沃特斯通的感受（判斷）是關鍵，根據畫線詞前的“The top bookseller was WH Smith, Mr. Waterstone’s former employer of eight years before he was dismissed, which he felt was failing to go into a broad market of literature fans.”可知，當時最暢銷的書商是WH史密斯，他是沃特斯通為之工作八年的前雇主，但沃特斯通覺得他沒有進入一個廣泛的文學迷市場，于是他也在老布羅姆普頓路商業(yè)街上開了一家書店，連鎖店的不斷壯大證明了沃特斯通認為WH史密斯沒有打開一個廣泛的文學迷市場的感覺是正確的，由此可知畫線詞詞義為“直覺”。