Section One.
Questions 13 to 17.
You will hear five short recordings. The speakers are presenting awards to companies that have excelled in different aspects of business.
For each recording, decide what the company is receiving its award for.
Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.
Do not use any letter more than once.
After you have listened once, replay the recordings.
You have fifteen seconds to read the list A-H.
[pause]
Now listen, and decide what each company is receiving its award for.
[pause]
Thirteen
Woman: This chain of clothing stores has been a household name in this country and abroad for a century. But some years ago, it lost market share and closed most of its overseas branches. Its goods declined in quality, and became dull and out of touch with modern taste. After a period in crisis, the company hired a new team of designers and re-launched its entire range. The upgrading in quality and style have put this store back on the fashion map.
[pause]
Fourteen
Man: This has been an inspirational success story. Five years ago, the Ty-Ban cheese company didn't exist. They now supply more cheese to the foreign market than any other cheese company their size. Originally, Ty-Ban was a small farm rearing cattle and sheep, but the family realised they would have to diversify or go out of business. They started experimenting with some old recipes for organic cheese, in spite of warnings that the market was saturated, and came up with a winner.
[pause]
Fifteen
Woman: Business consultancy is one of the most competitive areas in the service sector. Huge fees are charged to the customers, but the customers have huge expectations in return. This has led to a growing feeling of disillusionment - 'What do these people do that we couldn't do for ourselves?' Well, here we have a uniquely creative consultancy company that produces revolutionary ideas for projecting a corporate image to the outside world. Their methods are startling, but they certainly get results.
[pause]
Sixteen
Man: Some of us can remember the days when a visit to the supermarket was no fun. If you needed information, there was never an assistant in sight. And when you did find one, they knew less than you. Well, that time is long past, and the seminar I watched recently at our award-winning supermarket was a revelation. It endeavoured to keep sales assistants up-to-date with information about food technology, how to access product information on the store intranet, and so on. And that's what gave this supermarket its edge.
[pause]
Seventeen
Woman: Has this happened to you? You've paid a small fortune to have a kitchen installed. The fitters have gone, you switch on the dishwasher, and the next thing you know, the kitchen's flooded. Our award-winning company has a twenty-four hour phone service, seven days a week, with a reply guaranteed (by real people) within three minutes. And if it's an emergency with one of their appliances, an engineer is out to you on the same day. Service like this is rare these days.
[pause]
Now listen to the recordings again.
[pause]
