The closing of a letter containing a negative message should be polite and helpful.

SECRET SHOPPERS

Tim Wright knows all about making companies more efficient. His firm, Check-up, sends 'secret shoppers' into retail and leisure companies (29) order to make sure that customers are receiving good service. After (30) visit, the secret shoppers prepare a report for the company to let them know (31) good or bad the service was.

Companies like to know,' says Mr Wright,' that (32) customers go into a store just a few minutes before closing time, they will (33) get good service.' Check-up (34) set up in the west of England in 1992 and (35) two years moved to London so it could offer a nationwide service. (36) the last three years, Check-up's profits have (37) dramatically as companies have come to realise (38) great importance of good customer service. Having started with just three employees, Check-up now has a staff (39) sixty-five and last week (40) an important new contract with a major supermarket chain.

(29)

A．in

B．by

C．on

ments？

M: It's coming along. But I've been staring at the computer screen for hours and my eyes hurt.

W: Yeah Typing the words on the screen really make your eyes dry and tired. You should take a break.

M: I can't. The deadline is approaching.

W: You know, I read about computers and eye problems recently. The article says that they are usually caused by not blinking your eyes enough.

M: Blinking？ I thought I just needed new glasses.

W: when you blink, the movement of closing and opening your eyes, even though it happens really fast relaxes your eyes.

M: That makes sense.

W: People using computer tends to stare at the screen and blink less often than they normally would.

M: That is what I am doing. And I am suffering from the dry eyes.

W: That is one of the typical symptoms. M: But what does it have to do with the computer？

W: The article I read about the office workers found that the workers averagely blink 22 times a minute when relaxed But just 7 times a minute while looking at the text on a computer screen.

M: Wow That's quite a difference.

W: Yeah. So you need to blink your eyes and take a break from the computer

M: I wonder if using some kind of eye-drops will make me feel better.

W: That might help.But the best prescription is to take a break and rest your eyes

M: Ok. Let's go get some coffee. I can finish this later tonight.

(23)

A．Something goes wrong with his computer.

B．He can not finish the documents in time.

C．The computer screen is hurting his eyes.

D．He can not understand the article.

ore than 36,000 dotcom employees were cut in the second half of last year, including some 10,000 last month. But th6 firings went well beyond dotcomland. There were more than 480,000 layoffs through November. General Motors is laying off 15,000 workers with the closing of Oldsmobile. Whirlpool is trimming 6,300 workers; Aetna is letting go 5,000.

The remarkable thing is that US unemployment has so far stayed strikingly low. While the NASDAQ plunged and growth trailed off last year, the unemployment rate fluctuated between 3.9% and 4.1%. That pales compared with the unemployment rates during Old Economy dark years like 1992 (7.5%) and 1982 (9.7%).

And it gives the lie to an Old Economy article of faith--that there was a "natural rate of unemployment below which the economy could not operate without spurring inflation". The supposed natural rate: just under 6%.

How to account for the strong jobs picture？ In part it's because of the tight labor market of the New Economy. Employers fought hard during the expansion to recruit and retain skilled workers. They are not looking to slash their payrolls unless they think a major recession is coming--because they know how much time and effort went into building their work forces.

There is also more worker "churning" going on. Employees are losing their jobs for economic reasons, but they're generally finding new work quickly. The latest rite of the Internet world is the "pink-slip party" for those just let go. Dotcommers go to commiserate and often come away with new job offers. Job churning makes the economy more efficient: it directs workers to the positions where they are most useful. But it comes at some psychic cost to employees and weakens the social fabric. Workers who shift from job to job do not have the security, or form. the same workplace bonds, which corporate long-timers did in the Old Economy.

Why does GM cut down 15,000 employees？

A．Because the labor conflicts with the management.

B．Because the other companies lay off their employees.

C．Because it has lost its credits in the world.

D．Because the global economy declines.

hortage of bottled beer.

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

A.opened

B.to have closed

C.to close

D.closing