HECTOPE

HEC Test of Proficiency in English

A. Grammatical Structure

F I 1996 Toucan Language Testing

A.

Grammatical Structure 15 minutes

Choose the correct answer. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses.

1.

At the moment, the advertising department _______________ for the results of the survey. A. wait B. is waiting C. waits D. has waited

2.

The assistant manager ________________ for the office at eight and is behind his desk by eight thirty. A. is leaving B. leave C. leaves D. did leave

3.

_________ three issues we need to discuss at the meeting this afternoon. A. There are B. There is C. It has D. There have

4.

Hello, ______________ Ms. Robinsons secretary. Im phoning about the timing of the Vancouver project. A. I am B. This is C. It's D. Here is

5.

_________________ your company _____________ many sales representatives in Germany? A. Do / have B. Is / have C. Do / have D. Does / have

6.

A month ago the price of shares on the TSE ______________ to its lowest point ever. A. dropped B. has dropped C. had dropped D. is dropped

7.

The customer we served this morning _____________ about the most profitable way to invest her savings. A. enquiries B. enquired C. enquire D. is enquired The next sales training seminar ____________ in Toronto early in the spring. A. going to be B. going be C. are going to be D. is going to be

8.

9.

If we ____________ the computers ourselves, the cost will be reduced considerably. A. install B. will install C. installed D. going to install

10.

By now everyone here _____________ the budget proposal. Are there any comments? A. saw B. has seen C. seen D. sees

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11.

I ________________ the purchasing manager yet. Could someone please introduce me? A. haven't met B. didn't meet C. haven't meet D. don't meet

12.

The car company _________________ features to its new cars and trucks which will increase the cost to consumers. A. add B. is added C. is being added D. has been adding

13.

By this time next year, the overseas branch _____________ in existence for half a century. A. will have being B. will have been C. will has been D. going to have been

14.

Skimmed milk sales have risen _____________ over the past fifteen years. A. substantialy B. substantial C. substantially D. substance

15.

The annual summer sales conference ______________ place at the Holiday Inn from July 24 to July 28. A. will be taken B. will taking C. is being taking D. will be taking

16.

The union leaders __________ us __________ our membership fees before the beginning of next year. A. make / pay B. make / to pay C. make / paying D. will make / pay

17.

The new regulations prevented them from ______________ anywhere in the plant including the offices. A. to smoke B. smoking C. be smoking D. smoke

18.

Most of the marketing team _____________ in the launch of the new product line. A. will involve B. will be involving C. is involving D. will be involved

19.

I thought that we ________________ pull out of the recession quicker than we did. A. are going to B. were going to C. going to D. was going to

20.

This new computer software ________________ as the most user- friendly on the market. A. is perceived B. will perceive C. perceived D. is perceiving

21.

Economists are nearly unanimous ____________ urging the government to cut spending. A. for B. in C. on D. over

22.

If Human Resources needs to fill jobs in highly- ________________ areas, it may need to look outside the country. A. specializing B. specialize C. specialization D. specialized

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23.

The prospective car buyer asked the receptionist where the main showroom _______________. A. was B. is C. were D. be

24.

If the marketing department _____________ so much publicity about the new product, it would never have sold so well. A. didn't put out B. had put out C. hadn't put out D. wouldn't put out

25.

Unless all the terminals _______________ to the fullest, we cannot justify putting in a request for more. A. use B. are using C. are been used D. are being used

26.

If employees _____________ exercise programs at work, they would be in better health. A. have B. had C. would have D. have had

27.

The regional sales manager ___________ the sales reps _______ their annual reports before the meeting. A. had / hand in B. had / handed in C. had / to hand in D. have / hand in

28.

It is now clear that messages _______________ on the Internet need to be regulated somehow. A. are sent B. sent C. send D. been sent

29.

A team of consultants recommended that the airline headquarters ______________ to a new location. A. be moved B. are moved C. moved D. will move

30.

The marketing manager wishes he __________________ a more aggressive advertising campaign. A. had conducted B. conducts C. conduct D. didn't conduct

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HECTOPE
HEC Test of Proficiency in English

B. Reading Comprehension

F I 1996 Toucan Language Testing

B.

Reading Comprehension 25 minutes

PART 1 Read the passage, MEMORANDUM and answer the questions that follow. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses.

MEMORANDUM To: From: Date: Department Managers Martin Forbes, Accounting Services December 10, 2004

Subject: Payment for part-time employees

The companys Accounting and Payroll Department will be closed between the dates of December 23 and January 5. In order to be sure that part-time employees receive their pay cheques before the holidays, all pay requisitions forms must be received in the Payroll Department before December 16. Please ask your part-time staff to submit their hours before they leave for the weekend. We count on your cooperation in seeing that the pay requisitions reach us in time.

Questions 31. The writer of this memorandum wants: A. to give the holiday dates for the company B. to request pay requisition forms from managers C. to ask part-time staff to leave for the weekend D. to request some time off at Christmas

32.

The pay cheques are for: A. department managers B. part-time employees C. accounting services D. Christmas bonuses

33.

December 16 is the last day for: A. part-time staff B. pay requisitions C. holiday cheques D. regular office hours

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34.

The department managers are responsible for: A. submitting their hours B. making out pay cheques C. sending pay requisitions D. hiring and firing

PART 2

Read the passage Human Capital and answer the questions that follow. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses.

Human Capital Imagine yourself the manager of a team of five engineers. The team is experienced and highly effective. The team members have paid their dues and know their subject area better than anyone. Their project is on track. Now, to your dismay, one of the five announces that she will be leaving at the end of the month. You call personnel. You tell them, send me another Louise. They suggest Ralph. Louise is out on the 31st. Ralph is in on the 1st. In an accounting sense nothing has changed. Ralph makes about the same salary and has about the same workload as did Louise. Input (cost) is the same, and output (effort) is about the same. If the project was on track last month, it should still be O.K. this month. What is the problem? To understand the problem, consider a new workers behaviour. Every now and then Ralph has a question so he looks for another team member for help. Ralphs productivity is not even zero; it is negative. He is keeping other people from working at full capacity. On the second day, he may be a bit less of a burden. Eventually he comes up to speed, producing at the same level as his predecessor. For the company, there is a big investment in a new worker. One of my clients, a group at HewlettPackard, figures that it takes 25 months to bring a new engineer up to speed. Each time a new engineer is hired, $150,000 has to be invested in that person before the investment begins to pay off. Yet, we often evaluate companies as if human capital doesnt matter. And so a company like AT&T can lay off 40,000 knowledge workers, and the market will respond positively because expenses are trimmed. If corporations booked their investments in workers as capital assets, as I believe they should, AT&T would not have been able to eliminate those jobs without writing down $4 billion to $8 billion of assets. Then the market response would have been different. Instead of applauding the companys executives, wed be looking to give them the boot.

Questions

35.

The main idea of this passage is that: A. hiring new workers is a good investment for a corporation B. having too many employees costs a corporation too much money C. the stock market responds positively to corporate layoffs D. employees should be seen as an important capital investment

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36.

When Ralph is hired to replace Louise: A. he is paid less because he is new to the job B. his input costs the company the same amount C. the project is less efficient than it was before D. he makes less effort than Louise used to make

37.

Which of the following statements is true of Ralph? A. His productivity is at zero the first day on the job. B. He produces at the same rate as his predecessor. C. He causes other workers to produce less than usual. D. He tries to help other team members with their work.

38.

Which of the following statements is true? A. A new engineer at Hewlett-Packard is paid $150,000. B. It takes more than two years to learn a new job well. C. The top salary for engineers at Hewlett-Packard is $150,000. D. Hewlett-Packard likes hiring newly-trained engineers.

39.

According to the author: A. workers should be seen as a capital investment B. the stock market reacts negatively to cut backs C. AT&T has $4 billion to $8 billion in assets D. AT&T corporate executives should be applauded

40.

The author would probably agree that: A. human capital isnt really a corporate expense B. AT&T was right to lay off 40,000 knowledge workers C. the stock market responds well to cost cutting D. corporations should invest more in their workers

PART 3

Read the passage, Corporate Anorexia and answer the questions that follow. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses.

Corporate Anorexia The trouble with corporate restructuring is not simply that firms are overdoing it, cutting staff to the point of corporate anorexia. Nor is it simply, as some critics charge, that greedy companies are fattening their profits at the expense of laid-off employees.

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The fundamental problem with corporate restructuring as it is practised today - as an ongoing strategy even in profitable times, rather than as an emergency move - is that it is based on a flawed vision of what makes people and organizations work well. It creates an unhealthy culture in the workplace, and sooner or later we are all going to pay. Of course, the tune being played at many corporate headquarters is quite different. Cutting heads is seen as a painful but necessary part of building a new culture in which everyone wins: the company is rightsized and stays lean and flexible. Remaining employees are empowered by taking on new responsibilities (albeit without new pay) and those who are let go learn to break the bonds of codependence with their employers. The ideal seems to be to create free-wheeling economic entities with interchangeable parts. Companies plug in the human resources they need at any given moment, workers enjoy unrestricted free agency and we all dance in and out of employment relationships in response to shifting demands of the market. Its like quick-change tooling or just-in-time inventory, except on a rational scale and with people. Whats wrong with that? To begin with, it fosters narrow short-term thinking. Nearly everyone agrees that a great weakness of North American business has been its failure to think strategically for the long term. Yet now we see a culture emerging in which more work is farmed out to independent contractors, in which full-time employees always have their resumes out and even key executives dont last long. In such a culture, who is going to look out for the long-term good of the firm? In some of our research, my colleagues and I have tracked managers and professionals who were let go in downsizing and subsequently employed elsewhere. These are supposed to be success stories, the ones who landed on their feet. Yet we found that many of them habitually search for jobs, often spending more time looking for new work than people who are unemployed. Instead of focusing on the company, its customers or their fellow employees, they learn to look after their own skins. Among the things they do not learn are attitudes and behaviours conducive to the internal team-building often touted by corporations. Good teamwork requires trust and the ability to negotiate conflicting interests. These qualities are far more likely to be found in long-term relationships, not in the fluid, mobile exchanges that characterize life in many corporations today. We know this not only from our studies within corporations but also from laboratory research that shows, for instance, that people tend to negotiate differently (and more productively) when they know theyll be negotiating with the same parties again in the future. We also know it from everyday experience. Sports teams that perennially shuffle rosters are seldom contenders. Nations in which the governing coalition changes frequently are seldom viewed as good places to live. Why do we think that corporations can be the exception? The great danger of restructuring as it is practised today is that it creates a culture with no sense of collective responsibility. Its not empowering for the individual either.

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While some people thrive in the new environment, most of us are not constituted this way. We like stability and continuity. We are quite willing to adapt and innovate, but we require a reasonably stable situation as a platform for learning and creativity. One message that comes across loud and clear in a downsizing is that how well you do your job doesnt matter much; you may lose it anyway. Everyone knows a top performer who was let go. This teaches people that they dont control what happens to them on the job - the most disempowering message of all. It can lead to a state psychologists call learned helplessness, a model used to explain why battered women stay with their batterers. They find they are liable to get beat up no matter what they do, so eventually they become passive. They learn to keep their mouths shut. Dont make waves. Just try to hang on. Corporate restructuring as it is practised today speaks a bizarre language. It is a language that confuses commitment with co-dependency and stability with stagnation; that mistakes moving around for moving forward. Its a language that puts an entire society on the wrong track and tries to call it rightsizing.

Questions

41.

The main idea of this passage is that: A. companies are happily getting rich at the expense of laid-off employees B. the latest management trend is creating an unhealthy climate in the workplace C. corporate cutbacks are eliminating more positions than are necessary D. corporate cutbacks are an ongoing strategy practised by many companies today

42.

The term downsizing means: A. corporate restructuring through staff cutbacks B. reducing profits in difficult economic times C. short-term thinking by personnel managers D. redistributing human resources within a company

43.

Which of the following is not part of the myth of downsizing? A. It enables a company to become lean and flexible. B. Employees who stay are empowered by their new functions. C. People who lose their jobs break the bonds of co-dependence. D. Employees who dont lose their jobs receive pay increases.

44.

The author criticizes the interchangeable parts approach to human resource management mainly because: A. workers enjoy unrestricted new job opportunities B. business can respond better to shifting market demands C. it has a detrimental psychological impact on people D. harmonious relations in the workplace are more common

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45.

Which is not an example of short-term thinking? A. business making more strategic decisions B. full-time employees looking for jobs C. lack of job security for key executives D. extensive use of independent contractors

46.

The authors study of managers and professionals who were forced out but found new jobs showed that: A. they became interested in internal team-building B. they became more successful than other executives C. they continued to look for new employment opportunities D. they spent a lot of their time helping the unemployed

47.

A sense of collective responsibility is encouraged in: A. countries that have unstable political systems B. sports teams that frequently change their players C. companies that make few changes to negotiating teams D. large corporations that promote mobile exchanges People feel discouraged when they realize that: A. only top performers can control what happens to them B. becoming passive increases executives job performance C. good job performance does not guarantee job permanence D. companies value creativity and innovation in employees

48.

49.

The author of this article believes that: A. office workers generally thrive in a new environment B. the average person is unwilling to adapt and innovate C. stable work environments make most people more creative D. employees become bored if they do the same job too long

50.

The author would probably agree that: A. a good way to keep your job is to do it very well B. most people can control what happens to them on the job C. co-dependency is a positive thing in the business world D. corporate rightsizing has a negative impact on society

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HECTOPE
HEC Test of Proficiency in English

C. Vocabulary

F I 1996 Toucan Language Testing

C.

Vocabulary 10 minutes

Choose the word with the same meaning as the word in bold type. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses.

51.

Workers in Japan have greater stability than workers in North America. A. challenge B. variety C. difficulty D. security

52.

A good business plan can help you determine how to set up a company. A. decide B. argue C. detract D. remember

53.

It is important for a new company to have abundant capital reserves. A. minimal B. ample C. realistic

D. available

54.

Part of the money they earned had been invested in a stock portfolio. A. found B. won C. used

D. made

55.

The union managed to negotiate a big pay increase for casual employees. A. senior B. temporary C. tired D. permanent

56.

The result of the advertising campaign was a hefty increase in sales. A. small B. unexpected C. large

D. surprising

57.

The firm will invest millions of dollars to upgrade its stores. A. improve B. clean C. expose

D. uproot

58.

Years of carefully planned development put the company in a very competitive position. A. difficult B. tight C. current D. successful

59.

The manager who predicted huge profits in the first quarter had to backtrack after he saw the sales figures. A. continue B. retrain C. reverse D. complete

60.

Some business consultants have become successful by dispensing sound financial advice. A. creating B. giving C. delaying D. spending

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61.

The North American retail price was between 20 and 30 percent lower than the European price. A. consumer B. wholesale C. selling D. net

62.

The corporate president stated that his company plans to continue expanding in Canada. A. shrinking B. growing C. selling D. marketing

63.

Shareholders will usually encourage a company to seek continued growth in profits. A. roll-back B. turnover C. drawbacks D. increase

64.

The spokesperson expressed regret that the core business had to be sold to save the rest of the company. A. adjacent B. subsidiary C. basic D. entire

65.

The public relations firm is pitching its product as a new medium for reaching urban professionals. A. throwing B. putting C. cancelling D. promoting

66.

The number of housing starts rose substantially across Canada in the second quarter of the year. A. slightly B. considerably C. slowly D. rapidly

67.

The bottom line suggests that we can continue to expect a high profit margin next year. A. last sentence B. bank draft C. balance D. net gain

68.

The group will meet today to plot strategy while its lawyers study the proposition. A. avoid B. plan C. change D. check

69.

The board decided to postpone the meeting to allow time to review the unions demands. A. cancel B. delay C. open D. hurry

70.

Microsoft Corp. dragged its feet in waiting 60 days to release a French version of Windows 2000. A. pushed ahead B. succeeded C. held back D. positioned itself

71.

The two chains never competed head-on and were successful in different regional markets. A. aggressively B. directly C. hard D. off season

72.

The former director was known as the person who had spearheaded the campaign to cut staff. A. blocked B. stopped C. led D. curtailed

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73.

You dont cancel a meeting on short notice at such a crucial time for the company. A. quiet B. abrupt C. slack D. vital

74.

The human resources department does not seem to be aware of the impact of the new policy on employees. A. conscious B. alarmed C. concerned D. wary

75.

The real estate firm had trouble finding tenants willing to lease space on a short-term basis. A. purchase B. offer C. rent D. heat

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HECTOPE
HEC Test of Proficiency in English

D. Written Expression

F I 1996 Toucan Language Testing

D.

Written Expression 30 minutes

Use the paper provided to write a composition (250 words) on the topic below. Double space and use appropriate punctuation and capitalization.

Write about your career plans. Explain why English will be important to you in the future.

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HEC Test of Proficiency in English

E. Listening Comprehension

F I 1996 Toucan Language Testing

E.

Listening Comprehension 30 minutes

PART 1 Telephone Conversation

Instructions: You have two minutes to read the questions. Then, as you listen, choose the correct answers. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses. After the tape stops, you will have two minutes to review your answers.

76.

The receptionist asks the caller to: A. leave his name B. try calling again later C. hold the line a moment D. call again tomorrow

77.

The man is calling Joanna Lewis about: A. selling his house B. selling property C. buying property D. visiting a house

78.

When is Mr. Smythe able to meet? A. early the same week B. early the next week C. the following day D. on the weekend

79.

Joanna Lewis cant meet Monday or Tuesday because: A. she cannot find her agenda B. she is busy at those times C. she doesnt like appointments D. she will be out of town on business

80.

Mr. Smythe cant meet on Wednesday or Thursday because: A. it will be too late then B. he has another appointment C. he will be out of town on business D. he doesnt know his schedule yet

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81.

When do they arrange to meet? A. Thursday evening B. Friday morning C. Friday afternoon D. as soon as possible

82.

On Thursday afternoon Joanna Lewis will: A. go to Metcalfe Street B. confirm the appointment C. check with her secretary D. make an appointment

83.

The callers telephone extension is: A. 7315 B. 301 C. 1940 D. 1913

INSTRUCTIONS: You now have two minutes to review your answers.

*** DO NOT TURN THE PAGE WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS ***

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PART 2 Job Interview

Instructions: You have three minutes to read the questions. Then, as you listen, choose the correct answers. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses. After the video stops, you will have two minutes to review your answers.

84.

The person conducting the interview is: A. Mr. Lepage B. Ms. Lepage C. Mr. Robertson D. Ms. Clark

85.

The interviewer asks the woman being interviewed: A. where she did her college studies B. what programme she studied in college C. when she completed her undergraduate degree D. why she studied in an English university

86.

While in university, the candidate practised her Spanish A. while playing on a sports team B. by working as a secretary C. as a member of a committee D. by travelling around the world

87.

The candidate is currently studying: A. accounting B. management C. business administration D. writing

88.

Before her present job, the candidate: A. had only worked in a travel agency B. had several different summer jobs C. didnt like working at the Royal Bank D. was a university student full time

89.

Ms. Lepage feels she is prepared for the present job because of: A. experience at the cash register B. being supervised by her staff C. practice with financial analysis D. speaking several languages

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90.

What does the candidate say about her peers? A. she has encountered some difficulties B. she prefers public relations work C. she likes working in teams D. she is better as a supervisor

91.

If the candidate is hired, she will be expected to A. be ready to move to the United States immediately B. transfer to the companys office in Latin America C. work somewhere in Canada such as Quebec D. be prepared to move to another city or country

92.

The question that the candidate asks the interviewer is: A. what about the company? B. when does the job start? C. did I get the job? D. how much is the pay?

93.

If the candidate gets the job, she will begin work on her own A. in one month B. after two weeks C. in about a week D. after six weeks

INSTRUCTIONS: You now have two minutes to review your answers.

*** DO NOT TURN THE PAGE WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS ***

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PART 3 Mini Lecture

You have three minutes to read the questions. Then as you view the video, choose the correct answers. Use the multiple-choice answer sheet to record your responses. After the video stops, you will have two minutes to review your answers.

94.

The Lexus LS-400 is sold in the U.S. for: A. less than in Europe B. more than $ 44,000 C. approximately $ 44,000 D. the same price as in Japan

95.

The price increase for Jeep Cherokees sold in Japan is: A. over $ 44,000 B. $ 27,000 US C. $ 44,000 US D. $ 17,000 US.

96.

The main subject of Professor Hopkins talk is: A. how many cars are exported annually to Japan B. factors that affect car prices in different markets C. car prices in California compared to Europe D. why American cars are inexpensive in Japan

97.

What does Professor Hopkins say about impediments facing car manufacturers? A. They are mainly a problem for Japanese-European trade. B. They are not really a serious problem in the automobile industry. C. They mainly affect U.S. automobiles entering the Japanese market. D. They mainly affect Japanese automobiles entering the U.S. market.

98.

Which statement is true about U.S.-made cars entering Japan? A. Prices are low because of a surplus in the market. B. Special prices keep the cost of driving high. C. Prices are high because there arent many U.S.-made cars. D. They are at a disadvantage because of lower quality.

99.

Which statement is true about the impediments U.S. car manufacturers face in the Japanese market? A. Most Japanese automobiles are not made domestically. B. Domestically-made cars face many government regulations. C. Japanese drivers drive on the left-hand side of the road. D. Equipment modifications, certificates and inspections are long and costly.

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100. On which cars must car buyers pay a $ 2500 tax? A. Japanese cars with an engine size of less than two litres B. car that they drive for more than one year C. U.S.-made cars imported into the Japanese market D. any cars with engines that exceed two litres

101. The Chrysler Corporation attributes price differences to four factors. Which one accounts for the biggest markup? A. government regulations and certificates B. freight costs and customs clearance C. Japanese sales tax D. distribution and dealer margins

102. In what circumstances must imported cars be individually tested? A. when they are made outside Japan B. when they sell under 1000 cars in Japan C. when they are imported from the United States D. when they are exported from Japan

103. Which kind of industrial test is not required by Japanese regulations? A. gas mileage B. emission standards C. safety features D. engine knock

104. The figure 5.6 million represents the annual sales of: A. Japanese-made cars sold in the U.S. B. American-made cars sold in Japan C. Japanese cars manufactured in the U.S. D. American cars exported to Japan

105. What percentage of the Japanese trade surplus with the U.S. is accounted for by automobile sales? A. 30% B. 0.4% C. 43% D. 65%

INSTRUCTIONS: You now have two minutes to review your answers.

*** THIS IS THE END OF THE TEST ***

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