MA Moshavere Reading Comprehension

PASSAGE 1:

The success or failure of a consulting project is often determined in large measure long before a contract is signed or anyone has agreed to work together. This is true whether the consultant and client have never met or if they have worked together on many projects. In either case, the first phase of a project typically the first face-to-face meeting is extremely important, as this is when the expectations and goals of the project are established. If the consultant and client have never worked together, then the first phase of the project is also when both parties assess whether they will be able to work together effectively and comfortably.

For your first meeting with a client or prospective client to be successful, it is essential that you come prepared. You need to know which questions you want to address, as well as how to respond to the client’s questions. In this chapter we discuss the questions you and the client need to answer during the initial phase of a project as you are getting to know each other, discussing the project, and evaluating the pros and cons of proceeding.

The goals and tone of the first meeting or meetings between you and a client or prospective client are likely to be different depending on the circumstances that brought you together. We therefore begin with a brief discussion of the ways consultants and clients usually make contact.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

1) Measuring the success rate of a consultant

2) The success or failure of a consulting project

3) The first meeting between the consultant and the client

4) Assessing the effectiveness of a consulting project

2.According to paragraph 1, the expectations and goals of a project are ———.

1) set in the first phase of a project

2) established after the first few meetings

3) the best predictors of its success or failure

4) the most important components of its contract

3.It is stated in paragraph 2 that the first meeting with a client can be successful when ——–.

1) the client is a reasonable man

2) the consultant is well-prepared for it

3) the client can clearly state the problem

4) the consultant knows what questions not to ask

4.Which of the following is mentioned in paragraph 3 to affect the tone of the first meeting of a consulting project?

1) The prospects of a project

2) The expectations of the client

3) The economic condition of the client

4) How the consultant and client make contact

5.This passage is most likely an excerpt from ——–.

1) a book

2) a brochure

3) a magazine

4) an academic article

PASSAGE 2:

The basic premise of control theory is that people attempt to regulate their performance on a task by actively monitoring their behavior relative to some standard.

This behavioral regulation entails comparing current performance or behavior to a goal or reference point for desired performance. This comparison is enabled by feedback:

Individuals gather information about their current level of performance to assess the gap or difference between their current behavior and desired behavior (i.e., the goal or standard). An example most people can relate to is weight management. If someone has a target weight of 150 pounds (the standard or desired state), that person evaluates his or her “performance” by comparing his or her actual weight to that standard. So, when the person receives feedback (in this case, from stepping on the scale) that his or her actual weight has crept up to 155, the individual becomes aware of a gap or discrepancy between his or her current state and the desired state (specifically, a S-pound gap).

When detecting a gap between current and desired performance, individuals actively alter either their behavior or the goal to reduce the difference between current behavior and the goal state. This gap is often referred to as a goal performance discrepancy (GPD), and the desire for discrepancy reduction can be a strong motivator. Responses to a GPD vary widely according to the individual and the situation. Attempts at behavior regulation may include increasing effort, attempting new behaviors or new strategies to target the goal, altering the goal to be less of a stretch, or even abandoning the goal altogether. All of these behaviors can result in a smaller GPD or gap between current and desired performance.

6.Which of the following is true about control theory?

1) It includes two basic premises.

2) It sets current performance as the standard for future reference.

3) It stresses the feedback provided by other individuals.

4) It involves comparing current performance with some standard.

7.Why does the author mention weight management in paragraph 1?

1) To explain why it is easier said than done

2) To emphasize the importance of personal feedback

3) To provide an easy-to-understand example of performance regulation

4) To illustrate the difference between desired performance and desired state

8.The phrase “the desired state” at the end of paragraph 1 refers to —–.

1) a 5-pound gap

2) one's actual weight

3) performance regulation

4) target weight of 150 pounds

9.According to paragraph 2, a goal-performance discrepancy is ——–.

1) the desire for changing the current state

2) the gap between desirable and undesirable behavior

3) a strong motivator to detect gaps in one's performance

4) the difference between present behavior and the goal state

10.All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 2 as attempts at behavior regulation ЕХСЕРТ ——–.

1) establishing more ambitious goals

2) working harder toward the goal

3) trying new strategies

4) modifying the goal

PASSAGE 3:

UneekGrafix is a small graphics company that was founded about 10 years ago by 3 graphic artists who met while they were working for a major advertising agency.

UneekGrafix quickly established a reputation for its creative, often-offbeat designs for CDs, book covers, display advertising, exhibits, logos, and promotional items. In 10 years’ time, the company acquired several major clients and increased its staff from the 3 founding employees to more than 80 designers and support staff. However, in the last 2 years the company lost three major clients and has had difficulty finding new business. As a consequence, revenues have declined. Last month, the company had the first layoff in its history. The top management at UneekGrafix is both concerned and perplexed-concerned about the decline in revenues and perplexed about what to do about it. As their president said, “There is something going on in the market that we don’t understand, and we have to get a grasp on this quickly before we take another big hit in revenues.”

The UneekGrafix scenario is not uncommon in a competitive business climate. A new company is started by some talented people, experiences fast growth with a very bright future, and suddenly hits a wall. Company officials cannot quite figure out what’s wrong. What they are currently doing has been quite successful in the past, but it does not seem to be working now. This would seem like an opportune time for UneekGrafix to turn to a consultant. They are having considerable difficulty in determining what is causing the downturn in revenues, and a consultant could bring a fresh perspective to the problem. The consultant might conduct a thorough diagnosis, both of UneekGrafix’s internal operations and its customers and market. Perhaps the consultant would make some recommendations as to what the company needs to do to reverse the decline in revenues. Or, perhaps the consultant might help the management team at UneekGrafix take a good look what services and products are demanded by the market and compare that with what the company is providing, and then help the team decide what direction to go in the future.

11.Which of the following is true about the first years of UneekGrafix?

1) It experienced fast growth.

2) It was run by 10 founding employees.

3) It started out as an advertising agency.

4) It quickly lost some of its major clients.

12.The word “revenues” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ——-.

1) clients

2) earnings

3) advantages

4) qualifications

13.According to paragraph 1, the top management at UneekGrafix ——-.

1) should change their president

2) has a good grasp of the current market

3) is concerned about the employees that they had to fire

4) does not exactly know what they should do about their problem

14.According to paragraph 2, the author believes that UneekGrafix should ——–.

1) lay off more employees

2) get help from a consultant

3) develop a new business plan

4) focus on the talent of its staff

15.The word “that” is paragraph 2 refers to ——–.

1) what is demanded by the market

2) the management team

3) a good look

4) the market

MA Moshavere Reading Comprehension

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