Passage 31
¡¡¡¡The number of women directors appointed to corpo-rate boards in the United States has increased dramati-cally£¬ but the ratio of female to male directors remains low. Although pressure to recruit women directors£¬£¨5£© unlike that to employ women in the general work force£¬does not derive from legislation£¬ it is nevertheless real.
¡¡¡¡Although small companies were the first to have£ women directors£¬ large corporations currently have a£ higher percentage of women on their boards. When the£¨10£© chairs of these large corporations began recruiting women to serve on boards£¬ they initially sought women£ who were chief executive officers £¨CEO¡®s£© of large corpo-£ rations. However£¬ such women CEO¡¯s are still rare. In£ addition£¬ the ideal of six CEO¡®s £¨female or male £© serving£¨15£©on the board of each of the largest corporations is realiz-able only if every CEO serves on six boards. This raises£ £ the specter of director overcommitment and the resultant dilution of contribution. Consequently£¬ the chairs nextsought women in business who had the equivalent of£¨20£©£ CEO experience. However£¬ since it is only recently thatlarge numbers of women have begun to rise in manage-ment£¬ the chairs began to recruit women of high achieve-ment outside the business world. Many such women arewell known for their contributions in government£¬£¨25£©£ education£¬ and the nonprofit sector. The fact that thewomen from these sectors who were appointed wereoften acquaintances of the boards¡¯ chairs seems quitereasonable£º chairs have always considered it importantfor directors to interact comfortably in the boardroom.30£©Although many successful women from outside thebusiness world are unknown to corporate leaders£¬ thesewomen are particularly qualified to serve on boardsbecause of the changing nature of corporations. Today acompany¡®s ability to be responsive to the concerns of the35£©£ community and the environment can influence thatcompany¡¯s growth and survival. Women are uniquelypositioned to be responsive to some of these concerns.Although conditions have changed£¬ it should be remem-bered that most directors of both sexes are over fifty£¨40£© years old. Women of that generation were often encour-aged to direct their attention toward efforts to improvethe community. This fact is reflected in the career devel-opment of most of the outstandingly successful womenof the generation now in their fifties£¬ who currently serve£¨45£© on corporate boards£º 25 percent are in education and£ 22 percent are in government£¬ law£¬ and the nonprofit£ sector.
¡¡¡¡One organization of women directors is helping busi-ness become more responsive to the changing needs of£¨50£©£ society by raising the level of corporate awareness aboutsocial issues£¬ such as problems with the economy£¬£ government regulation£¬ the aging population£¬ and the£ environment. This organization also serves as a resource£ center of information on accomplished women who are£¨55£© potential candidates for corporate boards.
¡¡¡¡1. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree£ with which of the following statements about£ achievement of the ¡°ideal¡± mentioned in line 14£¿
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© It has only recently become a possibility.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© It would be easier to meet if more CEO¡®s were women
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© It is very close to being a reality for most corporate boards.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© It might affect the quality of directors¡® service to corporations.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© It would be more realizable if CEO¡®s had a more extensive range of business experience.
¡¡¡¡2. According to the passage£¬ the pressure to appoint women to corporate boards differs from the pressure to£ employ women in the work force in which of the£ following ways£¿
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© Corporate boards are under less pressure because they have such a small number of openings.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© Corporate boards have received less pressure from stockholders£¬ consumers£¬ and workers within companies to include women on their boards.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© Corporate boards have received less pressure from the media and the public to include women on their boards.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© Corporations have only recently been pressured toinclude women on their boards.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© Corporations are not subject to statutory penalty forfailing to include women on their boards.
¡¡¡¡3. All of the following are examples of issues that the£ organization described in the last paragraph would be£ likely to advise corporations on EXCEPT
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© long-term inflation
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© health and safety regulations
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© retirement and pension programs
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© the energy shortage
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© how to develop new markets
¡¡¡¡4. It can be inferred from the passage that£¬ when seeking to£ appoint new members to a corporation¡®s board£¬ the chair£ traditionally looked for candidates who
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© had legal and governmental experience
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© had experience dealing with community affairs
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© could work easily with other members of the board
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© were already involved in establishing policy for that corporation
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© had influential connections outside the business world
¡¡¡¡5. According to the passage£¬ which of the following is true about women outside the business world who are£ currently serving on corporate boards£¿
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© Most do not serve on more than one board.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© A large percentage will eventually work on the staff of corporations.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© Most were already known to the chairs of the board to which they were appointed.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© A larger percentage are from government and law than are from the nonprofit sector.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© Most are less than fifty years old.
¡¡¡¡6. The passage suggests that corporations of the past differ£ from modern corporations in which of the following£ ways£¿
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© Corporations had greater input on government policies affecting the business community.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© Corporations were less responsive to the financial needs of their employees.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© The ability of a corporation to keep up with changing markets was not a crucial factor in its success.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© A corporation¡®s effectiveness in coping with community needs was less likely to affect its growth and prosperity.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© Corporations were subject to more stringent government regulations.
¡¡¡¡7. Which of the following best describes the organization£ of the passage£¿
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© A problem is described£¬ and then reasons why various proposed solutions succeeded or failed are discussed.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© A problem is described£¬ and then an advantage of resolving it is offered.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© A problem is described£¬ and then reasons for its continuing existence are summarized.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© The historical origins of a problem are described£¬ and then various measures that have successfully resolved it are discussed.
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© The causes of a problem are described£¬ and then its effects are discussed.
¡¡¡¡8. It can be inferred from the passage that factors making£ women uniquely valuable members of modern corporate£ boards would include which of the following£¿
¡¡¡¡£ ¢ñ. The nature of modern corporations
¡¡¡¡£ ¢ò. The increased number of women CEO¡®s
¡¡¡¡£ ¢ó. The careers pursued by women currently available to serve on corporate boards
¡¡¡¡£ £¨A£© ¢ñonly
¡¡¡¡£ £¨B£© ¢òonly
¡¡¡¡£ £¨C£© ¢ó only
¡¡¡¡£ £¨D£© ¢ñand ¢ó only
¡¡¡¡£ £¨E£© ¢ñ£¬¢ò£¬ and ¢ó
