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1、BEC阅读2020 为了让大家更好的准备商务英语BEC考试，给大家整理了BEC商务英语阅读材料,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。BEC阅读：Science Fiction:A Princess of MarsLast week we broadcast the second of our programs called “A Princess of Mars.”The story is from a series of books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.Last week we told how John Carter was captured by a group
2、of warriors on the planet Mars.Later, he became one of them by defeating a huge warrior in a fight.He is still a captive, but he is treated with honor because he is a skilled fighter.We left John Carter at the beginning of a fierce battle between the green warriors and their main enemy.The enemy cam
3、e close to the green Martians in huge air ships.The green Martians attacked. John Carter continutes to tell about what happens to him in Edgar Rice Burroughss story, “A Princess of Mars.”JOHN CARTER:Another of the large air ships exploded high in the air. Members of the crew fell to the ground.The h
4、uge ship lost control and began turning again and again.Soon it was close to the ground.The warriors climbed aboard the ship and began fighting the members of the crew who were still alive.Soon the fighting stopped.The warriors began taking everything from the ship.At last, they brought a captive fr
5、om deep within the ship.Two of the warriors had their captive by each arm. I wanted to see what new and strange form of life this creature would be.As they came near, I saw that it was a woman.She looked like a woman from Earth.She was young.Her skin was a light red, almost a copper color.I saw at o
6、nce that she was extremely beautiful.She had a fine face with large dark eyes and long, black hair. As her guards led her away, she saw me for a moment.She seemed very surprised.Her face looked hopeful.But when I made no attempt to speak to her, her face grew sad and she looked very small and fright
7、ened.As I watched her disappear into a building, I realized that Sola was near me.SOLA: John Carter, that woman will be saved for the great games that are held by our people.The games are long and cruel and end in death for those captured in battle.Her death will be slow and painful. She will die fo
8、r the enjoyment of all.JOHN CARTER: Solas face seemed sad when she said this.I could tell by the way she spoke that she did not like the games and did not want to see the young woman die.She was very different from the rest of her people.Sola, do you not like the games?SOLA: No, John Carter.My mothe
9、r died in the games.That is a secret you must not tell anyone.The wall where Tars Tarkas found you held eggs that produce our young.All the children belong to the tribe.A mother never knows which child is hers when they come out of the egg.My mother hid the egg that carried me.It was not placed with
10、in the walled area. She kept her secret until after I was born. But others discovered her secret and she was condemned to die in the games.She hid me among other children before she was captured.If this secret were learned, I too would die in the games.Before she left me, my mother told me the name
11、of my father.I alone keep that secret.It would mean death for him as well as me.My people are violent and cruel.JOHN CARTER:The next day I entered the great room where the green Martians held meetings.The red woman prisoner was there too. Soon, the leader of the green Martians came into the room.His
12、 name was Lorquas Ptomel.He began speaking to the prisoner.LORQUAS PTOMEL:Who are you and what is your name?DEJAH THORIS: I am the Princess Dejah Thoris, daughter of Mors Kajak, the ruler of Helium. Our air ship was on a scientific flight.We were to study the air and atmosphere. Without our work the
13、 air on our planet would grow thin and we would all die. Why would you attack us?JOHN CARTER: As she talked, a warrior ran to her and hit her in the face, knocking her to the ground.He placed a foot on her small body and began laughing.I reached for the small sword I carried and rushed to attack the
14、 huge warrior.(FIGHTING SOUNDS)JOHN CARTER: He was a strong opponent.But again, because of the low gravity on Mars, my strength was far greater than his.In a few short minutes, the green warrior was dead.I helped the young woman to her feet.DEJAH THORIS: Who are you?Why did you risk your life to hel
15、p me?You look almost the same as my people, but you wear the weapons of a green warrior. Who or what. are you?JOHN CARTER: My name is John Carter. I am from the planet Earth.How I got here is a long story.I attacked that warrior because, where I come from, men do not attack women.I will offer you my
16、 protection as long as I can.However, I must tell you that I, too, am a captive.SOLA: Come, John Carter, and bring the red woman with you.Let us leave this room quickly before some warrior attempts to stops us.JOHN CARTER: The three of us quickly returned to the building where I had spent the last s
17、everal days.Sola then left to prepare food.Woola sat in the corner and looked at the both of us.The young woman was afraid of poor, ugly Woola.I told her not to fear him.You must tell no one, but Woola is not only my guard.He is my friend.I have treated him with kindness that he has never known.As e
18、ach day passes, he trusts me more.I now think he would follow any command I give.Sola has told me that all captives are held until they can die in the great games held by the green Martians. Our only chance to survive is to escape.But we must have Solas help for our plan to succeed.DEJAH THORIS: Yes
19、. If we stay with the green warriors, we will both die.If we are to escape, we will need several of the animals to ride.It would be our only chance.JOHN CARTER: I have several of the animals.They were given to me when I became a warrior.Sola came back later with food for the two of us.Dejah Thoris a
20、nd I asked for her help.The three of us talked long into the night.At last Sola gave us her answer.SOLA: Your best chance for escape will be in the next two days.We will leave this city tomorrow and begin a long trip to the home of our tribe.I will help you escape.But I must come with you.I will be
21、killed if you escape.DEJAH THORIS: Sola, of course you must come with us!You are not cruel or violent as many of your people are.Help us and I can promise you a much better life.You will be treated with respect as an honored guest.JOHN CARTER: The next morning we rode away from the city on our anima
22、ls.More than a thousand animals were carrying the huge tribe of green Martians.Also in the group were one American, one Princess of the Royal House of Helium, our guard, Sola, and poor ugly Woola.Late that night we left the camp.One animal carried me.Another Sola and Princess Dejah Thoris.Woola foll
23、owed close behind.We rode quickly through the Martian night.I looked into the sky and saw Earth across the great distance of space.Since I had met the Princess Dejah Thoris, I had not thought once of Earth or home.I knew then that I would never willingly leave her.The next morning, I could see that
24、we were being followed by several hundred of the green warriors.Our animals were very tired.I knew we must stop.I told Sola and the Princess to take the stronger of the two animals and ride away.I will hold back the green warriors as long as I can. Woola!Go with them and guard them with your life.DE
25、JAH THORIS: We cant leave you alone. It would be certain death if you are captured again.You must come with us!JOHN CARTER: Sola took the princess by the arm and lifted her on top of the animal she had chosen.Quickly she began riding away. For a moment, Woola looked at me, then turned and ran after
26、them.I took out my rifle from its case.I began firing to slow the green warriors.I was able to slow them for more than an hour.But then I had no more ammunition.Soon I was surrounded.A green warrior got off his animal and came toward me.He pulled out his long, thin sword.I reached for mine.As we nea
27、red each other I saw it was Tars Tarkas.He stopped and spoke to me very slowly.TARS TARKAS: You will die here today John Carter.It is I who must kill you.Know that I will take no pleasure in your death.BOB DOUGHTY:You have been listening to the Special English program, American Stories.This has been
28、 the third program in our series “A Princess of Mars,” by Edgar Rice Burrows. This story was adapted for Special English by Paul Thompson. It was produced by Paul Thompson and Mario Ritter.Shep ONeal was the voice of John Carter.Steve Ember was Tars Tarkas. Barbara Klein was Sola. AndGwen Outen was
29、the Princess Dejah Thoris.Join us again next week as we continue “A Princess of Mars,” in VOA Special English.BEC阅读：Russian Occupation of GeorgiaStanding alongside Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Tbilisi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated a call for Russia to end its military p
30、resence in two breakaway Georgian regions.We continue to call for Russia to abide by the August 20XX cease-fire commitment signed by President Saakashvili and President Medvedev, including ending the occupation and withdrawing Russian troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia to their pre-conflict posi
31、tions, said Clinton.Clinton repeatedly pressed the issue during her tour of Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus, which concluded in Georgia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia are heavily populated by ethnic Russians and have resisted integration with Georgia. Only a few other nations join Russia in re
32、cognizing the two regions as independent.America was the first one to mention this word, and now the others are following, said Saakashvili. President Obama was the first one to call a spade a spade, basically to say it was an invasion. Because before, as you remember, the term disproportionate use
33、of force was used, as if there is a proportionate use to occupy other countries territory.The topic came up during a recent meeting in Washington between U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev. Both sides said the disagreement would not significantly impede relations
34、.Alexander Rondeli, the director of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies welcomed Clintons use of the term occupation. But he added that healthy relations with Russia could be good for everybody.It is absolutely important for Americans to have normal relationship with Russ
35、ia, said Rondeli. It is absolutely important for everyone to have a wealthy and healthy Russia; it means democratic sic and also a country which acts according to international norms and rules.Rondeli said an important message of Clintons trip is that it shows the United States has not abandoned Geo
36、rgia, and will remain an influence in the region.Nicolay Petrov is a scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center. He says there is nothing new in the American position and that he expects a pretty calm reaction from Russia as long as the United States does not turn words into action.What was
37、told in Tbilisi, I think, that as far as it is not connected to any real moves made by the Obama administration it is nothing serious for the Kremlin, said Tbilisi.Tbilisi says Moscow maintains a position that it has the right to first agree to any action another country wants to take in former-Sovi
38、et states such as Georgia.In addition to Georgia, Clinton also visited Ukraine, Poland, Azerbaijan and Armenia. She is returning to Washington to take part in a meeting Tuesday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.BEC阅读：成功小企业主的六大特征At last count, there were 29.6 million b
39、usinesses in the U.S.-and 99.9% of them can be filed under small. But small is significant. Small businesses (with 500 or fewer employees) have generated 64% of new jobs in the past 15 years and are responsible for 50% of the GDP and 44% of the countrys private payroll.Now a study by the Guardian Li
40、fe Small Business Research Institute, comparing key traits of small-business owners, provides an insiders view of what qualities set the success-oriented ones apart from their less ambitious peers.The Guardian Life Index: What Matters Most to Americas Small Business Owners, surveyed more than 1,100
41、small businesses. Those that projected an annual growth of 10% between 20XX and 20XX and/or intended to expand their business between 20XX and 20XX were identified as success-oriented. Nearly half the businesses fell into this study group.Six Signs Of A Doomed EntrepreneurWe wondered if the people w
42、ho said that they were going to be successful held different ideas and passions to be more important than business owners simply looking to maintain their businesses in coming years, says Mark Wolf, director of the research institute.Six personality traits emerged. It really emphasizes that there is
43、nt simply one type of entrepreneurial person, says Patricia Greene, Ph.D., the special academic advisor to the institute and a cofounder of the Diana Project, a multi-university research series on women and business ownership. These are behaviors, but more importantly, they are behaviors that can be
44、 learned.CollaborativeSuccess-oriented small-business owners understand how to delegate effectively to others within their business, as well as how to build strong personal relationships with their management team, employees, consultants, vendors and customers.Collaboration, in the context of this s
45、urvey, is not only about building the team from within-giving employees reason to feel better about being a part of the team, says Wolf-but also developing connections outside of the operation. Its all about networks, says Greene, because through networking a small-business owner can create opportun
46、ities for others and to be able to rely on others to create opportunities for her.Self-FulfilledSuccess-oriented small-business owners are more desirous of doing something for a living that I love to do; being able to decide how much money I make; and being able to have the satisfaction of creating
47、something of value.Wolf and Greene agree that the takeaway is that entrepreneurism is personal, and that the feeling of being personally fulfilled and in control of ones own career can help drive an individual toward success.Future-FocusedPlanning for both the short- and long-term future are key tra
48、its that characterize success-oriented small-business owners. They are more focused on cash flow and more likely to have a well-thought-out plan to run our business for years into the future as well as a well-thought-out plan to run our business day-to-day.For entrepreneurs, its just as important to have long-term vision as it is to have short-term goals, says Greene. The success-oriented respondents tended to have more directed visions of success.CuriousSuccess-oriented small-business owners are more open to learning h
