Corporate – Reading Comprehension

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory in Ellesmere Port, northwest England, overwhelmingly agreed to a new labour deal, leaving its plant in Bochum, Germany in danger of closure. The U.S. carmaker said on Thursday it would invest 125 million pounds in the Ellesmere Port plant, where assembly of the new vehicle will start in 2015.

Britain’s Unite union said 94 percent of those balloted voted in favour of changes to working conditions and that some 700 jobs would be created at the plant, securing its future until 2020. “It’s almost certain that one of GM’s German plants will now be closed, probably the plant in Bochum,” a source close to the negotiations said.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra, its most important model, at its main plant in Russelsheim, Germany, making the car only at Ellesmere Port and at Poland’s Gliwice plant from 2015. The source added that some production of GM’s Chevrolet marque could be shifted from Asia to Europe, with Russelsheim the likely beneficiary. This would leave the Opel factory at Bochum as the most likely site to be closed.

The decision is one of the most dramatic so far as Europe’s carmakers look to restructure or consolidate in response to more than four years of falling demand and profits. Many factories are running at partial capacity – analysts estimate automakers have cut some 3 million cars, or 20 percent, from their production lines – and still producers struggle to sell their wares.

Q. According to the article, which GM plant will likely be closed?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory in Ellesmere Port, northwest England, overwhelmingly agreed to a new labour deal, leaving its plant in Bochum, Germany in danger of closure. The U.S. carmaker said on Thursday it would invest 125 million pounds in the Ellesmere Port plant, where assembly of the new vehicle will start in 2015.

Britain’s Unite union said 94 percent of those balloted voted in favour of changes to working conditions and that some 700 jobs would be created at the plant, securing its future until 2020. “It’s almost certain that one of GM’s German plants will now be closed, probably the plant in Bochum,” a source close to the negotiations said.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra, its most important model, at its main plant in Russelsheim, Germany, making the car only at Ellesmere Port and at Poland’s Gliwice plant from 2015. The source added that some production of GM’s Chevrolet marque could be shifted from Asia to Europe, with Russelsheim the likely beneficiary. This would leave the Opel factory at Bochum as the most likely site to be closed.

The decision is one of the most dramatic so far as Europe’s carmakers look to restructure or consolidate in response to more than four years of falling demand and profits. Many factories are running at partial capacity – analysts estimate automakers have cut some 3 million cars, or 20 percent, from their production lines – and still producers struggle to sell their wares.

Q. The article states that from 2015, the Astra will no longer be produced in ________________.

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory in Ellesmere Port, northwest England, overwhelmingly agreed to a new labour deal, leaving its plant in Bochum, Germany in danger of closure. The U.S. carmaker said on Thursday it would invest 125 million pounds in the Ellesmere Port plant, where assembly of the new vehicle will start in 2015.

Britain’s Unite union said 94 percent of those balloted voted in favour of changes to working conditions and that some 700 jobs would be created at the plant, securing its future until 2020. “It’s almost certain that one of GM’s German plants will now be closed, probably the plant in Bochum,” a source close to the negotiations said.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra, its most important model, at its main plant in Russelsheim, Germany, making the car only at Ellesmere Port and at Poland’s Gliwice plant from 2015. The source added that some production of GM’s Chevrolet marque could be shifted from Asia to Europe, with Russelsheim the likely beneficiary. This would leave the Opel factory at Bochum as the most likely site to be closed.

The decision is one of the most dramatic so far as Europe’s carmakers look to restructure or consolidate in response to more than four years of falling demand and profits. Many factories are running at partial capacity – analysts estimate automakers have cut some 3 million cars, or 20 percent, from their production lines – and still producers struggle to sell their wares.

Q. Does GM own the Vauxhall brand?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory in Ellesmere Port, northwest England, overwhelmingly agreed to a new labour deal, leaving its plant in Bochum, Germany in danger of closure. The U.S. carmaker said on Thursday it would invest 125 million pounds in the Ellesmere Port plant, where assembly of the new vehicle will start in 2015.

Britain’s Unite union said 94 percent of those balloted voted in favour of changes to working conditions and that some 700 jobs would be created at the plant, securing its future until 2020. “It’s almost certain that one of GM’s German plants will now be closed, probably the plant in Bochum,” a source close to the negotiations said.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra, its most important model, at its main plant in Russelsheim, Germany, making the car only at Ellesmere Port and at Poland’s Gliwice plant from 2015. The source added that some production of GM’s Chevrolet marque could be shifted from Asia to Europe, with Russelsheim the likely beneficiary. This would leave the Opel factory at Bochum as the most likely site to be closed.

The decision is one of the most dramatic so far as Europe’s carmakers look to restructure or consolidate in response to more than four years of falling demand and profits. Many factories are running at partial capacity – analysts estimate automakers have cut some 3 million cars, or 20 percent, from their production lines – and still producers struggle to sell their wares.

Q. How many years of falling demand and profits has GM seen, according to the article?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory in Ellesmere Port, northwest England, overwhelmingly agreed to a new labour deal, leaving its plant in Bochum, Germany in danger of closure. The U.S. carmaker said on Thursday it would invest 125 million pounds in the Ellesmere Port plant, where assembly of the new vehicle will start in 2015.

Britain’s Unite union said 94 percent of those balloted voted in favour of changes to working conditions and that some 700 jobs would be created at the plant, securing its future until 2020. “It’s almost certain that one of GM’s German plants will now be closed, probably the plant in Bochum,” a source close to the negotiations said.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra, its most important model, at its main plant in Russelsheim, Germany, making the car only at Ellesmere Port and at Poland’s Gliwice plant from 2015. The source added that some production of GM’s Chevrolet marque could be shifted from Asia to Europe, with Russelsheim the likely beneficiary. This would leave the Opel factory at Bochum as the most likely site to be closed.

The decision is one of the most dramatic so far as Europe’s carmakers look to restructure or consolidate in response to more than four years of falling demand and profits. Many factories are running at partial capacity – analysts estimate automakers have cut some 3 million cars, or 20 percent, from their production lines – and still producers struggle to sell their wares.

Q. The workers at GM’s UK plant _________________.

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007.

Early production of the new screens has begun at three suppliers: Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, a Japanese government-brokered merger combining the screen production of three companies. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Apple’s decision to equip the next iPhone with a larger screen represents part of a competitive response to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Samsung unveiled its top-of-the line Galaxy smartphone with a 4.8-inch touch-screen and a faster processor earlier this month. With consumers becoming more and more comfortable using smartphones for tasks they once performed on laptops, like watching video, other smartphone manufacturers have also moved toward bigger displays.

Q. How many different suppliers will most likely be involved in the production of Apple’s new iPhone screens?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007.

Early production of the new screens has begun at three suppliers: Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, a Japanese government-brokered merger combining the screen production of three companies. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Apple’s decision to equip the next iPhone with a larger screen represents part of a competitive response to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Samsung unveiled its top-of-the line Galaxy smartphone with a 4.8-inch touch-screen and a faster processor earlier this month. With consumers becoming more and more comfortable using smartphones for tasks they once performed on laptops, like watching video, other smartphone manufacturers have also moved toward bigger displays.

Q. Are all the suppliers in Japan?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007.

Early production of the new screens has begun at three suppliers: Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, a Japanese government-brokered merger combining the screen production of three companies. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Apple’s decision to equip the next iPhone with a larger screen represents part of a competitive response to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Samsung unveiled its top-of-the line Galaxy smartphone with a 4.8-inch touch-screen and a faster processor earlier this month. With consumers becoming more and more comfortable using smartphones for tasks they once performed on laptops, like watching video, other smartphone manufacturers have also moved toward bigger displays.

Q.  According to the article, who is Apple competing against?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007.

Early production of the new screens has begun at three suppliers: Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, a Japanese government-brokered merger combining the screen production of three companies. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Apple’s decision to equip the next iPhone with a larger screen represents part of a competitive response to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Samsung unveiled its top-of-the line Galaxy smartphone with a 4.8-inch touch-screen and a faster processor earlier this month. With consumers becoming more and more comfortable using smartphones for tasks they once performed on laptops, like watching video, other smartphone manufacturers have also moved toward bigger displays.

Q. Why are companies making bigger display screens?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The new iPhone screens will measure 4 inches from corner to corner, one source said. That would represent a roughly 30 percent increase in viewing area, assuming Apple keeps other dimensions proportional. Apple has used a 3.5-inch screen since introducing the iPhone in 2007.

Early production of the new screens has begun at three suppliers: Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, a Japanese government-brokered merger combining the screen production of three companies. It is likely all three of the screen suppliers will get production orders from Apple, which could begin as soon as June. That would allow the new iPhone to go into production as soon as August, if the company follows its own precedent in moving from orders for prototypes for key components to launch.

Apple’s decision to equip the next iPhone with a larger screen represents part of a competitive response to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Samsung unveiled its top-of-the line Galaxy smartphone with a 4.8-inch touch-screen and a faster processor earlier this month. With consumers becoming more and more comfortable using smartphones for tasks they once performed on laptops, like watching video, other smartphone manufacturers have also moved toward bigger displays.

Q. How much bigger will Apple’s new screen be, compared to the old one?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas, state officials said Tuesday. North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of 575,490 barrels, Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks said. That compares with 17.5 million barrels in Alaska, though still far behind Texas.

The state’s oil patch is drilling at record levels and shows little sign of slowing down. The 152.9 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2011 set a record, surpassing the previous year’s mark by nearly 40 million barrels, according to the state Industrial Commission. The number of wells in the state jumped from 6,726 in February to a record 6,921 in March, Hicks said. North Dakota owes its rapid rise from No. 9 in just six years to improved horizontal drilling techniques in the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks formations in the western part of the state.

“No. 2, who would have thought?” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents several hundred companies working in the state’s oil patch. “In 1999, we had zero rigs working and people left this industry for dead in North Dakota. Technology, geology, price and the business climate changed that.” Ness and Hicks said the achievement is bittersweet, as North Dakota continues to surpass states that have seen a decrease in oil production, including California and Louisiana.

Q. Which state is the leading oil producer in the United States?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas, state officials said Tuesday. North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of 575,490 barrels, Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks said. That compares with 17.5 million barrels in Alaska, though still far behind Texas.

The state’s oil patch is drilling at record levels and shows little sign of slowing down. The 152.9 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2011 set a record, surpassing the previous year’s mark by nearly 40 million barrels, according to the state Industrial Commission. The number of wells in the state jumped from 6,726 in February to a record 6,921 in March, Hicks said. North Dakota owes its rapid rise from No. 9 in just six years to improved horizontal drilling techniques in the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks formations in the western part of the state.

“No. 2, who would have thought?” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents several hundred companies working in the state’s oil patch. “In 1999, we had zero rigs working and people left this industry for dead in North Dakota. Technology, geology, price and the business climate changed that.” Ness and Hicks said the achievement is bittersweet, as North Dakota continues to surpass states that have seen a decrease in oil production, including California and Louisiana.

Q. According to the article, North Dakota’s rate of oil production ______________.

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas, state officials said Tuesday. North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of 575,490 barrels, Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks said. That compares with 17.5 million barrels in Alaska, though still far behind Texas.

The state’s oil patch is drilling at record levels and shows little sign of slowing down. The 152.9 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2011 set a record, surpassing the previous year’s mark by nearly 40 million barrels, according to the state Industrial Commission. The number of wells in the state jumped from 6,726 in February to a record 6,921 in March, Hicks said. North Dakota owes its rapid rise from No. 9 in just six years to improved horizontal drilling techniques in the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks formations in the western part of the state.

“No. 2, who would have thought?” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents several hundred companies working in the state’s oil patch. “In 1999, we had zero rigs working and people left this industry for dead in North Dakota. Technology, geology, price and the business climate changed that.” Ness and Hicks said the achievement is bittersweet, as North Dakota continues to surpass states that have seen a decrease in oil production, including California and Louisiana.

Q. Which state was the 9th leading oil producer in the United States six years ago?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas, state officials said Tuesday. North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of 575,490 barrels, Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks said. That compares with 17.5 million barrels in Alaska, though still far behind Texas.

The state’s oil patch is drilling at record levels and shows little sign of slowing down. The 152.9 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2011 set a record, surpassing the previous year’s mark by nearly 40 million barrels, according to the state Industrial Commission. The number of wells in the state jumped from 6,726 in February to a record 6,921 in March, Hicks said. North Dakota owes its rapid rise from No. 9 in just six years to improved horizontal drilling techniques in the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks formations in the western part of the state.

“No. 2, who would have thought?” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents several hundred companies working in the state’s oil patch. “In 1999, we had zero rigs working and people left this industry for dead in North Dakota. Technology, geology, price and the business climate changed that.” Ness and Hicks said the achievement is bittersweet, as North Dakota continues to surpass states that have seen a decrease in oil production, including California and Louisiana.

Q. What’s behind North Dakota’s boom in oil production?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

North Dakota has passed Alaska to become the second-leading oil-producing state in the nation, trailing only Texas, state officials said Tuesday. North Dakota oil drillers pumped 17.8 million barrels in March, with a daily average of 575,490 barrels, Assistant State Mineral Resources Director Bruce Hicks said. That compares with 17.5 million barrels in Alaska, though still far behind Texas.

The state’s oil patch is drilling at record levels and shows little sign of slowing down. The 152.9 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2011 set a record, surpassing the previous year’s mark by nearly 40 million barrels, according to the state Industrial Commission. The number of wells in the state jumped from 6,726 in February to a record 6,921 in March, Hicks said. North Dakota owes its rapid rise from No. 9 in just six years to improved horizontal drilling techniques in the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks formations in the western part of the state.

“No. 2, who would have thought?” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents several hundred companies working in the state’s oil patch. “In 1999, we had zero rigs working and people left this industry for dead in North Dakota. Technology, geology, price and the business climate changed that.” Ness and Hicks said the achievement is bittersweet, as North Dakota continues to surpass states that have seen a decrease in oil production, including California and Louisiana.

Q. According to the article, how many more oil wells were there in North Dakota in March as compared to February?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Automakers will race to appeal to budget-conscious Chinese car buyers as the industry expands beyond the wealthy coastal cities in the east, Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) Asia chief said on Tuesday. As they expand more heavily into central and western China, automakers can appeal to price-sensitive consumers by offering multiple vehicles within the same size segment at varying prices, Joe Hinrichs said.

“The growth expected the rest of this decade in China is largely to come from the central and western parts of the country which is more value-oriented,” he told reporters at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “You’ll need to serve those customers differently,” he added.

Ford’s plan to introduce 15 new vehicles in China by 2015 began with last month’s launch of the new Focus. Hinrichs said last month in Beijing that Ford plans to sell cars priced below the Fiesta, currently their cheapest model in Asia with a price ranging from $12,300 to $17,500.

Ford sales in China rose 24 percent in April to 54,881 vehicles, spurred by strong demand for the Focus. Ford makes the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other vehicles in China in a three-way tie-up with Chongqing Automobile Co Ltd 000625.SZ and Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.

Q. According to the article, where in China are people more budget-minded?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Automakers will race to appeal to budget-conscious Chinese car buyers as the industry expands beyond the wealthy coastal cities in the east, Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) Asia chief said on Tuesday. As they expand more heavily into central and western China, automakers can appeal to price-sensitive consumers by offering multiple vehicles within the same size segment at varying prices, Joe Hinrichs said.

“The growth expected the rest of this decade in China is largely to come from the central and western parts of the country which is more value-oriented,” he told reporters at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “You’ll need to serve those customers differently,” he added.

Ford’s plan to introduce 15 new vehicles in China by 2015 began with last month’s launch of the new Focus. Hinrichs said last month in Beijing that Ford plans to sell cars priced below the Fiesta, currently their cheapest model in Asia with a price ranging from $12,300 to $17,500.

Ford sales in China rose 24 percent in April to 54,881 vehicles, spurred by strong demand for the Focus. Ford makes the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other vehicles in China in a three-way tie-up with Chongqing Automobile Co Ltd 000625.SZ and Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.

Q. Which Ford car is not mentioned in the article?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Automakers will race to appeal to budget-conscious Chinese car buyers as the industry expands beyond the wealthy coastal cities in the east, Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) Asia chief said on Tuesday. As they expand more heavily into central and western China, automakers can appeal to price-sensitive consumers by offering multiple vehicles within the same size segment at varying prices, Joe Hinrichs said.

“The growth expected the rest of this decade in China is largely to come from the central and western parts of the country which is more value-oriented,” he told reporters at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “You’ll need to serve those customers differently,” he added.

Ford’s plan to introduce 15 new vehicles in China by 2015 began with last month’s launch of the new Focus. Hinrichs said last month in Beijing that Ford plans to sell cars priced below the Fiesta, currently their cheapest model in Asia with a price ranging from $12,300 to $17,500.

Ford sales in China rose 24 percent in April to 54,881 vehicles, spurred by strong demand for the Focus. Ford makes the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other vehicles in China in a three-way tie-up with Chongqing Automobile Co Ltd 000625.SZ and Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.

Q. How many other companies does Ford partner with to make cars in China?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Automakers will race to appeal to budget-conscious Chinese car buyers as the industry expands beyond the wealthy coastal cities in the east, Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) Asia chief said on Tuesday. As they expand more heavily into central and western China, automakers can appeal to price-sensitive consumers by offering multiple vehicles within the same size segment at varying prices, Joe Hinrichs said.

“The growth expected the rest of this decade in China is largely to come from the central and western parts of the country which is more value-oriented,” he told reporters at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “You’ll need to serve those customers differently,” he added.

Ford’s plan to introduce 15 new vehicles in China by 2015 began with last month’s launch of the new Focus. Hinrichs said last month in Beijing that Ford plans to sell cars priced below the Fiesta, currently their cheapest model in Asia with a price ranging from $12,300 to $17,500.

Ford sales in China rose 24 percent in April to 54,881 vehicles, spurred by strong demand for the Focus. Ford makes the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other vehicles in China in a three-way tie-up with Chongqing Automobile Co Ltd 000625.SZ and Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.

Q. According to the article, China’s wealthiest cities are _______________.

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Automakers will race to appeal to budget-conscious Chinese car buyers as the industry expands beyond the wealthy coastal cities in the east, Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) Asia chief said on Tuesday. As they expand more heavily into central and western China, automakers can appeal to price-sensitive consumers by offering multiple vehicles within the same size segment at varying prices, Joe Hinrichs said.

“The growth expected the rest of this decade in China is largely to come from the central and western parts of the country which is more value-oriented,” he told reporters at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “You’ll need to serve those customers differently,” he added.

Ford’s plan to introduce 15 new vehicles in China by 2015 began with last month’s launch of the new Focus. Hinrichs said last month in Beijing that Ford plans to sell cars priced below the Fiesta, currently their cheapest model in Asia with a price ranging from $12,300 to $17,500.

Ford sales in China rose 24 percent in April to 54,881 vehicles, spurred by strong demand for the Focus. Ford makes the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other vehicles in China in a three-way tie-up with Chongqing Automobile Co Ltd 000625.SZ and Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp.

Q.  How many new cars does Ford plan to introduce in China over the next 3 years?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Starbucks Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profit but global sales at established coffee shops fell short of analysts’ estimates due to weakness in Europe, sending its shares down five percent in after-hours trade on Thursday. Sales from cafes open at least 13 months fell 1 percent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region during the latest quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a 2.2 percent rise in EMEA same-store sales. Executives attributed the drop to weakness in Europe, which suffered its first decline in same-store sales since 2009. Sales fell in Ireland and Germany during the fiscal second quarter and were up just slightly in France and the United Kingdom, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said.

Europe has been a weak spot for the world’s biggest coffee chain. The region is grappling with debt woes and austerity measures and, earlier this week, Britain said its economy had fallen into its second recession since the financial crisis. “The situation is very, very tough,” Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of Europe’s economy. “We will turn the Europe business around in the same way we turned the U.S. business around,” Schultz told analysts on a conference call.

Q. What happened to Starbucks’ shares after that their quarterly profits failed to meet analysts’ estimates?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Starbucks Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profit but global sales at established coffee shops fell short of analysts’ estimates due to weakness in Europe, sending its shares down five percent in after-hours trade on Thursday. Sales from cafes open at least 13 months fell 1 percent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region during the latest quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a 2.2 percent rise in EMEA same-store sales. Executives attributed the drop to weakness in Europe, which suffered its first decline in same-store sales since 2009. Sales fell in Ireland and Germany during the fiscal second quarter and were up just slightly in France and the United Kingdom, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said.

Europe has been a weak spot for the world’s biggest coffee chain. The region is grappling with debt woes and austerity measures and, earlier this week, Britain said its economy had fallen into its second recession since the financial crisis. “The situation is very, very tough,” Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of Europe’s economy. “We will turn the Europe business around in the same way we turned the U.S. business around,” Schultz told analysts on a conference call.

Q. “Quarterly profits” refer to profits during how many months?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Starbucks Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profit but global sales at established coffee shops fell short of analysts’ estimates due to weakness in Europe, sending its shares down five percent in after-hours trade on Thursday. Sales from cafes open at least 13 months fell 1 percent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region during the latest quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a 2.2 percent rise in EMEA same-store sales. Executives attributed the drop to weakness in Europe, which suffered its first decline in same-store sales since 2009. Sales fell in Ireland and Germany during the fiscal second quarter and were up just slightly in France and the United Kingdom, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said.

Europe has been a weak spot for the world’s biggest coffee chain. The region is grappling with debt woes and austerity measures and, earlier this week, Britain said its economy had fallen into its second recession since the financial crisis. “The situation is very, very tough,” Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of Europe’s economy. “We will turn the Europe business around in the same way we turned the U.S. business around,” Schultz told analysts on a conference call.

Q. According to the article, in which European countries did Starbucks’ NOT see a slight increase in sales?

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Starbucks Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profit but global sales at established coffee shops fell short of analysts’ estimates due to weakness in Europe, sending its shares down five percent in after-hours trade on Thursday. Sales from cafes open at least 13 months fell 1 percent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region during the latest quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a 2.2 percent rise in EMEA same-store sales. Executives attributed the drop to weakness in Europe, which suffered its first decline in same-store sales since 2009. Sales fell in Ireland and Germany during the fiscal second quarter and were up just slightly in France and the United Kingdom, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said.

Europe has been a weak spot for the world’s biggest coffee chain. The region is grappling with debt woes and austerity measures and, earlier this week, Britain said its economy had fallen into its second recession since the financial crisis. “The situation is very, very tough,” Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of Europe’s economy. “We will turn the Europe business around in the same way we turned the U.S. business around,” Schultz told analysts on a conference call.

Q. According to the article, _____________ are/is to blame for Starbucks’ woes in Europe.

Read the following article and answer the questions (choose the best answer):

Starbucks Corp reported better-than-expected quarterly profit but global sales at established coffee shops fell short of analysts’ estimates due to weakness in Europe, sending its shares down five percent in after-hours trade on Thursday. Sales from cafes open at least 13 months fell 1 percent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region during the latest quarter.

Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a 2.2 percent rise in EMEA same-store sales. Executives attributed the drop to weakness in Europe, which suffered its first decline in same-store sales since 2009. Sales fell in Ireland and Germany during the fiscal second quarter and were up just slightly in France and the United Kingdom, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said.

Europe has been a weak spot for the world’s biggest coffee chain. The region is grappling with debt woes and austerity measures and, earlier this week, Britain said its economy had fallen into its second recession since the financial crisis. “The situation is very, very tough,” Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of Europe’s economy. “We will turn the Europe business around in the same way we turned the U.S. business around,” Schultz told analysts on a conference call.

Q. Has Starbucks always struggled in Europe?