Question

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, was born in Kingfish, Oklahoma on March 29, 1918. He was raised in Missouri where he worked in his father’s store while attending school. This was his first retailing (零售业) experience and he really enjoyed it. After graduation, he began his own career as a retail merchant.

He soon opened his first Wal-Mart store in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. Wal-Mart specialized in name brands at low prices and Sam Walton was surprised at the success. Soon a chain of Wal-Mart stores sprang up across rural America.

Walton's management style was popular with employees and he founded some of the basic concepts of management that are still in use today.

After taking the company public in 1970, Walton introduced his “profit sharing plan”. The profit sharing plan was a plan for Wal-Mart employees to improve their income dependent on the profits of the store. Sam Walton believed that “individuals don't win, teams do”. Employees at Wal-Mart stores were offered stock options (认股权) and store discounts. These benefits are commonplace today, but Walton was among the first to implement (实现) them. Walton believed that a happy employee meant happy customers and more sales. He also believed that by giving employees a part of the company and making their success dependent on the company’s success, they would care about the company.

By the 1980s, Wal-Mart had sales of over one billion dollars and over three hundred stores across North America. Wal-Mart’s unique decentralized (分散的) distribution system, also Walton’s idea, created the edge needed to further encourage growth in the 1980s during growing complaints that the “superstore” was stopping smaller and traditional stores from developing. By 1991, Wal-Mart was the largest US retailer with 1,700 stores. Walton remained active in managing the company, as president and CEO until 1988 and chairman until his death. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom shortly before his death.

1.Sam Walton first made a hit in retailing when __________.

A. he worked in his father’s store

B. he created Walton's management style

C. a chain of Wal-Mart stores sprang up across rural America

D. he specialized in name brands at low prices

2.What is the purpose of Walton’s carrying out “profit sharing plan”?

A. To make sure all the employees had their own shares.

B. To encourage the employees to work hard and make joint efforts.

C. To select excellent employees for his stores.

D. To make more profit for himself.

3.Which of the statements is TRUE?

A. With Walton’s management style, employees treated the stores as their own.

B. Walton wasn’t one of the merchants who first implemented stock options.

C. The smaller and traditional stores were well affected by Walton’s stores.

D. In his old age, Walton gave all the management to his men.

4.What does the underlined word “edge” in the last paragraph mean here?

A. Danger. B. Disadvantage.

C. Advantage. D. System.

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要介绍了沃尔玛的创始人Sam Walton创办沃尔玛并将它发展为美国最大零售商的事迹。1. specialized in name brands at low prices and Sam Walton was surprised at the success.可以看出，沃尔玛早期从事名牌商品低价售出，获得了惊人的成功。故选D。

2. profit sharing plan was a plan for Wal-Mart employees to improve their income dependent on the profits of the store.可以看出这个计划是为了在提高整个商店的利润的基础上提高员工的收入。即鼓励员工共同努力工作，故选B。

3.

4. the edge needed to further encourage growth句意为“……为沃尔玛的长远发展创造了优势”，答案为C。

考点：考查人物传记类阅读