本专栏内容源自沪江网校BEC商务英语【中级秋季班】>>   旨在帮助要参加BEC剑桥商务英语中级考试的同学们提高阅读能力。请大家先看以下的英文材料、回答问题，并自己进行口语Topic训练。翻页会有参考答案、译文、和沪江网校外教老师的特别讲解！

When I am interviewed, I am occasionally asked: “What is the secret of business success?”

If I knew the perfect answer, I would have made far fewer mistakes over the years; in truth I suspect there are many ingredients. Nevertheless, as an exercise, I have noted below a number of contributing factors that I think matter more than most.

● Work for yourself. To be self-employed can be lonely, and is likely to be hard work. But ultimately you will gain the rewards for your efforts if you are right – as long as you are lucky. You can certainly earn a handsome living working in a big bank or an accountancy firm, but you will never achieve a spectacular capital gain, or change the world in the way that an entrepreneur can by fulfilling their dream.

● Be in the right place. History shows that growing markets, where entrepreneurs are encouraged, offer greater opportunities than places where there is stagnant demand, high tax and lots of regulation. On that basis, anyone with little to lose who is living in the west should emigrate to the east: it's what I advise anyone under the age of 30 to do. This is a harsh verdict, and inevitably there are thousands of exceptions. But it is undeniable that far more new millionaires and billionaires are being minted in countries such as India and China than in Europe. Growing gross domestic product, expanding populations, low costs and modest tax rates offer a powerful combination that the west simply cannot match.

● Learn how to borrow. An ability to find and use debt is a factor in most stories of great wealth. Even if banks are not extending much credit right now, the cycle will turn and eventually they will reopen for business. I was slow to realise the fundamental importance of using debt. Many entrepreneurs overdo it at the top, and end up losing many of their leveraged assets when prices fall. But somehow they rarely go bankrupt, and very often reappear with new bankers in tow when the cycle turns.

Language Points:

Exam Focus:

(1) What is the main reason for working for yourself?

A Hard work keeps you out of loneliness.

B You can get a sense of accomplishment besides material fulfillment.

C Handsome earnings will be accessible if you are lucky.

D You can achieve a spectacular capital gain.

(2) According to Paragraph 4, which is NOT the advantage of emerging markets?

A Growing GDP

B Expanding populations

C Existing regulation

D Tax policy

Oral Topic:

In your opinion，what is the decisive factor of business success？

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