2014年MBA英语阅读理解(精读精解)(13)

　　As a track star in high school, Sallie Krawcheck ranked among her state's best at the high jump. But she hasn't jumped for anyone since, and her unshakable independence has propelled her career on Wall Street to heights unimaginable to a girl coming of age in Charleston, S.C., in the 1970s. Then, Krawcheck--always an outstanding student--thought mostly of cheerleading and "dating the coolest boy," she acknowledges. "She was in danger of becoming terminally cute," recalls her high school guidance counselor, Nancy Wise, who recognized Krawcheck's potential early and stoked her business ambitions. Today Krawcheck, 37, is one of the most powerful women in the corporate world and a rising star.

　　How far she climbs depends on how well she meets her latest challenge: closing the credibility gap at financial-services giant Citigroup, after government inquiries put a cloud over the firm's reputation--and its stock. Krawcheck was hired in October from the independent stock-research firm Sanford C. Bernstein (where she was CEO) to be Citi's designated savior. Citigroup's proud CEO, Sanford Weill, personally wooed her, reorganizing a large chunk of Citi around her. Krawcheck is now CEO of a reconstituted Smith Barney, which encompasses Citi's stock-research and retail-brokerage operations.

　　This large stage leaves Krawcheck outwardly undaunted. She's relaxed and confident, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. She says she's "incredibly insecure," and has had nightmares in which she fails to win the respect of her new colleagues. But this soft-spoken humility belies a toughness present from the start. Daughter of a lawyer and sister of three more, Krawcheck learned early on to substantiate her assertions--or keep quiet.

　　"It used to get quite interesting around the dinner table," says her father Lenny, who practices law in Charleston. "Politics, relationships--you name it. It was every man for himself and awful tough to make your point." Jokes Sallie: "None of us could get a friend to come over for dinner."

　　Krawcheck earned a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. She went to work at Salomon Brothers but soon moved to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where she met her husband Gary Appel. In 1994 Krawcheck moved to Bernstein and dived into stock research. She began covering financial-services firms in 1997 and immediately became the most influential analyst in that field. During those years, Krawcheck earned Weill's ire--and respect when she was later proved correct--by dwelling on the pitfalls of Weill's acquisition of Salomon.

　　1. The author begins his article by __________.

　　[A]making a comparison

　　[B]posing a contrast

　　[C]justifying an assumption

　　[D]explaining a phenomenon

　　2. Krawcheck was chosen the CEO of the Smith Barney because ___________.

　　[A]the CEO of the Citigroup trusted her

　　[B]she was thought to be able to save Citigroup out of trouble

　　[C]she has wonderful experience in this field

　　[D]she is the new rising star

　　3. Krawcheck’s success depends on ___________.

　　[A]how well she can regain the firm’s reputation

　　[B]how well she can save the firm’s credibility crisis

　　[C]how well she can raise the firm’s stock

　　[D]how well she can fulfill her own plan and aim

　　4. The previous days Krawcheck spent at home are mentioned to show that __________.

　　[A] Krawcheck knows well how to prove her ideas

　　[B] family members are always on different sides.

　　[C]there is an air of freedom at Krawcheck’s home

　　[D]they have a variety of topics at dinner

　　5.From the text we learn that Krawcheck is ___________.

　　[A]humorous

　　[B]soft-hearted

　　[C]sensitive

　　[D]strong-minded

　　答案：A　B　B　A　D

　　篇章剖析

　　本文记述了萨利•克劳切克成功的职业生涯。第一段指出中学时代的克劳切克就相当出色，今天的她更是出类拔萃;第二段指出她临危授命，担任花旗集团(Citigroup)新组建的史密斯•巴尼公司首席执行官;第三段和第四段介绍了她的性格以及家庭对她的影响;第五段介绍了她辉煌的从业经历。

　　词汇注释

　　stoke vt. 给(火或火炉)添加燃料，拨旺(火或火炉);照管(火炉等); 司(炉)

　　credibility gap 信用差距

　　cast (put) a cloud on [upon] 在...上投下一层阴影

　　woo vt. 向...求婚, 求爱;恳求，请求;劝说, 拉拢(人)(做某事, 投入某项行动等)

　　belie [bI5laI] vt. 使对…产生错觉;使人对…误解;掩饰;显示(希望、诺言等)不真实(是虚假的);使失望; 辜负

　　early on在早期

　　substantiate vt.证明，使...具体化，使成为现实

　　assertion [E5sE:FEn] n. 主张, 要求, 断言

　　stand to one’s assertion 坚持已见

　　for oneself 为自己; 代表自己; 独力地; 亲自地

　　ire [5aIE(r)] n. 忿怒，愤怒，怒火

　　dwell on v. 细想, 详述，详评，如：

　　pitfall [5pitfC:l] n. 陷阱, 圈套, 诱惑;易犯的错误;(由疏忽而出的)毛病, 缺陷, 失误