第一段
When Liam McGee departed as president of Bank of America in August, his explanation was surprisingly straight up. Rather than cloaking his exit in the usual vague excuses, he came right out and said he was leaving “to pursue my goal of running a company.” Broadcasting his ambition was “very much my decision,” McGee says. Within two weeks, he was talking for the first time with the board of Hartford Financial Services Group, which named him CEO and chairman on September 29.
单词&词组
cloak [kloʊk]（出现1次）n.斗篷，披风；[僻义] n/v.掩盖，掩饰；
vague [veɪɡ]（出现3次）adj.模糊的，粗略的，茫然的
broadcast [ˈbrɔːdkæst]（出现6次）v.播送，广播，公开宣布；n.广播节目；
ambition [æmˈbɪʃn]（出现22次）抱负
board （出现15次）n.板，董事会，上船（机/车）
depart as（以...身份离开）
straight up（直接）
Rather than（不是）
came right out （公开表明）
本段翻译
8月份利亚姆麦基辞去其作为美国国家银行总裁的职务时，他给出的解释出人意料地直率。他没有用常见的含糊的的措辞来掩饰自己的离开，而是公开声明他离职是为了追求我管理一家工地的目标。麦基说公布他的追求目标“完全是我自己的决定”。不出两周，麦基首次与哈特福德金融服务集团的董事长会谈，9月29日，他被该集团任命为CEO兼董事长。
第二段
McGee says leaving without a position lined up gave him time to reflect on what kind of company he wanted to run. It also sent a clear message to the outside world about his aspirations. And McGee isn’t alone. In recent weeks the No. 2 executives at Avon and American Express quit with the explanation that they were looking for a CEO post. As boards scrutinizesuccession plans in response to shareholder pressure, executives who don’t get the nod also may wish to move on. A turbulent business environment also has senior managers cautious of letting vague pronouncementscloud their reputations.
单词&词组
aspiration [ˌæspəˈreɪʃn] n.渴望，抱负
executive [ɪɡˈzekjətɪv]（出现14次）n.行政主管；adj.行政的
scrutinize [ˈskruːtənaɪz]（出现3次）n.仔细查看
succession [səkˈseʃn]（出现2次）n.交替，继承
turbulent [ˈtɜːrbjələnt]（出现2次）adj.动荡的，混乱的
pronouncement [prəˈnaʊnsmənt] n.声明，公告
cloud （出现6次）v.使...模糊
line up（排队）
reflect on（反思）
本段翻译
麦基说，裸辞给了他时间认真思考自己想要管理什么样的公司。这也向外界明确传递了他的志向。不过这么做的的不仅仅只有麦基一个人。最近几周，雅芳公司和美国运通公司的二把手以他们在期冀CEO职位为由辞职了。当董事会迫于股东压力仔细审查继任计划时，哪些未得到首肯的高管也会可能换工作动荡不安的商业环境也使得高级经理人谨防让含糊其辞的声明毁坏自己的声誉。
第三段
As the first signs of recovery begin to take hold, deputy chiefs may be more willing to make the jump without a net. In the third quarter, CEO turnover was down 23% from a year ago as nervous boards stuck with the leaders they had, according to Liberum Research. As the economy picks up, opportunities will abound for aspiring leaders.
单词&词组
deputy [ˈdepjuti]（出现1次）代理，副手
turnover [ˈtɜːrnoʊvər]（出现1次）n.人事调整，营业额
abound [əˈbaʊnd]（出现2次）v.大量存在，充满
take hold（开始完全掌控）
pick up（回复，改善）
本段翻译
随着经济复苏初现企业稳定迹象，二把手们也许会更愿意在没有找到新工作的情况下就辞职。利伯轮研究公司的数据显示，由于焦虑的董事会紧抓现有领导不放，第三季度的CEO人事变动率相较去年下降23%。随着经济好转，对于胸怀抱负的领导者来说将会有很多机会。
第四段
The decision to quit a senior position to look for a better one is unconventional. For years executives and headhunters have adhered to the rule that the most attractive CEO candidates are the ones who must be poached. Says Korn/Ferry senior partner Dennis Carey: “I can’t think of a single search I’ve done where a board has not instructed me to look at sitting CEOs first.”
单词&词组
unconventional（出现6次）adj.非按照惯例的
headhunter [ˈhedhʌntər] n.猎头
poach [poʊtʃ] v.偷猎，偷捕
instruct [ɪnˈstrʌkt]（出现1次）v.指示，命令
sitting adj.在职的，现任的
adhere to（坚持）
本段翻译
辞去高级职员以骐骥更好职位这样的决定不符合惯例。多年来，高管没和猎头们都一直遵从这样一条规则：最具吸引力的CEO候选人是哪些必须被挖来的人。科恩/费里（猎头）公司资深合伙人丹尼斯说：“我所做的招聘中，想不起有哪一次董事会没有要求我们首先考虑在任的CEO”。
第五段
Those who jumped without a job haven’t always landed in top positions quickly. Ellen Marram quit as chief of Tropicana a decade ago, saying she wanted to be a CEO. It was a year before she became head of a tiny Internet-based commodities exchange. Robert Willumstad left Citigroup in 2005 with ambitions to be a CEO. He finally took that post at a major financial institution three years later.
单词&词组
commodity [kəˈmɑːdəti]（出现7次）n.商品，货物
本段翻译
哪些还没有找到工作就跳槽的人并不是总是能够快速谋得高位。10年前，艾伦以纯果乐公司领导人的身份离职，说他想成为CEO；一年后她才成为一家小型网络商品交易所的老大。05年罗伯特怀揣着成为一名CEO的雄心离开了花旗集团；三年后他才总算在一家大型金融机构担任这一职务。
第六段
Many recruiters say the old disgrace is fading for top performers. The financial crisis has made it more acceptable to be between jobs or to leave a bad one. “The traditional rule was it’s safer to stay where you are, but that’s been fundamentally inverted,” says one headhunter. “The people who’ve been hurt the worst are those who’ve stayed too long.”
单词&搭配
recruiter [rɪˈkrutɚ] n.招聘人员
disgrace [dɪsˈɡreɪs]（出现2次）n.丢脸，耻辱；v.使...丢脸
financial crisis（金融（财政）危机）
本段翻译
许多招聘人员表示，过去对高级职员而言的不光彩正在淡去。金融危机已经使得暂时赋闲在家或者辞去糟糕的工作变得更易接受。“传统规则是固守现任岗位更保险，但是，这种规则已经被彻底颠覆了。”某位猎头说道：“受害最深的恰恰是哪些待得太久的人”
5道题目
26. When McGee announced his departure, his manner can best be described as being
[A] arrogant.
[B] frank.
[C] self-centered.
[D] impulsive.
27. According to Paragraph 2, senior executives’ quitting may be spurred by
[A] their expectation of better financial status.
[B] their need to reflect on their private life.
[C] their strained relations with the boards.
[D] their pursuit of new career goals.
28. The word “poached” (Line 3, Paragraph 4) most probably means
[A] approved of.
[B] attended to.
[C] hunted for.
[D] guarded against.
29. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that
[A] top performers used to cling to their posts.
[B] loyalty of top performers is getting out-dated.
[C] top performers care more about reputations.
[D] it’s safer to stick to the traditional rules.
30. Which of the following is the best title for the text?
[A] CEOs: Where to Go?
[B] CEOs: All the Way Up?
[C] Top Managers Jump without a Net
[D] The Only Way Out for Top Performers
参考答案
BDCAC
选项单词
arrogant [ˈærəɡənt]（出现1次）adj.傲慢的，自大的
frank [fræŋk]（出现1次）adj.坦白的，直率的
impulsive [ɪmˈpʌlsɪv]（出现5次）adj.冲动的
loyalty [ˈlɔɪəlti]（出现1次）n.忠诚，忠心
cling to（坚持）
