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Read through the text below, answer the questions that follow (1-5)
The European Commission yesterday issued a harsh warning to businesses seeking to
run cartels by fining eight vitamin producers a total of 855 million Euros (£530
million) for fixing prices for almost a decade. Roche, the Swiss drugs group, was fined
462 million in the highest award to date imposed by the EU on a single company for
market abuse. BASF, the German chemical group, was fined 296 million for its part in
the cartel, which was known as Vitamins Inc and was exposed in 1999. Both BASF,
which described its fine as “inappropriately high”, and Roche are considering an
appeal. Competition experts said the huge fines underlined the EU’s commitment to
crackdown on restrictive business practices. Aventis, the French drugs group, escaped
fines in connection to two vitamins in return for co-operating with inquiries. Samantha
Mobley, EU competition partner at the law firm Baker & McKenzie, said: “It is the first
time a company has achieved a 100 per cent reduction in a fine, illustrating the EU’s
commitment to encourage whistle-blowers”.
1) According to the second paragraph of the passage,
vitamin producers
were:
A. asked to sell up
B. punished
C. arrested
D. convicted
2)
A harsh warning
is:
A. a severe warning
B. a sweet warning
C. an unfounded warning
D. a legal warning
3)
Roche was fined
means:
A. Roche lost a market dispute
B. Roche lost its grip
C. Roche was made redundant
D. Roche was penalised
4) According to BASF, the fine was
inappropriately high
. In other words:
A. it was far too high
B. it was cool
C. it was right
D. it was far too soon
5) A
law firm
deals with:
A. legal matters
Questionario 2
Comprensione di brani