This time round it is just possible that changing tastes are running in Britain's favour. The enthusiasm for massive, centralised retail chains has decreased. People want things with some sort of individuality; they are fed up with the banal, middle-of-the-road taste that America does so well. They are now looking for the small, the precious, the 'real thing', and this is precisely what many of the companies participating in the initiative do best.

　　13 The main reason that the British business people are going to America is to

　　A encourage American consumers to buy their products.

　　B analyse how American companies attract media coverage.

　　C look for financial backing from American investors and banks.

　　D investigate how British and American companies could form partnerships.

　　14 In the writer's opinion, the proposed venture will be different to previous ones because

　　A fewer British business leaders will be making the trip.

　　B less well-known companies will be better represented.

　　C the larger companies have decided they will not be participating.

　　D it involves research into how British companies market themselves.

　　15 The writer states that Carringtons was wrong to

　　A be cautious about trading in America.

　　B borrow money from its European investors.

　　C assume it was superior to American rivals.

　　D ignore the advice of its American managers.

　　16 According to the writer, Polly Brown's mistake occurred when it

　　A continued to trade despite making a loss.

　　B attempted to attract a different type of customer.

　　C tried to break into too many markets at the same time.

　　D expected American consumers to pay British prices for goods.

　　17 Sarah Scott states that British companies hoping to succeed in America should

　　A focus on a gap in the market.

　　B be less concerned with their image.

　　C concentrate on selling products in the mid-price range.

　　D carry out research into the pricing policies of American companies.

　　18 The writer suggests that success in America depends upon

　　A adopting a more American approach to marketing.

　　B persuading the mid-range consumer to pay for quality.

　　C copying the strategies of American companies.

　　D building a reputation as a supplier of unique goods.