The rise of multinational corporations, global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR.

Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, the U. S. Leadership in public relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries. Ten years ago, for example, the world’s top five public relations agencies were American-owned. In 1991, only one was. The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative. A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate planning activities, compared to about one-third of U. S. Companies. It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR.

Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs. Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country. Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts in knowing a second language. Less than 5 percent of Burson-Marshall’s U. S. Employees know two languages. Ogilvy and Mather has about the same percentage. Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language. Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs. In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal. Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country.

Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN (Cable News Network). Turner recently announced that the word "foreign" would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts. According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the world so inter-dependant that there is no longer any such thing as foreign

1. According to the passage, U. S. leadership in public relations is being threatened because of        .

A. an unparalleled increase in the number of public relations companies

B. shrinking cultural differences and new communications technologies

C. the decreasing number of multinational corporations in the U. S.

D. increased efforts of other countries in public relations

2. London could soon replace New York ad the center of PR because        .

A.   British companies are more ambitious than U. S. companies

B.    British companies place more importance on PR than U. S. companies

C.   British companies are heavily involved in planning activities

D.   Four of the world’s top public relations agencies are British-owned

3. The word "provincial" (Para. 3) most probably means "        ".

   A. limited in outlook                 C. rigid in thinking

   B. like people from the provinces       D. interested in world financial affairs

4. We learn from the third paragraph that employees in the American PR industry         .

A.   speak at least one foreign language fluently

B.   are ignorant about world geography

C.   are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts

D.  enjoy reading a great variety of English business publications

5. What lesson might the PR industry take from Ted Turner of CNN?

A.   American PR companies should be more internationally-minded.

B.   The American PR industry should develop global communications technologies.

C.   People working in PR should be more fluent in foreign languages.

D.  People involved in PR should avoid using the word "foreign".

参考答案：D B A D A

跨国公司、全球化市场、新通讯技术的兴起和文化差异的缩小导致全球公关（PR）空前的增长。
令人吃惊的是，虽然现代公关主要是美国的发明，美国在公关领域的领导地位正受到其他国家公关努力的威胁。例如，十年前世界前五名公关事务所归美国所有。1991年仅剩一所。特别是英国人变得越来越老练和有创造性。最近一项调查发现，与美国的三分之一相比，有一半以上的英国公司把公关作为它们公司策划的活动的一部分。可能不久伦敦就会取代纽约成为公关（PR）的中心。
为什么在全球公关竞赛中美国落后了？首先，美国人总体上相当趋于土气，对地方事务更感兴趣。譬如，美国人世界地理的知识一向很弱。其次，在第二语言方面美国人落后于欧洲和亚洲同行。在Burson-Marshall公司里, 不到5%的美国雇员懂两种语言。Ogilvy 和Marther 公司的百分比数也相同。相反，某些欧洲公司有半数以上的雇员能流利地讲一种第二语言。最后，从事国外公关工作的人往往都留心国际事务。譬如在金融公关领域大多数美国人阅读《华尔街杂志》。在国外，他们的同行不仅读《华尔街杂志》，而且还读伦敦《金融时报》、《经济学家》杂志，这些出版物美国人不常读。
美国公关行业可能应该向有线新闻网（CNN）的特德特纳学习。特纳最近宣布：CNN新闻广播不再用“外国的”这个词。据特纳说：全球通讯已经使世界各国如此互相依赖，不再有“外国的”这种东西。