(题目选自2016年全国硕士研究生招生考试英语(一)试题Text3)
“Thereisoneandonlyonesocialresponsibilityofbusiness,”wroteMiltonFriedman,aNobelprize-winningeconomist,“Thatis,touseitsresourcesandengageinactivitiesdesignedtoincreaseitsprofits.”ButevenifyouacceptFriedman’spremiseandregardcorporatesocialresponsibility(CSR)policiesasawasteofshareholders’money,thingsmaynotbeabsolutelyclear-cut.NewresearchsuggeststhatCSRmaycreatemonetaryvalueforcompanies—atleastwhentheyareprosecutedforcorruption.
ThelargestfirmsinAmericaandBritaintogetherspendmorethan$15billionayearonCSR,accordingtoanestimatebyEPG,aconsultingfirm.Thiscouldaddvaluetotheirbusinessesinthreeways.First,consumersmaytakeCSRspendingasa“signal”thatacompany’sproductsareofhighquality.Second,customersmaybewillingtobuyacompany’sproductsasanindirectwaytodonatetothegoodcausesithelps.Andthird,throughamorediffuse“haloeffect,”wherebyitsgooddeedsearnitgreaterconsiderationfromconsumersandothers.
PreviousstudiesonCSRhavehadtroubledifferentiatingtheseeffectsbecauseconsumerscanbeaffectedbyallthree.ArecentstudyattemptstoseparatethembylookingatbriberyprosecutionsunderAmerica’sForeignCorruptPracticesAct(FCPA).Itarguesthatsinceprosecutorsdonotconsumeacompany’sproductsaspartoftheirinvestigations,theycouldbeinfluencedonlybythehaloeffect.
Thestudyfoundthat,amongprosecutedfirms,thosewiththemostcomprehensiveCSRprogrammestendedtogetmorelenientpenalties.Theiranalysisruledoutthepossibilitythatitwasfirms’politicalinfluence,ratherthantheirCSRstand,thataccountedfortheleniency:Companiesthatcontributedmoretopoliticalcampaignsdidnotreceivelowerfines.
Inall,thestudyconcludesthatwhereasprosecutorsshouldonlyevaluateacasebasedonitsmerits,theydoseemtobeinfluencedbyacompany’srecordinCSR.“Weestimatethateithereliminatingasubstantiallabour-rightsconcern,suchaschildlabour,orincreasingcorporategivingbyabout20%resultsinfinesthatgenerallyare40%lowerthanthetypicalpunishmentforbribingforeignofficials,”saysoneresearcher.
ResearchersadmitthattheirstudydoesnotanswerthequestionofhowmuchbusinessesoughttospendonCSR.Nordoesitrevealhowmuchcompaniesarebankingonthehaloeffect,ratherthantheotherpossiblebenefits,whentheydecidetheirdo-goodingpolicies.Butatleasttheyhavedemonstratedthatwhencompaniesgetintotroublewiththelaw,evidenceofgoodcharactercanwinthemalesscostlypunishment.
31.TheauthorviewsMiltonFriedman’sstatementaboutCSRwith.
[A]uncertainty
[B]skepticism
[C]approval
[D]tolerance
32.AccordingtoParagraph2,CSRhelpsacompanyby.
[A]guardingitagainstmalpractices
[B]protectingitfrombeingdefamed
[C]winningtrustfromconsumers
[D]raisingthequalityofitsproducts
33.Theexpression“morelenient”(Para.4)isclosestinmeaningto.
[A]lesscontroversial
[B]morelasting
[C]moreeffective
[D]lesssevere
34.Whenprosecutorsevaluateacase,acompany’sCSRrecord.
[A]comesacrossasreliableevidence
[B]hasanimpactontheirdecision
[C]increasesthechanceofbeingpenalized
[D]constitutespartoftheinvestigation
35.WhichofthefollowingistrueofCSR,accordingtothelastparagraph
[A]Thenecessaryamountofcompanies’spendingonitisunknown.
[B]Companies’financialcapacityforithasbeenoverestimated.