Question 16 is based on the conversation you have just heard.

Passage One

    Karen Smith is a buyer for the department store in New York. The apartment store buyers purchase the goods that their stores sell. (16)They not only have to know what is fashionable at that moment, but also have to guess what will become fashionable next season or next year. Most buyers were for just one department in a store. But the goods that Karen finds maybe displayed and sold in several different sections of the store. (17)Her job involves buying handicrafts from all over the world. Last year, she made a trip to Morocco and returns with drugs, pots, dishes and pants. The year before, she visited Mexico. And bought back handmade table cloths, mirrors with frames of tin and paper flowers. The paper flowers are bright and colorful. So they were used to decorate the whole store. This year Karen is travelling in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, many of the countries that Karen visits have government offices that promote handicrafts. The officials are glad to cooperate with her by showing her the products that are available. Karen especially likes to visit markets in small towns and villages whenever she can arrange for it. She is always looking for interesting and unusual items. (18)Karen thinks she has the best job she could find. She loves all the travelling that she has to do. Because she often visits markets and small out-of-the-way places. She sees much more the country she visits than an ordinary tourists would. As soon as she gets back in New York form one trip, Karen begins to plan another.

16. What is said to make a good department store buyer?

解析：四个选项都是职业素质：预测能力、品味、经验和职业训练。推测题目与工作素质相关。录音开头提及商场采购员不仅要了解当下的时尚，还要能预测下季或者明年的时尚趋势。故A选项“预测时尚趋势的能力”为正确答案。