2017年全国自考英语阅读(一)复习试题
课程代码:00595
Careful Reading. (40 points, 2 points for each)
Directions: Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answers and then
write the corresponding letters on your Answer Sheet.
Passage One
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.
The Nile made Egypt’s civilization possible. The river is more than 400 miles long. In its fertile valley crops are grown for food and cotton for clothing. Mud from the river bottom makes good bricks for houses. Thus ways of getting food, clothing and shelter were close for the Egyptians.
The Nile is a highway for the people of Egypt. Flat bottomed boats and large narrow barges carry products from one city to another. There are also passenger boats on the Nile, carrying people up and down the river. In ancient times huge blocks of stones were floated down the river on barges. These stones are used in making buildings and monuments.
For thousands of years the Egyptians have depended on the Nile for their crops. The land on both sides of the Nile is desert, where crops cannot be raised
But crops grow well in the Nile Valley. In fact, several different crops are often grown on the same land during the same year.
Once the Nile flooded each year, overflowed its banks, and carried rich soil in land every summer. These floods were caused by early summer rains.
At present there is a series of dams in the Nile. Water raises high in the river each summer as usual. The people do not let the Nile flood, however. They store the water behind dams. It is now possible to use the water as needed, not just at flood time.
1. In the past ______.
A. there was rain all the year long
B. the Nile flooded every year
C. the Nile became deeper and deeper after each rainfall
D. the Nile was not a long river
2. Egyptians have grown crops well ______.
A. on both sides of the Nile
B. on the land near the desert area
C. in the Nile valley
D. far away from the desert area
3. In the valley of the Nile ______.
A. bricks for houses are made
B. different crops are raised on the same land
C. only cotton can grow well
D. people grow all crops except cotton
4. “The Nile is a highway for the people of Egypt” means ______.
A. cars and trucks can move as fast as possible along it
B. the river bottom can serve as a road in dry season
C. the river is an important water transportation line in Egypt
D. on the river there are a lot of boats and people
5. Which of the following can best summarize the passage?
A. The Nile is the source of flood.
B. The Nile is a highway for the people in Egypt.
C. The flat bottomed boats have been used.
D. The Nile made Egypt’s civilization possible.
Passage Two
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage.
Sleep plays a major role in preparing the body for an alert and productive tomorrow. But sleep is not a period of inactivity. The sleeping brain is highly active at various times during the night, performing numerous “house keeping tasks”. These keep us alive and aid our ability to think and remember. Sleep also energizes the body and brain. Most people spend one-third of their lives sleeping and this will affect the other two-thirds in terms of alertness, energy, moods, body weight, perception, memory, thinking, reaction time, productivity and performance.
To limit sleep means our health and daytime potential are significantly reduced
So, good sleep strategies are essential in order to feel energized day after day. There is no strategy which works for everyone, so each person needs to experiment. One important thing is that you shouldn’t worry too much if you go a few nights without a lot of sleep. It won’t ruin your life. On any given night, one in four people can’t sleep properly and everyone suffers from a lack of sleep at some time.
How does one minimize this problem? It is really quite simple. The first thing you must do is to reduce stress as much as possible. Stress is part of everyday life and, while we can never be entirely without stress, it can be managed
This means taking control of your life and focusing on what is important. One sleeping strategy is to sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and relax all your muscles, breathing easily through your nose. Continue this for ten to twenty minutes. This should help you reduce stress and sleep better. Or, you can try getting plenty of exercise, because a tired body is likely to sleep better.
6. According to the passage, sleep is important because ______.
A. it is a period of complete inactivity for the brain
B. it helps us understand what we have already achieved
C. it makes us more effective when we are awake
D. it helps us to lose weight
7. Methods of getting enough sleep ______.
A. vary between men and women
B. are the same for everybody
C. vary from person to person
D. are based on your job
8. According to the passage, being unable to sleep ______.
A. affects young children the most
B. affects everybody at some time
C. is worse for those who have relaxing lives
D. is likely to ruin people’s life
9. A simple strategy to sleep better is to ______.
A. work harder than you could
B. put your stress under control
C. breathe through your nose
D. sleep on a chair instead of bed
10. After a lot of physical exercise, ______.
A. you should find stress increases dramatically
B. you will become out of breath
C. you should be able to enjoy better sleep
D. you will not need to sleep for some time
Passage Three
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
Every body gets sick. Disease and injury make us suffer throughout our lives, until finally some attack on the body brings our existence to an end
Fortunately, most of us in modern industrialized societies can take relatively good health for granted most of the time. In fact, we tend to fully realize the importance of good health only when we or those close to us become seriously ill. At such times we keenly appreciate the ancient truth that health is our most precious asset, one for which we might readily give up such rewards as power, wealth, or fame.
Because ill health is a universal problem, affecting the individual and society, the human response to sickness is always socially organized
No society leaves the responsibility for maintaining health and treating ill health entirely to the individual. Each society develops its own concepts of health and sickness and authorizes certain people to decide who is sick and how the sick should be treated
Around this focus there arises, over time, a number of standards, values, groups, statuses, and roles: in other words, an institution. To the sociologist, then, medicine is the institution concerned with the maintenance of health and treatment of disease.
In the simplest pre-industrial societies, medicine is usually an aspect of religion. The social arrangements for dealing with sickness are very elementary, often involving only two roles: the sick and the healer (治疗者). The latter is typically also the priest, who relies primarily on religious ceremonies, both to identify and to treat disease: for example, bones may be thrown to establish a cause; songs may be used to bring about a cure. In modern industrialized societies, on the other hand, the institution has become highly complicated and specialized, including dozens of roles such as those of brain surgeon, druggist, hospital administrator, linked with various organizations such as nursing homes, insurance companies, and medical schools. Medicine, in fact, has become the subject of intense sociological interest precisely because it is now one of the most pervasive and costly institutions of modern society.
11. Which of the following statements is true according to Paragraph 1 ?
A. Nowadays most people believe they can have fairly good health.
B. Human life involves a great deal of pain and suffering.
C. Most of us are aware of the full value of health.
D. Ancient people believed that health was more expensive than anything else.
12. The word “authorize” in Paragraph 2 means“______”.
A. make way for
B. give power to
C. write an order for
D. make it possible for
13. In Paragraph 2, we learn that the sociologist regards medicine as ______.
A. a system whose purpose is to treat disease and keep people healthy
B. a universal problem that affects every society
C. a social responsibility to treat ill health
D. a science that focuses on the treatment of disease
14. According to Paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT true?
A. In the past, bones might be used to decide why people fell ill.
B. In pre-industrial societies priests sometimes treated patients by singing.
C. Modern medicine is so complicated that sociology no longer has a place in it.
D. There were only two roles in an elementary medical system, the patient and the one who tried to cure him.
15. The author of this passage is mainly concerned with ______.
A. sociological aspects in medicine
B. medical treatment of diseases
C. the development of medical science
D. the role of religion in medicine
Passage Four
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
English people are less genetically diverse today than they were in the days of the Vikings, possibly due to two deadly diseases that swept their country centuries ago, a new study says.
The study compared DNA from ancient and modem Englanders and found that the country has a smaller gene pool than it did a thousand years ago.
The findings come in contrast to modem England’s reputation as a cultural melting pot, where in many major cities you are as likely to hear Urdu from India or Yoruba from Nigeria being spoken on the streets as English.
Rus Hoelzel, a geneticist from the Britain’s University of Durham, and his colleagues obtained DNA samples from the skeletal remains of 48 ancient Britons who lived between A. D. 300 and 1000. The researchers studied the DNA, which was passed down from mothers to their children. By comparing the DNA with that of thousands of people from various ethnic backgrounds living in England today, they found that genetic diversity was greater in the ancient population. The team also compared the ancient DNA with samples from people living in continental Europe and the Middle East, and found a similar lack of genetic variety.
One possible explanation for this narrowing of diversity might be two major outbreaks of plague that swept England and much of Europe — the Black Death (1347 — 1351) and the Great Plague (1665 — 1666).
The Black Death epidemic is estimated to have killed as much as 50 percent of the population of Europe. Three centuries later, a fifth of the population of London died in the Great Plague. However, these diseases didn’t kill randomly, Hoelzel explained
“The plague killed some people while others remained resistant,” he said.
Eske Willerslev, a specialist in ancient DNA from the University of Copenhagen, said he is surprised by the findings but agrees that the historic epidemics may explain the loss in diversity.
Since the diseases, it appears that England hasn’t been able to make up the loss to the gene pool, despite the high rate of immigration into the country over the past 200 years.
16. The modem England’s reputation as “a cultural melting pot” (Para. 3) most probably means ______.
A. English people speak many different languages
B. England has a population of many different cultural origins
C. England is famous for exporting melting pot
D. England has a close diplomatic relationship with India and Nigeria
17. The DNA comparison between modern and ancient English people reveals ______.
A. great changes have taken place in the genetic contents in the DNA
B. DNA differs among different people from different ethnic backgrounds
C. there is less DNA diversity in modern Englishmen than in their ancestors
D. modern Englishmen has the same DNA diversity as their ancestors
18. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. The ancient DNA used in this study was gathered from the bones of the ancient British people.
B. The genetic information carried by DNA is passed to children from fathers.
C. Although modern England has high immigration rate, it still suffers from poor genetic variety.
D. England, European continent and Middle East all suffer from lack of genetic variety.
19. The two deadly diseases, namely the Black Death and the Great Plague ______.
A. affected England more than any other countries in Europe
B. broke out between the thirteenth century and the sixteenth century
C. took less than half of the population away in England
D. left some people alive with resistance for the diseases
20. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. Willerslev was not prepared to see the lack of genetic variety in modern England
B. many immigrants moved to England to seek a new life after the two diseases
C. the gene bank will need to introduce more new genes to make up for its losses
D. England will need to immigrate more people to make up its gene loss
II. Speed Reading. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: Skim or scan the following passages. Decide on the best answers and then write
the corresponding letters on your Answer Sheet.
Passage Five
Questions 21-25 are based on the following passage.
Du Bois was a sociological and educational pioneer who challenged the established system of education that tended to restrict rather than to advance the progress of black Americans. He challenged what is called the “Tuskegee machine” of Booker T. Washington, the leading educational spokesperson of the blacks in the US. A sociologist and historian, Du Bois called for a more determined and activist leadership than Washington provided.
Unlike Washington, whose roots were in southern black agriculture, Du Bois’s career spanned both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. He was a native of Massachusetts, received his undergraduate education from Fisk University in Nashville, did his graduate study at Harvard University, and directed the Atlanta University Studies of Black American Life in the South. Du Bois approached the problem of racial relations in the United States from two dimensions: as a scholarly researcher and as an activist for civil rights. Among his works was the famous empirical (经验主义的) sociological study, The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study, in which he examined that city’s black population and made recommendations for the school system. Du Bois’s Philadelphia study was the pioneer work on urban blacks in America.
Du Bois had a long and active career as a leader in the civil rights movement. He helped to organize the Niagara Movement in 1905, which led to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), established in 1909. From 1910 until 1934, Du Bois edited The Crisis, the major journal of the NAACP In terms of its educational policy, the NAACP position was that all American children and youth should have genuine equality of educational opportunity. This policy, which Du Bois helped to formulate, stressed the following themes: (1) public schooling should be free and compulsory for all American children; (2) secondary schooling should be provided for all youth; (3) higher education should not be monopolized by any special class or race.
As a leader in education, Du Bois challenged not only the tradition of racial segregation in the schools but also the accommodationist (妥协的;迁就的) ideology of Booker T. Washington. The major difference between the two men was that Washington sought change that was evolutionary in nature and did not upset the social order, whereas Du Bois demanded immediate change. Du Bois believed in educated leadership for blacks, and he developed a concept referred to as the “talented tenth”, according to which 10 percent of the black population would receive a traditional college education in preparation for leadership.
21. Compared with Booker T. Washington, Du Bois’s political stand was ______.
A. less popular
B. more radical
C. less aggressive
D. more conservative
22. According to the text, Du Bois worked as all of the following EXCEPT ______.
A. an editor
B. an educator
C. a scholar
D. an official
23. It is Du Bois’s belief that ______.
A. the blacks have a priority in terms of education
B. higher education should be free for all races
C. everyone has an equal right to education
D. development in education should be gradual
24. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Washington would not appreciate the idea of overthrowing social order.
B. Racial separation is an outcome of accommodationist ideology.
C. Washington would not support a determined and activist leadership.
D. The Philadelphia Negro is a book on blacks in American South.
25. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.
A. many blacks are prepared for leadership
B. Du Bois was in favor of “elite education” for blacks
C. Washington and Du Bois had never been friends
D. only the top 10 percent are worth educating
Passage Six
Questions 26-30 are based on the following passage.
In Jane Collard’s opinion, stress is becoming an increasingly common feature of the workplace. Stress is a highly individual reaction, which varies considerably from person to person, and it is difficult for some employees to avoid it. Indeed, stress is regarded by many as part of the organizational culture of our institutions: it comes with the job
Recent figures indicate that time taken off work because of stress has increased by 50 percent since the 1950s. Undoubtedly, changes in working conditions have led to greater pressure at work at all levels. With reductions in staffing, workloads for individual employees have increased
In addition, many employees are left worrying about the security of their jobs.
On the stress management courses that she runs, Jane Collard tries to make the trainees realize that stress in itself is not harmful. Everyone needs a certain level of stress to enable them to feel motivated and to perform effectively. A complete absence of stress can be as damaging as overstress, since it can make people lose interest in their work, and even lead to depression. The difficulties occur when the amount of stress rises above a level which is healthy for a particular individual. If this happens, the effects are very obvious and the trainees are taught to recognize the signs. Stress may be expressed physically, for example through headaches and tiredness, or through emotional problems such as depression. A person suffering from stress may also start to behave differently, and can be difficult to deal with.
While it may not always be possible to prevent stress, there are a number of ways in which it can be controlled
The first thing that the trainees learn is how to manage their time effectively. This involves, first of all, setting realistic goals for both the short and long terms. Once this framework has been established, tasks are then prioritized on a daily basis. The trainees are also reminded that when they are under pressure the less important items should be left, and they should never hesitate to delegate. Everyone is encouraged to look at ways of reducing “wasted time”, for example by grouping similar tasks together or dealing with items immediately.
Jane feels that one of the most useful features of the course is that it enables trainees to deal with those demands or deadlines that they regard as unreasonable. They are encouraged to avoid being defensive, but at the same time they are advised not to be afraid of saying “no”. They are asked to give reasons only if necessary. The training helps them to foresee difficult situations or unwanted demands, and they learn how to prepare themselves mentally. Everyone is encouraged not to get stuck in negative thought patterns, where stress can feed a circular sense of helplessness. One solution they discuss is to think of a more encouraging alternative for each negative message. They learn, for example, to remind themselves that nothing terrible happens when a demand is refused or a deadline missed.Life goes on.
26. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT the cause of stress at work?
A. Working conditions change.
B. With reductions in staffing, workloads for individual employees have increased.
C. Many employees are afraid of losing their jobs.
D. The pay is lower than before.
27. The purpose of the stress management courses run by Jane Collard is ______.
A. to help people reduce their stress
B. to make the trainees realize stress in itself is not harmful
C. to make the trainees realize stress enables people to feel motivated and to perform effectively
D. to make the trainees realize a complete absence of stress can lead to depression
28. “Prioritize” in the third paragraph means “______”.
A. arrange in order
B. give attention to
C. concentrate on
D. regard as
29. The most useful feature of the course is that ______.
A. it enables trainees to deal with those demands or deadlines that they regard as unreasonable
B. it helps people realize stress is not always harmful
C. it helps people work more efficiently
D. it lets people know the relationship between work and stress
30. Which of the following can best summarize the passage?
A. Stress is not always harmful.
B. Stress is becoming an increasingly common feature of the workplace.
C. Jane Collard’s research on stress.
D. How to prevent stress?
III. Discourse Cloze. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: The following passage is taken from the textbook. Read the passage and fill in the numbered spaces (there are more suggested answers than necessary). Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
It is difficult to live without a car in modern America. Cities and towns are built around the automobile. 31. ______. Future communities, while still allowing residents to own and operate cars if they so choose, must be centered not around vehicle traffic, but around foot traffic.
A common argument against cars is 32. ______, are undesirable. While this is true, the automobile must be removed from urban planning not only due to pollution but also because of its unsustainable nature. Cars—and the type of city that is planned around them — use considerable resources and space that will not be available in the future. 33. ______. Although it is possible for alternative fuel sources to be developed, these will nonetheless require considerable energy use. Furthermore, many resources are consumed in the production of cars. In a world with a constantly increasing population, the manufacture of new cars is not something that can be sustained and provided to all the people of the world.
Not only does the production and operation of cars drain society, but the attitude associated with the automobile endangers the future. It is not advantageous for individuals to drive everywhere because, as the population increases, 34. ______ —a drain on both time and resources that can be avoided with proper planning for the future.
Unfortunately, current urban plans require 35. ______. Mass transit, for the most part, is hardly available to those outside of downtown areas. Even where it is available, mass transit is often limited in scope and does not provide a preferable alternative to automobiles. The desire to own cars and land accompanies this idea. This property craving is currently satiated via suburban sprawl and large houses. With burgeoning population, the inefficient land use based on the notion of property wealth needs to be discarded
36. ______. Communities of the future must be designed so that businesses and homes are built next to one another.
Of course, this is not possible with current cities. Most businesses are located in undesirable areas of cities. Moreover, suburban sprawl further demands that one uses a car. Suburban areas are spread out over large tracts of land; not only does this use up valuable farmland and natural areas, 37. ______. For the most part, suburban communities function as places to sleep; residents work and play outside of where they live. In order to create sustainable communities for future generations, it is not enough to simply pursue ideas such as mass transit. Although mass transit is an important part of any city plan, it is an alternative that distracts from the immediate problem at hand: 38. ______.
Americans have a notion 39. ______. Downtown areas can be modified to lower crime and create a more attractive facade. In addition, new communities can be designed so that residential and commercial areas are zoned and built next to each other. With proper attention to building codes and planning, attractive houses and businesses can coexist. 40. ______. In return, this will eliminate the need for automobile transportation. It is not enough, however, that people merely be able to work near where they live. Shopping areas — from grocery to clothing stores — should be located near homes so that citizens do not have to travel long distances to run errands. Concurrent with this, entertainment facilities should be near homes and businesses so that an entire functioning and viable community can be within easy walking distance.
(From Communities for Future Generations in the US)
A. it will lead to incredible congestion within urban areas
B. but people who live in suburbs are far removed from entertainment and shopping centers and must travel by car to these places
C. but it is a necessary one that must be made if the nation wishes to maintain its high standards of living
D. This is a design focus that must be avoided in the future
E. the fundamental need is to rethink how people live and what type of communities they live in
F. It will be difficult for urban planners to take these steps
G. Communities must be redesigned so that people can live and work in both close quarters and comfort
H. that they pollute the environment and thus
I. If this is done properly, people will in fact prefer to live in these communities for convenience and ease of commute
J. that they need to accumulate property wealth and this must be changed
K. that anyone who wishes to lead an active life must drive a car
L. Oil reserves are dwindling and will disappear within the next century
IV. Word Formations. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: Complete each of the following sentences with the proper form of the word in
the brackets. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
41. (robber) Acting on inside information, the police were able to arrest the gang before the ______ occurred.
42. (attention) He was talkative, but since he seemed inclined to talk about me I was prepared to be an ______ listener.
43. (vary) I was impressed by the actors’ ______ ways of dealing with death: sadness, humors, silence, etc.
44. (suggest) They will need specific ______ for problems such as speech defects or backwardness in learning to walk or control of bodily functions.
45. (similar) The only ______ is that we are all certificated when we are born and when we die, and we are recognized by a certification of birth and death.
46. (efficient) Although examinations do the job quite ______, their side effects are also enormous.
47. (anxiety) The whole country was now so ______ to return to normal conditions that it took little notice of events in Europe.
48. (norm) Upbringing is ______ used to refer to the treatment and training of the child within the home.
49. (break) Hitler’s ______ promises included an attack on Poland, which Britain and France were bound by treaty to defend.
50. (intense) After many hours of surgery and weeks of ______ care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.
V. Gap Filling. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: The following passage is taken from the textbook. Fill in the numbered gaps with the correct form of the words or phrases in the box (there are more words than necessary). Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
master case represent at times collect
include visitor stand which natural
sun of with
On the north side of Trafalgar, famous for its Admiral Nelson (“Nelson’s Column”), its fountains and its hordes of pigeons, there stands a long, low building in classic style. This is the National Gallery, which contains Britain’s best-known 51. ______ of pictures. The collection was begun in 1824, with the purchase of thirty-eight pictures that included Horgarth’s satirical “Marriage à la Mode” series, and Titian’s “Venus and Adonis”.
The National Gallery is rich in paintings by Italian masters such as Raphael, Correggio, and Veronese, and it contains pictures 52. ______ of all European schools of art such as works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Murillo, E1 Greco, and nineteenth century French masters. Many 53. ______. are especially attracted to Velasquez’s “Rokeby Venus” and Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks”.
On 54. ______ days, students and other young people are often to be seen having a sandwich lunch on the portico of the Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square. Admission to the Gallery is free, as is the 55. ______ with other British national galleries and museums, which are maintained by money voted by Parliament. Bequests of pictures have been made to the galleries, 56. ______ on a generous scale, by private individuals.
Just behind the National Gallery 57. ______ the National Portrait Gallery, in which the visitors can see portraits of British monarchs since the reign of Richards II (1377 — 1399), and 58. ______ historical celebrities such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Cromwell. Many of the pictures are by well-known artists.
The National Gallery of British Art, better known as the Tate Gallery, was given to the nation by a rich sugar merchant, Sir Henry Tate, who had a taste for the fine arts. It overlooks the Thames, not far from the Houses of Parliament. English artists are 59. ______ well represented here, and the Tate also has a range of modern works, 60. ______ some sculptures, by foreign artists. This, of all the London galleries, is the young people’s gallery. It has been stated that three-quarters of its visitors are under twenty-five.
(From London Art Gallery)
VI. Short Answer Questions. (10 points, 5 points for each)
Directions: The following 2 questions are based on Passage Four in this test paper. Read the passage carefully again and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
61. According to the passage, where did the researchers obtain the DNA samples for the study?
62. What’s Eske Willerslev’s reaction to the conclusion of the study?
VII. Translation. (10 points, 2 points for each)
Directions: The following excerpt is taken from the textbook. Read the paragraphs carefully
and translate into Chinese each of the numbered and underlined parts.
63. The fortunate people in the world — the only really fortunate people in the world, in my mind — are those whose work is also their pleasure. 64. The class is not a large one, not nearly so large as it is often represented to be; and authors are perhaps one of the most important elements in its composition. They enjoy in this respect at least a real harmony of life. 65. To my mind, to be able to make your work your pleasure is the one class distinction in the world worth striving for. And I do not wonder that others are inclined to envy those happy human beings who find their livelihood in the gay effusions of their fancy, to whom every hour of labour is an hour of enjoyment, to whom repose — however necessary — is a tiresome interlude, and even a holiday is most deprivation. 66.Whether a man writes well or ill, has much to say or little, if he cares about writing at all, he will appreciate the pleasures of composition. 67. To sit at one’s table on a sunny morning, with four clear hours of uninterruptible security, plenty of nice white paper, and a Squeezer pen — that is tree happiness. The complete absorption of the mind upon an agreeable occupation — what more is there than to desire? What does it matter what happens outside? The House of Commons may do what it likes, and so may the House of Lords. The heathen may rage furiously in every part of the globe.
全国2012年4月高等教育自学考试
英语阅读(一)试题
课程代码:00595
请将答案填在答题纸相应位置上
I. CAREFUL READING
Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answer and write the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points, 2 points each)
Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.
People have thought very differently about children in different historical eras. In ancient Rome and throughout the Middle Ages, for example, childhood was brief: A boy or girl was considered an “infant” until the age of six, but soon afterward worked alongside adults in the fields, in the workshops, or at home. Children were thought to be born in a state of sin and were viewed as the property of their fathers. Such beliefs contributed to strict discipline of children and neglect of their special needs.
These harsh attitudes softened during the Renaissance and Enlightenment as the humanistic spirit of the times caused a rediscovery of the special qualities of childhood. In paintings, for example, young children were depicted as playing and doing other childish things, rather than being shown as miniature adults. The importance of childhood as a unique period of development was understood more fully in the 17th and 18th centuries, as reflected in the writings of two important European thinkers: the English philosopher John Locke and the French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. John Locke argued that the newborn infant comes into the world with no inherited predispositions (天性), but rather with a mind as a “blank slate” that is gradually filled with ideas, concepts, and knowledge from experiences in the world. He concluded that the quality of early experiences, particularly how children are raised and educated, shapes the direction of a child’s life. Later, Jean Jacques Rousseau claimed that children at birth are innately good rather than evil, and that their natural tendencies should be protected against the corrupting influences of society. Rousseau’s attitude had an important influence on society, and inspired,for example,the novelists Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo,who decried(揭露)the exploitation of child labor and highlighted the need for educational and social reform.
1.It can be inferred that children in the Middle Ages ______.
A.were mistreated and exploited
B.were generally regarded as miniature adults
C.did not observe the institutional disciplines
D.did not start their childhood until the age of six
2.The author cites the example the two European thinkers’ writings to show that ______.
A.children’s behavior was described as adult-like
B.children’s innocence and playfulness were neglected
C.childhood was revealed as a period of independence
D.childhood was revealed as a unique period of development
3.The 2nd paragraph is developed by ______.
A.example B.definition
C.comparison D.cause and effect
4.The central argument made by John Locke is that ______.
A.children’s future development depends on their genetic background
B.children’s upbringing and early education may shape their future life
C.children’s character formation is largely influenced by their parents
D.the proper way of upbringing is to keep children away from society
5.At the end of the passage,the two novelists are mentioned to emphasize ______.
A.the call for educational and social reform
B.the importance of children’s school education
C.the influence of Rousseau’s attitude toward children
D.the potential negative influences of society on children
Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage.
If ambition is to be well regarded,the rewards of ambition must be worthy of the sacrifices on ambition’s behalf. If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it should be widely shared,and it especially must be highly regarded by such people as the educated.who are themselves admired. However it is the educated who have claimed to have given up ambition as an ideal.What is odd is that they have perhaps benefited most from ambition,though the ambition may be more that of their parents and grandparents than of their own.
Certainly, people do not seem less interested in success now than formerly.In fact,the signs of success such as summer homes,European travel and BMWs have never ceased to be sought after.What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams,as easily and openly as once they could,lest they be thought to be aggressive,materialistic or vulgar.Instead,what has often confused us are those fine hypocritical spectacles:the critic of American materialism in possession of a Southampton summer home;the publisher of radical books who takes his meals every day in five-star restaurants;the journalist promoting participatory democracy in all phases of life,who sends his own children to expensive private schools.For such people and many more perhaps not so exceptional,the motto is,“Succeed at all costs but avoid appearing ambitious.’’
Ambition has been attacked from various angles;its public defenders are few and unimpressive,though they are not extremely unattractive.As a result,the support for ambition as a healthy impulse,a quality to be admired by the young,is probably lower than it has ever been in the United States.This does not mean, however,that people are no longer ambition-driven,but only that,no longer openly honored,ambition has become something smartly concealed.
6.According to the passage,in order to keep the vitality of the tradition of ambition the successful people themselves must ______.
A.highly value it B.make some sacrifices
C.benefit from it D.make some contributions
7.Such items as summer homes,European travel and BMWs are listed to prove that ______.
A.these items are commonly used to measure success
B.these items are openly honored and admired by the public
C.people are as interested in success as they have ever been
D.people are more motivated to seek after these items than before
8.People tend not to make their ambitions fully known ______.
A.to avoid appearing professionally oriented
B.to avoid appearing snobbish and sophisticated
C.for fear that they might end up in failure or disappointment
D.for fear that they might be considered as distasteful and greedy
9.The critic,the publisher and the journalist are mentioned in the 2nd paragraph to show that they are ______.
A.selfish B.corrupted
C.hypocritical D.materialistic
10.The author’s attitude towards ambition as all ideal is ______.
A.satirical B.negative
C.appreciative D.unbiased
Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
Postage stamps are labels affixed to letters or parcels to indicate that a specified amount of postage has been prepaid for delivery.Stamps are usually issued by a government or an agency representing a government,such as a national post office.The collecting and study of postage stamps and related items such as postcards is known as philately, a word derived from Greek meaning,literally, “love of what is free of further tax.’’Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world.
From the earliest years of the hobby,most philatelists have preferred to collect stamps by country,specializing in the issues of one or more nations.Since about the mid-1950s,however, many philatelists have become interested in topical collecting,acquiring stamps illustrating certain themes or subjects.Among the wide range of pictorials are stamps devoted to sports,art and music,aviation,birds and flowers,and telecommunications.
One of the attractions of stamp collecting is the ease of starting a collection.With access to enough incoming mail,especially from abroad,a person call build a collection without any expense.Literally tens of thousands of stamps,however, including many of the older issues,are priced very cheaply.
Little special equipment is required.A collector needs only an album to house the collection and a pair of stamp tongs with which to handle them.Stamps and accessories can be purchased easily.Nearly every city has one or more professional stamp dealers.Thousands of other dealers operate exclusively by mail or on the Internet.
When collectors have accumulated a number of valuable stamps,they must take precautions for safe storage,preferably in a bank safety deposit box.If the stamps are in mint(崭新的)condition,they should not be overlapped;through changes in humidity, overlapping stamps may stick together and become seriously damaged.Collectors also should keep accurate written inventories of all their philatelic material.
11.In the 1st paragraph,“philately” is a term dealing with ______.
A.postage delivery B.postage taxing and pricing
C.a study of postage items D.a study of postcard collecting
12.According to the passage,stamps can be classified ______.
A.by face value B.by issue
C.chronologically D.thematically
13.One of the charms of stamp collecting is that it can be started ______.
A.without any technical means
B.without too much time spent
C.without too much space needed
D.without necessarily big investment
14.According to the passage,the new stamps should avoid ______.
A.humidity B.burglary
C.being duplicated D.being catalogued
15.The writer’s suggestion made in the last paragraph is basically ______.
A.misleading B.impractical
C.ambiguous D.operational
Passage 4
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
A number of different aspects of life can influence mental health.In a mid-1970s study of people living in the United States,researchers identified critical areas that influence one’s mental health.These areas are working life,family life,and the social role that one occupies in the community.Negative experiences in these areas,such as an unreasonable boss or a turbulent family life,can reduce one’s overall sense of well-being.
Another important influence on mental health is stress.In general,people experience stress when the demands placed on them exceed the resources they have available to meet those demands.Significant sources of stress include major life events,such as divorce,death of a spouse,loss of a job,and illness in the family.These events can overwhelm a person’s ability to cope and function effectively. In addition,one source of stress may lead to another, as when financial hardship follows job loss.People who experience unusually traumatic events,such as rape and natural disasters,may develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
People may experience chronic stress when confronted with a continuing set of demands that reduce their ability to function.Examples of such demands include working long hours under difficult circumstances and caring for a chronically ill relative.Economic hardship,unemployment,and poverty can also produce chronic stress and undermine mental health.
Some studies suggest that genetic factors may partly determine one’s level of happiness and mental health.People seem to display a characteristic level of well-being,with some people usually feeling happy and others typically feeling sad or unhappy.Researchers have found that although people’s moods change in response to both positive and negative events,the effect wears off over time.For example,people who win the lottery or receive an unexpected promotion may feel happier at first,but over time they return to their former characteristic level of mental health.Research suggests that one’s genetic background—that is,the genes inherited from one’s parents—explains more than half of the differences in people’s characteristic mood levels.Genes may also partly determine the range of ups and downs that people feel,including whether people have large mood swings or remain stable from day to day.
16.According to the passage,the major factors that may reduce one’s sense of psychological well-being include all the following EXCEPT ______•
A.unstable marriage B.genetic heritage
C.bad-tempered managers D.lower social status
17.People experience stress when ______.
A.they have no accessible financial resources
B.they have no social resources at their disposal
C.they feel it hard to shirk family responsibility
D.they have to go beyond their ability to get a job done
18.Chronic stress may result from ______.
A.death of a spouse B.lottery purchases
C.long-time hard work D.failure to be promoted
19.From the last paragraph,it can be inferred that ______.
A.people’s moods are sometimes unstable
B.people cannot escape from negative events
C.Success may produce a long-term effect on people’s mental health
D.parents are partly responsible for their children’s distinctive moods
20.According to the passage,people’s characteristic mood levels may be affected ______.
A.physically B.biologically
C.gradually D.abruptly
Ⅱ.SPEED READING
Skim or scan the following passages, and then decide on the best answer and write the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points, 1 point each)
Passage 5
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Early in World War II,the representatives of nine European governments fled to London.Nazi Germany had conquered much of Europe and had driven these leaders from their homelands.Representatives of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth nations met in London with the leaders of nine European nations.On June 1 2,1 94 1,all these nations signed a declaration pledging to work for a free world,where people could live in peace and security.This pledge,usually called the Inter-Allied Declaration, was the first step toward building the UN.
On October 30,l 943,representatives of the United Kingdom,China,the Soviet Union, and the United States signed the Moscow Declaration on General Security.This declaration approved the idea of establishing an international organization for preserving world peace.
From August to October 1944,representatives of the United Kingdom,China, the Soviet Union,and the United States held a series of meetings at the Dumbarton Oaks estate in Washington D.C.The four nations succeeded in drawing up a basic plan,though they could not agree on some important questions.The plan’s main feature Was a Security Council on which the United Kingdom,China, France,the Soviet Union, and the United States would be permanently
represented.
In February 1945,Roosevelt, Churchill,and Stalin met at Yalta in the Crimea. The three leaders announced that a conference of United Nations would open in San Francisco on April 25,1945.This conference would use the plan worked out at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference to help prepare a charter for the UN.
Delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International Organization.The conference opened on April 25, 1945,13 days after the death of Roosevelt and 12 days before the surrender of Germany.Victory over Japan Was still four months away.
At the conference,some major disagreements arose between the Big Three (the United Kingdom,the Soviet Union,and the United States)and the smaller, less powerful nations.The Big Three believed they could guarantee future peace only if they continued to cooperate as they had during the war.They insisted that the Charter of the United Nations should give them the power to veto actions of the Security Council.The smaller nations opposed the veto power but failed to defeat it.
On June 26,1945,all 50 nations present at the conference voted to accept the charter. Poland had been unable to attend but 1ater signed the charter as an original member.The charter then had to be approved by the governments of the five permanent members of the Security Council and of a majority of the other nations that signed it.It went into effect on October 24,1945,a date celebrated every year as United Nations Day.
21.The passage is mainly concerned with ______.
A.how the Security Council was built
B.how the UN Charter went into effect
C.the founding of the United Nations
D.some major disagreements in the UN conferences
22.The Moscow Declaration was signed by ______.
A.3 nations B.4 nations
C.9 nations D.50 nations
23.At the Dumbarton Oaks Conference.it was agreed that the permanently represented nations at the Security Council were ______.
A.the Soviet Union,the UK,the US,and China
B.the Soviet Union,the UK,the US,China,and France
C.the Soviet Union,the UK,the US,China, and Poland
D.the Soviet Union,the UK,the US,Germany, and Japan
24.The issue of veto power was heatedly discussed at the conference held in ______.
A.Yalta B.Moscow
C.Washington D.C. D.San Francisco
25.The UN Charter was officially effective on ______.
A.June 12,1945 B.April 25, 1945
C.June 26,1945 D.October 24,1945
Passage 6
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
A fellow speaker from California named Geri was excited about her first speech in Japan.To be comfortable on her long flight to Tokyo,she put on her favorite designer jeans and a casual jacket.Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport.Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards.With her carry-on bag in one hand,Geri took their cards with the other.She thanked them,glanced briefly at the cards,and packed them safely into her back pocket.She then gave them her card.
When the five of them arrived at the hotel,they invited Geri to tea in the lobby.While sipping tea,the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened.One of Geri’s most charming qualities is her instinctive warmth.She was thrilled with the gift and,in typical Geri style,she squealed,“Oh,it’s beautiful!” as she gave each of the gentlemen a little hug.
At this point,the four Japanese gentlemen stood up in union and,bowing only very slightly, mumbled “Sayonara” and promptly left.Poor Geri was left stunned. What did she do wrong?
Everything! Her jeans was the first gaffe.Even if you’re coming off a bicycle in Japan,you do not meet c1ients casually dressed.The second mistake was Geri’s vulgar handling of their business cards.In Japan,the business card is one of the most important protocol tools.It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly.In Japan,people use business cards as a conversation starter.You chat about each other’s cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping.Shoving it into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.
Then,the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients.In a 1and where saving face is critical,it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received.What is worse,Geri hadn’t even given them a gift !
26.The four Japanese businessmen invited Geri to tea ______.
A.in the hotel lobby B.in a hotel room
C.at a businessmen’s office D.at the airport lounge
27.The word “gaffe” in the 4th paragraph can be replaced by ______.
A.disrespect B.mistake
C.mischief D.protocol
28.According to the passage,the Japanese consider it ______.
A.an honor to be given a hug by a lady
B.ill-mannered to say good-bye humbly
C.impolite to open a gift in front of the giver
D.unnecessary for a lady to be properly dressed
29.The third mistake Geri made was that she ______.
A.met her clients casually dressed
B.took her clients’ cards with one hand
C.kept her clients’ cards in a wrong place
D.used her own card as a conversation starter
30.Geri’s experiences tell us about ______.
A.differences in the handling of business cards
B.differences in the tastes and styles of fashion
C.gender differences in business communication
D.cultural differences in business communication
III.DISCOURSE CLOZE
The following is taken from the textbook.Read the passage and fill in the numbered spaces(there are more suggested answers than necessary). Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points,1 point each)
To avoid the various foolish opinions to which mankind are prone, no superhuman genius is required.A few simple rules will keep you,not from all error, but from silly error.
If the matter is one that can be settled by observation,make the observation yourself. Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that(31)______, by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted. I believe myself that hedgehogs eat black beetles,because(32) ______; but if I were writing a book on the habits of hedgehogs,I should not commit myself until(33) ______. Aristotle,however, was less cautious.Ancient and medieval authors knew all about unicorns and salamanders;not one of them thought it necessary to avoid dogmatic statements about them because(34) ______.
Many matters,however, are less easily brought to the test of experience.If, like most of mankind,(35) ______ there are ways in which you can make yourself aware of your own bias.If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that(36) ______.If some one maintains that two and two are five,or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless (37) ______ that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction.The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way.Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic,because (38) ______, but in theology there is only opinion.So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion,(39) ______; you will probably find,on examination,that (40) ______.It is a good way of riding yourself of certain kinds of biased opinions to become aware of those different from your own.
(From How to Avoid the Foolish Opinions)
[A] I have been told that they do
[B] be on your guard
[C] he had never seen one of them
[D] I had seen one enjoying this unappetizing diet
[E] you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do
[F] man is a brief episode in the life of a small planet in a little comer of the universe
[G] you know so little of arithmetic or geography
[H] the question is one to which there is no demonstrably right answer
[I] women have fewer teeth than men
[J] your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants
[K] in arithmetic there is knowledge
[L] you have passionate convictions on many such matters
IV.WORD FORMATIONS
Complete each of the following sentences with the proper form of the word in the bracket. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points,1 point each)
41.(tight) I used my thumbnail to ______ the screw on my lamp.
42.(accept) There was a general ______ that the defense budget would shrink.
43.(suspicion) The singer was rightly ______ of meeting me until I reassured him I was not
writing about him.
44.(time) The recent outbreaks of the flu are a ______ reminder that this disease is still a serious health hazard.
45.(rich) Overseas students from a wide range of countries provide the opportunity to
exchange ideas and experiences,and ______ the intellectual and social life
of the schoo1.
46.(reason) The Industrial Revolution brought some relief to the city poor in the form of
______ well-built rows of small houses for laborers,especially in England.
47.(write) Unlike other belief systems,Greek culture recognized no single truth or code
and produced no sacred, ______ text like the Bible.
48.(experienced) Men appear to shop differently from women simply because they’re men,
rather than because they’re ______ shoppers.
49.(involve) Evidence of practical ______ in the subject is required and is normally
determined by the submission of a portfolio of work at interview.
50.(similar) There is a strong ______ between a computer virus and a biological virus.
V.GAP FILLING
The following is taken from the textbook.Fill in the numbered gaps with the correct form of the words or phrases in the box(there are more words than necessary).Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points, 1 point each)
with have many other in
begin permission which on admission
include since
On the north side of Trafalgar, famous for its Admiral Nelson,its fountains and its hordes of pigeons,there stands a long,low building in classic style.This is the National Gallery, (51) ______ contains Britain’s best-known collection of pictures. The collection was(52) ______ in 1824, with the purchase of thirty-eight pictures that(53) ______ Horgarth’s satirical series and Titian’s “Venus and Adonis”.
The National Gallery is rich (54) ______ paintings by Italian masters such as Raphael and Veronese,and it contains pictures representative of all European schools of art.Many visitors are especially attracted to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks”.
On sunny days,students and (55) ______ young people are often to be seen (56) ______ a sandwich lunch on the portico (门廊) of the Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square.(57) ______ to the Gallery is free,as is the case (58) ______ other British national galleries and museums, which are maintained by money voted by Parliament. Bequests of pictures have been made to the galleries,at times (59) ______ a generous scale,by private individuals.
Just behind the National Gallery stands the National Portrait Gallery, in which the visitors can see portraits of British monarchs (60) ______ the reign of Richards II (1377-1399),and of historical celebrities such as Chaucer, Shakespeare,and Cromwell.Many of the pictures are by well-known artists.
(From London Art Gallery)
VI.SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
The following questions are based on Passage Four in this test paper. Reed the passage carefully again and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four.Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points, 5 points each)
61.According to the first paragraph,what are the major aspects of life that may influence one’s psychological well-being?
62.According to the last paragraph,why do people display different levels of mental health?
VII.TRANSLATION
The following excerpt is taken from the textbook.Read the paragraphs carefully and translate into Chinese each of the numbered and underlined parts.Write your answers 0n the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points, 2 points each)
Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays,the history of April Fool’s Day, sometimes called All Fool’s Day, is not totally dear.(63)There really wasn’t a “First April Fool’s Day” that can be pinpointed on the calendar. (64) Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.
The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. (65) Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian calendar was introduced, and New Year’s Day was moved to January 1.
(66) However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. (67) Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as “fools” by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on “fools errands” or were made the butt (笑柄) of other practical jokes.
(From April Fool’s Day)
全国2011年7月高等教育自学考试
英语阅读(一)试题
课程代码:00595
全部题目用英文作答(翻译题除外),请将答案填在答题纸相应位置上
I. Careful Reading. (40 points, 2 points for each)
Directions: Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answers antl then write the corresponding letters on your Answer Sheet.
Passage One
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.
The old fashioned general store is fast disappearing. This is, perhaps, a pity, because shopping today seems to lack that personal element which existed when the shopkeeper knew all his regular customers personally. He could, for instance, remember which brand of tea Mrs. Smith usually bought or what sort of washing powder Mrs. Jones preferred. Not only was the shop a center of buying and selling, but a social meeting place.
A prosperous general store might have employed four or five assistants, and so there were very few problems in management as far as the staff was concerned. But now that the supermarket has replaced the general store, the job of the manager has changed completely. The moderm supermarket manager has to cope with a staff of as many as a hundred, apart from all the other everyday problems of running a large business.
Every morning the manager must, like the commander of an army division, carry out an inspection of his store to make sure that everything is ready for the business of the day He must see that everything is running smoothly. He will have to give advice and make decisions as problems arise; and he must know how to get his huge staff to work efficiently with their respective responsibilities. No matter what he has to do throughout the day, however, the supermarket manager must be ready for any emergency that may arise. They say in the trade that you are not really an experienced supermarket manager until you have dealt with a flood, a fire, a birth and a death in your store.
1. The main purpose of the passage is to show ______.
A. how the supermarket replaces the old general store
B. how the old fashioned general store is fast disappearing
C. how supermarket managers deal with problems every morning
D. how the role of the shop manager undergoes an overall change
2. It is a pity that there are fewer old general stores now because _______.
A. there is less trading business
B. there used to be more social activities in the old days
C. supermarket managers have more problems
D. there is less personal contact between manager and customer
3. Who are Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Jones mentioned in the first paragraph?
A. People representing any of the regular customers of the old general store.
B. Shop assistants.
C. Friends of the shop manager’s.
D. Two regular customers of the store.
4. How has the job of the store manager changed?
A. He doesn’t sell tea or washing powder any more.
B. He has a much larger staff to take care of, to say nothing of all the other daily problems of running the store.
C. He must try hard to remember the names of the regular customers.
D. He has to give advice and make decisions every day.
5. The author compared the supermarket manager to ______.
A. a military leader
B. a school inspector
C. a traffic supervisor
D. an orchestra conductor
Passage Two
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage.
By the Treaty of Paris of 1763, which ended the war with the French and the Indians, England gained possession of Canada and all the territory east of the Mississippi River. French influence on this continent thus came to an end; England now controlled most of North America. But the war had been long and expensive. England had many debts. George III, king of England, after consulting with his advisers, decided that the American colonists should help pay some of the expenses of this war. A standing English army of 10,000 men had been left in the colonies for protection against the Indians. The English government also felt that the colonists should share in the expenses of maintaining this army. The result was a Series of measures, the Grenville Program, passed by Parliament and designed to raise money in the colonies. Some of these measures were accepted by the colonists, but one in particular, the Stamp Act, was met with great protest. The Stamp Act required that stamps, ranging in price from a few cents to almost a dollar, be placed on all newspapers, advertisements, bills of sale, wills, legal papers, etc. The Stamp Act was one of the causes of the American Revolution. It affected everyone, rich and poor alike. Some businessmen felt that the act would surely ruin their businesses.
Of all the voices raised in protest to the Stamp Act, none had greater effect than that of a young lawyer from Virginia-Patrick Henry. Henry had only recently been elected to the Virginia Assembly. Yet when the Stamp Act came up for discussion, he opposed it almost single-handedly. He also expressed, for the first time, certain ideas that were held by many Americans of the time but that never before had been stated so openly. “Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as to be bought at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”
6. From the passage we learn that ______.
A. Britain took over Canada from the Indians in 1 763
B. there had been a war between the French and the Indians which ended in 1763
C. France used to have control of Canada and some areas east of the Mississippi River
D. the French still kept some influence in North America through the Treaty of Paris
7. The Grenville Program refers to ______.
A. King George III’s plan to gather money in North America
B. the British government’s desire to raise money in North America
C. a plan to share the expenses of maintaining an army in the American colonies
D. a decision of the British Parliament to collect money in the American colonies
8. The Stamp Act ______.
A. was an act about selling stamps at prices from a few cents to almost a dollar
B. was one of the causes of the American Revolution
C. required that all commercial and legal documents in America have stamps on them
D. chiefly affected business people who felt it would ruin their businesses
9. From the passage we learn that Patrick Henry ______.
A. had been a member of the Virginia Assembly for a long time
B. didn’t know what courses to take to complete his studies as a lawyer
C. was almost the only one who openly protested against the Stamp Act
D. didn’t value life or peace as much as other people did
10. This passage is mainly about ______.
A. one of the events leading to the American Revolution
B. the Treaty of Paris between Britain and France
C. the Grenville Program to raise money in the American colonies
D. Patrick Henry, a hero who opposed the Stamp Act
Passage Three
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living. On the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home.
The breakup of the family occurs when the parents divorce. A lot of children in the U.S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children’s emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent’s own personal interests. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship.
The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs indicate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.
11. In the past, American families tended to be ______.
A. quite small
B. medium-sized
C. quite large
D. small
12. To parents who take the responsibility for children’s expenses, the cost of living increases because ______.
A. children attend school for less years
B. children are worse dressed
C. children have more interests nowadays
D. children spend more money on entertainment
13. What problems would broken families bring to children and parents respectively?
A. Children grow up feeling unsettled and parents didn’t pay much attention to children.
B. Children grow up feeling free and one parent is responsible for raising the children.
C. Children are moved back and forth between parents and the single parent is busy working to make money to support himself or herself.
D. Children grow up feeling unsettled, and the parents have little time for his or her own interests because one parent is too busy taking care of children.
14. According to the author, the situations of American families in the future may ______.
A. become worse
B. remain the same
C. get better
D. keep unchanged
15. The title of the article might be ______.
A. American Children
B. American Families
C. American Mother
D. American Parents
Passage Four
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
In a family where the roles of men and women are not sharply separated and where many household tasks are shared to a greater or lesser extent, notions of male superiority are hard to maintain. The pattern of sharing in tasks and in decisions makes for equality and this in turn leads to further sharing. In such a home, the growing boy and girl learn to accept equality more easily than did their parents and to prepare more fully for participation in a world characterized by cooperation rather than by the “battle of the sexes”.
If the process goes too far and man’s role is regarded as less important—and that has happened in some cases—we are as badly off as before, only in reverse.
It is time to reassess the role of the man in the American family. We are getting a little tired of “Momism” — but we don’t want to exchange it for a “neo-Popism”. What we need, rather, is the recognition that bringing up children involves a partnership of equals. There are signs that psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and specialists on the family are becoming more aware of the part men play and that they have decided that women should not receive all the credit
nor the blame. We have almost given up saying that a woman’s place is in the home. We are beginning, however, to analyze man’s place in the home and to insist that he does have a place in it. Nor is that place irrelevant to the healthy development of the child.
The family is a co-operative enterprise for which it is difficult to lay down rules, because each family needs to work out its own ways for solving its own problems.
Excessive authoritarianism(命令主义) has unhappy consequences, whether it wears skirts or trousers, and the ideal of equal rights and equal responsibilities is pertinent (相关的,中肯的) not only to healthy democracy, but also to a healthy family.
16. The danger in the sharing of household tasks between the mother and the father is that ______.
A. the role of the father may become an inferior one
B. the role of the mother may become an inferior one
C. the children believe that life is a battle of sexes
D. sharing leads to constant arguing
17. The author states that bringing up children ______.
A. is mainly the mother’s job
B. belongs to the duties of the father
C. is the job of schools and churches
D. involves a partnership of equals
18. The ideal of equal rights and equal responsibilities is ______.
A. fundamental to a sound democracy
B. not pertinent to a healthy family
C. responsible for Momism
D. what we have almost given up
19. According to the author, the father’s role in the home is ______.
A. minor because he is an ineffectual parent
B. irrelevant to the healthy development of the child
C. pertinent to the healthy development of the child
D. identical to the role of the child’s mother
20. Which of the following statements would the author be most likely to agree with?
A. A healthy, co-operative family is a basic ingredient of a healthy society.
B. Men are basically opposed to sharing household chores.
C. Division of household responsibilities is workable only in theory.
D. A woman’s place in the home now is the same as that in the past.
II. Speed Reading. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: Skim or scan the following passages. Decide on the best answers and then write
the corresponding letters on your Answer Sheet.
Passage Five
Questions 21-25 are based on the following passage.
You’re busy filling out the application form for a position you really need. Let’s assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn’t it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University? More and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university.
Registrars at most well-known colleges say they deal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of about one per week. Personnel officers do check upon degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicant is lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them “impostors (骗子)”; another refers to them as “special cases”. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made by “no such people”. To avoid outright lies, some job-seekers claim that they “attended” or “were associated with” a college or university, After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that “attending” means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that “being associated with” a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century——that’s when they began keeping records, anyhow. If you don’t want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony diploma.
One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of nonexistent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from “Smoot State University”. The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the “University of Purdue”. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana is properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.
21. The main idea of this passage is that ______.
A. employers are checking more closely on applicants now
B. lying about college degrees has become a widespread problem
C. college degrees can now be purchased easily
D. employers are no longer interested in college degrees
22. According to the passage, “special cases” refer to cases that ______.
A. students attended a school only part-time
B. students never attended a school they listed on their application forms
C. students purchased false degrees from commercial firms
D. students attended a famous school
23. From the sentence “job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend” (Para.2), we can infer that _____.
A. the job-seeker is a student in that college
B. the job-seeker’s brother is a student in that college
C. neither the two are students in that college
D. the job-seeker lives in that college
24. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. performance is a better judge of ability than a college degree
B. experience is the best teacher
C. past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees do
D. a degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job competition
25. The underlined word “phony” (Para.2) means ______.
A. thorough
B. false
C. ultimate
D. decisive
Passage Six
Questions 26-30 are based on the following passage
Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?
Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness. Some put their hearts and efforts into their work. Too many turn to drugs and alcohol. Meanwhile, untold numbers look for it in the possession of expensive cars, exotic vacation homes and other popular “toys”. Most of their efforts have a root in common: people are looking for a lasting source of happiness.
Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes from many people because they misunderstand the journey of finding it. I have learned many people say that, “I’ll be happy when I get my new promotion,” or “I’ll be happy when I get that extra 20 pounds.” It is dangerous because it accepts that happiness is a “response” to having, being or doing something.
In life, we all experience stimulus and response. Today, some people think that an expensive car is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A great paying job is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. This belief leaves us thinking and feeling: “I’ll be happy when ...”
It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is not a response but a stimulus.
Happiness is a conscious choice we make in daily life. For unknown reasons to me, many choose to be upset and angry most of the time. Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want. On the contrary, we usually get things we want after we choose to be happy.
26. According to the second paragraph, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Some people are happy when they work hard.
B. Some people are happy when they drink or take drugs.
C. Some people are happy when they get well-paid jobs.
D. Some people are happy when they possess their own expensive cars.
27. Generally speaking, most people feel happy because ______.
A. they think happiness is rooted in their deep hearts
B. they get what they want to have
C. they get a long vacation
D. they get a great paying job
28. In the author’s opinion, which of the following.is the most important if you want to be happy?
A. Losing weight
B. An expensive car
C. Success in work
D. Feeling happy
29. Which of the following is right according to the author?
A. Most people today are happy.
B. Most people choose to be unhappy most of the time.
C. Work is a necessary part in our daily life.
D. We try to get more and then we’ll be happy.
30. From the viewpoint of the author, happiness is ______.
A. limited
B. out of reach
C. unconditional
D. based on our needs
III. Discourse Cloze. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: The following passage is taken from the textbook. Read the passage and fill in the numbered spaces (there are more suggested answers than necessary). Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
Miller uses the techniques of the modern theatre to the full. He is not satisfied with simply employing the devices oflights and sound as an addition to the acting, 31. ______. This is a deliberate attempt to make the theatre as a whole, not merely the actors, express the messages of the play. Mechanical devices assume, then, a symbolic significance—they represent an essential meaning or idea in the play in physical terms. They express a meamng — 32. ______.
Miller was writing for a middle-class audience. His plays were performed on Broadway,33. ______. Therefore they reached only a small proportion of the population Miller uses this fact (that the plays reached only a relatively small proportion of the population) to advantage in Death of a Salesman, where he examines American middle-class ideas and beliefs. He was able to place before his audience Willy Loman, 34. ______, ones which have been summed up by the phrase “the American Dream”. The American Dream is a combination of beliefs in the unity of the family, the healthiness of competition in society, the need for success and money, and the view that 35. ______. Some of these are connected: America seemed at one stage in history to offer alternatives to the European way of life; she seemed to be the New World, vast, having plenty of land and riches for all of its people, all of whom could share in the wealth of the nation. America was a land of opportunity. This belief is still apparent, even in twentieth-century America, with its large urban population, and Miller uses it in his plays, in order to state something significant about American society. In such a land, where all people have a great deal of opportunity, success should come fahly easily, 36. ______. To become successful in the American Dream means to believe in competition, to reach the top as quickly as possible by proving oneself better than others. Success is judged by the amount of wealth which can be acquired by an individual. 37. ______. Money and success mean stability; and stability can be seen in the family unit. The family is a guideline to success. 38. ______. These ideas should always be kept in mind when Death of a Salesman is considered.
Another point to consider is Miller’s conception of what the theatre should do. He is both a psychological and a social dramatist.39. ______. Often, these people are ordinary, everyday types, but ones whose actions are made significant by the dramatist. For example, the lives of ordinary citizens going about their daily business in their homes may not obviously appear interesting, but the dramatist can indicate that their daily lives are important, that they are interesting or unusual as people and that the audience may see their own situations and psychological states reflected in the characters the dramatist has created. Death of a Salesman is a good example of this. Of course, all dramatists and novelists try to make the actions of their characters relevant to other people, and most analyze closely the minds of the characters they have created in order to establish what makes them function as individuals. Where Miller differs from many of the others is 40. ______. Most of his heroes are ordinary people: they do not seem to be different from anyone who can be met in any street; and this, it might be argued, adds force to his plays, since none of the characters are remote—we share their feelings, and understand their difficulties. Also, Miller is able to show that everyday people can rise above the ordinary when challenged.
(From Miller’s Theatre and Miller’s Ideas)
A. a man who shared many of their ideals
B. America is the great land in which free opportunity for all exists
C. hence the term “expressionist” is often used to describe Miller as a dramatist
D. but indicates in the stage directions of his plays precisely when a particular form of lighting or piece of sound is to be used
E. so an unsuccessful man could feel bitter about his failure, excluded as he was from the success around him
F. This means that Miller has often been regarded as an ally of the American Left
G the center of New York’s theatrical and cultural life, and in London’s West End
H. As a psychological dramatist he studies character, the motives and reasons behind the behavior of individuals, and presents them to his audiences so that his individual characters become convincingly alive
I. People were not as stable financially because of the depression and then the 1939-45 war, and so their way of life seemed to be challenged
J. It also provides emotional stability, and a good family shares its hopes and beliefs
K. Success is extemal and visible, shown in material wealth and encouraged
L. in the type of person that he has created
IV. Word Formations. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: Complete each of the following sentences with the proper form of the word in the brackets. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
41. (complete) In his life, each stage of his development depends on the satisfactory ______ of the one before .
42. (achieve) I felt a great sense of ______ when I reached the top of the mountain.
43. (shock) He’s ______ at the prevalence of bribery among these officials.
44. (relief) He smoked frequently to _____his nervous tension.
45.(imply) The new report has far-reaching ______ for the future of Chinese education.
46. (doubt) Because of a long drought, the farmers are ______ about the prospect of a good yield.
47. (horrify) I was ______ at the idea of having to give a speech in front of so many people.
48. (polite) ______ is the attribute of a gentleman.
49. (deception) You are ______ yourself if you still believe that she will help you.
50. (treat) First aid is emergency care for a victim of sudden illness or injury until more skillful medical ______ is available.
V. Gap Filling. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Directions: The following passage is taken from the textbook. Fill in the numbered gaps with the correct form of the words or phrases in the box (there are more words than necessary). Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
than wish suspect know for
fear headquarters in close against
many foreign even
In big cities, the Police Commissioner (Head of the Force) is often appointed by Mayor and therefore senior police officers tend to be too 51. ______ linked to politics. Their ambitions sometimes tempt them to turn a blind eye or to accept bribes, which lowers the morale of the ordinary cop. The structure of the many different American police forces is said to be the most varied in the whole world.
The city police often come into conflict with the FBI —the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI men, do not wear uniforms, have the right to cross State borders if they are pursuing a 52. ______. They are responsible to the US Department of Justice, and have their 53. ______ in Washington, D. C. The head of the FBI is chief domestic intelligence adviser to the President. The FBI men are more concerned with spies and agents hostile to the USA, radicals and Mafia(黑手党) bosses 54. ______ they are with ordinary criminals, but they do keep a record of all crimes, which city and State police can consult if they 55. ______. The FBI laboratory services, among the best in the world, are also available to local law enforcement agencies.
The activities of the CIA—the Central Intelligence Agency— are now well 56. ______ in every country in the world. The job of the CIA is to keep the Government informed of the activities of 57. ______ agents and the secret preparations of hostile powers. CIA agents also work in countries where it is felt that aid, or the promise of aid, will maintain sympathy 58. ______ the USA. Sometimes the CIA’s actions do just the reverse, and in many parts of the world
including countries friendly to the USA, they are disliked and even 59. ______.However, the CIA is just one of the many secret services all countries use to protect themselves 60. ______ possible enemies.
(From The Police and the Intelligence Agents)
VI. Short Answer Questions. (10 points, 5 points for each)
Directions: The following 2 questions are based on Passage Four in this test paper. Read the passage carefully again and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.
61. What are psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and specialists on the family aware of in Passage Four?
62. Why does the author state that the family is a co-operative enterprise according to the passage?
VII. Translation. (10 points, 2 points for each)
Directions: The following excerpt is taken from the textbook. Read the paragraphs carefully and translate into Chinese each of the numbered and underlined parts.
Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. 63. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty task, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life. The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses. 64. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. 65. But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. 66. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration, and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill. I have often thought it would be a blessing if. each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound. Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed. “Nothing in particular.” She replied. 67. I might have been incredulous had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.