2005年硕士研究生入学考试英语命题预测试卷2
sectionⅰuse of english
directions：
read the following text.choose the best word（s） for each
numbered blank and mark a， b， c or d on answer sheet 1.（ 10
points ）
among the devastating consequences of aids has 1 its
epidemic spread in the developing world. the disease has
caused 2 suffering， debilitation， loss of life and disruption
of family， social and economic 3. because of the considerable
expense and logistical difficulty in providing antiviral drugs
to populations 4 with the human immunodeficiency virus 5 the
world， the biomedical community is looking towards vaccines to
help solve this compelling problem.
the search for an aids vaccine began more than 15 years ago
with great 6 and high expectations. with the 7 of the human
immunodeficiency virus （hiv） as the cause of aids， it seemed
that a 8 would follow closely behind. but despite a large
concerted effort， the problem has proven more difficult than
9， and progress has not 10 the 11 hopes. here i review the 12
scientific obstacles confronting the development of an
effective hiv vaccine， and i consider 13 strategies to
overcome these obstacles.
it is instructive to consider the circumstances that have 14
to past successes in vaccine development. the smallpox vaccine
is 15 the most successful inventions in the history of 16.
why， 200 years ago， without the benefit of modern
biotechnology， did the smallpox vaccine succeed so readily
while an aids vaccine 17 elusive？ the answer lies in an
experiment of nature that provided， to an astute observer， a
clear direction for smallpox vaccine development. in this
classic story of 18 discovery， edward jennet noticed that milk
maids who had previously contracted cowpox were 19 to smallpox
infection. this observation was the critical event leading to
the finding that the cowpox virus crossreacted
immunologically with the smallpox virus and could 20 be used
to protect against smallpox.
1. a. on b. with c. been d. about
2. a. unpredicted b. uncontrollable c. unimaginable d.
unprecedented
3. a. stability b. instability c. permanency d. soundness
4. a. harmed b. infected c. infectious d. infectable
5. a. everywhere b. throughout c. devastating d. occupying
6. a. difficulty b. concern c. optimism d. pessimism
7. a. confirmation b. identification c. information d.
precaution
8. a. cure b. capsule c. medication d. vaccine
9. a. ever b. anticipated c. possible d. necessary
10. a. surpassed b. outbalanced c. matched d. rivaled
11. a. origin b. initial c. great d. modest
12. a. majority b. primary c. principal d. premier
13. a. potential b. initiative c. practical d. existing
14. a. lead b. caused c. contributed d. cooperated
15. a. by far b. till now c. among d. considered
16. a. vaccine b. medicine c. smallpox d. aids
17. a. slowly b. fails c. remains d. counts
18. a. accidental b. importance c.
scientific d. vaccine
19. a. vulnerable b. resistant c. opposing d. defendant
20. a. safely b. therefore c. as well d. possibly
SectionⅡReading Comprehension
Part A
Directions：
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below
each text by choosing A， B， C or D. Mark you answers on ANSWER
SHEETⅠ。（40 points）
Text 1
On an average of six times a day， a doctor in Holland
practices“active”euthanasia： intentionally administering a
lethal drug to a terminally ill patient who has asked to be
relieved of suffering. Twenty times a day， lifeprolonging
treatment is withheld or withdrawn when there is no hope that
it can effect an ultimate cure.“Active”euthanasia remains a
crime on the Dutch statute books punishable by 12 years in
prison. But a series of court cases over the past 15 years has
made it clear that a competent physician who carries it out
will not be prosecuted.
Euthanasia， often called“mercy killing”， is a crime
everywhere in Western Europe. But more and more doctors and
nurses in Britain， West Germany， Holland and elsewhere readily
admit to practicing it， most often in the“passive”form of
withholding or withdrawing treatment. The long simmering
euthanasia issue has lately boiled over into a sometimes
fierce public debate， with both sides claiming the mantle of
ultimate righteousness. Those opposed to the practice see
themselves upholding sacred principles of respect for life，
while those in favor raise the banner of humane treatment.
After years on the defensive， the advocates now seem to be
gaining ground. Recent polls in Britain show that 72 percent
of British subjects favor euthanasia in some circumstances. An
astonishing 76 percent of respondents to a poll taken late
last year in France said they would like the law changed to
decriminalize mercy killings.
Reasons for the latest surge of interest in euthanasia are
not hard to find. Europeans， like Americans， are now living
longer. The average European male now lives to the age of 72，
women to almost 80. As Derek Humphrey， a leading British
advocate of“rational euthanasia”says，“lingering chronic
diseases have replaced critical illnesses as the primary cause
of death.”
And so the enthunasists have begun to press their case with
greater force.They argue that every human being should have
the right to“die with dignity”， by which they usually mean the
right to escape the horrors of a painful or degrading
hospitalization.Most advocates of voluntary euthanasia has
argued that the right to die should be accorded only to the
terminally and incurably ill， but the movement also includes a
small minority who believe in euthanasia for anyone who
rationally decides to take his own life.
That right is unlikely to get legal recognition any time in
the near future. Even in the Netherlands， the proposals now
before Parliament would restrict euthanasia to a smal
l number
of cases and would surround even those with elaborate
safeguards.
21.According to Paragraph 1， which of the following is not
true？
A.“Active”euthanasia is regarded as a crime by Dutch law.
B.The doctor who carried out euthanasia will be charged.
C.An unqualified doctor carrying out euthanasia will be
accused.
D.“Active”euthanasia executives will be sentenced to 12
years imprisonment.
22.Euthanasia is often called“mercy killing”， which implies
that .
A.people should show sympathy for a terminally ill patient
B.some doctors murder patients shielding themselves from
mercy
C.humane treatment to dying patients should be required
D.the dying patients are suffering from the pain and they
dont want to live on
23.Most advocates of voluntary euthanasia hold the opinion
that .
A.only terminally ill patients can have euthanasia
B.if anyone who rationally decides to end his life， he can
have euthanasia
C.people should respect for life
D.no matter what punishment they get， theyll carry out
euthanasia to patients
24.The authors attitudes towards euthanasia is .
A.positiveB.negativeC.objectiveD.uncertain
25.In Paragraph 2，“boiled over”means .
A.burst（into）B.make the water hot enough to boil
C.cause great angerD.fight one another
Text 2
Bank of America，holding company for the San Franciscobased
Bank of America，was once unchallenged as the nation‘s biggest
banking organization.At its peak，it had more branches in
California1，100than the U.S. Postal Service.It was also a
highly profitable enterprise.But since 1980，Bank of America’s
earnings have been down or flat.From March 1985 to March
1986，for example，earnings per share dropped 50.8
percent.Samuel H. Armacost，president and CEO，has confessed
that he doesn‘t expect a turnaround soon.
Some of Bank of America‘s old magic seems to have rubbed off
on New York’s Citibank，perennial rival for top banking
honors.Thanks to aggressive growth policies，Citicorp‘s assets
topped Bank of America’s for the first time in 1983and by a
healthy margin.Citibank has also been generating profits at a
fast clip，enabling it to spend lavishly on campaigns to enter
new marketsnotably Bank of America‘s turf in California.
The bad times Bank of America is currently facing are partly
the result of the good times the bank enjoyed earlier.Based in
a large and populous state and operating in a regulated
environment，Bank of America thrived.Before deregulation，banks
could not compete by offering savers a higher return，so they
competed with convenience.With a branch at every
crossroads，Bank of America was able to attract 40 percent of
the California deposit marketa source of high earnings when
the legal maximum payable to depositors was much lower than
the interest on loans.
The progressive deregulation of banking forced Bank of
America to fight for its customers by offering th
em
competitive rates.But how could this mammoth bureaucracy，with
its expensive overhead，offer rates as attractive as its loaner
competitors？Pruning the establishment was foremost in the
minds of Bank of America policymakers.But cutbacks have
proceeded slowly.Although the bank is planning to consolidate
by offering full services only in key branches，so far only
about 40 branches have been closed.Cutbacks through attrition
have reduced the work force from 83，000 to fewer than
73，000；wholesale layoffs，it seems，would not fit the tradition
of the organization.And they would intensify the morale
problems that already threaten the institution.
26According to the passage，New York‘s Citibank.
A.is a dark horse in the field of banking
B.has been growing in a moderate way
C.has been making efforts to conquer the markets of Bank of
America
D.has more branches than Bank of America now
27Which of the following is NOT the reason for which Bank
of America thrived？
A.It‘s turfCalifornia was a state with a large number of
population.
B.The economic environment that was controlled by the
government.
C.Its deposit rate was higher than that of other banks.
D.Its large amount of branches.
28The phrase“mammoth bureaucracy”in Paragraph 4 refers to.
A.its expensive overheadB.its large amount of branches
C.its long historyD.corruption of its leaders
29Now the most important factor for a bank to win in
competiton seems to be.
A.higher deposit rateB.flexibility of capital
C.high banking honorsD.support of the government
30Which of the following conclusions can‘t be drawn from
the passage？
A.The U.S.Postal Service had less than 1，100 branches in
California a few decades before.
B.The profit of the Bank of America has been reducing since
the 1980s.
C.The prospect of the Bank of America is not quite
promising.
D.Mral problem is also a factor that leads to the decline of
the Bank of America.
Text 3
Volcanic fire and glacial ice are natural enemies. Eruptions
at glaciated volcanoes typically destroy ice fields， as they
did in 1980 when 70 of Mount Saint Helens ice cover was
demolished. During long dormant intervals， glaciers gain the
upper hand cutting deeply into volcanic cones and eventually
reducing them to rubble. Only rarely do these competing forces
of heat and cold operate in perfect balance to create a
phenomenon such as the steam caves at Mount Rainier National
Park.
Located inside Rainiers two icefilled summit craters，
these caves form a labyrinth of tunnels and vaulted chambers
about one and onehalf miles in total length. Their creation
depends on an unusual combination of factors that nature
almost never brings together in one place. The cavemaking
recipe calls for a steady emission of volcanic gas and heat， a
heavy annual snowfall at an elevation high enough to keep it
from melting during the summer， and a bowlshaped crater to
h
old the snow.
Snow accumulating yearly in Rainiers summit craters is
compacted and compressed into a dense form of ice called firm，
a substance midway between ordinary ice and the denser
crystalline ice that makes up glaciers. Heat rising from
numerous openings （called fumaroles） along the inner crater
walls melts out chambers between the rocky walls and the
overlying ice pack. Circulating currents of warm air then melt
additional openings in the firm ice， eventually connecting the
individual chambers and， in the larger of Rainiers the
craters， forming a continuous passageway the extends
twothirds of the Way around the craters interior.
To maintain the cave system， the elements of fire under ice
must remain in equilibrium， enough snow must fill the crater
each year to replace that melted from below. If too much
volcanic heat is discharged， the craters ice pack will melt
away entirely and the caves will vanish along with the snows
of yesteryear. If too little heat is produced， the ice，
replenished annually by winter snowstorms， will expand，
pushing against the enclosing crater walls and smothering the
present caverns in solid firm ice.
31.With what topic is the passage mainly concerned？
A.The importance of snowfall for Mount Rainier.
B.The steam caves of Mount Rainiers.
C.How ice covers are destroyed.
D.The eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980.
32.According to the passage， long periods of volcanic
inactivity can lead to a volcanic cones.
A.strong eruptionB.sudden growth
C.destructionD.unpredictability
33.The second paragraph mentions all of the following as
necessary elements in the creation of steam caves EXCEPT.
A.a glacierB.a crater
C.heatD.snow
34.According to the passage， heat from Mount Rainiers
summit craters rises from .
A.crystalline iceB.firms
C.chambersD.fumaroles
35.In the last line，“smothering”means .
A.eliminateB.enlarged
C.preventedD.hollowed
Text 4
Languages will continue to diverge.Even if English were to
become the universal language，it would still take many
different forms.Indeed the same could happen to English as has
happened to Chinese：a language of intellectuals which doesn‘t
vary hugely alongside a large number of variants used by local
peoples.
We will continue to teach other languages in some form， and
not just for reasons of practicality.Learning a language is
good for your mental health；it forces you to understand
another cultural and intellectual system.So I hope British
education will develop a more rational approach to the foreign
languages available to students in line with their political
importance.Because so many people believe it‘s no longer
important to know another language，I fear that time devoted to
language teaching in schools may well continue to decline. But
you can argue that learning another language well is more
taxing than，say，learning to play chess well—it i
nvolves
sensitivity to a set of complicated rules，and also to context.
Technology will certainly make a difference to the use of
foreign languages. Computers may，for instance，alleviate the
drudgery that a vast translation represents.But no one who has
seen a computer translation will think it can substitute for
knowledge of the different languages. A machine will always be
behind the times.Still more important is the fact that no
computer will ever get at the associations beyond the words
associations that may not be expressed but which carry much of
the meaning.In languages like Arabic that context is very
important. Languages come with heavy cultural baggage too—in
French or German if you missed the cultural references behind
a word you‘re very likely to be missing the meaning.It will be
very hard to teach all that to a computer.
All the predictions are that English will be spoken by a
declining proportion of the world‘s population in the 21st
century.I don’t think foreign languages will really become
less important，but they might be perceived to be—and that
would in the end be a very bad thing.
36.From the first paragraph we can infer that.
AEnglish is the universal language
BChinese would become the universal language
CLanguages always take kinds of forms
DEnglish has no variants，but Chinese does
37.Which of the following is true？
AIf a language is not good for practicality，we can drop it.
BWe can understand another cultural and intellectual system
by learning language.
CTime devoted to language teaching has never declined.
DWe should spend more time in learning language than
playing chess.
38.Why can‘t a computer translation substitute for knowledge
of different languages？Because.
Acomputers can alleviate much drudgery
Bcomputer is always behind the times
Ccomputer can‘t get the inner meaning of words
Dcomputer has no sensation
39.What does the author mean by“that would in the end be a
very bad thing”？
ALess and less people will use English.
BForeign languages will become less important.
CForeign languages will be perceived less important.
DWe must realize the importance of foreign languages.
40.Which is the best title of the passage？
ALearning Foreign Languages.
BLanguage Continuing to Diverge.
CThe Limitation of Technology in Learning Foreign Language.
DThe Inner Meaning of Words.
Part B
Directions：
In the following article，some sentences have been
removed.For Questions 41—45，choose the most suitable one from
the list A—G to fit into each of the numbered blank.There are
two extra choices，which do not fit in any of the gaps.
Even some ardent conservationists acknowledge that the
diversity of life on Earth cannot be fully sustained as human
populations expanduse more resourcesnudge the climate and
move weedlike pests and predators from place to place.
Given that some lo
sses are inevitable，the debate among many
experts has shifted to an uncomfortable subject—what level of
loss is acceptable. The discussion is taking place at both the
local and global levels.41）______________________________.
And as global biodiversity diminishes，is it a valid fallback
strategy to bank organisms and genes in zoos，DNA banks or the
like，or does this simply justify more habitat
destruction？42）_________________________________________. Some
conservation groups have strenuously avoided or even attacked
such calculations and strategies. They say there is no safe
diminution of habitat as long as human understanding of
ecology is as sketchy as it isa fallback strategy is
unthinkable. Furthermore banking nature in a deep freeze or
database of gene sequences cannot capture context.
43）_____________________. On the other side of the
debatethose considering what the smallest viable habitats are
or how to expand archives as an insurance policy say that
recent trends have proved that old conservation strategies are
no longer sufficient. 44）_____________________________.
Twenty four years agoDr. Thomas E. Lovejoy and other
biologists began a remarkable experiment on the fast eroding
fringe of rain forest near the Brazilian city of Manaus. They
established 11 forest tractsranging from 2.5 to 250
acreseach surrounded by an isolating sea of pasture similar
to what is advancing around most other tropical forests. Among
the many findings an analysis published last week on birds in
the lower layers of greenery found that it would take a
fragment measuring at least 2500 acres—10 times as large as
the biggest one in the experiment—to prevent a decline of 50
percent in those bird varieties in just 15 years or so.
45）____________________________________________________________.
[A]For instance even if a vanished bird was someday
reconstituted from its genes would it warble with the same
fluency as its ancestors？
[B]“we‘re better off trying to preserve the diversity of
what we have rather than trying to regenerate it in the
future.”
[C]The San Diego Zoo has its parallel Frozen Zooan archive
of thousands of DNA samples and cell lines from a host of
species.
[D]Is nature on ice a sufficient substitute for the real
thing？
[E]How small can a fragment of an ecosystem be and still
function in all its richness，and thus be considered preserved？
[F]In the understated language of science the new study in
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
concludes“This is unfortunate when one considers that for some
species rich areas of the planet a large proportion of
remaining forest is in fragments smaller than 2500 acres.
[G]A few decades ago the issue seemed fairly uncomplicated
identify biologicalhot spotsor species of concern and
establish as many reserves as possible. But the picture has
grown murky.
Part C
Directions：
Read the follow
ing text carefully and then translate the
underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be
written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. （10 points）
46）To avoid the various foolish opinions to which mankind is
prong， 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.47）Aristotle could have avoided
the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men，
by the simple device of asking Mrs Aristotle to keep her mouth
open while he counted. He did not do so because he thought he
knew. Thinking that you know when in fact you don‘t is a fatal
mistake， to which we are all prone. I believe myself that
hedgehogs eat black beetles， because I have been told that
they do； but if I were writing a book on the habits of
hedgehogs， I should not commit myself until I had seen one
enjoying this unappetizing diet. 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 he had never seen one
of them.
Many matters， however， are less easily brought to the test
of experience. If， like most of mankind， you have occasional
convictions on many such matters， there are ways in which you
can make yourself aware of your own bias.48）If an opinion
contrary to your own makes you angry， that is a sign that you
are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking
as you do. If someone maintains that two and two are five， or
that Iceland is on the equator， you feel pity rather than
anger， unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography
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 in arithmetic there is
knowledge， but in theology there is only opinion.49）So
whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of
opinion， be on your guard； you will probably find， on
examination， that your belief is going beyond what the
evidence warrants.
A good way of riding yourself of certain kinds of dogmatism
is to become aware of opinions held in social circles
different from your own. When I was young， I lived much
outside my own countryin France， Germany， Italy， and the
United States. I found this very profitable in diminishing the
intensity of insular prejudice.
For those who have enough psychological imagination， it is a
good plan to imagine an argument with a person having a
different bias. This has one advantage， and only one， as
compared with actual conversation with opponents； this one
advantage is that the method is not subject to the same
limitations of time and space. M
ahatma Gandhi deplored
railways and steamboats and machinery； he would have liked to
undo the whole of the industrial revolution. You may never
have an opportunity of actually meeting any one who holds this
opinion， because in Western countries most people take the
advantages of modern technique for granted. But if you want to
make sure that you are right in agreeing with the prevailing
opinion， you will find it a good plan to test the arguments
that occur to you by considering what Gandhi might have said
in refutation of them.50）I have sometimes been led actually to
change my mind as a result of this kind of imaginary dialogue，
and， short of this， I have frequently found myself growing
less dogmatic and cocksure through realizing the possible
reasonableness of a hypothetical opponent.
sectionⅲwriting
part a
51.directions：
suppose you are a teacher who is going to give a lecture to
freshmen on how to enjoy university life. you need to write a
note before giving the lecture. the note should include：
1）arrange your time properly
2）keep harmony with roommates and classmates
3）take an active part in societies
you should write about 100 words on answer sheet 2.
part b
52.directions：
study the following picture carefully and write an essay to
1）describe the picture
2）give your comments on the phenomenon
3）suggest countermeasures