2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试
英语（二）试题
Section I Use 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）
Given the advantages of electronic money, you might think that we would move quickly to the cashless society in which all payments are made electronically.1, a true cashless society is probably not around the corner. Indeed, predictions of such a society have been2for two decades but have not yet come to fruition. For example, Business Week predicted in 1975 that electronic means of payment “would soon revolutionize the very3of money itself,” only to 4itself several years later. Why has the movement to a cashless society been so5in coming?
Although e money might be more convenient and may be more efficient than a payments system based on paper, several factors work6the disappearance of the paper system. First, it is very7to set up the computer, card reader, and telecommunications networks necessary to make electronic money the8form of payment. Second, paper checks have the advantage that they9receipts, something that many consumers are unwilling to10. Third, the use of paper checks gives consumers several d ays of “float”—it takes several days11a check is cashed and funds are12from the issuer s account, which means that the writer of the check can earn interest on the funds in the meantime.13electronic payments are immediate, they eliminate the float for the consumer. Fourth, electronic means of payment may14security and privacy concerns. We often hear media reports that an unauthorized hacker has been able to access a computer database and to alter information15there.
The fact that this is not an16occurrence means that dishonest persons might be able to access bank accounts in electronic payments systems and17from someone else s accounts. The18of this type of fraud is no easy task, and a new field of computer science is developing to19security issues. A further concern is that the use of electronic means of payment leaves an electronic20that contains a large amount of personal data on buying habits. There are worries that government, employers, and marketers might be able to access these data, thereby violating our privacy.
1. ［A］However ［B］Moreover ［C］Therefore ［D］Otherwise
2. ［A］off ［B］back
［C］over
［D］around
3. ［A］power ［B］concept ［C］history ［D］role
4. ［A］reward ［B］resist ［C］resume ［D］reverse
5. ［A］silent ［B］sudden ［C］slow
［D］steady
6. ［A］for ［B］against ［C］with
［D］on
7. ［A］imaginative ［B］expensive ［C］sensitive ［D］productive
8. ［A］similar ［B］original ［C］temporary ［D］dominant
9. ［A］collect ［B］provide
［C］copy
［D］print
10. ［A］give up ［B］take over ［C］bring back ［D］pass down
11. ［A］before ［B］after
［C］since
［D］when
12. ［A］kept ［B］borrowed ［C］released ［D］withdrawn
13. ［A］Unless
［C］Because
［D］Though
14. ［A］hide
［B］express
［C］raise
［D］ease
15. ［A］analyzed ［B］shared
［C］stored
［D］displayed
16. ［A］unsafe ［B］unnatural
［C］uncommon ［D］unclear
17. ［A］steal
［B］choose
［C］benefit
［D］return
18. ［A］consideration ［B］prevention ［C］manipulation ［D］justification
19. ［A］cope with ［B］fight against
［D］call for
20. ［A］chunk
［B］chip
［C］path
［D］trail
Section II Reading Comprehension
Part A
Directions:
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.（40 points）
Text 1
In an essay entitled “Making It in America,” the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.”
Davidson s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle class incomes today is also because of the advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign worker.
In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job，could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won t earn you what it used to. It can t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra—their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment.
Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. But there s been an ac celeration. As Davidson notes, “ In the 10 years ending in 2009, ［U.S.］factories shed workers so fast that they erased almost all the gains of the previous 70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs—about 6 million in total—disappeared.”
There will always be changed—new jobs, new products, new services. But the one thing we know for sure is that with each advance in globalization and the I.T. revolution, the best jobs will require workers to have more and better education to make themselves above average.
In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to support employment, but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G.I.Bill for the 21st century that ensures that every American has access to post high school education.
21.The joke in Paragraph 1 is used to illustrate.
［A］the impact of technological advances
［B］the alleviation of job pressure
［C］the shrinkage of textile mills
［D］the decline of middle class incomes
22.According to Paragraph 3, to be a successful employee, one has to.
［A］work on cheap software
［B］ask for a moderate salary
［C］adopt an average lifestyle
［D］contribute something unique
23.The quotation in Paragraph 4 explains that.
［A］gains of technology have been erased
［B］job opportunities are disappearing at a high speed
［C］factories are making much less money than before
［D］new jobs and services have been offered
24.According to the author, to reduce unemployment, the most important is.
［A］to accelerate the I.T. revolution
［B］to ensure more education for people
［C］to advance economic globalization
［D］to pass more bills in the 21st century
25.Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?
［A］New Law Takes Effect
［B］Technology Goes Cheap
［C］Average Is Over
［D］Recession Is Bad
Text 2
A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic included settlers and sojourners. Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the United States came those who had no intention to stay, and who would make some money and go home. Between 1908 and 1915, about 7 million people arrived while about 2 million departed. About a quarter of all Italian immigrants, for example, eventually returned to Italy for good. They even had an affectionate nickname, “uccelli di passaggio,” birds of passage.
Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants. We divide newcomers into two categories: legal or illegal, good or bad. We hail them as Americans in the making, or brand them as aliens to be kicked out. That framework has contributed mightily to our broken immigration system and the long political paralysis over how to fix it. We don t need more categories, but we need to change the way we think about categories. We need to look beyond strict definitions of legal and illegal. To start, we can recognize the new birds of passage, those living and thriving in the gray areas. We might then begin to solve our immigration challenges.
Crop pickers, violinists, construction workers, entrepreneurs, engineers, home health care aides and physicists are among today s birds of passage. They are energetic participants in a global economy driven by the flow of work, money and ideas. They prefer to come and go as opportunity calls them. They can manage to have a job in one place and a family in another.
With or without permission, they straddle laws, jurisdictions and identities with ease. We need them to imagine the United States as a place where they can be productive for a while without committing themselves to staying forever. We need them to feel that home can be both
here and there and that they can belong to two nations honorably.
Accommodating this new world of people in motion will require new attitudes on both sides of the immigration battle. Looking beyond the culture war logic of right or wrong means opening up the middle ground and understanding that managing immigration today requires multiple paths and multiple outcomes, including some that are not easy to accomplish legally in the existing system.
26.“Birds of passage” refers to those who.
［A］immigrate across the Atlantic
［B］leave their home countries for good
［C］stay in a foreign country temporarily
［D］find permanent jobs overseas
27.It is implied in Paragraph 2 that the current immigration system in the U.S..
［A］needs new immigrant categories
［B］has loosened control over immigrants
［C］should be adapted to meet challenges
［D］has been fixed via political means
28.According to the author, today s birds of passage want.
［A］financial incentives
［B］ a global recognition
［C］opportunities to get regular jobs
［D］the freedom to stay and leave
29.The author suggests that the birds of passage today should be treated.
［A］as faithful partners
［B］with economic favors
［C］with legal tolerance
［D］as mighty rivals
30.Which is the best title for the passage?
［A］Come and Go: Big Mistake
［B］Living and Thriving: Great Risk
［C］Legal or Illegal: Big Mistake
［D］With or Without: Great Risk
Text 3
Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard wired responses.
Snap decisions can be important defense mechanisms; if we are judging whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard wired to react very quickly, within milliseconds. But we need more time to assess other factors. To accurately tell whether someone is sociable, studies show, we need at least a minute, preferably five. It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like neuroticism or open mindedness.
But snap decisions in reaction to rapid stimuli aren t exclusive to the interpersonal realm. Psychologists at the University of Toronto found that viewing a fast food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read 20 percent faster, even though reading has little to do with eating. We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we re doing. Subjects exposed to fast food flashes also tend to think a musical piece lasts too long.
Yet we can reverse such influences. If we know we will overreact to consumer products or housing options when we see a happy face (one reason good sales representatives and real estate agents are always smiling), we can take a moment before buying. If we know female job screeners are more likely to reject attractive female applicants, we can help screeners understand their biases—or hire outside screeners.
John Gottman, the marriage expert, explains that we quickly “thin slice” information reliably only after we ground such snap reactions in “thick sliced” long term study. When Dr. Gottman really wants to assess whether a couple will stay together, he invites them to his island retreat for a much longer evaluation: two days, not two seconds.
Our ability to mute our hard wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals: dog can think about the future only intermittently or for a few minutes. But historically we have spent about 12 percent of our days contemplating the longer term. Although technology might change the way we react, it hasn t changed our nature. We still have the imaginative capacity to rise above temptation and reverse the high speed trend.
31.The time needed in making decisions may.
［A］vary according to the urgency of the situation
［B］prove the complexity of our brain reaction
［C］depend on the importance of the assessment
［D］predetermine the accuracy of our judgment
32.Our reaction to a fast food logo shows that snap decisions.
［A］can be associative
［B］are not unconscious
［C］can be dangerous
［D］are not impulsive
33.To reverse the negative influences of snap decisions,we should.
［A］trust our first impression
［B］do as people usually do
［C］think before we act
［D］ask for expert advice
34.John Gottman says that reliable snap reaction are based on.
［A］critical assessment
［B］“thin sliced” study
［C］sensible explanation
［D］adequate information
35.The author s attitude toward reversing the high speed trend is.
［A］tolerant
［B］uncertain
［C］optimistic
［D］doubtful
Text 4
Europe is not a gender equality heaven. In particular, the corporate workplace will never be completely family friendly until women are part of senior management decisions, and Europe s top corporate governance positions remain overwhelmingly male. Indeed, women hold only 14 percent of positions on Europe corporate boards.
The Europe Union is now considering legislation to compel corporate boards to maintain a certain proportion of women—up to 60 percent. This proposed mandate was born of frustration. Last year, Europe Commission Vice President Viviane Reding issued a call to voluntary action. Reding invited corporations to sign up for gender balance goal of 40 percent female board membership. But her appeal was considered a failure: only 24 companies took it up.
Do we need quotas to ensure that women can continue to climb the corporate ladder fairly as they balance work and family?
“Personally, I don t like quotas,” Reding said recently. “But I like what the quotas do.” Quotas get action: they “open the way to equality and they break through the glass ceiling,” according to Reding, a result seen in France and other countries with legally binding provisions on placing women in top business positions.
I understand Reding s reluctance—and her frustration. I don t like quotas either; they run counter to my belief in meritocracy, government by the capable. But, when one considers the obstacles to achieving the meritocratic ideal, it does look as if a fairer world must be temporarily ordered.
After all, four decades of evidence has now shown that corporations in Europe as well as the US are evading the meritocratic hiring and promotion of women to top position—no matter how much “soft pressure” is put upon them. When women do break through to the summit of corporate power—as, for example, Shery Sandberg recently did at Facebook—they attract massive attention precisely because they remain the exception to the rule.
If appropriate pubic policies were in place to help all women—whether CEOs or their
children s caregivers—and all families, Sandberg would be no more newsworthy than any other highly capable person living in a more just society.
36.In the European corporate workplace, generally.
［A］women take the lead
［B］men have the final say
［C］corporate governance is overwhelmed
［D］senior management is family friendly
37.The European Union s intended legislation is.
［A］ a reflection of gender balance
［B］ a reluctant choice
［C］ a response to Reding s call
［D］ a voluntary action
38.According to Reding, quotas may help women.
［A］get top business positions
［B］see through the glass ceiling
［C］balance work and family
［D］anticipate legal results
39.The author s attitude toward Reding s appeal is one of.
［A］skepticism
［B］objectiveness
［C］indifference
［D］approval
40.Women entering top management become headlines due to the lack of.
［A］more social justice
［B］massive media attention
［C］suitable public policies
［D］greater “soft pressure”
Part B
Directions:
You are going to read a list of headings and a text. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A G for each numbered paragraph (41 45).Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. （10 points）
［A］Live like a peasant
［B］Balance your diet
［C］Shopkeepers are your friends
［D］Remember to treat yourself
［E］Stick to what you need
［F］Planning is everything
［G］Waste not, want not
The hugely popular blog the Skint Foodie chronicles how Tony balances his love of good food with living on benefits. After bills, Tony has ￡60 a week to spend, ￡40 of which goes on food, but 10 years ago he was earning ￡130,000 a year working in corporate communications and eating at London s best restaurants at least twice a week. Then his marriage failed, his career burned out and his drinking became serious.“The community mental health team saved my life. And I felt like that again, to a certain degree, when people responded to the blog so well. It gave me the validation and confidence that I d lost. But it s still a day by day thing.”Now he s living in a council flat and fielding offers from literary agents. He s feeling positive, but he ll carry on blogging—not about eating as cheaply as you can—“there are so many people in a much worse state, with barely any money to spend on food”—but eating well on a budget. Here s his advice for economical foodies.
41.
Impulsive spending isn t an option, so plan your week s menu in advance, making shopping lists for your ingredients in their exact quantities. I have an Excel template for a week of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop laughing: it s not just cost effective but helps you balance your diet. It s also a good idea to shop daily instead of weekly, because, being human, you ll
sometimes change your mind about what you fancy.
42.
This is where supermarkets and their anonymity come in handy. With them, there s not the same embarrassment as when buying one carrot in a little greengrocer. And if you plan properly, you ll know that you only need, say, 350g of shin of beef and six rashers of bacon, not whatever weight is pre packed in the supermarket chiller.
43.
You may proudly claim to only have frozen peas in the freezer—that s not good enough. Mine is filled with leftovers, bread, stock, meat and fish. Planning ahead should eliminate wastage, but if you have surplus vegetables you ll do a vegetable soup, and all fruits threatening to “go off”will be cooked or juiced.
44.
Everyone says this, but it really is a top tip for frugal eaters. Shop at butchers, delis and fish sellers regularly, even for small things, and be super friendly. Soon you ll feel comfortable asking if they ve any knuckles of ham for soups and stews, or beef bones, chicken carcasses and fish heads for stock which, more often than not, they ll let you have for free.
45.
You won t be eating out a lot, but save your pennies and once every few months treat yourself to a set lunch at a good restaurant—￡1.75 a week for three months gives you ￡21—more than enough for a three course lunch at Michelin starred Arbutus. It s ￡16.95 there—or ￡12.99 for a large pizza from Domino s: I know which I d rather eat.
Section III Translation
46.Directions:
Translate the following text from English to Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET 2.（15 points）
I can pick a date from the past 53 years and know instantly where I was, what happened in the news and even the day of the week. I ve been able to do this, since I was 4.
I never feel overwhelmed with the amount of information my brain absorbs. My mind seems to be able to cope and the information is stored away neatly. When I think of a sad memory, I do
what everybody does—try to put it to one side. I don t think it s harder for me just because my memory is clearer. Powerful memory doesn t make my emotions any more acute or vivid. I can recall the day my grandfather died and the sadness I felt when we went to the hospital the day before. I also remember that the musical Hair opened on Broadway on the same day—they both just pop into my mind in the same way.
Section IV Writing
Part A
47.Directions:
Suppose your class is to hold a charity sale for kids in need of help. Write your classmates an email to
1) inform them about the details and
2) encourage them to participate.
You should write about 100 words on ANSWER SHEET 2. Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter. Use “Li Ming” instead. Don t write your address.（10 points）Part B
48.Directions:
Write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing, you should
1) interpret the chart, and
2) give your comments.
You should write about 150 words.（15 points）
某高校学生兼职情况
【2013年试题超精解】
1.［答案］［A］
［考点］上下文逻辑关系
［解析］此类考题形式表明本题考查上下文之间存在的逻辑关系，理解上下文并破解其逻辑关系是解题的关键。空格所在句的上句大意为：我们可能马上就进入一个无现金社会；而本句大意为：一个无现金社会不太可能很快出现，由此可见上下文之间有转折关系。［A］项However意为“然而”，表转折，符合题意；［B］项Moreover意为“而且”，表递进；［C］项Therefore意为“因此”，表结果；［D］项Otherwise意为“否则”，表对比。
2.［答案］［D］
［考点］句内语义理解与介词辨析
［解析］根据空格所在句中的but可知，本句前后两个分句存在转折关系。第二个分句大意为：这样一个（无现金）社会的预言没有实现，所以第一个分句大意应该为：这样的预言已经进行（或存在）了二十年。［D］项around作表语，表示“在存在，在使用中”，符合题意。
3.［答案］［B］
［考点］上下文逻辑与名词辨析
［解析］该句大意为：《商业周刊》于1975年就预言电子支付“将很快彻底改变金钱的”。在无法猜测空格所需要词义的时候，我们可以采用“代入法”，即：把四个选项分别放入句子试验，从而确定正确选项。［A］项power意为“力量，权利”；［B］项concept意为“理念，概念”；［C］项history意为“历史”；［D］项role意为“角色”。电子支付将会改变金钱这一概念，由此可知［B］项符合题意。
4.［答案］［D］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词词义辨析
［解析］本句空格之前部分大意为：商业周刊于1975年就预言说电子支付“将彻底改变金钱这一概念”，only to意为“却；不料竟会”，表示结果出乎意料，itself指代商业周刊，由此推测空格中需要“否定”或者“推翻”等类似词义。［A］项reward意为“奖赏；报答”；［B］
项resist意为“抵制，抵抗”；［C］项resume意为“重新开始，继续”；［D］项reverse意为“推翻；使倒退；逆转”，故［D］符合题意。
5.［答案］［C］
［考点］上下文逻辑与形容词词义辨析
［解析］上文说明了早在1975年就有预言说无现金社会可能即将到来，而作者认为实际上真正的无现金社会不会马上到来，并通过事例证明。空格所在句子就是提问为什么会这样，也就是为什么无现金社会只可能缓慢到来，所以本题答案为［C］项slow。［A］项silent 意为“安静的，沉默的”；［B］项sudden意为“突然的”；［D］项steady意为“平稳的；固定的”，都与题意不符，故［D］排除。
6.［答案］［B］
［考点］上下文语义与动词词组辨析
［解析］上一段最后提问“为什么无现金社会的到来如此缓慢”，本段将分析其原因；同时，although引导的让步状语从句肯定了电子货币might be more convenient and may be more efficient(便捷，高效)，空格所在主句与从句之间存在转折关系，意思是说几个因素使得纸币系统不会消失。空格之前的动词work意为“起作用”；与［B］项构成work against,意为“违背，妨碍；起反作用”，符合题意；与［C］项构成work with,意为“与……共事，对……起作用”；与［D］项构成work on，意为“从事……工作，对……起作用”，都不符合题意，排除。
7.［答案］［B］
［考点］句内语义理解与形容词词义辨析
［解析］空格所在句为纸币支付“不会”消失的第一个原因，同时，空格中的形容词是对to set up the computer, card reader, and telecommunications networks（安装电脑、读卡器，建立通讯网络）的说明。［A］项imaginative意为“富有想象力的”，明显不符合句意；［B］项expensive意为“昂贵的”，符合句意；［C］项sensitive意为“敏感的，灵感的”，不符合句意；［D］项productive意为“多产的”，不符合句意。
8.［答案］［D］
［考点］上下文逻辑与形容词词义辨析
［解析］本段探讨电子货币不能取代纸币的原因，空格所在句意为“使得电子货币成为（什么性质的）支付方式”，由此推断，空格中需要“主流，主要，流行”等类似词义。［A］项similar意为“相似的”；［B］项original意为“原始的，独创的”；［C］项temporary意为“暂时的，临时的”，与题意不符，排除。［D］项dominant意为“统治的，处于支配地位的”，符合题意。
9.［答案］［B］
［考点］上下文逻辑与名词词义辨析
［解析］空格所在句是电子货币不会取代纸质货币的第二个原因，就是纸质支票的一个优点；能（什么）receipt（收据，发票；收入），由此推测空格中需要“提供”等类似词义。［A］项collect意为“收集”，与句意不符，排除；［B］项provide意为“提供”，符合句意；［C］项copy意为“复印”；［D］项print意为“打印”，不符合句意，排除。
10.［答案］［A］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词短语解析
［解析］空格中动词短语的宾语是something，指代上文的advantage，即：纸质支票支付具有能够提供收据这一优势，而这一优势人们自然是不会放弃的。由此推测空格中需要填入意为“放弃”之类的单词。［A］项give up意为“放弃”，符合题意；［B］项take over意为“接管”；［C］项bring back意为“拿回来；回想起”；［D］项pass down意为“使流传，一代传一代”，均不符合题意，可排除。
11.［答案］［A］
［考点］句内语义理解与连接词辨析
［解析］空格中是连接词，连接两个分句，前一分句大意为：需要花几天，后一分句大意为：纸质钞票兑现；同时本句最后which引导的定语从句也对空格所在部分发生的事情做了解释：这就意味着可以获得利息。由此推断空格所在部分大意为：支票开出几天后才会兑现，由此确定本题答案为［A］项before。
［注意］...time/times/number/amount/all...before…可视为固定句式，表示“多长时间/多少次数/多少数量/所有的都……才……”之意。
12.［答案］［D］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词词义辨析
［解析］空格所在部分与a check is cashed（支票兑现）通过and连接，为并列关系，语义相近；同时空格中被动态动词的主语为funds（资金）。由此推断空格中需要“提取，提款”等类似词义。［A］项kept意为“保持，保存”；［B］项borrowed意为“借，借款”；［C］项released意为“释放，发布”，均不符合题意，可排除。［D］项withdrawn意为“取钱，提款；撤退”，符合题意。
13.［答案］［C］
［考点］上下文逻辑与连接词辨析
［解析］空格所在句子的上一句已经说明一个事实：the use of paper checks gives con sumers several days of “float”,由此推断electronic payments are immediate（电子支付是即时的）是they eliminate the float for the consumer(排除了消费者的在途资金)的原因。［A］项Unless意为“除非”，表条件关系；［B］项Until意为“直到”，表示时间关系；［C］项Because 意为“因为，由于”，表因果关系，符合题意；［D］项Though意为“然而”，表让步关系。
14.［答案］［C］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词词义解析
［解析］空格中的动词为本句谓语动词，其主语是electronic means of payment（电子支付方式），宾语是security and privacy concerns（安全及隐私担忧）。由此推断空格中需要“引起”等类似词义。［A］项hide意为“躲藏；隐瞒”；［B］项express意为“表达”；［C］项raise 意为“引起；抬高；抚养”，符合题意；［D］项ease意为“减轻，缓解”。
15.［答案］［C］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词词义解析
［解析］空格之前提到hacker（黑客）能够进入电脑数据库，那么下一个动作就是修改存储于数据库的信息。［A］项analyzed意为“分析”；［B］项shared意为“分享，共有”；［C］项stored意为“储存”，符合题意；［D］项displayed意为“陈列，展示”。
16.［答案］［C］
［考点］上下文逻辑与形容词词义辨析
［解析］上一段最后一句提到我们常常听到黑客进入电脑数据库修改信息的事实，空格所在句中的this指代这一事实；同时，本句表示肯定，而前面又出现了否定词，所以要用双重否定，选填词汇意思应为不普遍的。［A］项unsafe意为“不安全的”；［B］项unnatural 意为“不自然的”；［C］项uncommon意为“不是普遍的”，符合题意。［D］项unclear意为“不清楚的”。
17.［答案］［A］
［考点］句内语义理解与动词词义辨析
［解析］空格中动词与access bank accounts in electronic payments systems(进入电子支付系统的银行账户)是并列谓语，其主语是dishonest persons（不诚实的人们），由此可以推断他们进入银行账户的下一个动作就是“偷窃”。［A］项steal意为“偷盗，偷窃”，符合题意；
2018年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试（课标全国卷Ⅲ） 英语 第一部分听力（共两节，满分30分） 第二部分阅读理解（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分） 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。 A Welcome to Holker Hall & Garden Visitor Information How to Get to Holker By car: Follow brown signs on A590 from. J36, M6. Approximate travel times: Windermere—20 minutes, Kendal—25 minutes, Lancaster—45 minutes, Manchester—l hour 30minutes By rail: the nearest station is Cark-in-Cartmel with trains to Carnforth. Lancaster and Preston for connections to major cities & airports. Opening times Sunday-Friday(closed on Saturday) 11:00 am-4;00pm, 30 March-2nd November. Admission Charges Hall & Gardens Gardens Adults: ￡12.00 ￡8.00 Gropes: ￡9.00 Special Events
Producers Market 13th April Join us to taste a variety of fresh local food and drinks. Meet the producers and get some excellent recipe ideas. Holker Garden Festival 30th May The event celebrates its 22nd anniversary with a great show of the very best of gardening, making it one of the most popular events in the gardening. National Garden Day 28th August Holker once again opens its gardens in aid of the disadvantaged. For just a small donation you can take a tour with our garden guide. Winter Market 8th November This is an event for all the family! Wander among a variety of shops selling gifts while enjoying a live music show and nice street entertainment. 21. How long does it probably take a tourist to drive to Holker from Manchester? A.20 minutes. B. 25 minutes. C.45 minutes. D. 90 minutes. 22. How much should a member of a tour group pay a visit to Hall & Gardens? A. ￡12.00. B. ￡9.00. C. ￡8.00 D. ￡5.50 23. Which event will you go to if you want to see a live music show? A. Producers Market. B. Holker Garden Festival C. National Garden Day. D. Winter Market B Cities usually have a good reason for being where they are, like a nearby port on river. People settle in these places because they are easy to get to and naturally suited to communications and trade. New
2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语（二）试题解析 Section I Use of English 1.【答案】A(However) 【解析】空前作者讲到“鉴于电子货币的优势,你也许会认为,我们将快速步入非现金社会,实现完全电子支付。”而空后说“真正的无现金社会很可能不会马上到来”这两句话语义是转折的，因此答案A。B. moreover表递进C. therefore 表结果D. Otherwise表对比 2.【答案】D (around) 【解析】由空格所在句的“but”得知，句子前后是转折关系。事实上,这样的预测已经二十年了,但迄今还没有实现。A. off 停止B. back 返回C. over 结束，与后文均不构成转折，故答案选D. around出现。 3.【答案】B (concept) 【解析】空格所在的句子意思为例如, 1975年《商业周刊》预测电子支付手段不久将“彻底改变货币本身的____”将四个选项带入，能够彻底改变的对象只能是金钱的概念(定义)，而A“力量”,C“历史”,D“角色”，语义都不恰当，并且如果选择role的话，应该是复数roles, 因为是金钱的作用不止一个，故答案选B。 4.【答案】D (reverse) 【解析】空格填入的动词跟前面的动词revolutionize (变革)意思上应该是同义替换的，要选择含有变革，彻底改变意思的词汇，四个选项中A. reward 奖励B. 抵抗C. resume 重新开始，继续，都不合适，只有D选项reverse“颠覆”最为贴切，本句译为“电子支付方式不久将改变货币的定义,并将在数年后颠覆货币本身。” 5.【答案】C (slow) 【解析】根据前面的句意得知，早在1975年就预测了无现金社会将到来，而实际上作者讲到“真正的无现金社会很可能不会马上到来”，因此也得出这种变革是一个缓慢的过程，故答案选择C。A. silent沉寂的，B. sudden突然的，D. steady稳定不变的。 6.【答案】B (against) 【解析】上一段末句提出本段的论点，即人们进入无现金时代的速度缓慢的原因。因此本段应围绕纸币系统不会消失来阐述。而且由句首的Although得知，空格所在句与前一句是转折关系。尽管电子支付手段可能比纸币支付方式更加高效，然而以下几个方面解释了纸币系统“不会”消失的原因，故答案选B，work against妨碍，对…产生消极影响。A. work for 为…而工作C. work with 与…共事，对…起作用D. work on 从事…工作，对…起作用，都不合适。 7.【答案】B (expensive) 【解析】本句陈述的原因都是关于上句提到的传统支付方式的优点，即推广电子支付方式不利之处。所以根据这个基调，得出选项productive不对，最后根据空后的内容推理出消极意思的选项expensive，其他选项意思放到空格处不合理，imaginative，意思是“虚构的、富于想象力的”;sensitive，意思是“敏感的、容易受伤的”。故本题正确答案为B。 8.【答案】D(dominant) 【解析】空格所在句译为...使得电子货币成为____支付方式，将四个选项带入，C, D是比较恰当的，再结合本文章的主旨，应该选择“占主导地位的，支配地位”这层意思的D 选项。A. similar 相似的B. original原始的，独创的,都不合适。 9.【答案】B (provide) 【解析】纸质支票支付能够____收据,这是和电子支付相比的一大优势，A. collect 收集收据，C. copy 复印收据，D. print打印收据都和实际生活不符合。应该是B. provide提供
2011年7月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试 英语（二）试卷 I. Vocabulary and. Structure (10 points, 1 point each) 从下列各句四个选项中选出一个最佳答案，并在答题卡上将相应的字母涂黑。 1 .Students should_____their own interests as well as do their schoolwork. A. persuade B .pursue C. persist 2. I'd like to remind you that there is no_____on the part of suspects to answer questions. A. obligation 3. He blamed his poor performance_____jet lag. B .for 4 .We_____knowledge from our families,schools,jobs,and the mass media. 5. Not until recently_____that Thompson had ben telling the truth all along. realized I realize did realize I 6. I don’t need any help at the moment,but I_____your offer. 7 .The sad condition of women working as house servants around the world received much media_____early this year. A .importance B. attention 8 .She has no hostility to us, _____can be judged from her eyes. A. that 9 .When you're_____ a crisis, it often helps to talk to someone. through in for after over on whether the message is right or wrong should at least come after _____what the message is. out out out out II. Cloze Test (10 points,1 point each) 下列短文中有十个空白，每个空白有四个选项。根据上下文要求选出最佳答案，并在答题卡上将相应的字母涂黑。 People in all parts of the world are observing "No Tobacco Day". It is the day 11 the World Health Organization (WHO) appeals to people to stop using tobacco products. WHO hopes if people stop smoking cigarettes or 12 tobacco for one day, they will stop permanently. Health experts have warned for years that smoking can lead to heart disease, cancer and other 13 ．WHO says diseases linked to smoking kill 14 2,500,000 persons each year. Still, many people find it 15 stopping smoking. One reason is nicotine, a substance found in cigarettes. Nicotine is a drug. Its effects are 16 those of cocaine and heroin. "No Tobacco Day" is intended for smokers and 17 who earn money from tobacco sales. So businesses are urged to stop selling tobacco products for twenty-four hours. 18 are urged not to carry advertisements for cigarettes. WHO has approved plans to help reach its 19 of a "smoke-free" world. They urge governments to take action to help 20 make money by growing other crops. They also call for improved public information campaigns about the risks of smoking. 11. A. whether B. which C. when D. what
2013考研英语阅读真题：考研英语（二）第1篇 In an essay, entitled “Making It in America,” the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.” Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle-class incomes today is largely because of the big drop in demand because of the Great Recession, but it is also because of the advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers. In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius.
全国卷高考英语真题 Standardization of sany group #QS8QHH-HHGX8Q8-GNHHJ8-HHMHGN#
绝密★启用前 2017年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试 英语 本试卷共150分，共14页。考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。注意事项： 1.答题前，考生先将自己的姓名、准考证号码填写清楚，将条形码准确粘贴在条形码区域内。 2.选择题必须使用2B铅笔填涂；非选择题必须使用毫米黑字迹的签 字笔书写，字体工整，笔迹清楚。 3.请按照题号顺序在各题目的答题区域内作答，超出答题区域书写的答案无效；在草稿纸、试题卷上答题无效。 4.作图可先用铅笔画出，确定后必须用黑色字迹的签字笔描黑。 5.保持卡面清洁，不要折叠、不要弄破、弄皱，不准使用涂改液、修正带、刮纸刀。 第一部分听力（共两节，满分30分）
做题时，先将答案标在试卷上，录音结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。 第一节（共5小题，每小题分，满分分） 听下面5段对话，每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳答案。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。 例：How much is the shirt A．￡B．￡C．￡ 答案是C。 1．What will the woman do this afternoon A．Do some exercise. B．Go shopping. C． Wash her clothes. 2．Why does the woman call the man A ．To cancel a flight. B． To make an apology. C． To put off a meeting. 3．How much more does David need for the car A．$ 5,000. B．$20,000. C．$25,000.
2020年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语（二）试题及答案 【完型填空答案解析】 今年完形填空的难度系数很小，基本无生词，长难句也很少。讲的是家长对孩子要有耐心，属于比较生活的话题。下面我们一起来看一下答案及解析。 1.【答案】D tricky 【解析】此处考察词义辨析+上下文语境。文章首段首句为主题句：每位父母都想成为好的父母。空格句开头为but，句意上出现了转折，“但是如何定义好的父母是个难题”，since后给出了原因，“因为不同的孩子对待同样的养育方式反应也是不同的”。tricky意为“棘手的，困难的”，符合句意。 2.【答案】B for example 【解析】此处考察上下文逻辑关系。前面说了不同的孩子对待同样的养育方式反应也是不同的，此句为例证，如果换一种养育方式，一个冷静而听话的孩子可能会比他的弟弟或妹妹反应更好些。所以用表示举例分析的for example最合适，其他选项另外、偶尔、意外地都不合适。 3.【答案】A Fortunately 【解析】此处考察副词词义辨析+上下文语境。空格所在句指出：还有一类父母描述起来会容易一些，这类就是非常耐心的父母。第一段告诉我们如何定义怎样才是好的父母是个难题，这里在上下文文义上是个转折，幸运地是/还好，有一类父母比较容易定义，并且各个年龄段的孩子都可以从他们的养育方式中获益。故选Fortunately，其他选项偶尔，对应地，最终地都不合适。 4.【答案】C describe 【解析】此处考察动词词义辨析+上下文语境。第一段告诉我们如何定义怎样才是好的父母是个难题，第二段出现转折说但是有一类父母很好描述/定义，describe与define相呼应，故选C符合句意。 5.【答案】A while 【解析】此处考察上下文逻辑关系。空格所在句指出：虽然每位父母都想成为耐心的父母，但这并不容易。逗号前后为转折关系，四个选项中while表转折，选A符合句意。 6.【答案】B task 【解析】此处考察名词词义辨析。虽然每位父母都想成为耐心的父母，但这不是个容易的差事/任务。task 意为任务，其余选项答案，选择，途径/权限都不合适，故选B符合句意。 7.【答案】A tolerant 【解析】此处考察形容词词义辨析。空格所在句指出有时父母会很累很沮丧，这时候对待孩子就很难沉着冷静(composed)和包容。tolerant意为包容的，故选A符合句意。 8.【答案】C push 【解析】此处考察动词词义辨析+上下文语境。你也不是圣人/你也只是普通人，而且有时候孩子会把你逼的很紧。push为催促/紧逼，此处move(移动，使感动)，drag(拖拽)，send(发送)均不符合句意，故选C。 9.【答案】D inevitable
全国至自学考试英语二历年真题及答案全集 Last revision on 21 December 2020
2014年4月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试 英语（二）试题答案及评分参考 第一部分：阅读选择（第1-10题，每题1分，共10分） 第二部分：阅读判断（第11-15题，每题2分，共10分） 第三部分：概括段落大意和补全句子（第16-25题，每题1分，共10分） 第四部分：填句补文（第26-30题，每题1分，共10分） 第五部分：填词补文（第31-40题，每题1分，共10分） 第六部分：完型补文（第41-50题，每题分，共15分） 绝密★启用前 2014年10月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试 英语（二）试题答案及评分参考 （课程代码00015） 第一部分：阅读判断（第1~10题，每题1分，共10分） 1、B 2、B 3、A 4、C 5、B 6、C 7、A 8、A 9、B 10、A 第二部分：阅读选择（第11~15题，每题2分，共10分）
11、D 12、A 13、C 14、B 15、A 第三部分：概括段落大意和补全句子（第16~25题，每题1分，共10分） 16、C 17、D 18、A 19、B 20、F 21、D 22、F 23、E 24、A 25、C 第四部分：填句补文（第26~30题，每题2分，共10分） 26、C 27、E 28、A 29、F 30、B 第五部分：填句补文（第31~40题，每题分，共15分） 31、G 32、I 33、B 34、H 35、A 36、K 37、C 38、E 39、L 40、J 第六部分：完形补文（第41~50题，每题分，共15分） 41、born 42、resulted 43、growth 44、manufacturing 45、moved 46、addition 47、fewer 48、machines 49、unnecessary 50、unemployment 【评分参考】本部分无分和1分的计分。语法错误或拼写错误均不给分；英、美拼写均可接受；大小写错误不扣分。 第七部分：短文写作（第51题，30分） 51.范文（略）
2013年10月真题解析 2013年10月高等教育自学考试 全国统一命题考试 英语（二）试卷真题解析 （课程代码00015） 本试卷分为选择题和非选择题两部分，满分100分，考试时间150分钟。 第一部分为选择题。考生必须在“答题卡”上按要求填涂作答。 第二部分为非选择题。 第一部分选择题 一、阅读判断（第1—10题，共10分） 短文后列出10个句子，根据短文内容判断每个句子。A是正确，B是错误，C是文中未提及。 Farms Appear in Cities When you h ear the word “farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops. But scientists say the farms of the future could be built in tall buildings in some large cities. It may be difficult to believe, but in fact, the technology for growing crops in doors already exists. Farming in the city is already happening. Some vegetables are already grown in greenhouses. Even the scientists at the South Pole research station can enjoy fresh vegetables they grow in their own greenhouse. Experts say indoor farming solves many problems. First, traditional farming takes up a lot of land. Growing crops in tall buildings — called vertical farming（垂直农业）— can solve the problem. Also, fruits and vegetables grown indoors would not face serious threats from insects and weather. Though vertical farms don’t exist yet, experts have created a plan for recycling in such farms. The water from indoor fish ponds would be used to water crops. Gases from crop waste would be used to heat the building. Waste from chicken or pigs would be reused as a source of energy. But experts believe vertical farming is not going to be easy. They say it can be difficult to control climate conditions indoors. Besides, Plants differ in their weather and lighting needs. For example, some plants like warm, sunny weather, but other plants prefer cooler temperatures. That’s not to say these difficulties won’t be overcome —but it will take time. Most experts suggest it may take about 5 to 15 years before the first vertical farms could be created. 【参考译文】 农场出现在城市里（城中农场） 当听到“农场”一词，你可能联想到乡下的母牛和庄稼等等。但科学家说，未来的农场可能会建在一些大城市的高楼里。 此事可能难以置信，可是事实上，在室内种庄稼已经存在了。城市里的农场已经出现，某些蔬菜已经在温室里生长。甚至在南极科考站，科学家们能享用他们在温室里自己栽种的新鲜蔬菜。 据专家们说室内农场可以解决许多问题。首先，传统农场占据大片土地。在高楼里种庄稼（称之为垂直农业）可以解决此问题。再者说，水果和蔬菜室内种植不会受到害虫和气候的威胁。 尽管垂直农场尚未成为现实，但是专家们已经在一些农场创建了再循环计划：把室内养鱼池的水用于浇灌农作物，把来自于农作物的废气用于建筑物的供热，来自于鸡和猪的粪便重新利用作为能源。 但是专家认为垂直农业并不是一件容易的事。他们说，控制室内气候环境是困难的。除此之外，植物对气候和光照需求有差异。例如，一些植物喜好温暖、阳光普照的气候，但另一些植物更喜欢较凉爽的温度。 并不是说这些困难不能克服——但是这将需要花时间。大多数专家指出，建立起第一个垂直农场可能需要五年到十五年的时间。 word “farm” may m ake you think of the countryside. Given [答疑编号0101]
绝密★启用前 2010年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试 英语 本试卷分第一卷(选择题)和第二卷(非选择题)两部分。第一卷1至l4页。第二 卷15至16页。考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。 第一卷 注意事项： 1. 答题前．考生在答题卡上务必用直径0．5毫米黑色墨水签字笔将自己的姓名、准考证号填写清楚，并贴好条形码。请认真核准条形码上的准考证号、姓名租科目。 2. 每小题选出答案后，用2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑，如需改动， 用橡皮擦干净后,再选涂其他答案标号，在试题卷上作答无效 ．．．．．．．．．。 第一部分听力(共两节，满分30分) 做题时，先将答案标在试卷上。录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的 答案转涂到答题卡上。 第一节(共5小题；每小题l 5分，满分7．5分) 听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、c三个选项中选出 最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有l0秒钟的时间来回答有关 小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。 例：How much is the shirt? A￡19.15 8￡9.15 C￡9.18 答案是B。 1 What will Dorothy do on the weekend? A Go out with her friend B Work on l her paper C Make some plans 2. What was the normal price of the T-shirt? A.$15 B.$30. C.$50.
3 What has the woman decided to do On Sunday afternoon? A To attend a wedding B To visit an exhibition C To meet a friend 4 When does the bank close on Sa turday? A At l：00 pm B At 3：00 pm C At 4：00 pm 5 Where are the speakers? A In a store B In a classroom C At a hotel 第二节(共15小题;每小题1 5分，满分22 .5分) 听下面5段对话或独自。每段对话或独自后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独自读两遍。 听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。 6 What do we know about Nora? A She prefers a room of her own B She likes to work with other girls C She lives near the city center． 7 .What is good about the flat? A It has a large sitting room B It has good furniture C It has a big kitchen 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。 8 Where has Barbara been? A Milan
绝密★启用前 2018年全国硕士研究生招生考试 英语（二） （科目代码：204） ☆考生注意事项☆ 1.答题前，考生须在试题册指定位置上填写考生编号和考生姓名；在答题卡 指定位置上填写报考单位、考生姓名和考生编号,并涂写考生编号信息点。 2.考生须把试题册上的“试卷条形码”粘贴条取下，粘贴在答题卡的“试卷 条形码粘贴位置”框中。不按规定粘贴条形码而影响评卷结果的，责任由考生自负。 3.选择题的答案必须涂写在答题卡相应题号的选项上，非选择题的答案必须 书写在答题卡指定位置的边框区域内。超出答题区域书写的答案无效；在草稿纸、试题册上答题无效。 4.填（书）写部分必须使用黑色字迹签字笔书写，字迹工整、笔迹清楚；涂 写部分必须使用2B铅笔填涂。 5.考试结束，将答题卡和试题册按规定交回。 （以下信息考生必须认真填写） 考生编号 考生姓名
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 the ANSWER SHEET.(10points) Why do people read negative Internet comments and do other things that will obviously be painful?Because humans have an inherent need to1uncertainty, according to a recent study in Psychological Science.The new research reveals that the need to know is so strong that people will2to satisfy their curiosity even when it is clear the answer will3. In a series of four experiments,behavioral scientists at the University of Chicago and the Wisconsin School of Business tested students’willingness to4themselves to unpleasant stimuli in an effort to satisfy curiosity.For one5,each participant was shown a pile of pens that the researcher claimed were from a previous experiment.The twist?Half of the pens would6an electric shock when clicked. Twenty-seven students were told which pens were electrified;another twenty-seven were told only that some were electrified.7left alone in the room, the students who did not know which ones would shock them clicked more pens and incurred more shocks than the students who knew what would8.Subsequent experiments reproduced this effect with other stimuli,9the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard and photographs of disgusting insects. The drive to10is deeply rooted in humans,much the same as the basic drives for11or shelter,says Christopher Hsee of the University of Chicago. Curiosity is often considered a good instinct–it can12new scientific advances, for instance–but sometimes such13can backfire.The insight that curiosity can drive you to do14things is a profound one. Unhealthy curiosity is possible to15,however.In a final experiment, participants who were encouraged to16how they would feel after viewing an unpleasant picture were less likely to17to see such an image.These results suggest that imagining the18of following through on one’s curiosity ahead of time can help determine19it is worth the endeavor.“Thinking about long-term 20is key to reducing the possible negative effects of curiosity,”Hsee says.In other words,don’t read online comments.
2019 年 10 月髙等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试 英语 (二）试卷 （课程代码： 00015） 本试卷共 8 页，满分 100 分，考试时间 150 分钟。 考生答卷前必须将自己的姓名和准考证号写在答题卡上。 必须在答题卡上答题，写在试卷上的答案无效。 第一部分：阅读判断（第1? 10 题，每题 1 分，共 10 分） 下面的短文后列出了10 个句子，请根据短文的内容对每个句子作出判断：如果 该句提供的是正确信息，选择A；如果该句提供的是错误信息，选择B;如果该句的信息文中没有提及，选择C。在答题卡相应位置上将答案选项涂黑。 To Lease(租赁 ) or Not to Lease Planning to lease a car because you don't think you can afford to buy? Think again. Leasing can end up being just as expensive as buying. Most people think about leasing because they believe it will cost them less money. They're right-it is cheaper, but only in the short term. For example, if you were to lease anew Subaru Forester, you might pay $300 per month for the car. If you were to buy the same car, you would pay about $400 per month. Over a three-year, you would save $3600-a big savings. But after your lease is over, you have to give the car back. Many people want to lease because they can drive a more expensive car than they might otherwise be able to afford. For example, if you spend $300 monthly on a car, you might be able to lease a new Ford Explorer. For the same price, you might
2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语（二）试题 Section I Use 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） Given the advantages of electronic money, you might think that we would move quickly to the cashless society in which all payments are made electronically.1, a true cashless society is probably not around the corner. Indeed, predictions of such a society have been2for two decades but have not yet come to fruition. For example, Business Week predicted in 1975 that electronic only to 4itself several means of payment “would s oon revolutionize the very3of money itself,” years later. Why has the movement to a cashless society been so5in coming? Although e money might be more convenient and may be more efficient than a payments system based on paper, several factors work6the disappearance of the paper system. First, it is very7to set up the computer, card reader, and telecommunications networks necessary to make electronic money the8form of payment. Second, paper checks have the advantage that they9receipts, something that many consumers are unwilling to10. Third, the use of paper checks it takes several days11a check is cashed and funds gives consumers several days of “float”— are12from the issuer s account, which means that the writer of the check can earn interest on the funds in the meantime.13electronic payments are immediate, they eliminate the float for the consumer. Fourth, electronic means of payment may14security and privacy concerns. We often hear media reports that an unauthorized hacker has been able to access a computer database and to alter information15there. The fact that this is not an16occurrence means that dishonest persons might be able to access bank accounts in electronic payments systems and17from someone else s accounts. The18of this type of fraud is no easy task, and a new field of computer science is developing to19security issues. A further concern is that the use of electronic means of payment leaves an electronic20that contains a large amount of personal data on buying habits. There are worries that government, employers, and marketers might be able to access these data, thereby violating our privacy. 1. ［A］However