全国2008年4月高等教育自学考试英语阅读(一)试
题
全国XXXX年4月高等教育自学考试英语阅读(一)试题课程代码:00595
I.CAREFULREADING
Readthefollowingpassagescarefully.Decideonthebestanswerandwriteth ecorrespondingletterontheANSWERSHEET.(40points,2pointseach)
Passage1
Questions1to5arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
Hewasafunnylookingmanwithacheerfulface,goodnaturedandagreattalker .Hewasdescribedbyhisstudent,thegreatphilosopherPlato,as“thebestandmo stjustandwisestman”.Yetthissamemanwascondemned(判刑)todeathforhisbeliefs.
ThemanwastheGreekphilosopher,Socrates,andhewascondemnedfornotbeli evingintherecognizedgodsandforcorruptingyoungpeople.Thesecondchargest emmedfromhisassociationwithnumerousyoungmenwhocametoAthensfromallover thecivilizedworldtostudyunderhim.
Socrates’methodofteachingw astoaskquestionsand,bypretendingnottok nowtheanswers,topresshisstudentsintothinkingforthemselves.Histeaching shadunsurpassedinfluenceonallthegreatGreekandRomanschoolsofphilosophy .Yet,despitehisfameandinfluence,Socrateshimselfneverwroteaword.
Socratesencouragednewideasandfreethinkingintheyoung,andthiswasfri ghteningtotheconservativepeople.Theywantedhimsilenced.Yet,manywerepro bablysurprisedthatheaccepteddeathsoreadily.
Socrateshadtherighttoaskforalesserpenalty,andheprobablycouldhavew onoverenoughofthepeoplewhohadpreviouslycondemnedhim.ButSocrates,asafi rmbelieverinlaw,reasonedthatitwaspropertosubmittothedeathsentence.Soh ecalmlyacceptedhisfateanddrankacupofpoisoninthepresenceofhisgrief-str ickenfriendsandstudents.
1.AccordingtoPlato’sdescription,Socrates_______.
A.wasafunnyandgood-temperedman
B.wasthemostjustandintelligentman
C.hadaspecialwaytoattracthisstudents
D.hadcloserelationshipswithhisstudents
2.SocrateswascondemnedforallthefollowingreasonsEXCEPT________.
A.doubtingthepubliclyrecognizedgods
B.corruptingtheyoungpeoplewithhisteachings
C.groupingstudentstogethertostudyunderhim
D.pressinghislistenersintothinkingforthemselves
3.Socrates’teachingwasintendedto_________.
A.encourageindependentthinking
B.winovertheconservativepeople
C.informstudentsofhisradicalideas
D.leadhisaudiencetobedisobedient
4.Theword“unsurpassed”inthethirdparagraphisclosestinmeaningto__ ___.
A.untold
B.unequalled
C.unnoticed
D.unexpected
5.Socratesreadilyacceptedthedeathpenaltybecauseof_______.
A.hisdisregardfordeath
B.hisdisbeliefingods
C.hiscontemptforconservatives
D.hisbeliefinthelegalsystem
Passage2
Questions6to10arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
Likemanyofmygeneration,Ihaveaweaknessforheroworship.Atsomepoint,h owever,weallbegintoquestionourheroesandourneedforthem.Thisleadsustoas k:Whatisahero?
Despiteimmensedifferencesincultures,heroesaroundtheworldgenerally shareanumberofcharacteristicsthatinstructandinspirepeople.
Aherodoessomethingworthtalkingabout.Aherohasastoryofadventuretote llandacommunitywhowilllisten.Butaherogoesbeyondmerefame.Heroesservepo wersorprincipleslargerthanthemselves.Likehigh-voltagetransformers,her oestaketheenergyofhigherpowersandstepitdownsothatitcanbeusedbyordinar ypeople.
Theherolivesalifeworthyofimitation.Thosewhoimitateagenuineheroexp eriencelifewithnewdepth,enthusiasm,andmeaning.Asuretestforwould-beher oesiswhatorwhomdotheyserve?Whataretheywillingtoliveanddiefor?Iftheans werorevidencesuggeststheyserveonlytheirownfame,theymaybefamouspersons butnotheroes.MadonnaandMichaelJacksonarefamous,butwhowouldclaimthatth eirfansfindlifemoreabundant?
Heroesarecatalysts(催化剂)forchange.Theyhaveavisionfromthemountaintop.Theyhavetheskillandthe charmtomovethemasses.Theycreatenewpossibilities.WithoutGandhi,Indiami ghtstillbepartoftheBritishEmpire.WithoutRosaParksandMartinLutherKing, Jr.,wemightstillhavesegregated(实行种族隔离的)buses,restaurants,andparks.Itmaybepossibleforlarge-scalechangetooc curwithoutleaderswithmagneticpersonalities,butthepaceofchangewouldbes low,thevisionuncertain,andthecommitteemeetingsendless.
6.Heroesmaycomefromdifferentcultures,butthey_______.
A.generallysharesomeinspiringcharacteristics
B.probablysharesomeweaknessesofordinarypeople
C.areofteninfluencedbytheirpreviousgenerations
D.areoftenpursuedbyalargenumberoffans
7.Accordingtothepassage,heroesarecomparedtohigh-volta