08大学英语竞赛
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2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题(C级)Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. So nervous ________ that she didn't know how to start her speech.A. since she becameB. would she becomeC. that she becameD. did she become32. He ________ another career but, at the time, he just wanted to earn money to study abroad.A. might have chosenB. might chooseC. had to chooseD. must have chosen33. The second report was ________ by August 2005, but one year later it was still nowhere in sight.A. submittedB. to have submittedC. to submitD. to have been submitted34. In this experiment, the students studied are stopped several times during the listening test and asked to report what they ________ during the pause before answering the questions.A. had just been thinking aboutB. have just been thinking aboutC. are just thinking aboutD. had just thought about35. I was always taught that it was ________ to interrupt.A. rudeB. coarseC. roughD. crude36. Small boys are ________ questioners. They ask questions all the time.A. originalB. peculiarC. imaginativeD. persistent37. We regret to inform you that the materials you ordered are ________.A. out of workB. out of reachC. out of stockD. out of practice38. The bomb will ________ the moment it is touched.A. go onB. go offC. go outD. go over39. The car won't ________; I've tried it several times, but it won't work.A. beginB. launchC. startD. drive40. Children and old people do not like having their daily ________ upset.A. habitB. routineC. practiceD. custom41. In your first few days at school you'll be given a test to help the teachers to ________ you to a class at your level.A. locateB. assignC. deliverD. place42. China only started its nuclear power industry in recent years, and should ________ no time in catching up.A.loseB.delayC. spareD. relieve43. — You did an excellent job yesterday, Jim! I really enjoyed your presentation.— ________— Oh yeah, it was fabulous. It seems the English program is a great way to practice English.— Yeah. It is fun and motivating.A. Did you really?B. Oh, thank you. You are so kind.C. Really? What about yours?D. Not at all. My pleasure.44. — What kind of music do you like?— Well, I like different kinds.— ________— Er, I especially like punk rock.A. I beg your pardon?B. Are you serious?C. Any in particular?D. Why do you think so?45. — How did you like the fashion show last night?— ________—I didn't see anything wrong with the clothes; they looked pretty nice to me.— Do you really think people can wear that stuff and walk around in streets?A. Impressive. It's a good way to show off women's sense of style and wealth.B. It was cool. The clothes are more beautiful than the people wearing them.C. Nothing serious. It's only a show to attract the eyes of fashion fans.D. It was dumb. I think it's stupid for women to wear clothes like that.Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (4 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 4 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-49 are based on the following passage.The ability to “see” oneself in the future is a remarkable human trait - some would say unique - that is not well understood. That's despite the fact that we probably spend as much time thinking about the future as we do thinking about the present.Now new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that it's precisely because we can remember the past that we can visualize the future. “Our findings provide convincing support for the idea that memory and future thought are highly interrelated and help explain why future thought may be impossible without memories,” says doctoral candidate Karl Szpunar. The fin dings are consistent withother research showing that persons with little memory of the past, such as young children or individuals suffering from loss of memory, are less able to see themselves in the future.The researchers base their conclusions on brain scans of 21 college students who were cued to think about something in their past, and anticipate the same event in the future, like a birthday or getting lost. The experiment was carried out as each student lay on their stomach in a magnetic resonance imaging machine, a dreadful but very useful piece of equipment that can show which areas of the brain are stimulated during specific thought processes.The students were also asked to picture former President Bill Clinton in a past and future setting. Clinton was chosen because he was easily recognized and familiar to all the students.The researchers found a “surprisingly complete overlap” among regions of the brain used for remembering the student's past and those used for picturing the future. And every region involved in remembering was also used in anticipating the future.In short, the researchers isolated the area of the brain that “lit up” when the students thought about an event in their own past. And more importantly, that same area lit up again when they thought about a similar event in their future. In fact, the researchers report that the brain activity was so similar in both cases that it was “indistinguishable.”The findings were reinforced when students imagined Bill Clinton. Since none of them knew him personally, their memories were not autobiographical. And the brain scans showed “significantly less” correlation between memories of having seen pictures of Clinton in the White House and projecting him into the future.So this “time machine,” as the researchers describe it, allows us to use the past to see ourselves in the future, and both our memories and our anticipation are interdependent.46. A remarkable human trait that is not well understood is the ability ________.A. to think about the pastB. to see the futureC. to remember the pastD. to control the present47. The findings support that ________.A. future goals will greatly influence a person's present performanceB. a person's present performance is determined by his / her past knowledgeC. future thought depends to a great degree on the memory of the pastD. present thought is impossible without the ability to imagine the future48. The conclusion of the experiment on students was that ________.A. the students could picture themselves better than Bill Clinton in a past and future settingB. the students could imagine themselves as well as Bill Clinton in a past and future settingC. the students could anticipate Bill Clinton better than themselves in a past and future settingD. the students could only picture themselves in a past and future setting but not Bill Clinton49. This “time machine” in the last paragraph most probably refers to ________.A. clockB. brain scanningC. magnetic resonance imagingD. memorySection B (14 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet. For questions 50-55, mark Y (for YES)if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO)if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage. For questions 56-59, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Visiting the White HouseWhite House Tours Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday , and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.White House Visitor CenterAll tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.Mobility-Impaired / Using a WheelchairGuests requiring the loan of a wheelchair should notify the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building upon arrival.Wheelchairs loans are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not possible.Visitors in wheelchairs, or with other mobility disabilities, on the Congressional guided or self-guided tours, between 8:00 a.m. and 12 noon, use the same Visitor entrance and, with up to four members of their party, are admitted without waiting in line and without tickets.Visitors in wheelchairs are escorted by ramp from the entrance level to the ground floor, and by elevator from the ground to the state floor. Guests generally wait in line with their family or group.Hearing-ImpairedTours for hearing-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. Tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer conducts the tour in sign language. Signed tours are available to groups of 8 to 20. Groups are also encouraged to bring their own interpreters.Signing interpretation is also available for individual visitors with advance notice. A Congressional office first issues guided tour tickets to a guest who is hearing-impaired and then contacts the Visitors Office at least 2 weeks in advance to request interpreter service.The Visitors Office TDD (telephone device for the deaf) is 202-456-2121. Messages may be left outside normal business hours.Visually-ImpairedTours for visually-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. The tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer permits visitors to touch specific objects in the House. Touch tours are currently available only to groups of 8 to 20, not to individual visitors. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.General Tour InformationAll White House tours are free. Changes in tour schedules are occasionally made because of official events. Notice may not be given until that morning. The Visitors Office 24-hour Information Line recording at 202-456-7041 provides the mostup-to-date information. The TDD is 202-456-2121. Visitors should confirm tour schedules by calling the information line the night before and the morning that they plan to visit. It is occasionally necessary to close individual rooms on the tour; however, notice about closed rooms is not possible.Prohibited ItemsProhibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons / devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items. Umbrellas, wallets, cell phones and car keys are permitted.Please note that no storage facilities are available on or around the complex. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.ParkingThe closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.Restrooms / Public TelephonesThe nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms or public telephones are not available at the White House.50. Both Congressional guided and self-guided tours need to be scheduled in advance.51. All White House tours are free of charge except on federal holidays.52. The White House Visitor Center provides free drinks but not food service.53. Wheelchair reservation service is provided by the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building.54. Hearing-impaired visitors can request signing interpretation service from the Visitors Office.55. Touch tours are currently only offered to visually-impaired groups of 8 to 20.56. Sometimes official events make it necessary to close ________________ without notice.57. The personal items permitted to be carried into the White House are________________.58. The transportation visitors are encouraged to use is ________________.59. Inside the White House, visitors cannot find or use restrooms or________________.Section C (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in as few words as possible (not more than 10 words). Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 60-64 are based on the following passage.If you were on a distant planet, and if you had instruments that could tell you the composition of Earth's atmosphere, how would you know there was life on this planet?Water in the atmosphere would suggest there could be water on the surface, and as we all know water is considered crucial to life. But water would only suggest that life is possible. It wouldn't prove it's there.Carbon? That basic component of “life as we know it?” Not necessarily. A diamond is pure carbon, and it may be pretty, but it isn't alive.What really sets Earth apart is nitrogen, which makes up 80 percent of the planet's atmosphere. And it's there only because there is abundant life on Earth, say scientists at the University of Southern California.The report grew out of a class discussion two years ago in a course taught by Capone and Kenneth Nealson, professor of earth sciences. Students were asked to come up with different ideas about searching for life on other planets. What is a distinct “signature,” as Capone puts it, that would show there is life on another planet?That's a question that has been kicked around in many quarters in recent decades, especially since all efforts to find some form of life, no matter whether on Mars or in the distant reaches of space, have failed. At least so far.The current effort to search for some evidence of life on Mars focuses primarily on the search for water, because it has long been believed that water, or at least some fluid, is necessary for the chemical processes that lead life to take place. But that's probably the wrong approach, the USC group argues.“It's ha rd to imagine life without water, but it's easy to imagine water without life,” says Nealson, who was on the Mars team before moving to USC.But nitrogen would be a much clearer signature of life. Only about 2 percent to 3 percent of the Martian atmosphere is nitrogen. That's just a trace, and it probably means there is no life on Mars today, and if there was in the past, it probably ended many, many years ago.But, the USC team adds quickly, that doesn't mean there's no life anywhere else in the universe. They don't know where, of course, but they may have found a way to narrow down the search. Look first for nitrogen, then look for biological activity that should be there.So if life exists elsewhere, and is similar to life as we know it, there should be nitrogen, and that's what we should be looking for first, the researchers say.If they don't find nitrogen on Mars, Capone says, “that will probably bring us to the conclusion that there likely never was life on Mars.”But how about elsewhere? Could this technique be used to search for life in other solar systems?Maybe. It might be possible to detect a nitrogen-rich atmosphere around a planet orbiting another star, but not yet. Current instruments aren't that sensitive.If they ever are, the search for life might be narrowed down to the most promising prospects, chiefly because of the presence of nitrogen. And won't that be fun!Questions:60. What can suggest life is possible but cannot be proved according to the author?61. What is a cl ear “signature” of life on another planet according to Capone?62. What is considered as a wrong way to search for evidence of life on Mars?63. What can probably prove there is no life on Mars today based on the new theory?64. Why is it impossible to use the new technique to search for life in other solar systems now?Section D (12 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing a maximum of three words from the passage to fill in the spaces 65-70. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 65-70 are based on the following passage.In August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete in the Beijing Olympics. But did you know that in September of next year, disabled athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in Beijing?The Olympics and the Paralympics are separate movements. But they have always been held in the same year, and since 1988, they have also been held in the same city. The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to secure this connection. The next winter games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010.The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition held in 1948 in England and a doctor named Ludwig Guttmann organized it for men who suffered spinal cord injuries in World War II. Four years later, it became an international event as competitors from the Netherlands took part. Then, in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. By 2004, the Paralympic Games in Athens had almost 4000 athletes from 136 countries, who may have physical or mental limitations and may be blind or in wheelchairs. Yet sometimes they perform better than athletes without disabilities.In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, started the Special Olympics, which are just for children and adults with mental limitations and whose programs currently serve more than two million people in 160 countries. In November 2006, in Mumbai, India, teams competed in the First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup. In addition to India, there were men's teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. There were also women's cricket teams from India and Pakistan.There are many organizations in the United States that help people with disabilities play sports. Wheelchair tennis is a popular sport. So is basketball. In fact, there are more than one hundred professional teams playing wheelchair basketball thanks to the special wheelchairs for athletes that are lightweight and designed for quick moves. For people who want to go really fast in their chairs, there is a Power Wheelchair Racing Association.In the state of Utah there is a place called the National Ability Center, which teaches all kinds of sports to people with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities and even gives friends and family members a chance to try a sport as if they were disabled.A reporter from the Washington Post wanted to know what it would be like for a blind person to use a climbing wall. So, protected by a safety line, the newspaper reporter closed his eyes and started to feel for places to put his hands and feet.Trainers on the ground urged him on: “Take your time. You can do it.” Finally he reached the top.At the National Ability Center people can learn to ride horses and mountain bikes. They can try winter mountain sports, and learn scuba diving and other water activities. The center also prepares athletes for the Paralympics.These days, the first place many people go when they want to travel is the Internet, where they can get information about hotels, transportation and services like tour companies. The Internet can also help travelers find special services for the disabled. For example, there are groups that help young people with disabilities travel to different countries.Susan Sygall, who uses a wheelchair herself, leads an organization called Mobility International USA, and has traveled to more than twenty-five countries to talk about the rights of people with disabilities. She says people with disabilities are all members of a global family and working together across borders is the most powerful way of making changes.Summary:Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A: There are 5 blanks in the passage. Use the word given on the right side to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Maria Callas was one of the best-known opera singers in the world, who became famous internationally for herbeautiful voice and intense (71)________ during the 1950s, and the recordings of her singing the well-known operas remain very popular today. Maria Callas was born in New York City in 1923 and her real name was Maria Kalogeropoulous. Her parents wereGreek and when she was fourteen, she and her mother returned to Greece, where Maria studied singing at thenational conservatory in Athens and the well-known opera(72)________ Elvira de Hidalgo chose Maria as herstudent.In 1941, when she was 17, Maria Callas was paid to singin a major opera for the first time. She sang the(73)________ role in several operas in Athens during thenext three years. In 1943, Callas was invited to performin Italy, which was the real beginning of her professionas an opera singer. She performed major parts in severalof the most (74)________ operas. In 1949, she married anItalian (75)________, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, whowas twenty years older and became her adviser andmanager.personsingleadfame industry Section B: There are 10 blanks in the passage. For each blank, some letters of the word has been given (not exceeding 3 letters). Read the passage below and think of the word which best fits each blank. Use only one word in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. Autism is a general (76)________ for a group ofbrain disorders that limit the development of social and communication skills,t mwhich (77)________ professionals call autism spectrum disorders.me l Experts say autism is permanent and cannot be cured. Butthere are ways to treat it that they say can (78) ________ there e severity, and the academy says the earlier treatment begins,the(79)________ the results. b rThe medical group released two reportsMonday with detailedinformation to help doctorsid y(80)________autism. Chris Johnsonat the University of Texas Health ScienceCenter in San Antonio was one of the authors,who says doctors should look for signsof autism when they (81)________ babies atex e eighteen months andtwenty-four months.Doctors traditionally (82)________ theco r possibility ofautism only if a child shows delayedsp h(83)________ or unusuallyrepetitive behaviors. These may be clear signsof it, but they usually do not appear until achild is two or three years old.Parents could answer a list of writtenquestions abouttheir baby, and then the doctor could (84)pe m ________ tests assimple as observing the baby's ability tofollow a moving object with its eyes. Expertssay failing to watch a moving object may be asign of autism.Doctors and parents can also look forbehaviors that are normal in babies under oneyear of age. For example, does thebaby appear to (85)________ to a parent'sre d voice? Does the babymake eye contact? Does the baby wave or pointat things?Part V Translation (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A (8 marks)Directions: Translate the underlined sentences of the following passage into Chinese. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.When you talk about China and India's seemingly unstoppable growth, nobody's surprised. After all, the increasing economic strength of the two countries has dominated the news for the past few years. But both China and India face some substantial demographic hurdles to continued expansion. Despite the billion-plus citizens of each country, both may simply lack sufficient qualified workers.(86) China is a rapidly aging society whose current challenges of unemployment and overpopulation will, within a decade, shift to different problems: labor shortages and an elderly population with too few children. In fact, China may be the first country to go gray before it reaches developed status. The World Bank estimates that by 2020 the mainland will face a lack of even unskilled labor due to aging.China is already facing a shortage of skilled labor. Construction sites lack welders, skilled machine operators, and plumbers. And a recent report said the country is short some 750,000 managers. Despite a 95% literacy rate among all but the oldest citizens, there are not enough well-educated Chinese. (87) This is in part due to a lack of schools that combine basic theory with practical skills and a focus on passing the elite university exams. So despite rising salaries, many of those entering China's workforce cannot learn the skills they need.India seems to have an age advantage, with half its population under 25. In the long run, this gives them the upper hand. But at present, India shares China's problem of an insufficiently educated workforce. Citigroup reports that India's talent pool isn't deep enough to meet demand in industries including textiles, aviation, telecom, retail, and engineering.By some other measures, both countries look pretty good. China graduates about 1.7 million students from 1,500 colleges and universities annually, of whom 350,000 are engineers. India produces about 3 million college and university graduates, including 440,000 engineers. Those numbers, though, don't tell the whole story.(88) Only 10% to 25% of these graduates are employable by multinationals, and this is only partially because of language challenges, which every human resources executive I've met who works in China or India agrees with.The source of the problem is cultural. Young people in these countries are highly motivated to study and learn, but only in theory. There is no tradition of practical application. So engineers don't go into operations, factories, or mines, and don't really know the machines and conditions for which they are designing processes. (89)。
2008年全国大学生英语竞赛真题Part IListening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Section A(5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A. The man is not suitable for the position.B. The job has been given to someone else.C. She hadn't received the man's application.2. A. He is going to see his section chief.B. He is going to have a job interview.C. He is going to see his girlfriend.3. A. Ask to see the man's ID card.B. Get the briefcase for the man.C. Show the man her documents.4. A. The dorm room is too crowded.B. There is no kitchen in the building.C. No one looks after the dorm building.5. A. She was always in good shape.B. She stopped exercising one year ago.C. She lost a lot of weight in one year.Section B (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. Each conversation will be read only once. At the end of each conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the five questions, each withthree choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Conversation One6. What is soon to open in China?A. The French Movie Festival.B. The French Cultural Year.C. The French Food Festival.7. How many exhibitions will be held for this activity?A. 200.B. 20.C. 100.8. What will be held at the foot of the Great Wall?A. The City Concert.B. The Opening Ceremony.C. The Great Lunch.9. Which of the following cities is not included in this activity?A. Chongqing.B. Wuhan.C. Shenzhen.10. What will certainly make great contributions to this activity?A. Internet.B. TV shows.C. Newspapers.Conversation Two11. What sound more like a native speaker in a casual conversation?A. Examples.B. Verbs.C. Idioms.12. Which of the following sounds more informal and more natural?A. Get together.B. Meet.C. See.13. Which of the following means that you cannot interrupt me?A. I'm tied up.B. I have a lot on my plate.C. I'm busy.14. In American culture, what is considered important in a conversation?A. Using proper languageB. Making eye contact.C. Looking at your own feet.15. In business, how might Americans feel about you if you are looking away?A. You're feeling ashamed.B. You're telling the truth.C. You're telling a lie.Section C (5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and then the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.16. How long will it take for new forests to grow back?A. 65 years.B. 20 years.C. 40 years.17. What did Jimmy Carter plan to focus his efforts on after leaving the White House in 1981?A. A presidential library.B. Camp David.C. Winning a second term.18. What was regarded as the lifeblood of the country of the Maldives?A. Oil.B. Agriculture.C. Tourism.19. What is responsible for the death of many people in developing countries?A. The development of resistance to diseases.B. The difficulty to cure new emerging diseases.C. The inability of the poor to afford medicine.20. What released an estimated 8.7 million tons of the global warming gas?A. Cars.B. Wildfires.C. Wars.Section D (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases in it. Fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.A researcher says lead in the environment could be a major cause of violence by young people. Doctor Herbert Needleman is a (21) ________ at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and he (22) ________ his findings at the yearly meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Doctor Needleman says the presence of lead in the (23) ________ changes the neurons that control actions and that can cause a person to act in antisocial and (24) ________ ways.In the 1970s, Doctor Needleman found lower scores on (25) ________ even in children who did not have such signs of lead poisoning. After that, lead was (26)________ gasoline and paint in the United States. Yet many homes still have old lead paint. Lead was also used in older (27) ________. In fact, officials just announced stronger testing and reporting requirements as from next year for lead in American drinking water.The newest research shows that even very small amounts of lead in bones can affect brain development. A simple (28)________ can measure lead except that an X-ray process is needed to measure levels in bone. In 2004, such tests were done on 190 young people who were (29) ________ and the findings showed that their average levels were higher than normal. And, in 1998, three hundred children were studied and the test scores showed higher levels of (30) ________ problems in those with increased levels of lead. Yet these levels were still considered safe by the government.Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. So nervous ________ that she didn't know how to start her speech.A. since she becameB. would she becomeC. that she becameD. did she become32. He ________ another career but, at the time, he just wanted to earn money to study abroad.A. might have chosenB. might chooseC. had to chooseD. must have chosen33. The second report was ________ by August 2005, but one year later it was still nowhere in sight.A. submittedB. to have submittedC. to submitD. to have been submitted34. In this experiment, the students studied are stopped several times during the listening test and asked to report what they ________ during the pause before answering the questions.A. had just been thinking aboutB. have just been thinking aboutC. are just thinking aboutD. had just thought about35. I was always taught that it was ________ to interrupt.A. rudeB. coarseC. roughD. crude36. Small boys are ________ questioners. They ask questions all the time.A. originalB. peculiarC. imaginativeD. persistent37. We regret to inform you that the materials you ordered are ________.A. out of workB. out of reachC. out of stockD. out of practice38. The bomb will ________ the moment it is touched.A. go onB. go offC. go outD. go over39. The car won't ________; I've tried it several times, but it won't work.A. beginB. launchC. startD. drive40. Children and old people do not like having their daily ________ upset.A. habitB. routineC. practiceD. custom41. In your first few days at school you'll be given a test to help the teachers to ________ you to a class at your level.A. locateB. assignC. deliverD. place42. China only started its nuclear power industry in recent years, and should ________ no time in catching up.A.loseB.delayC. spareD. relieve43. — You did an excellent job yesterday, Jim! I really enjoyed your presentation.— ________— Oh yeah, it was fabulous. It seems the English program is a great way to practice English.— Yeah. It is fun and motivating.A. Did you really?B. Oh, thank you. You are so kind.C. Really? What about yours?D. Not at all. My pleasure.44. — What kind of music do you like?— Well, I like different kinds.— ________— Er, I especially like punk rock.A. I beg your pardon?B. Are you serious?C. Any in particular?D. Why do you think so?45. — How did you like the fashion show last night?— ________—I didn't see anything wrong with the clothes; they looked pretty nice to me.— Do you really think people can wear that stuff and walk around in streets?A. Impressive. It's a good way to show off women's sense of style and wealth.B. It was cool. The clothes are more beautiful than the people wearing them.C. Nothing serious. It's only a show to attract the eyes of fashion fans.D. It was dumb. I think it's stupid for women to wear clothes like that.Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (4 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 4 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-49 are based on the following passage.The ability to “see” oneself in the future is a remarkable human trait - some would say unique - that is not well understood. That's despite the fact that we probably spend as much time thinking about the future as we do thinking about the present.Now new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that it's precisely because we can remember the past that we can visualize the future. “Our findings provide convincing support for the idea that memory and future thought are highly interrelated and help explain why future thought may be impossible without memories,” says doctoral candidate Karl Szpunar. The findings are consistent with other research showing that persons with little memory of the past, such as young children or individuals suffering from loss of memory, are less able to see themselves in the future.The researchers base their conclusions on brain scans of 21 college students who were cued to think about something in their past, and anticipate the same event in the future, like a birthday or getting lost. The experiment was carried out as each student lay on their stomach in a magnetic resonance imaging machine, a dreadful but very useful piece of equipment that can show which areas of the brain are stimulated during specific thought processes.The students were also asked to picture former President Bill Clinton in a past and future setting. Clinton was chosen because he was easily recognized and familiar to all the students.The researchers found a “surprisingly complete overlap” among regions of the brain used for remembering the student's past and those used for picturing the future. And every region involved in remembering was also used in anticipating the future.In short, the researchers isolated the area of the brain that “lit up” when the students thought about an event in their own past. And more importantly, that same area lit up again when they thought about a similar event in their future. In fact, the researchers report that the brain activity was so similar in both cases that it was “indistinguishable.”The findings were reinforced when students imagined Bill Clinton. Since none of them knew him personally, their memories were not autobiographical. And the brain scans showed “significantly less” correlation between memories of having seen pictures of Clinton in the White House and projecting him into the future.So this “time machine,” as the researchers describe it, allows us to use the past to see ourselves in the future, and both our memories and our anticipation are interdependent.46. A remarkable human trait that is not well understood is the ability ________.A. to think about the pastB. to see the futureC. to remember the pastD. to control the present47. The findings support that ________.A. future goals will greatly influence a person's present performanceB. a person's present performance is determined by his / her past knowledgeC. future thought depends to a great degree on the memory of the pastD. present thought is impossible without the ability to imagine the future48. The conclusion of the experiment on students was that ________.A. the students could picture themselves better than Bill Clinton in a past and future settingB. the students could imagine themselves as well as Bill Clinton in a past and future settingC. the students could anticipate Bill Clinton better than themselves in a past and future settingD. the students could only picture themselves in a past and future setting but not Bill Clinton49. This “time machine” in the last paragraph most probably refers to ________.A. clockB. brain scanningC. magnetic resonance imagingD. memorySection B (14 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet. For questions 50-55, mark Y (for YES)if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO)if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage. For questions 56-59, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Visiting the White HouseWhite House Tours Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday , and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.White House Visitor CenterAll tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.Mobility-Impaired / Using a WheelchairGuests requiring the loan of a wheelchair should notify the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building upon arrival.Wheelchairs loans are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not possible.Visitors in wheelchairs, or with other mobility disabilities, on the Congressional guided or self-guided tours, between 8:00 a.m. and 12 noon, use the same Visitor entrance and, with up to four members of their party, are admitted without waiting in line and without tickets.Visitors in wheelchairs are escorted by ramp from the entrance level to the ground floor, and by elevator from the ground to the state floor. Guests generally wait in line with their family or group.Hearing-ImpairedTours for hearing-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. Tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer conducts the tour in sign language. Signed tours are available to groups of 8 to 20. Groups are also encouraged to bring their own interpreters.Signing interpretation is also available for individual visitors with advance notice. A Congressional office first issues guided tour tickets to a guest who is hearing-impaired and then contacts the Visitors Office at least 2 weeks in advance to request interpreter service.The Visitors Office TDD (telephone device for the deaf) is 202-456-2121. Messages may be left outside normal business hours.Visually-ImpairedTours for visually-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. The tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer permits visitors to touch specific objects in the House. Touch tours are currently available only to groups of 8 to 20, not to individual visitors. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.General Tour InformationAll White House tours are free. Changes in tour schedules are occasionally made because of official events. Notice may not be given until that morning. The Visitors Office 24-hour Information Line recording at 202-456-7041 provides the most up-to-date information. The TDD is 202-456-2121. Visitors should confirm tour schedules by calling the information line the night before and the morning that they plan to visit. It is occasionally necessary to close individual rooms on the tour; however, notice about closed rooms is not possible. Prohibited ItemsProhibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons / devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items. Umbrellas, wallets, cell phones and car keys are permitted.Please note that no storage facilities are available on or around the complex. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.ParkingThe closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.Restrooms / Public TelephonesThe nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms or public telephones are not available at the White House.50. Both Congressional guided and self-guided tours need to be scheduled in advance.51. All White House tours are free of charge except on federal holidays.52. The White House Visitor Center provides free drinks but not food service.53. Wheelchair reservation service is provided by the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building.54. Hearing-impaired visitors can request signing interpretation service from the Visitors Office.55. Touch tours are currently only offered to visually-impaired groups of 8 to 20.56. Sometimes official events make it necessary to close ________________ without notice.57. The personal items permitted to be carried into the White House are________________.58. The transportation visitors are encouraged to use is ________________.59. Inside the White House, visitors cannot find or use restrooms or________________.Section C (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in as few words as possible (not more than 10 words). Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 60-64 are based on the following passage.If you were on a distant planet, and if you had instruments that could tell you the composition of Earth's atmosphere, how would you know there was life on this planet?Water in the atmosphere would suggest there could be water on the surface, and as we all know water is considered crucial to life. But water would only suggest that life is possible. It wouldn't prove it's there.Carbon? That basic component of “life as we know it?” Not necessarily. A diamond is pure carbon, and it may be pretty, but it isn't alive.What really sets Earth apart is nitrogen, which makes up 80 percent of the planet's atmosphere. And it's there only because there is abundant life on Earth, say scientists at the University of Southern California.The report grew out of a class discussion two years ago in a course taught by Capone and Kenneth Nealson, professor of earth sciences. Students were asked to come up with different ideas about searching for life on other planets. What is a distinct “signature,” as Capone puts it, that would show there is life on another planet?That's a question that has been kicked around in many quarters in recent decades, especially since all efforts to find some form of life, no matter whether on Mars or in the distant reaches of space, have failed. At least so far.The current effort to search for some evidence of life on Mars focuses primarily on the search for water, because it has long been believed that water, or at least some fluid, is necessary for the chemical processes that lead life to take place. But that's probably the wrong approach, the USC group argues.“It's ha rd to imagine life without water, but it's easy to imagine water without life,” says Nealson, who was on the Mars team before moving to USC.But nitrogen would be a much clearer signature of life. Only about 2 percent to 3 percent of the Martian atmosphere is nitrogen. That's just a trace, and it probably means there is no life on Mars today, and if there was in the past, it probably ended many, many years ago.But, the USC team adds quickly, that doesn't mean there's no life anywhere else in the universe. They don't know where, of course, but they may have found a wayto narrow down the search. Look first for nitrogen, then look for biological activity that should be there.So if life exists elsewhere, and is similar to life as we know it, there should be nitrogen, and that's what we should be looking for first, the researchers say.If they don't find nitrogen on Mars, Capone says, “that will probably bring us to the conclusion that there likely never was life on Mars.”But how about elsewhere? Could this technique be used to search for life in other solar systems?Maybe. It might be possible to detect a nitrogen-rich atmosphere around a planet orbiting another star, but not yet. Current instruments aren't that sensitive.If they ever are, the search for life might be narrowed down to the most promising prospects, chiefly because of the presence of nitrogen. And won't that be fun!Questions:60. What can suggest life is possible but cannot be proved according to the author?61. What is a cl ear “signature” of life on another planet according to Capone?62. What is considered as a wrong way to search for evidence of life on Mars?63. What can probably prove there is no life on Mars today based on the new theory?64. Why is it impossible to use the new technique to search for life in other solar systems now?Section D (12 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing a maximum of three words from the passage to fill in the spaces 65-70. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 65-70 are based on the following passage.In August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete in the Beijing Olympics. But did you know that in September of next year, disabled athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in Beijing?The Olympics and the Paralympics are separate movements. But they have always been held in the same year, and since 1988, they have also been held in the same city. The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to secure this connection. The next winter games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010.The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition held in 1948 in England and a doctor named Ludwig Guttmann organized it for men who suffered spinal cord injuries in World War II. Four years later, it became an international event as competitors from the Netherlands took part. Then, in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. By 2004, the Paralympic Games in Athens had almost 4000 athletes from 136 countries, who may have physical or mental limitations and may be blind or in wheelchairs. Yet sometimes they perform better than athletes without disabilities.In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, started the Special Olympics, which are just for children and adults with mental limitations and whose programs currently serve more than two million people in 160 countries. In November 2006, in Mumbai, India, teams competed in the First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup. In addition to India, there were men's teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. There were also women's cricket teams from India and Pakistan.There are many organizations in the United States that help people with disabilities play sports. Wheelchair tennis is a popular sport. So is basketball. In fact, there are more than one hundred professional teams playing wheelchair basketball thanks to the special wheelchairs for athletes that are lightweight and designed for quick moves. For people who want to go really fast in their chairs, there is a Power Wheelchair Racing Association.In the state of Utah there is a place called the National Ability Center, which teaches all kinds of sports to people with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities and even gives friends and family members a chance to try a sport as if they were disabled.A reporter from the Washington Post wanted to know what it would be like for a blind person to use a climbing wall. So, protected by a safety line, the newspaper reporter closed his eyes and started to feel for places to put his hands and feet.Trainers on the ground urged him on: “Take your time. You can do it.” Finally he reached the top.At the National Ability Center people can learn to ride horses and mountain bikes. They can try winter mountain sports, and learn scuba diving and other water activities. The center also prepares athletes for the Paralympics.These days, the first place many people go when they want to travel is the Internet, where they can get information about hotels, transportation and services like tour companies. The Internet can also help travelers find special services for the disabled. For example, there are groups that help young people with disabilities travel to different countries.Susan Sygall, who uses a wheelchair herself, leads an organization called Mobility International USA, and has traveled to more than twenty-five countries to talk about the rights of people with disabilities. She says people with disabilities are all members of a global family and working together across borders is the most powerful way of making changes.Summary:Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A: There are 5 blanks in the passage. Use the word given on the right side to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.。
2008年全国大学生英语竞赛真题Part IListening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Section A(5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A. The man is not suitable for the position.B. The job has been given to someone else.C. She hadn't received the man's application.2. A. He is going to see his section chief.B. He is going to have a job interview.C. He is going to see his girlfriend.3. A. Ask to see the man's ID card.B. Get the briefcase for the man.C. Show the man her documents.4. A. The dorm room is too crowded.B. There is no kitchen in the building.C. No one looks after the dorm building.5. A. She was always in good shape.B. She stopped exercising one year ago.C. She lost a lot of weight in one year.Section B (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. Each conversation will be read only once. At the end of each conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the five questions, each withthree choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Conversation One6. What is soon to open in China?A. The French Movie Festival.B. The French Cultural Year.C. The French Food Festival.7. How many exhibitions will be held for this activity?A. 200.B. 20.C. 100.8. What will be held at the foot of the Great Wall?A. The City Concert.B. The Opening Ceremony.C. The Great Lunch.9. Which of the following cities is not included in this activity?A. Chongqing.B. Wuhan.C. Shenzhen.10. What will certainly make great contributions to this activity?A. Internet.B. TV shows.C. Newspapers.Conversation Two11. What sound more like a native speaker in a casual conversation?A. Examples.B. Verbs.C. Idioms.12. Which of the following sounds more informal and more natural?A. Get together.B. Meet.C. See.13. Which of the following means that you cannot interrupt me?A. I'm tied up.B. I have a lot on my plate.C. I'm busy.14. In American culture, what is considered important in a conversation?A. Using proper languageB. Making eye contact.C. Looking at your own feet.15. In business, how might Americans feel about you if you are looking away?A. You're feeling ashamed.B. You're telling the truth.C. You're telling a lie.Section C (5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and then the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.16. How long will it take for new forests to grow back?A. 65 years.B. 20 years.C. 40 years.17. What did Jimmy Carter plan to focus his efforts on after leaving the White House in 1981?A. A presidential library.B. Camp David.C. Winning a second term.18. What was regarded as the lifeblood of the country of the Maldives?A. Oil.B. Agriculture.C. Tourism.19. What is responsible for the death of many people in developing countries?A. The development of resistance to diseases.B. The difficulty to cure new emerging diseases.C. The inability of the poor to afford medicine.20. What released an estimated 8.7 million tons of the global warming gas?A. Cars.B. Wildfires.C. Wars.Section D (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases in it. Fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.A researcher says lead in the environment could be a major cause of violence by young people. Doctor Herbert Needleman is a (21) ________ at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and he (22) ________ his findings at the yearly meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Doctor Needleman says the presence of lead in the (23) ________ changes the neurons that control actions and that can cause a person to act in antisocial and (24) ________ ways.In the 1970s, Doctor Needleman found lower scores on (25) ________ even in children who did not have such signs of lead poisoning. After that, lead was (26)________ gasoline and paint in the United States. Yet many homes still have old lead paint. Lead was also used in older (27) ________. In fact, officials just announced stronger testing and reporting requirements as from next year for lead in American drinking water.The newest research shows that even very small amounts of lead in bones can affect brain development. A simple (28)________ can measure lead except that an X-ray process is needed to measure levels in bone. In 2004, such tests were done on 190 young people who were (29) ________ and the findings showed that their average levels were higher than normal. And, in 1998, three hundred children were studied and the test scores showed higher levels of (30) ________ problems in those with increased levels of lead. Yet these levels were still considered safe by the government.Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. So nervous ________ that she didn't know how to start her speech.A. since she becameB. would she becomeC. that she becameD. did she become32. He ________ another career but, at the time, he just wanted to earn money to study abroad.A. might have chosenB. might chooseC. had to chooseD. must have chosen33. The second report was ________ by August 2005, but one year later it was still nowhere in sight.A. submittedB. to have submittedC. to submitD. to have been submitted34. In this experiment, the students studied are stopped several times during the listening test and asked to report what they ________ during the pause before answering the questions.A. had just been thinking aboutB. have just been thinking aboutC. are just thinking aboutD. had just thought about35. I was always taught that it was ________ to interrupt.A. rudeB. coarseC. roughD. crude36. Small boys are ________ questioners. They ask questions all the time.A. originalB. peculiarC. imaginativeD. persistent37. We regret to inform you that the materials you ordered are ________.A. out of workB. out of reachC. out of stockD. out of practice38. The bomb will ________ the moment it is touched.A. go onB. go offC. go outD. go over39. The car won't ________; I've tried it several times, but it won't work.A. beginB. launchC. startD. drive40. Children and old people do not like having their daily ________ upset.A. habitB. routineC. practiceD. custom41. In your first few days at school you'll be given a test to help the teachers to ________ you to a class at your level.A. locateB. assignC. deliverD. place42. China only started its nuclear power industry in recent years, and should ________ no time in catching up.A.loseB.delayC. spareD. relieve43. — You did an excellent job yesterday, Jim! I really enjoyed your presentation.— ________— Oh yeah, it was fabulous. It seems the English program is a great way to practice English.— Yeah. It is fun and motivating.A. Did you really?B. Oh, thank you. You are so kind.C. Really? What about yours?D. Not at all. My pleasure.44. — What kind of music do you like?— Well, I like different kinds.— ________— Er, I especially like punk rock.A. I beg your pardon?B. Are you serious?C. Any in particular?D. Why do you think so?45. — How did you like the fashion show last night?— ________—I didn't see anything wrong with the clothes; they looked pretty nice to me.— Do you really think people can wear that stuff and walk around in streets?A. Impressive. It's a good way to show off women's sense of style and wealth.B. It was cool. The clothes are more beautiful than the people wearing them.C. Nothing serious. It's only a show to attract the eyes of fashion fans.D. It was dumb. I think it's stupid for women to wear clothes like that.Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (4 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 4 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-49 are based on the following passage.The ability to “see” oneself in the future is a remarkable human trait - some would say unique - that is not well understood. That's despite the fact that we probably spend as much time thinking about the future as we do thinking about the present.Now new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that it's precisely because we can remember the past that we can visualize the future. “Our findings provide convincing support for the idea that memory and future thought are highly interrelated and help explain why future thought may be impossible without memories,” says doctoral candidate Karl Szpunar. The findings are consistent with other research showing that persons with little memory of the past, such as young children or individuals suffering from loss of memory, are less able to see themselves in the future.The researchers base their conclusions on brain scans of 21 college students who were cued to think about something in their past, and anticipate the same event in the future, like a birthday or getting lost. The experiment was carried out as each student lay on their stomach in a magnetic resonance imaging machine, a dreadful but very useful piece of equipment that can show which areas of the brain are stimulated during specific thought processes.The students were also asked to picture former President Bill Clinton in a past and future setting. Clinton was chosen because he was easily recognized and familiar to all the students.The researchers found a “surprisingly complete overlap” among regions of the brain used for remembering the student's past and those used for picturing the future. And every region involved in remembering was also used in anticipating the future.In short, the researchers isolated the area of the brain that “lit up” when the students thought about an event in their own past. And more importantly, that same area lit up again when they thought about a similar event in their future. In fact, the researchers report that the brain activity was so similar in both cases that it was “indistinguishable.”The findings were reinforced when students imagined Bill Clinton. Since none of them knew him personally, their memories were not autobiographical. And the brain scans showed “significantly less” correlation between memories of having seen pictures of Clinton in the White House and projecting him into the future.So this “time machine,” as the researchers describe it, allows us to use the past to see ourselves in the future, and both our memories and our anticipation are interdependent.46. A remarkable human trait that is not well understood is the ability ________.A. to think about the pastB. to see the futureC. to remember the pastD. to control the present47. The findings support that ________.A. future goals will greatly influence a person's present performanceB. a person's present performance is determined by his / her past knowledgeC. future thought depends to a great degree on the memory of the pastD. present thought is impossible without the ability to imagine the future48. The conclusion of the experiment on students was that ________.A. the students could picture themselves better than Bill Clinton in a past and future settingB. the students could imagine themselves as well as Bill Clinton in a past and future settingC. the students could anticipate Bill Clinton better than themselves in a past and future settingD. the students could only picture themselves in a past and future setting but not Bill Clinton49. This “time machine” in the last paragraph most probably refers to ________.A. clockB. brain scanningC. magnetic resonance imagingD. memorySection B (14 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet. For questions 50-55, mark Y (for YES)if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO)if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage. For questions 56-59, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Visiting the White HouseWhite House Tours Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday , and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.White House Visitor CenterAll tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.Mobility-Impaired / Using a WheelchairGuests requiring the loan of a wheelchair should notify the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building upon arrival.Wheelchairs loans are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not possible.Visitors in wheelchairs, or with other mobility disabilities, on the Congressional guided or self-guided tours, between 8:00 a.m. and 12 noon, use the same Visitor entrance and, with up to four members of their party, are admitted without waiting in line and without tickets.Visitors in wheelchairs are escorted by ramp from the entrance level to the ground floor, and by elevator from the ground to the state floor. Guests generally wait in line with their family or group.Hearing-ImpairedTours for hearing-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. Tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer conducts the tour in sign language. Signed tours are available to groups of 8 to 20. Groups are also encouraged to bring their own interpreters.Signing interpretation is also available for individual visitors with advance notice. A Congressional office first issues guided tour tickets to a guest who is hearing-impaired and then contacts the Visitors Office at least 2 weeks in advance to request interpreter service.The Visitors Office TDD (telephone device for the deaf) is 202-456-2121. Messages may be left outside normal business hours.Visually-ImpairedTours for visually-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. The tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer permits visitors to touch specific objects in the House. Touch tours are currently available only to groups of 8 to 20, not to individual visitors. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.General Tour InformationAll White House tours are free. Changes in tour schedules are occasionally made because of official events. Notice may not be given until that morning. The Visitors Office 24-hour Information Line recording at 202-456-7041 provides the most up-to-date information. The TDD is 202-456-2121. Visitors should confirm tour schedules by calling the information line the night before and the morning that they plan to visit. It is occasionally necessary to close individual rooms on the tour; however, notice about closed rooms is not possible. Prohibited ItemsProhibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons / devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items. Umbrellas, wallets, cell phones and car keys are permitted.Please note that no storage facilities are available on or around the complex. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.ParkingThe closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.Restrooms / Public TelephonesThe nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms or public telephones are not available at the White House.50. Both Congressional guided and self-guided tours need to be scheduled in advance.51. All White House tours are free of charge except on federal holidays.52. The White House Visitor Center provides free drinks but not food service.53. Wheelchair reservation service is provided by the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building.54. Hearing-impaired visitors can request signing interpretation service from the Visitors Office.55. Touch tours are currently only offered to visually-impaired groups of 8 to 20.56. Sometimes official events make it necessary to close ________________ without notice.57. The personal items permitted to be carried into the White House are________________.58. The transportation visitors are encouraged to use is ________________.59. Inside the White House, visitors cannot find or use restrooms or________________.Section C (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in as few words as possible (not more than 10 words). Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 60-64 are based on the following passage.If you were on a distant planet, and if you had instruments that could tell you the composition of Earth's atmosphere, how would you know there was life on this planet?Water in the atmosphere would suggest there could be water on the surface, and as we all know water is considered crucial to life. But water would only suggest that life is possible. It wouldn't prove it's there.Carbon? That basic component of “life as we know it?” Not necessarily. A diamond is pure carbon, and it may be pretty, but it isn't alive.What really sets Earth apart is nitrogen, which makes up 80 percent of the planet's atmosphere. And it's there only because there is abundant life on Earth, say scientists at the University of Southern California.The report grew out of a class discussion two years ago in a course taught by Capone and Kenneth Nealson, professor of earth sciences. Students were asked to come up with different ideas about searching for life on other planets. What is a distinct “signature,” as Capone puts it, that would show there is life on another planet?That's a question that has been kicked around in many quarters in recent decades, especially since all efforts to find some form of life, no matter whether on Mars or in the distant reaches of space, have failed. At least so far.The current effort to search for some evidence of life on Mars focuses primarily on the search for water, because it has long been believed that water, or at least some fluid, is necessary for the chemical processes that lead life to take place. But that's probably the wrong approach, the USC group argues.“It's ha rd to imagine life without water, but it's easy to imagine water without life,” says Nealson, who was on the Mars team before moving to USC.But nitrogen would be a much clearer signature of life. Only about 2 percent to 3 percent of the Martian atmosphere is nitrogen. That's just a trace, and it probably means there is no life on Mars today, and if there was in the past, it probably ended many, many years ago.But, the USC team adds quickly, that doesn't mean there's no life anywhere else in the universe. They don't know where, of course, but they may have found a wayto narrow down the search. Look first for nitrogen, then look for biological activity that should be there.So if life exists elsewhere, and is similar to life as we know it, there should be nitrogen, and that's what we should be looking for first, the researchers say.If they don't find nitrogen on Mars, Capone says, “that will probably bring us to the conclusion that there likely never was life on Mars.”But how about elsewhere? Could this technique be used to search for life in other solar systems?Maybe. It might be possible to detect a nitrogen-rich atmosphere around a planet orbiting another star, but not yet. Current instruments aren't that sensitive.If they ever are, the search for life might be narrowed down to the most promising prospects, chiefly because of the presence of nitrogen. And won't that be fun!Questions:60. What can suggest life is possible but cannot be proved according to the author?61. What is a cl ear “signature” of life on another planet according to Capone?62. What is considered as a wrong way to search for evidence of life on Mars?63. What can probably prove there is no life on Mars today based on the new theory?64. Why is it impossible to use the new technique to search for life in other solar systems now?Section D (12 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing a maximum of three words from the passage to fill in the spaces 65-70. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 65-70 are based on the following passage.In August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete in the Beijing Olympics. But did you know that in September of next year, disabled athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in Beijing?The Olympics and the Paralympics are separate movements. But they have always been held in the same year, and since 1988, they have also been held in the same city. The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to secure this connection. The next winter games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010.The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition held in 1948 in England and a doctor named Ludwig Guttmann organized it for men who suffered spinal cord injuries in World War II. Four years later, it became an international event as competitors from the Netherlands took part. Then, in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. By 2004, the Paralympic Games in Athens had almost 4000 athletes from 136 countries, who may have physical or mental limitations and may be blind or in wheelchairs. Yet sometimes they perform better than athletes without disabilities.In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, started the Special Olympics, which are just for children and adults with mental limitations and whose programs currently serve more than two million people in 160 countries. In November 2006, in Mumbai, India, teams competed in the First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup. In addition to India, there were men's teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. There were also women's cricket teams from India and Pakistan.There are many organizations in the United States that help people with disabilities play sports. Wheelchair tennis is a popular sport. So is basketball. In fact, there are more than one hundred professional teams playing wheelchair basketball thanks to the special wheelchairs for athletes that are lightweight and designed for quick moves. For people who want to go really fast in their chairs, there is a Power Wheelchair Racing Association.In the state of Utah there is a place called the National Ability Center, which teaches all kinds of sports to people with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities and even gives friends and family members a chance to try a sport as if they were disabled.A reporter from the Washington Post wanted to know what it would be like for a blind person to use a climbing wall. So, protected by a safety line, the newspaper reporter closed his eyes and started to feel for places to put his hands and feet.Trainers on the ground urged him on: “Take your time. You can do it.” Finally he reached the top.At the National Ability Center people can learn to ride horses and mountain bikes. They can try winter mountain sports, and learn scuba diving and other water activities. The center also prepares athletes for the Paralympics.These days, the first place many people go when they want to travel is the Internet, where they can get information about hotels, transportation and services like tour companies. The Internet can also help travelers find special services for the disabled. For example, there are groups that help young people with disabilities travel to different countries.Susan Sygall, who uses a wheelchair herself, leads an organization called Mobility International USA, and has traveled to more than twenty-five countries to talk about the rights of people with disabilities. She says people with disabilities are all members of a global family and working together across borders is the most powerful way of making changes.Summary:Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A: There are 5 blanks in the passage. Use the word given on the right side to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.。
2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题(D级)(总分150, 做题时间120分钟)Part I Listening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 points) Section A: In this section, you will hear 7 recordings. At the end of each recording, a question will be asked about what was said. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must look at the three pictures marked A, B and C carefully, and decide which picture answers the question. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (7 points)1.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C2.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C3.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C4.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C5.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C6.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B C7.SSS_SIMPLE_SINA B CSection B: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (8 points)8.SSS_SINGLE_SELA In 1999.B In 2000.C In 2001.9.SSS_SINGLE_SELA By plane.B By car.C By bus.10.SSS_SINGLE_SELA Fixing an engine.B Repairing a car.C Cashing a check.11.SSS_SINGLE_SELA Visit Japan.B Cook some food.C Eat outside.12.SSS_SINGLE_SELA She paid $30 for the skirt by herself.B She bought the skirt on her 30th birthday.C Her husband presented it to her as a gift.13.SSS_SINGLE_SELA He refused to drive her.B He has a new car.C He is glad to drive her.14.SSS_SINGLE_SELA Video stores.B Video tapes.C Watches.15.SSS_SINGLE_SELA The man is interviewing a job applicant.B The woman is working for a **pany.C The man believes he has a bright future.Section C: In this section, you will hear one long conversation. The conversation will be read only once. At the end of the conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the four questions, each with three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (5 points)Questions 16 to 20 are based on the conversation you have just heard.SSS_SINGLE_SEL16.Why is Laura at the bicycle shop?A She's waiting for her father.B She's having her bicycle repaired.C She works there.SSS_SINGLE_SEL17.Why does John want to buy a bicycle?A To replace his stolen bicycle.B To begin bicycling to work.C To join a bicycle club.SSS_SINGLE_SEL18.What does Laura suggest that John do?A Buy a used bicycle.B Buy a racing bicycle.C Replace the tires on his bicycle.SSS_SINGLE_SEL19.How much money does John have?A Fifty dollars.B One hundred dollars.C One hundred and fifty dollars.SSS_SINGLE_SEL20.What does Laura say is most important about a bike?A It must have several gears.B It must be the right height.C It must have good tires.Section D: In this section, there is a passage. You must listen to the passage carefully, and then fill in the blanks with the exact words or phrases you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (10 points)Robert Edwards was blinded in a traffic (21) ________ nine years ago. He was also half deaf because of (22) ________. Last week, he was walking near his home when a thunderstorm approached. He came under a tree and was struck (23)________. He was knocked to the ground and woke up some 20 minutes later, lying face down in water below a tree. He went into the house and (24)________ in bed. A short time later, he (25)________; his legs couldn't move and he was trembling, but, when he opened his eyes, he could see the clock across the room (26)________ him. When his wife entered, he saw her for the first time (27)________. Doctors confirm that he has regained his (28)________ and hearing apparently from the(29)________ of lighting, but they are unable to explain the reason. The only possible explanation offered by one doctor was that, since Edwards lost his sight (30)________ of a hard blow in a terrible accident, perhaps the only way could be restored was by another blow.SSS_FILL21.SSS_FILL22.SSS_FILL23.SSS_FILL24.SSS_FILL25.SSS_FILL26.SSS_FILL27.SSS_FILL28.SSS_FILL29.SSS_FILL30.Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 points)There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that**pletes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31.Please take what you like, you ________ eat too much.SSS_SINGLE_SELA may notB would notC must notD can not32.A new technique ________, the gross output increased by 20 percent.SSS_SINGLE_SELA working outB having worked outC having been worked outD to have been worked out33.—Have you finished the packaging?—________— Good. Because the truck will be coming soon, this is a rush job.SSS_SINGLE_SELA Don't hurry me or I'll break the glass.B Almost. I just have to wrap the glass and put it into boxes.C No, I haven't. Why didn't you help me with it?D Yes, I have. What else can I do for you?34.When her neighbor Grandma Wang became ill, the girl often ________.SSS_SINGLE_SELA fitted inB worked outC held backD helped out35.After a long and tiring journey, they arrived ________.SSS_SINGLE_SELA till the lastB at lastC by the endD at the end36.They usually have less money at the end of the month than ________ at the beginning.SSS_SINGLE_SELA whichB which wasC they haveD it is37.The teacher told the children there ________ four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter.SSS_SINGLE_SELA isB wasC areD were38.Look at the terrible situation I am in! If only I ________ your advice.SSS_SINGLE_SELA had followedB would followC followD have followed39.I didn't go to the theater last night, ________ I had to finish my book report.SSS_SINGLE_SELA asB ifC tillD though40.This time next week my boyfriend and I will be on vacation. Probably we ________ in the sunshine.SSS_SINGLE_SELA am lyingB have lainC will be lyingD will have lain41.She was halfway to the railway station ________ his boyfriend caught up with her.SSS_SINGLE_SELA whenB whileC untilD though42.________ the rain falling so heavily, they couldn't go on with their drill.SSS_SINGLE_SELA SinceB ForC AsD With43.I could have called you yesterday, but I ________ your telephone number.SSS_SINGLE_SELA didn't haveB won't haveC hadn't hadD wouldn't have44.—Oh, tomorrow is the weekend again.—Yes, time goes fast. Have a nice weekend.—________SSS_SINGLE_SELA OK. Let's have a good time.B Yes, I think so.C Thanks. The same to you.D But I think time goes slowly.45.I wasn't first ________, for I saw smoke ________ from the window.SSS_SINGLE_SELA to arrive; to riseB arriving; risingC to arrive; risingD having arrived; risenPart III Reading Comprehension (25 minutes, 40 points)Section A: There is one passage in this section with 5 questions. For each of them, there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (5 points) Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Ron Barrister awoke once again with a slight ringing in his ears. After he showered and dressed, the condition got worse. He was alsoshort of breath. When he looked in the mirror to see if his tongue were coated or if there were some other signs of a **ing on, he noticed that his eyes looked peculiar. He turned sideways and looked again. Sure enough, his eyes seemed to be bulging out. He decided to explain his symptoms to Dr. Klien, the eye, ear, nose, andthroat specialist.Dr. Klien examined Ron very carefully. After a complete examination he was stumped. Everything appeared normal and tests showed no signs of disorder. “Ron,” he said, “I really can't find anything wrong, and I'm at a loss to explain your strange symptoms. However if you'd like another consultation, Dr. Brown is next door. She might be able to discover something I mi ssed.”After another full examination, even Dr. Brown was stumped. “I can think of nothing to tell you except that you should be admitted to the hospital for a closer examination.”When Ron was being admitted to the hospital, the nurse asked him, “What size pajamas do you wear, Mr. Barrister?”“I really don't know,”he replied.“Well, do you know your shirt size?” she asked as she reached for a measuring tape.“Yes,” answered Ron, “I wear 15.5 collar with a ...”The nurse measured his neck and said, “You mean a 16.5, don't you?”“No,” answered Ron, “I've always worn a 15.5 collar on all my shirts.”“O.K. but if you wear a 15.5 collar with your neck size, sooner or later you're surely going to have a ringing in your ears, bulging eyes, and you'll be short of breath.”Questions:SSS_SINGLE_SEL46.Which of the following statements is NOT true?A His ears were ringing.B He was short of breath.C He felt cold.D His eyes seemed to be bulging out.SSS_SINGLE_SEL47.In handling Ron Barrister's case, both Dr. Klein and Dr. Brown were ________A less observant.B experienced.C confident.D very observantSSS_SINGLE_SEL48.Who solved Mr. Barrister's problems?A Dr. Klein.B Dr. Brown.C Mr. Barrister himself.D The nurse.SSS_SINGLE_SEL49.What was the cause of Mr. Barrister's uneasiness?A His pajamas.B His neck.C His shirts.D His collars.SSS_SINGLE_SEL50.How many specialists did Ron Barrister visit before he was admitted to the hospital?A One.B Two.C Three.D Four.Section B: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 statements. Go over the passage quickly and mark the answers on the Answer Sheet. For questions 51-55, mark T (for TRUE) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; F (for FALSE) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage. (5 points)Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.There are thousands of volcanoes all over the world. What makes volcanoes? What happens?The inside of the earth is very hot. Because it is very hot, the rock has melted like ice. It has become liquid, like water. It is always boiling, like water in a kettle. If you have seen a kettle boiling, you know that the steam and boiling water try to get out. The very hot melted rock inside the earth also tries to get out. Usually it cannot because the outside of the earth is too thick and strong.But in some places the outside of the earth is thin and weak. Sometimes a crack (a small opening) appears. The hot melted rock , which we call “lava”, pushes up through the crack and burststhrough . Steam and gas shoot up into the air and the hot melted lava pours out. Big pieces of rock may be thrown high into the air.After a while the volcano becomes quiet again. The melted lava becomes hard. Later the same thing happens again and again. Each time more hot lava pours out on top of the cold lava and then becomes hard. In this way a kind of mountain is built up, with a hole downthe middle.Although there are thousands of volcanoes in the world, most of them are dead. Only about 500 sometimes start to throw out lava again. A famous volcano which is now dead is Mount Fujiyama in Japan. It is covered with snow on winter.Vesuvius is the name of a very famous volcano in Italy. It first came to life many, many years ago. It was quiet for hundreds of years. Then in the year 79 it suddenly burst. This has happened again many times since that year. Sometimes no damage was caused or only little damage. But there was serious damage in the years 472, 1631, 1794, 1861, 1872 and 1906.Statements:SSS_JUDGEMENT51.Inside volcanoes there is melted rock.正确错误SSS_JUDGEMENT52.If there is a crack in a volcano the lava may bursts out, this is eruption.正确错误SSS_JUDGEMENT53.A famous volcano which is now dead is Mount Fujiyama in Italy.正确错误SSS_JUDGEMENT54.According to the passage, Vesuvius has caused serious damage 6 times.正确错误SSS_JUDGEMENT55.There are two kinds of volcanoes, dead volcano and actives volcano, but most volcanoes stay alive.正确错误Section C: Read the passage carefully to find the answers for Questions 56 to 63. Answer each question in a maximum of 10 words. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (16 points) Questions 56 to 63 are based on the following passage.In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, flexible, and do not make mistakes. As one banker said, “Unlike humans, computers never have a bad day.” And they are honest. Many banks advertise that their transactions are “untouched by human hands” and therefore safe from human temptation (诱惑). Obviously, computers have no reason to steal money. But they also have no conscience (良知), and the growing number of computer crimes shows they can be used to steal.Computer criminals don't use guns. And even if they are caught,it is hard to punish them because there are no witness and often no evidence. A computer cannot remember who used it: it simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half billion dollars in just four years. No one noticed this theft because he moved the money from one account to another. Each time a customer he had robbed questioned the balance in his account, the teller claimed a computer error, then replaced the missing money from someone else's account. This man was caught only because he was a gambler. When the police broke up an illegal gambling operation, his name was in the records.Some employees use **puter's power to get revenge (报复) on their employers they consider unfair. Recently, a large **pany fired **puter-tape librarian for reasons that involved her personal rather than her professional life. She was given thirty days notice. In those thirty days, she erased all the firm's computerized records.**puter criminals have been minor employees. Now police wonder if this is “the tip of the iceberg”. As one official says, “I have the feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing —the ones who know how a computer works.” Questions:SSS_FILL56.What is the passage mainly about?SSS_FILL57.Why did many banks claim the transactions to be safe?SSS_FILL58.How did the bank teller cover up his crime?SSS_FILL59.What must the librarian do thirty days after she received the notice?SSS_FILL60.**puter criminals that the police unable to catch are ________.SSS_FILL61.What is the difference **puter criminals and ordinary criminals?SSS_FILL62.Sometimes an unfairly-treated employee can use **puter to ________ on his employer.SSS_FILL63.The phrase “the tip of the iceberg” roughly means ________.Section D: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. For Questions 64 to 70, please read the passage carefully**plete each space in the summary using a maximum of three words from the passage. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (14 points)Questions 64 to 70 are based on the following passage.The first step in stopping drug abuse is knowing why people start to use drugs. The reasons people abuse drugs are as different (as people are) from one another. But it seems to be **mon threat. People seem to take drugs to change the way they feel. They want to feel better or to feel happy or to feel nothing. Sometimes they want toforget or to remember. People often feel better about themselves when they are under the influence of drugs. But the effects don't last long. Drugs don't solve problems. They just postpone them. No matter how far drugs may take you, it's always a round trip. After a while people who misuse drugs may feel worse about themselves and then they will use more and more drugs. If someone you know is using or abusing drugs, you can help. The most important part you can play is to be there. You can let your friends know that you care; you can listenand try to solve problems behind your friend's need to use drugs. Two people together can often solve a problem that seems too big for one person alone. Studies of heavy drug users in the United States show that they felt unloved and unwanted. They didn't have close friendsto talk to. When you or your friend take time to care for each other you will all help to stop drug users.Summary:Each drug user has his or her own (64)________. By taking drugs, they are able to (65) ________ they feel. They want to feel better or to feel (66)________. Most drug users feel that nobody love them and they are (67) ________ in the society. But the friends' (68)________ is the most important factor for the users to (69)________ drugs. You can let your friend know that you care for him or her, you can help to (70)________ the problem.SSS_FILL64.SSS_FILL65.SSS_FILL66.SSS_FILL67.SSS_FILL68.SSS_FILL69.SSS_FILL70.Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 points)Section A: Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with the proper form of the words given on the right. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (5 points)Radio isn't out of date, and a lot of people listen to it every day.Marconi, the Italian (71)________ who gave us the radio, probably didn't inventrealize what (72)________ his great invention would have on the world effectin years to come. Radio has, perhaps, had as much influence on the worldas any other (73)________ device. Events of universal interest can be communicatereported to the entire globe a few second after they happen, (74)________ explorein remote areas, ships at sea, even astronauts (75)________ the earth are circleable to keep in touch with civilization by means of radio.SSS_FILL71.SSS_FILL72.SSS_FILL73.SSS_FILL74.SSS_FILL75.Section B: There are 10 blanks in the passage. For each blank, some letters of the missing word have been given (not exceeding 3 letters). Read the passage below and decide which word best fits each blank. Use only one word in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (10 points)Marco Polo was born in Italy in 1254. He was the most (76)f________ westerner to visit China during the Middle Ages. He wrote a (77) b________ about his travels. He described all the things he saw and heard. Many people read the book, but (78) f________ believedwhat he said. He spoke of places and people that he knew about atthat time.His father, Nicolo Polo, and his uncle were (79) wea________ traders, who regularly traveled to parts of the East. They visited China and became friends with Kublai Khan, the great Mongol (80)em________. It was only when they (81) re________ to Italy from China that Marco, who was now 15 years old, first saw his father.Marco decided to accompany them for their next trip. It took them more than three years to travel the 9,000 miles to Shangtu, (82)cap________ of the Mongol Empire. Kublai Khan had many palaces and Shangtu was the one he used in the summer. It was (83) si________ in the mountains south of the Gobi desert. Every year when (84)su________ was over, he and his friends moved down from Shangtu to Dadu in the lowlands. This was his winter (85) p________ and it is now called Beijing.SSS_FILL76.SSS_FILL77.SSS_FILL78.SSS_FILL79.SSS_FILL80.SSS_FILL81.SSS_FILL82.SSS_FILL83.SSS_FILL84.SSS_FILL85.Part V Translation (15 minutes, 15 points)Section A: Translate the underlined sentences in the following passage into Chinese. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (8 points)London Taxi drivers know the Capital like the back of their hands.(86) No matter how small and indistinct the street is, the driverwill be able to get you there without any trouble. The reason London taxi drivers are so efficient is that they have all gone through a very tough training period to get a special taxi driving license(执照). During this period which can take from two to four years, the would-be taxi driver has to learn the most direct route to every single road and to every important building in London. (87) To achieve this, most learners go around the city on small motor bikes practicing how to move to and from different points of the city. Learner taxi drivers are tested several times during their training period by government officers. Their exams are a terrible experience.(88) The officers ask you: “How do you get from Buckingham Palace to the T ower of London?” And you have to take them there in the direct line. When you get to the tower, they won't say “Well done.” They will quickly move to the next question. After five or six questions they would just say: “See you in two months time.” And then you know the exam is over. Learner drivers are not allowed to work andearn money as drivers. (89) Therefore, many of them keep their previous jobs until they obtain their licenses. The training can cost quite a lot because learners have to pay for their own expenses on the tests and medical exam.SSS_TEXT_QUSTI86.SSS_TEXT_QUSTI87.SSS_TEXT_QUSTI88.SSS_TEXT_QUSTI89.Section B: Translate the following sentences (parts of the sentences) into English. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. (7 points)90.近年来,计算机在各个领域中的应用越来越广泛。
大学生英语竞赛(NECCS)A类研究生英语初赛真题2008年Part Ⅱ Vocabulary and StructureInstructions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this section. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.2. He can't ______ ignorance as his excuse; he should have known what was happening in his own department.A insistB referC pleadD defend3. His father came home to dinner every night, and ______ in his life Jack felt that they were a real family.A for the first timeB firstlyC at first timeD at first4. After the robbery, the shop installed a sophisticated alarm system as an insurance ______ further losses.A towardsB forC fromD against5. The bones, tendons and cartilages require a small amount of blood, ______ such organs as the kidneys and brain need large amounts of blood.A asB whileC becauseD so that6. Although they usually did their own painting and papering, on this occasion they brought in a firm of ______ decorators.A insideB inwardC interiorD internal7. ______ the neighboring street, it would have had to pass through the station barriers, where a collector is always standing.A Had it not been pulled downB But for bringing it upC Should it not have been carried down fromD Had it not been carried down from8. The people around him kept saying ______ the drowned man but he went on doing artificial respiration.A it was useless revivingB there was no use revivingC there was no use to try to reviveD it was no use trying to revive9. Although they had only been invited for lunch they ______ till suppertime.A stayed outB stayed onC stayed upD stayed off10. When he heard how well the new company was doing, he took a calculated ______ and invested all his money in it.A riskB opportunityC dangerD venture11. More and more people are signing up for yoga classes nowadays, ______ advantage of the health and relaxation benefits.A takingB to have takenC having takenD having been taken12. In the same area ______, with a circular church--so that the devil couldn't find a corner to conceal himself in, or so the locals say.A a village of Bowmore isB there is a village of BowmoreC is the village of BowmoreD the Bowmore's village is13. There are no trips that will make it possible for the tourists to stop everywhere and see ______ they want.A all whatB everything thatC everything whatD all which14. More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers facing our planet. ______, we still have a lot of work to do before our environment is safe again.A ConsequentlyB In spite of the fact thatC Because of thatD Despite that15. Ray: Have you met the new boss yet? David: No, tell me--what's he like? Ray: Well, I met him this morning and my first impression was very positive. ______. and I hear he's got a great sense of humor. David : That's great!A He came across as very pleasantB He has a large officeC He seems very unfriendlyD He's not very sharp16. Customer: I think I'll have the tomato soup to start. ______. Waiter: Right. And would you like croutons in your soup? Customer: No, thank you. Waiter: How would you like your steak? Rare, medium or well done?A And I'd like some tea.B And I'd also like a steak.C And perhaps some orange juice.D And I'd like to order now.Part Ⅲ Reading ComperhensionSection Amarked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-50 are based on the following passage.Auctions are public sales of goods, conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asks thecrowd assembled in the auction room to make offers, or "bids", for the various items on sale. Heencourages buyers to bid higher figures, and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of thegoods. This is called "knocking down" the goods, for the bidding ends when the auctioneer bangsa small hammer on a table at which he stands. This is often set on a raised platform called arostrum.The ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from theLatin auctio, meaning "increase". The Romans usually sold in this way the spoils taken in war;these sales were called sub hasta, meaning "under the spear", a spear being stuck in the ground asa signal for a crowd to gather. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries goods wereoften sold "by the candle": a short candle was lit by the auctioneer, and bids could be made whileit stayed alight.Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, hides,skins, wool, tea, cocoa, furs, spices, fruit and vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also usualfor land and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books, old china and similar works of art.The auction rooms at Christie's and Sotheby's in London and New York are world-famous.An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold andwhere and when they can be viewed by prospective buyers. If the advertisement cannot give fulldetails, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot", isusually given a number. The auctioneer need not begin with Lot 1 and continue in numericalorder; he may wait until he registers the fact that certain dealers are in the room and then producethe lots they are likely to be interested in. The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of apercentage of the price the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest inpushing up the bidding as high as possible.The auctioneer must know fairly accurately the current market values of the goods he is selling,and he should be acquainted with regular buyers of such goods. He will not waste time by startingthe bidding too low. He will also play on the rivalries among his buyers and succeed in getting ahigh price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other. It is largely on hisadvice that a seller will fix a "reserve" price, that is, a price below which the goods cannot be sold.Even the best auctioneers, however, find it difficult to stop a "knock-out", whereby dealersillegally arrange beforehand not to bid against each other, but nominate one of themselves as theonly bidder, in the hope of buying goods at extremely low prices. If such a "knock-out" comes off,the real auction sale takes place privately afterwards among the dealers.17. The end of the bidding is called "knocking down" because ______.A the auctioneer knocks the price downB the rostrum is knocked downC the goods are knocked downD the auctioneer bangs the table with a hammer18. The Romans used to sell by auction ______.A spoilt goodsB old worn-out weaponsC property taken from the enemyD spears19. The auctioneer may decide to sell the "lots" out of order because ______.A he sometimes wants to confuse the buyersB he knows from experience who will want whatC he wants to keep certain people waitingD he wants to increase the number of buyers20. A clever auctioneer encourages ______.A knock-out dealsB rivals to compete for higher pricesC the seller to mark the prices of their goods reasonablyD buyers to be careful in bidding21. "Knock-outs" are illegal agreements ______.C between the auctioneers and dealersD among the sellers onlySection BInstructions: There is one passage in this section with 5 questions. Read the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet.The idea of a fish being able to generate electricity strong enough to light lamp bulbs--or even to run a small electric motor--is almost unbelievable, but several kinds of fish are able to do this. Even more strangely, this curious power has been acquired in different ways by fish belonging to very different families.Perhaps the best known are the electric rays, or torpedoes, of which several kinds live in warm seas. They possess on each side of the head, behind the eyes, a large organ consisting of a number of hexagonal shaped cells rather like a honeycomb. The cells are filled with a jelly-like substance, and contain a series of fiat electric plates. One side, the negative side, of each plate, is supplied with very fine nerves, connected with a main nerve coming from a special part of the brain. Current passes from the upper, positive side of the organ downwards to the negative, lower side. Generally it is necessary to touch the fish in two places, completing the circuit, in order to receive a shock.The strength of this shock depends on the size of the fish, but newly born ones only about 5 centimetres across can be made to light the bulb of a pocket flashlight for a few moments, while a fully grown torpedo gives a shock capable of knocking a man down, and, if suitable wires are connected, will operate a small electric motor for several minutes.Another famous example is the electric eel. This fish gives an even more powerful shock. The system is different from that of the torpedo in that the electric plates run longitudinally and are supplied with nerves from the spinal cord. Consequently, the current passes along the fish from head to tail. The electric organs of these fish are really altered muscles and like all muscles are apt to tire, so they are not able to produce electricity for very long.The electric catfish of the Nile and of other African fresh waters has a different system again, by which current passes over the whole body from the tail to the head. The shock given by this arrangement is not so strong as the other two, but is none the less unpleasant. The electric catfish is a slow, lazy fish, fond of gloomy places and grows to about 1 metre long; it is eaten by the Arabs in some areas.The power of producing electricity may serve these fish both for defence and attack. If a large enemy attacks, the shock will drive it away; but it appears that the catfish and the electric eel use their current most often against smaller fish, stunning them so that they can easily be overpowered.For answers 51-55, markY(for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information, given in the passage;NG(for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.22. Some fish produce enough electricity to drive electric motors.23. Usually you will not get a shock by touching the electric ray in one place only.24. The electric plates on the electric eel are supplied with nerves from its brain.25. The shock of the electric catfish is more unpleasant than that of the torpedo or electric eel.26. Nowadays people are making full use of these electric fish to light lamp bulbs.For answers 56 - 60, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage in a maximum of 4 words.27. The fish that produce electricity belong to ______.28. A torpedo's hexagonal shaped cells contain a number of ______.29. A fully grown torpedo can give a ______ than a young one.30. The catfish's electric current passes from the ______.31. The electric fish produce electricity mainly for ______.Section CInstructions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in a maximum of 10 words. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.We love them so much that some of us sleep with them under the pillow, yet we are increasingly concerned that we cannot escape their electronic reach. We use them to convey our most intimate secrets, yet we worry that they are a threat to our privacy. We re]y on them more than the Interact to cope with modern life, yet many of us don't believe advertisementsSweeping aside the doubts that many people feel about the benefits of new third generation phones and fears over the health effects of phone masts, a recent report claims that the long-term effects of new mobile technologies will be entirely positive, so long as the public can be convinced to make use of them. Research about users of mobile phones reveals that the mobile has already moved beyond being a mere practical communications tool to become the backbone of modern social life, from love affairs to friendship to work. One female teacher, 32, told the researchers, "I love my phone. It's my friend. "The close relationship between user and phone is most pronounced among teenagers, the report says, who regard their mobiles as an expression of their identity. This is partly because mobiles are seen as being beyond the control of parents. But the researchers suggest that another reason may be that mobiles, especially text messaging, were seen as a way of overcoming shyness. "Texting is often used for apologies, to excuse lateness or to communicate other things that make us uncomfortable," the report says. The impact of phones, however, has been local rather than global, supporting existing friendships and networks, rather than opening users to a new broader community. Even the language of texting in one area can be incomprehensible to anybody from another area.Among the most important benefits of using mobile phones, the report claims, will be a vastly improved mobile infrastructure, providing gains throughout the economy, and the provision of more sophisticated location-based services for users. The report calls on government to put more effort into the delivery of services by mobile phone, with suggestions including public transport and traffic information and doctors' text messages, to remind patients of appointments. "I love that idea," one user said in an interview. "It would mean I wouldn't have to write a hundred messages to myself. "There are many other possibilities. At a recent trade fair in Sweden, a mobile navigation product was launched. When the user enters a destination, a route is automatically downloaded to their mobile and presented by voice, pictures and maps as they drive. In future, these devices will also be able to plan around congestion and road works in real time. Third generation phones will also allow for remote monitoring of patients by doctors. In Britain, scientists are developing an asthma management solution, using mobiles to detect early signs of an attack.Mobile phones can be used in education. A group of teachers in Britain use third generation phones to provide fast, internet service to children who live beyond the reach of terrestrial broadband services and have no access to online information. "As the new generation of mobile technologies takes off, the social potential of the mobile will vastly increase," the report argues.Questions :32. What feelings does the writer suggest in the first paragraph about our attitudes to mobilephones?33. What have mobile phones become according to research about their users?34. Why do teenagers have such a close relationship with their mobile phones?35. What can doctors use third generation mobile phones for in future?36. What does a recent report claim about the long-term effects of mobile phones?Instructions : In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing no more than three words from the passage. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Answers 66 - 70 are based on the following passage.Few would deny that what we see in the media affects the way we think and act. Advertisers, knowing this better than anyone else, pay millions of dollars every year to sell their products. For prime time television advertising in the United States, companies pay up to two million dollars for a single forty-second advertisement.In the competition for audience attention, advertisers will do almost anything they can think of to sell their product. A common tactic in commercial advertising is to tie the advertised product to sex or glamour, even when these features do not directly relate to the product. How many times have we seen a pretty woman selling a car? Other ads may make exaggerated claims about the effectiveness of their products.Consumer complaints about misleading or inappropriate content in advertisements have led to multiple restrictions on advertising. Laws exist in many countries to regulate advertising. In the United States, television advertisements for alcoholic beverages cannot show a person actually drinking the beverage.Restricting advertisers through legislation brings up issues of freedom of speech and individual rights. For this reason, US law makers have tried to avoid passing many laws that might limit advertisers' rights. Instead, they have asked the advertising industry to find ways to regulate itself. This led to the creation of the National Advertising Review Council (NARC) in the 1970s.Major advertisers and advertising agencies set up NARC, an industry-run agency that would maintain standards of accuracy, morality, and social responsibility in advertising. Since then, there have been two branches within the organization: the National Advertising Division (NAD) and the National Advertising Review Board (NARB). The NAD is like the police of the organization. They receive complaints by consumers, consumer groups, companies, or associations about advertisements. NAD then investigates the ads and reports any misconduct. If NAD and the advertiser cannot find a way to correct the ad together, the case goes before the NARB for review. The Review Board then reviews the ad and makes a recommendation.As part of the trend towards non-governmental regulation, the media in which advertising appears also work as a kind of censor. Television stations all have departments for reviewing ads before the ads can be shown on the air. This is true for radio stations as well. Likewise, magazines and newspapers review ads before publication to make sure both the products and the content are appropriate for their readers. In addition to their reviews for appropriateness, some publications even check the accuracy of the information in the ads.Along with national advertising organizations and the media, individual advertising agencies comprise a third layer of censorship. Advertising agencies certainly want the public to have confidence in their ads. Therefore, most advertisers use market research as a way to verify the claims made in advertisements. Furthermore, if consumers learn about misleading claims in the ads for a product, the consumers can sue the advertisers. This is why most large advertising agencies employin-house lawyers for reviewing ads.The medium of web advertising has opened entirely new questions about advertising, targeting one's intended audience, and appropriateness of ad content. At the same time, consumers have made more and more focused demands on all forms of media. In the UK, for example, some have called for a ban on the advertising of fast food, which is widely blamed for problems of obesity. For the time being, a combination of government regulation, citizen demands, and industryself-regulation will continue to shape what marketers do.SummaryMedia affects the way we think and act. With so many advertisements, their creators must think of innovative ways to get consumers' (66) . Some ads may make exaggerated claims about their products or have misleading content. Public complaints about advertising have led to government regulations in many countries. In the United States, advertisers have set up a self-policing (67) called NARC to censor ads. Through self-regulation, the industry avoids issues of (68) of speech and makes sure that their ads are accurate. Advertisers with deceptive ads can be (69) . However, new forms of media, such as the web, have created new questions about (70) .Part Ⅳ ClozeInstructions: There are 5 blanks in the passage. For each blank, some letters of the word have been given (not exceeding 3 letters). Read the passage below and decide which word best fits each blank, using only one word in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Many people make corn (71) about their working environment. Those in open-plan offices often dislike the noise and especially the lack of privacy. Making telephone calls where con (72) information is discussed is almost impossible and it may also be difficult to concentrate when the person sitting next to you is on the phone. However, the division of the workspace into smaller offices can lead to a feeling of isolation. An alternative approach is needed to so (73) these problems. Why not allow people to choose to work in dif (74) places according to what they are doing--a coffee bar or meeting room for social and noisy activities, or a small room for quiet work? The idea of individual desks would disappear in this system and be rep (75) by a different approach to using space.Section BInstructions: There are 10 blanks in the passage. Use the word given in each set of brackets to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.The Independent on Sunday's (76) (industry) editor, David Bowen, collects airline sick-bags. He started about 10 years ago when he used to travel (77) (extensive), but now the (78) (collect) has its own momentum. "I get sent several bags a month," he says. "All my friends know that I collect these things, and they mention it to their friends. Then when any of them go on flights, they stare ahead of them for hours on end and (79) (soon) or later remember to pick one up. " He now has about 400 bags (80) (cover) about 200 airlines: they are displayed all over the walls of his house. He asks people to pick up a couple so that he has one to swap although, he says, "There is a slightly (81) (limit) market: my only real trading partner is a German who I met in Jordan eight years ago. "The bags, Bowen says, say a lot about the country of origin. Far Eastern ones tend to be lavish and exotic. Germanic ones are severely (82) (practice) , eastern European ones reflect "the (83) (short) of decent paper".Bowen is keen to hear from anyone who wants to join the bag (84) (barter) system. The hobby is not sufficiently developed to have monetary value (85) (attach) to it, but the swap system should work well. "Mind you, if someone came up with a pre-War bag, possibly from Imperial Airways, I would very seriously think about letting them have several pounds for it, maybe even an Air Afrique one, too. "Part Ⅴ TranslationSection AInstructions: Translate the underlined sentences of the following passage into Chinese. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.People have attempted to simulate human voices in machines for quite some time. In the late 1700s, Hungarian scientist Wolfgang yon Kempelen used whistles, resonance chambers, and other objects to create voice sounds for his "Speaking Machine. " With the rise of computers, scientists were able to create artificial voices by storing and digitally processing real voice sounds. By the 1970s, these computer-generated voices were widely used. Although these early voices were understandable, they had a distinct mechanical or " robotic" sound to them.Coming up with more natural-sounding voices has been a challenge due to the complex nature of language. (86) To produce a natural-sounding voice, scientists need to simulate not only the individual sounds of a language, but also the volume, pitch, rhythm, and tones that help to express meaning.Natural-sounding computer voices are now used to provide information to people in a variety of applications, from automated phone lines to language learning programs. Many systems are also able to listen to users' questions and statements and respond to them.One good example of this comes from the BMW car company. BMW has programmed cars to both listen and speak to the driver. (87) The car can give directions, provide warnings and information about traffic and safety conditions, and even control certain functions, such as raising or lowering the windows or playing music. When BMW first released cars with a computer-generated voice, many drivers had a negative reaction to it because drivers perceived the voice asfemale. German drivers were uncomfortable with a "female" voice giving directions. As a result, BMW recalled the cars and gave them "male" voices.the voice in the car shouldn't matter because drivers know that they are listening to a computer, not a person. (88) But even without a visual representation of the voice, such as a male or female face, people reacted with the same stereotypes they would apply to a person. Studies have also shown that people react similarly to other aspects of' computer voices, such as the "personality" of the voice or its level of "politeness. "Researchers now know that voice interfaces are actually social interfaces; that is, people will react to a computer using the same rules and expectations that they would apply to people. (89) As a result, designers of these systems consider not only the sounds of the voices they use, but also their psychological effect on users.Part Ⅵ IQ TestInstructions: There are 5 IQ Test questions in this part. Write the answers on the Answer Sheet.61. What occurs twice in a lifetime, but once in a year. Twice in a week but never in a day?62. Which word completes the phrase?Christmas trees are to Christmas as eggs are to... ?63. Which number should replace the question mark?64. What word, when placed in the brackets, forms a different word with each letter(s) preceding it?65. Which is the odd one out?LUTIP ONACRATIN ONPYE SORE MELPart Ⅶ WritingTask Ⅰ66. Instructions: You recently saw this notice in an English-language magazine called Film World.Reviews neededHave you been to the cinema recently? If so, could you write us a review of the film you saw? Include information on the characters, setting and plot, and say whether you would recommend the film to other people. The best reviews will be published next month.Write your review in 100 words. Now write your review on the Answer Sheet.67. Instructions: The best holidays are the ones spent in a different country. Do you agree with the statement or not? State your opinion in 120-160 words, writing your answer on the Answer Sheet.。
2008 National English Contest for College Students(Level C--- Preliminary)Part I Listening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Section A (5 marks)In this section, you will hear five short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.1. A. To buy a newspaper. B. To find a chemist. C. To post a letter.2. A. Their billing system has been efficient.B. Their old billing system is outdated.C. He’s unimpressed with the new billing system.3. A. She’s been on vacation. B. She’s been at the grocery store.C. She’s been on a business trip.4. A. To go to the market. B. To have coffee. C. To have a discussion.5. A. Changing a flight reservation. B. Canceling a hotel reservation.C. Reserving an extra hotel room.Section B (10 marks)In this section, you will hear two long conversations. Each conversation will be read only once. At the end of each conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, read the five questions, each with three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Conversation one6. What’s Tania’s phone number?A. 506-6178B. 501-6678C. 501-66877. Who is going shopping at Harrods?A. Tania.B. Karl.C. Karl’s mother.8. How is Tania going to get to Harrods?A. On foot.B. By taxi.C. By tube.9. Which street plan shows the way from the station?A. B. C.10. What kind of wine does Karl want?A. Red Merlot.B. White Bordeaux.C. Rose Chianti. Conversation Two11. Which drawing shows the position of the handle?A. B. C.12. What other product features are included?A. A range of handle sizes.B. A variety of color combinations.C. A set of rings for different-sized tins.13. What’s the purpose of the V-clip?A.To hold the paint brush so it drips in the can.B.To prevent paint from getting onto the painted surfaces.C.To prevent the brush drying out if the painter is interrupted.14. Who will probably use the can-holder?A. Artists.B. Decorators.C. Soldiers.15. How much does the product cost?A. £4.B. £5.C. $4.Section C (5 marks)In this section, you will hear five short news item. Each item will be read only once. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, read the question and the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.16. What has prompted the new administration to review the Australia’s citizenship test?A. It’s out of date.B. Higher immigration rates.C. Many applicants failing it.17. Which train provides the easiest way to see Mount Fuji?A. From Tokyo to Yokohama.B. From Osaka to Yokohama.C. From Tokyo to Osaka.18. How many U.N. employees were killed in 2007?A. 17.B. 42.C. 59.19. What have studies found out about severe pneumonia treatment?A.No medication works in developing countries.B.It can be effectively treated at home with oral antibiotics.C.It can only be treated in the hospital with injectable antibiotics.20. What was the bar’s business like before the smoking ban?A. Almost empty every day.B. Usually crowded at midday.C. Empty on Wednesdays.Section D (10 marks)In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases. Fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Crime isn’t rising because the laws are not strict enough, or because the (21) ________ are not tough enough, or simply because there aren’t enough policemen on the beat. It is rising because the agencies and individuals who can have a (22) _______ effect on crime are not pulling together or in the same (23) ______. The police are one of those agencies, of course. But crime prevention is also a matter for(24) ______ who are content to see mass (25) _______ turn into a way of life, for councils who prefer to shout yah-boo at the police, (26) _____ getting on with making life safer for local people, for architects who design exposed and indefensible buildings, for parents who don’t take enough interest in what their teenage children are getting up to and for (27) ______ who sit inside and moan (28) ______ do anything about the state of the neighborhood or the street. Crime prevention has been neglected for too many by too many. Over the last ten years it has been willfully neglected in defiance of mounting (29) _______ that it is the central hope of (30) ________ action against crime.Part II V ocabulary and Structures (10 minutes, 15 marks)There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices, marked A, B C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence, then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.31. They are looking for _______ man with _______ long dark hair. He is armed and dangerous.A. a; aB. the; aC. a; /D. /; the32. It was unfortunate, but she had no _____ but to act as she did.A. chance.B. opportunityC. optionD. solution33. The _____ driver thinks that accidents only happen to other people.A. generalB. usualC. commonD. average34. How did they manage to steal the Van Gogh? It was right ____ the security guard’s nose.A. belowB. beforeC. underD. beside35. The student ______ continuing his studies when he had to return to his home country unexpectedly.A. is consideringB. was consideringC. should considerD. has considered36. My friends and I enjoy doing many of the same things. In that respect, we have a lot _______.A. in similarB. in particularC. in commonD.in accordance37. Our planned visit to the United States _______ because we were unable to get the visas.A. fell overB. fell downC. fell throughD. fell on38. Lest anyone _____ it strange, let me assure you that it is quite true.A. thoughtB. should thinkC. had thoughtD. thinking39. When Sally ______ the criminal ______ her house, she screamed at the top of her voice because she didn’t want ______.A. saw; enter; killedB. saw; enter; to be killedC. sees; entering; be killedD. sees; enter; killing40. Tina’s children, _____ all live nearby, organized a big party for her eightieth birthday.A. whoB. thatC. whichD. as41. Sometimes it is necessary to be careful _______ the right date to sit for a test.A. when choosingB. when you will chooseC. when you have chosenD. when you chose42. Einstein’s theory of relativity seemed hard to believe at the time _______.A. when he first introducedB. that he first introduced itC. he first introducedD. which he first introduced it43. ________ really. I like both public transport and driving.A. On second thoughtsB. I could go either wayC. I will never learn to driveD. But then again44. _____ I’m getting married!A. Can you keep a secret?B. Well I never!C. Many happy returns.D. Congratulations!45. --- So, do you know where you’d like to go?--- Actually, I’ve heard that it’s very expensive and it’s cold all the time.A. I beg your pardon?B. Yeah, but it’s not very good.C. Do you know any good hotels?D. Do you have any suggestions? Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (4 marks)There is one passage in this section with 4 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B C and D. You should decide on the best choice, then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center. Questions 46-49 are based on the following passage.Most sore throats are caused by an infection which treatment with antibiotics cannot cure. But with simple remedies the patient normally gets better in 4 or 5 days. Tonsillitis, however, usually starts with a sore throat which causes pain on swallowing. With children and some adults there may be a fever and the patient is obviously not feeling well. It may be possible to see white spots on the back of the throat. The neck may also swell, both of which are the normal response to infection. Sometimes a sore throat may occur with the common cold, and with influenza there may be dryness of the throat, pain on coughing and loss of voice.TREATMENTAspirin: To help relieve the pain on swallowing and (if there is one) the fever, use aspirin tablets dissolved in water, so that the patient can gargle before swallowing. Repeat the treatment every 4 hours.Drink: Encourage the patient to drink plenty of liquids.Food: Food should not be forced on a patient who does not want to eat.Steam: If there is pain in the throat on coughing, breathing in steam may help. CHILDRENYoung children, who may not be able to gargle, should be given aspirin dissolved in water every 4 hours at the right dose for their age.At one year: a single junior aspirin.At five years: half an adult aspirin.At eight years: one whole adult aspirin.WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTORIf the sore throat is still getting worse after 2 days.If the patient complains of earache.If the patient or parent is very worried.46. According to the passage, it would appear that most sore throats _________.A.require an immediate visit to a doctorB.respond quickly to treatment with an antibioticC.rarely turn out to be symptoms of serious illnessD.result in tonsillitis even when treated47. In order to treat a sore throat one should ________.A.prevent the patient from eating too muchB.give the patient up to 4 aspirin tablets every dayC.advise the patient to drink large amounts of liquidsD.make the patient gargle with hot liquids48. You should call the doctor in if _________.36.swelling occurs in the region of the ears37.the patient’s condition worsens after 2 days38.the patient’s throat is still sore after a week39.the disease spreads to another member of the family49. What difference is there in the way adults and young children should be treated with aspirin?A.Young children should not be allowed to gargle with it.B.Adults should be given tablets to swallow whole.C.Young children should be given aspirin more often than adults.D.Adults should be given larger doses of aspirin than children.Section B (14 marks)There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet.For questions 50-55, markY (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 56-59, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.In 1945 leaders from 51 countries met in San Francisco, California, and organized the United Nations (often called the UN). World War II had just ended. Millions of people had died, and there was destruction everywhere. People hoped they could build a future of world peace through this new organization.The United Nations has four main goals and purposes:40.To work together for international peace and to solve internationalproblems;41.To develop friendly relations among nations;42.To work together for human rights for everyone of all races, religions, andof both sexes;43.To build a center where nations can work together for these goals.Today almost every country in the world is a member of the UN. Each country has signed an agreement that says:1. All members are equal.2. All members promise to solve international problems in a peaceful way.3. No member will use force against another member.4. All members will help the UN in its actions.5.The UN will not try to solve problems within countries except to enforce international peace.Obviously, the United Nations has not been completely successful in its goals. There have been several wars since 1945. However, the organization has helped bring peace to some countries that were at war. It has helped people who left their countries because of wars. It has helped bring independence to colonies.The main United Nations organization is in New York City, but the UN has a “family” of other related organizations all over the world. These organizations try to provide a better life for everyone. One example is UNICEF, an organization that provides food, medical care, and many other services for poor children wherever they live. Another example is the World Health Organization, which develops medical programs all over the world.There are thousands of UN workers in developing countries. They work as planners to increase production in farming and industry. They provide medical services, improve education programs, and spread scientific information. They develop programs that provide jobs and better living conditions. They help countries control their population growth.The United Nations also holds large international conferences, where people meet to discuss important world issues. One conference was about the uses and ownership of oceans. Another was about women. There are also International Years. In these special years, people work together to improve situations and solve problems. One year was the International Year of the Child.For centuries countries have fought each other, and powerful countries have taken control of weaker ones. It is very difficult to persuade nations to live together in peace. Nevertheless, the United Nations is attempting to do this. It is the only organization that unites the world in the search for peace.In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, and then answer the questions in as few words as possible (not more than 10 words). Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 60-64 are based on the following passage.A language is a system of sounds, gestures, or characters used by humans to communicate their ideas and feelings. There are about 4,000 spoken languages in the world. Some are spoken by millions of people. Other languages have only a few speakers.All languages have rules for forming words and for ordering those words in sentences. In written languages, meaning is expressed through a system of characters and rules for combining those characters. In spoken languages, meaning is expressed through a system of sounds and rules for combining those sounds. Many deaf people use sign languages, in which gestures do the work of the sound system of spoken languages.Word order is more important in English than it is in some other languages, such as Russian. The sound system is very important in Chinese and in many languages spoken in West Africa.Languages are always changing, but they change very slowly. People invent new words for their language, borrow words from other languages, and change the meanings of words as needed. For example, the English word byte was invented by computer specialists in 1959. the English word tomato was borrowed from Nahuatl, and American Indian language spoken in Mexico. The English word meat once referred to food in general.There are several major language families in the world. The languages in each family are related, and scientists think they came from the same parent family. Language families come in different sizes. The Austronesian family contains at least 500 languages, including Pilipino, Malay, and Maori. The Basque language, spoken in northern Spain, is the only member of its language family.The Indo-European language family contains 55 languages, including English, German, Spanish, Russian, and Hindi.Another language family is Sino-Tibetan, which includes Chinese, Burmese, and Tibetan. The Afro-Asiatic family includes Arabic, Hebrew, and Amharic. There are about 150 American Indian languages spoken today. These languages have many differences and have been divided into more than 50 language families.People learn languages by listening, copying what they hear, and using the language. Most children learn their first languages easily, and sometimes other languages as well. Adults often must work harder at learning a second language. Questions:In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing a maximum of three words from the passage to fill in each of the spaces, 65-70. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 65-70 are based on the following passage.Welcome to “Software World”--- bringing you the very latest information on what is currently available on CD-ROM. Are you a director or producer looking for an unusual actor to play a part in a new movie project, or with that special look for a new commercial on TV? OK. The usual procedure would be to contact a theatrical agency, who would try and sell you the idea of using one of the actors listed on their books. Books? Too old-fashioned for you? Then get yourself a copy of this latest electronic database called “The Electronic Curtain”.The brainchild of casting agent Fred Harkney of the Better Talent Agency, he says he got the idea of an actor’s directory from his son playing computer games. Noting that junior had to type in the details of the characters in his favorite game, he realized he could do the same for the actors he represents. Eventually, he came to include information on nearly three quarters of the approximately 34,000 actors registered and looking for work in Britain. With some theatrical agencies boasting that they represent over 500 performers, the need for this product is not hard to fathom. It can be a nightmare trying to remember just which actor has done what, or just what an actor can do. The database lists details of over 5,500 actors: TV shows they have appeared in, special skills they possess --- everything down to the color of their eyes and other distinguishing physical features. By entering the details of the type of person you are looking for, the database quickly locates only those persons with the particular qualities requested.One problem though, is that many actors feel it is too impersonal, and they could be missing out on much needed auditions for parts in theatrical shows. On the other hand, it might just get them that elusive job. The days of nervous nail-biting while waiting around to give an audition could well and truly be over. And all because of a small plastic disk. For product details ring this number now: 0171-379-60000. Summary:Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A (5 marks)There are 5 blanks in the passage. Use the word given on the right-hand side to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Section B (10 marks)There are 10 blanks in the passage. For each blank, one or more letters of the word have been given (not exceeding 3 letters). Read the passage below and decide which word best fits each blank, using only one word in each word in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.True relaxation is most certainly not a matter of flopping down in front of the television with a welcome drink. Nor is it about drifting into an exhausted sleep. Useful though these responses to tension and over-tiredness (76) mi_______ be, we should distinguish between them and conscious relaxation in (77) te_____ of quality and effect. Regardless of the level of tiredness, real relaxation is a state of alertness, yet, at the same (78) t______, passive awareness, in which our bodies are (79) a________ rest while our minds are awake.Moreover, it is as natural for a healthy person to be relaxed when moving as resting.(80) Be_____ relaxed in action means we bring the appropriate energy to everything we do, (81) W______ needs to be rediscovered is conscious relaxation. With this in (85) m______ we must apply ourselves to understanding stress and the nature of its causes, however deep-seated.Part V Translation (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A (8 marks) Translate the underlined sentences of the following passage into Chinese. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.After my mother passed away, my dad tried even harder to stay healthy and active. Every morning, until the weather turned too cold, he swam in the turquoise pool in the complex where he lived. (86) Each day, no matter how he felt, he swam one more lap than the previous day, just to prove there was always room for improvement. Every few days he reported the new number of laps to me, pride edging his voice.By his late seventies, in spite of swimming and working six days a week, my dad had noticeably dwindled in strength and energy. By age eighty-one he was in poor health and had to retire. (87) He pretended he didn’t need to lean heavily on me for support as we walked slowly, and I pretended not to notice. His mind was clear, but congestive heart problems and disabling arthritis had worn him down. One day he said, “In case of an emergency, I do not wish to be kept alive by any extraordinary means. I’ve signed an official paper to this effect.”He smiled his wonderful, broad grin and said, “I’ve been blessed to have had your mother as my wife and you as my only child, and I’m ready to go.”Less than a month later he had a heart attack. In the emergency room, he again reminded his doctor and me of his wishes, but I couldn’t imagine, in spite of this latest crisis, that he wouldn’t always be saying, “Have I told you yet today that I adore you?”(88) He was miserable in intensive care; tubes seemed to come from every opening. But my dad still had his sense of humor, asking me, “Does this mean we can’t keep our lunch date tomorrow?”His voice faltered.“I’ll be here to pick you up and we’ll go someplace special,”I answered, a lump in my throat.(89) Dad refused to look at me for the first time in his life and turned toward the blank green wall next to his hospital bed. There was a painful silence between us. He said, “I don’t want you to remember me like this. Promise me you won’t, darling! And please go now --- I’m so miserable.Section B (7 marks)Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.90. 她在阳光下只晒了一会儿,脸就开始变红了。
2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题及答案(A级)Part I Listening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Section A (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A. At a bank. B. At a department store. C. At a lawyer's office.2. A. Jealous. B. Indifferent. C. Negative.3. A. A party invitation.B. A tour of the house.C. A dinner party.4. A. Policeman and driver.B. Teacher and pupil.C. Driver and actress.5. A. To attend a party.B. To the beauty salon.C. To the school.6. A. 1,090. B. 530. C. 1,060.7. A. Dec. 13th, 1906. B. Dec. 30th, 1906. C. Nov. 13th, 1916.8. A. Nothing. B. Dinner. C. A snack.9. A. In less than three days.B. In more than three days.C. In three days.10. A. To a friend's house.B. To the kindergarten.C. Do some shopping.Section B (5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear one long conversation. The conversation will be read only once. At the end of the conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the five questions, each with three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.11. What does Susan have to do on Saturday morning?A. Walk the dog.B. Clean the house.C. Go to the doctor's.12. What will Susan do at noon?A. Go shopping.B. Watch TV.C. Go to the dentist's.13. What time is Susan meeting with Julie?A. 12:30 am.B. 2:00 pm.C. 4:30 pm.14. How does Susan feel about her schedule on Saturday?A. Exciting.B. Disappointing.C. Exhausting.15. Why can't they watch a video at Susan's house?A. The machine doesn't work.B. They can't decide on a video.C. Susan's mother is going to use it.Section C (5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and then the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.16. Who got to move to the next step?A. Andre Agassi.B. Rogen Fidow.C. Roger Federer.17. What did the gunman force the charity to do?A. Delay the operation in this area.B. Operate on their own staff.C. Attack the Sans Frontieres.18. Why were the Iraqi detainees made to pick up garbage?A. Because the serviceman abused the detainees.B. Because the commander gave the order to the serviceman.C. Because the detainees were accused.19. Where did the clash happen?A. In the West Bank.B. Near Israeli.C. Near Ariel.20. Why do the Israeli forces threaten to carry out a massive offensive against the Palestinians?A. Because Israeli troops were besieged by the Palestinians.B. Because the military operation began since last November.C. Because Palestinians killed Israelis in a suicide attack.Section D (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases in it. Fill in the blanks with the exact words or phrases you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.There are two types of people in the world. Although they have (21) ________ degrees of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, and the other becomes (22) ________. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, and events, and the resulting effects upon their minds. People who are to be happy fix their attention on the (23) ________ of things, the pleasant part of convention, the fine weather. They enjoy all the (24) ________ things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the (25) ________ things. Therefore, they are continually (26) ________. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend many people, and make themselves (27) ________ everywhere. If this turn of mind were found in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The tendency to criticize and to be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally (28) ________. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but itmay be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects (29) ________. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit. Although in fact it is chiefly (30) ________, it has serious consequences in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck.Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this section. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. Essentially, a theory is an abstract, symbolic representation of ________ reality.A. what it is conceivedB. that is conceivedC. what is conceived to beD. that is being conceived of32. New York City collects garbage ________ $209 per family per year.A. at the cost ofB. at sacrifice ofC. in demand ofD. in support of33. I would just as soon ________ rudely to her.A. you not speakB. you won't speakC. you not speakingD. you didn't speak34. ________ so many people been out of work as today.A. More than ever beforeB. Never before haveC. In the past, there never haveD. Formerly, there never were35. We got home late last night, ________, early this morning.A. namelyB. in other wordsC. or ratherD. in any case36. The miners escaped the danger by ________.A. a hair breadthB. hair breadthC. hair's breadthD. a hair's breadth37. Praise is like warm sunshine. It not only brings joy to ________ who are praised but also adds pleasure to ________ who praise.A. these; theseB. we; usC. them; themD. those; those38. When our imports ________ our exports, we say we have a favorable trade balance; however, when our imports and exports are the other way round we say we have an unfavorable trade balance.A. fall shortB. fall short ofC. run out ofD. are lack of39. ________ that distinguish human beings from other primates are related to the ability of people to stand upright and walk on two legs.A. Many of the physical characteristicsB. Of the many physical characteristicsC. The physical characteristicsD. There are many physical characteristics40. Classical logic is characterized by a concern for the structure and elements of argument ________ that thought, language, and reality are interrelated.A. based on the beliefB. on the belief basedC. belief based on theD. the based belief on41. ________ fashioned from a wick floating in a bowl of oil functioned according to the principle of capillary action.A. All lamps earlyB. Lamps all earlyC. All early lampsD. Early all lamps42. In 1964 ________ of Henry Osaka Tanner's paintings was shown at the Smithsonian Institution.A. was a major collectionB. that a major collectionC. a collection was majorD. a major collection43. Traditionally, ________ on Thanksgiving Day in New England.A. when served is sweet ciderB. when sweet cider is servedC. is served sweet ciderD. sweet cider is served44. Richard: This class is so boring. When will it end?Drew: I don't know. I don't think I can take it much longer.Teacher: ________Richard: Oh, nothing. We were discussing the text.A. Hey you two! What are you talking about?B. Do one of you know what the answer to this problem is?C. Am I boring you two?D. The two of you go to the principal's office right now!45. Delivery man: I have a package here for Beverly Beaver.Beverly: That is me. ________Delivery man: Yes, please sign here on the line.Beverly: Thank you. These must be the new drapes I ordered.A. Where is the receipt?B. Do you have the sender's address?C. Do you take a credit card?D. Do I have to sign for it?Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (5 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 5 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on theAnswer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-50 are based on the following passage.No matter what our work is, we all have to face that choice - in my field no less than in others. There may not be a more important field for the dissemination of values in our country than the entire communications industry - most strikingly, television. Networks are very sensitive to that fact, and they employ dozens of censors to prevent all of us from using language on television that an eight year old might have to explain to his parents. But the point that censors miss, I think, is that it is not so much what we say that teaches as what we don't say. Even programs that attempt to make a moral point don't always make the point that they intended to. Because when we sense we are being sole something, we automatically defend ourselves against it. I think it may be the unspoken assumptions that mold an audience.Look at the way, for instance, that violence is treated on television. It is not only the quantity that offends. There probably is no more violence on television than there is in a Shakespearean tragedy. But on television you find unfelt violence and in Shakespeare you tend to find felt violence. In Shakespeare the characters react with a human response: They fear, they hurt, they mourn. Most of the time on television, violence is dealt with by sweeping it under the rug as fast as possible and by having people go on about their business as if nothing had happened. (If I can't have less violence, I want at least a better grade of violence.) One of the unspoken assumptions is that violence can be tolerated as long as you ignore it and have no reaction to it. But that seems to me to be dangerously close to psychopathic behavior. I wonder if there is any connection between the longacceptance by our people of the Vietnam War and the thousands and thousands of deaths that we have seen on television over the years that were never mourned, never even paused for except to sell shampoo for sixty seconds.Maybe our greatest problem is that we have two separate sets of value systems that we use - the one we talk about and the one we live by. We seem to place a very high value on fairness and on human concerns. And yet we still have widespread discrimination based on race, sex and religion. You still don't find Jews, blacks or other minorities in any significant numbers in decision-making positions in the banking industry, for instance. You think that's an accident? I think somebody puts a value on that. And you don't find women in any significant numbers in decision-making capacities in any industry. Why? Because we place a higher value on appeasing the fragile male ego than we do on fairness and decency. Maybe what we need is a declaration of interdependence.Questions:46. It can be concluded from the first paragraph that ________.A. we won't buy things that are recommendedB. we become defensive whenever we are taught to do somethingC. television is the most important part of the communication industryD. TV programs can never successfully convey a moral point47. What is the author's attitude toward violence on television?A. He thinks that violence on television should be totally banned.B. Violence on television is more tolerable than the one in Shakespeare's plays.C. Violence can be tolerated if you pretend that it doesn't exist.D. Violence, if unavoidable, should be presented on television in a more appropriate way.48. The word “appeasing” (line 6 in paragraph 3) most probably means ________.A. attackingB. accusingC. soothingD. satisfying49. By citing the examples of the Jews, blacks, and other minorities in the last paragraph, the author aims to show that ________.A. it's an accident that they are out-numbered in the decision-making positions in the banking industryB. they stand for one set of value systemC. what we talk about and what we actually do might be totally differentD. fairness is well respected in our life50. The author's tone in writing the text is ________.A. neutralB. matter-of-factC. criticalD. questioningSection B (15 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet.For questions 51 - 55, markY (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 56 - 60, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.You hear the same complaint all the time as people get older: “My memory is terrible.” Is it all in the m ind, or do real changes take place in the brain with age to justify such grumbling (抱怨)? The depressing answer is that the brain's cells, the neurons, die and decline in efficiency with age.Professor Arthur Shimamura, of the University of California at Berkeley, says there are three main ways in which mental function changes. The first is mental speed, for example how quickly you can react tofast-moving incidents on the road. Drivers in their late teens react quickly but tend to drive too fast, while the over sixties are more cautious but react more slowly. The near-inevitable slowing with age also partly explains why soccer players are seen as old in their thirties, while golf professionals are still in their prime at that age. This type of mental slowing results from a reduction in the efficiency with which the brain's neurons work.The fact that adults find it harder to learn musical instruments than children points to a second type of mental loss with age - a reduction in learning capacity. The parts of the brain known as the temporal lobes control new learning, and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of aging. This means that, as we get older, we take longer to learn a new language, and slower to master new routines and technologies at work, and we have to rely more on diaries and other mental aids.“Working memory” is the third brain system which is vulnerable to the effects of aging. Working memory is the brain's “blackboard”, where we juggle from moment to moment the things we have to keep in mind when solving problems, planning tasks and generally organizing our day-to-day life. Absent-mindedness occurs at all ages because of imperfections in the working memory system - so, for instance, you may continually lose your glasses, or find yourself walking into a room of your house only to find that you cannot remember what you came for.Such absent-mindedness tends to creep up on us as we age and occurs because our plans and intentions, which are chalked up on the mental blackboard, are easily wiped out by stray thoughts and other distractions. Stress and preoccupation can also cause such absent-mindedness, in addition to age-related changes in the brain. The frontal lobes of the brain - located behind the forehead and above the eyes - are where the working memory system is located. Like the temporal lobes, which handle new learning, the frontal lobes are more vulnerable to the aging process than other parts of the brain.The news, however, is not all bleak. Although neurons reduce in number with age, the remaining neurons send out new and longer connection fibers (dendrites) to maintain connections and allow us to function reasonably well with only relatively small drops in ability.This and other evidence sugge sts that the principle “use it or lost it” might apply to the aging brain. Professor Shimamura studied a group of university professors who were still intellectually active, and compared their performance on neuropsychological tests with that of others of their age group, as well as with younger people. He found that on several tests of memory, the mentally active professors in their sixties and early seventies were superior to their contemporaries, and as good as the younger people.Research on animals provide even stronger evidence of the effects of stimulation on the brain structure. Professor Bryan Kolb, of the University of Lethbridge in Canada, has shown that animals kept in stimulating environments show sprouting (生长) and lengthening of the connecting nerve fibers in comparison with animals kept in unstimulating environments.The beneficial effects of continued mental activity are shown by the fact that older contestants in quiz shows are just as fast and accurate in responding to general knowledge questions as younger competitors, suggesting that at least part of their intellectual apparatus is spared the effects of aging because of practice and skill.Such findings lead to the intriguing possibility of “mental fitness training” to acco mpany jogging and workouts for the health conscious. Research in Stockholm by Professor Lars Backman and his colleague has shown that older people can be trained to use their memory better, with the effects of this training lasting several years.Just as people go bald or grey at different rates, so the same is true for their mental faculties. Why this should be the case for memory and other mental functions is not yet clear. If Professor Shimamura is right, then the degree to which people use and stretch their mental faculties may also have a role to play.Questions:51. The passage gives a description of several methods of testing mental ability.52. Professor Shimamura identified a number of areas in which mental function may change.53. As the temporal lobes of the brain are affected by aging, it becomes harder to pick up new skills.54. Research indicates that physical training can help to improve memory.55. Taking part in quizzes is the best way to stimulate the brain.56. Absent-mindedness is not necessarily ________.57. Scientists do not understand why people's ________ decline at different rates.58. If a person is under stress, ________ may become more frequent.59. When the frontal lobes of the brain are affected by aging, there is a gradual deterioration in ________.60. If an animal's brain is kept active and stimulated, ______________.Section C (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in a maximum of 10 words. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet. Questions 61 - 65 are based on the following passage.Alarmed by a 20-year decline in student achievement, American schools are considering major upheavals in the career structure of teachers, school boards around the country are planning to abandon traditional salary schedules and single out outstanding teachers for massive pay rise.The idea is regarded with deep suspicion by the United States' biggest teachers' unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. They say the creation of a cadre of eliteteachers will sour professional relationships and encourage teachers to compete instead of cooperate; they also question whether a fair way can be devised to tell which teachers really do perform better than their colleagues.But heightened public anxiety about secondary education appears to have given the master teacher concept unstoppable political momentum. Florida and Tennessee are racing to introduce ambitious statewide master teacher schemes before the end of the year. Less grandiose proposals to pay teachers on the basis of merit instead of seniority have already been implemented in countless school districts. And the Secretary of Education, Mr. Terrel Bell, recently promised substantial incentive grants to states which intend to follow their example.Low pay is believed to be the single most important reason for the flight from teaching. The average salary of a teacher in the United States is just under $19,000, much less than that of an engineer ($34,700) and not much more than that of a secretary($16,500). To make ends meet it is common for teachers to take second jobs in the evening and in their summer holidays, and women, who used to make up the bulk of teacher candidates are turning to better paid professions.The unions insist that the answer to this problem is to increase the basic pay of all teachers, but most states would find that too expensive, they would be better able to afford schemes that confine pay increases to a small number of exceptional teachers. Champions of the idea say it would at least hold out the promise of high pay and status to bright graduates who are confident of their ability to do well in the classroom, but are deterred by the present meager opportunities for promotion.One of the first large-scale tests of this approach will come in Tennessee, where a year of painstaking negotiations has just overcome bitter union opposition to a wide-ranging master teacher scheme. Tennessee promised that they will allocate $300 million as education budget. In return for a chance to earn bigger salaries and faster promotion, teachers will subject themselves to closer scrutiny.The Tennessee plan will make it harder for poor teachers to join the profession. Beginners will have to serve a probationary year before qualifying, and another three apprentice years before receiving tenure. Apprentice teachers who fail to reach a required standard will not be allowed to stay on. Survivors will be designated “career teachers” and given a chance to climb through three career rugs and earn bonuses of up to $7,000. Advancement will not be automatic. The performance of each teacher will be closely assessed by committees of teachers drawn from other districts.Questions:61. What support is the federal government offering to states that set up a master teacher scheme?62. What's the purpose of the master teacher scheme?63. In the state of Tennessee, how will teachers be assessed?64. What is the main idea of the text?65. What can be inferred from the text about the master teacher scheme?Section D (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing no more than three words from the passage. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 66 - 70 are based on the following passage.The United KingdomBritain (or Great Britain) is an island that lies off the north-west coast of Europe. The nearest country is France, which is 20 miles away and from which Britain is separated by the English Channel. The island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the North Sea to the east. It comprises the mainlands of England, Wales and Scotland, that is, three countries. Scotland is in the north, while Wales is in the west. Ireland, which is also an island, lies off the west coast of Britain. It consists of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Britain together with Northern Ireland constitute the United Kingdom (UK). Thus, the United Kingdom is composed of four countries, the largest of which is England. The capital city is London, which is situated in south-east England.The UK has a total area of about 244,100 square kilometres (94,248 square miles). About 70% of the land area is devoted to agriculture, about 7% is wasteland, moorland and mountains, about 13% is devoted to urbandevelopment, and 10% is forest and woodland. The northern and western regions of Britain, that is Scotland and Vales, are mainly mountainous and hilly. Parts of the north-west and centre of England also consist of mountains and hills.Britain has a generally mild and temperate climate. It is, however, subject to frequent changes. It has an average annual rainfall of about 120 centimetres (47 inches).In 1998 the population of the United Kingdom was nearly 59 million. The density of population was approximately 240 people per square kilometre. However, in England, where 83% of the population live, the density was much higher, about 363 per square kilometre.In the UK, English is the first language of the vast majority of people. However, in western Wales, Welsh is the first language for many of the people. In Scotland only a small number of people speak Gaelic.In Britain about 66% of the population say that they are Christian, while fewer than 5% say that they belong to other religions.Summary:Britain is an island that (66) ________ the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It comprises the mainlands of England, Wales and Scotland. Ireland (67) ________ the west coast of Britain. It (68) ________ Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The United Kingdom consists of Britain together with Northern Ireland. The capital city is London which (69) ________ south-east England.In 1998 the population of the UK was nearly 59 million. The density of population was 240 people per square kilometre. In the UK English is the first language of most people. In western Wales, Welsh (70) ________ many of the people, but few people in Scotland speak Gaelic.Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A (5 marks)Directions: There are 5 blanks in the passage. For each blank, some letters of the word have been given (not exceeding 3 letters). Read the passage below and think of the word which best fits each blank. Use only one word in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Language is learned primarily through communication with other people. Research shows that the more communication children (71) exp________ at home, the better developed their language skills will be. Children need to talk well in order to learn well. This is especially important for the development of native language skills since the language is often reinforced by the child's environment outside school.However, the (72) qu________ of communication is just as or more important than quantity alone. The language adults use helps children become aware of the many different aspects of objects and events around them. For example, during a shopping trip to the market or store, adults can develop children's concepts by bringing their attention to the shapes, colors, sounds, textures, and sizes of objects and events around them.Parents can do this naturally through conversation without (73) di________ teaching. In other words, conversation with children in everyday situations expands their minds and develops their thinking skills.In addition to conversing with children, adults can help prepare their children to succeed in school by (74) en________ them to take an active interest in books and in the print that surrounds them in the environment. The child's first major task in school is learning to read. Children who come to school with knowledge that the print aroundthem carries important meaning and with an interest in books and stories will usually (75)su________ in learning to read rapidly.Section B (10 marks)Directions: There are 10 blanks in the passage. Use the word given in each blanket to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Forensic science (法庭科学) means (76) ________ (use) science to solve crime. But what exactly does a forensic scientist do?At the scene of crime, the crime scene (77) ________ (investigator) will thoroughly examine the area. They will look for fingerprints and palm prints; marks of tools and weapons; marks from shoes; fibers from (78)______ (cloth); body fluids.。
大学生英语竞赛(NECCS)B类英语专业决赛真题2008年(无听力)Part Ⅰ Listening C o m p e r h e n s i o n(略)Part Ⅱ Multiple C h o iceSection AThere are 10 incomplete sentences in this section. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the ce n t r e.1. The government is and will take the necessary steps to maintain security and stability.A.on standbyB.at riskC.out of controlD.on the alertAon standby严阵以待,随时准备着。
at risk处境危险。
out of control失去控制。
on the alert处于戒备状 态,保持警觉。
2. Being an experienced inventor, Jackson knew all his money in a risky venture.A.better than puttingB.rather than puttingC.better than to putD.rather than to put.Cknow better than to do明白事理(而不至于…),不至于蠢到…。
3. , a man who expresses himself effectively is sure to succeed more rapidly than a man whose command of language is poor.A.Other things being equalB.Were other things equalC.To be equal to other thingsD.Other things to be equalAother things being equal在其他条件都相同的情况下。
08大学英语竞赛样题Part IListening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Section A(5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A. The man is not suitable for the position.B. The job has been given to someone else.C. She hadn't received the man's application.2. A. He is going to see his section chief.B. He is going to have a job interview.C. He is going to see his girlfriend.3. A. Ask to see the man's ID card.B. Get the briefcase for the man.C. Show the man her documents.4. A. The dorm room is too crowded.B. There is no kitchen in the building.C. No one looks after the dorm building.5. A. She was always in good shape.B. She stopped exercising one year ago.C. She lost a lot of weight in one year.Section B (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. Each conversation will be read only once. At the end of each conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the five questions, each with three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Conversation One6. What is soon to open in China?A. The French Movie Festival.B. The French Cultural Year.C. The French Food Festival.7. How many exhibitions will be held for this activity?A. 200.B. 20.C. 100.8. What will be held at the foot of the Great Wall?A. The City Concert.B. The Opening Ceremony.C. The Great Lunch.9. Which of the following cities is not included in this activity?A. Chongqing.B. Wuhan.C. Shenzhen.10. What will certainly make great contributions to this activity?A. Internet.B. TV shows.C. Newspapers.Conversation Two11. What sound more like a native speaker in a casual conversation?A. Examples.B. Verbs.C. Idioms.12. Which of the following sounds more informal and more natural?A. Get together.B. Meet.C. See.13. Which of the following means that you cannot interrupt me?A. I'm tied up.B. I have a lot on my plate.C. I'm busy.14. In American culture, what is considered important in a conversation?A. Using proper languageB. Making eye contact.C. Looking at your own feet.15. In business, how might Americans feel about you if you are looking away?A. You're feeling ashamed.B. You're telling the truth.C. You're telling a lie.Section C (5 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and then the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.16. How long will it take for new forests to grow back?A. 65 years.B. 20 years.C. 40 years.17. What did Jimmy Carter plan to focus his efforts on after leaving the White House in 1981?A. A presidential library.B. Camp David.C. Winning a second term.18. What was regarded as the lifeblood of the country of the Maldives?A. Oil.B. Agriculture.C. Tourism.19. What is responsible for the death of many people in developing countries?A. The development of resistance to diseases.B. The difficulty to cure new emerging diseases.C. The inability of the poor to afford medicine.20. What released an estimated 8.7 million tons of the global warming gas?A. Cars.B. Wildfires.C. Wars.Section D (10 marks)Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases in it. Fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.A researcher says lead in the environment could be a major cause of violence by young people. Doctor Herbert Needleman is a (21) ________ at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and he (22) ________ his findings at the yearly meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Doctor Needleman says the presence of lead in the (23) ________ changes the neurons that control actions and that can cause a person to act in antisocial and (24) ________ ways.In the 1970s, Doctor Needleman found lower scores on (25) ________ even in children who did not have such signs of lead poisoning. After that, lead was (26)________ gasoline and paint in the United States. Yet many homes still have old lead paint. Lead was also used in older (27) ________. In fact, officials just announced stronger testing and reporting requirements as from next year for lead in American drinking water.The newest research shows that even very small amounts of lead in bones can affect brain development. A simple (28)________ can measure lead except that an X-ray process is needed to measure levels in bone. In 2004, such tests were done on 190 young people who were (29) ________ and the findings showed that their average levels were higher than normal. And, in 1998, three hundred children were studied and the test scores showed higher levels of (30) ________ problems in those with increased levels of lead. Yet these levels were still considered safe by the government.Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this part. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. So nervous ________ that she didn't know how to start her speech.A. since she becameB. would she becomeC. that she becameD. did she become32. He ________ another career but, at the time, he just wanted to earn money to study abroad.A. might have chosenB. might chooseC. had to chooseD. must have chosen33. The second report was ________ by August 2005, but one year later it was still nowhere in sight.A. submittedB. to have submittedC. to submitD. to have been submitted34. In this experiment, the students studied are stopped several times during the listening test and asked to report what they ________ during the pause before answering the questions.A. had just been thinking aboutB. have just been thinking aboutC. are just thinking aboutD. had just thought about35. I was always taught that it was ________ to interrupt.A. rudeB. coarseC. roughD. crude36. Small boys are ________ questioners. They ask questions all the time.A. originalB. peculiarC. imaginativeD. persistent37. We regret to inform you that the materials you ordered are ________.A. out of workB. out of reachC. out of stockD. out of practice38. The bomb will ________ the moment it is touched.A. go onB. go offC. go outD. go over39. The car won't ________; I've tried it several times, but it won't work.A. beginB. launchC. startD. drive40. Children and old people do not like having their daily ________ upset.A. habitB. routineC. practiceD. custom41. In your first few days at school you'll be given a test to help the teachers to ________ you to a class at your level.A. locateB. assignC. deliverD. place42. China only started its nuclear power industry in recent years, and should ________ no time in catching up.A.loseB.delayC. spareD. relieve43. — You did an excellent job yesterday, Jim! I really enjoyed your presentation.— ________— Oh yeah, it was fabulous. It seems the English program is a great way to practice English.— Yeah. It is fun and motivating.A. Did you really?B. Oh, thank you. You are so kind.C. Really? What about yours?D. Not at all. My pleasure.44. — What kind of music do you like?— Well, I like different kinds.— ________— Er, I especially like punk rock.A. I beg your pardon?B. Are you serious?C. Any in particular?D. Why do you think so?45. — How did you like the fashion show last night?— ________—I didn't see anything wrong with the clothes; they looked pretty nice to me.— Do you really think people can wear that stuff and walk around in streets?A. Impressive. It's a good way to show off women's sense of style and wealth.B. It was cool. The clothes are more beautiful than the people wearing them.C. Nothing serious. It's only a show to attract the eyes of fashion fans.D. It was dumb. I think it's stupid for women to wear clothes like that.Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)Section A (4 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 4 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 46-49 are based on the following passage.The ability to “see” oneself in the future is a remarkable human trait - some would say unique - that is not well understood. That's despite the fact that we probably spend as much time thinking about the future as we do thinking about the present.Now new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that it's precisely because we can remember the past that we can visualize the future. “Our findings provide convincing support for the idea that memory and future thought are highly interrelated and help explain why future thought may be impossible without memories,” says doctoral candidate Karl Szpunar. The findings are consistent with other research showing that persons with little memory of the past, such as young children or individuals suffering from loss of memory, are less able to see themselves in the future.The researchers base their conclusions on brain scans of 21 college students who were cued to think about something in their past, and anticipate the same event in the future, like a birthday or getting lost. The experiment was carried out as each student lay on their stomach in a magnetic resonance imaging machine, a dreadful but very useful piece of equipment that can show which areas of the brain are stimulated during specific thought processes.The students were also asked to picture former President Bill Clinton in a past and future setting. Clinton was chosen because he was easily recognized and familiar to all the students.The researchers found a “surprisingly complete overlap” among regions of the brain used for remembering the student's past and those used for picturing the future. And every region involved in remembering was also used in anticipating the future.In short, the researchers isolated the area of the brain that “lit up” when the students thought about an event in their own past. And more importantly, that same area lit up again when they thought about a similar event in their future. In fact, the researchers report that the brain activity was so similar in both cases that it was “indistinguishable.”The findings were reinforced when students imagined Bill Clinton. Since none of them knew him personally, their memories were not autobiographical. And the brain scans showed “significantly less” correlation between memories of having seen pictures of Clinton in the White House and projecting him into the future.So this “time machine,” as the researchers describe it, allows us to use the past to see ourselves in the future, and both our memories and our anticipation are interdependent.46. A remarkable human trait that is not well understood is the ability ________.A. to think about the pastB. to see the futureC. to remember the pastD. to control the present47. The findings support that ________.A. future goals will greatly influence a person's present performanceB. a person's present performance is determined by his / her past knowledgeC. future thought depends to a great degree on the memory of the pastD. present thought is impossible without the ability to imagine the future48. The conclusion of the experiment on students was that ________.A. the students could picture themselves better than Bill Clinton in a past and future settingB. the students could imagine themselves as well as Bill Clinton in a past and future settingC. the students could anticipate Bill Clinton better than themselves in a past and future settingD. the students could only picture themselves in a past and future setting but not Bill Clinton49. This “time machine” in the last paragraph most probably refers to ________.A. clockB. brain scanningC. magnetic resonance imagingD. memorySection B (14 marks)Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet. For questions 50-55, mark Y (for YES)if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO)if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage. For questions 56-59, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Visiting the White HouseWhite House Tours Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday , and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.White House Visitor CenterAll tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.Mobility-Impaired / Using a WheelchairGuests requiring the loan of a wheelchair should notify the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building upon arrival.Wheelchairs loans are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not possible.Visitors in wheelchairs, or with other mobility disabilities, on the Congressional guided or self-guided tours, between 8:00 a.m. and 12 noon, use the same Visitor entrance and, with up to four members of their party, are admitted without waiting in line and without tickets.Visitors in wheelchairs are escorted by ramp from the entrance level to the ground floor, and by elevator from the ground to the state floor. Guests generally wait in line with their family or group.Hearing-ImpairedTours for hearing-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. Tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer conducts the tour in sign language. Signed tours are available to groups of 8 to 20. Groups are also encouraged to bring their own interpreters.Signing interpretation is also available for individual visitors with advance notice. A Congressional office first issues guided tour tickets to a guest who is hearing-impaired and then contacts the Visitors Office at least 2 weeks in advance to request interpreter service.The Visitors Office TDD (telephone device for the deaf) is 202-456-2121. Messages may be left outside normal business hours.Visually-ImpairedTours for visually-impaired groups may be arranged in advance by writing to the Visitors Office, White House, Washington, DC 20502. The tours are usually scheduled at 9:30 a.m., between the Congressional and public tour times. Participants enter at the East Appointment gate. A U.S. Secret Service / Uniformed Division Tour Officer permits visitors to touch specific objects in the House. Touch tours are currently available only to groups of 8 to 20, not to individual visitors. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.General Tour InformationAll White House tours are free. Changes in tour schedules are occasionally made because of official events. Notice may not be given until that morning. The Visitors Office 24-hour Information Line recording at 202-456-7041 provides the mostup-to-date information. The TDD is 202-456-2121. Visitors should confirm tour schedules by calling the information line the night before and the morning that they plan to visit. It is occasionally necessary to close individual rooms on the tour; however, notice about closed rooms is not possible.Prohibited ItemsProhibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons / devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items. Umbrellas, wallets, cell phones and car keys are permitted.Please note that no storage facilities are available on or around the complex. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.ParkingThe closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.Restrooms / Public TelephonesThe nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms or public telephones are not available at the White House.50. Both Congressional guided and self-guided tours need to be scheduled in advance.51. All White House tours are free of charge except on federal holidays.52. The White House Visitor Center provides free drinks but not food service.53. Wheelchair reservation service is provided by the officer at the Visitors Entrance Building.54. Hearing-impaired visitors can request signing interpretation service from the Visitors Office.55. Touch tours are currently only offered to visually-impaired groups of 8 to 20.56. Sometimes official events make it necessary to close ________________ without notice.57. The personal items permitted to be carried into the White House are________________.58. The transportation visitors are encouraged to use is ________________.59. Inside the White House, visitors cannot find or use restrooms or________________.Section C (10 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions in as few words as possible (not more than 10 words). Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 60-64 are based on the following passage.If you were on a distant planet, and if you had instruments that could tell you the composition of Earth's atmosphere, how would you know there was life on this planet?Water in the atmosphere would suggest there could be water on the surface, and as we all know water is considered crucial to life. But water would only suggest that life is possible. It wouldn't prove it's there.Carbon? That basic component of “life as we know it?” Not necessarily. A diamond is pure carbon, and it may be pretty, but it isn't alive.What really sets Earth apart is nitrogen, which makes up 80 percent of the planet's atmosphere. And it's there only because there is abundant life on Earth, say scientists at the University of Southern California.The report grew out of a class discussion two years ago in a course taught by Capone and Kenneth Nealson, professor of earth sciences. Students were asked to come up with different ideas about searching for life on other planets. What is a distinct “signature,” as Capone puts it, that would show there is life on another planet?That's a question that has been kicked around in many quarters in recent decades, especially since all efforts to find some form of life, no matter whether on Mars or in the distant reaches of space, have failed. At least so far.The current effort to search for some evidence of life on Mars focuses primarily on the search for water, because it has long been believed that water, or at least some fluid, is necessary for the chemical processes that lead life to take place. But that's probably the wrong approach, the USC group argues.“It's ha rd to imagine life without water, but it's easy to imagine water without life,” says Nealson, who was on the Mars team before moving to USC.But nitrogen would be a much clearer signature of life. Only about 2 percent to 3 percent of the Martian atmosphere is nitrogen. That's just a trace, and it probably means there is no life on Mars today, and if there was in the past, it probably ended many, many years ago.But, the USC team adds quickly, that doesn't mean there's no life anywhere else in the universe. They don't know where, of course, but they may have found a way to narrow down the search. Look first for nitrogen, then look for biological activity that should be there.So if life exists elsewhere, and is similar to life as we know it, there should be nitrogen, and that's what we should be looking for first, the researchers say.If they don't find nitrogen on Mars, Capone says, “that will probably bring us to the conclusion that there likely never was life on Mars.”But how about elsewhere? Could this technique be used to search for life in other solar systems?Maybe. It might be possible to detect a nitrogen-rich atmosphere around a planet orbiting another star, but not yet. Current instruments aren't that sensitive.If they ever are, the search for life might be narrowed down to the most promising prospects, chiefly because of the presence of nitrogen. And won't that be fun!Questions:60. What can suggest life is possible but cannot be proved according to the author?61. What is a cl ear “signature” of life on another planet according to Capone?62. What is considered as a wrong way to search for evidence of life on Mars?63. What can probably prove there is no life on Mars today based on the new theory?64. Why is it impossible to use the new technique to search for life in other solar systems now?Section D (12 marks)Directions: In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the passage carefully and complete the summary below by choosing a maximum of three words from the passage to fill in the spaces 65-70. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.Questions 65-70 are based on the following passage.In August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete in the Beijing Olympics. But did you know that in September of next year, disabled athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in Beijing?The Olympics and the Paralympics are separate movements. But they have always been held in the same year, and since 1988, they have also been held in the same city. The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to secure this connection. The next winter games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010.The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition held in 1948 in England and a doctor named Ludwig Guttmann organized it for men who suffered spinal cord injuries in World War II. Four years later, it became an international event as competitors from the Netherlands took part. Then, in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. By 2004, the Paralympic Games in Athens had almost 4000 athletes from 136 countries, who may have physical or mental limitations and may be blind or in wheelchairs. Yet sometimes they perform better than athletes without disabilities.In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, started the Special Olympics, which are just for children and adults with mental limitations and whose programs currently serve more than two million people in 160 countries. In November 2006, in Mumbai, India, teams competed in the First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup. In addition to India, there were men's teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. There were also women's cricket teams from India and Pakistan.There are many organizations in the United States that help people with disabilities play sports. Wheelchair tennis is a popular sport. So is basketball. In fact, there are more than one hundred professional teams playing wheelchair basketball thanks to the special wheelchairs for athletes that are lightweight and designed for quick moves. For people who want to go really fast in their chairs, there is a Power Wheelchair Racing Association.In the state of Utah there is a place called the National Ability Center, which teaches all kinds of sports to people with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities and even gives friends and family members a chance to try a sport as if they were disabled.A reporter from the Washington Post wanted to know what it would be like for a blind person to use a climbing wall. So, protected by a safety line, the newspaper reporter closed his eyes and started to feel for places to put his hands and feet.Trainers on the ground urged him on: “Take your time. You can do it.” Finally he reached the top.At the National Ability Center people can learn to ride horses and mountain bikes. They can try winter mountain sports, and learn scuba diving and other water activities. The center also prepares athletes for the Paralympics.These days, the first place many people go when they want to travel is the Internet, where they can get information about hotels, transportation and services like tour companies. The Internet can also help travelers find special services for the disabled. For example, there are groups that help young people with disabilities travel to different countries.Susan Sygall, who uses a wheelchair herself, leads an organization called Mobility International USA, and has traveled to more than twenty-five countries to talk about the rights of people with disabilities. She says people with disabilities are all members of a global family and working together across borders is the most powerful way of making changes.Summary:The Olympics and the Paralympics are (65) ________ but they have always been held in the same year and also in the same city since 1988 when the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to (66) ________. The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition organized by a doctor named (67) ________ in 1948 in England for men injured in World War II. In 1952, it became an (68)________ and in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome for people who may have physical or mental limitations or may be blind or in wheelchairs. The (69) ________ was started in 1968 in the United States by Eunice Kennedy Shriver just for children and adults with mental limitations and to help people with disabilities play sports and enjoy other activities, many (70) ________ are founded, such as the Power Wheelchair Racing Association, the National Ability Center and Mobility International USA.Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 15 marks)Section A: There are 5 blanks in the passage. Use the word given on the right side to form a word that fits in each blank. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.。