全国2003年４月高等教育自学考试英语阅读（一）试题课程代码：00595全部题目用用英文作答，并将答案写在答题纸相应的位置上，否则不计分。
PART ONEⅠ.TEXT CMOMPREHENSIONThe following comprehension questions are based on the texts you have learned, and each of them is provided with 4 choices marked [A],[B],[C]and[D].Choose the best answer to each question and write it on the ANSWER SHEET.(20 points,1 point each)1.In Gifts of the Magi,both “gift” and “Magus” are in plural, because O. Henry wants to tell the reader that .[A] People are kind to Mr. and Mrs. Young[B] Mr. Young loves Mr. Young[C] Mrs. Young loves Mr. Young[D] Mr. and Mrs. Young love each other2. “I am not sure what I am rebelling against, but I really don‟t see a need for marriage. That isn‟ta statement about my feelings about the relationship, because there is no less strength of commitment.” The underlined clause means .[A] the married couples have more responsibility for each other[B] the cohabiting couples have more responsibility for each other[C] the married couples and the cohabiting ones show no responsibility for each other[D] both the married couples and cohabiting ones should be equally responsible for each other3. “Having come to a very remote and deserted spot, they realized their chance had come: catching Lorenzo off guard, they killed him.” The underlined phrase means .[A] Lorenzo was caught unawares[B] Lorenzo was caught off duty[C] Lorenzo was handed over to them by their guards[D] Lorenzo was caught when his guard was away4.In The Necklace, when Mme. Loise1 took back the necklace, how did Mme. Forrester react?[A] She opened the box and examined the jewel carefully.[B] She said coldly that Mme. Loise1 shouldn‟t have returned it so late.[C] She complained that the necklace had been substituted.[D] She was only too pleased to see her old friend again.5. The Fisherman and His Wife is of .[A] fable [B] myth[C] fairy story [D] fairy-tale-romance6.Mark Twain is NOT the author of .[A] The Adventures of Tom Sawyer[B] The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn[C] The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County[D] The Old Man and the Sea7. In his fable about a proud crow and a hungry fox, Aesop intends to tell the reader that .[A] the fox is never trust worthy[B] the fox is always homey-tongued[C] it is harmful to believe big talkers[D] it is harmful to listen to excessive flattery8. According to Bringing up Children, if one stage of child development has been left out, or not sufficiently experienced, .[A] the child may go back and recapture the experience of it[B] the parents may provide the child with the child with the opportunity to play with toys[C] the parents must be consistent in their attitude to their children[D] the child should be sent to a child clinic for a psychological treatment9.The theme of the story A Day‟s Wait is that.[A] misunderstandings can even occur between father and son[B] misunderstandings can sometimes lead to an odd experience[C] to be calm and controlled in the face of death is a mark of courage[D] death is something beyond a child‟s comprehension10. In A Day’s Wait, the hunting scene, at first glance, may seem to have little to do with the plot.However, the author has his own justification for describing it. Which of the following is NOT a reason for such description?[A] It diverts the reader so that the boy‟s real thoughts will be a greater surprise when they arerevealed.[B] It creates a sense of time passing so that we know it is close to evening by the time thefather gets home.[C] It gives the author an opportunity to show that he is able to write very complexsentences though he usually writes very short, simple ones.[D] It brings out a contrast between th e father‟s robust activities outside and the boy‟sterrible tension inside.11. In Art for Heart’s Sake, Dr. Caswell gave Ellsworth a suggestion that be .[A] take more medicine[B] listen to the radio or watch TV[C] take more automobile rides[D] take up art12. In How to live like a Millionaire, the self - made rich develop clear goals for .[A] accumulating income till the age of 50[B] having a dollar figure in mind and working for it[C] leaving an estate to their children[D] retiring early13. The short story as a genre in American literature probably began with Irving‟s The Sketch Book,a collection of essays, sketches and tales, among which the most famous and frequently anthologized are Rip Van Winkle and .[A] The Wild Honeysuckle[B] The Legend of Sleepy Hollow[C] The Scarlet Letter[D] The Pioneers14. “Not even the great Nicholas Veddle himself was safe from the tongue of this daring woman,who blamed himself for much of her husband‟s idleness.” The word tongue in this quotation probably refers to .[A] extremely intelligent and lively words[B] offensive or insulting remarks[C] a movable organ in the mouth[D] the tone or manner of speaking15. According to The Story of the Bible, the Jews were the first among all people to recognize that .[A] different gods made different things in nature[B] one single God created this world[C] one god was devoted to the making of water[D different gods were responsible for the making of the land16. According to Otto Jespersen, the ideal international language was the one that .[A] was the easiest to learn for people all over the world[B] was familiar to scientists all over the world[C] was based on Latin and Greek roots[D] derived the basic structure form non-Indo-European languages17. In Bricks from the Tower of the Babel, the writer provides a detailed explanation for which of the following?[A] The construction of the tower.[B] The structure and sound system of Esperanto.[C] The internationalization of some natural languages.[D] The Indo-European language family.18. In The Girls in Their Summer Dresses, Michael‟s state of mind suggests that .[A] he has adjusted himself to married life[B] he is often absent – minded and confused[C] he starts to resent Frances now[D] he takes for granted what he is doing19.In The Girls in Their Summer Dresses, Frances said, “You‟re going to make a move.” She said so to mean that Michael would .[A] move away to some other location[B] attract and move some girls[C] arouse deep emotions in girls[D] take action and leave her some day20. According to Universities and Polytechnics, Oxford and Cambridge are attractive to both the resident students and visitors for their .[A] advanced academic learning[B] excellent constituent colleges[C] organizational structures[D] buildings of historical significanceⅡ.READING COMPREHENSIONIn this part there are 4 reading passages followed by 20 questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked [A], [B],[C] and [D]. You should decide onthe best answer and write it on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points, 2 points each)Passage 1Failure is probably the most fatiguing experience a person ever has. There is nothing more exhausting than not succeeding—being blocked, not moving ahead. It is an evil circle. Failure breeds fatigue, and fatigue makes it harder to get to work, which adds to the fatigue.We experience this tiredness in two main ways, as start-up fatigue and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task that we are forced to take up. Either because it is too tedious or because it is too difficult, we avoid it. And the longer we postpone it, the more tired we feel.Such start-up fatigue is very real, even not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The remedy is obvious, though perhaps not easy to apply: willpower exercise. The moment I find myself turning away from a job, or putting it under a pile of other things I have to do, I clear my desk of everything else and attack the objectionable item first. To prevent start-up fatigue, always treat the most difficult job first.Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Here we are willing to get started, but we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear to be insurmountable and however hard we work, we fail again and again. The mounting experience of failure carries with it an ever-increasing burden of mental fatigue. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can－then let the unconscious take over.21.Which of the following can be called an evil circle?[A] Success – zeal – success – zeal.[B] Failure – tiredness – failure – tiredness.[C] Failure – zeal – failure – tiredness.[D] Success – exhaustion – success – exhaustion.22. According to the passage, when keeping putting off a task, we can experience .[A] tiredness[B] performance fatigue[C] start-up fatigue[D] unconsciousness23. To overcome start-up fatigue, we need .[A] toughness[B] prevention[C] muscles[D] strong willpower24.The word insurmountable in the last paragraph probably means .[A]unable to be solved [B] unlikely to be understood[C] unable to be imagined [D] unlikely to be rejected25. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?[A] It is easier to overcome start-up fatigue.[B] Performance fatigue occurs when the job we are willing to take gets blocked.[C] One will finally succeed after experiencing the evil circle.[D] Fatigue often accompanies failure.Passage 2On days when there is work , I talk to the other guys. Some of them tell me that the harvest season is coming in northern California, and they say that one can earn good money there. Things haven‟t gone so badly in the car wash, but one afternoon I give the manager my thanks for having hired and promoted me, and with a little suitcase that night I board a Greyhound headed north. My ticket is made out for San Francisco, but I don‟t plan to go that far. I pla n to ride until I find a place where people are harvesting, and to get off the bus there.I sleep on the bus for a few hours that night, and in the morning, when I awake, I don‟t know where we are. I get up from my seat and walk down the bus aisle, looking for a Mexican or Chicano to tell me our location, but oddly enough, I don‟t see any among the passengers, who are all white-skinned. I pay attention to the road signs we pass, but they are not of much help. I can read the town names, but I don‟t know whe re the towns lie. A map would help me, and I decide to buy one at our next stop. Lots of things are for sale at the bus stop‟s gift shop, but there are no maps. I direct myself to wards the shop‟s operator, but I run into the language barrier. The operator is an Anglo, and when I speak to him in Spanish, he says that he doesn‟t understand. I try to practice my very precarious (不可靠的)English with him, but it‟s of no use. I have a rough idea of the sound of the words that I want to say, but I can‟t pronounce t hem right. I make signs, signaling a big piece of paper and say “form California,” but he turns into a question mark, with eyes wide open, arms raised and hands extended, “Map,” I say, but I don‟t pronounce the word very well. “Freeways, streets,” I add, but he still doesn‟t understand. He points out chewing gum, candies, pieces of cake, sandwiches, soft drinks, and cigarettes, trying to guess what I‟m asking for. But he doesn‟t show me any maps. Finally, I back out of the store, and as I leave I hear him say, “I‟m sorry.”A little before the bus leaves, I run into a Mexican-American in a hallway and I immediately ask him to help me find a map off California. We go back to the store. The Chicano asks for a map .“Ahh !Ahaaa!” the operator exclaims. Then he go es to a corner of his shelves and takes out what I‟ve been asking for. While I am paying him, he talks to the Chicano in a joyful tone. With the map in my hands, I give the Chicano my thanks, and he explains that the store-keeper thinks that I am asking if he needs anybody to clean the floor or “mop.”26. The writer decided to leave his job and go to northern California because .[A] his boss didn‟t like him[B] things were going badly in the car wash[C] he thought he could earn more money[D] th ere wasn‟t always work27. The writer wanted a map in order to .[A] find the way to San Francisco[B] help him with the road signs[C] know where he was in relation to the entire trip[D] find his way back to his workplace28. Form the passage, we can infer that .[A] the owner of the shop did not want to sell the writer a map[B] the writer was fired from the car wash[C] the writer was a migrant farm worker[D] the writer was traveling with a friend who could speak English29. The writer tries to make himself understood by all the following EXCEPT.[A]gestures[B] words or phrases[C] pronunciations[D] spelling the word30. We can learn from the story that .[A] incorrect pronunciations may result in misunderstanding[B] immigrants usually have a hard time in the foreign countries[C] a foreign language can be learned through conversations[D] traveling alone brings unexpected troubles and problemsPassage 3Exceptional children are different in some significant ways from others of the same age. For these children to develop to their full adult potential, their education must be adapted to those differences.Although we focus on the needs of exceptional children, we find ourselves describing their environment as well. While the leading actor on the stage captures our attention, we are aware of the importance to the supporting players and the scenery of the play itself. Both the family and the society in which exceptional children live are often the key to their growth and development. And it is in the public schools that we find the full expression of society‟s understanding－the knowledge, hopes, and fears that are passed on to the next generation.Education in any society is a mirror of that society. In that mirror we can see the strengths, the weaknesses, the hopes, the prejudices, and the central values of the culture itself. The great interest in exceptional children shown in public education over the past three decades indicates the strong feeling in our society that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities.“All men are created equal.” We‟ve heard it many times, but it still has important meaning for education in America. Although the phrase was used by this country‟s founders to denote equality before the law, it has also been interpreted to mean equality of opportunity. That concept implies educational opportunity for all children－the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capacity, whether that capacity be small or great. Recent court decisions have confirmed the right of all children－disabled or not－to an appropriate education, and have ordered that public schools take the necessary steps to provide that education. In response, schools are modifying their programs, adapting instruction to children who are exceptional, to those who can not profit substantially from regular programs.31.In Paragraph 2, the author cites the example of the leading actor on the stage to show that .[A] the growth of exceptional children has much to do with their families and the society[B] exceptional children are more influenced by their families than normal children are[C] exceptional children are the key interest of the family and society[D] the needs of the society weigh much heavier than the needs of the exceptional children32.The reason why exceptional children receive so much concern in education is that .[A] they are expected to be leaders of the society[B] they might become a burden of the society[C] they should fully develop their potentials[D] disabled children deserve special consideration33. This passage mainly deals with .[A] the differences of children in their learning capabilities[B] the definition of exceptional children in modern society[C] special educational programs for exceptional children[D] the necessity of adapting education to exceptional children34.Form this passage we learn that the educational concern for exceptional children .[A] is now enjoying legal support[B] disagrees with the tradition of the country[C] was cl early stated by the country‟s founders[D] will exert great influence over court decisions35 .Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?[A] Exceptional children refer to those with mental or physical problems.[B] The author uses “All men are created equal” to counter the school program for exceptionalchildren.[C] Recent court decisions confirm the rights of exceptional children to learn with regularchildren.[D] Regular school programs fail to meet the requirements to develop the potential ofexceptional children.Passage 4Life is a series of problems. Do we want to moan about them or solve them? Do we want to teach our children to solve them?Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life‟s problems. Without discipline w e can solve nothing. With only some discipline we can solve only some problems. With total discipline we can solve all problems.What makes life difficult is that the process of confronting and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending upon their nature, evoke in us frustration or grief or sadness or loneliness or guilt or regret or anger or fear or anxiety or anguish or despair. These are uncomfortable feelings, often very uncomfortable, often as painful as any kind of physical pain, sometimes equaling the very worst kind of physical pain. Indeed, it is because of the pain that events or conflicts engender in us all that we call them problems. And since life poses an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.Yet it is this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth ourcourage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually to welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of problems.I have stated that discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life‟s problems. It will become clear that these tools are techniques of suffering, means by which we experience the pain of problems in such a way as to work them through and solve them successfully, learning and growing in the process. When we teach ourselves and our children discipline, we are teaching them and ourselves how to suffer and also how to grow.What are these tools, these techniques of suffering, these means of experiencing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline? These are four: delaying of gratification (满足)，acceptance of responsibility, dedication to truth, and balancing. As will be evident, these are not complex tools whose application demands extensive training. To the contrary, they are simple tools, and almost all children are adept in their use by the age of ten. Yet presidents and kings will often forget to use them, to their own downfall. The problem lies not in the complexity of these tools but in the will to use them. For they are tools with which pain is confronted rather than avoided, and if one seeks to avoid legitimate suffering, then one will avoid the use of these tools.36.The main point of this passage is that .[A] without discipline we can solve nothing[B] problems evoke in us frustration or grief[C] dealing with one‟s problems gives life meaning[D] the tendency to avoid problems results in mental illness37. People who use a little discipline .[A] can solve all of their problems[B] can solve some of their problems[C] can solve nothing[D] have total discipline38. According to the author, which of the following makes life difficult?[A] Physical pain.[B] Frustration and guilt.[C] Solving problems.[D] Conflicts.39.Problems give our life meaning by all of the following means EXCEPT.[A] showing us the difference between success and failure[B] giving us courage[C] challenging us to grow[D] teaching us to avoid problems40.According to the author, which of the following is TRUE?[A] Successful leaders avoid their problems.[B] The tools for solving problems are hard to learn.[C] We need to confront emotional pain.[D] The tools of discipline are complicated.Ⅲ.SKIMMING AND SCANNINGIn this part there are 3 reading passages followed by 10 questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 answers marked[A],[B],[C]and [D].Skim or scan the passages, then decide on the best answer and write it on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points,1 point each)Passage 1Dear Sires: Oct.30,1996 We are pleased to make you an offer regarding our …Swinger‟ dresses and trouser suits in the sizes you require. All the models can be supplied by the middle of December 1996, subject to our receiving your firm order by 15th November. Our C.I.F. prices are understood to be for sea/land transport to Chicago. If you would prefer the goods to be sent by air freight, this will be charged extra cost.Trouser Suits: sizes 8 – 16 in white, yellow, red, turquoise, black, pink per 100$2650.00Swinger Dresses: sizes 8 – 16 in white, yellow, red, turquoise, black per 100$1845.00Prices: valid until 31 st December, 1996Delivery: C. I. F. ChicagoTransport: sea/land freightPayment: by irrevocable letter of credit, or cheque with orderYou will be receiving cuttings of our materials and a colour chart. These were airmailed to you this morning. We hope you agree that our prices are very competitive for these good quality clothes, and look forward to receiving your initial order.Yours FaithfullyRobert Morgan41.Judging from the message given in the letter, the writer is a .[A] seller[B] buyer[C] government official[D] lawyer42. The price quoted for each Swinger Dress is .[A] $2650[B] $1845[C] $26.5[D] $18.4543.The goods under discussion can be delivered by .[A] Oct. 30, 1996[B] the middle of Dec.1996[C] Nov. 15, 1996[D] Dec. 31, 1996Passage 2When the CEO of lotus, manufacturer of computer software, interviews job candidates, he looks for people who can laugh out loud. At the headquarters of ice –cream maker Ben & Jerry‟s, the “Minister of Joy” supervises the “Joy Gang”, which has the job of spending $100,100 a year planning and implementing workplace fun. Odetics, maker of video security systems and other recording equipment, considered it an honor when Industry Week called it “the funniest place to work in the U.S.”In corporate America today, humor is a serious business. Workers have been downsized, re-engineered, restructured, and overworked for so long they have forgotten how to smile and laugh. To remind them, companies are posting amusing notes and cartoons on bulletin boards, building libraries of humorous books for workers to read, sp onsoring “fun at work” days, “laughter” committees, and even hiring specialists.As a result, the corporate humor business has taken off. A “humor services” group, called Humor Project, reports that it receives about twenty requests each day from companies looking for humor consultants. The Laughter Remedy, an organization that teaches the benefits of humor, helps employees build “humor skills” through a program that includes such steps as “developing the ability to play program that includes such steps as “developing the ability to play with language” and “finding humor in everyday life.” Humor consultant Paul McGhee gives audiences “remedial belly laughing” lessons. He tells them to smile, raise their eyebrows, lower their jaws, tighten their stomach muscles, and laugh. Speakers from Lighten Up Limited, a humor consulting firm, urge workers to tell jokes and take humor breaks. In their search for comic relief, organizations are spending thousands of dollars. Humor consultant Matt Weinstein, for example, receives $7500 for a ninety – minute talk.Why all the fuss and expense over an activity that seems contrary to the work ethic? One recent study reports that the most productive workplaces have at least the minutes of laughter every hour. And corporations that have added humor to workplace report an increase not only in productivity but also in employee loyalty , creativity, and morale, as well as improved teamwork and employee health.44.The corporate laughter business is booming because .[A] such an activity seems contrary to the work ethic[B] the humor business has proved profitable[C] the workers overwork, so much so that they intend to get their work re-engineered andrestructured[D] few corporations consider humor a serious business and an incentive to productivity45.According to the passage, the Laughter Remedy helps employees .[A] take humor breaks and relax themselves[B] develop their abilities to use language[C] build “humor skills” through a designed program[D] free themselves from the overwork46. It may be inferred from the passage that .[A] the character of Americans seems to require that they should be humorous[B] wherever there is demand, a market will be created[C] humor is the most popular leisure pursuit in the western world[D] humor is the only source of revenue for the “laughter” specialistsPassage 3This Valentine‟s Day, 35-year-old Peter Henig had no trouble finding a date.He had been elected one of the 10 most wanted bachelors of the Internet by Women. com. Since then, Henig gets some 100 emails a day from women all over the word asking him for a date.Henig is good-looking enough to be considered one of the most suitable bachelors in cyberspace. As a senior editor at Red Herring, the bim onthly magazine of the tech word, he‟s certainly smart and successful.Forget the yuppies of the 1980s, the hottest bachelors these days－dot-com crisis or not－are the Silicon boys.“I didn‟t need a date the badly,” said Henig. But when he was contacted b y Women. com to be included in their “Top 10 Men of the Internet” contest, he eagerly accepted.“I don‟t look at it as a dating machine. I just thought it could be fun,” he said.In Silicon Valley, often dubbed(称之为)as “valley of guys” for its high percen tage of unmarried men, the venture capital gold rush may be over, but the dating industry is booming.According to a recent report, Silicon Valley should be the place for single women looking for love. For every 318 single men in the city of San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley, there are 288 single women.Known for their lack of social skills, computer geeks are showing that they too can have a life. This is especially true during the economic downturn for tech industries, when there‟s no real need to spend all that time in front of their computers.According to Katherine Winter, who met her husband on Match. Com, an online dating service, the end of gold rush may not be bad news for the Silicon boys. She said, “Silicon Valley is definitely the place to be for single women, because of the quality and the number of men.”47. According to the passage, Henig has been elected as one of the most wanted single men because he is .[A] a handsome young man[B] a computer expert[C] one of the hottest bachelors[D] good-looking, smart and successful48. According to Katherine Winter, Silicon Valley is the ideal place for single women to find。
