2008年12月PRETCO-A级真题解析

2008年12月应用能力考试a卷Part I Listening Comprehension (15 minutes) Directions: This part is to test your listening ability. It consists of 3 sections. Section ADirections: This section is to test your ability to understand short dialogues. There are 5 recorded dialogues in it. After each dialogue, there is a recordedquestion. Both the dialogues and questions will be spoken only once.When you hear a question, you should decide on the correct answerfrom the 4 choices marked A), B), C) and D) given in your test paper.Then you should mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheetwith a single line through the center.Example: You will hear:You will read: A) New York City.B) An evening party.C) An air trip.D) The man’s job.From the dialogue we learn that the man is to take a flight to NewYork. Therefore, C) An air trip is the correct answer. You should markC) on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.[A] [B] [C] [D]Now the test will begin.1. A) Close the window.B) Open the window. C) Turn off the TV.D) Turn on the radio.2. A) He’s in his office.B) He’s in a meeting. C) He’s on a business trip.D) He’s on holiday.3. A) Take a Chinese course.B) Visit China. C) Stay at home.D) Go to a summer camp.4. A) The water is too cold.B) The pool is too far away. C) The pool is too crowded.D) The weather is too hot.5. A) 4 days.B) 14 days. C) 24 days.D) 40 days.Section BDirections: This section is to test your ability to understand short conversations.There are 2 recorded conversations in it. After each conversation,- pa - 1there are some recorded questions. Both the conversations andquestions will be spoken two times. When you hear a question, youshould decide on the correct answer from the 4 choices marked A), B),C) and D) given in your test paper. Then you should mark thecorresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through thecenter.Conversation 16. A) A single room with a bath.B) A single room with a shower. C) A double room with a bath.D) A double room with a shower.7. A) 100 dollars.B) 150 dollars. C) 200 dollars.D) 250 dollars.8. A) A fitness gym.B) A tennis court. C) A swimming pool.D) A table tennis room.Conversation 29. A) By the last name. C) By the middle name.B) By the first name. D) By the full name.10. A) The short holidays. C) The small offices.B) The low salaries. D) The informal clothes.Section CDirections: This section is to test your ability to comprehend short passages. You will hear a recorded passage. After that you will hear five questions.Both the passage and the questions will be read two times. When youhear a question, you should complete the answer to it with a word or ashort phrase (in no more than 3 words). The questions and incompleteanswers are printed in your test paper. You should write your answerson the Answer Sheet correspondingly. Now listen to the passage.11. How many kinds of doctors are there in the US?.12. Where is the family doctor’s office?In the where their patients live.13. What do family doctors often do?They the health of everyone in the family.- pa - 214. What kind of diseases do specialists treat?Special health problems, such as a disease or a broken bone. 15. What is very important to Americans according to the passage?They should buy medical . Part II Structure (15 minutes) Directions: This part is to test your ability to construct grammatically correct sentences. It consists of 2 sections.Section ADirections: In this section, there are 10 incomplete sentences. You are required to complete each one by deciding on the most appropriate word or wordsfrom the 4 choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then you should markthe corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line throughthe center.16. Allan is looking forward to his American partner at the trade fair.A) meet C) be meetingB) meeting D) having met17. The sales manager had his secretary a press conference for theirnew products.A) arrange C) have arrangedB) to arrange D) arrangedMr. Black was elected chairman of the committee 18. The messagearrived just in time.A) which C) thatB) what D) howthey found they were of 19. They had talked only for a few minutesdifferent opinions.A) unless C) beforeB) while D) once20. By the time you come to see me next month, I my term paper.A) have completed C) am completingB) complete D) will have completed- pa - 321. It is important to provide an environment people are encouraged tomake suggestions at all levels of the company.A) from which C) in whichB) on which D) for which22. The scientists wanted to keep people about the breakthrough in theirexperiment.A) inform C) informingB) informed D) to inform23. When I first arrived in Japan, I was surprised the way people greetedeach other.A) of C) withB) to D) at24. Not until that day the importance of good manners in a job interview.A) did I realize C) I have realizedB) I did realize D) have I realized25. The market economy is quickly changing people’s idea on isaccepted.A) that C) whatB) which D) howSection BDirections: There are 10 incomplete statements here. You should fill in each blank with the proper form of the word given in brackets. Write the word orwords in the corresponding space on the Answer Sheet.26. He tried to solve the problem, but he (quick) gave up.27. The guest paid (little) money than he should for the room.28. It is far more (interest) for me to chat online with friends than towatch TV.29. Finally the woman found her (lose) child with the help of the police.30. The boss gave him a raise in salary because of his excellent (perform)at work.- pa - 431. This hospital, which (equip) with modern facilities, is one of the bestin the country.32. Before (write) an application letter, you should be aware what kind ofpeople the employer needs.more and more 33. In the past few years, traffic problems (become)serious.34. It’s really (wonder) to see you here again in Beijing.35. If I (be) you, I wouldn’t miss the job interview tomorrow morning. Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Directions: This part is to test your reading ability. There are 5 tasks for you to fulfill. You should read the reading materials carefully and do the tasksas you are instructed.Task 1Directions: After reading the following passage, you will find 5 questions or unfinished statements, numbered 36 to 40. For each question orstatement there are 4 choices marked A), B), C) and D). You shouldmake the correct choice and mark the corresponding letter on theAnswer Sheet with a single line through the center.The iMOVE database（数据库）is a foreign-language information platform for persons interested in job opportunities offered by German companies. The information can be obtained in seven languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic.All programs in the area of professional training are carried out by German training providers. All these programs have a clear content to meet your special needs.Programs which take place in Germany are carried out in English. Many of the German training providers have started their training activities towards the international market. Therefore, they also offer courses abroad. These courses are taught in English or the language of the target country. Providers will be glad to supply you with additional information on these courses. You can contact the provider directly to find out more about a program and the training provider.- pa - 5To guarantee high standards in the database, iMOVE has developed quality standards for training providers and their services. All of the training facilities in the iMOVE database have to follow these quality criteria (标准). All training providers who publish their international training programs in the iMOVE database have recognized our General Terms and Conditions.36. The iMOVE database is intended for persons who .A) seek a job as a language translatorB) are interested in the German languageC) want to be employed by German companiesD) wish to work for professional training providers37. The iMOVE programs are carried out by .A) language training centersB) German training providersC) special service developersD) overseas employment advisers38. The training programs held in Germany are taught in .A) GermanB) EnglishC) FrenchD) Chinese39. Which of the following measures has iMOVE taken to guarantee its highstandards?A) Offering different language courses.B) Providing modern training facilities.C) Starting training courses overseas. D)Developing quality standards.40. The purpose of the passage is to .A) advertise the iMOVE databaseB) make German companies more popularC) hire overseas employees to work in GermanyD) encourage people to learn more foreign languagesTask 2Directions: This task is the same as Task 1. The 5 questions or unfinished statements are numbered 41 to 45.- pa - 6It is so easy to earn rewards!A wide range of partners wherever you goTo make traveling even easier, Air France offers you Frequency Plus (常旅客里程奖励计划) through an extensive network of our partners. Together, they give you endless opportunities to earn Miles and a wide choice of Rewards, from airline tickets, hotel room-nights, car rentals and more.Partners in ChinaIf you are a Frequency Plus member registered in China, you have even more choices with rewards from our local partners. For more information, please contact your local Air France office.First rewards start as low as 20,000 Miles!Your Temporary CardStart earning the Miles that will make you get your first Reward, now.a) Show your Temporary Card and simply give your Card number when makinga reservation and at check-in for your flight. In this way, you will begin toearn Miles even before receiving your Permanent Card.b) Fill in and return your personal membership (会员) application today. Yourapplication must be received within 3 weeks of your first flight.Remember, you will enjoy an extra 3,000 Bonus Miles (额外奖励里程) for your first trip with Air France within 6 months of joining. Fly today and earn Rewards sooner!41. Air France carries out its Frequency Plus .A) through its reduced ticket pricesB) through its extensive network of partnersC) by providing convenient flight schedulesD) by offering excellent services on board42. In order to get the first reward, passengers must fly at least .A) for 6 monthsB) 20,000 milesC) 3,000 bonus MilesD) once in three weeks43. Passengers can begin to earn Miles .A) if they reserve tickets at a hotelB) if they buy tickets at the airportC) before receiving the Permanent CardD) after receiving the Permanent Card- pa - 744. Passengers should send their application to Air France .A) upon receiving the application formB) within 3 weeks of their first flightC) before their first flight with Air FranceD) within 6 months of joining the program45. The extra bonus Miles for a passenger’s first trip with Air France within 6months of joining is .A) 2,000 milesB) 3,000 milesC) 20,000 milesD) 30,000 milesTask 3Directions: The following is a Memo. After reading it, you are required to complete the outline below it (No.46 to No.50). You should write youranswers briefly (in no more than three words) on the Answer Sheetcorrespondingly.The College of Business Management (CBM) is seeking new members to represent the college as Student Ambassadors (大使). The Ambassadors selected will represent the college during the school year. Their term of service will begin during the autumn. Student Ambassadors will have the opportunity to cooperate with students at various activities throughout the school year.Purposes:1. Promote the College of Business Management.2. Improve leadership and communication skills.3. Assist in the recruitment of students to CBM.Qualifications and Requirements:1. Must currently be a full-time student in the College of Business Management.2. Must be available to assist with various recruitment activities.3. Must be able to contact students from various backgrounds.Application Procedure:1. Print a copy of the application form from our website.2. Complete the application form and return it to the Student Advising Office. For More Information:Contact Mark Davis at 472-2310 or stop by the Student Advising Office.- pa - 8Task 4Directions: The following is a list of medical terms. After reading it, you are required to find the items equivalent to (与…等同) those given inChinese in the table below. Then you should put the correspondingletters in the brackets on the Answer Sheet, numbered 51 through 55.A B C D --------------------------------------------------------------------------------physical check-upbiological clockpulse ratehigh blood pressureE -------------------- sleep habitsF -------------------- over-the-counter (OTC) medicineG -------------------- side effectH -------------------- personality testI J ----------------------------------------operating roomsense of well-beingK -------------------- face-liftL -------------------- compulsive over-eating M -------------------- stress self-testN O ----------------------------------------plastic surgeonheart beatP -------------------- behavior therapy Q -------------------- terminal stage- pa - 9Examples: (K) 面部整容(N) 整形外科医生51. ( ) 心跳( ) 非处方药52. ( ) 手术室( ) 强迫性过度饮食53. ( ) 副作用( ) 生物钟54. ( ) 高血压( ) 脉搏率55. ( ) 睡眠习惯( ) 体检Task 5Directions: The following is a business letter. After reading it, you should give brief answers to the 5 questions (No.56 to No.60) that follow. Theanswers (in no more than 3 words) should be written after thecorresponding numbers on the Answer Sheet.Gmail (Google Email) NoticeSubject: Your Gmail account has been inactive for a long timeFrom “The G mail Team” gmail-noreply@Time 2008-06-26 14:12:55To wanghaiyan@Hi there,W e’ve noticed that you haven’t used your Gmail account, wanghaiyan@, for quite some time. In order to make Gmail better for our users, we’ve added a lot of things in the last few months and we hope you’ll want to start using your account again.Stop worrying about storage (存储量). Your account now has 5000 megabytes (兆字节) of free storage and our plan is to continue growing your storage by giving you more space as we are able.The Gmail interface (界面) is now available in 12 languages. If you don’t see the language you want on this list, look for it in the future because we’re going to keep adding more.W e’re still working hard every day to build for you the best email service around. But to keep Gmail great for our users, we may have to close inactive accounts after 9 m onths. So, we hope you’ll give us another chance. To log in (登录) to your Gmail account, just visit: .Thanks.The Gmail Team56. Why does the Gmail Team write to the Gmail user?Because the user hasn’t used his / her Gmail for quite some time.- pa - 1057. What kind of storage the user’s account now has?It now has 5,000 megabytes of storage. 58. How many languages are available in the Gmail interface now?.59. What may happen to the user’s account if it is inactive for 9 months?The Gmail team may have to the user’s account.60. What is the purpose of the Gmail team in sending this email?They hope the user will the account.Part IV Translation -- English into Chinese (25 minutes) Directions: This part, numbered 61 through 65, is to test your ability to translate English into Chinese. After each of the sentences numbered 61 to 64,you will read four choices of suggested translation. You shouldchoose the best translation and mark the corresponding letter onyour Answer Sheet. And for the paragraph numbered 65, write yourtranslation in the corresponding space on the Translation/Composition Sheet.61. I believe my education, training and personal qualities meet the requirementsyou set for the position of electrical engineer.A) 我认为我受的教育和培训，以及个人素质正是你们要求的，我会努力履行电气工程师的职务。

2008年职称英语考试综合类A级试题及答案第1部分：词汇选项(第1～15题，每题1分，共15分)下面每个句子中均有1个词或短语划有底横线，请为每处划线部分确定1个意义最为接近的选项。

1． With immense relief，l Stopped running．A someB enormousC littleD extensive2．The scientists began to accumulate data．A collectB handleC analyzeD investigate3． Jack eventually overtook the last truck．A hitB passedC reachedD led4．Sometimes it is advisable to book hotels in advance．A possibleB profitableC easyD wise5． The reason for their unusual behavior remains a puzzle．A factB mysteryC statementD game6． That guy is really witty.A smartB uglyC honorableD popular7． The world champion suffered a sensational defeat．A reasonableB dramaticC humiliatingD horrifying8． It seems that only Mary is eligible for the job．A preparedB trainedC qualifiedD guided9． This poem depicts．the beautiful scenery of a town in the South．A praisesB writesC imitatesD describes10． The meaning is still obscureA vagueB transparentC alienD significant11． Dumped waste might contaminate water supplies．A destroyB decreaseC delayD pollute12． One theory postulates that the ancient Filipinos came from India and Persia．A assumesB expectsC predictsD considers13．It is very difficult for a child to adhere to rules．A rememberB followC understandD learn14． I hope that I didn’t do anything absurd last night.A awkwardB strangeC stupidD awful15 there should be laws that prohibit smoking around children.A forbidB advocateC inheritD withdraw第2部分：阅读判断(第16～22题，每题1分，共7分)下面的短文后列出了7个句子，请根据短文的内容对每个句子做出判断：如果该句提供的是正确信息，请选择A；如果该句提供的是错误信息，请选择B；如果该句的信息文中没有提及，请选择C。

2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题(A级)Part I Listening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks31. 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 communicationsindustry - 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 long acceptance 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 mind, 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 examplehow quickly you can react to fast-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 suggests 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 tra ining” to accompany 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 elite teachers 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 bitterunion 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 UnitedKingdom (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 urban development, 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 objectsand 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.Increasingly, CSIs (= crime scene investigators) are using specialized techniques, on site, to determine which areas to concentrate their investigation on.A forensic pathologist (法医)specializes in examining dead bodies to determine how and when death occurred. As well as (79) ________ (examine) the body, either on site or through photos (80) ________ (take) at the scene, the forensic pathologist may also use X-ray imaging(X光成像技术) and will usually conduct an autopsy (尸体解剖). The pathologist will also take samples of body tissues, like blood, liver or hair, for further (81) ________ (analyse).A new form of identification (82) ________ (rely) on DNA, which carries the genetic (基因的) information of each person. Everyone's DNA is different (except for identical twins). DNA fingerprinting allows police to identify an individual in the same way as fingerprints do.DNA profiles (DNA片断) are a very powerful (83) ________ (mean)of determining whether two or more samples may or may not have come from the same person. If DNA profiles do not match, they (84) ________ (come) from different people.However, if they do match, there is still a very slight chance that they may have come from different people.DNA analysis does not enable scientists to build up a picture of a person from DNA. The only (85) ______ (character) that the DNA tells us is the sex of the person.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.If a nation is essentially disunited, it is left to the government to hold it together. (86) This increases the expense of government, and reduces correspondingly the amount of economic resources that could be used for developing the country. And it should not be forgotten how small those resources are in a poor and backward country. Where the cost of government is high, resources for development are correspondingly low.This may be illustrated by comparing the position of a nation with that of a private business enterprise. An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business. For our purposes, we are concerned only with one kind of cost - the cost of managing and administering the business. Such administrative overhead of a business is analogous to the cost of government in a nation.(87) The administrative overhead of a business is low to the extent that everyone working in the business can be trusted to behave in a way that best promotes the interests of the firm. If they can each be trusted to take such responsibilities, and to exercise such initiative as falls within their sphere, then administrative overhead will be low. It will be low because it will be necessary to have only one man looking after each job, without having another man to check upon what he is doing, keep him in line, and report on him to someone else. But if no one can be trusted to act in a loyal and responsible manner towards his job, then the business will require armies of administrators, checkers, and foremen, and administrative overhead will rise correspondingly. (88) As administrative overhead rises, so the earnings of the business, after meeting the expenses of administration, will fall; and the business will have less money to distribute as dividends or invest directly in its future progress and development.It is precisely the same with a nation. To the extent that the people can be relied upon to behave in a loyal and responsible manner, the government does not require armies of police and civil servants to keep them in order. (89) But if a nation is disunited, the government cannot be sure that the actions of the people will be in the interests of the nation; and it will have to watch, check, and control the people accordingly. A disunited nation therefore has to incur unduly high costs of government.Section B (7 marks)Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the and expressions given in the brackets. Remember to write your answers on the Answer Sheet.90. 这些要求有点过头，一系列的争端也由此而起。

2008年12月高等学校英语应用能力考试（a级）试卷及答案考级练习二16. Allan is looking forward to _______ his American partner at the trade fair.A) meet C) be meeting B) meeting D) having met17. The sales manager had his secretary ________ a press conference for their new products.A) arrange C) have arranged B) to arrange D) arranged18. The message ________ Mr. Black was elected chairman of the committeearrived just in time.A) which C) that B) what D) how19. They had talked only for a few minutes ________ they found they were of different opinions.A) unless C) before B) while D) once20. By the time you come to see me next month, I ________ my term paper.A) have completed C) am completing B) complete D) will have completed21. It is important to provide an environment ________ people are encouraged to make suggestions at all levels of the company.A) from which C) in which B) on which D) for which22. The scientists wanted to keep people ________ about the breakthrough in their experiment.A) inform C) informing B) informed D) to inform23. When I first arrived in Japan, I was surprised ________ the way people greeted each other.A) of C) with B) to D) at24. Not until that day ________ the importance of goodmanners in a job interview.A) did I realize C) I have realized B) I did realize D) have I realized25. The market economy is quickly changing people’s idea on ________ is accepted.A) that C) what B) which D) howSection B26. He tried to solve the problem, but he (quick) ________ gave up.27. The guest paid (little) ________ money than he should for the room.28. It is far more (interest) ________ for me to chat online with friends than to watch TV.29. Finally the woman found her (lose) ________ child with the help of the police.30. The boss gave him a raise in salary because of his excellent (perform) ________ at work.31. This hospital, which (equip) ________ with modern facilities, is one of the best in the country.32. Before (write) ________ an application letter, you should be aware what kind of people the employer needs.33. In the past few years, traffic problems (become) ________ more and more serious.34. It’s really (wonder) ________ to see you here again in Beijing.35. If I (be) ________ you, I wouldn’t miss the job interview tomorrow morning.Part III61. I believe my education, training and personal qualities meet the requirements you set for the position of electricalengineer.A) 我认为我受的教育和培训，以及个人素质正是你们要求的，我会努力履行电气工程师的职务。

全国大学生英语竞赛A类考试2008年初赛试题Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension (略)Part Ⅱ Vocabulary and StructuresInstructions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this section. For each blank there are four choi ces marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corre sponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.31. He can't ______ ignorance as his excuse; he should have known what was happening in his o wn department.A. insistB. referC. pleadD. defend32. His father came home to dinner every night, and ______ in his life Jack felt that they were a r eal family.A. for the first timeB. firstlyC. at first timeD. at first33. After the robbery, the shop installed a sophisticated alarm system as an insurance ______ furt her losses.A. towardsB. forC. fromD. against34. 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 that35. Although they usually did their own painting and papering, on this occasion they brought in a firm of ______ decorators.A. insideB. inwardC. interiorD. internal36. ______ the neighboring street, it would have had to pass through the station barriers, wherea 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 from37. The people around him kept saying ______ the drowned man but he went on doing artificial r espiration.A. it was useless revivingB. there was no use revivingC. there was no use to try to reviveD. it was no use trying to revive38. Although they had only been invited for lunch they ______ till suppertime.A. stayed outB. stayed onC. stayed upD. stayed off39. When he heard how well the new company was doing, he took a calculated ______ and inves ted all his money in it.A. riskB. opportunityC. dangerD. venture40. More and more people are signing up for yoga classes nowadays, ______ advantage of the he alth and relaxation benefits.A. takingB. to have takenC. having takenD. having been taken41. In the same area _____, with a circular church--so that the devil couldn't find a corner to conc eal 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 is42. 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 which43. 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 that44. 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 sharp45. 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 Comprehension Section AInstructions: 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 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 the cr owd assembled in the auction room to make offers, or "bids", for the various items on sale. He en courages buyers to bid higher figures, and finally names the highest bidder as the buyerof the goods. This is called "knocking down" the goods, for the bidding ends when the auctioneer bangs a small hammer on a table at which he stands. This is often set on a raised platform called a rostrum.The ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the La tin 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 as a sig nal for a crowd to gather. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries goods were often sold "by the candle": a short candle was lit by the auctioneer, and bids could be made while it stayed alight.Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, hides, skin s, wool, tea, cocoa, furs, spices, fruit and vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also usual for la nd and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books, old china and similar works of art. The a uction 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 and whe re and when they can be viewed by prospective buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full deta ils, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot", is usually gi ven a number. The auctioneer need not begin with Lot 1 and continue in numerical order; he may wait until he registers the fact that certain dealers are in the room and then produce the lots the y are likely to be interested in. The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing upthe bidding as high as possible.The auctioneer must know fairly accurately the current market values of the goods he is selling, a nd he should be acquainted with regular buyers of such goods. He will not waste time by starting the bidding too low. He will also play on the rivalries among his buyers and succeed in getting a hi gh price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other. It is largely on his ad vice that a seller will fix a "reserve" price, that is, a price below which the goods cannot be sold. E ven the best auctioneers, however, find it difficult to stop a "knock-out", whereby dealers illegally arrange beforehand not to bid against each other, but nominate one of themselves as the only bi dder, in the hope of buying goods at extremely low prices. If such a "knock-out" comes off, the re al auction sale takes place privately afterwards among the dealers.46. 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 hammer The ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the La tin 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 as a sig nal for a crowd to gather. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries goods were often sold "by the candle": a short candle was lit by the auctioneer, and bids could be made while it stayed alight.Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, hides, skin s, wool, tea, cocoa, furs, spices, fruit and vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also usual for la nd and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books, old china and similar works of art. The a uction 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 and whe re and when they can be viewed by prospective buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full deta ils, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot", is usually gi ven a number. The auctioneer need not begin with Lot 1 and continue in numerical order; he may wait until he registers the fact that certain dealers are in the room and then produce the lots the y are likely to be interested in. Theauctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. T he auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible.The auctioneer must know fairly accurately the current market values of the goods he is selling, a nd he should be acquainted with regular buyers of such goods. He will not waste time by starting the bidding too low. He will also play on the rivalries among his buyers and succeed in getting a hi gh price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other. It is largely on his ad vice that a seller will fix a "reserve" price, that is, a price below which the goods cannot be sold. E ven the best auctioneers, however, find it difficult to stop a "knock-out", whereby dealers illegally arrange beforehand not to bid against each other, but nominate one of themselves as the only bi dder, in the hope of buying goods at extremely low prices. If such a "knock-out" comes off, the re al auction sale takes place privately afterwards among the dealers.46. 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 hammer47. The Romans used to sell by auction ______.A. spoilt goodsB. old worn-out weaponsC. property taken from the enemyD. spears48. 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 buyers49. 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 bidding50. "Knock-outs" are illegal agreements ______.A. among the dealers onlyB. between the seller and the auctioneerC. between the auctioneers and dealersD. among the sellers onlySection B Instructions: There is one passage in this section with 5 questions. Read the passage quickly and an- swer the questions on the Answer Sheet. The idea of a fish being able to generat e electricity strong enough to light lamp bulbs--or even to run a small electric motor--is almost un believable, but several kinds of fish are able to do this. Even more strangely, this curious power h as 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 numbe r 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. Curre nt passes from the upper, positive side of the organ downwards to the negative, lower side. Gene rally it is necessary to touch the fish in two places, completing the circuit, in order to receive a sh ock. 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 co nnected, 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 h ead 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 catfis h is a slow, lazy fish, fond of gloomy places and grows to about 1 metre long; it is eaten by the Ara bs in some areas.The power of producing electricity may serve these fish both for defence and attack. If a large en emy attacks, the shock will drive it away; but it appears that the catfish and the electric eel use th eir current most often against smaller fish, stunning them so that they can easily be overpowered .For answers 51-55, mark Y(for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the pass age; 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. 51. Some fish produce enough electricity to dr ive electric motors. 52. Usually you will not get a shock by touching the electric ray in one place only.53. The electric plates on the electric eel are supplied with nerves from its brain.54. The shock of the electric catfish is more unpleasant than that of the torpedo or electric eel.55. 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 maxi mum of 4 words.56. The fish that produce electricity belong to ______.57. A torpedo's hexagonal shaped cells contain a number of ______.58. A fully grown torpedo can give a ______ than a young one.59. The catfish's electric current passes from the ______.60. The electric fish produce electricity mainly for ______.Section C Instructions: In this section, there is one passage followed by 5 questions. Read the p assage 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 intima te secrets, yet we worry that they are a threat to our privacy. We re]y on them more than the Inte ract to cope with modern life, yet many of us don't believe advertisements saying we need more advanced services.Sweeping aside the doubts that many people feel about the benefits of new third generation pho nes and fears over the health effects of phone masts, a recent report claims that the long-term ef fects of new mobile technologies will be entirely positive, so long as the public can be convinced t o 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 s ocial life, from love affairs to friendship to work. One female teacher, 32, told the researchers, "I l ove 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. "Text ing is often used for apologies, to excuse lateness or to communicate other things that make us u ncomfortable," 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 com munity. Even the language of texting in one area can be incomprehensible to anybody from anoth er area. Among the most important benefits of using mobile phones, the report claims, will be a v astly 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 m ore effort into the delivery of services by mobile phone, with suggestions including public transpo rt 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 mess ages 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 asthm a 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 phon es 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 technologie s takes off, the social potential of the mobile will vastly increase," the report argues. Questions :61. What feelings does the writer suggest in the first paragraph about our attitudes to mobile ph ones?62. What have mobile phones become according to research about their users?63. Why do teenagers have such a close relationship with their mobile phones?64. What can doctors use third generation mobile phones for in future?65. What does a recent report claim about the long-term effects of mobile phones?Section D Instructions : In this section, there is one passage followed by a summary. Read the p assage 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, kno wing this better than anyone else, pay millions of dollars every year to sell their products. For pri me 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 ef fectiveness of their products.Consumer complaints about misleading or inappropriate content in advertisements have led to m ultiple restrictions on advertising. Laws exist in many countries to regulate advertising. In the Unit ed States, television advertisements for alcoholic beverages cannot show a person actually drinki ng the beverage.Restricting advertisers through legislation brings up issues of freedom of speech and individual ri ghts. For this reason, US law makers have tried to avoid passing many laws that might limit advert isers' rights. Instead, they have asked the advertising industry to find ways to regulate itself. This l ed 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 main tain standards of accuracy, morality, and social responsibility in advertising. Since then, there hav e been two branches within the organization: the National Advertising Division (NAD) and the Nat ional Advertising Review Board (NARB). The NAD is like the police of the organization. They receiv e 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 the n reviews the ad and makes a recommendation.As part of the trend towards non-governmental regulation, the media in which advertising appea rs 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 ne wspapers review ads before publication to make sure both the products and the content are appr opriate 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 a nd the media, individual advertising agencies comprise a third layer of censorship. Advertising ag encies 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. Th is is why most large advertising agencies employ in-house lawyers for reviewing ads.The medium of web advertising has opened entirely new questions about advertising, targeting o ne's intended audience, and appropriateness of ad content. At the same time, consumers have m ade more and more focused demands on all forms of media. In the UK, for example, some have c alled for a ban on the advertising of fast food, which is widely blamed for problems of obesity. For the time being, acombination of government regulation, citizen demands, and industry self-regulation will continu e 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 p roducts 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) cal led 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, ne w forms of media, such as the web, have created new questions about (70) .Part Ⅳ Cloze Section AInstructions: There are 5 blanks in the passage. For each blank, some letters of the word have bee n 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) inform ation is discussed is almost impossible and it may also be difficult to concentrate when the perso n 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. W hy not allow people to choose to work in dif (74) places according to what they are doing--a coffe e bar or meeting room for social and noisy activities, or a small room for quiet work? The idea of i ndividual 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 st arted about 10 years ago when he used to travel (77) (extensive), but now the (78) (collect) has it s own momentum. "I get sent several bags a month," he says. "All my friends know that I collect t hese 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 o f his house. He asks people to pick up a couple so that he has one to swap although, he says, "The re is a slightly (81) (limit) market: my only real trading partner is a German who I met in Jordan ei ght years ago. "The bags, Bowen says, say a lot about the country of origin. Far Eastern ones tend to be lavish an d exotic. Germanic ones are severely (82) (practice) , eastern European ones reflect "the (83) (sho rt) 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 Afriq ue one, too. "Part Ⅴ Translation Section AInstructions: Translate the underlined sentences of the following passage into Chinese. Remembe r to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.People have attempted to simulate human voices in machines for quite some time. In the late 17 00s, Hungarian scientist Wolfgang yon Kempelen used whistles, resonance chambers, and other o bjects 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 19 70s, these computer-generated voices were widely used. Although theseearly 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 indiv idual sounds of a language, but also the volume, pitch, rhythm, and tones that help to express me aning. Natural-sounding computer voices are now used to provide information to people in a vari ety of applications, from automated phone lines to language learningprograms. Many systems are also able to listen to users' questions and statements and respond t o them.One good example of this comes from the BMW car company. BMW has programmed cars to bot h listen and speak to the driver. (87) The car can give directions, provide warnings and informatio n about traffic and safety conditions, and even control certain functions, such as raising or loweri ng the windows or playing music. When BMW first released cars with a computer-generated voic e, many drivers had anegative reaction to it because drivers perceived the voice as female. German drivers were unco mfortable with a "female" voice givingdirections. As a result, BMW recalled the cars and gave them "male" voices.The reaction to the female voice was emotional. It had noreasoning behind it. Common sense says that the "gender" of the voice in the car shouldn't matte。

2008年12⽉六级真题及答案（A卷）251. What qualities of Bowerman’s teams formed the basis of Nike’s early management style? The team spirit and shared valves of the athlets. Passage one questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage sustainable development is applied to just about eberything from energy to clean water and economic growth,and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use.this is especially true in agriculture,where sustainable development is often taken as the sole measure of progress without a proper appreciation of histrorcal and cultural perspectives. To start with,it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history,and will continue to do so .medieval agriculture in northern Europe fed,clothed and shelered a predominantly rural society with a much lower population density than it is today.it had minimal effect on biodiversity,and any pollution it caused was typically localized.in termsof energy use and the nutrients captured in the product it was relatively inefficient. Contrast this with farming since the start of the industrial petion from overseas led farmers to specialize and increase yields.throughout this period food became cheaper,safe and more reliable.however,these changes have alsoled to habitat loss and to diminishing biodiversity. What’smore,demand for animal products in developing countrics is growing so fast that meeting it will require an extra 300 million tons of grain a year by 2050.yet the growth of cities and in dustry is reducing the amount of water available for agriculture in many regions. All this means that agriculture in the 21st century will have to be very different from how it was in the 20th.this will require radical thinking.for example,we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices are inevitably more sustainable than new ones.we also need to abandon the notion that agriculture can be “zero impact”. The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static measures of sustainability,which centre on the need to maintain production without increasing damage.instead we need a more dynamic interpretation,one that looks at the pros and cons of all the various way land is used.there are many different ways to measure agricultural performance besides food yield:energy use, environmental costs,water purity,carbon footprint and biodiversity. It is clear, for example,that the carbon of transporting tomatoes from spain to the UK Is less than that of producing them in the UK with additional heating and lighting.but we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will always be better for biodiversity. What is crucial is recognizing that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.52. How do people ofen measure progress in agriculture? A) By its productivity C) By its impact on the environmet B) By its sustainability D) By its contribution to economic growth 53. Specialisation and the effort to incease yields have esulted in________. A) Localised pollution C) competition from overseas B) the shrinking of farmland D) the decrease of biodiversity 54.What does the author think of traditional farming practices? A)They have remained the same over the centuries B)They have not kept pace with population growth C)They are not necessarily sustainable D)They are environmentally friendly 55.What will agriculture be like in the 21st century A) It will go through radical changes B) It will supply more animal products C) It will abandon traditional farming practices D) It will cause zero damage to the environment 56 What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage? A) To remind people of the need of sustainable development B) To suggest ways of ensuring sustainable food production C) To adance new criteria for measuring farming progress D) To urge people to rethink what sustainable agriculture is Passage Two Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage The percentage of immigrants(including those unlawfully present) in the United states has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point ince the mid1920s We are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluing America’s bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort fo necomers.Their loudest citecs argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot,and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did. We now know that these racist views were wrong.In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail , to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success. Although children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than thir parents UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don’t continme. Indeed, the fouth generation is marginally worse off than the third James Jackson,of the University of Michigan,has foud a simila rend among black Caribbean immigrants,Tells fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that largeparts of the community may become mired in a seemingly state of poverty and Underachievement . Like African-Americans, Mexican-americans are increasingly relegated to (降⼊)segregated, substandyrd schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ⼉童会nic group in the country. We have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own, but as arguments about immigration hear up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about ho wto ensure that people , once outsiders , don’t fovever remain marginalized within these shores. That is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the lasest ware of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.57.How were immigrants viewed by U.S. Congress in early days? A)They were of inferior races. B)They were a Source of political corruption. C)They were a threat to the nation’s security. D)They were part of the nation’s bloodstream. 58.What does the author think of the new immigrants? A)They will be a dynamic work force in the U.S. B)They can do just as well as their predecessors. C)They will be very disappointed on the new land. D)They may find it hard to fit into the mainstream. 59.What does Edward Telles’ research say about Mexican-Americans? A)They may slowlu improve from generation to generation. B)They will do better in terms of deucationl attainment. C)They will melt into the African-American community. D)They may forever remain poor and underachieving. 60.What should be done to help the new immigrants? A)Rid them of their inferiority complex. B)Urge them to adopt American customs. C)prevent them from being marginalized. D)Teach them standard American English. 61.According to the author,the burning issue concerning immigrationg is_______. A)how to deal with people entering the U.S. without documents B)how to help immigrants to better fit into American society C)how to stop illegal immigrants from crossing the corder D)how to limit the number of immigrants to enter the U.S. Part V Individuals and businesses have legal protection for intellectual property they create and own . intellectual proper_62_from creative thinking and may include products, 63 processes, and ideas. Intellectual property is protected 64 misapproprition(盗⽤)Misappropriation is taking the Intellectual propetty of others withour ____65____ compensation and using it for monetary gain. Legal protection is provided for the ___66___of intellectual propetty. The three common types of legal protection are patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Patents provide exclusive use of inventions. If the u.s patent office __67__ a patent, it is confirmind that the intellectual property is ___68____. The patent prevents others from making ,using, or selling the invention without the owner’s __69___ for a period of 20 years. Copyright are similar to patents __70___that they are applied to artistic works. A copyright protects the creator of an__72___artisitic or intellectual work, such as a song or a novel. A copyright gives the owner wxclusive rights to copy,__72___ display, or perform the work . the copyright prevents others from using and selling the work , the __73___ of a copyright is typically the lifetime of the author 62retrieves deviates results departs 63services reservers assumptions motions64 for with by from 65 sound partial due random 66 users owners masters executives 67 affords affiliates funds grants 68 solemn sober unique universal 69 perspective permission conformity consensus 70 except besides eyond despite 71 absolute alternative original orthodox 72 presume stimulate nominate distribute 73 range length scale extent 74 an additional 70 years. 74 A) plus C) via Trademarks are words, names, or symbols that B) versus D) until Identify the manufacturer of a product and 75 it 75 A) distract C) distinguish from similar goods of others. A servicemark is B)differ D) disconnect similar to a trademark 76 is used to identify 76 A) or C) so services. A trademark prevents others from using B) but D) whereas the 77 or a similar word, name, or symbol to 77 A) identical C) literal B) analogical D) parallel take advantage of the recognition and 78 of the 78 A) ambiguity C) popularity brand or to create confusion in the marketplace. B) utility D) proximity 79 registration, a trademark is usually granted 79 A) From C) Before B) Over D) Upon for a period of ten years. It can be 80 for 80 A)recurred C) recalled B) renewed D) recovered additional ten-year periods indefinitely as 81 as 81 A)long C) far the mark’s use continues. Part VI Translation (5 minutes) Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets. Please write your translation on Answer Sheet 2 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答，只需写出译⽂部分。

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.。

2008年12月高等学校英语应用能力考试试题解析Part ⅠListening ComprehensionSection A1.【正确答案】 A【听力材料】Excuse me.Are you Mr.Smith from America?【参考译文】打扰一下，你是美国来的史密斯先生吗？【试题评析】选项A是对一般疑问句的肯定回答；选项C是对感谢用语的回答；选项B 为表达谢意；选项D“给你”，是给对方东西时的用语。

根据“Are you...”句型可知本题是一般疑问句。

“打扰一下，你是美国来的史密斯先生吗？”，只有选项A能回答一般疑问句，为正确答案。

2.【正确答案】 B【听力材料】Mr.Johnson,when is the library open?【参考译文】约翰逊先生，请问图书馆什么时候开门？【试题评析】此题属于语法判断题。

选项A是对距离的回答；选项B是对时间的回答；选项C是对人数的回答；选项D是对价格的回答。

“When...?”是典型的询问时间的特殊疑问句。

本题的问题是问图书馆什么时候开门，答案为B。

3.【正确答案】 C【听力材料】It s rather hot today.Would you please open the window?【参考译文】今天天气很热，请把窗户打开好吗？【试题评析】此题属于情景判断题。

选项A是请对方坐下；选项B意为“不要紧张，放轻松”；选项C表示欣然接受；选项D意为“我挺好”。

本题问题是“今天天气很热，请把窗户打开好吗？”回答别人委婉客气的请求，肯定时用“Yes,...”，否定时通常用“Sorry,...”或“I d love to,but...”，本题只有C项符合语境，为正确答案。

4.【正确答案】 B【听力材料】What do you think of your new boss?【参考译文】你认为你的新老板怎么样？【试题评析】此题属于情景判断题。

选项A意思是“我工作很努力”；选项B意为“他是好人”；选项C是对感谢用语的回答；选项D表示情况或事情当然不是那样。

Section B Directions There are 2 passages in this section, each passage is followed by some question or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A B C D.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage one Question 57 to 61 based on the following passage. If you are a male and you are reading this,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman. There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don't go to the doctor. "Men aren't seeing doctors as often as they should, " says Dr. Gullotta, "This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike." Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year. Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker's cough for a year. "When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer" he says, "Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged this life" According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group. "A lot of men think they are invincible （不可战胜的）"Gullotta says "They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think" Geez, if it could happen to him. Then there is the ostrich approach," some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, " says Dr. Ross Cartmill. "Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies," Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says." But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death." 57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage? A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today. B. Their average life span has been considerably extended. C. They have lived long enough to read this article. D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live. 58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women? A. men drink and smoke much more than women B. men don't seek medical care as often as women C. men aren't as cautions as women in face of danger D. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases 59. Which of the following best completes the sentence "Geez, if it could happen to him,…'（line2,para,8）? A. it could happen to me, too B. I should avoid playing golf C. I should consider myself lucky D. it would be a big misfortune 60. what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by "the ostrich approach"（line q para.9） A. a casual attitude towards one's health conditions B. a new therapy for certain psychological problems C. refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved D. unwillingness to find out about one's disease because of fear 61. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men? A.They may increase public expenses B.They will save money in the long run C.They may cause psychological strains on men D.They will enable men to live as long as women Passage two Question 62 to 66 are based on the following passage High-quality customer service is preached（宣扬） by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen. Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school "Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers," said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group." the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement." On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting "snowball effect" can be disastrous to retailers. According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers. The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered （塞满了的） shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople. During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance climinated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space. Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy andexperienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions. Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers. "Retailers who're responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly." said Professor Stephen Hoch. "Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help." Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong. 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答 62. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints? A Most customers won't bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences. B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them. C Few customers believe the service will be improved. D Customers have no easy access to store managers. 63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying " … the shopper must also find a replacement" （Line 2, Para. 4）? A New customers are bound to replace old ones. B It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores. C Most stores provide the same D Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too. 64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____ A can stay longer browsing in the store B won't have trouble parking their cars C won't have any worries about security D can find their cars easily after shopping 65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers? A Manners of the salespeople B Hiring of efficient employees C Huge supply of goods for sale D Design of the store layout. 66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________. A exert pressure on stores to improve their service B settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic way C voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly D shop around and make comparisons between stores Part V Cloze Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A,B,C,D on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on answer sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. playing organized sports is such a common experience in the United States that many children and teenagers that them for granted. This is especially true 67 children from families and communities that have the resources needed to organize and 68 sports programs and make sure that there is easy 69 to participation opportunities. Children in low-income families and poor communities are 70 likely to take organized youth sports for granted because they often 71 the resources needed to pay for participation 72, equipment, and transportation to practices and games 73 thei r c o m m u n i t i e s d o n o t h a v e r e s o u r c e s t o b u i l d a n d 7 4 s p o r t s f i e l d s a n d f a c i l i t i e s . b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 1 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 2 " > 0 0 O r g a n i z e d y o u t h s p o r t s 7 5 a p p e a r e d d u r i n g t h e e a r l y 2 0 t h c e n t u r y i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d o t h e r w e a l t h y n a t i o n s . T h e y w e r e o r i g i n a l l y d e v e l o p e d 7 6 s o m e e d u c a t o r s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t a l e x p e r t s 7 7 t h a t t h e b e h a v i o r a n d c h a r a c t e r o f c h i l d r e n w e r e 7 8 i n f l u e n c e d b y t h e i r s o c i a l s u r r o u n d i n g a n d e v e r y d a y e x p e r i e n c e s . T h i s 7 9 m a n y p e o p l e t o b e l i e v e t h a t i f y o u c o u l d o r g a n i z e t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f c h i l d r e n i n 8 0 w a y s , y o u c o u l d i n f l u e n c e t h e k i n d s o f a d u l t s t h a t t h o s e c h i l d r e n w o u l d b e c o m e . b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 3 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 4 " > 0 0 T h i s b e l i e f t h a t t h e s o c i a l 8 1 i n f l u e n c e d a p e r s o n ' s o v e r a l l d e v e l o p m e n t w a s v e r y 8 2 t o p e o p l e i n t e r e s t e d i n p r o g r e s s a n d r e f o r m i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s 8 3 t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y . I t c a u s e d t h e m t o t h i n k a b o u t 8 4 t h e y m i g h t c o n t r o l t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f c h i l d r e n t o 8 5 r e s p o n s i b l e a n d p r o d u c t i v e a d u l t s . T h e y b e l i e v e d s t r o n g l y t h a t d e m o c r a c y d e p e n d e d o n r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d t h a t a 8 6 c a p i t a l i s t e c o n o m y d e p e n d e d o n t h e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f w o r k e r . b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 5 " > b r b d sf i d = " 2 3 6 " > 0 0 6 7 . A . a m o ng B . w i thi n C . o n D . t o w a r d s b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 7 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 8 " > 00 6 8 . A . s p r e a d B . s p e e d C . s p u r D . s p o n s o r b r b d s f i d = " 2 3 9 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 0 " > 0 0 6 9 . A . a c ce s s B . e n t r a n c e C . c h a n c e D . r o u t e b r b d sf i d = " 2 4 1 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 2 " > 0 0 7 0 A . l i t t l e B . l e s s C . m o r e D . m u c h b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 3 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 4 " > 0 0 7 1 . A . s h r i n k B . t igh t e n C . li m i t D . l a c k b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 5 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 6 " > 0 0 7 2 . A . b i l l B a c c o u n t s C . f e e s D . f a r e b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 7 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 8 " > 0 0 7 3 . A . s o B . a s C . a n d D . b u t b r b d s f i d = " 2 4 9 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 0 " > 0 0 7 4 .A . m a i n t a i nB . s u s t a i nC . c o n t a i nD . e n t e r t a i n b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 1 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 2 " > 0 0 7 5 . A . l a s t B . f i r s t C . l a t e r D . f i n a l l y b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 3 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 4 " > 0 0 7 6 . A . b e f o r e B . w h i l e C . u n t i l D . w h e n b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 5 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 6 " > 0 0 7 7 . A . r e a l i z e d B . r e c a l l e d C . e x p e c t e d D . e x h i b i t e d b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 7 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 8 " > 0 0 7 8 . A . s p e c i f i c a l l y B . e x c e s s i v e l y C . s t r o n g l y D . e x a c t l y b r b d s f i d = " 2 5 9 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 0 " > 0 0 7 9 . A . m o v e d B . c o n d u c t e d C . p u t D . l e d b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 1 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 2 " > 0 0 8 0 . A . p r e c i s e B . p r e c i o u s C . p a r t i c u l a r D . p e c u l i a r b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 3 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 4 " > 0 0 8 1 . A . e n g a g e m e n t B . e n v i r o n m e n t C . s t a t e D . s t a t u s b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 5 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 6 " > 0 0 8 2 . A . e n c o u r a g i n g B . d i s a p p o i n t i n g C . u p s e t t i n g D . s u r p r i s i n g b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 7 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 8 " > 0 0 8 3 . A . f o r B . w i t h C . o v e r D . a t b r b d s f i d = " 2 6 9 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 0 " > 0 0 8 4 . A . w h a t B . h o w C . w h a t e v e r D . h o w e v e r b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 1 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 2 " > 0 0 8 5 . A . m u l t i p l y B . m a n u f a c t u r e C . p r o d u c e D . p r o v i d e b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 3 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 4 " > 0 0 8 6 . A . g r o w i n g B . b r e e d i n g C . r a i s i n g D . f l y i n g b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 5 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 6 " > 0 0 P a r t V I T r a n s l a t i o n b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 7 " > b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 8 " > 0 0 D i r e c t i o n s : C o m p l e t e t h e s e n t e n c e s b y t r a n s l a t i n g i n t oE n g l i s h t h e C h i n e s e g i v e n i n b r a c k e t s . P l e a s e w r i t e y o u r t r a n s l a t i o n o n a n s w e r s h e e t 2 b r b d s f i d = " 2 7 9 " >。

2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题及答案（A级）来源：英语辅导报| 时间：10个月前| 阅读：11203次| [划词已启用][1] 2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题（A级）[2] 听力原文及参考答案2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题（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 it may 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 communicationsindustry - 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 long acceptance 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 mind, 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 to fast-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 suggests 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 accompany 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 thequestions 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 elite teachers 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 d esignated “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 urban development, 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。