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2013年10月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试英语（二）试卷（课程代码00015）本试卷共8页，满分100分，考试时间150分钟。
考生答题注意事项：1．本卷所有试题必须在答题卡上作答。
答在试卷上无效，试卷空白处和背面均可作草稿纸。
2．第一部分为选择题。
必须对应试卷上的题号使用2B铅笔将“答题卡”的相应代码涂黑。
3．第二部分为非选择题。
必须注明大、小题号。
使用0. 5毫来黑色字迹签宇笔作答。
4．合理安排答题空间，超出答题区域无效。
第一部分选择题一、阅读判断（第1-10题，每题1分，共10分）下面的短文后刊出了10个句子，请报据短文内容对每个句子作出判断：如果该句提供的是正确信息，选择A；如果该句提供的是错误信息，选择B；如果该句的信息文中没有提及，选择C。
在答题卡相应位置上将答案选项涂黑。
未涂、错涂、多涂或少涂均无分。
Farms Appear in CitiesWhen you hear the word‘‘farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops.（1）But scientists say the farms of the future could be built in tall buildings in some large cities.It may be difficult to believe but in fact the technology for growing crops indoors already exists. Farming in the city is already happening. （2）Some vegetables are already grown in greenhouses. Even the scientists at the South Pole research station can enjoy fresh vegetables they grow in their own greenhouse.（3）Experts say indoor farming solves many problems. First, traditional farmingtakes up a lot of land. Growing crops in tall buildings-called vertical farming（垂直农业）can solve the problem.（4）Also, and vegetables grown indoors would not face serious threats from insects and bad weather.（6）Though vertical farms don't exist yet, experts have created a plan for recycling in such farms. The water from indoor fish ponds would be used to water crops. Gases from crop waste would be used to heat the building. Waste from chicken or pigs would be reused as a source of energy.（7）But experts believe vertical farming is not going to be easy.（8）They say it can be difficult to control climate conditions indoors. Besides, plants differ in their weather and lighting needs.（9）For example. Some plants like warm, sunny weather, but other plants prefer cooler temperatures.T hat’s not to say these difficulties won’t be overcome—but it will take time. Most experts suggest it may take about 5 to 15 years before the first vertical farms could be created.（10）1.The word “farm” may make you think of the countryside.A.TrueB. FalseC. Not Given答案：A解析：根据第一段第一句“When you hear the word “farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops.”关键词“imagine the countryside”，可知看到农场这个词会想起乡村。
2013年10月真题解析2013年10月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试英语（二）试卷真题解析（课程代码00015）本试卷分为选择题和非选择题两部分，满分100分，考试时间150分钟。
第一部分为选择题。
考生必须在“答题卡”上按要求填涂作答。
第二部分为非选择题。
第一部分选择题一、阅读判断（第1—10题，共10分）短文后列出10个句子，根据短文内容判断每个句子。
A是正确，B是错误，C是文中未提及。
Farms Appear in CitiesWhen you h ear the word “farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops. But scientists say the farms of the future could be built in tall buildings in some large cities.It may be difficult to believe, but in fact, the technology for growing crops in doors already exists. Farming in the city is already happening. Some vegetables are already grown in greenhouses. Even the scientists at the South Pole research station can enjoy fresh vegetables they grow in their own greenhouse.Experts say indoor farming solves many problems. First, traditional farming takes up a lot of land. Growing crops in tall buildings — called vertical farming（垂直农业）— can solve the problem. Also, fruits and vegetables grown indoors would not face serious threats from insects and weather.Though vertical farms don’t exist yet, experts have created a plan for recycling in such farms. The water from indoor fish ponds would be used to water crops. Gases from crop waste would be used to heat the building. Waste from chicken or pigs would be reused as a source of energy.But experts believe vertical farming is not going to be easy. They say it can be difficult to control climate conditions indoors. Besides, Plants differ in their weather and lighting needs. For example, some plants like warm, sunny weather, but other plants prefer cooler temperatures.That’s not to say these difficulties won’t be overcome —but it will take time. Most experts suggest it may take about 5 to 15 years before the first vertical farms could be created.【参考译文】农场出现在城市里（城中农场）当听到“农场”一词，你可能联想到乡下的母牛和庄稼等等。
2013 Text 1（英语⼆）在美国制造In an essay, entitled "Making It in America," the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern has been automated:The average mill has only two employees today, "a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines."Davidson's article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment anddeclining middle-class incomes today is largely because of the big drop in demand because of the , but it is also because of the advances in both globalization and the revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or .In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle.But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won't earn you what it used to.It can't when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation, and cheap genius.Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra, their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment.textile mill 亚当·戴维森《在美国制造》⼀⽂中提到，南部种棉地区的⼀个笑话，内容涉及现代纺织⼚⾃动化的程度：如今的普通⼯⼚只有两个雇员，“⼀个⼈外加⼀条狗。
2013考研英语阅读真题：考研英语（二）第1篇In an essay, entitled “Making It in America,” the author Adam Davidsonrelates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated:The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog.The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.”Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appearedmaking the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle-class incomes todayis largely because of the big drop in demand because of the Great Recession,but it is also because of the advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution,which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers.In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle.But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t ear n you what it used to.It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor,cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius.Therefore, everyone needs to find their extratheir unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment.Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will.But there’s been an acceleration.As Davidson notes, “In the 10 years ending in 2009, US factories shed workers so fastthat they erased almost all the gains of the previous 70 years;roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs--about 6 million in total--disappeared.”There will always be change —new jobs, new products, new services.But the one thing we know for sure is that with each advance in globalization and the I.T. revolution,the best jobs will require workers to have more and better education to make themselves above average.In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to support employment,but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G.I. Bill for the 21st centurythat ensures that every American has access to post-high school education.亚当·戴维森《在美国制造》一文中提到南部种棉地区的一个笑话，内容涉及现代纺织厂自动化的程度：如今的普通工厂只有两个雇员，“一个人外加一条狗。
2013年10月自考英语二试题及答案绝密★启用前0032013年10月高等教育自学考试全国统一命题考试英语（二）试卷（课程代码00015）本试卷共8页，满分100分，考试时间150分钟。
考生答题注意事项：1．本卷所有试题必须在答题卡上作答。
答在试卷上无效，试卷空白处和背面均可作草稿纸。
2．第一部分为选择题。
必须对应试卷上的题号使用2B铅笔将“答题卡”的相应代码涂黑。
3．第二部分为非选择题。
必须注明大、小题号。
使用0. 5毫来黑色字迹签宇笔作答。
4．合理安排答题空间，超出答题区域无效。
第一部分选择题一、阅读判断（繁1-10题，每题1分，共10分）下面的短文后刊出了10个句子，请报据短文内容对每个句子作出判断：如果该句提供的是正确信息，选择A：如果该句提供的是错误信息，选择B：如果该句的信息文中没有提及，选择C。
在答题卡相应位置上将答案选项涂黑。
未涂、错涂、多涂或少涂均无分。
Farms Appear in CitiesWhen you hear the word‘‘farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops.（1）But scientists say the farms of the future could be built in tall buildings in some large cities.It may be difficult to believe but in fact the technology for growing crops indoors already exists. Farming in the city is already happening. （2）Some vegetables are already grown in greenhouses. Even the scientists at the South Pole research station can enjoy fresh vegetables they grow in their own greenhouse.（3）Experts say indoor farming solves many problems. First, traditional farming takes up a lot of land. Growing crops in tall buildings-called vertical farming（垂直农业）can solve the problem.（4）Also, and vegetables grown indoors would not face serious threats from insects and bad weather.（6）Though vertical farms don't exist yet, experts have created a plan for recycling in such farms. The water from indoor fish ponds would be used to water crops. Gasesfrom crop waste would be used to heat the building. Waste from chicken or pigs would be reused as a source of energy.（7）But experts believe vertical farming is not going to be easy.（8）They say it can be difficult to control climate conditions indoors. Besides, plants differ in their weather and lighting needs.（9）For example. Some plants like warm, sunny weather, but other plants prefer cooler temperatures.That’s not to say these difficulties won’t be overcome—but it will take time. Most experts suggest it may take about 5 to 15 years before the first vertical farms could be created.（10）1.The word “farm” may make you think of the countryside.A.TrueB. FalseC. Not Given答案：A解析：根据第一段第一句“When you hear the word “farm”, you may imagine the countryside with cows and crops.”关键词“imagine the countryside”，可知看到农场这个词会想起乡村。
Text 1In an essay entitled “Making It in America,” the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.”Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle-class incomes today is largely because of the big drop in demand because of the Great Recession, but it is also because of the advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers.In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra –their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment.Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. But there’s been an acceleration. As Davidson notes, “In the 10 years ending ingains of the previous 70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs – about 6 million in total –disappeared.”There will always be change – new jobs, new products, new services. But the one thing we know for sure is that with each advance in globalization and the I. T. revolution, the best jobs will require workers to have more and better education to make themselves above average.In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to support employment, but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G. I. Bill for the 21st century that ensures that every American has access to post-high school education.1.The joke in Paragraph 1 is used to illustrate .[A]the impact of technological advances[B]the alleviation of job pressure[C]the shrinkage of textile mills[D]the decline of middle-class incomes2.According to Paragraph 3, to be a successful employee, one has to .[A]work on cheap software[B]ask for a moderate salary[C]adopt an average lifestyle[D]contribute something unique3.The quotation in Paragraph 4 explains that .[A]gains of technology have been erased[B]job opportunities are disappearing at a high speed[C]factories are making much less money than before[D]new jobs and services have been offered4.According to the author, to reduce unemployment, the most important is.[A]to accelerate the I. T. revolution[B]to ensure more education for people[C]to advance economic globalization[D]to pass more bills in the 21st century5.Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?[A]New Law Takes Effect.[B]Technology Goes Cheap.[C]Average Is Over.[D]Recession Is Bad.Text 2A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic included settlers and sojourners. Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the United States came those who had no intention to stay, and who would make some money and then go home. Between 1908 and 1915, about 7 million people arrived while about 2 million departed. About a quarter of all Italian immigrants, for example, eventually returned to Italy for good. They even had an affectionate nickname, “uccelli di passaggio,” birds of passage.Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants. We divide newcomers into two categories: legal or illegal, good or bad. We hail them as Americans in the making, or brand them as aliens to be kicked out. That framework has contributed mightily to our broken immigration system and the lon g political paralysis over how to fix it. We don’t need more categories, but we need to change the way we think about categories. We need to look beyond strict definitions of legal and illegal. To start, we can recognize the new birds of passage, those living and thriving in the gray areas. We might then begin to solve our immigration challenges.Crop pickers, violinists, construction workers, entrepreneurs, engineers, home health-care aides and physicists are among today’s birds of passage. They are energetic participants in a global economy driven by the flow of work, money and ideas. They prefer to come and go as opportunity calls them. They can manage to have a job in one place and a family in another.With or without permission, they straddle laws, jurisdictions andidentities with ease. We need them to imagine the United States as a place where they can be productive for a while without committing themselves to staying forever. We need them to feel that home can be both here and there and that they can belong to two nations honorably.Accommodating this new world of people in motion will require new attitudes on both sides of the immigration battle. Looking beyond the culture war logic of right or wrong means opening up the middle ground and understanding that managing immigration today requires multiple paths and multiple outcomes, including some that are not easy to accomplish legally in the existing system.6.“Birds of passage” refers to those who .[A]stay in a foreign country temporarily[B]leave their home countries for good[C]immigrate across the Atlantic[D]find permanent jobs overseas7.It is implied in Paragraph 2 that the current immigration system in the US.[A]needs new immigrant categories[B]has loosened control over immigrants[C]should be adapted to meet challenges[D]has been fixed via political means8.According to the author, today’s birds of passage want .[A]financial incentives[B]a global recognition[C]the freedom to stay and leave[D]opportunities to get regular jobs9.The author suggests that the birds of passage today should be treated .[A]as faithful partners[B]with legal tolerance[C]with economic favors[D]as mighty rivals10.The most appropriate title for this text would be .[A]Come and Go: Big Mistake[B]Living and Thriving: Great Risk[C]With or Without: Great Risk[D]Legal or Illegal: Big MistakeText 3Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses.Snap decisions can be important defense mechanisms; if we are judging whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard-wired to react very quickly, within milliseconds. But we need more time to assess other factors. To accurately tell whether someone is sociable, studies show, we need at least a minute, preferably five. It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like neuroticism or open-mindedness.But snap decisions in reaction to rapid stimuli aren’t exclu sive to the interpersonal realm. Psychologists at the University of Toronto found that viewing a fast-food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read 20 percent faster, even though reading has little to do with eating. We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we’re doing, Subjects exposed to fast-food flashes also tend to think a musical piece lasts too long.Yet we can reverse such influences. If we know we will overreact to consumer products or housing options when we see a happy face (one reason good sales representatives and real estate agents are always smiling), we can take a moment before buying. If we know female job screeners are moreunderstand their biases – or hire outside screeners.John Gottman, the marriage expert, explains that we quickly “thin slice” information reliably only after we ground such snap reactions in “thick sliced” long-term study. When Dr. Gottman really wants to assess whether a couple will stay together, he invites them to his island retreat for a much longer evaluation: two days, not two seconds.Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals: dogs can think about the future only intermittently or for a few minutes. But historically we have spent about 12 percent of our days contemplating the longer term. Although technology might change the way we react, it hasn’t changed our nature. W e still have the imaginative capacity to rise above temptation and reverse the high-speed trend.11.The time needed in making decisions may .[A]predetermine the accuracy of our judgment[B]prove the complexity of our brain reaction[C]depend on the importance of the assessment[D]vary according to the urgency of the situation12.Our reaction to a fast-food logo shows that snap decisions .[A]can be associative[B]are not unconscious[C]can be dangerous[D]are not impulsive13.To reverse the negative influences of snap decisions, we should .[A]trust our first impression[B]think before we act[C]do as people usually do[D]ask for expert advice14.John Gottman says that reliable snap reactions are based on .[A]critical assessment[B]“thin sliced” study[C]adequate information[D]sensible explanation15.The author’s attitude toward reversing the high-speed trend is .[A]tolerant[B]optimistic[C]uncertain[D]DoubtfulText 4Europe is not a gender-equality heaven. In particular, the corporate workplace will never be completely family-friendly until women are part of senior management decisions, and Europe’s top corporate-governance positions remain overwhelmingly male. Indeed, women hold only 14 per cent of positions on European corporate boards.The European Union is now considering legislation to compel corporate boards to maintain a certain proportion of women – up to 60 per cent. This proposed mandate was born of frustration. Last year, European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding issued a call to voluntary action. Reding invited corporations to sign up for gender balance goals of 40 per cent female board membership. But her appeal was considered a failure: only 24 companies took it up.Do we need quotas to ensure that women can continue to climb the corporate ladder fairly as they balance work and family?“Personally, I don’t like quotas,” Reding said recently. “But I like what the quotas do.” Quotas get action: they “open the way to equality and they break through the glass ceiling,” according to Reding, a result seen in France and other countries with legally binding provisions on placing women in top business positions.I understand Reding’s reluctance –and her frustration. I don’t like quotas either; they run counter to my belief in meritocracy, governance by the capable. But, when one considers the obstacles to achieving theordered.After all, four decades of evidence has now shown that corporations in Europe as well as the US are evading the meritocratic hiring and promotion of women to top positions –no matter how much “soft pressure” is put upon them. When women do break through to the summit of corporate power – as, for example, Sheryl Sandberg recently did at Facebook –they attract massive attention precisely because they remain the exception to the rule.If appropriate public policies were in place to help all women – whether CEOs or their children’s caregivers – and all families, Sandberg would be no more newsworthy than any other highly capable person living in a more just society.16.In the European corporate workplace, generally .[A]women take the lead[B]men have the final say[C]corporate governance is overwhelmed[D]senior management is family-friendly17.The European Union’s intended legislation is .[A]a reflection of gender balance[B]a response to Reding’s call[C]a reluctant choice[D]a voluntary action18.According to Reding, quotas may help women .[A]get top business positions[B]see through the glass ceiling[C]balance work and family[D]anticipate legal results19.The author’s attitude toward Reding’s appeal is one of .[A]skepticism[B]objectiveness[C]indifference[D]approval20.Women entering top management become headlines due to the lack of .[A]more social justice[B]massive media attention[C]suitable public policies[D]greater “soft pressure”。
2013考研英语(yīnɡ yǔ)阅读真题：考研英语（二）第2篇A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic inclued settlers and sojourners.Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the United States came those who had no intention to stay,and who would make some money and then go home.Between 1908 and 1915, about 7 millin people arrived while about 2 million departed.About a quarter of all Italian immigrants, for exanmle, eventually returned to Italy for good.They even had an affectionate nickname, “uccelli di passaggio,” birds of passage. Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants.We divide nemcomers into two categories: legal or illegal, good or bad.We hail them as Americans in the making, or brand them as aliens fit for deportation.That framework has contributed mightily to our broken immigrantion system and the long political paralysis over how to fix it.We don’t need more categories, but we need to change the way we think about categories.We need to look beyond strick definitions of legal and illegal.To start, we can recognize the new birds of passage, those living and thriving in the gray areas.We might then begin to solve our immigration challenges.Crop pickers, violinists, construction workers, entrepreneurs, engineers,home health-care aides and physicists are among today’s birds of passage.They are energetic participants in a global economy driven by the flow of work, money and ideas.They prefer to come and go as opportunity calls them.They can manage to have a job in one place and a family in another.With or without permission, they straddle laws, jurisdictions and identities with ease.We need them to imagine the United States as a placewhere they can be productive for a while without committing themselves to staying forever.We need them to feel that home can be both here and there and that they can belong to two nations honorably.Accommodating this new world of people in motion will require new attitudes on both sides of the immigration battle.Looking beyond the culture war logic of right or wrong means opening up the middle groundand understanding that managing immigration today requires multiple paths and multiple outcomes.Including some that are not easy to accomplish legally in the existing system.一个世纪前，来自大西洋的移民包括定居者和旅居者。
2013考研英语二真题及答案解析Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)Given the advantages of electronic money, you might think that we would move quickly to the cashless society in which all payments are made electronically. 1 a true cashless society is probably not around the corner. Indeed, predictions have been 2 for two decades but have not yet come to fruition. For example, Business Week predicted in 1975 that electronic means of payment would soon "revolutionize the very 3 of money itself," only to 4 itself several years later. Why has the movement to a cashless society been so 5 in coming?Although electronic means of payment may be more efficient than a payments system based on paper, several factors work 6 the disappearance of the paper system. First, it is very 7 to set up the computer, card reader, and telecornmunications networks necessary to make electronic money the 8 form of payment Second, paper checks have the advantage that they 9 receipts, something that many consumers are unwilling to 10 . Third, the use of paper checks gives consumers several days of "float" - it takes several days 11 a check is cashed and funds are 12 from the issuer's account, which means that the writer of the check can cam interest on the funds in the meantime. 13 electronic payments arc immediate, they eliminate the float for the consumer.Fourth, electronic means of payment may 14 security and privacy concerns. We often hear media reports that an unauthorized hacker has been able to access a computer database and to alterinformation 15 there. The fact that this is not an 16 occurrence means that dishonest persons might be able to access bank accounts in electronic payments systems and 17 from someone else's accounts. The 18 of this type of fraud is no easy task, and a new field of computer science is developing to 19 security issues. A further concern is that the use of electronic means of payment leaves an electronic 20 that contains a large amount of personal data. There are concerns that government, employers, and marketers might be able to access these data, thereby violating our privacy.1. [A] However [B] Moreover [C] Therefore [D] Otherwise2. [A] off [B] back [C] over [D] around3. [A] power [B] concept [C] history [D] role4. [A] reward [B] resist [C] resume [D] reverse5. [A] silent [B] sudden [C] slow [D] steady6. [A] for [B] against [C]with [D] on7. [A] imaginative [B] expensive [C] sensitive [D] productive8. [A] similar [B] original [C] temporary [D] dominant9. [A] collect [B] provide [C] copy [D] print10. [A] give up [B] take over [C] bring back [D] pass down11. [A] before [B] after [C] since [D] when12. [A] kept [B] borrowed [C] released [D] withdrawn13. [A] Unless [B] Until [C] Because [D] Though14. [A] hide [B] express [C] raise [D]ease15. [A] analyzed [B] shared [C] stored [D] displayed16. [A] unsafe [B] unnatural [C] uncommon [D] unclear17. [A] steal [B] choose [C] benefit [D] return18. [A] consideration [B] prevention[C] manipulation [D] justification19. [A] cope with [B] fight against [C] adapt to [D] call for20. [A] chunk [B] chip [C] path [D] trail Section II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Text 1In an essay entitled “Making It in America”, the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cott just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill only two em p loyees today,” a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle-class incomes today is alsobecause of the advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are morerapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign worker.In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job，could earn an averagelifestyle ,But ,today ,average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs tofind their extra-their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment.Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. But there’s been an acce Davidson notes,” In the 10 years ending in 2009, [U.S.] factories shed workers so fast that they erased almost all the gains of the previous 70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs-about 6million in total -disappeared.There will always be changed-new jobs, new products, new services. But the one thing we know forsure is that with each advance in globalization and the I.T. revolution, the best jobs will require workers tohave more and better education to make themselves above average.In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to support employment,but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G.I.Bill for the 21st century that ensuresthat every American has access to poet-high school education.21. The joke in Paragraph 1 is used to illustrate_______.[A] the impact of technological advances[B] the alleviation of job pressure[C] the shrinkage of textile mills[D] the decline of middle-class incomes22. According to Paragraph 3, to be a successful employee, one has to______[A] work on cheap software[B] ask for a moderate salary[C] adopt an average lifestyle[D] contribute something unique23. The quotation in Paragraph 4 explains that ______[A] gains of technology have been erased[B] job opportunities are disappearing at a high speed[C] factories are making much less money than before[D] new jobs and services have been offered24. According to the author, to reduce unemployment, the most important is_____[A] to accelerate the I.T. revolution[B] to ensure more education for people[C] to advance economic globalization[D] to pass more bills in the 21st century25. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?[A] New Law Takes Effect[B] Technology Goes Cheap[C] Average Is Over[D] Recession Is BadText 2A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic included settlers and sojourners. Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the United States came those who had no intention to stay, and 7millin people arrived while about 2 million departed. About a quarter of all Italian immigrants, for example, eventually returned to Italy for g ood. They even had an affectionate nickname, “uccelli di passaggio,” birds of passage.Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants. We divide newcomers into two categories: legal or illegal, good or bad. We hail them as Americans in the making, or our broken immigration system and thelong political paralysis over how to fix it. We don’t need more categories, but we need to changthink about categories. We need to look beyond strict definitions of legal and illegal. To start, we can recognize the new birds of passage, those living and thriving in the gray areas. We might then begin to solve our immigration challenges.Crop pickers, violinists, construction workers, entrepreneurs, engineers, home health-care aides and physicists are among toda y’s birds of passage. They are energetic participants in a global economy driven by the flow of work, money and ideas .They prefer to come and go as opportunity calls them , They canmanage to have a job in one place and a family in another.With or without permission, they straddle laws, jurisdictions and identities with ease. We need them to imagine the United States as a place where they can be productive for a while without committing themselves to staying forever. We need them to feel that home can be both here and there and that they can belong to two nations honorably.Accommodating this new world of people in motion will require new attitudes on both sides of the immigration battle .Looking beyond the culture war logic of right or wrong means opening up the middle ground and understanding that managing immigration today requires multiple paths and multiple outcomes. Including some that are not easy to accomplish legally in the existing system.26 “Birds of passage” refers to those who____.[A] immigrate across the Atlantic[B] leave their home countries for good[C] stay in a foreign temporarily[D]find permanent jobs overseas27 It is implied in paragraph 2 that the current immigration system in the US ____.[A] needs new immigrant categories[B] has loosened control over immigrants[C] should be adopted to meet challenges[D] has been fixed via political means28 According to the author, today’s birds of passage want___[A] financial incentives.[B] a global recognition.[C] opportunities to get regular jobs.[D]the freedom to stay and leave.29 The author suggests that the birds of passage today should be treated __[A] as faithful partners.[B] with economic favors.[C] with regal tolerance.[D]as mighty rivals.30 which is the best title of the passage?[A] come and go: big mistake[B] living and thriving : great risk[C] with or without : great risk[D]legal or illegal: big mistakeText 3Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick,hard-wired responses.Snap decisions can be important defense mechanisms; if we are judging whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard-wired to react very quickly, within milliseconds. But we need more time toassess other factors. To accurately tell whether someone is sociable, studies show, we need at least a minute, preferably five. It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like neuroticism oropen-mindedness.But snap decisions in reaction to rapid stimuli aren’t exclusive to the interpersonal realm. Ps at the University of Toronto found that viewing a fast-food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read20 percent faster, even though reading has little to do with eating. We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we’re doing, Subjects expos fast-food flashes also tend to think a musical piece lasts too long.Yet we can reverse such influences. If we know we will overreact to consumer products or housingoptions when we see a happy face (one reason good sales representatives and real estate agents are always smiling), we can take a moment before buying. If we know female job screeners are more likely to reject attractive female applicants, we can help screeners understand their biases-or hire outside screeners.on reliably only after John Gottman, the marriage expert, explains that we quickly “thin slice” informati-term study. When Dr. Gottman really wants to assesswe ground such snap reactions in “thick sliced” longwhether a couple will stay together, he invites them to his island retreat for a muck longer evaluation; twodays, not two seconds.Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals: doge can think about the future only intermittently or for a few minutes. But historically we have spent about 12 percent of our days contemplating the longer term. Although technology might change the way we react, it hasn’t changed our nature. We still have the imaginative capacity to rise above temptation and reverse the high-speed trend.31. The time needed in making decisions may____.[A] vary according to the urgency of the situation[B] prove the complexity of our brain reaction[C] depend on the importance of the assessment[D] predetermine the accuracy of our judgment32. Our reaction to a fast-food logo shows that snap decisions____.[A] can be associative[B] are not unconscious[C] can be dangerous[D] are not impulsive33. To reverse the negative influences of snap decisions, we should____.[A] trust our first impression[B] do as people usually do[C] think before we act[D] ask for expert advice34. John Gottman says that reliable snap reaction are based on____.[A] critical assessment[B]‘thin sliced’study[C] sensible explanation[D] adequate information-speed trend is____.35. The author’s attitude toward reversing the high[A] tolerant[B] uncertain[C] optimistic[D] doubtfulText 4Europe is not a gender-equality heaven. In particular, the corporate workplace will never be completely family—friendly until women are part of senior management decisions, and Europe’s top corporate-governance positions remain overwhelmingly male. Indeed, women hold only 14 percent ofpositions on Europe corporate boards.The Europe Union is now considering legislation to compel corporate boards to maintain a certainproportion of women-up to 60 percent. This proposed mandate was born of frustration. Last year, Europe Commission Vice President Viviane Reding issued a call to voluntary action. Reding invited corporations tosign up for gender balance goal of 40 percent female board membership. But her appeal was considered a failure: only 24 companies took it up.Do we need quotas to ensure that women can continue to climb the corporate Ladder fairy as they balance work and family?“Personally, I don’t like quotas,” Reding said recently. “But i like what the quotas do. action: they “open the way to equality and they break through the glass ceiling,” accord result seen in France and other countries with legally binding provisions on placing women in top business positions.I understa nd Reding’s reluctance-and her frustration. I don’t like quotas either; they run counter to m belief in meritocracy, government by the capable. Bur, when one considers the obstacles to achieving the meritocratic ideal, it does look as if a fairer world must be temporarily ordered.After all, four decades of evidence has now shown that corporations in Europe as the US are evading the meritocratic hiring and promotion of women to top position—no matter how much “soft pressure ” is pu upon them. When women do break through to the summit of corporate power--as, for example, Sheryl Sandberg recently did at Facebook—they attract massive attention precisely because they remain theexception to the rule.If appropriate pubic policies were in place to help all women—whether CEOs or their children’s caregivers—and all families, Sandberg would be no more newsworthy than any other highly capable person living in a more just society.36. In the European corporate workplace, generally_____.[A] women take the lead[B] men have the final say[C] corporate governance is overwhelmed[D] senior management is family-friendly37. The European Union’s intended legislation is ________.[A] a reflection of gender balance[B] a reluctant choice[C] a response t o Reding’s call[D] a voluntary action38. According to Reding, quotas may help women ______.[A] get top business positions[B] see through the glass ceiling[C] balance work and family[D] anticipate legal results39. The author’s attitude toward Reding’s appeal is one of _________.[A] skepticism[B] objectiveness[C] indifference[D] approval40. Women entering top management become headlines due to the lack of ______.[A] more social justice[B] massive media attention[C] suitable public policies[D] greater“soft pressure”Part BDirections:You are going to read a list of headings and a text. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-F for each numbered paragraph (41-45).Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET1. (10 points)The hugely popular blog the Skint Foodie chronicles how Tony balances his love of good food with60 a week to spend, ￡40 of which goes on food, but 10 years ago living on benefits. After bills, Tony has ￡130,000 a I year working in corporate communications and eating at London's betfthe was earning ￡restaurants'" at least twice a week. Then his marriage failed, his career burned out and his drinking became serious. "The community mental health team saved my life. And I felt like that again, to a certain degree,when people responded to the blog so well. It gave me the validation and confidence that I'd lost. But it'sstill a day-by-day thing." Now he's living in a council flat and fielding offers from literary agents. He'sfeeling positive, but he'll carry on blogging - not about eating as cheaply as you can - "there are so many people in a much worse state, with barely any money to spend on food" - but eating well on a budget. Here's his advice for economical foodies.[A] Live like a peasant[B] Balance your diet[C] Shopkeepers are your friends[D] Remember to treat yourself[E] Stick to what you need[F] Planning is everything[G] Waste not, want not41._____________________Impulsive spending isn't an option, so plan your week's menu in advance, making shopping lists for your ingredients in their exact quantities. I have an Excel template for a week of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop laughing: it's not just cost effective but helps you balance your diet. It's also a good idea to shop daily instead of weekly, because, being-human, you'll sometimes change your mind about what you fancy.42____________________________________________________________This is where supermarkets and their anonymity come in handy. With them, there's not the same embarrassment as when buying one carrot in a little greengrocer. And if you plan properly, you'll know that you only need, say, 350g of shin of beef and six rashers of bacon, not whatever weight is pre-packed in the supermarket chiller.43_________You may proudly claim to only have frozen peas in the freezer - that's not good enough. Mine is filled with leftovers, bread, stock, meat and fish. Planning ahead should eliminate wastage, but if you have surplus vegetables you'll do a vegetable soup, and all fruits threatening to "go off' will be cooked or juiced.44___________________________________Everyone says this, but it really is a top tip for frugal eaters. Shop at butchers, delis and fish-sellers regularly, even for small things, and be super friendly. Soon you'll feel comfortable asking if they've any knuckles of ham for soups and stews, or beef bones, chicken carcasses and fish heads for stock which, more often than not, They will let you have for free.45__________________You won't be eating out a lot, but save your pennies and once every few21 -months treat yourself to a set lunch at a good restaurant - ￡1.75 a week for three months gives you ￡16.95 there - or ￡12.99 for amore than" enough for a three-course lunch at Michelin-starred Arbutus. It's ￡large pizza from Domino's: I know which I'd rather eat.Section III TranslationDirections:Translate the following text from English into Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET 2.(15 points)I can pick a date from the past 53 years and know instantly where I was, what happened in the news and even the day of the week. I’ve been able to do this since I was four.I never feel overwhelmed with the amount of information my brain absorbs my mind seems to be able to cope and the information is stored away reatly. When I think of a sad memory, I do what everyone does- try to put it to one side. I don’t think it’s harder for me just because my memory is clearer. Powerful m make my emotions any more acute or vivid. I can recall the day my grandfather died and the sadness I feltHair opened on thewhen we went to the hospital the day before. I also remember that the musical playBroadway on the same day- they both just pop into my mind in the same way.Section IV Writing47. Suppose your class is to hold a charity sale foe kids in need of help. Write your classmates an email to1) inform them about the details and encourage them to participate .ess.(10 points)2) Don’t use your own name, use “Li Ming” instead. Don’t write your addr48 write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing, you should1)interpret the chart and2)give your commentsYou should write about 150 words1．【答案】A（However）【解析】空前作者讲到“鉴于电子货币的优势,你也许会认为,我们将快速步入非现金社会,实现完全电子支付。
2013 Text 3（英语⼆）快速决策Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses.Snap decisions can be important defense mechanisms; if we are judging whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard-wired to react very quickly, within milliseconds.But we need more time to assess other factors.To accurately tell whether someone is sociable, studies show, we need at least a minute, preferably five.It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like neuroticism or open-mindedness.But snap decisions in reaction to rapid stimuli aren't exclusive to the interpersonal realm.Psychologists at the found that viewing a fast-food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read 20 percent faster, even though reading has little to do with eating.We unconsciously associate with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we're doing.科学家已经发现：虽然我们易于快速地做出过度反应，但是如果我们花点时间考虑⼀下我们可能做出的反应，就可以减少，甚⾄是消除我们快速、本能的反应所带来的消极影响。
2013 Text 2（英语⼆）设想⼀个新的移⺠政策A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic included settlers and sojourners.Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the United States came those who had no intention to stay, and who would make some money and then go home.Between 1908 and 1915, about 7 million people arrived while about 2 million departed.About a quarter of all Italian immigrants, for example, eventually returned to for good.They even had an affectionate nickname, "uccelli di passaggio," birds of passage.Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants.We divide newcomers into two categories: legal or illegal, good or bad.We hail them as Americans in the making or brand them as aliens to be kicked out.That framework has contributed mightily to our broken immigration system and the long political paralysis over how to fix it.⼀个世纪前，来⾃⼤⻄洋的移⺠包括定居者和旅居者。
2013年10月自考试题：英语阅读(二)课程代码：00596请考生按规定用笔将所有试题的答案涂、写在答题纸上。
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I. Reading Comprehension (50 points, 2 points for each)Directions: In this part of the test, there are five passages. Following each passage, there are five questions with four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best answer and then blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.Passage OneComputers should be in the schools. They have the potential to accomplish great things. With the right software, they could help make science tangible or teach neglected topics like art and music. They could help students form a concrete idea of society by displaying on screen a version of the city in which they live — a picture that tracks real life moment by moment.In practice, however, computers make our worst educational nightmares come true. While we bemoan the decline of literacy, computers discount words in favor of pictures and pictures in favor of video. While we fret about the decreasing cogency of public debate, computers dismiss linear argument and promote fast, shallow romps across the information landscape. While we worry about basic skills, we allow into the classroom software that will do a student’s arithmetic or correct his spelling.Take multimedia. The idea of multimedia is to combine text, sound and pictures in a single package that you browse on screen. You don’t just read Shakespeare; you watch acto rs performing, listen to songs, view Elizabethan buildings. What’s wrong with that? By offering children candy—coated books, multimedia is guaranteed to sour them on unsweetened reading. It makes the printed page look even more boring than it used to look. Sure, books will be available in the classroom, too—but they’ll have all the appeal of a dusty piano to a teen who has a Walkman handy.So what if the little nippers don’t read? If they’re watching Olivier instead, what do they lose? The text, the written word along with all of its attendant pleasures. Besides, a book is more portable than a computer, has a higher—resolution display, can be written on and dog—eared and is comparatively dirt cheap.Hypermedia, multimedia’s comrade in the struggle for a brave new classroom, is just as troubling. It’s a way of presenting documents on screen without imposing a linear start—to—finish order. Disembodied paragraphs are linked by theme; after reading one about the First World War, for example, you might be able to choose another about the technology of battleships, or the life of Woodrow Wilson, or hemlines on the 20s. This is another cute idea that is good in minor ways and terrible in major ones. Teaching children to understand the orderly unfolding of a plot or a logical argument is a crucial part of education. Authors don’t merely agglomerate paragraphs; they work hard to make the narrative read a certain way, prove a particular point. To turn a book or a document into hypertext is to invite readers to ignore exactly what counts — the story.Questions 1—5 are based on Passage One.1. The first paragraph is primarily concerned with ______.A. picturing in what ways computers can help in schoolsB. describing how computers make all subjects easier in schoolsC. showing what computers have accomplished in schoolsD. examining how computers are being used in schools2. What is the author’s attitude towards the software that will do a student’s arithmetic or correct his spelling?A. Amazed.B. Reserved.C. Interested.D. Disapproval.3. What does the author mean by “unsweetened reading” in Paragraph 3?A. Online reading.B. Difficult reading materials.C. Regular books.D. Serious and sad stories.4. The author mentions Shakespeare in order to ______.A. illustrate how multimedia presents information in classroomB. cite one of the most frequently used sources in schoolsC. introduce the importance of reading classicsD. show how multimedia is integrated in traditional teaching5. Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the author?A. Teaching students to understand logical argument is highly ignored.B. The employment of hypermedia may hurt students’ learning process.C. Hypermedia exposes students to too much information.D. Students’ reading skills have dr astically dropped.Passage TwoOne theory that has gained influence among sociologists is that some members of stigmatized groups, when faced with stressful situations, expect themselves to do worse — a prophecy that fulfills itself. These expectations, which can occur even in otherwise fair situations — such as, say, a standardized test —produce stress and threaten cognitive function. The effect is called “stereotype threat,” and African—Americans, girls, even jocks have all been shown susceptible to stereotype threat.Now a new study shows that old people are also vulnerable to the phenomenon. Research psychologists recruited 103 volunteers, ages 60 to 82, to perform simple arithmetic and recall tests. The psychologists manipulated about half of the participants into feeling stereotype threat by telling them that the entire purpose of the tests was “to examine aging effects on memory.” That statement was designed to prime the participants’ worry that their advanced age would affect their performance. By contrast, participants in the control group were told that the tests had been constructed to correct for any biases that might be associated with age, a white lie imparted to damp down stereotype threat.Those in the first group performed significantly worse on the memory tests than those whose internal stereotypes hadn’t been triggered. Interestingly, people between the ages of 60 and 70 were far moresusceptible to stereotype threat than those aged 71 to 82. The authors theorize, persuasively, that people who have just entered their seventh decade are more sensitive to stereotype threat than those who have already been considered old for a decade.Remarkably, the power of stereotype threat was enough to overcome true aptitude: even people who generally had go od working memories and weren’t prone to anxiety — in short, great test—takers — performed worse after being reminded of their age. The power of stereotype is so strong that it can overwhelm many of our other traits.But the good news is that you can flip this particular psychological coin on its opposite side: recent research has found that positive stereotype reinforcement may be just as powerful as any negative threat. Indiana University psychologists found that women’s performance on math tests did not suffer as researchers had expected, even when the typical “women are bad at math” stereotype was invoked, as long as a positive stereotype (say, college students are good at math) was presented at the same time. In this case, that means that the aged are likely to have better—functioning memories when they are told, for instance, that older people “have more experience” or “have seen it all before.”Questions 6—10 are based on Passage Two.6. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. Examples of discriminations.B. The concept of stereotype threat.C. A dominant theory in sociology.D. Stressful situations for the stigmatized.7. The word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.A. weakB. incapableC. insecureD. susceptible8. The psychologist used a white lie to ______.A. weaken the participants’ worryB. monitor the participants’ reactionC. increase the difficulty of the testsD. correct biases associated with age9. The difference between the participants in their 70s and those in their 60s was ______ .A. the former did better on the testsB. the latter were given easier questionsC. the latter took the results less seriouslyD. the former showed more concern about age10. What message does the author intend to convev in the last paragraph?A. Negative stereotypes can be turned into positive ones.B. More should be done to help those discriminated.C. Stereotypes can be used as an advantage.D. Discrimination on campus should be eliminated.Passage ThreeA good reader becomes sooner or later a good book buyer. The sooner, the better. Of course, we all read many more books than we have room for in our homes, even if we could afford to buy them all; yet the reading done in a book drawn from a library cannot be so pleasant at the moment nor so permanently useful as the reading done in our own copy.A book which is worth reading is likely to be read more than once, and at each reading some idea or some statement makes such an impression that we wish to refer to it again. Some readers underline the page as they read, but I find that a page which I have underlined cannot give me so many fresh impressions as one which has no marks on it. If I come on a passage already marked up, I remember the thoughts and feelings which prompted those first markings, and I have them again, with no additions. But a clean page may always give me something new.My habit is to make my own index of a book as I read. I put down the number of the page and a word or two to identify the thought or the fact which I get from it. On a second or third reading I am likely to double or triple the size of this index. This is my substitute for underlining. Most of the books in my library are so indexed that I can find quickly the passage which from time to time I wish to look up.To use a book in this way, organizing it for continued usefulness year after year, we must, of course, do our reading in a copy which belongs to us. If a reader were wealthy enough, he could buy his books always in new and expensive edition, with only best paper and in the kind of binding he prefers. I never could afford such luxury, and I have known few serious and devoted readers who could. The books I buy are chiefly those of less expensive editions.In the last few years a new convenience and economy has come to the American book—buying public: the twenty—five—cent book now widely available at newsstands, drugstores, etc. Bantam books, Signet books, and Pocket books together offer many hundred different titles of more or less respectable literary merits. These inexpensive books give hours of pleasurable reading with broadened knowledge and stimulated thought.As I have grown older and the number of books on my shelves has increased, I appreciate editions which do not take much room. When I began reading years ago, I was proud of my small collection of two or three hundred books. By the time I owned a thousand, my little study held all it could. Now, in my late years, I must squeeze books into a city apartment. By careful and continuous selection I keep my library clown to ten thousand books. This would be, of course, too large a number for any but a professional scholar or writer. But my advice to a booklover is to weed out his library at least once every two years, giving, away the books which are not likely to be read again.You can start a good library of your own with only a few dollars, buying good books in cheap editions or in finer editions secondhand. Buy at least a book a month. But never, never buy a book which you will not immediately read. A library bought only for looks is not literature, but interior decoration.Questions 11—15 are based on Passage Three.11. According to the author, it is ______.A. important to read critically rather than memorize the factsB. useful to underline some important ideasC. beneficial to take notes while readingD. good to leave no marks on pages12. If you are fond of buying books, it is better toA. buy those you likeB. seek those which are popularC. seek some new editionsD. buy those which you can afford13. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the author?A. The more books you buy, the faster your library will grow.B. The clearer the index, the more quickly you will find the passage you want.C. The longer you read a book, the more you will benefit from it.D. The more expensive the editions are, the more valuable the books are.14. The first four paragraphs of this passage deal with ______.A. why we should take notes while readingB. how we choose a good book to readC. why we should have a book of our ownD. how we can read efficiently15. Why does the author write this passage?A. To explain how to become a good reader.B. To give advice through his experience.C. To indicate that a private library is also an interior decoration.D. To tell readers that buying cheap books is a good way to start one’s library.Passage FourAt one time, it was thought that cancer was a “disease of civilization,” belonging to much the same causal domain as “neurasthenia” and diabetes, the former a nervo us weakness believed to be brought about by the stress of modem life and the latter a condition produced by bad diet and indolence. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some physicians attributed cancer — notably of the breast and the ovaries — top sychological and behavioral causes. William Buchan’s wildly popular eighteenth—century text “Domestic Medicine” judged that cancers might be caused by “excessive fear, grief and religious melancholy.” In the nineteenth century, reference was repeatedly mad e to a “cancer personality.” As Susan Sontag observed, cancer was considered shameful, not to be mentioned. Among the Romantics and the Victorians, suffering and dying from tuberculosis might be considered a badge of refinement; cancer death was nothing of the sort. “It seems unimaginable,” Sontag wrote, “to aestheticize cancer. ”Cancer is “the modem disease” not just because we understand it in radically new ways but also because there’s a lot more about cancer. For some cancers, the rise in incidence is clearly connected with things that get into our bodies that once did not — the causal link between smoking and lung cancer being the most spectacular example. But the rise in cancer mortality is, in its way, very good news: as we live longer, and as many infectious and epidemic diseases have ceased to be major causes of death, so we become prone to maladies that express themselves at ages once rarely attained. At the beginning of the twentieth century, life expectancy at birth in America was 47.3 years, and in the middle of the nineteenth century it was less than forty. The median age at diagnosis for breast cancer in the United States is now sixty—one; for prostate cancer it is sixty—seven; for colorectal cancer it’s seventy. “Cancer has become the price of modern life,” an epidemiologist recently wrote. In the U.S., about half of all men and about a third of women will contract cancer in their lifetime; cancer now ranks just below heart disease as a cause of death in the U.S. But in low—income countries wit h shorter life expectancies it doesn’t even make the top ten.Questions 16—20 are based on Passage Four.16. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. Common causes of cancers.B. Treatments for different cancers.C. Traditional bliefs on cancer.D. Peo ple’s attitudes to cancer patients.17. What can we learn about the Victorians from Paragraph 1?A. They believed that some diseases were superior to others.B. They thought that some diseases were unimaginable.C. They attributed some diseases to behavioral causes.D. They held superstitious ideas towards some diseases.18. The word “maladies” in Paragraph 2 means ______.A. tunesB. illnessesC. serious problemsD. advanced ages19. Why are more and more people diagnosed with cancers today?A. People nowadays have more bad habits.B. People nowadays enjoy longer life expectancy.C. People nowadays are exposed to more sources of stress.D. People nowadays are more vulnerable psychologically.20. “It” in the last sentence refers to ______.A. life expectancyB. heart diseaseC. modernityD. cancerPassage FiveEver since 2003, when Lisa Belkin’s article in The Times Magazine about highly privileged and high—achieving moms —“The Opt—Out Revolution” — was generalized by the news media to claim that mothers overall were choosing to leave the work force, researchers have been revisiting the state of mothers’ employment and reaching very similar conclusions.In 2005, the Motherhood Project published a report that said most mothers, given free choice, would choose to be employed —provided their employment didn’t take up too much time. Approximately two—thirds said they’d ideally work part—time or from home; only 16 percent said they’d prefer to work full—time.Sociologist David Cotter looked carefully at four decades of employment data and found that women with choices — those with college education — were overwhelmingly choosing, to stay in the work force. The only women “opting out” in any significant numbers were the very richest and the very poorest.You might say that the movement of the richest women out of the work force proves that women will, in the best of all possible worlds, go home. But these women often have husbands who work 70 or 80 hours a week and travel extensively; someone has to be home. They are privileged, it’s true, but very often they have also been cornered by the all—or—nothing non—choices of our workplaces.The alternative narrative — of constricted horizons, not choice — that might have emerged from recent research has never really made it into the mainstream. It just can’t, it seems, find a foothold. “The reason we keep getting this narrative is that there is this deep cultural ambivalence about mothers’ employment,” said Cotter. “On the one hand, people believe women should have equal opp ortunities, but on the other hand, we don’t envision men taking on more child care and housework and, unlike Europe, we don’t seem to be able to envision family—friendly work policies.”Why this matters — and why opening this topic up for discussion is important — is very clear: because our public policy continues to rest upon a false idea, eternally recycled in the media, of mothers’ free choices, and not upon the constraints that truly drive their behavior. If journalism repeatedly frames the wrong problem, then those who make public policy may very well deliver the wrong solution. E. J. Graff, a senior researcher at Brandeis University, says, “If women are happily choosing to stay home with their babies, that’s a private decision. But it’s a public policy issue if schools, jobs and other American institutions are structured in ways that make it frustratingly difficult, and sometimes impossible, for parents to manage both their jobs and family responsibilities.”Questions 21—25 are based on Passage Five.21. According to Paragraph 1, what conclusion about mothers’ employment have researchers drawn?A. The majority of mothers wanted to leave the work force.B. The working environment was not friendly to mothers.C. High—achieving mothers were forced to leave their jobs.D. The employment of mothers took up too much time.22. What do we learn about the report published by the Motherhood Project?A. Its ideas agree with previous studies.B. Its ideas are generally questioned by the public.C. It addresses the re al problem in mothers’ employment.D. It contradicts the results of recent researches.23. The phrase “opting out” in Paragraph 3 meansA. avoiding certain dutiesB. choosing not to workC. deciding to leave a groupD. fighting against some policies24. According to Paragraph 5, which of the following statements is TRUE?A. European mothers take longer maternity leave than American mothers.B. American mothers take longer maternity leave than European mothers.C. European fathers are more involved in child care than American fathers.D. American fathers are more involved in child care than European fathers.25. What does the author say about the public policy concerning mothers’employment?A. It is in line with the mainstream academic studies.B. It is in conflict with journalistic reports.C. It is currently based on false ideas.D. It is extensively criticized for its inefficiency.非选择题部分注意事项：用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔将答案写在答题纸上，不能答在试题卷上。
