2004-2015英语专业八级口试历年真题话题汇总

英语专业八级考试试题Listening ComprehensionSection A: News Report(选择的五条新闻来自不同的播报员，请根据提供的中文大纲判断是哪个播报员的报道。

)1.(关于近期某个城市的洪水灾害) "由于连续多日的暴雨，城市部分地区发生严重洪水灾害，居民的生活受到了严重影响。

" (由一个具有浓重美国口音的女播报员报道)2.(关于一部备受瞩目的电影获得票房成功) "《XYZ》这部备受期待的科幻电影在全球上映后获得了巨大成功，票房收入已经超过了预期。

" (由一个具有英国口音的男播报员报道)3.(关于全球气候变化的讨论) "在最近的联合国气候变化大会上，各国代表就如何应对气候变化进行了深入讨论。

" (由一个具有澳大利亚口音的女播报员报道)4.(关于一位著名运动员的退役声明) "在接受采访时，该著名运动员表示他计划在未来的比赛中退役，他感谢粉丝们一直以来的支持。

" (由一个具有加拿大口音的男播报员报道)5.(关于某个国家决定从另一个国家撤军) "在经过多日的谈判后，某大国决定从争议地区撤军，以缓和与该地区的紧张局势。

" (由一个具有南非口音的女播报员报道)Section B: Conversations(请根据对话内容判断主题和涉及人物之间的关系。

)1.主题：预订酒店房间人物关系：客户与酒店前台服务员2.主题：求职面试人物关系：面试官与应聘者3.主题：购买家具人物关系：客户与家具店销售员4.主题：讨论旅游计划人物关系：朋友之间5.主题：讨论电影剧情人物关系：夫妻之间。

Part Ⅱ Proofreading and Error Correction (15 min)The passage contains TEN errors. Each indicated line contains a maximum of ONE error. In each case, only ONE word is involved. You should proofread the passage and correct it in the following way: For a wrong word, underline the wrong word and write the correct one in the blank provided at the end of the line. For a missing word, mark the position of the missing word with a "∧" sign and write the word you believe to be missing in the blank provided at the end of the line. For an unnecessary word, cross the unnecessary word with a slash "/"and put the word in the blank provided at the end of the line.ExampleWhen ∧ art museum wants a new exhibit, (1) anit never buys things in finished form and hangs (2) neverthem on the wall. When a natural history museumwants an exhibition, it must often build it. (3)exhibitProofread the given passage on ANSWER SHEET TWO as instructed.One of the most important non-legislative functions of the U.S Congressis the power to investigate. This power is usually delegated to committees - eitherstanding committees, special committees set for a specific (1)____purpose, or joint committees consisted of members of both houses. (2)____ Investigations are held to gather information on the need forfuture legislation, to test the effectiveness of laws already passed,to inquire into the qualifications and performance of members andofficials of the other branches, and in rare occasions, to lay the (3)____ groundwork for impeachment proceedings. Frequently, committeesrely outside experts to assist in conducting investigative hearings (4)____ and to make out detailed studies of issues.(5)____There are important corollaries to the investigative power. Oneis the power to publicize investigations and its results. Most (6)____committee hearings are open to public and are reported (7)____widely in the mass media. Congressional investigationsnevertheless represent one important tool available to lawmakers (8)____ to inform the citizenry and to arouse public interests in national issues.(9)____Congressional committees also have the power to compeltestimony from unwilling witnesses, and to cite for contemptof Congress witnesses who refuse to testify and for perjurythese who give false testimony.(10)____Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (30 min) (开始Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (30 min)计时)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of fifteen multiplechoice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT AFarmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: they sell at the price the market sets. Farmers in Europe, the U.S. and Japan are luckier: they receive massive government subsidies in the form of guaranteed prices or direct handouts. Last month U.S. President Bush signed a new farm bill that gives American farmers $190 billion over the next 10 years, or $83 billion more than they had been scheduled to get, and pushes U.S. agricultural support close to crazy European levels. Bush said the step was necessary to "promote farmer independence and preserve the farm way of life for generations". It is also designed to help the Republican Party win control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections.Agricultural production in most poor countries accounts for up to 50% of GDP, compared to only 3% in rich countries. But most farmers in poor countries grow just enough for themselves and their families. Those who try exporting to the West find their goods whacked with huge tariffs or competing against cheaper subsidized goods. In 1999 the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that for each dollar developing countries receive in aid they lose up to $14 just because of trade barriers imposed on the export of their manufactured goods. It’s not as if the developing world wants any favours, says Gerald Ssendwula, Uganda’s Minister of Finance. "What we want is for the rich countries to let us compete."Agriculture is one of the few areas in which the Third World can compete. Land and labour are cheap, and as farming methods develop, new technologies should improve output. This is nopieinthesky speculation. The biggest success in Kenya’s economy over the past decade ha s been the boom in exports of cut flowers and vegetables to Europe. But that may all change in 2008, when Kenya will be slightly too rich to qualify for the "leastdeveloped country" status that allows African producers to avoid paying stiff European import duties on selected agricultural products. With trade barriers in place, the horticulture industry in Kenya will shrivel as quickly as a discarded rose. And while agriculture exports remain the great hope for poor countries, reducing trade barriers in other sectors also works: Americas African Growth and Opportunity Act, which cuts duties on exports of everything from handicrafts to shoes, has proved a boon to Africa’s manufacturers. The lesson: the Third World can prosper if the rich world gives it a fair go.This is what makes Bush’s decision to increase farm subsidies last month all themore depressing. Poor countries have long suspected that the rich world urges rade liberalization only so it can wangle its way into new markets. Such suspicions caused the Seattle trade talks to break down three years ago. But last November members of the World Trade Organization, meeting in Doha, Qatar, finally agreed to a new round of talks designed to open up global trade in agriculture andtextiles. Rich countries assured poor countries, that their concerns were finally being addressed. Bush’s handout last month makes a lie of America’s commitment to those talks and his personal devotion to free trade.16. By comparison, farmers ____ receive more government subsidies than others.A) in the developing worldB) in JapanC) in EuropeD) in America17. In addition to the economic considerations, there is a ____ motive behind Bush’s signing of the new farm bill.A) partisanB) socialC) financialD) cultural18. The message the writer attempts to convey throughout the passage is that ____.A) poor countries should be given equal opportunities in tradeB) "the leastdeveloped country" status benefits agricultural countriesC) poor countries should remove their suspicions about trade liberalizationD) farmers in poor countries should also receive the benefit of subsidies19. The writer’s attitude towards new farm subsidies in the U.S. is ____.A) favourableB) ambiguousC) criticalD) reservedTEXT BOscar Wilde said that work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do. If so, Americans are now among the world’s saddest refugees. Factory workers in the United States are working longer hours than at any time in the past halfcentury. America once led the rich world in cutting the average working week-from 70 hours in 1850 to less than 40 hours by the 1950s. It seemed natural that as people grew richer they would trade extra earnings for more leisure. Since the 1970s, however, the hours clocked up by American workers have risen, to an average of 42 this year in manufacturing.Several studies suggest that something similar is happening outside manufacturing: Americans are spending more time at work than they did 20 years ago. Executives and lawyers boast of 80hour weeks. On holiday, they seek out fax machines and phones as eagerly as Germans bag the best sunloungers. Yet working time in Europe and Japan continues to fall. In Germany’s engineering industry the working week is to be trimme d from 36 to 35 hours next year. Most Germans get six weeks’ paid annual holiday; even the Japanese now take three weeks. Americans still make do with just two.Germany responds to this contrast with its usual concern about whether people’s aversion to work is damaging its competitiveness. Yet German workers, like the Japanese, seem to be acting sensibly: as their incomes rise, they can achieve a better standard of living with fewer hours of work. The puzzle is why America, the world’s richest country, sees things differently. It is a puzzle with sinistersocial implications. Parents spend less time with their children, who may be left alone at home for longer. Is it just a coincidence that juvenile crime is on the rise?Some explanations for America’s time at work fail to stand up to scrutiny. One blames weak trade unions that leave workers open to exploitation. Are workers being forced by costcutting firms to toil harder just to keep their jobs? A recent study by two American economists, Richard Freeman and Linda Bell, suggests not: when asked, Americans actually want to work longer hours. Most German workers, in contrast, would rather work less.Then, why do Americans want to work harder? One reason may be that the real earnings ofmany Americans have been stagnant or falling during the past two decades. People work longer merely to maintain their living standards. Yet many higherskilled workers, who have enjoyed big increases in their real pay, have been working harder too. Also, one reason for the slow growth of wages has been the rapid growth in employment-which is more or less where the argument began.Taxes may have something to do with it. People who work an extra hour in America are allowed to keep more of their money than those who do the same in Germany. Falls in marginal tax rates in America since the 1970s have made it all the more profitable to work longer.None of these answers really explains why the centurylong decline in working hours has gone into reverse in America but not elsewhere (though Britain shows signs of following America’s lead). Perhaps cultural differences-the last refuge of the defeated economist-are at play. Economists used to believe that once workers earned enough to provide for their basic needs and allow for a few luxuries, their incentive to work would be eroded, like lions relaxing after a kill. But humans are more susceptible to advertising than lions. Perhaps clever marketing has ensured that "basic needs"-for a shower with builtin TV, for a rocketpropelled car-expand continuously. Shopping is already one of America’s most popular pastimes. But it requires money-hence more work and less leisure.Or try this: the television is not very good, and baseball and hockey keep being wiped out by strikes. Perhaps Wilde was right. Maybe Americans have nothing better to do.20. In the United States, working longer hours is ____.A) confined to the manufacturing industryB) a traditional practice in some sectorsC) prevalent in all sectors of societyD) favoured by the economists21. According to the third paragraph, which might be one of the consequences of working longer hours?A) Rise in employees’ working efficiency.B) Rise in the number of young offenders.C) Rise in people’s living standards.D) Rise in competitiveness.22. Which of the following is the cause of working longer hours stated bythe writer?A) Expansion of basic needs.B) Cultural differences.C) Increase in real earnings.D) Advertising.TEXT CThe fox really exasperated them both. As soon as they had let the fowls out, inthe early summer mornings, they had to take their guns and keep guard; and thenagain as soon as evening began to mellow, they must go once more. And he was so sly. He slid along in the deep grass; he was difficult as a serpent to see. And he seemed to circumvent the girls deliberately. Once or twice March had caught sight of the white tip of his brush, or the ruddy shadow of him in the deep grass, and she had let fire at him. But he made no account of this.The trees on the woodedge were a darkish, brownish green in the full light-for it was the end of August. Beyond, the naked, copperlike shafts and limbs of the pine trees shone in the air. Nearer the rough grass, with its long, brownish stalks all agleam, was full of light. The fowls were round about-the ducks were still swimming on the pond under the pine trees. March looked at it all, saw it all, and did not see it. She heard Banford speaking to the fowls in the distance-and she did not hear. What was she thinking about? Heaven knows. Her consciousness was, as it were, held back.She lowered her eyes, and suddenly saw the fox. He was looking up at her. His chin was pressed down, and his eyes were looking up. They met her eyes. And he knew her. She was spellbound-she knew he knew her. So he looked into her eyes, and her soul failed her. He knew her, he has not daunted.She struggled, confusedly she came to herself, and saw him making off, with slow leaps over some fallen boughs, slow, impudent jumps. Then he glanced over his shoulder, and ran smoothly away. She saw his brush held smooth like a feather, she saw his white buttocks twinkle. And he was gone, softly, soft as the wind.She put her gun to her shoulder, but even then pursed her mouth, knowing it was nonsense to pretend to fire. So she began to walk slowly after him, in the direction he had gone, slowly, pertinaciously. She expected to find him. In her heart she was determined to find him. What she would do when she saw him again she did not consider. But she was determined to find him. So she walked abstractedly about on the edge of the wood, with wide, vivid dark eyes, and a faint flush in her cheeks. She did not think. In strange mindlessness she walked hither and thither...As soon as supper was over, she rose again to go out, without saying why.She took her gun again and went to look for the fox. For he had lifted his eyesupon her, and his knowing look seemed to have entered her brain. She did not somuch think of him: she was possessed by him. She saw his dark, shrewd, unabashedeye looking into her, knowing her. She felt him invisibly master her spirit. She knew the way he lowered his chin as he looked up, she knew his muzzle, the golden brown, and the greyish white. And again she saw him glance over his shoulder at her, half inviting, half contemptuous and cunning. So she went, with her great startledeyes glowing, her gun under her arm, along the wood edge. Meanwhilethe night fell, and a great moon rose above the pine trees.23. At the beginning of the story, the fox seems to the all EXCEPT ____.A) cunningB) fierceC) defiantD) annoying24. As the story proceeds, March begins to feel under the spell of ____.A) the lightB) the treesC) the nightD) the fox25. Gradually March seems to be in a state of ____.A) blanknessB) imaginationC) sadnessD) excitement26. At the end of the story, there seems to be a sense of ____ between March and the fox.A) detachmentB) angerC) intimacyD) conflict27. The passage creates an overall impression of ____.A) mysteryB) horrorC) livelinessD) contemptTEXT DThe banners are packed, the tickets booked. The glitter and white overalls havebeen bought, the gas masks just fit and the mobile phones are ready. All that remains is to get to the parties.This week will see a feast of panEuropean protests. It started on Bastille Day, last Saturday, with the French unions and immigrants on the streets and the first demonstrations in Britain and Germany about climate change. It will continue tomorrow and Thursday with environmental and peace rallies against President Bush. But the big one is in Genoa, on Friday and Saturday, where the G8 leaders will meet behind the lines of 18,000 heavily armed police.Unlike Prague, Gothenburg, Cologne or Nice, Genoa is expected to be Europe’s Seattle, the coming together of the disparate strands of resistance to corporate globalisation.Neither the protesters nor the authorities know what will happen, but some things are predictable. Yes, there will be violence and yes, the mass media will focus on it. What should seriously concern the G8 is not so much the violence, the numbers in the streets or even that they themselves look like idiots hiding behind the barricades, but that the deep roots of a genuine new version of internationalism are growing.For the first time in a generation, the international political and economic condition is in the dock. Moreover, the protesters are unlikely to go away, their confidence is growing rather than waning, their agendas are merging, the protests are spreading and drawing in all ages and concerns.No single analysis has drawn all the strands of the debate together. In the meantime, the global protest "movement" is developing its own language, texts, agendas, myths, heroes and villains. Just as the G8 leaders, world bodies and businesses talk increasingly from the same script, so the protesters’ once disparatepolitical and social analyses are converging. The longterm project of governments and world bodies to globalise capital and development is being mirrored by the globalisation of protest.But what happens next? Governments and world bodies are unsure which way to turn. However well they are policed, major protests reinforce the impression of indifferent elites, repression of debate, overreaction to dissent, injustice and unaccountable power.Their options-apart from actually embracing the broad agenda being put to them-are to retreat behind even higher barricades, repress dissent further, abandon global meetings altogether or, more likely, meet only in places able to physically resist the masses.Brussels is considering building a super fortress for international meetings. Genoa may be the last of the European superprotests.28. According to the context, the word "parties" at the end of the first paragraph refers to ____.A) the meeting of the G8 leadersB) the protests on Bastille DayC) the coming panEuropean protestsD) the big protest to be held in Genoa29. According to the passage, economic globalisation is paralleled by ____.A) the emerging differences in the global protest movementB) the disappearing differences in the global protest movementC) the growing European concern about globalisationD) the increase in the number of protesters30. According to the last paragraph, what is Brussels considering doing?A) Meeting in places difficult to reach.B) Further repressing dissent.C) Accepting the protesters’ agenda.D) Abandoning global meetings.(结束Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (30 min)计时)SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING (10 MIN) (开始SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING (10 MIN)计时)In this section there are seven passages with ten multiplechoice questions. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT EFirst read the question. 31.The main purpose of the passage is to ____.A.demonstrate how to prevent crimeB.show the seriousness of crimeC.look into the causes of crimeD.call for more government efforts Now go through TEXT E quickly to answer question 31. For three weeks, every night at 11 p.m., correspondents, officers and judges from justice courts, police departments and prisons, psychiatrists, criminologists, victims and even criminals in prisons made their appearance on TV to debate on a topic "Crime in the United States". Indeed, crime has been disturbing the American people and has become a serious social problem just next to the unemployment problem. Some figures are terrifying : 1 of 4 Americans has been a victim of some kind of crimes; nearly 22 million crimecases occurred last year throughout the country. A simple arithmetic calculation indicates that on average, a crime is being committed in every 2 seconds. Nowthe Americans are living in a horrible environment. Their safety and property are threatened by various crimes: robbery, theft, rape, kidnapping, murder, arson, vandalism and violence. The most worrisome problem comes from the fact that about onethird of crime cases were committed by the juvenile and 53% of criminals in jails are youngsters below 25. A poll indicates that about 73% of citizens said they avoided teenagers in streets, especially at night. To protect themselves from crime, according to a released figure, 52% of Americans keep guns at home. But some gun owners turn out to be potential criminals. Some people demand that strict law for gun control be enforced; but others oppose the ban of gun. No decision is in sight. Some experts said poverty, unemployment and racial discrimination are the cause of crime. They cited figures to show that 47% of crime cases were committed by t he black, though they account for only about 12% of the population of the nation . Others argued that about 54% of convicted criminals came from families associated with these evils. The American state government and federal government spend billions of dollars each year in maintaining the police departments and jails. But police authorities complain that they have not sufficient welltrained hands and advanced equipment to detect and stop crimes. Several cases of criminal insurgence were reported as a result of resentment at overcrowded prisons. Taxpayers complain that they pay more and more tax but receive less and less protection from crime for their lives and property. Though the host of the live TV programme made great efforts to search for a solution, so far no participant could put forward a measure that was approved by most of the attendants.31. The main purpose of the passage is to ____.A) demonstrate how to prevent crimeB) show the seriousness of crimeC) look into the causes of crimeD) call for more government effortsTEXT FFirst read the question. 32.What is the main topic of the following passage?A.Differences between modes of learning.B.Deficiencies of formal learning.C.Advantages of informal learning.D.Social context and learning systems. Now go through TEXT F quickly to answer question 32. The term "formal learning" is used in this paper to refer to all learning that takes place in the classroom, irrespective of whether such learning is informed by conservative or progressive ideologies. "Informal learning", on the other hand, is used to refer to learning which takes place outside the classroom. These definitionsprovide the essential, though by no means sole, difference bet ween formal and informal learning. Formal learning is decontextualised from daily life and, indeed, as Scribner and Cole (1973:553) have observed, may actually "promote ways of learning and thinking which often run counter to those nurtured in practical daily life". A characteristic feature of formal learning is the centrality of activities that are not closely paralleled by activities outside the classroom. The classroom can prepare for, draw on, and imitate the challenges of adult life outside the classroom, but it cannot, by its nature, consist of these challenges. In doing this, language plays a critical role as the major channel for information exchange. "Success" in the classroom requires a student to master this abstract code. As Bernstein (1969:152) noted, the language of the classroom is more similar to the language used by middleclass families than that used by workingclass families. Middleclass children thus find it easier to acquire the language of the classroom than their workingclass peers. Informal learning, in contrast, occurs in the setting to which it relates, making learning immediately relevant. In this context, language does not occupy such an important role: the child’s experience of learning is more holistic, involving sight, touch, taste, and smell-senses that are underutilised in the classroom.While formal learning is transmitted by teachers selected to perform this role, informal learning is acquired as a natural part of a child’s development. Adults or older children who are proficient in the skill or activity provide - sometime s unintentionally - target models of behaviour in the course of everyday activity. Informal learning, therefore, can take place at any time and is not subject to the limitations imposed by institutional timetabling. The motivation of the learner provides another critical difference between the two modes of learning. The formal learner is generally motivated by some kind of external goal such as parental approval, social status, and potential financial reward. The informal learner, however, tends to be motivated by successful completion of the task itself and the partial acquisition of adult status.32. What is the main topic of the following passage?A) Differences between modes of learning.B) Deficiencies of formal learning.C) Advantages of informal learning.D) Social context and learning systems.TEXT GFirst read the question. 33.The three approaches mentioned in the passage aim at ____. A.restructuring economy B.improving the tax system C.improving the living conditions D.reducing poverty Now go through TEXT G quickly to answer question 33. As arule, it is essential that the poor’s productive capabilities be mobilized and the conditions for developing these human resources be improved. In this con nection, German development policy has developed the following three approaches: - Structural reform: Structural reform is the preferred approach for reducing poverty because it eliminates the causes of poverty rather than just its symptoms. It is vital that economic, political and social conditions which can alleviate poverty be established at national and international levels. Efforts at international level focus on fair conditions for international trade and competition. At national level, the poor must be helped through structural reform such as the introduction of democratic government, options for independent private enterprise, decentralization and agricultural reform. Development policy tools for realizing such reforms include political dialogue, political advisory services, structural adjustment measures and personnel and material support for reform efforts in the government, business and administrative sectors.- Direct measures: Projects of this category are aimed at directly helping the poor and improving their living conditions or increasing their job options and earning potential. Of special importance are those projects which provide help for selfhelp in reducing poverty. The material support and advisory services offered by these projects reinforce the poor’s will to help themselves and help eable them to lead selfsufficient lives. Typical direct aid projects include the construction of simple housing by selfhelp groups, the creation of a savings and loan system for the poorer segments of society and support for women’s selfhelp organizations. -Indirect measures: A project’s beneficiaries - its target group - are not only often difficult to identify clearly, they are also not necessarily all poor people. In these cases, the project in question must be integrated into one of the partner nation’s overall or sectorspecific policies that aim at reducing poverty. A good illustration of this type of project is the use of advisory services to improve the tax system. Advising and upgrading the qualifications of personnel working in the fiscal system can lead to increased tax revenues which could be allocated for antipoverty measures. In keeping with this focus, German development assistance concentrates on the poorest nations and on projects to reduce poverty. In 1993, some 10 percent of the commitments Germany made for bilateral financial and technical assistance went to selfhelp projects aimed at reducing poverty. Basic needs projects comprised 48 percent of all projects and almost 30 percent of the commitments made for financial and technical assistance were allocated for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs).33. The three approaches mentioned in the passage aim at ____.A) restructuring economyB) improving the tax systemC) improving the living conditions。

PART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN.) （Score: ）2004 TEXT AFarmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: they sell at the price the market sets. Farmers in Europe, the U.S. and Japan are luckier: they receive massive government subsidies in the form of guaranteed prices or direct handouts. Last month U.S. President Bush signed a new farm bill that gives American farmers $190 billion over the next 10 years, or $83 billion more than they had been scheduled to get, and pushes U.S. agricultural support close to crazy European levels. Bush said the step was necessary to “promote farmer independence and preserve the farm way of life for generations”. It is also designed to help the Republican Party win control of the Senate in November’s mid-term elections.Agricultural production in most poor countries accounts for up to 50% of GDP, compared to only 3% in rich countries. But most farmers in poor countries grow just enough for themselves and their families. Those who try exporting to the West find their goods whacked with huge tariffs or competing against cheaper subsidized goods. In 1999 the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that for each dollar developing countries receive in aid they lose up to $14 just because of trade barriers imposed on the export of their manufactured goods. It’s not as if the developing world wants any favours, says Gerald Ssendwula, Uganda’s Minister of Finance. “What we want is for the rich countries to let us compete.”Agriculture is one of the few areas in which the Third World can compete. Land and labour are cheap, and as farming methods develop, new technologies should improve output. This is no pie-in-the-sky speculation. The biggest success in Kenya’s economy over the past decade has been the boom in exports of cut flowers and vegetables to Europe. But that may all change in 2008, when Kenya will be slightly too rich to qualify for the “least developed country” status that allows African producers to avoid paying stiff European import duties on selected agricultural products. With trade barriers in place, the horticulture industry in Kenya will shrivel as quickly as a discarded rose. And while agriculture exports remain the great hope for poor countries, reducing trade barriers in other sectors also works: Americas African Growth and Opportunity Act, which cuts duties on exports of everything from handicrafts to shoes, has proved a boon to Africa’s manufacturers. The lesson: the Third World can prosper if the rich world gives it a fair go.This is what makes Bush’s decision to increase farm subsidies last month all the more depressing. Poor countries have long suspected that the rich world urges trade liberalization only so it can wangle its way into new markets. Such suspicions caused the Seattle trade talks to break down three years ago. But last November members of the World Trade Organization, meeting in Doha, Qatar, finally agreed to a new round of talks designed to open up global trade in agriculture and textiles. Rich countries assured poor countries, that their concerns were finally being addressed. Bush’s handout last month makes a lie of America’s commitment to those talks and his personal devotion to free trade.16. By comparison, farmers ____ receive more government subsidies than others.A. in the developing worldB. in JapanC. in EuropeD. in America17. In addition to the economic considerations, there is a ____ motive behind Bush’s signing of thenew farm bill.A. partisanB. socialC. financialD. cultural18. The message the writer attempts to convey throughout the passage is that ____.A. poor countries should be given equal opportunities in tradeB. “the least developed country” status benefits agricultural countriesC. poor countries should remove their suspicions about trade liberalizationD. farmers in poor countries should also receive the benefit of subsidies19. The writer’s attitude towards new farm subsidies in the U.S. is ____.A. favourableB. ambiguousC. criticalD. reservedTEXT BOscar Wilde said that work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do. If so, Americans are now among the world’s saddest refugees. Factory workers in the United States are working longer hours than at any time in the past half century. America once led the rich world in cutting the average working week—from 70 hours in 1850 to less than 40 hours by the 1950s. It seemed natural that as people grew richer they would trade extra earnings for more leisure. Since the 1970s, however, the hours clocked up by American workers have risen, to an average of 42 this year in manufacturing.Several studies suggest that something similar is happening outside manufacturing: Americans are spending more time at work than they did 20 years ago. Executives and lawyers boast of 80 hour weeks. On holiday, they seek out fax machines and phones as eagerly as Germans bag the best sun loungers. Yet working time in Europe and Japan continues to fall. In Germany’s engineering industry the working week is to be trimmed from 36 to 35 hours next year. Most Germans get six weeks’ paid annual holiday; even the Japanese now take three weeks. Americans still make do with just two.Germany responds to this contrast with its usual concern about whether people’s aversion to work is damaging its competitiveness. Yet German workers, like the Japanese, seem to be acting sensibly: as their incomes rise, they can achieve a better standard of living with fewer hours of work. The puzzle is why America, the world’s richest country, sees things differently. It is a puzzle with sinister social implications. Parents spend less time with their children, who may be left alone at home for longer. Is it just a coincidence that juvenile crime is on the rise?Some explanations for America’s time at work fail to stand up to scrutiny. One blames weak trade unions that leave workers open to exploitation. Are workers being forced by cost cutting firms to toil harder just to keep their jobs? A recent study by two American economists, Richard Freeman and Linda Bell, suggests not: when asked, Americans actually want to work longer hours. Most German workers, in contrast, would rather work less.Then, why do Americans want to work harder? One reason may be that the real earnings of many Americans have been stagnant or falling during the past two decades. People work longer merely to maintain their living standards. Yet many higher skilled workers, who have enjoyed big increases in their real pay, have been working harder too. Also, one reason for the slow growth of wages has been the rapid growth in employment—which is more or less where the argument began.Taxes may have something to do with it. People who work an extra hour in America are allowedto keep more of their money than those who do the same in Germany. Falls in marginal tax rates in America since the 1970s have made it all the more profitable to work longer.None of these answers really explains why the century long decline in working hours has gone into reverse in America but not elsewhere (though Britain shows signs of following America’s lead). Perhaps cultural differences—the last refuge of the defeated economist—are at play. Economists used to believe that once workers earned enough to provide for their basic needs and allow for a few luxuries, their incentive to work would be eroded, like lions relaxing after a kill. But humans are more susceptible to advertising than lions. Perhaps clever marketing has ensured that “basic needs”—for a shower with built in TV, for a rocket propelled car—expand continuously. Shopping is already one of America’s most popular pastimes. But it requires money—hence more work and less leisure.Or try this: the television is not very good, and baseball and hockey keep being wiped out by strikes. Perhaps Wilde was right. Maybe Americans have nothing better to do.20. In the United States, working longer hours is ____.A. confined to the manufacturing industryB. a traditional practice in some sectorsC. prevalent in all sectors of societyD. favoured by the economists21. According to the third paragraph, which might be one of the consequences of working longer hours?A. Rise in employees’ working efficiency.B. Rise in the number of young offenders.C. Rise in people’s living standards.D. Rise in competitiveness.22. Which of the following is the cause of working longer hours stated by the writer?A. Expansion of basic needsB. Cultural differencesC. Increase in real earningsD. Advertising TEXT CThe fox really exasperated them both. As soon as they had let the fowls out, in the early summer mornings, they had to take their guns and keep guard; and then again as soon as evening began to mellow, they must go once more. And he was so sly. He slid along in the deep grass; he was difficult as a serpent to see. And he seemed to circumvent the girls deliberately. Once or twice March had caught sight of the white tip of his brush, or the ruddy shadow of him in the deep grass, and she had let fire at him. But he made no account of this.The trees on the wood edge were a darkish, brownish green in the full light—for it was the end of August. Beyond, the naked, copper like shafts and limbs of the pine trees shone in the air. Nearer the rough grass, with its long, brownish stalks all agleam, was full of light. The fowls were round about—the ducks were still swimming on the pond under the pine trees. March looked at it all, saw it all, and did not see it. She heard Banford speaking to the fowls in the distance—and she did not hear. What was she thinking about? Heaven knows. Her consciousness was, as it were, held back.She lowered her eyes, and suddenly saw the fox. He was looking up at her. His chin was pressed down, and his eyes were looking up. They met her eyes. And he knew her. She was spellbound—she knew he knew her. So he looked into her eyes, and her soul failed her. He knew her, he has not daunted.She struggled, confusedly she came to herself, and saw him making off, with slow leaps oversome fallen boughs, slow, impudent jumps. Then he glanced over his shoulder, and ran smoothly away. She saw his brush held smooth like a feather, she saw his white buttocks twinkle. And he was gone, softly, soft as the wind.She put her gun to her shoulder, but even then pursed her mouth, knowing it was nonsense to pretend to fire. So she began to walk slowly after him, in the direction he had gone, slowly, pertinaciously. She expected to find him. In her heart she was determined to find him. What she would do when she saw him again she did not consider. But she was determined to find him. So she walked abstractedly about on the edge of the wood, with wide, vivid dark eyes, and a faint flush in her cheeks. She did not think. In strange mindlessness she walked hither and thither...As soon as supper was over, she rose again to go out, without saying why.She took her gun again and went to look for the fox. For he had lifted his eyes upon her, and his knowing look seemed to have entered her brain. She did not so much think of him: she was possessed by him. She saw his dark, shrewd, unabashed eye looking into her, knowing her. She felt him invisibly master her spirit. She knew the way he lowered his chin as he looked up, she knew his muzzle, the golden brown, and the greyish white. And again she saw him glance over his shoulder at her, half inviting, half contemptuous and cunning. So she went, with her great startled eyes glowing, her gun under her arm, along the wood edge. Meanwhile the night fell, and a great moon rose above the pine trees.23. At the beginning of the story, the fox seems to the all EXCEPT ____.A. cunningB. fierceC. defiantD. annoying24. As the story proceeds, March begins to feel under the spell of ____.A. the lightB. the treesC. the nightD. the fox25. Gradually March seems to be in a state of ____.A. blanknessB. imaginationC. sadnessD. excitement26. At the end of the story, there seems to be a sense of ____ between March and the fox.A. detachmentB. angerC. intimacyD. conflict27. The passage creates an overall impression of ____.A. mysteryB. horrorC. livelinessD. contemptTEXT DThe banners are packed, the tickets booked. The glitter and white overalls have been bought, the gas masks just fit and the mobile phones are ready. All that remains is to get to the parties.This week will see a feast of pan-European protests. It started on Bastille Day, last Saturday, with the French unions and immigrants on the streets and the first demonstrations in Britain and Germany about climate change. It will continue tomorrow and Thursday with environmental and peace rallies against President Bush. But the big one is in Genoa, on Friday and Saturday, where the G8 leaders will meet behind the lines of 18,000 heavily armed police.Unlike Prague, Gothenburg, Cologne or Nice, Genoa is expected to be Europe’s Seattle, the coming together of the disparate strands of resistance to corporate globalisation.Neither the protesters nor the authorities know what will happen, but some things are predictable. Yes, there will be violence and yes, the mass media will focus on it. What should seriously concernthe G8 is not so much the violence, the numbers in the streets or even that they themselves look like idiots hiding behind the barricades, but that the deep roots of a genuine new version of internationalism are growing.For the first time in a generation, the international political and economic condition is in the dock. Moreover, the protesters are unlikely to go away, their confidence is growing rather than waning, their agendas are merging, the protests are spreading and drawing in all ages and concerns.No single analysis has drawn all the strands of the debate together. In the meantime, the global protest “movement” is developing its own language, texts, agendas, myths, heroes and villains. Just as the G8 leaders, world bodies and businesses talk increasingly from the same script, so the protesters’once disparate political and social analyses are converging. The long term project of governments and world bodies to globalise capital and development is being mirrored by the globalisation of protest.But what happens next? Governments and world bodies are unsure which way to turn. However well they are policed, major protests reinforce the impression of indifferent elites, repression of debate, overreaction to dissent, injustice and unaccountable power.Their options—apart from actually embracing the broad agenda being put to them—are to retreat behind even higher barricades, repress dissent further, abandon global meetings altogether or, more likely, meet only in places able to physically resist the masses.Brussels is considering building a super fortress for international meetings. Genoa may be the last of the European super protests.28. According to the context, the word “parties” at the end of the first paragraph refers to ____.A. the meeting of the G8 leadersB. the protests on Bastille DayC. the coming pan-European protestsD. the big protest to be held in Genoa29. According to the passage, economic globalisation is paralleled by ____.A. the emerging differences in the global protest movementB. the disappearing differences in the global protest movementC. the growing European concern about globalisationD. the increase in the number of protesters30. According to the last paragraph, what is Brussels considering doing?A. Meeting in places difficult to reach.B. Further repressing dissent.C. Accepting the protesters’ agenda.D. Abandoning global meetings.Part III GENERAL KNOWLEDGE [ 10 MIN.] （Score: ）1. Britain is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the____.A. northB. southC. westD. east2. New Englanders were originally known as ____, which came to stand for all Americans.A. PilgrimsB. YankeeC. HaleensD. Sanders3. The first immigrants in American history name from England and ____.A. the NetherlandB. Philippine IslandsC. TasmaniaD. France4. In the 1970s Canada’s policy of multiculturalism recognized that cultural pluralism within a ____ FRAME WORK WAS THE ESSENCE OF THE Canadian identity.A. bipolarB. bilingualC. Judeo-ChristianD. immigration5. The epoch of Renaissance witnessed a particular development of English drama. It was ____ who made blank verse the principle vehicle of expression in drama.A. Chistopher MarloweB. Thomas LogeC. Edmund SpenserD. Thomas More6. Which play is not a comedy?A. A Midsummer Night’s DreamB. The Merchant of VeniceC. Twelfth NightD. Romeo and Juliet7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells a story about the U.S before the Civil War and the story takes place along ____.A. the American RuhrB. the Imperial ValleyC. the Grand CanyonD. the Mississippi River8. In American literature, the 18th century was the age of the Enlightenment. ____ was the dominant spirit.A. HumanismB. RationalismC. RevolutionD. Evolution9. Which of the following sounds is a central vowel?A. /Λ/B. /i/C. /ou/D. /a:/10. There are ____ morphemes in the word “boyish”.A. oneB. twoC. threeD. fourPART IV PROOFREADING & ERROR CORRECTION (15 MIN.) （Score: ）One of the most important non-legislative functions of the U.S Congressis the power to investigate. This power is usually delegated to committees eitherstanding committees, special committees set for a specific 1.purpose, or joint committees consisted of members of both houses. 2.Investigations are held to gather information on the need forfuture legislation, to test the effectiveness of laws already passed,to inquire into the qualifications and performance of members andofficials of the other branches, and in rare occasions, to lay the 3.groundwork for impeachment proceedings. Frequently, committeesrely outside experts to assist in conducting investigative hearings 4.and to make out detailed studies of issues. 5.There are important corollaries to the investigative power. Oneis the power to publicize investigations and its results. Most 6.committee hearings are open to public and are reported 7.widely in the mass media. Congressional investigationsnevertheless represent one important tool available to lawmakers 8.to inform the citizenry and to arouse public interests in national issues. 9. Congressional committees also have the power to compeltestimony from unwilling witnesses, and to cite for contemptof Congress witnesses who refuse to testify and for perjurythese who give false testimony. 10.PART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN.)TEXT A短文大意：美国总统布什签订了一份农业议案，旨在提高农业补贴。

2004—2014历年专业英语八作文题归纳PARTVI WRITING (45 MIN)2014Nowadays, some companies have work-from-home or remote working policies, which means that their employees do not have to commute to work every day. Some people think that this can save a lot of time travelling to and from work, thus raising employees’productivity. However, others argue that in the workplace, people can communicate face to face, which vastly increases the efficiency of coordination and cooperation. What is your opinion?Write an essay of about 400 words on the following topic：2013Is our society hostile to good people? According to a recent survey by China Y outh Daily，76.1 percent of the respondents say that our current society provides a “bad environment" for good people doing good things．On the other hand，the more optimistic would argue that each individual should try his or her best to do good things and be nice to others, instead of waiting for the "social environment”to improve．So，what do you think? Is a sound social environment necessary for people to have high moral standards and be good to others?Write an essay of about 400 words on the following topic：Is a sound social environment necessary for people to be good to others?2012A recent survey of 2,000 college students asked about their attitudestowards phone calls and text-messaging (also known as Short Message Service) and found the students' main goal was to pass along information in as little time, with as little small talk, as possible. "What they like most about their mobile devices is that they can reach other people," says Naomi Baron, a professor of linguistics at American University in Washington, D.C., who conducted the survey. "What they like least is that other people can reach them." How far do you agree with Professor Baron?2011Should famous Chinese sites of historical interest charge higher fees during peak travel seasons?2010Recently newspapers have reported that officials in a little-known mountainous area near Guiyang, Guizhou Province wanted to turn the area into a “central business district” for Guiyang and invited a foreign design company to give it a n entirely new look. The design company came up with a blueprint for un con ventional,super-futuristic buildings. Tis triggered off different responses. Some appreciated the bold innovation of the design, but others held that it failed to reflect regional characteristics or local cultural heritage. What is your view on this? Write an essay of about 400 words. You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.2009Mandarin, or putonghua, is the standard service sector language in our country. But recently, employees at a big city's subway station have been busy learning dialects of other parts of the country. Proponents say that using dialects in the subway is a way to provide better service. But opponents think that encouraging the use of dialects in public counters the national policy to promote putonghua. What is your opinion?Write an essay of about 400 words on the following topic: AreDialects Just as Acceptable in Public Places?2008What I Have Learned From My Years at University2007Will the financial disparity (悬殊、差距) affect the friendship题目要求自拟。

英译汉1997年:English to ChineseOpera is expensive: that much is inevitable. But expensive things are inevitably the province（范围） of the rich unless we abdicate（退位、放弃） society’s power of choice. We can choose to make opera and other expensive forms of culture, accessible（易接近的，可达到的） to those who cannot individually pay for it. The question is: why should we? No body denies the imperatives（必要的）of food, shelter, defence, health and education. But even in a prehistoric cave, man-kind stretched out a hand of not just to eat, drink or fight, but also to draw. The impulse（冲动） towards culture, the desire to express and explore the world through imagination and representation（表述、陈述）is fundamental. In Europe, this desire has found fulfillment（完成、成就） in the masterpieces of our music, art, literature and theatre. These masterpieces are the touchstones（标准、试金石） for all our efforts; they are the touchstones for the possibilities to which human thought and imagination may aspire（立志、追求目标、渴望）; they carry the most profound （深厚的、深刻的）messages that can be sent from one human to another.【参考答案】 English to Chinese译文1：欣赏歌剧是一种奢侈：你必须为此支付昂贵的票价。

2015年专业英语八级考试真题及答案PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (35 MIN)SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE, using no more than three words in each gap. Make sure the word(s) you fill in is (are) both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may refer to your notes while completing the task. Use the blank sheet for note-taking. Now, listen to the mini-lecture．Understanding Academic LecturesListening to academic lectures is an important task for university students. Then, how can we comprehend a lecture efficiently?I. Understand all (1) _______A. wordsB. (2) _______—stress—intonation(3) _______II. Adding informationA. lectures: Sharing information with audienceB. listeners: (4) _______C. sources of information—knowledge of (5) _______—(6) _______of the worldD. listening involving three steps:—hearing—(7) _______—addingIII. (8) _______A. reasons—overcome noise—save timeB. (9) _______—content—organizationIV. Evaluating while listeningA. help to decide the (10) of notesB. help to remember informationSECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the interview.1. Theresa thinks that the present government is ________.[A] doing what they have promised to schools[B] creating opportunities for leading universities[C] considering removing barriers for state school pupils[D] reducing opportunities for state school pupils2. What does Theresa see as a problem in secondary schools now?[A] Universities are not working hard to accept state school pupils.[B] The number of state pupils applying to Oxford fails to increase.[C] The government has lowered state pupils’ expectations.[D] Leading universities are rejecting state school pupils.3. In Theresa’s view, school freedom means that schools should ____.[A] be given more funding from education authorities[B] be given all the money and decide how to spend it[C] be granted greater power to run themselves[D] be given more opportunities and choices4. According to Theresa, who decides or decide money for schools at the present?[A] Local education authorities and the central government.[B] Local education authorities and secondary schools together.[C] Local education authorities only.[D] The central government only.5. Throughout the talk, the interviewer does all the following EXCEPT ____.[A] asking for clarification[B] challenging the interviewee[C] supporting the interviewee[D] initiating topicsSECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY．Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO. Questions 6 and 7 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.News Item 16. What is the main idea of the news item?[A] Fewer people watch TV once a week.[B] Smartphones and tablets have replaced TV.[C] New technology has led to more family time.[D] Bigger TV sets have attracted more people.News Item 27. How many lawmakers voted for the marijuana legalization bill?[A] 50. [B] 12.[C] 46. [D] 18.8. The passing of the bill means that marijuana can be________.[A] bought by people under 18[B] made available to drug addicts[C] provided by the government[D] bought in drug storesNews Item 39. What did the review of global data reveal?[A]Diarrhea is a common disease.[B]Good sanitation led to increase in height.[C]There were many problems of poor sanitation.[D] African children live in worse sanitary conditions.10. The purpose of Dr. Alan Dangour’s study was most likely to ________.[A] examine links between sanitation and death from illness[B] look into factors affecting the growth of children[C] investigate how to tackle symptoms like diarrhea[D] review and compare conditions in different countriesPART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions. Read the passages and then mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO．TEXT AIn 2011, many shoppers chose to avoid the frantic crowds and do their holiday shopping from the comfort of their computer. Sales at online retailers gained by more than 15%, making it the biggest season ever. But people are also returning those purchases at record rates, up 8% from last year.What went wrong? Is the lingering shadow of the global financial crisis making it harder to accept extravagant indulgences? Or that people shop more impulsively - and therefore make bad decisions - when online? Both arguments are plausible. However, there is a third factor: a question of touch. We can love the look but, in an online environment, we cannot feel the quality of a texture, the shape of the fit, the fall of a fold or, for that matter, the weight of an earring. And physically interacting with an object makes you more committed.When my most recent book Brand washed was released, I teamed up with a local bookstore to conduct an experiment about the differences between the online and offline shopping experience. I carefully instructed a group of volunteers to promote my book in two different ways. The firstwas a fairly hands-off approach. Whenever a customer would inquire about my book, the volunteer would take them over to the shelf and point to it. Out of 20 such requests, six customers proceeded with the purchase.The second option also involved going over to the shelf but, this time, removing the book and then subtly holding onto it for just an extra moment before placing it in the customer's hands. Of the 20 people who were handed the book. 13 ended up buying it. Just physically passing the book showed a big difference in sales. Why? We feel something similar to a sense of ownership when we hold things in our hand. That's why we establish or reestablish connection by greeting strangers and friends with a handshake. In this case, having to then let go of the book after holding it might generate a subtle sense of loss, and motivate us to make the purchase even more.A recent study also revealed the power of touch, in this case when it came to conventional mail. A deeper and longer-lasting impression of a message was formed when delivered in a letter, as opposed to receiving the same message online. Brain imaging showed that, on touching the paper, the emotional center of the brain was activated, thus forming a stronger bond. The study also indicated that once touch becomes part of the process, it could translate into a sense of possession. This sense of ownership is simply not part of the equation in the online shopping experience.As the rituals of purchase in the lead-up to Christmas change, not only do we give less thought to the type of gifts we buy for our loved ones but, through our own digital wish lists, we increasingly control what they buy for us. The reality, however, is that no matter how convinced we all are that digital is the way to go, finding real satisfaction will probably take more than a few simple clicks.11. According to the author, shoppers are returning their purchases for all the following reasons EXCEPT that ____.[A] they are unsatisfied with the quality of the purchase[B]they eventually find the purchase too expensive[C] they change their mind out of uncertainty[D] they regret making the purchase without forethought12. What is the purpose of the experiment in the bookstore?[A] To see which promotion method is preferred by customers.[B]To find out the strengths and weaknesses of both methods.[C] To try to set up a new retailer-customer relationship.[D] To see the effect of an approach on customers' decisions.13. Why does the author cite the study by Bangor University and the Royal Mail Service?[A]To compare similar responses in different settings.[B] To provide further evidence for his own observation.[C] To offer a scientific account of the brain's functions.[D] To describe emotional responses in online shopping.14. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?[A]Real satisfaction depends on factors other than the computer.[B] Despite online shopping we still attach importance to gift buying.[C] Some people are still uncertain about the digital age.[D] Online shopping offers real satisfaction to shoppers.Text BMy professor brother and I have an argument about head and heart about whether he overvalues IQ while I learn more toward EQ. We typically have this debate about people—can we be friends with a really smart jerk（怪物）?—but there’s corollary to animals as well. I’d love it if our dog could fetch the morning paper and then read it to me over coffee, but I actually care much more about her loyal and innocent heart. There’s already enough thinking going on is our house, and we probably spend too much time in our heads, where we need some role modeling is in instinct, and that’s where a dog is a roving revelation.I did not grow up with dogs, which meant that my older daughter’s respectful but unyielding determination to get one required some adjustment on my part. I often felt she was training me: from ages of 6 to 9, she gently schooled me in various breeds and their personalities, whispered to the dogs we encountered so they would charm and persuade me, demonstrated by her self-discipline that she was ready for the responsibility. And thus came our dog Twist, whom I sometimes mistake for a third daughter.At first I thought the challenge would be to train her to sit, to heel, to walk calmly beside us and not go wildly chasing the neighborhood rabbits. But I soon discovered how much more we had to learn from her than she from us.If it is true, for example, that the secret to a child’s success is less rare genius than raw persistence, Twist’s ability to stay on task is a model for us all, especially if the task is trying to capture the sunbeam that flicks around the living room as the wind blows through the branches outside. She never succeeds, and she never gives up. This includes when she runs square into walls.Then there is her unfailing patience, which breaks down only when she senses that dinnertime was 15 minutes ago and we have somehow failed to notice. Even then she is more eager than indignant, and her refusal to whine shows a restraint of which I’m not always capable when hungry.But the lesson I value most is the one in forgiveness, and Twist first offered this when she was still very young. When she was about 7 months old, we took her to the vet to be sprayed(切除卵巢). We turned her over to a stranger, who proceeded to perform a procedure that was probably not pleasant, But when the vet returned her to us, limp and tender, there was no recrimination(反责)，no how could you do that to me? It was as though she really knew that we could not intentionally cause her pain, and while she did not understand, she forgave and curled up with her head on my daughter’s lap.I suppose we could have concluded that she was just blindly loyal and docile. But eventually we knew better. She is entirely capable of disobedience, as she has proved many times. She will ignore us when there are more interesting things to look at, rebuke us when we are careless, bark into the twilight when she has urgent messages to send. But her patience with our failings and fickleness and her willingness to give us a second chance are a daily lesson in gratitude.My friends who grew up with dogs tell me how when they were teenagers and trusted no one in the world, they could tell their dog all their secrets. It was the one friend who would not gossip or betray, could provide in the middle of the night the soft, unbegrudging comfort and peace that adolescence conspires to disrupt. An age that is all about growth and risk needs some anchors and weights, a model of steadfastness when all else is in flux. Sometimes I think Twist’s devotion keeps my girls on a benevolent lash, one that hangs quietly at their side as they trot along but occasionally yanks them back to safety and solid ground.We’ve weighed so many decisions so carefully in raising our daughters what school to send them to and what church to attend, when to give them cell phones and with what precautions. But when it comes to what really shapes their character and binds our family, I never would have thought we would owe so much to its smallest member.15. In the first paragraph, the author suggests that____.[A]a person can either have a high IQ or a low EQ[B]her professor brother cares too much about IQ[C]we need examples of how to follow one's heart[D]she prefers dogs that are clever and loyal16. According to the passage, all the following are Twist's characteristics EXCEPT____.[A]resignation[B]patience[C]forgiveness[D]tenacity17. According to the context, the meaning of the word “square” is closest to____.[A]fast[B]blindly[C]straight[D]stubbornly18. That Twist's devotion keeps my girls on a benevolent leash means that____.[A]Twist is capable of looking after the girls[B]Twist and the girls have become friends[C]Twist knows how to follow the girls[D]Twist's loyalty helps the girls grow up19. What does the author try to express in the last paragraph?[A]Difficulties in raising her children.[B]Worries about what to buy for kids.[C]Gratitude to Twist for her role.[D]Concerns about schooling and religion.Text CMost West African lorries ate not in what one would call the first flush of youth, and I hadlearnt by bitter experience not to expect anything very much of them. But the lorry that arrived to take me up to the mountains was worse than anything I had seen before: it tottered on the borders of senile decay. It stood there on buckled wheels, wheezing and gasping with exhaustion from having to climb up the gentle slope to the camp, and I consigned myself and my loads to it with some trepidation. The driver, who was a cheerful fellow, pointed out that he would require my assistance in two very necessary operations: first, I had to keep the hand brake pressed down when travelling downhill, for unless it was held thus almost level with the floor it sullenly refused to function. Secondly, I had to keep a stern eye on the clutch, a willful piece of mechanism that seized every chance to leap out of its socket with a noise like a strangling leopard. As it was obvious that not even a West African lorry driver could be successful in driving while crouched under the dashboard in a pre-natal position, I had to take over control of these instruments if I valued my life. So, while I ducked at intervals to put on the brake, amid the rich smell of burning rubber, our noble lorry jerked its way towards the mountains at a steady twenty miles per hour; sometimes, when a downward slope favored it, it threw caution to the winds and careered along in a madcap fashion at twenty-five. For the first thirty miles the red earth road wound its way through the lowland forest, the giant trees standing in solid ranks alongside and their branches entwined in an archway of leaves above us. Flocks of hornbills flapped across the road, honking like the ghosts of ancient taxis, and on the banks, draped decoratively in the patches of sunlight, the agama lizards lay, blushing into sunset coloring with excitement and nodding their heads furiously. Slowly and almost imperceptibly the road started to climb upwards, looping its way in languid curves round the forested hills. In the back of the lorry the boys lifted up their voices in song: Home again, home again, When shall I see ma home? When shall I see ma mammy? I'll never forget ma home . . .The driver hummed the refrain softly to himself, glancing at me to see if I would object. To his surprise I joined in, and so while the lorry rolled onwards trailing a swirling tail of red dust behind it, the boys in the back maintained the chorus while the driver and I harmonized and sang complicated bits, and the driver played a staccato accompaniment on the horn. Breaks in the forest became more frequent the higher we climbed, and presently a new type of undergrowth began to appear: massive tree-ferns standing in conspiratorial groups at the roadside on their thick, squat, and hairy trunks, the fronds of leaves sprouting from the tops like delicate green fountains. These ferns were the guardians of a new world, for suddenly, as though the hills had shrugged themselves free of cloak, the forest disappeared. It lay behind us in the valley, a thick pelt of green undulating away into the heat-shimmered distance, while above us the hillside rose majestically, covered in a coat of rippling, waist-high grass, bleached golden by the sun. The lorry crept higher and higher, the engine gasping and shuddering with this unaccustomed activity. I began to think that we should have to push the wretched thing up the last two or three hundred feet, but to everyone's surprise we made it, and the lorry crept on to the brow of the hill, trembling with fatigue, spouting steam from its radiator like a dying whale. We crawled to a standstill and the driver switched off the engine. “We must wait small-time, engine get hot, he explained, pointing to the forequarters of the lorry, which were by now completely invisible under a cloud of steam. Thankfully I descended from the red-hot inside of the cab and strolled down to where the road dipped into the next valley. From this vantage point I could see the country we had travelled through and the countrywe were about to enter.20. That it tottered on the borders of senile decay means that the lorry was_________.[A]about to break down[B]a very old vehicle[C]unable to travel the distance[D] a dangerous vehicle21. Which of the following words in the first paragraph is used literally?[A]Flush.[B]Borders.[C]Operations.[D]Gasping.22. We learn from the first paragraph that the author regards the inadequacies of the lorry as _________.[A]inevitable and amusing[B] dangerous and frightening[C] novel and unexpected[D] welcome and interesting23. All the following words in the last but one paragraph describe the lorry as a human EXCEPT .[A]trembling[B]spouting[C]shuddering[D]crept24. We can infer from the passage that the author was ________.[A]bored by the appearance of the grasslands ahead[B]reluctant to do any walking in so hot a climate[C]unfriendly towards the local driver and boys[D]a little surprised to have to help drive the lorry25. A suitable title for the passage would be _______.[A]A journey that scared me[B]A journey to remember[C]The wild West African lorry[D]A comic journey in West AfricaText DHave you ever noticed a certain similarity in public parks and back gardens in the cities of the West? A ubiquitous woodland mix of lawn grasses and trees has found its way throughoutEurope and the United States, and it’s now spread to other cities around the world. As ecologist Peter Groffman has noted, it's increasingly difficult to tell one suburb apart from another, even when they're located in vastly different climates such as Phoenix, Arizona, or Boston in the much chillier north-east of the US. And why do parks in New Zealand often feature the same species of trees that grow on the other side of the world in the UK?Inspired by the English and New England countrysides, early landscape architects of the 19th Century such as Andrew Jackson Downing and Frederick Law Olmstead created an aesthetic for urban public and private open space that persists to this day. But in the 21st Century, urban green space is tasked with doing far more than simply providing aesthetic appeal. From natural systems to deal with surface water run-off and pollution to green corridors to increasing interest in urban food production, the urban parks of the future will be designed and engineered for functionality as well as for beauty.Imagine travelling among the cities of the mid-21st Century and finding a unique set of urban landscapes that capture local beauty, natural and cultural history, and the environmental context. They are tuned to their locality, and diverse within as well as across cities. There are patches that provide shade and cooling, places of local food production, and corridors that connect both residents and wildlife to the surrounding native environment. Their functions are measured and monitored to meet the unique needs of each city for food production, water use, nutrient recycling, and habitat. No two green spaces are quite the same.Planners are already starting to work towards this vision. And if this movement has a buzzword it is “hyperfunctionality”--designs which provide multiple uses in a confined space, and a term coined by Richard Pouyat of the US Forest Service. At the moment, urban landscapes are highly managed and limited in their spatial extent. Even the "green" cities of the future will contain extensive areas of buildings, roads, railways, and other built structures. These future cities are likely to contain a higher proportion of green cover than the cities of today, with an increasing focus on planting on roofs, vertical walls, and formerly impervious surfaces like car parks. But built environments will still be ever-present in dense megacities. We can greatly enhance the utility of green space through designs that provide a range of different uses in a confined space. A hyperfunctional planting, for example, might be designed to provide food, shade, wildlife habitat, and pollution removal all in the same garden with the right choice of plants, configurations, and management practices.What this means is that we have to maximise the benefits and uses of urban parks, while minimising the costs of building and maintaining them. Currently, green space and street plantings are relatively similar throughout the Western world, regardless of differences in local climate, geography, and natural history. Even desert cities feature the same sizable street trees and well-watered and well-fertilized lawns that you might see in more temperate climes. The movement to reduce the resources and water requirements of such urban landscapes in these arid areas is called "xeriscaping" a concept that has so-far received mixed responses in terms of public acceptance. Scott Yabiku and colleagues at the Central Arizona Phoenix project showed that newcomers to the desert embrace xeriscaping more than long-time residents, who are more likely to prefer the well-watered aesthetic. In part, this may be because xeriscaping is justified more by reducing landscaping costs in this case water costs than by providing desired benefits like recreation, pollution mitigation, and cultural value. From this perspective, xeriscaping can seem more like a compromise than an asset.But there are other ways to make our parks and natural spaces do more. Nan Ellin, of the Ecological Planning Center in the US, advocates an asset-based approach to urbanism. Instead of envisioning cities in terms what they can't have, ecological planners are beginning to frame the discussion of future cities in terms of what they do have - their natural and cultural assets. In Utah’s Salt Lake City, instead of couching environmental planning as an issue of resource scarcity, the future park is described as "mountain urbanism" and the strong association of local residents with the natural environment of the mountain ranges near their home. From this starting point, the local climate, vegetation, patterns of rain and snowfall, and mountain topography are all deemed natural assets that create a new perspective when it comes to creating urban green space. In Cairns, Australia, the local master plan embraces "tropical urbanism" that conveys a sense of place through landscaping features, while also providing important functions such as shading and cooling in this tropical climate.The globally homogenized landscape aesthetic--which sees parks from Boston to Brisbane looking worryingly similar--will diminish in importance as future urban green space will be attuned to local values and cultural perceptions of beauty. This will lead to a far greater diversity of urban landscape designs than are apparent today. Already, we are seeing new purposes for urban landscaping that are transforming the 20th century woodland park intobioswales--plantings designed to filter stormwater--green roofs, wildlife corridors, and urban food gardens. However, until recently we have been lacking the datasets and science-based specifications for designs that work to serve all of these purposes at once.In New York City, Thomas Whitlow of Cornell University sends students through tree-lined streets with portable, backpack-mounted air quality monitors. At home in his laboratory, he places tree branches in wind tunnels to measure pollution deposition onto leaves. It turns out that currently, many street tree plantings are ineffective at removing air pollutants, and instead may trap pollutants near the ground. My students and I equipped street trees with sensors in and around the trunk in Los Angeles to monitor growth and water use in real time to help find which species provide the largest canopies for the lowest amount of water. Rather than relying on assumptions about the role of urban vegetation in improving the environment and health, future landscaping designs will be engineered based on empirical data and state of the art of simulations.New datasets on the performance of urban landscapes are changing our view of what future urban parks will look like and what it will do. With precise measurements of pollutant uptake, water use, plant growth rates, and greenhouse gas emissions, we are better and better able to design landscapes that require less intensive management and are less costly, while providing more social and environmental uses.26. According to the passage, which of the following serves as the BEST reason for the similarity in urban green space throughout the West?[A] Climate.[B] Geography.[C] Functional purposes.[D] Design principles.27. The following are all features of future urban green space EXCEPT that_______.[A] each city has its distinct style of urban green space[B] urban landscape will focus more on cultural history[C] urban green space will be designed to serve many uses[D] more green cover will be seen on city roofs and walls28. Why are some local residents opposed to "xeriscaping"?[A] It cannot reduce water requirements.[B] It has proved to be too costly.[C] It is not suited for the local area.[D] It does not have enough advantages.29. According to the passage, if planners adopt an asset-based approach, they will probably_______.[A] incorporate the area's natural and cultural heritage into their design[B] make careful estimation of the area's natural resources before designing[C] combine natural resources and practical functions in their design[D] envision more purposes for urban landscaping in their design30. According to the passage, future landscaping designs will rely more on_______.[A] human assumptions[B] field work[C] scientific estimation[D] laboratory workPart Ⅲ GENERAL KNOWLEDGE31. Which party is in power now in the UK?[A] The Conservative Party.[B] The Labour Party.[C] The Liberal Democrats.[D] The Scottish National Party.32. Which of the following lakes does Canada share with the United States?[A] Lake Winnipeg.[B] The Great Slave Lake.[C] The Great Bear Lake.[D] The five Great Lakes.33. U. S. senators serve for ____ years after they are elected.[A] four[B] six[C] three[D] two34. Who were the natives of Australia before the arrival of the British settlers?。

历年真题Topic汇总2004Task Three: Making a comment on a given topicDirections: Please read the following passage carefully and then express your views on the given event. You will have four minutes for preparation. The time limit for your comment is three minutes.China’s Employment Market Challenging by More Graduates With the expansion of enrollment in China’s higher education institutions that began in 1999, the employment market is now flooded with university graduates. Despite these huge increases in the number of students, statistics show that the percentage of China’s population that has received higher education is only around 5 percent of the nation’s total, lagging far behind the developed countries. Undoubtedly, as more and more people receive higher education, today’s university and college students will face increasingly intense competition in the market.2005Suggestions for the 2008 Beijing OlympicsAs soon as the curtain came down on the 28th Olympic games in Athens, the world’s focus shifted east to Beijing. The Olympics can be seen as away for a nation to exhibit itself to the world. Beijing is now busy preparing itself to hold the Olympic Games. What suggestions can you offer to the Olympic organizing committee to ensure a successful 29th Olympic Games?2005Should firecrackers and fireworks be allowed during the Spring Festival?In many big cities, firecrackers and fireworks have been banned for a number of years because of safety and environmental concerns. Recently, however, some people have suggested that the government should lift the ban during the Spring Festival because, in their opinion, firecrackers and fireworks are an integral part of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration and, without them, the Spring festival lacks a true festival atmosphere. Some cities have thus lifted the ban but many others havenot. Suppose you were the mayor of a big city, where people’s views on this issue could not be reconciled. What do you think the government should do? Please give reasons to support your ideas.2006Pets or not?Nowadays more and more city residents like to keep pet and dogs at home. However, some people think pet breeding should be forbidden or at least discouraged in urban areas. What is your opinion? Why?2007Low Salaries for College GraduatesIn recent years, with competition in the job market getting more and more intense, college graduates are lowering their salary expectations in order to gain employment opportunities. Statistics show that one third of graduates are willing to accept a salary of about 1,000 yuan RMB per month if they cannot find better jobs while two-thirds are not. Do you think college graduates should take low-paying jobs when satisfactory jobs are not available? Why or why not?2008The “Car Free Day” Campa ign in ChinaEvery September 22 is a “Car Free Day” in many countries around the world. Chengdu, capital of southeast China’s Sichuan Province, pioneerd China’s first “Car Free Day” on October 14, 2000. So far, over 100 Chinese cities have responded posit ively to the “Car Free Day” idea. Residents of these cities are urged to take public transport, ride bikes or walk instead of using their cars. Do you think this “Car Free Day” campaign is meaningful?2009Should the Week-long Labor Day Holiday be Resumed?Since 1999, Chinese people have enjoyed three week-long holidays (or so-called “golden weeks”): the Lunar New Year, the Labor Day holiday, and the National Day holiday. However, in 2008, the government shortened the Labor Day Golden Week to a three-day holiday and added three new holidays to celebrate the Qingming, Duanwu,and Autumn Festivals. Recently, there have been calls for resuming the week-long Labor Day holiday. Do you think the Labor Day Golden Week should be resumed? 2010Talents Show Fever in ChinaFrom Super Girls to Happy Boys, from Hero to China’s got Talent, talent shows are getting increasingly popular among China’s national and local TV programs. These shows feature ordinary Chinese ---schoolteachers to housewives, teenagers to senior citizens--- and showcase their talents in singing, dancing, doing magic or imitating celebrities, and some of them can become stars overnight. However, the talent shows are also considered vulgar and as having negative influence on society. Some people even suggest they should ne banned or at least be discouraged. What is your opinion? Why?2011The future of nuclear powerSince the Fukushima nuclear accident caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011, the safety of nuclear power plants and the development of nuclear energy have raised global concerns. Opposition to atomic reactor construction has mounted throughout the world. Switzerland froze plans to build new nuclear plants. Germany raised questions about its nuclear future. Yet some people insist the development of the global nuclear power industry should not be slowed despite its safety risks. Do you agree? Why?2012Task Three：Making a comment on a given topic.Directions: Please read the following passage carefully and then express your views on the given event. You will have four minutes for preparation. The time limit for your comment is three minutesA Gold Medal’s Worth in ChinaA gold medal awarded at the London Olympics has a material value of about $650 (approximately 4000 yuan in RMB). But in China, Olympic gold medalists may reap rewards that amount to several million RMB. Do you think that Olympic gold medalwinners should receive such high rewards? Why?2013A newly employed intern (i.e., trainee) at a broadcasting corporation was asked to order lunch for his team workers. He refused to do that on the ground that as an intern in the field of film directing, it was not his responsibility to order lunch for others. Some people think that making interns do chores not related to their work is indeed taking advantage of new people and thus it is justifiable for the intern to refuse this request. Meanwhile, others think that interns should accept tasks given by their superiors even if the tasks are not directly work-related because these tasks may be part of the learning process. Please give your opinions on this issue.2014Task Three: Making a comment on a given topic.Directions: Please read the following passage carefully and then express your views on the given topic. You will have four minutes for preparation. The time limit for your comment is three minutes.A newly employed intern (i.e., trainee) at a broadcasting corporation was asked to order lunch for his team workers. He refused to do that on the ground that as an intern in the field of film directing, it was not his responsibility to order lunch for others. Some people think that making interns do chores not related their work is indeed taking advantage of new people and thus it is justifiable for the intern to refuse this request. Meanwhile, others think that interns should accept tasks given by their superiors even if the tasks are not directly work-related because these tasks may be part of the learning process. Please give your opinions on this issue.2015When talking about Chinese tourists overseas, news media often mention their inappropriate behavior such as spitting, littering, talking loudly in public places, and carving characters in scenic spots. The china national tourism administration recently announced that in order to improve the image of Chinese holidaymaker overseas, it will establish a “black list” for individuals engaging in such “uncivilized behavior” and the record will be kept for up to two years. What do you think of this measure?Do you think it will be effective? What suggestions do you have?。

2004年专业英语八级考试真题及答案Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension (40 min)In Sections A,B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.SECTION A TALKQuestions 1 to 5 refer to the talk in this section. At the end of the talk you will be given 75 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the talk.1.The parallel between waltzing and language use lies in ____.A.the coordination based on individual actionsB.the number of individual participantsC.the necessity of individual actionsD.the requirements for participants2.In the talk the speaker thinks that language use is a(n) ____ process.A.individualbinedC.distinctD.social3.The main difference between personal and nonpersonal settings is in ____.A.the manner of language useB.the topic and content of speechC.the interactions between speaker and audienceD.the relationship between speaker and audience4.In fictional settings, speakers ____.A.hide their real intentionsB.voice others’ intentionsC.play double roles on and off stageD.only imitate other people in lifepared with other types of settings, the main feature of private setting is ____.A.the absence of spontaneityB.the presence of individual actionsC.the lack of real intentionsD.the absence of audienceSECTION B INTERVIEWQuestions 6 to 10 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 75 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the interview.6.What was education like in Professor Wang’s days?A.Students worked very hard.B.Students felt they needed a second degree.cation was not career oriented.D.There were many specialized subjects.7.According to Professor Wang, what is the purpose of the present day education?A.To turn out an adequate number of elite for the society.B.To prepare students for their future career.C.To offer practical and utilitarian courses in each programme.D.To set up as many technical institutions as possible.8.In Professor Wang’s opinion, technical skills ____.A.require good educationB.are secondary to educationC.don’t call for good educationD.don’t conflict with education9.What does Professor Wang suggest to cope with the situation caused by increasing numbers of fee paying students?A.Shifting from one programme to another.B.Working out ways to reduce student number.C.Emphasizing better quality of education.D.Setting up stricter examination standards.10.Future education needs to produce graduates of all the following categories EXCEPT ____.A.those who can adapt to different professionsB.those who have a high flexibility of mindC.those who are thinkers, historians and philosophersD.those who possess only highly specialized skillsSECTION C NEWS BROADCASTQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 45 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.11.Which of the following regions in the world will witness the sharpest drop in life expectancy?tin America.B.Sub Saharan Africa..D.The Caribbean.12.According to the news, which country will experience small life expectancy drop?A.Burma.B.Botswana.C.Cambodia.D.Thailand.13.The countries that are predicted to experience negative population growth are mainly in ____.B.Africa.tin America.D.The Caribbean.Questions 14 and 15 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item,you will be given 30 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.14.The trade dispute between the European Union and the US was caused by ____. refusal to accept arbitration by WTO imposing tariffs on European steel refusal to pay compensation to EU refusal to lower import duties on EU products15.Who will be consulted first before the EU list is submitted to WTO?A.EU member states.B.The United States.C.WTO.D.The steel corporations.SECTION D NOTE-TAKING AND GAP-FILLINGIn this section you will hear a mini lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY.While listening to the lecture, take notes on the important points. Your notes willnot be marked, but you will need them to complete a 15 minute gap filling taskon ANSWER SHEET ONE after the mini lecture. Use the blank sheet for note taking.Conversation SkillsPeople who usually make us feel comfortable in conversations are good talkers. Andthey have something in common, i.e. skills to put people at ease.1. Skill to ask question1) be aware of the human nature: readiness to answer other’s questions regardlessof (1)____ 2) start a conversation with some personal but unharmfullquestions about one’s (2)____ jobquestions about one’s activities in the (3)____3) be able to spot signals for further talk2. Skill to (4)____for answers1) don’t shift from subject to subject— sticking to the same subject: signs of (5)____in conversation2) listen to (6)____of voice— If people sound unenthusiastic, then change subject.3) use eyes and ears— steady your gaze while listening3. Skill to laughEffects of laughter:— ease people’s (7)____— help start (8)____4. Skill to part1) importance: open up possibilities for future friendship orcontact2) ways:— men: a smile, a (9)____— women: same as (10)____now— how to express pleasure in meeting someone.Part Ⅱ Proofreading and Error Correction (15 min)The passage contains TEN errors. Each indicated line contains a maximum of ONE error. In each case, only ONE word is involved. You should proofread the passage and correct it in the following way:For a wrong word, underline the wrong word and write the correct one in the blank provided at the end of the line.For a missing word, mark the position of the missing word with a “∧” sign and write the word you believe to be missing in the blank provided at the end of the line.For an unnecessary word, cross the unnecessary word with a slash “/”and put the word in the blank provided at the end of the line.ExampleWhen ∧ art museum wants a new exhibit, (1) anit never buys things in finished form and hangs (2) neverthem on the wall. When a natural history museumwants an [ZZ(Z]exhibition[ZZ)], it must often build it. (3)exhibitProofread the given passage on ANSWER SHEET TWO as instructed.One of the most important non-legislative functions of the U.S Congressis the power to investigate. This power is usually delegated to committees - either standing committees, special committees set for a specific (1)____ purpose, or joint committees consisted of members of both houses. (2)____Investigations are held to gather information on the need forfuture legislation, to test the effectiveness of laws already passed,to inquire into the qualifications and performance of members andofficials of the other branches, and in rare occasions, to lay the (3)____groundwork for impeachment proceedings. Frequently, committeesrely outside experts to assist in conducting investigative hearings (4)____ and to make out detailed studies of issues. (5)____There are important corollaries to the investigative power. Oneis the power to publicize investigations and its results. Most (6)____committee hearings are open to public and are reported (7)____widely in the mass media. Congressional investigationsnevertheless represent one important tool available to lawmakers (8)____to inform the citizenry and to arouse public interests in national issues.(9)____Congressional committees also have the power to compeltestimony from unwilling witnesses, and to cite for contemptof Congress witnesses who refuse to testify and for perjurythese who give false testimony. (10)____Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (30 min)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of fifteen multiple choice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT AFarmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: they sell at the price the market sets. Farmers in Europe, the U.S. and Japan are luckier: they receive massive government subsidies in the form of guaranteed prices or direct handouts. Last month U.S. President Bush signed a new farm bill that gives American farmers $190 billion over the next 10 years, or $83 billion more than they had been scheduled to get, and pushes U.S. agricultural support close to crazy European levels. Bush said the step was necessary to “promote farmer independence and preserve the farm way of life for generations”. It is also designed to help the Republican Party win control of the Senate in November’s mid term elections.Agricultural production in most poor countries accounts for up to 50% of GDP, compared to only 3% in rich countries. But most farmers in poor countries grow just enough for themselves and their families. Those who try exporting to the West find their goods whacked with huge tariffs or competing against cheaper subsidized goods. In 1999 the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that for each dollar developing countries receive in aid they lose up to $14 just because of trade barriers imposed on the export of their manufactured goods. It’s not as if the developing world wants any favours, says Gerald Ssendwula, Uganda’s Minister of Finance. “What we want is for the rich countries to let us compete.”Agriculture is one of the few areas in which the Third World can compete. Land and labour are cheap, and as farming methods develop, new technologies should improve output. This is no pie in the sky speculation. The biggest success in Kenya’s economy over the past decade has been the boom in exports of cut flowers and vegetables to Europe. But that may all change in 2008, when Kenya will be slightly too rich to qualify for the “least developed country” status that allows African producers to avoid paying stiff European import duties on selected agricultural products. With trade barriers in place, the horticulture industry in Kenya willshrivel as quickly as a discarded rose. And while agriculture exports remain the great hope for poor countries, reducing trade barriers in other sectors also works: Americas African Growth and Opportunity Act, which cuts duties on exports of everything from handicrafts to shoes, has proved a boon to Africa’s manufacturers. The lesson: the Third World can prosper if the rich world gives it a fair go. This is what makes Bush’s decision to increase farm subsidies last month all the more depressing. Poor countries have long suspected that the rich world urges rade liberalization only so it can wangle its way into new markets. Such suspicions caused the Seattle trade talks to break down three years ago. But last November members of the World Trade Organization, meeting in Doha, Qatar, finally agreed to a new round of talks designed to open up global trade in agriculture and textiles. Rich countries assured poor countries, that their concerns were finally being addressed. Bush’s handout last month makes a lie of America’s commitment to those talks and his personal devotion to free trade.16.By comparison, farmers ____ receive more government subsidies than others.A.in the developing worldB.in JapanC.in EuropeD.in America17.In addition to the economic considerations, there is a ____ motive behind Bush’s signing of the new farm bill.A.partisanB.socialC.financialD.cultural18.The message the writer attempts to convey throughout the passage is that ____.A.poor countries should be given equal opportunities in tradeB.“the least developed country” status benefits agricultural countriesC.poor countries should remove their suspicions about trade liberalizationD.farmers in poor countries should also receive the benefit of subsidies19.The writer’s attitude towards new farm subsidies in the U.S. is ____.A.favourableB.ambiguousC.criticalD.reservedTEXT BOscar Wilde said that work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do. If so, Americans are now among the world’s saddest refugees. Factory workers in the United States are working longer hours than at any time in the past half century. America once led the rich world in cutting the average working week—from 70 hours in 1850 to less than 40 hours by the 1950s. It seemed natural that as people grew richer they would trade extra earnings for more leisure. Since the 1970s,however, the hours clocked up by American workers have risen, to an average of 42 this year in manufacturing.Several studies suggest that something similar is happening outside manufacturing: Americans are spending more time at work than they did 20 years ago. Executives and lawyers boast of 80hour weeks. On holiday, they seek out fax machines and phones as eagerly as Germans bag the best sun loungers. Yet working time in Europe and Japan continues to fall. In Germany’s engineering industry the working week is to be trimmed from 36 to 35 hours next year. Most Germans get six weeks’ paid annual holiday; even the Japanese now take three weeks. Americans still make do with just two.Germany responds to this contrast with its usual concern about whether people’s aversion to work is damaging its competitiveness. Yet German workers, like the Japanese, seem to be acting sensibly: as their incomes rise, they can achieve a better standard of living with fewer hours of work. The puzzle is why America, the world’s richest country, sees things differently. It is a puzzle with sinister social implications. Parents spend less time with their children, who may be left alone at home for longer. Is it just a coincidence that juvenile crime is on the rise?Some explanations for America’s time at work fail to stand up to scrutiny. One blames weak trade unions that leave workers open to exploitation. Are workers being forced by cost cutting firms to toil harder just to keep their jobs? A recent study by two American economists, Richard Freeman and Linda Bell, suggests not: when asked, Americans actually want to work longer hours. Most German workers, in contrast, would rather work less.Then, why do Americans want to work harder? One reason may be that the real earnings of many Americans have been stagnant or falling during the past two decades. People work longer merely to maintain their living standards. Yet many higher skilled workers, who have enjoyed big increases in their real pay, have been working harder too. Also, one reason for the slow growth of wages has been the rapid growth in employment—which is more or less where the argument began. Taxes may have something to do with it. People who work an extra hour in America are allowed to keep more of their money than those who do the same in Germany. Falls in marginal tax rates in America since the 1970s have made it all the more profitable to work longer.None of these answers really explains why the century long decline in working hours has gone into reverse in America but not elsewhere (though Britain shows signs of following America’s lead). Perhaps cultural differences—the last refuge of the defeated economist—are at play. Economists used to believe that once workers earned enough to provide for their basic needs and allow for a few luxuries, their incentive to work would be eroded, like lions relaxing after a kill. But humans are more susceptible to advertising than lions. Perhaps clever marketing has ensured that “basic needs”—for a shower with built in TV, for a rocket propelled car —expand continuously. Shopping is already one of America’s most popular pastimes. But it requires money—hence more work and less leisure.Or try this: the television is not very good, and baseball and hockey keep being wiped out by strikes. Perhaps Wilde was right. Maybe Americans have nothing better to do.20.In the United States, working longer hours is ____.A.confined to the manufacturing industryB.a traditional practice in some sectorsC.prevalent in all sectors of societyD.favoured by the economists21.According to the third paragraph, which might be one of the consequences of working longer hours?A.Rise in employees’ working efficiency.B.Rise in the number of young offenders.C.Rise in people’s living standards.D.Rise in competitiveness.22.Which of the following is the cause of working longer hours stated bythe writer?A.Expansion of basic needs.B.Cultural differences.C.Increase in real earnings.D.Advertising.TEXT CThe fox really exasperated them both. As soon as they had let the fowls out, in the early summer mornings, they had to take their guns and keep guard; and then again as soon as evening began to mellow, they must go once more. And he was so sly. He slid along in the deep grass; he was difficult as a serpent to see. And he seemed to circumvent the girls deliberately. Once or twice March had caught sight of the white tip of his brush, or the ruddy shadow of him in the deep grass, and she had let fire at him. But he made no account of this.The trees on the wood edge were a darkish, brownish green in the full light—for it was the end of August. Beyond, the naked, copper like shafts and limbs of the pine trees shone in the air. Nearer the rough grass, with its long, brownish stalks all agleam, was full of light. The fowls were round about—the ducks were still swimming on the pond under the pine trees. March looked at it all, saw it all, and did not see it. She heard Banford speaking to the fowls in the distance—and she did not hear. What was she thinking about? Heaven knows. Her consciousness was, as it were, held back.She lowered her eyes, and suddenly saw the fox. He was looking up at her. His chin was pressed down, and his eyes were looking up. They met her eyes. And he knew her. She was spellbound—she knew he knew her. So he looked into her eyes, and her soul failed her. He knew her, he has not daunted.She struggled, confusedly she came to herself, and saw him making off, with slow leaps over some fallen boughs, slow, impudent jumps. Then he glanced over his shoulder, and ran smoothly away. She saw his brush held smooth like a feather, she saw his white buttocks twinkle. And he was gone, softly, soft as the wind.She put her gun to her shoulder, but even then pursed her mouth, knowing it was nonsense to pretend to fire. So she began to walk slowly after him, in the direction he had gone, slowly, pertinaciously. She expected to find him. In her heart she was determined to find him. What she would do when she saw him again she did not consider.But she was determined to find him. So she walked abstractedly about on the edge of the wood, with wide, vivid dark eyes, and a faint flush in her cheeks. She did not think. In strange mindlessness she walked hither and thither...As soon as supper was over, she rose again to go out, without saying why.She took her gun again and went to look for the fox. For he had lifted his eyes upon her, and his knowing look seemed to have entered her brain. She did not so much think of him: she was possessed by him. She saw his dark, shrewd, unabashed eye looking into her, knowing her. She felt him invisibly master her spirit. She knew the way he lowered his chin as he looked up, she knew his muzzle, the golden brown, and the greyish white. And again she saw him glance over his shoulder at her, half inviting, half contemptuous and cunning. So she went, with her great startled eyes glowing, her gun under her arm, along the wood edge. Meanwhile the night fell, and a great moon rose above the pine trees.23.At the beginning of the story, the fox seems to the all EXCEPT ____.A.cunningB.fierceC.defiantD.annoying24.As the story proceeds, March begins to feel under the spell of ____.A.the lightB.the treesC.the nightD.the fox25.Gradually March seems to be in a state of ____.A.blanknessB.imaginationC.sadnessD.excitement26.At the end of the story, there seems to be a sense of ____ between March and the fox.A.detachmentB.angerC.intimacyD.conflict27.The passage creates an overall impression of ____.A.mysteryB.horrorC.livelinessD.contemptTEXT DThe banners are packed, the tickets booked. The glitter and white overalls have been bought, the gas masks just fit and the mobile phones are ready. All that remains is to get to the parties.This week will see a feast of pan European protests. It started on Bastille Day, last Saturday, with the French unions and immigrantson the streets and the first demonstrations in Britain and Germany about climate change. It will continue tomorrow and Thursday with environmental and peace rallies against President Bush. But the big one is in Genoa, on Friday and Saturday, where the G8 leaders will meet behind the lines of 18,000 heavily armed police.Unlike Prague, Gothenburg, Cologne or Nice, Genoa is expected to be Europe’s Seattle, the coming together of the disparate strands of resistance to corporate globalisation.Neither the protesters nor the authorities know what will happen, but some things are predictable. Yes, there will be violence and yes, the mass media will focus on it. What should seriously concern the G8 is not so much the violence, the numbers in the streets or even that they themselves look like idiots hiding behind the barricades, but that the deep roots of a genuine new version of internationalism are growing.For the first time in a generation, the international political and economic condition is in the dock. Moreover, the protesters are unlikely to go away, their confidence is growing rather than waning, their agendas are merging, the protests are spreading and drawing in all ages and concerns.No single analysis has drawn all the strands of the debate together. In the meantime, the global protest “movement”is developing its own language, texts, agendas, myths, heroes and villains. Just as the G8 leaders, world bodies and businesses talk increasingly from the same script, so the protesters’ once disparate political and social analyses are converging. The long term project of governments and world bodies to globalise capital and development is being mirrored by the globalisation of protest.But what happens next? Governments and world bodies are unsure which way to turn. However well they are policed, major protests reinforce the impression of indifferent elites, repression of debate, overreaction to dissent, injustice and unaccountable power.Their options—apart from actually embracing the broad agenda being put to them —are to retreat behind even higher barricades, repress dissent further, abandon global meetings altogether or, more likely, meet only in places able to physically resist the masses.Brussels is considering building a super fortress for international meetings. Genoa may be the last of the European super protests.28.According to the context, the word “parties” at the end of the first paragraph refers to ____.A.the meeting of the G8 leadersB.the protests on Bastille DayC.the coming pan European protestsD.the big protest to be held in Genoa29.According to the passage, economic globalisation is paralleled by ____.A.the emerging differences in the global protest movementB.the disappearing differences in the global protest movementC.the growing European concern about globalisationD.the increase in the number of protesters30.According to the last paragraph, what is Brussels considering doing?A.Meeting in places difficult to reach.B.Further repressing dissent.C.Accepting the protesters’ agenda.D.Abandoning global meetings.SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING (10 MIN)In this section there are seven passages with ten multiple choice questions. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.First read the question.31.The main purpose of the passage is to ____.A.demonstrate how to prevent crimeB.show the seriousness of crimeC.look into the causes of crimeD.call for more government effortsNow go through TEXT E quickly to answer question 31.For three weeks, every night at 11 p.m., correspondents, officers and judges from justice courts, police departments and prisons, psychiatrists, criminologists, victims and even criminals in prisons made their appearance on TV to debate on a topic “Crime in the United States”.Indeed, crime has been disturbing the American people and has become a serious social problem just next to the unemployment problem. Some figures are terrifying: 1 of 4 Americans has been a victim of some kind of crimes; nearly 22 million crimecases occurred last year throughout the country. A simple arithmetic calculation indicates that on average, a crime is being committed in every 2 seconds. Now the Americans are living in a horrible environment. Their safety and property are threatened by various crimes: robbery, theft, rape, kidnapping, murder, arson, vandalism and violence.The most worrisome problem comes from the fact that about one third of crime cases were committed by the juvenile and 53% of criminals in jails are youngsters below 25. A poll indicates that about 73% of citizens said they avoided teenagers in streets, especially at night.To protect themselves from crime, according to a released figure, 52% of Americans keep guns at home. But some gun owners turn out to be potential criminals. Some people demand that strict law for gun control be enforced; but others oppose the ban of gun. No decision is in sight.Some experts said poverty, unemployment and racial discrimination are the cause of crime. They cited figures to show that 47% of crime cases were committed by the black, though they account for only about 12% of the population of the nation. Others argued that about 54% of convicted criminals came from families associated with these evils.The American state government and federal government spend billions of dollars each year in maintaining the police departments and jails. But police authorities complain that they have not sufficient well trained hands and advanced equipment to detect and stop crimes. Several cases of criminal insurgence were reported asa result of resentment at overcrowded prisons. Taxpayers complain that they pay more and more tax but receive less and less protection from crime for their lives and property.Though the host of the live TV programme made great efforts to search for a solution, so far no participant could put forward a measure that was approved by most of the attendants.TEXT FFirst read the question.32.What is the main topic of the following passage?A.Differences between modes of learning.B.Deficiencies of formal learning.C.Advantages of informal learning.D.Social context and learning systems.Now go through TEXT F quickly to answer question 32.The term “formal learning” is used in this paper to refer to all learning that takes place in the classroom, irrespective of whether such learning is informed by conservative or progressive ideologies. “Informal learning”, on the other hand, is used to refer to learning which takes place outside the classroom.These definitions provide the essential, though by no means sole, difference bet ween formal and informal learning. Formal learning is decontextualised from daily life and, indeed, as Scribner and Cole (1973:553) have observed, may actually “promote ways of learning and thinking which often run counter to those nurtured in practical daily life”. A characteristic feature of formal learning is the centrality of activities that are not closely paralleled by activities outside the classroom. The classroom can prepare for, draw on, and imitate the challenges of adult life outside the classroom, but it cannot, by its nature, consist of these challenges.In doing this, language plays a critical role as the major channel for information exchange. “Success” in the classroom requires a student to master this abstract code. As Bernstein (1969:152) noted, the language of the classroom is more similar to the language used by middle class families than that used by working class families. Middle class children thus find it easier to acquire the language of the classroom than their working class peers. Informal learning, in contrast, occurs in the setting to which it relates, making learning immediately relevant. In this context, language does not occupy such an important role: the child’s experience of learning is more holistic, involving sight, touch, taste, and smell—senses that are under utilised in the classroom.While formal learning is transmitted by teachers selected to perform this role, informal learning is acquired as a natural part of a child’s development. Adults or older children who are proficient in the skill or activity provide - sometimes unintentionally - target models of behaviour in the course of everyday activity. Informal learning, therefore, can take place at any time and is not subject to the limitations imposed by institutional timetabling.The motivation of the learner provides another critical difference between the two modes of learning. The formal learner is generally motivated by some kind of external。

专八人文知识真题及答案2003年英语专八人文知识真题31. is not a nationally observed holiday of America.[A] Christmas [B] Easter Sunday [C] Thanksgiving Day [D] Independence Day32. The university of Dublin was not founded until .[A] the 19th century [B] the 18th century [C] the 17th century[D] the 16th century33. The introduced old-age pensions in New Zealand in 1898.[A] Labor Party [B] Democratic Party [C] Liberal Party [D] Conservative Party34. Irish culture experienced a golden age from to .[A] the eighth century, the eleventh century [B] the seventh century, the ninth century[C] the sixth century, the eighth century [D] the ?fth century, the seventh century35. Which of the following writings is not the work by Charles Dickens?[A] A Tale of Two Cities [B] Hard Times[C] Oliver Twist [D] Sons and Lovers36. is a dramatist who holds the central position in American drama the modernistic period.[A] Sinclair Lewis [B] Eugene O'Neill [C] Arthur Miller [D] Tennessee Williams37. is often acclaimed literary spokesman of the Jazz Age.[A] Ernest Hemingway [B] F. Scott Fitzgerald [C] William Faulkner [D] Ezra Pound38. is a relationship in which a word of a certain class determines the form of others in terms of certain categories.[A] Concord [B] Immediate constituent[C] Syntagmatic relations [D] Government39. studies the sound systems in a certain language.[A] Phonetics [B] Phonology [C] Semantics [D] Pragmatics40. A linguistic situation in which two standard languages are used either by an individual or by a group of speakers is called .[A] situational dialect [B] slang [C] linguistic taboo [D] bilingualism2004年英语专八人文知识真题31. The following are products imported by Australia from China EXCEPT .[A] food [B] textiles [C] steel products [D] electronics32. Scots regard as the most important festival in a year.[A] Near Year's Day [B] Christmas Day [C] New Year's Eve [D] Easter33. The republican movement has been gathering momentum in Australia since became Prime Minister in 1992.[A] John Howard [B] Bob Hawke [C] Malcolm Fraser [D] Paul Keating34. was known for his famous speech "I have a dream".[A] John F. Kennedy [B] Martin Luther King, Jr[C] Abraham Lincoln [D] Thomas Jefferson35. Of all the 18th century novelists, ______ was the first to set out, both in theory and practice, to write specifically a "comic epic in prose", and the first to give the modern novel its structure and style.[A] Daniel Defoe [B] Samuel Johnson[C] Oliver Goldsmith [D] Henry Feilding36. Mark Twain, one of the greatest 19th century American writers, is well known for his .[A] international theme [B] waste-land imagery[C] local color [D] symbolism37. Hemingway's writing style, together with his theme and the hero, is greatly and permanently influenced by his experiences .[A] in his childhood [B] in the war [C] in America [D] in Africa38. English consonants can be classified into stops, fricatives, nasals, etc. in terms of .[A] manner of articulation [B] openness of mouth[C] place of articulation [D] voicing39. Which of the following words can correct two clauses ina coordinate sentence?[A] Through. [B] When. [C] But. [D] If.40. is the smallest unit of language in terms of relationship between expression and content.[A] Word [B] Morpheme [C] Allomorph [D] Root2005年英语专八人文知识真题31. is the capital of Canada.[A] Vancouver [B] Ottawa [C] Montreal [D] York32. U.S. presidents normally serve a (n) term.[A] two-year [B] four-year [C] six-year [D] eight-year33. Which of the following cities is NOT located in the Northeast, U.S.?[A] Huston. [B] Boston. [C]Baltimore. [D] Philadelphia.34. is the state church in England.[A] The Roman Catholic Church [B] The Baptist Church[C] The Protestant Church [D] The Church of England35. The novel Emma is written by .[A] Mary Shelley [B] Charlotte Bront? [C] Elizabeth C. Gaskell [D] Jane Austen36. Which of the following is NOT a romantic poet?[A] William Wordsworth. [B] George Elliot.[C] George C. Byron. [D] Percy B. Shelley.37. William Sidney Porter, known as O. Henry, is most famous for .[A] his poems [B] his plays [C] his short stories [D] his novels38. Syntax is the study of .[A] language functions [B] sentence structures [C] textual organization [D] word formation39. Which of the following is NOT a distinctive feature of human language?[A] Arbitrariness. [B] Productivity.[C] Cultural transmission. [D] Finiteness.40. The speech act theory was first put forward by .参考答案：BBADA BCBDB2006年英语专八人文知识真题31. The President during the American Civil War was .[A] Andrew Jackson [B] Abraham Lincoln [C] Thomas Jefferson [D] George Washington32. The capital of New Zealand is .[A] Christchurch [B] Auckland [C] Wellington [D] Hamilton33. Who were the natives of Australia before the arrival of the British settlers?[A] The Aborigines. [B] The Maori. [C] The Indians. [D] The Eskimos.34. The Prime Minister in Britain is head of .[A] the Shadow Cabinet [B] the Parliament [C] the Opposition[D] the Cabinet35. Which of the following writers is a poet of the 20th[A] T. S. Eliot. [B] D.H. Lawrence. [C] Theodore Dreiser. [D] James Joyce.36. The novel For Whom the Bell T olls is written by .[A] Scott Fitzgerald [B] William Faulkner [C] Eugene O'Neill[D] Ernest Hemingway37. is defined as an expression of human emotion which is condensed into fourteen lines.[A] Free verse [B] Sonnet [C] Ode [D] Epigram38. What essentially distinguishes semantics and pragmatics is the notion of .[A] reference [B] meaning [C] antonymy [D] context39. The words "kid, child, offspring" are examples of .[A] dialectal synonyms [B] stylistic synonyms[C] emotive synonyms [D] collocational synonyms40. The distinction between parole and langue was made by .[A] Halliday [B] Chomsky [C] Bloomfield [D] Saussure参考答案BCADA DBDBD2007年英语专八人文知识真题31. The majority of the current population in the UK are decedents of all the following tribes respectively EXCEPT .[A] the Anglos [B] the Celts [C] the Jutes [D] the Saxons32. The Head of State of Canada is represented by .[A] the Monarch [B] the President [C] the Prime Minister [D] the Governor-general33. The Declaration of Independence was written by .[A] Thomas Jefferson [B] George Washington[C] Alexander Hamilton [D] James Madison34. The original inhabitants of Australia were .[A] the Red Indians [B] the Eskimos [C] the Aborigines [D] the35. Which of the following novels was written by Emily Bront??[A] Oliver Twist. [B] Middlemarch. [C] Jane Eyre. [D] Wuthering Heights.36. William Butler Yeats was a(n) poet and playwright.[A] American [B] Canadian [C] Irish [D] Australian37. Death of a Salesman was written by .[A] Arthur Miller [B] Ernest Hemingway[C] Ralph Ellis on [D] James Baldwin38. refers to the study of the internal structure of words and the rules of word formation.[A] Phonology[B] Morphology[C] Semantics[D] Sociolinguistics39. The distinctive features of a speech variety may be all the following EXCEPT .[A] lexical[B] syntactic[C] phonological [D] psycholinguistic40. The word "tail" once referred to "the tail of a horse", but now it is used to mean "the tail of any animal." This is an example of .[A] widening of meaning [B] narrowing of meaning[C] meaning shift [D] loss of meaning参考答案CDACD CABDA2008年英语专八人文知识真题31. The largest city in Canada is .A. VancouverB. MontrealC. TorontoD. Ottawa32. According to the United States Constitution, the legislative power is invested in .A. the Federal GovernmentB. the Supreme CourtC. the CabinetD. the Conress33. Which of the following is the oldest sport in the United States?A. Baseball.B. Tennis.C. Basketball.D. American football.34. The head of the executive branch in New Zealand is .A. the PresidentB. the Governor-GeneralC. the British monarchD. the Prime Minister35. The Caterbury T ales, a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, is an important poetic work by .A. Willian LanglandB. GeoffreyC. William ShakespeareD. Alfred Tennyson36. Who wrote The American?A. Herman Melville.B. Nathaniel Hawthorne.C. Henry James.D. Theodore Dreiser.37. All of the following are well-know female writers in 20th-century Britain EXCEPT .A. George EliotB. Iris Jean MurdochC. Doris LessingD. Muriel Spark38. Which of the following is NOT a design feature of human language?A. Arbitrariness.B. Displacement.C. Duality.D.Diachronicity.39. What type of sentence is "Mark likes fiction, but Tim is interested in poetry"?A simple sentence. B. A coordinate sentence. C. A complex sentence. D. None of the above.40. The phenomenon that words having different meanings have the same form is called .A. hyponymyB. synonymyC. PolysemyD.homonymy参考答案BCADBBDACD2009年英语专八人文知识真题31. The Head of State of New Zealand is .[A] the governor-general [B] the Prime Minister[C] the high commissioner [D] the monarch of the United Kingdom.32. The capital of Scotland is .[A] Glasgow [B] Edinburgh [C] Manchester [D] London33. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and later became the U.S. President?[A] Thomas Jefferson. [B] George Washington. [C] ThomasPaine. [D] John Adams.34. Which of the following cities is located on the eastern coast of Australia?[A] Perth. [B] Adelaide. [C] Sydney. [D] Melbourne.35. Ode to the West Wind was written by .[A] William Blake [B] William Wordsworth[C] Samuel Taylor Coleridge [D] Percy B. Shelley36. Who among the following is a poet of free verse?[A] Ralph Waldo Emerson. [B] Walt Whitman.[C] Herman Melville. [D] Theodore Dreiser.37. The novel Sons and Lovers was written by .[A] Thomas Hardy [B] John Galsworthy [C] D.H. Lawrence [D] James Joyce38. The study of the mental processes of language comprehension and production is .[A] corpus linguistics [B] sociolinguistics[C] theoretical linguistics [D] psycholinguistics39. A special language variety that mixes languages and is used by speakers of different languages for purposes of trading is called .[A] dialect [B] idiolect [C] pidgin [D] register40. When a speaker expresses his intention of speaking, such as asking someone to open the window, he is performing .[A] an illocutionary act [B] a perlocutionary act [C] a locutionary act [D] none of the above答案31、D the monarch of the United Kingdom 32、B Edinburgh.33、AThomas Jefferson. 34、C Sydney 35、D Percy B. Shelley36、B Walt Whitman. 37、C D.H. Lawrence.38、D psycholinguistics.39、C pidgin. 40、A an illocutionary act.2010年英语专八人文知识真题31. Which of the following is INCORRECT?A. the British Constitution includes the Magna Carta of 1215B. the British Constitution includes Parliamentary actsC. the British Constitution includes decisions made by courts of law答案D：The British Constitution includes one single written constitution32. The first city ever founded in Canada isA. QuebecB. VancouverC. TorontoD. Montreal答案A：Quebec33. When did the Australian Federation officially come into being?A. B. 1788C. 1900D. 1901答案D：190134. The Emancipation Proclamation to end the plantation slavery in the south of US was issued byA. Abraham LincolnB. Thomas PaineC. George WashingtonD. Thomas Jefferson答案A：Abraham Lincoln35.Who was best known for the technique of dramatic monologue in his poems?答案C：Robert Browning36. The Financier was written byA. Mark TwainB. Henry JamesC.答案D：Theodore Dreiser37. In literature a story in verse or prose with a double meaning is defined asA. allegoryB. sonnetC. blank verseD. rhyme答案A：Allegory38.____ refers to the learning and development of a languageA. language acquisitionB. language comprehensionC. language productionD. language introduction答案A：language acquisition39. The word “motel”comes from “motor –hotel”. This is an example of “…”in morphology.A. backformationB. conversionC. blendingD. acronym答案C：blending/doc/901227065.html,nguage is tool of communication, the symbol “highway closed”servesA. B.C. a performative function D. a persuasive function答案B：informative function2011年英语专八人文知识真题31. The northernmost part of Great Britain is _______.A. Northern IrelandB. WalesC. EnglandD. ScotlandTIP：选D。