2015西南交通大学考博英语真题阅读理解精练

2015年英语考研阅读2015年考研英语阅读理解真题及答案阅读理解部分Part APassage 1The term “multitasking” usually refers to the ability to engage in two or more tasks simultaneously. In the performing arts, multitasking can take the form of a singer singing while moving around the stage, a dancer dancing to music while maintaining balance or a comedian speaking to a crowd while carrying out a physical routine. In each case, the performer’s ability to engage in two or more tasks simultaneously is part of what makes the performance captivating.However, the concept of multitasking has also been applied to the world of computers and technology. When people claim to be ableto multitask on a computer, they typically mean they can use the computer to perform multiple tasks at the same time, such as checking email while writing a report or watching a video while responding to messages on social media. In this sense, multitasking is a matter of effectively managing time and resources so that multiple tasks can be completed with maximum efficiency and minimal loss of quality.Despite its apparent simplicity, multitasking is actually quite complex. When people multitask, they must switch back and forth between tasks, which can lead to decreased efficiency and performance on each task. Additionally, people who engage in multitasking may be more easily distracted and have a harder time focusing on a single task. Furthermore, multitasking may not be beneficial for all tasks. For example, when it comes to tasks that require creative thinking or complex problem-solving, dividing attention can actually hinder performance.In light of these findings, it seems clear that the key to effective multitasking is selecting the right tasks to perform simultaneously and managing one’s focus and energy acc ordingly. This means thatpeople should identify which tasks require their full attention and which ones can be performed concurrently with other tasks. By doing so, they can increase their overall productivity while minimizing any negative impact on task performance.21. The passage mainly discusses ____.A. the negative effects of multitaskingB. how to select suitable tasks for multitaskingC. the importance of managing time and resources effectivelyD. the differences between various forms of multitasking22. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a form of multitasking?A. Singing while moving around the stage.B. Checking email while watching a video.C. Replying to messages on social media while driving.D. Cooking while listening to music.23. Multitasking can be inefficient and even counterproductive because _____.A. people tend to become easily distracted when engaging in multitaskingB. it results in decreased efficiency and performance on each taskC. it may not be suitable for all types of tasksD. people performing multitasking tasks usually lack focus and energy24. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?A. Multitasking can significantly enhance people’s creativity.B. Completing multiple tasks simultaneously usually results in better performance.C. The key to effective multitasking lies in selecting suitable tasks and managing one’s focus and energy effectively.D. Multitasking is only suitable for simple, repetitive tasks that do not require much concentration or problem-solving ability.25. Which word best describes the function of the highlighted sentence? (Please highlight the sentence.)It means that people should identify which tasks require their full attention and which ones can be performed concurrently with other tasks.。

一、交际英语Multiple Choice（本大题共10小题，每小题2分，共20分）1. —Hello, may I talk to the headmaster now?—_____A_________. A. Sorry, he is busy at the moment2. —Do you think I could borrow your dictionary?—______C____________. C. Yes, help yourself3. —What can I do for you, madam?—________A__________. A. I want a kilo of apples4. —Do you mind telling me where you’re from?—_______A___________. A. Certainly. I’m from London5. —May I see the menu, please? I’ve been waiting an hour already.—______C____________. C. Here you are, sir6. — I'm afraid I've got a terrible flu.—__________C__________________. C. Better go and see a doctor7. —It’s cold in here. Do you mind if I close the door?—_________C___________________. C. Of course not8. —I’m going to America for a holiday next week.—________D____________________! D. That’s great9. —What a beautiful dress you’re wearing!—_______B_____________________. B. Thank you10. — Would you like a cup of coffee?—_________C___________________. C. Yes, please二、语法词汇（本大题共15小题，每小题2分，共30分）11. He studied hard in his youth, _____A____ contributed to his great success in later life.A. that12. He’s determined to finish the job __A________long it takes. A. no matter13. She's the only child in her family, but they didn't really _C______ her. C. spoil14. For a successful business, friendly and ___C____ staff are essential. C. efficient15. Strict _______B______ measures have been taken during the President's visit. B. security16. I don’t know why she avoids ___C____ her opinion on the subject. C. giving17. The police are___C_____ the two missing children. C. looking for18. I do not intend to follow that, because we shall have an opportunity to do so on another ___C___.C. condition19. The difference between an African elephant and an Asian one is that the former has_____A____ ears. A. larger20. These two areas are similar ___C____ they both have a high rainfall during this season.C. because21. We are interested in the weather because it ___B___ us so directly —what we wear, what we do, and even how we feel. B. affects22. A suitcase with a shirt, trousers and shoes __C_____ stolen from the car. C. was23. The furniture in his room is quite different ___B____ in yours. B. from that24. The government official explained that there’s no point ___C____ about the cultural gap in that city. C. in worrying25. If he ___C____such a good chance, he would have planned to learn more.C. had been given三、阅读理解（本大题共15小题，每小题2分，共30分）Passage 1Children in the United States …(商业广告) …(被动的) consumers of their world rather than encouraging them to become active explorers of it.26．Which of the following statements is not based on the passage?CC．Both parents and their children like watching educational television.27．In what ways do children suffer from television?AA．They become the victims of social violence.28．Parents would not like their children to see commercials because _______A_____.A．they think that their children are not old enough to handle advertising29．Educational television is widely appreciated because ______D_______.D．children can learn some school subjects before they go to school30．Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?AA．Watching Too Much Television Is Harmful to Young Minds.Passage 2What will man be like in the future —in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? …Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity (容量)…He will still be a human being, with thoughts and emotions similar to our own.31. The size of man’s forehead will probably grow bigger because ____A___.A. he will use his brain more and more as time goes on32. What serves as the evidence that man is changing? BB. Man has been growing taller over the past 500 years.33. What will be true about a human being in the future?AA. He will be hairless because hair is no longer useful.34. It is implied that __________B________.B. body organs will become poorer if they are not used often35. The passage mainly tells us that ______C_________.C. future man will look quite different from usPassage 3Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult …most energetic (精力充沛)…do routine work in the afternoon and save tasks requiring more energy or concentration for your sharper hours.36. According to the new findings of Dr. Kleitman, if a person finds getting up early a problem, most probably ______D____________.D. he is at his energy peak in the afternoon or evening37. Which of the following may lead to family quarrels according to the passage?AA. Unawareness of energy cycles.38. If one wants to work more efficiently at his low point in the morning, he should __C_______.C. get up earlier than usual39. You are advised to act slow when you rise in the morning because it will _____A_______.A. help to keep your energy for the day’s work40. Which of the following statements is NOT true?BB. Dr. Kleitman explains why people reach their peak at different hours of day.四、完形填空 Cloze（本大题共10小题，每小题1分，共10分)You will find that college classes are very different from high school classes. You will have morework and responsibilities without being pushed as much. 41 , you will have more freedom —freedom to choose what to study, when to study, or 42 to study. You will need to exercise maximum self-discipline (自律). This is the hardest kind of discipline because it is self-imposed (自我约束的), and you have only yourself to 43 . The decisions you make 44 your study habits will be a45 factor in your success, or lack of success in college.46 , you will discover that your instructors 47 the ones you have had previously. They will expect you to 48 more 48 in your study habits and time management. Remember that much of your learning takes place outside the classroom. Your instructor will give you additional help outside of class if there is evidence that you are putting maximum effort into the course.49 your abilities and skill mastery, you will need to manage your time effectively in order to succeed in college. A schedule 50 efficient use of time will enable you to include both work and play. When you get a job, you will soon discover that you do not work only when you wish and as you wish.B41. A. On the other hand B. On the one hand C. Nevertheless D. ThereforeB42. A. if B. how C. why D. whoB43. A. turn for B. answer to C. respond to D. act asC44. A. of B. to C. with D. concerningA45. A. determining B. demanding C. deciding D. dependingA46. A. However B. Nevertheless C. In addition D. Except thatA47. A. differ from B. are similar to C. differ in D. are alikeD48. A. take…part B. throw…yourself C. plunge…yourself D. take…initiativeB49. A. In spite of B. Concerning C. Regardless of D. On the condition ofD50. A. related to B. carried on C. relied on D. based on五、作文 Essay Writing（本大题共10分）You are required to write an essay on the topic of Bad Manners in Public based on the outline given below.Bad Manners in Public1. 列举人们在公共场所的不良现象。

2015年考研英语阅读真题答案及解析苏州新东方张雷每年英语考试结束后，总会有很多考生“哀声载道”：今年的题好难啊！比去年难多了！但我觉得这可能都是幻觉吧！拿今年的阅读题来说，确实很难，但是不是最难的，难度总体还是和往年持平的。

接下来我们就来分别分析下仔细阅读（四选一题）和新题型一、仔细阅读我们很多同学拿到第一篇文章就懵了，第一段讲什么完全看不懂，里面有很多生词看不懂。

我在课上反复强调过，读文章切记不要心急，在考场那样高度压抑和紧张的气氛下，越是心急越是看不懂，一定要沉下来细心分析。

第一段看不懂，再看一篇，因为第一段一般都是中心主旨段，看懂第一段至关重要。

但如果还看不懂就继续往下读，总有能看懂的段落。

而且，并不是说文章读不懂就一题都做不出来的，或者说读懂一部分文章也能做对一部分题，如果能保证这部分题的准确率，我相信每篇做对3个问题不大。

1.在做题的时候我们严格遵守顺序原则：除了主旨题（一般是最后一题）之外，文章的出题顺序和段落顺序保持一致。

考研出题方式一题对应一段（多段落推断题除外），也就是说一题的四个选项均来自于这段几句话，正确选项也来自于这段的某句话或者某几句话，当然对于单段落推断题而言，正确选项很有可能是这段的中心主旨。

所以，定位准确是做对考研阅读题的一个前提！2.另外，考生也应掌握一些做题技巧，这些做题技巧可以帮助我们提分或者提高准确率。

这些技巧就是：1. 选抽象，也就是要排除含有大写字母的(the Castle, thePalace…) ，人名地名机构名( California, FTC、CIA…)，数字（2008, 20%...），专有名词/专业名词( Worldcup, Sat，REM, prefrontal cortex…)的选项。

2. 选BUT转折后，如果转折后看不懂，就选But 转折后的原词 3. 选主旨（文章反复出现的词语）详情看参考我写的“大数据告诉你考研英语阅读选什么”那篇文章3.考生应具备识别错误选项特点的能力1.含有比较级或最高级选项，极有可能是错误的2.跨段选项极有可能是错误的3.含有具体名词的：大写字母的 (the Castle, the Palace…) ；人名地名机构名( California, FTC、CIA…)；数字（2008, 20%...）；专有名词/专业名词( Worldcup, Sat，REM, prefrontal cortex…) 极有可能是错误的。

考博英语（阅读理解）-试卷80(总分：40.00，做题时间：90分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：4，分数：40.00)Too much alcohol dulls your senses, but a study in Japan shows that moderate drinkers have a higher IQ than teetotalers. Researchers at the National Institute for Longevity Sciences in Aichi Prefecture, 250 kilometers west of Tokyo, tested the IQs of 2000 people between the ages of 40 and 79. They found that, on average, men who drank moderately — defined as less than 540 milliliters of sake or wine a day — had an IQ that was 3. 3 points higher that men who did not drink at all. Women drinkers scored 2. 5 points higher than female teetotalers. The type of alcohol didn't influence the results. The volunteers tried a variety of tipples, which ranged from beer and whisky to wine and sake. The researchers are quick to point out that the results do not necessarily show that drinking will make you more intelligent. "It's very difficult to show a cause-effect relationship," says senior researcher Hiroshi Shimokata. "We screened subjects for factors such as income and education, but there may be other factors such as lifestyle and nutritional intake. " Shimokata says that people who drink sake, or Japanese rice wine, tend to eat more raw fish. This could be a factor in enhanced intelligence, as fish often contain essential fatty acids that have been linked to brain development. Similarly, wine drinkers eat a lot of cheese, which is not something Japanese people normally consume or buy. Shimokata says the high fat content of cheese is thought to be good for the brain. If alcoholic drinks are directly influencing IQ, Shimokata believes chemicals such as polyphenols could be the critical factor. They are known to have antioxidant properties and other beneficial effects on ageing bodies, such as dilating constricted coronary arteries. The study is part of a wider research project to find out why brain function deteriorates with age.（分数：10.00）(1).The Japanese study was carried out on______.（分数：2.00）A.the development of IQB.the secret of longevityC.the brain food in a glassD.the amount of healthy drinking(2).The Japanese researchers found a higher IQ in______.（分数：2.00）A.female teetotalers than in male onesB.female drinkers than in male onesC.moderate drinkersD.teetotalers(3).When he says that it is very difficult to show cause-effect relationship, Shimokata means that______.（分数：2.00）A.the study failed to involve such variables as income and educationB.he is doubtful of the findings of the investigationC.there are some other contributing factorsD.the results were just misleading(4).From Shimokata's mention of fish and cheese we can infer that in enhancing intelligence______.（分数：2.00）A.sake or wine is a perfect match for fish and cheeseB.they promote the drinking effect of sake or wineC.they are not as effective as sake and wineD.sake or wine is not alone(5).Based on the study, Shimokata would say that______.（分数：2.00）A.intelligence improves with ageB.IQ can be enhanced in one way or anotherC.polyphenols in alcohol may boost the brainD.Alcoholic drinks will make you more intelligentThere is currently abroad a new wave of appreciation for breadth of knowledge. Curricula at universities and colleges and programs in federal agencies extol(赞扬)the virtues of a broad education. For scientists who work in specialized jobs, it is a pleasure to escape in our spare time to read broadly in fields distant from our own. Some of us have made interdisciplinary study in our occupation, which is no surprise, because much of the intellectual action in our society today lies at the interfaces between traditional disciplines. Environmental science is a good example, because it frequently requires us to be conversant in several different sciences and even some unscientific fields. Experiencing this breadth of knowledge is stimulating, but so is delving deeply into a subject. Both are wonderful experiences that are complementary practical and aesthetic(美学的)ways. They are like viewing the marvelous sculpture of knowledge in two different ways. Look at the sculpture from one perspective and you see the piece in its entirety, how its components connect to give it form, balance, and symmetry. From another viewpoint you see its detail, depth, and mass. There is no need to choose between these two perspectives in art. To do so would subtract from the totality of the figure. So it is with science. Sometimes we gaze through a subject and are reluctant to stop for too much detail. As chemists, we are fascinated by computer sciences or molecular genetics, but not enough to become an expert. Or we may be interested in an analytical technique but not enough to stay at its cutting edge. At other times, we become immersed in the detail of a subject and see its beauty in an entirely different way than when we browse. It is as if we penetrate the surface of the sculpture and pass through the crystal structure to the molecular level where the code for the entire structure is revealed. Unfortunately, in our zeal for breadth or depth, we often feel that it is necessary to diminish the value of the other. Specialists are sometimes ridiculed with names such as "nerd" or "technocrats" , generalists are often criticized for being too "soft" or knowing too little about any one thing. Both are ludicrous(可笑的)accusations that deny a part of the reality of environmental science. Let us not be divided by our passion for depth or breadth. The beauty that awaits us on either route is too precious to stifle, too wonderful to diminish by bickering(争吵).（分数：10.00）(1).From a broad education to interdisciplinary study, we can see____.（分数：2.00）A.the integration of theory with practiceB.the enthusiasm for breadth of knowledgeC.the rapid division of traditional disciplinesD.the confrontation between specialists and generalists(2).The commentator would say that the totality of the sculpture of knowledge____.（分数：2.00）A.is mainly composed of two elementsB.presents two different points of viewC.cannot be perceived from one perspectiveD.is a whole made up of complementary elements(3).Just because we become engrossed in the detail of a subject, according to the comment, does not mean that we____.（分数：2.00）A.can have an understanding of itB.will develop into an expertC.will perceive its entiretyD.are interested in it(4).It is commentator's contention that neither specialists nor generalists____.（分数：2.00）A.have zeal for the totality of the knowledge sculptureB.represent the depth and breadth of knowledgeC.are necessarily supposed to belittle the otherD.can be qualified as environmental scientists(5).Which of the following can be the best title for the comment?（分数：2.00）A.Interdisciplinary Study as Our Occupation.B.Breath and Depth of Knowledge.C.The Ways of Doing Science.D.The Beauty of Science.An abandoned airfield near a former Nazi concentration tramp may soon feature pagodas and Tai Chi parks. A $ 700 million project aims to give Germany its own Chinatown 22 miles north of Berlin in the town of Oranienburg, housing 2, 000 residents by 2010. The investor group behind the scheme hopes the new Chinatown will attract tourists and business to rival the famed Chinatowns of San Francisco and New York by delivering an "authentic Chinese experience. " "You'll be able to experience China, go out for a Chinese meal, and buy Chinese goods," says Stefan Kunigam, managing director of Bandenburg-China-Project-Management GmbH. The project has attracted investors in both Germany and China, reports Christoph Lang of Berlin's Trade and Industry promotion Office. "Chinese investors have already asked if we have a Chinatown here. " He says. " The cultural environment is very important for them. You cannot build a synthetic Chinatown. " Germany is home to about 72,000 Chinese migrants(2002 Federal Statistical Office figures), but the country has not had a Chinatown since the early 1930s in Hamburg, when most of the city's 2,000 Chinese residents fled or were arrested by the Nazis. German's more-recent history with anti-foreigner extremism remains a problem even within the government, reports Deutsche Welle(DW), Germany's international broadcaster. DW notes that National Democratic Party lawmaker Holger Apfel's xenophobic(恐外的)comments about "state-subsidized Oriental mega-families" at first went largely uncriticized. "Every fourth German harbors anti-foreigner sentiments," DW quotes Miriam Gruss, a Free Democratic Party parliamentarian. "Right-wing extremism is clearly rooted in the middle of society. It's not a minor phenomenon. " The German government initiated a special youth for Democracy and Tolerance program in January 2007 as part of its tolerance-building efforts. While it is not clear how many Chinese migrants will ultimately settle in the new German Chinatown, developers hope the project will increase Germans' understanding for China and Chinese culture.（分数：10.00）(1).If set up, according to the passage, the new German Chinatown will probably be______.（分数：2.00）A.a rival to the Chinatowns of San Francisco and New YorkB.mainly made of pagodas and Tai Chi parksC.located in the north suburbs of BerlinD.the biggest one in Germany(2).When he says that you cannot build a synthetic Chinatown, Lang means______.（分数：2.00）A.the real imported goods made in ChinaB.the authoritative permission for the projectC.the importance of the location for a ChinatownD.the authentic environment to experience Chinese culture(3).By mentioning the population of Chinese migrants in Germany, the author most probably means that______.（分数：2.00）A.it is too late to build a ChinatownB.it is their desire to save a ChinatownC.it is important to create jobs for themD.it is necessary to have a Chinatown there(4).According to the passage, German anti-foreigner extremism______.（分数：2.00）A.can seed the new community with hatredB.could be an obstacle to the projectC.will absolutely kill the planD.is growing for the scheme(5).The message from the plan is clear: ______.（分数：2.00）A.to build a new communityB.to fight against right-wing extremismC.to promote more cultural understandingD.to increase Chinese's understanding of GermanyWhatever happened to the death of newspaper? A year ago the end seemed near. The recession threatened to remove the advertising and readers that had not already fled to the Internet. Newspapers like the San Francisco Chronicle were chronicling their own doom. America's Federal Trade commission launched a round of talks about how to save newspapers. Should they become charitable corporations? Should the state subsidize them ? It will hold another meeting soon. But the discussions now seem out of date. In much of the world there is the sign of crisis. German and Brazilian papers have shrugged off the recession. Even American newspapers, which inhabit the most troubled come of the global industry, have not only survived but often returned to profit. Not the 20% profit margins that were routine a few years ago, but profit all the same. It has not been much fun. Many papers stayed afloat by pushing journalists overboard. The American Society of News Editors reckons that 13, 500 newsroom jobs have gone since 2007. Readers are paying more for slimmer products. Some papers even had the nerve to refuse delivery to distant suburbs. Yet these desperate measures have proved the right ones and, sadly for many journalists, they can be pushed further. Newspapers are becoming more balanced businesses, with a healthier mix of revenues from readers and advertisers. American papers have long been highly unusual in their reliance on ads. Fully 87% of their revenues came from advertising in 2008, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development(OECD). In Japan the proportion is 35%. Not surprisingly, Japanese newspapers are much more stable. The whirlwind that swept through newsrooms harmed everybody, but much of the damage has been concentrated in areas where newspaper are least distinctive. Car and film reviewers have gone. So have science and general business reporters. Foreign bureaus have been savagely cut off. Newspapers are less complete as a result. But completeness is no longer a virtue in the newspaper business.（分数：10.00）(1).By saying "Newspapers like ... their own doom"(Para. 1), the author indicates that newspaper______.（分数：2.00）A.neglected the sign of crisisB.failed to get state subsidiesC.were not charitable corporationsD.were in a desperate situation(2).Some newspapers refused delivery to distant suburbs probably because______.（分数：2.00）A.readers threatened to pay lessB.newspapers wanted to reduce costsC.journalists reported little about these areasD.subscribers complained about slimmer products(3).Compared with their American counterparts, Japanese newspapers are much more stable because they______.（分数：2.00）A.have more sources of revenueB.have more balanced newsroomsC.are less dependent on advertisingD.Readers have lost their interest in car and film reviews(4).What can be inferred from the last paragraph about the current newspaper business?（分数：2.00）A.Distinctiveness is an essential feature of newspapers.pleteness is to blame for the failure of newspaper.C.Foreign bureaus play a crucial role in the newspaper business.D.Readers have lost their interest in car and film reviews.(5).The most appropriate title for this text would be______.（分数：2.00）A.American Newspapers: Struggling for SurvivalB.American Newspapers: Gone with the WindC.American Newspapers: A Thriving BusinessD.American Newspapers: A Hopeless Story。

2015年考研英语二真题IntroductionThe 2015 National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (Gao Kao) English II Exam is an important test that assesses the English language proficiency of candidates seeking admission to postgraduate programs in China. In this article, we will analyze and discuss the exam questions from the 2015 English II paper, providing a comprehensive understanding of the topics and strategies needed to succeed in this exam.Section I: Reading ComprehensionThe reading comprehension section of the 2015 English II exam consisted of several passages with accompanying questions. These passages covered a range of topics including technology, history, and literature, offering candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of various subjects.Passage 1: TechnologyThe first passage focused on the impact of technology on society, specifically exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks of advancements in artificial intelligence. This passage required candidates to carefully read and analyze the arguments presented, evaluating the author's claims and providing evidence-based responses. The questions tested the students' ability to comprehend and critically evaluate the passage's content.Passage 2: HistoryThe second passage provided a historical account of the Great Fire of London in 1666. Candidates were required to identify key details and events from the passage, as well as understand the implications and consequences of this significant event in British history. The questions tested the candidates' ability to analyze and interpret historical texts.Passage 3: LiteratureThe third passage focused on a literary work by renowned author William Shakespeare. Candidates were presented with an excerpt from one of his plays and were required to analyze the themes, character development, and literary techniques employed. The questions tested the students' abilityto interpret and analyze complex literary texts.Section II: Language AbilityThe language ability section of the 2015 English II exam assessed candidates' knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and language usage. This section aimed to evaluate the candidates' understanding of the English language at an advanced level.Question 1: Grammar and SyntaxCandidates were required to identify and correct grammatical errors in a given sentence. This question tested the candidates' grammar knowledge, including verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure.Question 2: VocabularyCandidates were tested on their ability to understand and use advanced vocabulary by selecting the most appropriate word or phrase tocomplete a given sentence. This question assessed the candidates' vocabulary range and knowledge of word collocation.Question 3: Reading ComprehensionCandidates were presented with a short passage and required to answer questions based on their understanding of the text. This question tested the students' ability to comprehend and interpret written information.Section IV: WritingThe writing section of the 2015 English II exam required candidates to write a 200-word argumentative essay on a given topic within the time limit of 30 minutes. Candidates had to present and support their opinions effectively, showcasing their ability to construct a cohesive and persuasive argument.ConclusionThe 2015 National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (Gao Kao) English II Exam served as a critical assessment of candidates' English language skills. By carefully analyzing and understanding the exam questions, applicants can better prepare themselves for the challenges they will face. By diligently practicing and familiarizing themselves with the format and content of the exam, candidates can improve their performance and increase their chances of success.。

考博英语（阅读理解）历年真题试卷汇编5(题后含答案及解析) 题型有： 3. Reading ComprehensionReading ComprehensionFor 150 years scientists have tried to determine the solar constant, the amount of solar constant energy that reaches the Earth. Yet, even in the most cloud-free regions of the planet, the solar constant cannot be measured precisely. Gas molecules and dust particles in the atmosphere absorb and scatter sunlight and prevent some wavelengths of the light from ever reaching the ground. With the advent of satellites, however, scientists have finally been able to measure the Sun’s output without being impeded by the Earth’s atmosphere. Solar Max, a satellite from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA), has been measuring the Sun’s output since February 1980. Although a malfunction in the satellite’s control system limited its observation for a few years, the satellite was repaired in orbit by astronauts from the space-shuttle in 1984. Max’s observations indicate that the solar constant is not really constant after all. The satellite’s instruments have detected frequent, small variations in the Sun’s energy output, generally amounting to no more than 0. 05 percent of the Sun’s mean energy output and lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Scientists believe these fluctuations coincide with the appearance and disappearance of large groups of sunspots on the Sun’s disk. Sunspots are relatively dark regions on the Sun’s surface that have strong magnetic fields and a temperature about 2, 000 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the rest of the Sun’s surface. Particularly large fluctuations in the solar constant have coincided with sightings of large sunspot groups. In 1980, for example, Solar Max’s instruments registered 0. 3 percent drop in the solar energy reaching the Earth. At that time a sunspot group covered about 0. 6 percent of the solar disk, an area 20 times larger than the Earth’s surface. Long-term variations in the solar constant are more difficult to determine. Although Solar Max’s data have indicated a slow and steady decline in the Sun’s output, some scientists have thought that the satellite’s aging detectors might have become less sensitive over the years, thus falsely indicating a drop in the solar constant. This possibility was dismissed, however, by comparing Solar Max’s observations with data from a similar instrument operating on NASA’s Nimbus 7 weather satellite since 1978.1．Why is it not possible to measure the solar constant accurately without a satellite?A．the Earth is too far from the Sun.B．Some areas on Earth receive more solar energy than others.C．There is not enough sunlight during the day.D．the Earth’s atmosphere interferes with the sunlight.正确答案：D解析：细节题。

考博英语（阅读理解）-试卷78(总分：40.00，做题时间：90分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：4，分数：40.00)In a society where all aspects of our lives are dictated by scientific advances in technology, science is the essence of our existence. Without the vast advances made by chemists, physicists, biologists, geologists and other diligent scientists, our standards of living would decline, our flourishing wealthy nation might come to an economic depression, and our people would suffer from diseases that could not be cured. As a society we ignorantly take advantage of the amenities provided by science, yet our lives would be altered interminably without them. Health care, one of the aspects of our society that separates us from our archaic ancestors, is founded exclusively on scientific discoveries and advances. Without the vaccines created by doctors, diseases such as polio, measles, hepatitis, and the flu would pose a threat to our citizens, for although some of these diseases may not be deadly, their side effects can be a vast detriment to an individual affected with the disease. In addition, science has developed perhaps the most awe-inspiring vital invention in the history of the world, the computer. Without the presence of this machine our world could exist, but the conveniences brought into life by the computer are unparalleled. Despite the greatness of present-day innovators and scientists and their revelations, it is requisite to examine the amenities of science that our culture so blatantly disregards. For instance, the light bulb, electricity, the telephone, running water, and the automobile are present-day staples of our society, however, they were not present until scientists discovered them. Because of the contribution of scientists, our world is ever metamorphosing, and this metamorphosis economically and personally comprises our society, whether our society is cognizant of this or not.（分数：10.00）(1).In the first paragraph the author implies that we______.（分数：2.00）A.would not survive without scienceB.take the amenities of science for grantedC.could have raised the standards of living with scienceD.would be free of disease because of scientific with advances(2).The author uses health care and vaccines to illustrate______.（分数：2.00）A.how science has been developedB.what science means to societyC.what the nature of science isD.how disease affects society(3).Nothing, according to the author, can match the invention of the computer in terms of______.（分数：2.00）A.powerB.noveltyC.benefitsplexity(4).The author seems to be unhappy about______.（分数：2.00）A.people's ignorance of their cultureB.people's ignoring the amenities of scienceC.people's making no contributions to societyD.people's misunderstanding of scientific advance(5).The author's tone in the passage is______.（分数：2.00）A.criticalB.cognizantC.appreciativeD.paradoxicalDrinking wastewater? The idea may sound distasteful, but new federally funded research says more Americans are doing so —whether they know or not —and this reuse will be increasingly necessary as the U. S. population expands. Treated wastewater poses no greater health risks than existing water supplies and, in some cases, may be even safer to drink, according to a report released by the National Research Council, " We believe water reuse is an option to deal with growing water scarcity, especially in coastal areas," says Jorg Drowes, an engineering professor at the Colorado School of Mines. "This can be done reliably without putting the public at risk," he says, citing technological advances. He says it's a waste not to reuse the nation's wastewater, because almost all of it is treated before discharge. This water includes storm runoff(径流)as well as used water from homes, businesses and factories. In many places, the report says, the public does not realize it's drinking water that was treated after being discharged as wastewater somewhere upstream. For example, wastewater discharged into the Trinity River from Dallas/Fort Worth flows south into Lake Livingston, the source for Houston's drinking water. Despite the growing importance of this reuse, the report says there's been no systemic analysis of its extent nationwide since a 1980 study by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). Alan Roberson of the American Water Works Association says wastewater reuse is common, so the council's report is important but not surprising. Roberson expects this recycling will continue to increase, especially for irrigation and industrial needs. He says it will take longer to establish potable(适于饮用的)uses because of public nervousness about drinking wastewater, however treated. "We have to do something to address water scarcity," says Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group. " Less than 10% of potable water is used for drinking, cooking, showering or dishwashing. We flush it down the toilet, literally. " Technologies exist to safely treat the water, she says, although some are expensive. The report says water reuse projects tend to cost more than most water conservation options but less than seawater desalination(脱盐)and other supply alternatives. It calls on the EPA to develop rules that set safe national standards.（分数：10.00）(1).Which of the following statements would Jorg Drewes agree to?（分数：2.00）A.Water reuse may eventually put the public at risk.B.Water reuse is preferable to wasting water.C.Water reuse is far from a solution to water shortage.D.Water reuse is possible only after greater tech advances.(2).Lake Livingston is mentioned to show that the public______.（分数：2.00）A.Accepts the fact of drinking wastewater calmlyB.Is concerned about the safety of the drinking waterC.Does not believe that wastewater is safe to drinkD.Is not aware of the nature of their drinking water(3).According to Alan Roberson, ______.（分数：2.00）A.It is not safe to drink wastewaterB.The report has surprised the publicC.the report helps build up public confidenceD.The public has yet to accept drinking wastewater(4).Olga Naidenko's remarks emphasize______.（分数：2.00）A.The recent progressB.The existing problemsC.The new perspectiveD.The potential risks(5).What does the report suggest to the EPA?（分数：2.00）A.Weighing different water conservation options.B.Exploring new technologies to treat wastewater.C.Setting up national standards for water reuse.D.Monitoring water supplies at a national level.Rain is not what it used to be. A new study reveals that much of the precipitation in Europe contains such high levels of dissolved pesticides that it could be illegal to supply it as drinking water. Studies in Switzerland have found that rain is laced with toxic levels of atrazine, alachlor and other commonly used crop sprays. "Drinking water standards are regularly exceeded in rain," says Stephan Muller, a chemist at the Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology in Dubendorf. The chemicals appear to have evaporated from fields and become part of the clouds. Both the European Union and Switzerland have set a limit of 100 nanograms for any particular pesticide in a liter of drinking water. But, especially in the first minutes of a heavy storm, rain can contain much more than that. In a study to be published by Muller and his colleague Thomas Bucheli in Analytical Chemistry this summer, one sample of rainwater contained almost 4000 nanograms per liter of 2, 4-dinitrophenol, a widely used pesticide. Previously, the authors had shown that in rain samples taken from 41 storms, nine contained more than 100 nanograms of atrazine per liter, one of them around 900 nanograms. In the latest study, the highest concentrations of pesticides turned up in the first rain after a long dry spell, particularly when local fields had recently been sprayed. Until now, scientists had assumed that the pesticides only infiltrated groundwater directly from fields. Muller warns that the growing practice of using rainwater that falls onto roofs to recharge under — ground water may be adding to the danger. This water often contains dissolved herbicides that had been added to roofing materials, such as bitumen sheets, to prevent vegetation growing. He suggests that the first flush of rain should be diverted into sewers to minimize the pollution of drinking water, which is not usually treated to remove these herbicides and pesticides.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the Swedish scientists, the pesticides in rain______.（分数：2.00）A.exceed those in crop spraysB.can be traced back to crop spraysC.are not as toxic as they used to beD.are nothing but atrazine and alachlor(2).Muller and Bucheli found that 2, 4-dinitrophenol______.（分数：2.00）A.is widely used in agricultureB.exceeded atrazine in the rain samplesC.can be measured in the units of nanogramsD.was far in excess of limit in drinking water(3).Scientists used to hypothesize that______.（分数：2.00）A.groundwater was safe for drinking waterB.herbicides and pesticides were harmlessC.pesticides contaminated groundwater exclusivelyD.rain would minimize the pollution of drinking water(4).Muller warns us not ____ .（分数：2.00）A.to tap groundwater for drinking waterB.to use such roofing materials as bitumen sheetsC.to let the first flush of rain recharge underground waterD.to divert the first flush of rain into sewers without removing its herbicides and pesticides(5).Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Drinking WaterB.Rainwater and Underground WaterC.Agriculture and PesticidesD.Falling PesticidesAlthough speech and writing are the special means of communicating of humans, the interchange also takes place in many other ways. A person may relay his or her feelings, thoughts, and reactions through body positioning, body contact, body odors, eye contact, responsive actions, habits, attitudes, interests, state of health, dress and grooming, choice of life-style, and use of talents — in fact, through everything the individual says or does. In turn, every person is constantly receiving multitudes of external and internal messages through his or her five senses and personal biorhythm system. An individual screens, selects, regulates, and controls specific aspects of this information through a process of mental choices. Some of these choices are automatic; some are subconscious because of habit, block, or lack of development; and some are made by a conscious process. The degree to which a person is able to communicate depends upon the extent of his or her conscious awareness, priority of need, and control of this process. The person with a behavior disorder is shut off from the communicative flow that normally exists among humans. His or her mind is confused, and he or she may feel unable to express personal thoughts, needs, and emotions, and unable to make himself or herself understood. Sometimes the person may feel that he or she is communicating clearly but that others cannot or will not understand. Because the person is thus isolated in internal problems, he or she is interested only in these problems and cannot focus attention on the messages of others. The person often projects fears and fantasies onto others, so that no matter what the real content is of the messages that others relay, the messages received are threatening ones. The causes of such communicative shutoffs are blocks in the neural pathways of the person's processing of information. Sometimes a block is physical, as in deafness, mental retardation, brain tumor, or hardening of the cerebral arteries. However, the most common causes of blocks are injuries to a person's emotional system. Emotional blocks occur to some degree in all human beings. They usually occur in childhood before good communicative skills are learned, and they are connected to individual symbolism. Unless such a block is removed shortly after happening, it can have profound and complicating effects that will distort emotional and mental growth and arrest the development potential of the individual. Even though a child with blocks will appear to grow and to seem mature in some ways, he or she will show the evidence of emotional blocking in efforts to communicate.（分数：10.00）(1).The concluding phrase of the first paragraph implies that human communication______.（分数：2.00）A.is characterized by two features, form and meaningB.is mainly conducted through speech and writingC.is of two functions, stimulation and responseD.takes two forms, verbal and nonverbal(2).In the second paragraph the author is mainly concerned with______.（分数：2.00）municative abilityB.external and internal messagesrmation and mental processingD.conscious and subconscious awareness(3).Shut off from the communicative flow, the person with a behavior disorder______.（分数：2.00）A.is unable to focus attention on internal problemsB.is isolated in internal problemsC.relays threatening messagesD.all of the above(4).Which of the following is universal according to the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Neural blocks.B.Physical blocks.C.Cerebral blocks.D.Emotional blocks.(5).The passage ends with______.（分数：2.00）A.the contributing factors to emotional and mental disorderB.the importance of acquiring good communicative skillsC.the significance of eliminating early emotional blocksD.the warning of emotional blocks common in childhood。

Passage Those who welcomed the railway saw it as more than a rapid and comfortable means of passing. They actually saw it as afactor in world peace. They did not foresee that the railway would be just one more means for the rapid movement of aggressive armies. None of them foresaw that the more weare together-the more chances there are of war. Any boy or girl who is one of a large family knows that. Whenever any new invention is put forward, those for it and those against it can always find medical men to approve or condemn. The anti-railway group produced doctors who said that tunnels would be most dangerous to public health: they would produce colds, catarrhs (粘膜炎) and consumptions. The deafening noise and the glare of the engine fire, would have a bad effect on the nerves. Further, being moved through the air at a high speed would do grave injury to delicate lungs. In those with high blood-pressure, the movement of the train might produce apoplexy (中风). The sudden plunging of a train into the darkness of a tunnel, and the equally sudden rush into full daylight, would cause great damage to eyesight. But the pro-railway group was of course able to produce equally famous medical men to say just the opposite. They said that the speed and swing of the train would equalize the circulation, promote digestion, tranquilize the nerves, and ensure good sleep. The actual rolling-stock was anything but comfortable. If it was a test of endurance to sit for four hours outside a coach in rain, or inside in dirty air, the railway offered little more in the way of comfort. Certainly the first-class carriages had cushioned seats; but the second-class had only narrow bare boards, while the third-class had nothing at all; no seats and no roof; they were just open trucks. So that third-class passengers gained nothing from the few mode except speed. In the matter of comfort, indeed they lost; they did, on the coaches, have a seat, but now they had to stand all the way, which gave opportunities to the comic (滑稽的) press. This kind of thing: A man was seen yesterday buying a third-class ticket for the new London and Birmingham Railway. The state of his mind is being enquired into. A writer in the early days of railways wrote feelingly of both second-and third-class carriages. He made the suggestion that the directors of the railways must have sent all over the world to find the hardest possible wood. Of the open third-class trucks he said that they had the peculiar property of meeting the rain from whatever quarter it came. He described them as horizontal shower-baths, from whose searching power there was no escape. 1. All boys and girls in large families know that . A)　a boy and a girl usually fight when they are together B)　people tend to be together more than they used to be C)　a lot of people being together makes fights likely D)　Railway leads the world to peace 2. According to those who welcomed the railway, the railway itself should include all the following except . A)　the railway enables people travel fast B)　the railway brings comfort to people C)　the railway makes the world peaceful D)　the railway leads the world to war as well. 3. According to the anti-railway group, all the followings are true but . A)　tunnels are dangerous to public health B)　the noise and the glare of the engine fire may affect people's nerves C)　the rapid speed through the air does damage to people's lungs D)　to those with high blood-pressure, the rapid speed of the train causes them to die 4. We may safely conclude that . A)　the author belongs to the anti-railway group B)　the author belongs to the for-railway group C)　the author speaks highly of the railway D)　the author may never take train because of its potential dangers 5. What is the tone of this passage? A)Practical B)Satirical C)Humorous D)Exaggerated Answer1.C2.D3.D4.A5.C。

2015年Passage oneThe American society of clinical oncology wrapped its annual conference this week, going through the usual motions of presenting a lot of drugs that offer some added quality or extension of life to those suffering from a variety of as-yet incurable diseases. But buried deep in an AP story are a couple of promising headlines that seems worthy of more thorough review, including one treatment study where 100 percent of patients saw their cancer diminish by half. 美国临床肿瘤协会于本周召开年会，大会讨论像往年一样提议了一些药物，能够提高疗效以及延长那些已确诊的不治之症患者的寿命，但深挖美联社报道中文章，发现一个有前景的标题，值得我们进一步了解，其中一个治疗研究，明确所有患者经过治疗后有一半患者肿瘤消失。

First of all, it seems pharmaceutical companies are moving away from the main cost-effective one-size-fits-all approach to drug development and embracing the long cancer treatments, engineering drugs that only work for a small percentage of patients but work very effectively within that group. 首先，制药公司从主要以效益一刀切发展模式向药物研发和接受长期癌症治疗，以及针对一小部分患者且成效显著的药物研发。

Passage You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University? More and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week. Personnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(骗⼦); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people. To avoid outright(彻底的)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow. If you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(假的)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper. 1. The main idea of this passage is that . A)　employers are checking more closely on applicants now B)　lying about college degrees has become a widespread problem C)　college degrees can now be purchased easily D)　employers are no longer interested in college degrees 2. According to the passage, special cases refer to cases where . A)　students attend a school only part-time B)　students never attended a school they listed on their application C)　students purchase false degrees from commercial films D)　students attended a famous school 3. We can infer from the passage that . A)　performance is a better judge of ability that a college degree B)　experience is the best teacher C)　past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees do D)　a degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job petition 4. This passage implies that . A)　buying a false degree is not moral B)　personnel officers only consider applicants from famousschools C)　most people lie on applications because they were dismissed from school D)　society should be greatly responsible for lying on applications 5. As used in the first line of the second paragraph, the word utter means . A)address B)thorough C)ultimate D)decisive Answer1.B2.C3.D4.D5.C。

2015年英语阅读二In 2015, the English reading comprehension test question two examined various aspects of the English language. Through a series of passages and questions, test-takers were assessed on their ability to comprehend written English and apply critical thinking skills. In this article, we will delve into the details of the test and discuss the strategies that can be employed to improve English reading comprehension.The test consisted of multiple passages, each accompanied by a set of questions. These passages covered a wide range of topics, including science, history, literature, and current affairs. The questions were designed to assess different aspects of reading comprehension, such as understanding main ideas, inferring meanings from context, and analyzing the author's tone and purpose.To excel in this test, it is essential to develop effective reading strategies. Skimming the passage before answering the questions can provide an overview and help test-takers identify the main ideas and supporting details. This allows for a more focused and efficient reading experience. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to any highlighted keywords or phrases that might indicate the answer to a specific question.Another crucial strategy is careful analysis of the question stem. Understanding what the question is asking is half the battle. Some questions may require test-takers to find specific details in the passage, while others may require inference or deduction. By carefully analyzing the question, test-takers can better navigate the passage and locate the relevant information more effectively.Furthermore, it is essential to consider the context of the passage and the author's tone. This can provide valuable insights into the meaning of words or phrases that may be unfamiliar. Understanding the author's purpose and perspective can also help in answering questions related to the passage's main theme or the author's intention.In addition to these strategies, building vocabulary and improving reading speed and fluency are key factors in achieving success in English reading comprehension. Regular reading of English texts, both fiction and non-fiction, can help expand vocabulary and improve understanding of different writing styles. Engaging in activities such as reading newspaper articles, novels, or academic papers can provide exposure to various topics and improve overall reading comprehension.Practice is crucial when preparing for the English reading comprehension test. Utilizing practice materials that mimic the format and difficulty level of the actual test can help test-takers familiarize themselves with the types of passages and questions they are likely to encounter. This allows for more efficient time management during the examination, as familiarity reduces the time needed to understand the structure of each passage.In conclusion, the 2015 English reading comprehension test question two was designed to assess test-takers' ability to comprehend written English and apply critical thinking skills. By employing effective reading strategies, such as skimming, careful analysis of questions, considering context and author's tone, and building vocabulary, test-takers can improve their performance onthis test. Regular practice using similar materials also plays a vital role in developing familiarity and enhancing time management skills.。

西南交大2011年考博英语真题试题代码： 1001 2011年春季博士研究生英语入学考试（A）考生请注意：1.本试题共5大题，共15页，请考生注意检查；2.答题时，请直接将答题内容写在我校提供的答题纸上；答在试卷上一律无效。

3.本试题不得拆散，拆散后遗失后果自负。

Ⅰ. Reading Comprehension (30%; one mark each):Direction: Read the following six passages. Answer the questions below each passage by choosing A, B, C or D. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.Passage OneThe concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one. An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge. We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society. The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health. If we so desire, we can smoke, drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts, eat whatever we want, and live a completely sedentary life-style without any exercise. The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society, although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned. Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty. As one example, a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do.A multitude of factors, both inherited and environmental, influence the development of health-related behaviors, and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual. However, the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices. There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices. In discussing the morals of personal choice, Fries and Crapo drew a comparison. They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide. Thus, for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life, personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with a statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity.1. The concept of personal choice concerning health is important because______.[A] personal health choices help cure most illnesses[B] it helps raise the level of our medical knowledge[C] it is essential to personal freedom in American society[D] wrong decisions could lead to poor health2. To“live a completely sedentary life-style”(Para.1) most probably means______.[A] to“live an inactive life”[B] to“live a decent life”[C] to“live a life with complete freedom”[D] to“live a life of vice”3. Sound personal health choice is often difficult to make because______.[A] current medical knowledge is still insufficient[B] there are many factors influencing our decisions[C] few people are willing to trade the quality of life for the quantity of life[D] people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends4. To knowingly allow oneself to pursue unhealthy habits is compared by Fries and Crapo to______.[A] improving the quality of one's life[B] limiting one's personal health choice[C] deliberately ending one's life[D] breaking the rules of social behavior5. According to Fries and Crapo sound health choice should be based on______.[A] personal decisions[B] society' s laws[C] statistical evidence ‘[D] friend s’ opinionsPassage TwoSomeday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the websites you've visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.In fa ct, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen - the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’simportant to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret. The key question is: Does that matter? For many Americans, the answer apparently is “no”.When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it.A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquits has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get theirhands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon.But privacy does matter—at least sometimes. It’s like health; when you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.6. What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked”(Lines 3, Para .2)[A] People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.[B] In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.[C] People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.[D] Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.7. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?[A] Friends should open their hearts to each other.[B] Friends should always be faithful to each other.[C] There should be a distance even between friends.[D] There should be fewer disputes between friends.8. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret" (Line 5,Para. 3)?[A] Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.[B] People leave traces around when using modern technology.[C] There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.[D] Many search engines profit by revealing people's identities.9. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?[A] They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.[B] They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.[C] They rely more and more on electronic devices.[D] They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.10. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that______.[A] people will make every effort to keep it[B] its importance is rarely understood[C] it is something that can easily be lost[D] people don’t cherish it until they lose itPassage ThreeSociologists and anthropologists who study prejudice emphasize sociocultural factors, examining the impact of society on the individual’s prejudice. For instance, the sociocultural approach suggests that such factors as the increasing urbanization and complexity of society, increasing population density, and the competition for scarce jobs between members of various ethnic groups operate in various ways to increase prejudice toward minority groups.Consider the specific example of increasing urbanization. Cities represent environments which are less than ideal in many respects; they are perceived by many as noisy, dirty, unsafe, and impersonal. According to some sociologists, people can blame the difficulties of urban life on the presence of a particular minority group, which is seen as symbolizing the problems of urbanization. In some cities today, for example, blacks and Puerto Ricans are blamed for the ills of the city; in the past it was the Jews; and before them, the Irish and members of earlier immigrant groups.Similar reasoning suggests that in times of high unemployment in which there is competition for few available jobs, prejudice will be directed toward members of minority groups whom majority group members believe are taking jobs away from them. This is particularly true in cases in which affirmative action goals require that certain minority groups be given extra consideration in hiring or in admission to educationalprograms. It would not be unreasonable to assume that societal factors such as these would ultimately increase prejudice on the part of people who feel they are being denied a resource that is "rightfully" theirs.One difficulty with the historical and sociocultural approaches to prejudice is that they do not explain why certain groups are more discriminated against than others, when almost all minority groups have suffered from exploitation at some point in the past. Moreover, prejudice exists when there are few historical, cultural, or economic reasons that can be identified. Still, it is clear that historical and sociocultural considerations must be taken into account when studying prejudice, as they provide at least part of the explanation for prejudice.11. We may infer that the author most probably discusses ______ in the previous paragraphs.[A] specific targets of prejudice[B] historical approaches to prejudice[C] political approaches to prejudice[D] racial discrimination12. Which of the following respects has NOT been mentioned in discussing prejudice?[A] Urban unemployment.[B] Urban population density.[C] Urban environmental protection.[D] Urban competition for jobs.13. According to the second paragraph, ______.[A] certain minority groups have always been criticized by majorities in the cities[B] Jews and Blacks are now often blamed as troublemakers in some cities[C] the problem of urbanization is caused by minority groups[D] urban life is noisy, dirty, and impersonal14. It is implied that if two people of equal ability, one is white, another is a member of a certainminority group, apply for a job, what most probably happen?[A] The white is more likely to be hired.[B] The white is more likely to be denied.[C] The white will give up the application.[D] The white will fly into fury.15. Which of the following phenomena concerning prejudice does NOT belong to socioculturalfactor?[A] The urbanization is on the fast track.[B] The population increases at a fast rate.[C] The competition for scarce job between members of various ethnic groups becomesfierce.[D] Some minority groups are more prejudiced than others.Passage FourDogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to obedience train it. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just aboutany problem. Training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do.Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of “come here, sit,” it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the dog pack by using extreme measures. You can teach your dog its subordinate role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge.Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.16. Behavior problems of dogs are believed to______.[A] worsen in modem society [B] occur when they go wild[C] be just part of their nature [D] present a threat to the community17. The primary purpose of obedience training is to______.[A] teach the dog to perform clever tricks[B] enable the dog to regain its normal behavior[C] make the dog aware of its owner's authority[D] provide the dog with outlets for its wild behavior18. Effective communication between a dog and its owner is______.[A] an extreme measure in obedience training[B] a good way to teach the dog new tricks[C] the foundation for dogs to perform tasks[D] essential to solving the dog's behavior problems19. Why do pet dogs love performing tricks for their masters?[A] To show their willingness to obey.[B] To show their affection for their masters.[C] To avoid being punished.[D] To win leadership of the dog pack.20. When a dog has received effective obedience training, its owner______.[A] will enjoy a better family life[B] can give the dog more freedom[C] can give the dog more rewards[D] will have more confidence in himselfPassage FiveEducators are seriously concerned about the high rate of dropouts among the doctor of philosophy candidates and the consequent loss of talent to a nation in need of Ph. D. s. Some have placed the dropouts loss as high as 50 percent. The extent of the loss was, however, largely a matter of expert guessing. Last week a well-rounded study was published. It was based on 22,000 questionnaires sent to former graduate students who were enrolled in 24 universities and it seemed to show many past fears to be groundless.The dropouts rate was found to be 31 percent, and in most cases the dropouts, while not completing the Ph. D. requirement, went on to productive work. They are not only doing well financially, but, according to the report, are not far below the income levels of those who went on to complete their doctorates.Discussing the study last week, Dr. Tucker sai d the project was initiated “because of the concern frequently expressed by graduate faculties and administrators that some of theindividuals who dropped out of Ph. D. programs were capable of completing the requirement for the degree. Attrition at the Ph. D. level is also thought to be a waste of precious faculty time and a drain on university resources already being used to capacity. Some people expressed the opinion that the shortage of highly trained specialists and college teachers could be reduce by persuading the dropout to return to graduate schools to complete the Ph. D.”“The results of our research” Dr. Tucker concluded, “did not sup port these opinions.”(1) Lack of motivation was the principal reason for dropping out.(2) Most dropouts went as far in their doctoral program as was consistent with their levels ofability or their specialties.(3) Most dropouts are now engaged in work consistent with their education and motivation.Nearly75 percent of the dropouts said there was no academic reason for their decision, but those who mentioned academic reason cited failure to pass the qualifying examination, uncompleted research and failure to pass language exams. Among the single most important personal reasons identified by dropouts for noncompletion of their Ph. D. program，lack of finances was marked by 19 percent.As an indication of how well the dropouts were doing, a chart showed 2% in humanities were receiving $ 20,000 and more annually while none of the Ph. D.’s with that background reached this figure. The Ph.D.'s shone in the $ 7,500 to $ 15,000 bracket with 78% at that level against 50%for the dropouts. This may also be an indication of the factthat top salaries in the academic fields, where Ph. D.’s tend to rise to the highest salaries, are still lagging behind other fields.As to the possibility of getting dropouts back on campus, the outlook was glum. The main condition which would have to prevail for at least 25% of the dropouts who might consider returning to graduate school would be to guarantee that they would retain their present level of income and in some cases their present job.21. The author states that many educators feel that[A] steps should be taken to get the dropouts back to campus.[B] the dropouts should return to a lower quality school to continue their study.[C] the Ph.D. holder is generally a better adjusted person than the dropout[D] the high dropout rate is largely attributable to the lack of stimulation on the part offaculty members.22. Research has shown that[A] dropouts arc substantially below Ph. D.’s in financial attainment.[B] the incentive factor is a minor one in regard to pursuing Ph. D. studies.[C] the Ph. D. candidate is likely to change his field of specialization if he drops out.[D] about one-third of those who start Ph. D. work do not complete the work to earn thedegree.23. Meeting foreign language requirements for the Ph. D.[A] is the most frequent reason for dropping out.[B] is more difficult for the science candidate than for the humanities candidate.[C] is an essential part of many Ph. D. programs.[D] does not vary in difficulty among universities.24. After reading the article, one would refrain from concluding that[A] optimism reigns in regard to getting Ph. D, dropouts to return to their pursuit of thedegree.[B] a Ph. D. dropout, by and large, does not have what it takes to learn the degree.[C] colleges and universities employ a substantial number of Ph. D. dropouts.[D] Ph. D.’s are not earning what they deserve in nonacademic positions.25. It can be inferred that the high rate of dropouts lies in[A] salary for Ph. D. too low. [B] academic requirement too high.[C] salary for dropouts too high. [D] 1,000 positions.Passage SixA folk culture is a small, isolated, cohesive, conservative, nearly self-sufficient group that is homogeneous in custom and race, with a strong family or clan structure and highly developed rituals. Order is maintained through sanctions based in the religion or family, and interpersonal relationships are strong. Tradition is paramount, and change comes infrequently and slowly. There is relatively little division of labor into specialized duties. Rather, each person is expected toperform a great variety of tasks, though duties may differ between the sexes. Most goods are handmade, and a subsistenceeconomy prevails. Individualism is weakly developed in folk cultures as are social classes. Unaltered folk cultures no longer exist in industrialized countries such as the Unite States and Canada. Perhaps the nearest modern equivalent in Anglo-American is the Amish, a German American farming sect that largely renounces the products and labor-saving devices of the Industrial age. In Amish areas, horse-drawn buggies still serve as a local transportation device, and the faithful are not permitted to own automobiles. The Amish's central religious concept of Demut, “humility”, clearly reflects the weakness of individualism and social classes so typical of folk cultures, and there is a corresponding strength of Amish group identity. Rarely do the Amish marry outside their sect The religion, a variety of the Mennonite faith, provides the principal mechanism for maintaining order.By contrast, a popular culture is a large heterogeneous group, often highly individualistic and constantly changing. Relationships tend to be impersonal, and a pronounced division of labor exists, leading to the establishment of many specialized professions. Secular institutions of control such as the police and army take the place of religion and family in maintaining order, and a money-based economy prevails. Because of these contrasts, “popular” may be viewed as clearly different from “folk’’.The popular is replacing the folk in industrialized countries and in many developing nations. Folk-made objects give way to their popular equivalent, usually because the popular item is more quickly or cheaply produce, is easier or time-saving to use, or lends more prestige to the owner.26. What does the passage mainly discuss?[A] Two decades in modern society.[B] The influence of industrial technology.[C] The characteristics of "folk" and “popular" societies.[D] The specialization of labor in Canada and the United27. Which of the following is typical of folk cultures?[A] There is a money-based economy.[B] Social change occurs slowly.[C] Contact with other cultures is encouraged.[D] Each person develops one specialized skill.28. What does the author imply about the United States and Canada?[A] They value folk cultures.[B] They have popular cultures.[C] They have no social classes.[D] They do not value individualism.29. What is the main source of order in Amish society?[A] The government. [B] The clan structure.[C] The economy. [D] The religion.30. What of the following statements about Amish beliefs does the passage support?[A] Various religious practices are tolerated.[B] Individualism and competition are important.[C] Pre-modem technology is preferred.[D] People are defined according to their class.Ⅱ. Vocabulary (10%; 0.5 mark each)31. They___ so tired if they___ for a whole day.[A] wouldn't feel, didn't walk [B] wouldn't feel, weren’t walking[C] wouldn't be feeling, weren't walking [D] wouldn't be feeling, hadn't been walking32. Nobody came to see me while 1 was out,___？[A] did they [B] didn't they[C] did she [D] didn't she33. We enjoyed the holiday___ the expense.[A] except [B] except for[C] besides [D] in addition to34. I hope you___ all the material before you make the final decision.[A] will have read [B] will be read[C] will be reading [D] would have read35. It would be wrong___that factor.[A] to not consider [B] not to consider[C] to consider not [D] to be considering36. The two scholars worked at the task of writing a preface to the new dictionary for threehours___last night[A] at length [B] in full[C] on end [D] in time37. The detective story might not be___ interesting to keep the child awake,[A] enough [B] adequately[C] amply ? [D] sufficiently38. The ____from the airport was really tiring because it was situated far from the city.[A] flight [B] travel[C] crossing [D] journey39. Did you notice the____ on the doctor's face when he heard that Kino had found the pearl ofthe world.[A] appearance [B] expression[C] description [D] look40. Dr. Meek wrote: “As is true with most animals, the wolf is an opportunist whilst the deer isone of the shyest___ animals in existence.”[A] savage [B] tame[C] wild [D] strange41. The conference___ a full week by the time it ends.[A] must have lasted [B] will have lasted[C] would last [D] has lasted42. Students or teachers can participate in excursions to lovely beaches around the island atregular___.[A] gaps [B] rate[C] length [D] intervals43. The new appointment of our president___ from the very beginning of nest semester.[A] takes effect [B] takes part[C] takes place [D] takes turns44. The president made a___ speech at the opening ceremony of the sports meeting, whichencouraged the sportsmen greatly.[A] vigorous [B] tedious[C] flat [D] harsh 、45. It is not easy to learn English well but if you___, you will succeed in the end.[A] hang up [B] hang about[C]hang on [D] hang onto46. The current general slackness of the market has prevented us from___ new orders with you.[A] placing [B] putting[C] arranging [D] providing47. He pointed out that the living standard of urban and___ people continued to improve.[A] remote [B] municipal[C] rural [D] provincial48. In the past, most foresters have been men, but today, the number of women ___this field isclimbing.[A] engaging [B] devoting[C] registering [D] pursuing49. It was felt that he lacked the___ to pursue a difficult task to the very end.[A] petition [B] engagement[C] commitment [D] qualification50. If you know what the trouble, why don't you help them to___ the situation?[A] simplify [B] modify[C] verify [D] rectifyIII. Cloze (10%; 0.5 mark each)One might predict that the easiest and fastest adjustment would be made by the flexible, tolerant person who had chosen to come to the new country and who had a job. Additionally, 5 1 , would be easier for someone whose culture and language are 5 2 to those of the new country. 5 3 , a person who has a lot of support 5 4 friends and family would probably adjust more quickly. Undoubtedly, in many 5 5 , these would be good predictors of a relatively smooth adjustment. However, sometimes there are surprises in peopl e’s cultural 5 6 to a new country.Some newcomers 5 7 a society do well in their first year ofcultural adjustment. 5 8 , they may have a more difficult time later. Perhaps they expected the second year to be 5 9 easy and successful as the first year, but are not prepared to deal with obstacles 6 0 arise during the second year. 6 1 who had problems from the beginning may 6 2 find the second year easier 6 3 they are used to solving problems. They expect difficulties and aren't surprised by them.There is yet another unpredictable variable in cultural adjustment Sometimes people come to a second 6 4 speaking the new language very well, but still do not have an easy adjustment. The newcomers think 6 5 because they have a good 6 6 of the language, they will not have much difficulty. 6 7 , if people think that the new country is very similarto their country of origin 6 8 , in fact, it is not, they may actually adapt more slowly. This is because the newcomers only imagine the similarity between the two cultures. Therefore they may 6 9 that differences exist. Cultural differences do not 7 0 , of course, just because a person denies that they exist51. [A] prediction [B] adjustment [C] adaptability [D] expectation52. [A] similar [B] new [C] superior [D] inferior53. [A] Particularly [B] Personally [C] Sometimes [D] Finally54. [A] from [B] in [C] of [D] on55. [A] occasions [B] cases [C] places [D] parts56. [A]adoption [B]application [C] adaptation [D]subjection57. [A] in [B]of [C]to [D] from58. [A] Moreover [B] However [C] Hence [D] Actually59. [A] so [B] as [C] more [D] very60. [A] when [B] of which [C] what [D] that61. [A] Those [B] Any [C] That [D]Some62. [A] really [B] always [C] typically [D] actually63. [A] when [B] what [C] because [D] due64. [A] culture [B] school [C] location [D] city65. [A] what [B] that [C] this [D]which66. [A] seize [B] grasp [C] snatch [D] thinking67. [A] However [B] In general [C] In fact [D] In addition68. [A] which [B] where [C] when [D] that69. [A] refuse [B] ignore [C] deny [D] neglect70. [A] go away [B] go off [C] get away [D] get offIV. Translation (30%):Part A (20%):Translate the following passage into Chinese:Some old people are troubled by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear they will be killed in a battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows and has done whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat ignoble. The best way to overcome it — so at least it seems to me ----is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly part of the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river----small at first narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grow wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become part of the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.Part B (10%):.Translate the following sentences into English:。

Passage 1The physical distribution of products has two primary aspects: transportation and storage. Both aspects are highly developed and specialized phases of marketing. The costs of both trans-porting and storing are built into the prices of products. Transportation can be by truck, rail-way, ship, or barge. For some items, such as exotic plants and flowers, or when rapid delivery is essential, air freight may be used.Storage, or warehousing, is a necessary function because production and consumption of goods rarely match: items generally are not sold as quickly as they are made. Inventories build up, both in warehouses and at retail establishments, before the foods are sold. The transporta-tion function is involved in bringing goods to a warehouse and taking them from it to retail stores.Storage performs the service of stabilizing market price. If, for example, no agricultural product could be stored, all food would have to be put on the market immediately. This would, of course, create a glut and lower prices drastically. There would be an immediate benefit to consumers, but in the long run they would suffer. Farmers, because of low prices, would be forced off the land, and the amount of food produced would decrease. This, in turn, would raise consumer prices.Warehouses for storage are of several types. Private warehouses are owned by manufactur-ers. Public warehouses, in spite of their name, are privately owned facilities, but they are in-dependent of manufacturer ownership. General-merchandise warehouses store a great variety of products. Cold-storage warehouses store perishable goods, especially food products. Grain ele-vators are a kind of warehouse used to keep wheat and other grains from spoiling. A bonded warehouse is one that stores foods, frequently imported, on which taxes must be paid before they are sold. Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are common examples.The distribution center is a more recently developed kind of warehouse. Many large com- panics have several manufacturing plants, sometimes located outside the country. Each plant does not make every company product but specializes in one or more of them. The distribution center allows a manufacturer to bring together all product lines in one place. Its purpose is to minimize storage and to ease the flow of goods from manufacturers to retailers rather than build up extensive inventories. It reduces costs by speeding up product turnover. Very large corporations will have several distribution centers regionally or internationally based1. The main subject of this passage is______.A) transportation and storage B) storage of productsC) distribution center D) two main aspects of product distribution2. Warehousing is important in that _A) inventories build up before the goods are soldB) the prices will go downC) more goods are produced than can be consumedD) the food has to be put on the market immediately3. How many types of warehouses for storage are discussed in the passage?A) 3. B) 4. C) 6. D) 7.4. Where might one find meat and milk?A) Grain elevator. B) Cold-storage warehouse.C) Private warehouse. D) Bonded warehouse.5. What is NOT true of a distribution center?A) It is a relatively new type of warehouse.B) Product is replaced more quickly and costs are down.C) Some distribution centers are not built in the sane country as the factoryD) It builds up extensive inventories to minimize storage.Passage 2How much pain do animals feel? This is a question which has caused endless controversy. Opponents of big game shooting, for example, arouse our pity by describing tile agonies of a badly-wounded beast that has crawled into a comer to die. In countries where the fox, the hare and the deer are hunted, animal-lovers paint harrowing pictures of the pursued animal suffering not only the physical distress of the chase but the mental anguish of anticipated death.The usual answer to these criticisms is that animals do not suffer in the same way, or to the same extent, as we de. Man was created with a delicate nervous system and has never lost his acute sensitiveness to pain; animals, on the other hand, had less sensitive systems to begin with and in the course of millions of years, have developed a capacity of ignoring injuries and disorders which human beings would find intolerable. For example, a dog will continue to play with a ball even after a serious injury to his foot; he may be unable to run without limping, but he will go on trying long after a human child would have had to stop because of the pain. We are told, moreover, that even when animals appear to us to be suffering acutely, this is not so; what seems to us to be agonized contortions caused by pain are in fact no more than muscular contractions over which they have no control.These arguments are unsatisfactory because something about which we know a great deal is being compared with something we can only conjecture. We know what we feel; we have no means of knowing what animals feet. Some creatures with a less delicate nervous system than ours may be incapable of feeling pain to the same extent as we do: that as far as we are entitled to do, the most humane attitude, surely, is to assume that no animals are entirely exempt from physical pain and that we ought, therefore, wherever possible, to avoid causing suffering even to the least of them.6. Animal-lovers assume that animals, being hunted, would suffer from ____.A) a great deal of agony both in body and in spiritB) mental distress once they are woundedC) only body pains without feeling sadD) crawling into the comer to die7. Supporters of game shooting may argue that animals ______.A) cannot control their muscular contractionsB) have developed a capacity of feeling no painC) are not as acutely sensitive as human beings to injuriesD) can endure all kinds of disorders8. The author feels sure that _____.A) animals don't show suffering to usB) dogs are more endurable than human childrenC) we cannot know what animals feelD) comparing animals with human beings is not appropriate9. What is the author's opinion about animal hunting?A) We should feel the same as the hunted animals do.B) We should protect and save all the animals.C) We shouldn't cause suffering to them.D) We should take care of them if we can.10. This passage seems to ____.A) argue for something B) explain somethingC) tell a story D) describe an objectPassage 3In science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that are related. A the-ory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed event could be produced. A good example of this is found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.A useful theory, in addition to explaining past observations, helps to predict events that have not as yet been observed. After a theory has been publicized, scientists design experi-merits to test the theory. If observations confirm the scientists' predictions, the theory is sup-ported. If observations do not confirm the predictions, the scientists must search further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.Science involves imagination and creative thinking as well as collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: "Science is built with facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile of bricks can be called a house."Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes to the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions to the problem areformulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.In a way, any hypothesis is a leap into the unknown. It extends the scientist's thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, and makes ob-servations to test hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose and direction. When hypotheses are confirmed, they are incorporated into theories.11. The word "this" in the 3rd sentence in paragraph 1 refers to ______.A) a good example B) an imaginary modelC) the kinetic molecular theory D) an observed event12. Bricks are mentioned in the 3rd paragraph to indicate how ____.A) mathematicians approach scienceB) building a house is like performing experimentsC) science is more than a collection of factsD) scientific experiments have led to improved technology13. In the last paragraph, the author refers to a hypothesis as "a leap into the unknown" in or- der to show that hypotheses ______.A) are sometimes ill-conceived B) can lead to dangerous resultsC) go beyond available facts D) require effort to formulate14. What is a major function of hypotheses as implied in the last paragraph7A) Sifting through known facts.B) Communicating a scientist's thoughts to others.C) Providing direction for scientific research.D) Linking together different theories.15. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?A) Theories are simply imaginary models of past events.B) It is better to revise a hypothesis than to reject it.C) A scientist's most difficult task is testing hypotheses.D) A good scientist needs to be creative.文章大意：这篇文章从定义、作用及产生过程几方面阐述了科学理论。

2015西南交通大学考博英语阅读理解：熟词生义需特别注意考博英语作为一种较高水平考试，而一般一个单词只有几种基本词义和基本用法，就要求考生全面了解每个词的词义和用法，考生特别注意熟词生义的情况。

熟词生义指那些考生以前学习过的熟词，这类词的某些词义我们已经掌握，但在考博词汇大纲中，它们又有一些新的意义，对于这些新的意义，也是命题人最偏爱的考点。

联系我们扣扣：四九三三七一六二六。

电话：四零零六六八六九七八一、警惕熟词生义熟词生义指那些我们以前学习过的熟词，这类词的某些词义我们已经掌握，但在考博词汇大纲中，它们又有一些新的意义，如book(预定)，change(找头)，second(赞成、附和)，school(学派)等等。

对于这些新的意义，我们一定要高度重视，因为这些是命题人最偏爱的考点。

大家要特别注意音形义近辨析的情况。

考博英语词汇中有很多音形义相近的情况，如果不仔细辨析，往往会造成混淆。

如：respectable(值得尊敬的，有好名声的)，respectful(尊敬他人的、恭敬的)，Respective(单个的、分别的)，就是一级音形义近词。

在考博汇复习中，一味孤立地背记某个词的词义是远远不够的，只有经常进行音、形、义近词辨析的工作，才能更准确更牢固地掌握每个词的意思。

二、掌握词根背单词英语中绝大部分词都是由词根加前缀或后缀组成的，而词根都是从原拉丁文演变过来的，这些拉丁词根的数量是极有限的，因此，我们只要掌握了这些词根，需要看似很难的单词就很容易记了。

如我们知道di表示“两个，双”，那么dichromatic两色的(di+chrom颜色+atic→两色的)、dioxide 二氧化物(di+ox氧+ide→二氧化物)、dilemma进退两难(di+lemma争论→二种争论→进退两难)就很好记忆了。

在研究生英语考试中，出题人往往偏爱于使用许多熟词的派生词形式，这一点要引起大家的足够重视。

另外要想掌握单词就要把它变成自己的，建议在背比较重要的单词时，用自己的语言或单词书的例句造句，最好是直接写进自己的作文，每篇作文至少用上5个自己刚刚掌握的重要单词，这样的记忆会比较牢固。

2015年博士生入学考试外语真题中国社会科学院研究生院2015年攻读博士学位研究生入学考试试卷英语2015年3月14 日8:30 – 11:30PART I: Vocabulary and GrammarSection A (10 points)Directions: Choose the answer that best fills in the blank.1. Even the president is not really the CEO. No one is. Power in a corporation is concentrated and vertically structured. Power in Washington is ______________ and horizontally spread out.a. prudentb. reversiblec. diffused. mandatory2. In describing the Indians of the various sections of the United States at different stages in their history, some of the factors which account for their similarity amid difference can be readily accounted for, others are difficult to _______________.a. refineb. discernc. embedd. cluster3. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by T ony Blair, wasdesigned to give the other members of the club a bigger ______________ and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.a. sayb. transmissionc. decayd. contention4. It can hardly be denied the proliferation of so-called dirty books and films has, to date, reached almost a saturation point. People do not acknowledge the _______________ fact that children are bound to be exposed to ―dirty words‖in a myriad of ways other than through the public airwaves.a.i rrefutableb. concretec. inevitabled. haphazard5. A condition is an essential term of the contract. If a contract is not performed, it may constitute a substantial breach of contract and allow the other party to _______________ the contract, that is, treat the contract as discharged or terminated.a. repudiateb. spurnc. declined. halt6. Each of us shares with the community in which we live a store of words as well as agreed conventions ______________ these words should be arranged to convey a particular message. a. as the way by which b. by the way in whichc. as to the way in whichd. in the way of which7. Rarely ______________ a technological development _______________ an impact on many aspects of social, economic, and cultural development as greatly as the growth of electronics.a. has… hadb. had…hadc. has…hasd. have…had8. If early humans ______________ as much as they did, they probably ______________ to evolve into different species.a. did not move and intermingle…would continueb. would not move and intermingle…had continuedc. had not moved and intermingled…would have continuedd. were not to move and intermingle…could have continued9. It was ______________ the last time around the track ______________ I really kicked itin--passing the gossiping girlfriends, blocking out the whistles of boys who had already completed their run and now were hanging out on the grassy hill, I ran--pushing hard, breathing shallowly, knowing full well that I was going to have to hear about it from my disapproving friends for the next few days.a. not until…whenb. not until…thatc. until…whend. until…that10．One impediment ______________ the general use of a standard in pronunciation is the fact ______________ pronunciation is learnt naturally and unconsciously, while orthography is learnt deliberately and consciously.a. in…whichb. of …in whichc. on…thatd. to…thatSection B (5 points)Directions: Choose the word that is the closest in meaning with the underlined word.11. It is some 15 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims swept up in a tumultuous shuffle of citizensbetween India and Pakistan after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.a. divisionb. turmoilc. fusiond. consolidation12. Concerning speculation, philosophy looks upon things from the broadest possible perspective;for criticism, it has the twofold role of questioning and judging everything that pertains either to the foundations or to the superstructure of human thinking.a. inebriatesb. forsakesc. relatesd. emaciates13. Meeting is, in fact, a necessary though not necessarily productive psychological side show.Perhaps it is our civilized way to moderating，if not preventing, change.a. promotingb. impedingc. temperingd. arresting14. The truth about alliances and their merit probably lies somewhere between the travel utopiapresented by the players and the evil empires portrayed bytheir critics.a. collaborationb. worthc. triumphd. defect15. But Naifeh and Smith reveal a keen intellect, an avid reader and a passionate observer of otherartists’ work who progressed from labored figure studies to inspir ed outbursts of creative energy.Far from an artistic flash in the pan, he pursued his calling with dogged determination against nearly insurmountable odds.a. insuperableb. unsurpassablec. uncountabled. invaluableSection C (5 points)Directions: Choose the letter that indicates the error in the sentence.16.One of the most important non-legislative functions of the U.S. Congress is the power toinvestigate, which is usually delegated to committees—either standing committees, specialA Bcommittees set for a specific purpose, or joint committees consisting of members of bothC Dhouses.17.One of the important corollaries to the investigative power is the power to publicizeinvestigations and their results. Most committee hearings areopen to public and are reportedA Bwidely in the mass media. Congressional investigations thus represent one important toolCavailable to lawmakers to inform the citizenry and to arouse public interest in national issues.D18.It is not a voice we recognize at once, whereas our own handwriting is something which weA Balmost always know. We begin the natural learning of pronunciation long before we start Clearning to read or write, and in our early years we go on unconsciously imitating andDpracticing the pronunciation of those around us for many hours everyday.19. It had happened too often that the farmers sold their wheat soon after harvest when farm debtsAwere coming due, only to see prices rising and speculators getting rich. On various occasions,Bproducer groups, asked firmer control, but the government had no wish to become involved, atCleast not until wartime when wheat prices threatened to run wild.D20.Detailed studies of the tribe by the food scientists at the University of London showed thatAgathering is a more productive source of food than is hunting. An hour of hunting yields onB Caverage about 100 edible calories as an hour of gathering produces 240.DPART II: Reading comprehension (30 points)Directions: Choose the best answers based on the information in the passages below. Passage 1Plato’s Republic has been the source of great consternation, especially in literary circles, for itsattack on the poets. Socrates in fact asserts that they should have no place in the ideal state. Eric Havelock suggests that there are several misunderstandings in this regard, and in his Preface to Plato he identifies the issues, explains the historical context.Havelock opens his discussion by suggesting that the very title of the Republic is the source of much confusion. The book is commonly understood to be a treatise on the ideal political entity, but even a casual analysis will show that only one-third of the text is concerned with statecraft. The other two-thirds cover a variety of su bjects, but the thrust of Plato’s argument amounts to an attack on the traditional Greek approach to education.The educational methods still in use in the 4th century BC had their origins in what has been called the Greek Dark Age beginning around 1200 BC when the Mycenaean era collapsed. Very little is known about the whys and wherefores of this collapse, but it wasn’t until around 700 BC that the Phoenicianalphabet began to be adapted and used in the Greek-speaking world. During the intervening centuries, all knowledge concerning Greek history, culture, mores and laws were orally transmitted down through the generations. The most effective device in aid of memorizing vast amounts of information was rhyme. The epic form we see in Homer’s Iliad grew out of the need to preserve the Greek cultural memory. Havelock takes the reader through Book 1 of The Iliad and dissects it in detail to show how this cultural, historical and ethical heritage was conveyed. The Iliad takes on new and significant meaning to the reader of this minute examination.The Iliad and presumably other poetic vehicles were taught to children from an early age. The whole of the Greek-speaking world was immersed in the project of memorizing, and out of the masses arose those individuals with superior memories and theatrical skills who became the next generation of minstrels and teachers. Education was thus comprised of memorization and rote learning, and the people enjoyed constant reminders through public readings and festivals.Plato’s focus in the Republic and elsewhere is on Homer and Hesiod and to some extent the dramatists which at the time were the centerpieces of the educational regime. Their works presented gods and heroes as fundamentally immoral and thus bad examples for youth. The overall result is that the Greek adolescent is continually conditioned to an attitude which at bottom is cynical. It is more important to keep up appearances than to practice the reality. Decorum and decent behavior are not obviously violated, but the inner principle of morality is. Once the Republic is viewed as a critique of the educational regime, Havelock says that the logic of its total organization becomesclear.What Pl ato was railing against was an ―oral state of mind‖ which seems to have persisted even though the alphabet and written documentation had been in use for three centuries. Illiteracy was thus stil l a widespread problem in Plato’s time, and the poetic state of mind was the main obstacle to scientific rationalism and analysis. This is why Plato regarded the poetic or oral state of mind as the arch-enemy. In his teachings he did the opposite. He ask ed his students to ―think about what they were sa ying instead of just saying it.‖The epic had become, in Plato’s view, not ―an act of creation bu t an act of reminder and recall‖ and cont ributed to what Havelock terms ―the Homeric state of mind.‖It was So crates’project (and by extension Plato’s) to reform Greek education to encourage thinking and analysis. Thus all the ranting and railing about the ―poets‖ in Plato’s Republic was limited basically to Homer and Hesiod because of what he viewed as a wholly inadequate approach to education of which these particular poets were an integral part.Unfortunately, Western culture has misconstrued wh at Plato and Socrates meant by ―the poets.‖And because we view poetry as a highly creative and elevated form of expression, our critics have failed to recognize that Plato’s diatribe had a very specific and limited target which had nothing to do with high-minded creativity, of which there is plenty, by the way, in the proscribed poet s. It wasn’t really the poets who were the problem; it was the use of them that was deemed unacceptable.Post-Havelock, we can now read the Republic with the scales lifted from our eyes and see it for what it really was: an indictment of an antiquated educational regime which had no place in a democratic society.Comprehension Questions:21. The mistaken understanding of Plato's Republic consists in the widespread belief that it consistsof _______________.a.literary criticismb. a treatise on the ideal polityc. a critique of rationalismd. an indictment of an obsolete pedagogy22. According to Havelock, Plato’s anger with the poets arose from:I: Their representation of gods and heroes as fundamentally immoral and thus bad examples for youth.II: Their transmission of culture, mores and laws.a. I.b. II.c. Both I and II.d. Neither I nor II.23. Prior to the 4th century BC, recitation was considered the best educational method because______________.a.poetry was seen as a highly creative and elevated form of expressionb.rhyme was the most effective device in aid of memorizing vast amounts of informationc.there was no writing systemd.the people enjoyed constant reminders through public readings and festivals24. In Plato's diatribe the poetic or oral state of mind is the arch-enemy of _______________.a.democratic societyb. the Mycenaean Republicc .the Phoenicians d. literacy25. A common critique of the present-day Chinese educational system resembles the educationalsystem that Plato fulminated against in that it often _______________.a.asks students to think about what they were saying instead of just saying it/doc/8e18884558.htmlprises of memorization and rote learningc.has a very specific and limited targetd.encourages thinking and analysisPassage 2To govern is to choose how the revenue raised from taxes is spent. So far so good, or bad. But some people earn more money than others. Should they pay proportionately more money to the government than those who earn less? And if they do pay more money are they entitled to more services than those who pay less or those who pay nothing at all? And should those who pay nothing at all because they have nothing get anything? These matters are of irritable concern to ourrulers, and of some poignancy to the rest.Although the equality of each citizen before the law is the rock upon which the American Constitution rests, economic equality has never been an American ideal. In fact, it is the one unmentionable subject in our politics, as the senator from South Dakota recently discovered when he came up with a few quasi-egalitarian tax reforms. The furious and enduring terror of Communism in America is not entirely the work of those early cold warriors Truman and Acheson.A dislike of economic equality is something deep-grained in the American Protestant character. After all, given a rich empty continent for vigorous Europeans to exploit (the Indians were simply a disagreeable part of the emptiness, like chiggers), any man of gumption could make himself a good living. With extra hard work, any man could make himself a fortune, proving that he was a better man than the rest. Long before Darwin the American ethos was Darwinian.The vision of the rich empty continent is still a part of the American unconscious in spite of the Great Crowding and its attendant miseries; and this lingering belief in the heaven any man can make for himself through hard work and clean living is a key to the majority’s prevailing and apparently unalterable hatred of the poor, kept out of sight at home, out of mind abroad.Yet there has been, from the beginning, a significant division in our ruling class. The early Thomas Jefferson had a dream: a society of honest yeomen, engaged in agricultural pursuits, without large cities, heavy industry, banks, military pretensions. The early (and the late) Alexander Hamilton wanted industry, banks, cities, and a military force capable of making itself felt in world politics. It is a nice irony that so many of toda y’s laissez-faire conservatives think that they descend from Hamilton, the proponent of a strong federal government, and that so many liberals believe themselves to be the heirs of the early Jefferson, who wanted little more than a police force and a judiciary. Always practical, Jefferson knew that certain men would rise through their own good efforts while, sadly, others would fall. Government would do no more than observe this Darwinian spectacle benignly, and provide no succor.In 1800 the Hamiltonian view was rejected by the people andtheir new President Thomas Jefferson. Four years later, the Hamiltonian view had prevailed and was endorsed by the reelected Jefferson. Between 1800 and 1805 Jefferson had seen to it that an empire in posse had become an empire in esse. The difference between Jefferson I and Jefferson II is reflected in the two inaugural addresses.It is significant that nothing more elevated than greed changed the Dr. Jekyll of Jefferson I into the Mr. Hyde of Jefferson II. Like his less thoughtful countrymen, Jefferson could not resist a deal. Subverting the Constitution he had helped create, Jefferson bought Louisiana from Napoleon, acquiring its citizens without their consents. The author of the Declaration of Independence was quite able to forget the unalienable rights of anyone whose property he thought should be joined to our empire—a word which crops up frequently and unselfconsciously in his correspondence.In the course of land-grabbing, Jefferson II managed to get himself into hot water with France, England, and Spain simultaneously, a fairly astonishing thing to do considering the state of politics in Napoleonic Europe.Comprehension Questions:26. The author believes that Americans ________________.a. still believe America to be largely unpopulatedb. largely believe in lower taxationc. are in favor of taxation without representationd. should reconsider the Louisiana purchase27. From the passage, we may assume that the senator from South Dakota _______________.a. opposed tax reformb. was Thomas Jeffersonc. failed in his attempt to reform tax lawd. was Alexander Hamilton28. Jefferson made it possible for ________________.a. a potential empire to become a real oneb. tax laws to reflect the will of the peoplec. France, England, and Spain to simultaneously vacillate upon their mutual feelings towardsthe United States.d. Darwinian social theories to be accepted without question29. Jefferson’s early political writings espoused what would today b e called _______________.a. collectivismb. libertarianismc. socialismd. liberalism30. The author holds that Jefferson’s purchase of the Louisiana territories _______________.a. may be seen as a hypocritical actb. rigorously held with his previous views of inalienable rightsc. cannot be seen as an act of empire-expansiond. was an act meant to lower taxes and improve the wealth of the nationPassage 3If, besides the accomplishments of being witty and ill-natured, a man is vicious into the bargain, he is one of the most mischievous creatures that can enter into a civil society. His satire will then chiefly fall upon those who ought to be the most exempt from it. Virtue, merit, and everything that is praiseworthy, will be made the subject of ridicule and buffoonery. It is impossible to enumerate the evils which arise from these arrowsthat fly in the dark; and I know no other excuse that is or can be made for them, than that the wounds they give are only imaginary, and produce nothing more than a secret shame or sorrow in the mind of the suffering person. It must indeed be confessed that a lampoon or a satire do not carry in them robbery or murder; but at the same time, how many are there that would not rather lose a considerable sum of money, or even life itself, than be set up as a mark of infamy and derision? And in this case a man should consider that an injury is not to be measured by the notions of him that gives, but of him that receives it. Those who can put the best countenance upon the outrages of this nature which are offered them, are not without their secret anguish. I have often observed a passage in Socrates’ behavio r at his death in a light wherein none of the critics have considered it. That excellent man entertaining his friends a little before he drank the bowl of poison, with a discourse on the immortality of the soul, at his entering upon it says that he does not believe any the most comic genius can censure him for talking upon such a subject at such at a time. This passage, I think, evidently glances upon Aristophanes, who write a comedy on purpose to ridicule the discourses of that divine philosopher. It has been observed by many writers that Socrates was so little moved at this piece of buffoonery, that he was several times present at its being acted upon the stage, and never expressed the least resentment of it. But, with submission, I think the remark I have here made shows us that this unworthy treatment made an impression uponhis mind, though he had been too wise to discover it. When Julius Caesar was lampooned by Catullus, he invited him to a supper, and treated him with such a generous civility, that hemade the poet his friend ever after. Cardinal Mazarine gave the same kind of treatment to the learned Quillet, who had reflected upon his eminence in a famous Latin poem. The cardinal sent for him, and, after some kind expostulations upon what he had written, assured him of his esteem, and dismissed him with a promise of the next good abbey that should fall, which he accordingly conferred upon him in a few months after. This had so good an effect upon the author, that he dedicated the second edition of his book to the cardinal, after having expunged the passages which had given him offence. Though in the various examples which I have here drawn together, these several great men behaved themselves very differently towards the wits of the age who had reproached them, they all of them plainly showed that they were very sensible of their reproaches, and consequently that they received them as very great injuries. For my own part, I would never trust a man that I thought was capable of giving these secret wounds; and cannot but think that he would hurt the person, whose reputation he thus assaults, in his body or in his fortune, could he do it with the same security. There is indeed something very barbarous and inhuman in the ordinary scribblers of lampoons. I have indeed heard of heedless, inconsiderate writers that, without any malice, have sacrificed the reputation of their friends and acquaintance to a certain levity of temper, and a silly ambition of distinguishing themselves by a spirit of raillery and satire; as if it were not infinitely more honourable to be a good-natured man than a wit. Where there is this little petulant humor in an author, he is often very mischievous without designing to be so.Comprehension Questions:31. According to the author, those who want to trivializesatire tend to suggest that_______________.a. the damage is immaterialb. the effect is mere buffooneryc. wit is a streak of geniusd. the mischief must be taken in a spirit of raillery32. What would be the best strategy for the object of satire to adopt, according to the author?a. To take no heed.b. To placate the author.c. To take offence.d. To suffer the consequences.33. The main purpose of this article is ________________.a. the derision of the perpetrators of satireb. a warning against mischievous scribblersc. creating understanding of the genred. reproaching fellow satirists34. When the author speaks of ―this little petulant humor‖it is evident that he means________________.a. good-natured witb. the choleric temperc. a silly ambitiond. submission35. In view of the opinion of the author, it is unlikely that the author is a ________________.a. man of lettersb. satiristc. witd. a good-natured man Passage 4Alexander the Great’s conquests in the Eastern Mediterranean initiated a series of profound cultural transformations in the ancient centers of urban civilization of the Fertile Crescent. The final destruction of native rule and the imposition of an alien elite culture instigated a cultural discourse—Hellenism—which irrevocably marked all participants, both conquerors and conquered. This discourse was particularly characterized by a transformation of indigenous cultural traditions, necessitated by their need to negotiate their place in a new social order. As Bowerstock has argued, the process of Hellenization did not accomplish the wholesale replacement of indigenous cultural traditions with Greek civilization. Instead, it provided a new cultural vocabulary through which much pre-existing cultural tradition was often able to find new expression. This phenomenon is especially intriguing as it relates to language and literacy. The ancient civilizations of the Syro-Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultural spheres were, of course, literate, possessing indigenous literary traditions already of great antiquity at the time of the Macedonian conquests. The disenfranchisement of traditional elites by the imposition of Greek rule had the related effect of displacing many of the traditional social structures where in indigenous literacy functioned and was taught—in particular, the institutions of the palace and the temple. A new language of power, Greek, replaced the traditional language of these institutions. This had the unavoidable effect of displacing the traditional writing systems associated with these indigenous languages. Traditional literacy’s longstanding association with the centers of social and political authority began to be eroded.Naturally, the eclipse of traditional, indigenous literacy did not occur overnight. The decline of Cuneiform and Hieroglyphicliteracies was a lengthy process. Nor was the nature of their respective declines identical. Akkadian, the ancient language of Mesopotamian court and temple culture, vanished forever, along with cuneiform writing, in the first century CE. Egyptian lived on beyond the disappearance of hieroglyphic in the fourth century CE in the guise of Coptic, to succumb as a living, spoken language of daily social intercourse only after the Islamic conquest of Egypt. Even then, Coptic survives to this day as the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church. This latter point draws attention to an aspect of the decline of these indigenous literacies worthy of note: it is in the sphere of religion that these literacies are often preserved longest, after they have been superseded in palace circles—the last dated cuneiform text we have is an astrological text; the last dated hieroglyphic text a votive graffito. This should cause little surprise. The sphere of religion is generally one of the most conservative of cultural subsystems. The local need to negotiate the necessities of daily life and individual and collective identity embodied in traditional religious structures is slow to change and exists in ongoing dialogue with the more readily changeable royal and/or state ideologies that bind various locales together in an institutional framework.The process of ―Hellenization‖ of the an cient cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean provides us, then, with an opportunity to observe the on-going effect on traditional, indigenous literacy of the imposition of a new status language possessed of its own distinct writing system. The cultural politics of written and spoken language-use in such contexts has been much discussed and it is clear that the processes leading to the adoption of a new language—in written form, or spoken form, or both—in some cultural spheres and the retention of traditional languages inothers are complex. Factors including the imposition of a new language from above, adoption of a new language of social prestige from below, as well as preservation of older idioms of traditional statusin core cultural institutions, must have affected different sectors of a conquered society in different fashions and at different rates.Comprehension Questions:36. The languages that have to some extent managed to survive Hellenization did so in what area?a. In palace circles.b. In governmental institutions.c. In the religious sphere.d. In philological circles.37. Which aspect of society, according to the passage, is one of the most resistant to change?a. Monarchical institutions.b. Religious institutions.c. Linguistic norms.d. State ideologies.38. In the first paragraph, you saw the underlined word disenfranchisement. Choose, among thefollowing expressions, the closest in similar meaning.a. the removal of power, right and/or privilegeb. a strong sense of disappointmentc. the prohibition of the right to conduct businessd. the loss of social position39. Who was the leader of the Macedonian Conquest?a. King Philip of Macedon.b. Pericles of Athens.。

攻读博士学位考博英语阅读理解习题资料Unit OnePassage 1The physical distribution of products has two primary aspects: transportation and storage. Both aspects are highly developed and specialized phases of marketing. The costs of both trans-porting and storing are built into the prices of products. Transportation can be by truck, rail-way, ship, or barge. For some items, such as exotic plants and flowers, or when rapid delivery is essential, air freight may be used.Storage, or warehousing, is a necessary function because production and consumption of goods rarely match: items generally are not sold as quickly as they are made. Inventories build up, both in warehouses and at retail establishments, before the foods are sold. The transporta-tion function is involved in bringing goods to a warehouse and taking them from it to retail stores.Storage performs the service of stabilizing market price. If, for example, no agricultural product could be stored, all food would have to be put on the market immediately. This would, of course, create a glut and lower prices drastically. There would be an immediate benefit to consumers, but in the long run they would suffer. Farmers, because of low prices, would be forced off the land, and the amount of food produced would decrease. This, in turn, would raise consumer prices.Warehouses for storage are of several types. Private warehouses are owned by manufactur-ers. Public warehouses, in spite of their name, are privately owned facilities, but they are in-dependent of manufacturer ownership. General-merchandise warehouses store a great variety of products. Cold-storage warehouses store perishable goods, especially food products. Grain ele-vators are a kind of warehouse used to keep wheat and other grains from spoiling. A bonded warehouse is one that stores foods, frequently imported, on which taxes must be paid before they are sold. Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are common examples.The distribution center is a more recently developed kind of warehouse. Many large com- panics have several manufacturing plants, sometimes located outside the country. Each plant does not make every company product but specializes in one or more of them. The distribution center allows a manufacturer to bring together all product lines in one place. Its purpose is to minimize storage and to ease the flow of goods from manufacturers to retailers rather than build up extensive inventories. It reduces costs by speeding up product turnover. Very large corporations will have several distribution centers regionally or internationally based1. The main subject of this passage is______.A) transportation and storage B) storage of productsC) distribution center D) two main aspects of product distribution2. Warehousing is important in that _A) inventories build up before the goods are soldB) the prices will go downC) more goods are produced than can be consumedD) the food has to be put on the market immediately3. How many types of warehouses for storage are discussed in the passage?A) 3. B) 4. C) 6. D) 7.4. Where might one find meat and milk?A) Grain elevator. B) Cold-storage warehouse.C) Private warehouse. D) Bonded warehouse.5. What is NOT true of a distribution center?A) It is a relatively new type of warehouse.B) Product is replaced more quickly and costs are down.C) Some distribution centers are not built in the sane country as the factoryD) It builds up extensive inventories to minimize storage.Passage 2How much pain do animals feel? This is a question which has caused endless controversy. Opponents of big game shooting, for example, arouse our pity by describing tile agonies of a badly-wounded beast that has crawled into a comer to die. In countries where the fox, the hare and the deer are hunted, animal-lovers paint harrowing pictures of the pursued animal suffering not only the physical distress of the chase but the mental anguish of anticipated death.The usual answer to these criticisms is that animals do not suffer in the same way, or to the same extent, as we de. Man was created with a delicate nervous system and has never lost his acute sensitiveness to pain; animals, on the other hand, had less sensitive systems to begin with and in the course of millions of years, have developed a capacity of ignoring injuries and disorders which human beings would find intolerable. For example, a dog will continue to play with a ball even after a serious injury to his foot; he may be unable to run without limping, but he will go on trying long after a human child would have had to stop because of the pain. We are told, moreover, that even when animals appear to us to be suffering acutely, this is not so; what seems to us to be agonized contortions caused by pain are in fact no more than muscular contractions over which they have no control.These arguments are unsatisfactory because something about which we know a great deal is being compared with something we can only conjecture. We know what we feel; we have no means of knowing what animals feet. Some creatures with a less delicate nervous system than ours may be incapable of feeling pain to the same extent as we do: that as far as we are entitled to do, the most humane attitude, surely, is to assume that no animals are entirely exempt from physical pain and that we ought, therefore, wherever possible, to avoid causing suffering even to the least of them.6. Animal-lovers assume that animals, being hunted, would suffer from ____.A) a great deal of agony both in body and in spiritB) mental distress once they are woundedC) only body pains without feeling sadD) crawling into the comer to die7. Supporters of game shooting may argue that animals ______.A) cannot control their muscular contractionsB) have developed a capacity of feeling no painC) are not as acutely sensitive as human beings to injuriesD) can endure all kinds of disorders8. The author feels sure that _____.A) animals don't show suffering to usB) dogs are more endurable than human childrenC) we cannot know what animals feelD) comparing animals with human beings is not appropriate9. What is the author's opinion about animal hunting?A) We should feel the same as the hunted animals do.B) We should protect and save all the animals.C) We shouldn't cause suffering to them.D) We should take care of them if we can.10. This passage seems to ____.A) argue for something B) explain somethingC) tell a story D) describe an objectPassage 3In science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that are related. A the-ory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed event could be produced. A good example of this is found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.A useful theory, in addition to explaining past observations, helps to predict events that have not as yet been observed. After a theory has been publicized, scientists design experi-merits to test the theory. If observations confirm the scientists' predictions, the theory is sup-ported. If observations do not confirm the predictions, the scientists must search further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.Science involves imagination and creative thinking as well as collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: "Science is built with facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile of bricks can be called a house."Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learnedabout a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes to the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions to the problem areformulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.In a way, any hypothesis is a leap into the unknown. It extends the scientist's thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, and makes ob-servations to test hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose and direction. When hypotheses are confirmed, they are incorporated into theories.11. The word "this" in the 3rd sentence in paragraph 1 refers to ______.A) a good example B) an imaginary modelC) the kinetic molecular theory D) an observed event12. Bricks are mentioned in the 3rd paragraph to indicate how ____.A) mathematicians approach scienceB) building a house is like performing experimentsC) science is more than a collection of factsD) scientific experiments have led to improved technology13. In the last paragraph, the author refers to a hypothesis as "a leap into the unknown" in or- der to show that hypotheses ______.A) are sometimes ill-conceived B) can lead to dangerous resultsC) go beyond available facts D) require effort to formulate14. What is a major function of hypotheses as implied in the last paragraph7A) Sifting through known facts.B) Communicating a scientist's thoughts to others.C) Providing direction for scientific research.D) Linking together different theories.15. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?A) Theories are simply imaginary models of past events.B) It is better to revise a hypothesis than to reject it.C) A scientist's most difficult task is testing hypotheses.D) A good scientist needs to be creative.B) Education systems need to be radically reformed.C) Going to school is only part of how people become educated.D) Education involves many years of professional training.20. The passage is organized by ___A) listing and discussing several educational problemsB) contrasting the meanings of two related conceptsC) narrating a story about excellent teachersD) giving examples of different kinds of schoolsPassage 5The phrase "civil disobedience" is usually attributed to the nineteenth-century American philosopher Henry David Thoreau. Although the concept is unquestionably much older (its rootslie in ancient Greek philosophy), the designation is nonetheless telling: people tend to credit Thoreau, an American, with the idea because civil disobedience, is a hallmark of American eth- ics and politics. The clash between the dictates of individual conscience on one hand, and the imperatives of civil law on the other, forms much of this country's history. Examples range from the incidents leading up to the Revolution through the many social protests of the 1960'S.What constitutes an act of civil disobedience? First, an act of civil disobedience requires a formal legal structure that is enforced by the government. Second, it requires as its target a specific law or policy, rather than the entire legal system. This is true even if the protester's ul- timate goal is to alter radically the legal system; an act of civil disobedience must be directed against one concrete example of that system's inequities. The American civil rights movement, for example, first targeted discrimination on public transportation, then used its victories as a springboard to address other injustices. Third, the act must be done publicly, because the ef- fectiveness of such a protest depends on its ability to mobilize public sentiment against the protest's target. Finally, those protesting must understand the penalties their acts entail--us-ually jailing--and be willing to accept those penalties. This last requirement strengthens the act's effect on public opinion, since it serves to underscore the injustice of the protest's target.21. The word "telling" in the 2nd sentence in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.A) inappropriate B) revealing C) insignificant D) challenging22. In the passage, the author mentions that the civil rights movement _______.A) focused its early efforts on public transportationB) did not always practice civil disobedienceC) started in nineteenth centuryD) used the Revolution of 1776 as its model23. According to the passage, for which of the following reasons should civil protests be donepublicly?A) To alter the legal system in radical way.B) To uphold the imperatives of civil law.C) To stimulate public support for a cause.D) To announce the success of a previous act of civil disobedience.24. The author suggests that when protesters go to jail _______.A) it helps convince the public to support their causeB) they usually do so unwillinglyC) it is because their protest has not gone according to planD) they are always released almost immediately25. In the 2nd paragraph, the author ________.A) argues that civil disobedience is unnecessaryB) provides an extensive history of civil disobedienceC) presents several differing viewpoints on civil disobedienceD) defines the concept of civil disobediencePassage 6In taking up a new life across the Atlantic, the early European settlers of the United States did not abandon the diversions with which their ancestors had traditionally relieved the tedium of life. Neither the harshness of existence on the new continent nor the scattered population nor the disapproval of the clergy discouraged the majority from the pursuit of pleasure.City and country dwellers, of course, conducted this pursuit in different ways. Farm dwellers in their isolation not only found it harder to locate companions in play but also, thanks to the unending demands and pressures of their work, felt it necessary to combine fun with purpose. No other set of colonists took so seriously an expression of the period, "Leisure is time for doing something useful." In the countryside farmers therefore relieved the burden of the daily routine with such double-purpose relaxations as hunting, fishing, and trapping. When a neighbor needed help, families rallied from miles around to assist in building a house or barn, husking corn, shearing sheep, or chopping wood. Food, drink, and celebration after the group workprovided relaxation and soothed weary muscles.The most eagerly anticipated social events were the rural parties. Hundreds of men, women, and children attended from far and near. The men bought or traded farm animals and acquired needed merchandise while the women displayed food prepared in their kitchens, and everyone, including the youngsters, watched or participated in a variety of competitive sports, with prizes awarded to the winners. These events typically included horse races, wrestling matches, and foot races, as well as some nonathletic events such as whistling competitions. No other occasions did so much to relieve the isolation of farm existence.With the open countryside everywhere at hand, city dwellers naturally shared in some ofthe rural diversions. Favored recreations included fishing, hunting, skating, and swimming. But city dwellers also developed other pleasures, which only compact communities made possible.26. What is the passage mainly about?A) Methods of fanning used by early settlers of the United States.B) Hardships faced by the early settlers of the United States.C) Methods of buying, selling, and trading used by early settlers of the United States.D) Ways in which early settlers of the United States relaxed.27. What can be inferred about the diversions of the early settlers of the United States?A) They followed a pattern Begun in Europe.B) They were enjoyed more frequently than in Europe.C) The clergy organized them.D) Only the wealthy participated in them.28. Which of the following can be said about the country dwellers' altitude toward "the pursuitof pleasure" ?A) They felt that it should help keep their minds on their work.B) They felt that it was not necessary.C) They felt that it should be productive.D) They felt that it should not involve eating and drinking.29. What is meant by the phrase "double-purpose" in the 4th sentence in paragraph 2?A) Very frequent. B) Useful and enjoyable.C) Extremely necessary. D) Positive and negative.30. What will the author probably discuss in the paragraph following this passage?A) The rural diversions enjoyed by both urban and rural people.B) Leisure activities of city dwellers.C) Building methods of the early settlers in rural areas.D) Changes in lifestyles of settlers as they moved to the cities.Passage 7For me, scientific knowledge is divided into mathematical sciences, natural sciences or sciences dealing with the natural world (physical and biological sciences), and sciences dealing with mankind (psychology, sociology, all the sciences of cultural achievements, every kind of historical knowledge). Apart from these sciences is philosophy, about which we will talk later. In the first place, all this is pure or theoretical knowledge that is intrinsic and consubstautial to man. What distinguishes man from animal is that he knows and needs to know. If man did not know that the world existed, and that the world was of a certain kind, that he was in the world and that he himself was of a certain kind, he wouldn't be a man. The technical aspects or applications of knowledge are equally necessary for man and are of the greatest importance, because they also contribute to defining him as man and permit him to pursue a life increasingly more truly human.But even while enjoying the results of technical progress, he must defend the primacy and autonomy of pure knowledge. Knowledge sought directly for its practical applications will have immediate and foreseeable success, but not the kind of important result whose revolutionary scope is in large part unforeseen, except by the imagination of the Utopians. Let me recall a we N-known example. If the Greek mathematicians had not applied themselves to the investigation of conic sections zealously and without the least suspicion that it might someday be useful, it would not have been possible centuries later to navigate far from shore. The first men to study the nature of electricity could not imagine that their experiments, carried on because of mere intellectual curiosity, would eventually lead to modern electricaltechnology, without which we can scarcely conceive of contemporary life. Pure knowledge is valuable for its own sake, be-cause the human spirit cannot resign itself to ignorance. But, in addition, the foundation for practical results would not have been reached if this knowledge had not been sought disinterestedly.31. The most important advances made by mankind come from __.A) technical applications B) apparently useless informationC) the natural sciences D) philosophy32. The word "Utopians" in the 2nd sentence in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __.A) idealists B) Greek mathematiciansC) scientists D) true human33. In the paragraph the follows this passage, we may expect the author to discuss __.A) the value of technical research B) the value of pure researchC) philosophy D) unforeseen discoveries34. The word "resign" in the 6th sentence in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning toA) dismiss B) quit C) remark D) submit35. The title that best expresses the ideas of this passage is __.A) "Technical Progress"B) "A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing"C) "Man's Distinguishing Characteristics"D) "The Function of Theoretical Knowledge as Compared to Its Practical Applications"Passage 8In most of the human civilization of which we have any proper records, youth has drawn oneither art or life for models, planning to emulate the heroes depicted in epics on the shadow play screen or the stage, or those known human beings, fathers or grandfathers, chiefs or craftsmen, whose every characteristic can be studied and imitated. As recently as 1910, this was the prevailing condition in the United States. If he came from a nonliterate background, the recent immigrant learned to speak, move, and think like an American by using his eyes and ears on the labor line and in the homes of more acculturated cousins, by watching school children, or by absorbing the standards of the teacher, the foreman, the clerk who served him in the store. For the literate and the literate children of the nouliterate, there was art--the story of the frustrated artist in the prairie town, of the second generation battling with the limitations of the first. And at a simpler level, there were the Western and Hollywood fairy tales which pointed a moral but did not, as a rule, teach table manners.With the development of the countermovement against Hollywood, with the efflorescence (全盛)of photography, with Time-Life-Fortune types of reporting and the dead-pan New Yorker manner of describing the life of an old-clothes dealer in a forgotten street or of presenting the "accurate", "checked" details of the lives of people whose eminence gave at least a sort of license to attack them, with the passion for "human documents" inDepression days--a necessary substitute for proletarian art among middle class writers who knew nothing about proletarians, and middleclass readers who needed the shock of verisimilitude(真实)--a new era in American life was ushered in, the era in which young people imitated neither life nor art nor fairy tale, but instead were presented with models drawn from life with minimal but crucial distortions. Doctored life histories, posed carelessness, "candid" shots of people in their own homes which took hours to arrange, pictures shot from real life to scripts written months before supplementedby national polls and surveys which assured the reader that this bobby soxer (少女)did indeed represent a national norm or a growing trend--replaced the older models.36. This article is based on the idea that ________.A) people today no longer follow modelsB) People attach little importance to whoever they followC) people generally pattern their lives after modelsD) People no longer respect heroes37. Stories of the second generation battling against the limitations of the first were often re- sponsible for ______.A) inspiring literate immigrantsB) frustrating educated immigrantsC) preventing the assimilation of immigrantsD) instilling into immigrants an antagonistic attitude toward their forebears38. The countermovement against Hollywood was a movement ______A) toward realism B) toward fantasyC) against the teaching of morals D) away from realism39. The author attributes the change in attitudes since 1910 to ____A) a logical evolution of ideas B) widespread moral decayC) the influence of the press D) a philosophy of plenty40. The word "distortions" at the end of the 2nd sentence in paragraph 2 is closest in meaningto ______.A) presentations B) misinterpretationsC) influences D) limitationsPassage 9The conflict between good and evil is a common theme running through the great literatureand drama of the world, from the time of the ancient Greeks to all the present. The principle that conflict is the heart of dramatic action when illustrated by concrete examples, almost always turns up some aspect of the struggle between good and evil.The idea that there is neither good nor evil--in any absolute moral or religious sense—is widespread in our times. There are various relativistic and behavioristic standards of ethics. If these standards even admit the distinction between good and evil, it is as a relative matter andnot as whirlwind of choices that lies at the center of living. In any such state of mind, conflict can at best, be only a petty matter, lacking true universality. The acts of the evildoer and of the virtuous man alike become dramatically neutralized. Imagine the reduced effect of Crime and Punishment or The Brothers Karamazoc, had Dostoevsky thought that good and evil, as portrayed in those books, were wholly relative, and if he had had no conviction about them.You can't have a vital literature if you ignore or shun evil. What you get then is the world of Pollyanna, goody-goody in place of the good. Cry, The Beloved Country is a great and dramatic novel because Alan Paton, in addition to being a skilled workman, sees with clear eyes both good and evil, differentiates them, pitches them into conflict with each other, and takes sides. He sees that the native boy Absalom Kumalo, who has murdered, cannot be judged justly without taking into account the environment that has had part in shaping him. But Paton sees, too, that Absalom the individual, not society the abstraction, committed the act and is responsible for it. Mr. Paton understands mercy. He knows that this precious thing is not evoked by sentimental impulse, but by a searching examination of the realities of human action. Mercy follows a judgment; it does not precede it.One of the novels by the talented Paul Bowles, Let It Come Down, is full of motion, full of sensational depravities, and is a crashing bore. The book recognizes no evil, and is coldly indifferent to the moral behavior of its characters. It is a long shrug. Such a view of life is non- dramatic and negates the vital essence of drama.41. In our age, according to the author, a standpoint often taken in the area of ethics is the _____.A) relativistic view of morals B) greater concern with religionC) emphasis on evil D) greater concern with universals42. The author believes that in great literature, as in life, good and evil are ____A) relative B) unimportantC) constantly in conflict D) dramatically neutralized43. When the author uses the expression "it is a long shrug" in referring to Bowles's book, heis commenting on the ___A) length of the novelB) indifference to the moral behavior of the charactersC) monotony of the storyD) sensational depravities of the book44. In the opinion of the author, Cry, The Beloved Country is a great and dramatic novel be-cause of Paton's ____.A) insight into human behaviorB) behavioristic beliefsC) treatment of good and evil as abstractionsD) willingness to make moral judgments45. The word "shun" in the 1st sentence in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.A) shut B) attend C) show D) avoidPassage 10African-American filmmakers should be in an enviable position, for since the early 1990sthere has been a steady wave of low budget black films which have turned a solid profit due toa very strong response in the African-American community and a larger crossover audience thananticipated. Any rational business manager would now identify this sector as a prime candidatefor expansion, but if the films have done so well with limited production and marketing costs,why have they not received full scale support7Many analysts feel the business is engulfed in a miasma of self-serving and self-fulfilling myths based on the unspoken assumption that Mfrican-American films can never be vehicles of prestige, glamour, or celebrity. The relationship players have convinced themselves that black films can do only a limited domestic business under any circumstance and have virtually no for- eign box office potential. As executives who now control the film industry grew up in those de- cades when there were few black images on the screen and those that did exist were produced by film-makers with limited knowledge of the black community, it is little wonder that they avoid ideological issues, and seek to continue making films that they are comfortable with by avoiding they negative imagery of films they would prefer to eschew entirely.Also to blame for this deleterious phenomenon are legions of desperate and Machiavellian African-American film producers, directors, and writers who would transform The Birth of A Nation into a black musical as long as it would provide them with gainful studio employment. These filmmakers not only perpetuate negative stereotypes in their films, but they also season them with a sprinkling of African-American authenticity. This situation would be onerous enough, given the economic exploitation of the community involved; unfortunately these films also validate the pathologies they depict. The constant projection of the black community as a kind of urban Wild Kingdom, the glamorization of tragic situations, and the celebration of innercity drug dealers and gangsters has a programming effect on black youth. The power of music infilm is a particularly seductive and propagandistic force which in the recent crop of African- American films has rarely been used in a positive social manner.What flows from this combination of factors is a policy of market exploitation rather than market development, evidenced by the fact that any number of films may open to 1,500 screensin one week, only to totally disappear in less than a month. This restricted body of film。

考博英语-515(总分90, 做题时间90分钟)Part Ⅰ Reading ComperehensionDirections : There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice.阅读理解一Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.The main idea of these business-school academics is appealing. In a word wt **panies must adapt to new technologies and source of competition, it is much harder than it used to be to often good employees job security and an opportunity to climb the corporate ladder. Yet it is also more necessary than ever for employees to invest in better skills and sparkle with bright ideas. How can firms get the most out of people if they can no longer offer them protection and promotion?Many bosses would love to have an answer. Sumantrra Ghoshal of the London Business School and Christopher Bartlett of the Harvard Business School think they have one: " Employability. " If managers offer the right of training and guidance, and change theirattitude towards their underlings, they will be able to reassuretheir employees that they will always have the skills and experience to find a good job--even if it is with a **pany.Unfortunately, they promise more than they deliver. Their thoughts on what an ideal organization should accomplish are hard to quarrel with: encourage people to be creative, make sure the gains from creativity are shared with the pains of the business that can make the most of them, keep the organization from getting stale and so forth The real **es when they attempt to show how firms might actually create such an environment. At its nub is the notion**panies can attain their elusive goals by changing their implicit contract with individual workers, and treating them as a source of value rather than a cog in a machine.The authors offer a few inspiring example of companies--they include Motorola, 3M and ABB--that have managed to go some way towards creating such organizations. But they offer little useful guidance on how to go about it, and leave the biggest questions unanswered. How do you continuously train people, without diverting them from their everyday job of making the business more profitable? How do you train people to be successful elsewhere while still encouraging them to make **mitments to your own firm? How do you getyour newly liberated employees to spend their time on ideas that create value, and not simply on those they enjoy? Most of their answers are platitudinous, and when they are not they are unconvincing.SSS_SINGLE_SEL1.We can infer from the passage that in the past an employee ______.A had job security and an opportunity of promotionB had to compete with each other to keep his jobC had to undergo training all the timeD had no difficulty climbing the corporate ladder该题您未回答:х该问题分值: 1答案:A[解析] 文章第1段第2句“...it is much harder than it used to be to offer good employee job security and an opportunity to climb the corporate ladder. ”可知，过去一个好的职员很容易获得事业保险和晋升机会，工作竞争并不残酷，与A选项相符。