General English Qualifying Test (2008-6)PAPER ONEPART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (25 minutes, 20 points) Section A (1 point each)1. A. Composition is her favorite course.B. She prefers other courses to composition.C. She enjoys most of the courses.D. She doesn't like any course.2. A. She hasn't read the passage.B. She doesn't understand it either.C. She cannot read it in darkness.D. She suggests that the man read it.3. A. To guard her money.B. Not to go shopping downtownC. To look for a new wallet.D. Not to take the train.4. A. The working hours were too long.B. The job was not well-paid.C. He didn't like working in a companyD. The job was quite difficult.5. A. Steven is satisfied with his experiment.B. Steven couldn't enjoy the parties any moreC. Steven is a pleasure-seeker,D. Steven is worried about his experiments.6. A. To go to a concert with the man.B. To give the mall a lift to the countrysideC. To enjoy the sunshine.D. To have a short trip for pleasure.7. A. Fred keeps annoying other people.B. Fred looks very funny.C. Fred always makes other people laugh.D. Fred is a man of his word.8. A. To obey the established rules.B. To buy a new book for guidance.C. To try a new but safer experiment.D. To learn the methods from practice.9. A. Bob doesn't swim.B. Bob cannot be relied on.C. Bob cannot persist in doing anything.D. Bob won't be free.Section B (1 point each)Mini-talk one10. A. To find effects on the teaching of reading.B. To raise test scores in reading comprehension.C. To increase the teaching time for reading.D. To help all children read at or above grade level.11. A. Teachers.B. Critics.C. Congressmen.D. Federal officials12. A. Green Eggs and Ham.B. To Kill A Mockingbird.C. Of Mice and Men.D. A Child Called ‘It’.Mini-talk Two13. A. A scientistB. A forester.C. A school master.D. A farmer.14. A. He taught students to watch grass grow.B. He taught students how to manage forest.C. He got parents involved in their children's workD. He developed games about science.15. A. He wrote his own textbooks.B. He made students interested in their studies.C. He helped the students increase their scores.D. He made school activities creative.PART II VOCABULARY (10 minutes, 10 points )Section A (0.5 point each)21. Some scientists are trying to eliminate malaria by developing a GM mosquito that can't transmit thedisease.A. removeB. fabricateC. enhanceD. utilize22. A tall building is usually equipped with several elevators, so it doesn't matter if one of them is out oforder.A. in a messB. in bad conditionC. in short supplyD. in a hurry23. As the train service had been suspended, thousands of people had to wait for days at the station.A. elevated slightlyB. cancelled completelyC. delayed frequentlyD. stopped temporarily24. We can learn about the hazards of hunting big game in stories about their ancestors.A. adventuresB. pleasuresC. dangersD. consequences25. Novel drugs developed through biotechnologies can be expected to deliver a better effect.A. distributeB. produceC. liberateD. express26. The price of housing varies with demand, and the same rule seems to hold for automobiles.A. containB. fastenC. graspD. apply27. Some people are skeptical about the validity of Aristotle's argument that man is by nature a politicalanimal.A. efficiencyB. soundnessC. availabilityD. contribution28. Heart-broken and desperate, she was determined to leave this family for good.A. permanentlyB. alternativelyC. temporarilyD. desirably29. It is generally believed that money can always bring happiness, but studies and surveys have provedthat this is a myth.A. fairy taleB. absolute mythC. mistaken ideaD. big controversy30. The sight of these soldiers toiling along the expressway was extremely touching to a tender heart.A. sympatheticB. mildC. concernedD. feebleSection B (0.5 point each)31. Students of English are advised to try to ___________the meaning of a new word from the context.A. turn outB. figure outC. look outD. put out32. The drastic changes that have taken place in China have won worldwide __________.A. identificationB. realizationC. admissionD. recognition33. Bill Clinton rose to prominence after he was elected ________ of Arkansas at age 32 in 1978.A. presidentB. secretaryC. governorD. premier34. The finding of this experiment is __________ with what was previously reported.A. consistentB. constantC. coherentD. competent35. However, the nature of online ________ is such that we tend to be more honest, more intimate.A. interruptionsB. interpretationsC. imaginationsD. interactions36. Reading extensively can broaden our vision and extend our life into a new _________.A. perspectiveB. hierarchyC. layerD. dimension37. I was quite _______ to find my test score well below that of my tablemate.A. fascinatedB. dismayedC. amusedD. convinced38. An earthquake of 8- _________ struck some parts of this province, causing a death toll of over 30,000.A. altitudeB. aptitudeC. magnitudeD. gratitude39. Both linguists and psychologists are eager to learn more about the process of language ________.A. acquisitionB. attainmentC. possessionD. fulfillment40. An overseas market with a great growth potential is not easy to _________.A. break downB. break upC. break throughD. break intoPART III CLOZE TEST (10 minutes, 10 points, 1 point each)According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes are the leading cause of death among children 41 5 and 14 years of age. Says NHTSA: "Over 50% of children who die in crashes are 42 by safety devices. 43 , 4 out of 5 children are improperly restrained."The NHTSA offers a number of safety tips and 44 for those who are accompanied by children while driving. Although laws 45 from country to country and even from state to state, these guidelines may 46 food for thought to many parents and guardians of children. Please check your local laws and do 47 you can to keep your precious baby safe.The safest place for all children is in the back seat. Infants should be 48 in a rear-facing safety seat in the backseat of the car. A child at least a year old and 49 at least 20 pounds may be placed in a forward-facing seat. At 40 pounds, the child can use a "booster seat", which is secured by one of the car'slap and shoulder 50 . At approximately 80 pounds and a height of about four feet nine inches, the child may begin using an adult safety belt.41. A. at B. between C. for D. about42. A. bound B. undefined C. unrestrained D. inhibited43. A. Of course B. On contrary C. Nevertheless D. In addition44. A. cautions B. forms C. notes D. concepts45. A. work B. vary C. enforce D. affect46. A. give way B. differ from C. serve as D. deal with47. A. whatever B. whichever C. that D. which48. A. tied B. stuck C. surrounded D. placed49. A. weight B. weighted C. weigh D. weighing50. A. stripes B. belts C. ribbons D. bowsPART IV READING COMPREHENSION (45 minutes, 30 points, 1 point each)Passage OneAmericans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported on Friday.Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had "zero" close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants, the researchers said.“This is a big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society,”said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith-Lovin. Smith-Lovin's group used data from a national survey of 1,500 American adults that has been ongoing since 1972.She said it indicated people had a surprising drop in the number of close friends since 1985. At that time, Americans most commonly said they had three close friends whom they had known for a long time, saw often, and with whom they shared a number of interests. They were almost as likely to name four or five friends, and the relationships often sprang from their neighborhoods or communities.Ties to a close network of friends create a social safely net that is good for society. Research has also linked social support and civic participation to a longer life, Smith-Lovin said.The data also show the social isolation trend mirrors other class divides: Non-whites Americans and the highly educated. That means that in daily life, personal emergencies and national disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, those with the lowest resources also have the lowest personal friends to call for advice and assistance."It's one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with them. It's another thing to say, …Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets? And can I stay with you for a couple or three months?‟” Smith-Lovin said."Worrying about social isolation is not a matter of remembering a warm past. Real things are strongly connected with that," added Harvard University Public Policy Professor Robert Putnam. He suggested flexible work schedules would allow Americans to tend both personal and professional lives.51. One reason for the social isolation of Americans is ________.A. frequent relocationB. frequent travelingC. living aloneD. working flexible hours52. The percentage of people with more than two close friends is about________.A. 25%B. 50%C. 60%D. 75%53. According to the passage, close social ties among people are_______.A. a must for social progressB. beneficial for the familyC. a source of happinessD. good for people's health54. It is implied that ________ tend to live a more socially isolated life.A. people in the higher social ladderB. people in the lower social ladderC. people with a longer life spanD. people with a shorter life span55. According to Robert Putnam, ________.A. it is useless to worrying about social isolationB. social isolation is not necessarily bad for usC. it is time to do something about social isolationD. social isolation does not mean the end of society56. The passage is focused on _________.A. the new trend in American social lifeB. the urban problems in modem societyC. the ways to build a strong social networkD. the reasons for close interpersonal relationshipsPassage TwoFor years, France proudly resisted establishing domestic smoking bans. It held out longer than Britain, Spain and Italy, but on January 2, 2008, it finally forbid cigarettes in bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs.This was not a decision taken lightly. Magazines ran photo-spreads reminding us that French people look seriously cool with a cigar in their mouth. There were illustrations of Charles de Gaulle, the French president during World War II, Brigitte Bardot the 1950s famous fashionist, and the famous French philosopher and writer, Jean-Paul Sartre. Even the present President Nicolas Sarkozy, extremely image-conscious, posed for Paris Match magazine with a fat cigar.But now, France's traditional “cafe-clope” (morning coffee and cigarette) is only possible if people can bear the freezing temperatures outside.In the latter part of the 20th century, the health risks of second-bend tobacco smoke were made public. Then, in 1975, a modern wave of smoking bans started in Minnesota, the US. Since then, many countries and regions have joined in the movement. Among them, the US has been a pioneer, with California being the first in the world to ban indoor smoking at all public places, including bars and restaurants. Thus some French people call the non-smoking law issued on January 2 "a touch too American".However, studies before the ban showed that 70 percent of French people supported the enforcement. The public's positive response means that the smoking ban will be just one more US trend accepted by French society. Even among strong smokers, no one wants to risk a fine.French barman Jean-Michel, dressed in a leather waistcoat and a cowboy-style shoelace tie, complained harshly about the ban. Was be anticipating a smokers' revolt? "No," he said calmly. "People will respect it. I'll do what I did at school. I'll smoke in the toilets.”According to the non-smoking law, individuals who smoke in bars, cafes, restaurants or clubs can be fined up to 450 euros. The owners of these places can be fined up to 750 euros if they fail to stop customers from smoking.57. The law of banning smoking in public places was not made easily because _______.A. France proudly resists establishing new lawsB. French people like their images with a cigar in their mouthC. French people have had such a strong habit since World War IID. smoking has become fashionable for Frenchmen lately58. According to the passage, French President Nicolas Sarkozy _________.A. pays a great deal of attention to his own public imageB. has been a heavy smoker in public eyesC. strongly opposes the law of banning smokingD. is a model in the hearts of French people59. Which of the following is the first place in the world to ban indoor smoking at all public places?A. Minnesota.B. California.C. France.D. Britain.60. It is implied in the passage that _________.A. French people usually resist American trendsB. French people oppose the non-smoking law because it is too AmericanC. French people often follow American suitsD. French people respect the non-smoking law because it is from the US61. By saying "I'11 do what I did at school", Jean-Michel means that _______.A. he did not smoke when he was a school studentB. he had to smoke in the toilets when he was at schoolC. he olden anticipated revolts when he was at schoolD. smoking was not allowed in the toilets when he was at school62. What is the main idea of tiffs passage?A. It is difficult to establish new laws in France.B. How the non-smoking law was established?C. Non-smoking law is another American trend.D. France finally accepts smoking ban.Passage ThreeIt is the world's fourth-most-important food crop, after maize, wheat and rice. It provides more calories, more quickly, using less land and in a wider range of climates than any other plant. It is, of course, the potato.The United Nations has declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato. It hopes that greater awareness of the merits of potatoes will contribute to the achievement of its Millennium Development Goals, by helping to reduce poverty and promote economic development. It is always the international year of this or month of that. But the potato's unusual history means it is well worth celebrating.Unlikely though it seems, the potato promoted economic development by supporting the Industrial Revolution in England in the 19th century. It provided a cheap source of calories and was easy to cultivate, so it liberated workers from the land. Potatoes became popular in the north of England, as people there specialized in livestock farming and domestic industry, while farmers in the south concentrated on wheat production. By a happy accident, the concentrated industrial activity in the regions where coal was readily available, and a potato-driven population boom provided ample workers for the new factories. Friedrich Engels even declared that the potato was the equal of iron for its "historically revolutionary role".In the form of French fries, served alongside burgers and Coca-Cola, potatoes are now a symbol of globalization. This is quite a change given the skepticism which first greeted them on their arrival in the Old World in the 16th century. They were variously thought to be fit only for animals, to be associated with the devil or to be poisonous. They took hold in 18th-century Europe only when war and famine meant there was nothing else to eat; people then realized just how useful and reliable they were. As Adam Smith, one of the potato's many admirers, observed at the time, "The very general use which is made of potatoes in these kingdoms as food for man is a convincing proof that the prejudices of a nation, with regard to diet, however deeply rooted, are by no means unconquerable." Mashed, fried, boiled and roast, a humble potato changed the world, and people everywhere should celebrate it.63. By making 2008 the Year of the Potato, the United Nations hopes that the potato could ________.A. enrich people's daily food supplyB. be used to replace other food cropsC. help deal with environmental issuesD. he a solution to some economic problems64. Paragraph 3 mainly describes _________.A. why the potato became popular in the north of EnglandB. why the potato was important in England's population growthC. how the potato contributed to England's industrial developmentD. how the potato helped improve England's working conditions65. Friedrich Engels's words show that he ________.A. thought highly of the potatoB. took the potato too seriouslyC. underestimated the role of the potatoD. lacked the basic knowledge of the potato66. Europeans began to eat potatoes in the 18th century because _________.A. there was a serious food shortageB. they realized that potatoes tasted goodC. food safety had been greatly improvedD. eating potatoes had become fashionable67. What Adam Smith said could be used to demonstrate the potato's _________.A. general useB. main featuresC. success storyD. bright future68. The best title for the passage is __________.A. 2008-- the Potato's New MissionB. In Praise of the PotatoC. The History of the PotatoD. The Potato and GlobalizationPassage FourYou need a new vacuum cleaner. Several are on display—different features—but there are no clerks to be found. Finally a guy in a store vest slips past. You begin to ask questions, but he knows even less about vacuum cleaners than you do.Robert Odom, shopping at the Southcenter Mall near Seattle, finds “it‟s harder to get waited on now. many stores have one person covering a tremendous area. You‟ve got to go looking to find a clerk.”Retailing is big business in the United States. Every day, billions of transactions take place in the nation‟s 1.4 million stores. Inventive technology speeds a staggering $2.5-trillion-a-year flow of purchases. But why do those bad encounters with salespeople continue to bother us so?When Yankelovich Partners asked 2500 shoppers what was "most important to you regarding customer service," people ranked courtesy, knowledgeability and friendliness at the top. Almost two out of three said that salespeople "don't care much about me or my needs.”The American Customer Satisfaction Index, developed in 1994 at the University of Michigan's National Quality Research Center, shows customer satisfaction declining about a point a year. Retailers now average a less-than-satisfactory 71 out of 100. Even top performers have slipped.What happened? John Goodman, president of Technical Assistance Research Programs, a customer-service consulting firm, told us, "To cut costs, many retailers made the mistake of trimming staff to the bone with obvious consequences."How good is the help once you find it? Carol Cherry, founder of Shop'n Chek, which monitors customer service for retailers and other clients, says, "One of the biggest problems we encounter is unknowledgeable and untrained salespeople." Bruce Van Kleeck, a vice president of the National Retail Federation, says, "We're not training as much as we used to," and urges more ongoing training for veteran salespeople.The sad fact is, stores can get away with poor customer service because customers let them. Customer-service expert John Goodman estimates that about half of customers continue to do business with firms they feel have mistreated them. This is "behavioral loyalty," explains Jeff Ellis of Maritz Marketing Research Inc. "We may bad-mouth a store after a bad experience, but we go back because it's close to our house or carries items we like."69. The example in paragraph 1 shows that the salesman needs improvement on___________.A. knowledgeB. politenessC. friendlinessD. communication70. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index,_______________.A. customer satisfaction with retailers remains constantly lowB. customer satisfaction with even the best retailers is droppingC. customers complain most about the quality of the salespeopleD. customers put too high a demand on service these days71. What may be the "obvious consequences" mentioned in paragraph 6?A. The customers are not willing to buy from the retailers.B. The customers cannot get the help they need.C. The salespeople are not satisfied with their working condition.D. The salespeople do not receive enough training.72. Carol Cherry points out that the most serious problem is that ______________.A. the quality of the salespeople cannot be guaranteedB. the retailers do not care as much about training as they used toC. the salespeople do not fully understand the benefits of trainingD. the retailers cannot afford basic training for its employees73. Which of the following examples can demonstrate the "behavioral loyalty"?A. Customers frequent the store providing satisfactory service.B. Customers refuse to buy in the store after a bad experience there.C. Customers go to the store with good items no matter where it is.D. Customers keep visiting the store that has treated them badly.74. The passage mainly discusses_______________.A. how we can get good customer serviceB. why retailers should improve customer serviceC. why there is poor customer serviceD. what kind of customer service we needPassage FiveIn terms of lives lost and property destroyed, the Civil War was the most terrible armed conflict Americans have ever known, but that has not prevented them from remembering it with enduring fondness. The Civil War remains the most written-about period in American history, and it provides boundless entertainment in the United States and around the world. Instead of an object lesson in the dangers of political polarization, racial inequality, and human cruelty, fans consider their favorite war an exercise in nobility--a bloodbath that somehow forged the unbreakable bonds of American national identity.Most Civil War historians were reared in this romantic tradition, and they have yet to fully free themselves from it. They still view the struggle through rose-colored glasses, making excuses for flawed heroes who have the reputations they never deserved. With the publication of While in the Hands of the Enemy: Military prisons of the Civil War, Charles W. Sanders has distinguished himself as one of the few scholars capable of addressing the Civil War with utter frankness. His brilliantly researched book is a ringing accusation of the prisoner-of-war (POW) systems maintained by both sides of that war, as well as the politicians and soldiers who deliberately sent thousands of men to needless suffering and death. There are no heroes in this study, just too many unnecessary victims.Sanders sets his study in context by first tracing the evolution of POW policy during the American Revolution, War of 1812, and Mexican War. Americans knew that POWs were vulnerable to mistreatment, and the quickest way to improve their lot was to negotiate exchanges with the enemy. At the outset of the Civil War, neither side was prepared to cope with the many prisoners-of-war their armies captured, and prisoners inevitably suffered from inadequate housing, food, medical care, and other necessities. Abraham Lincoln delayed the implementation of general exchanges until July 1862 for fear it would allow rebellious southerners to claim actual recognition of the Southern sovereignty. Once implemented, the exchange system quickly emptied prisons in the North and South, but it began breaking down by the end of the year.75. Americans generally remember the Civil War with _______.A. sadnessB. suspicionC. horrorD. affection76. Most Civil War historians would agree that the Civil War may have _________.A. raised the awareness of the race issueB. weakened American national identityC. strengthened American national identityD. taught a useful lesson about human nature77. Civil War historians usually believe that "flawed heroes" ___________.A. ought to be criticizedB. could be forgivenC. should be studied furtherD. should be evaluated objectively78. According to Charles W. Sanders, the Civil War _______________.A. brought pointless miseryB. created various heroesC. started the first POW systemD. was brutal but inevitable79. At the beginning of the Civil War, ____________ .A. the POW exchanges were frequentB. the number of the POWs was smallC. the POWs were in difficult situationsD. both sides used the POWs for political purposes80. What does the passage say about the POW exchange during the Civil War?A. It should have started earlier.B. It lasted for many years.C. It became a successful model for later time.D. It raised the public awareness of the POW problem.PAPER TWOPART V TRANSLATION (30 minutes. 20 points)Section A (15 minutes, 10 points)Unlike the real world, where personalities are complex, motives unclear, and outcomes ambiguous, television presents a world of clarity and simplicity. In show after show, rewards and punishments follow quickly and logically. Crises are resolved, problems are solved, and justice always triumphs. The central characters in these dramas are clearly defined: dedicated or corrupt; selfless or ambitious; efficient or sentimental. To insure the widest acceptability and tell a story entertainingly, the plot lines follow the most commonly accepted notions of morality and justice, whether or not those notions bear much resemblance to reality. The long list of commercials between parts of the play sometimes drives you crazy. Section B (15 minutes, 10 points)中国一直有重视教育的传统，尤其是儿童的教育。
