2014年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试管理类专业硕士学位联考英语试卷Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have _1_ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually _2_. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. _3_, among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an _4_ of good health.Of even greater _5_ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often _6_body mass index, or BIMI _7_ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BIMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 to 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, _8_ can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.While such numerical standards seem _9_, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit. _10_ others with a low BMI may be in poor _11_. For example, many collegiate and professional football players _12_ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a _13_ BMI.Today we have a(n) _14_ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes _15_ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes _16_ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. _17_ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.Negative attitudes toward obesity, _18_ in health concerns have stimulated a number of anti-obesity _19_, My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives, Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign _20_ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat!1. [A] denied [B] conduced [C] doubled [D] ensured2. [A] protective [B] dangerous [C] sufficient [D]troublesome3. [A] Instead [B] However [C] Likewise [D] Therefore4. [A] indicator [B] objective [C] origin [D] example5. [A] impact [B] relevance [C] assistance [D] concern6. [A] in terms of [B] in case of [C] in favor of [D] in respects of7. [A] measures [B] determines [C] equals [D] modifies8. [A] in essence [B] in contrast [C] in turn [D] in part9. [A] complicated [B] conservative [C] variable [D] straightforward10. [A] so [B] unlike [C] since [D] unless11. [A] shape [B] spirit [C] balance [D] taste12. [A] start [B] quality [C] retire [D] stay13. [A] strange [B] changeable [C] normal [D] constant14. [A] option [B] reason [C] opportunity [D] tendency15. [A] employed [B] pictured [C] imitated [D] monitored16. [A] compared [B] combined [C] settled [D] associated17. [A] Even [B] Still [C] Yet [D] Only18. [A] despised [B] corrected [C] ignored [D] grounded19. [A] discussions [B] businesses [C] policies [D] studies20. [A] for [B] against [C] with [D] withoutSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four passages. Answer the questions below each passage by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Text 1What would you do with $559m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, un-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings or fulfillment. She could do worse than read Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these maternal purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was Once exciting and new becomes old hat; regret creeps in, It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms Dun and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time–as stones or memories-particularly if they involve feeling more connected toothers.This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck.”It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib-a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfilment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world. and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers, But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.21. According to Dumn and Norton, which of the following is the most rewarding purchase?[A] A big house.[B] A special tour.[C] A stylish car.[D] A rich meal.22. The author’s attitude toward Americans’ watching TV is.[A] critical[B] supportive[C] sympathetic[D] ambiguous23. Macrib is mentioned in paragraph 3 to show that .[A] consumers are sometimes irrational[B] popularity usually comes after quality[C] marketing tricks are after effective[D] rarity generally increases pleasure24. According to the last paragraph, Happy Money .[A] has left much room for readers’ criticism[B] may prove to be a worthwhile purchase[C] has predicted a wider income gap in the us[D] may give its readers a sense of achievement25. This text mainly discusses how to .[A] balance feeling good and spending money[B] spend large sums of money won in lotteries[C] obtain lasting satisfaction from money spent[D] become more reasonable in spending on luxuriesText 2An article in Scientific American has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you're more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing (to use the psychological terminology) strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving (across the ages and genders ) and 85% at getting on well others-all obviously statistical impossibilities.We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We strut around thinking we’re hot stuff.Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key study into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been morphed to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”.If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image-which most did-they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that those who self-enhanced the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,”says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.Knowing the results of Eplet’s study, it makes sense that manypeople hate photographs of themselves so viscerally — on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the flukiest of flattering photos, the cream of their wit style Beauty, intellect and lifestyles. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves”. (People are much more likely to out-and-out lie on dating websites, to an audience of strangers.)26. According to the first paragraph, social psychologists have found that .[A] our self-ratings are unrealistically high[B] illusory superiority is baseless effect[C] our need for leadership is unnatural[D] self-enhancing strategies are ineffective27. Visual recognition is believed to be people’s .[A] rapid watching[B] conscious choice[C] intuitive response[D] automatic self-defense28. Epley found that people with higher self-esteem tended to .[A] underestimate their insecurities[B] believe in their attractiveness[C] cover up their depressions[D] oversimplify their illusions29. The word “viscerally” (Line 2, Para.6) is closest in meaning to .[A] instinctively[B] occasionally[C] particularly[D] aggressively30. It can be inferred that Facebook is self-enhancer’s paradise because people can .[A] present their dishonest profiles[B] define their traditional life styles[C] share their intellectual pursuits[D] withhold their unflattering sidesText 3The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side ofa boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U.S. that tend to be “tightly scripted”and “highly standardized”ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity.” In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better at than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, sincewe are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work, Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events.”That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”31. According to the first paragraph, economic downturns would .[A] ease the competition of man vs. machine[B] highlight machines’ threat to human jobs[C] provoke a painful technological revolution[D] outmode our current economic structure32. The authors of Race Against the Machine argue that .[A] technology is diminishing man’s job opportunities[B] automation is accelerating technological development[C] certain jobs will remain intact after automation[D] man will finally win the race against machine33. Hagel argues that jobs in the U.S. are often .[A] performed by innovative minds[B] scripted with an individual style[C] standardized without a clear target[D] designed against human creativity34. According to the last paragraph, Brynjolfsson and McAfee discussed .[A] the predictability of machine behavior in practice[B] the formula for how work is conducted efficiently[C] the ways machines replace human labor in modern times[D] the necessity of human involvement in the workplace35. Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?[A] How to Innovate Our Work Practices[B] Machines will Replace Human Labor[C] Can We Win the Race Against Machines[D] Economic Downturns Stimulate InnovationsText 4When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy.Housing is seldom mentioned.Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to jostle for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure projects, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged. This government does not want to see a return to large-scale provision of council housing, so it is naturally wary of measures that will lead us down that route.Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. The cap, introduced in 2012 as part of the Housing Revenue Account reform, hasbeen a major issue for the sector. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.Finally, they should look at the way in which public sector land is released. Currently up-front payments are required, putting a financial burden on the housing provider. A more positive stimulus would be to encourage a system where the land is made available and maintained as a long-term equity stake in the project.But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition's spending plans if it returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to the era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate. This means that affordable housing specialists like Wates Living Space have to create a whole new way of working in partnership with registered providers. Wehave to be prepared to take on more of the risk during the development phase, driving down the cost to deliver high-quality affordable housing and, most importantly, developing alternative funding models to help achieve this.While the government's commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing need for more affordable housing is real and is not going away. The comprehensive spending review provides the opportunity to start moving us in the right direction - stimulating investment in new supply and quickly delivering tangible benefits to local economies. It also helps create the space to develop a long-term sustainable strategy for housing.36. The author believes that the housing sector .[A] has attracted much attention[B] has lost its real value in economy[C] shoulders too much responsibility[D] involves certain political factors37. It can be learned that affordable housing has .[A] suffered government biases[B] increased its home supply[C] offered spending opportunities[D] disappointed the government38. According to Paragraph 5, George Osborne may .[A] prepare to reduce housing stock debt[B] release a lifted GDP growth forecast[C] allow greater government debt for housing[D] stop local authorities from building homes39. It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would .[A] lower the costs of registered providers[B] relieve the minister of responsibilities[C] contribute to funding new developments[D] lessen the impact of government interference40. The author believes that after 2015, the government may .[A] implement more policies to support housing[B] stop generous funding to the housing sector[C] renew the affordable housing grants programme[D] review the need for large-scale public grantsPart BDirections:Read the following text and answer questions by finding information from the right column that corresponds to each of the marked detailsgiven in the left column. There are two extra choices in the left column. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)Emerging in the late Sixties and reaching a peak in the Seventies, Land Art was one of a range of new forms, including Body Art, Performance Art, Action Art and Installation Art, which pushed art beyond the traditional confines of the studio and gallery. Rather than portraying landscape, land artists used the physical substance of eland itself as their medium.The British land artist, typified by Richard Long’s piece, was not only more domestically scaled, but a lot quirkier than its American counterpart. Indeed, while you might assume that an exhibition of Land Art would consist only of records of works rather than the works themselves, Long’s photograph of his work is the work. Since his “action” is in the past the photograph is its sole embodiment.That might seem rather an obscure point, but it sets the tone for an exhibition that contains a lot of black-and-white photographs and relatively few natural objects.Long is Britain’s best-known Land Artist and his Stone Circle, a perfect ring of purplish rocks from Portishead beach laid out on the gallery floor, represents the elegant, rarefied side of the form. The BoyleFamily, on the other hand, stands for its dirty, urban aspect. Comprising artists Mark Boyle and Joan Hills and their children, they recreated random sections of the British landscape on gallery walls. Their Olaf Street Study, a square of brick-strewn waste ground, is one of the few works here to embrace the mundanity that characterizes most of our experience of the landscape most of the time.Parks feature, particularly in the earlier works, such as John Hilliard’s very funny. Across the Park, in which a long-haired stroller is variously smiled at by a pretty girl and unwittingly assaulted in a sequence of images that turn out to be different parts of the same photograph.Generally however British land artists preferred to get away from towns, gravitating towards landscapes that are traditionally considered beautiful such as the Lake District or the Wiltshire Downs. While it probably wasn’t apparent at the time, much of this work is permeated by a spirit of romantic escapism that the likes of Wordsworth would have readily understood. Derek Jarman’s yellow-tinted film Towards Avebury, a collection of long, mostly still shots of the Wiltshire landscape, evokes a tradition of English landscape painting stretching from Samuel Palmer to Paul Nash.In the case of Hamish Fulton, you can’t help feeling that the Scottishartist has simply found a way of making his love of walking pay. A typical work, such as Seven Days, consists of a single beautiful black-and-white photograph taken on an epic walk, with the mileage and number of days taken listed beneath. British Land Art as shown in this well selected, but relatively modestly scaled exhibition wasn’t about imposing on the landscape, more a kind of landscape-orientated light conceptual art created passing through. It had its origins in the great outdoors, but the results were as gallery-bound as the paintings of Turner and Constable.Section III Translation46. Directions:Translate the following text from English into Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)Most people would define optimism as being endlessly happy, with a glass that’s perpetually half full. But that’s exactly the kind of false cheerfulness that positive psychologists wouldn’t recommend. “Healthy optimism means being in touch with reality,”says Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor. According to Ben-Shahar, realistic optimists are those who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best.Ben-Shahar uses three optimistic exercises. When he feels down- say, after giving a bad lecturehe grants himself permission to be human. He reminds himself that not every lecture can be a Nobel winner; some will be less effective than others. Next is reconstruction. He analyzes the weak lecture, learning lessons for the future about what works and what doesn’t. Finally, there is perspective, which involves acknowledging that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesn’t matter.Section IV WritingPart A47. Directions:Suppose you are going to study abroad and share an apartment with John,a local student. Write him an email to1) tell him about your living habits, and2) ask for advice about living there.You should write about 100 words on ANSWER SHEET 2.Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter. Use “Li Ming”instead.Do not write your address. (10 points)Part B48. Directions:Write an essay based on the following chart. In your essay, you should1) interpret the chart, and2) give your comments.You should write at least 150 words.Write your essay on ANSWER SHEET 2. (15 points)2014年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试管理类专业硕士学位联考英语试卷答案Section I Use of English1. [B] concluded2. [A] protective3. [C] Likewise4. [A] indicator5. [D] concern6. [A] in terms of7. [C] equals8. [C] in turn9. [D] straightforward10. [B] while11. [A] shape12.[B] quality13. [C] normal14. [D] tendency15. [B] pictured16. [D] associated17. [A] Even18. [D] grounded19. [C] policies20. [B] againstSection II Reading Comprehension21. According to Dumn and Norton, which of the following is the most rewarding purchase?[B]A special tour22. The author’s attitude toward Americans’ watching TV is[A]critical23. Macrib is mentioned in paragraph 3 to show that[D]rarity generally increases pleasure24. According to the last paragraph, Happy Money[B]may prove to be a worthwhile purchase25. This text mainly discusses how to26. According to the first paragraph, social psychologist have found that ______.[A] our self-ratings are unrealistically high27. Visual recognition is believed to be people’s______[C] intuitive response28. Epley found that people with higher self-esteem tended to______[B] believe in their attractiveness29. The word "Viscerally"(Line 2,para.5) is closest in meaning to_____.[A]instinctively30. It can be inferred that Facebook is self-enhancer’s paradise because people can _____.[D] withhold their unflattering sides31. According to the first paragraph, economic downturns would _____.[B]highlight machines’ threat to human jobs32. The authors of Race Against the Machine argue that _____.[A]technology is diminishing man’s job opportunities33. Hagel argues that jobs in the U.S. are often _____.[D]designed against human creativity34. According to the last paragraph, Brynjolfsson and McAfee discussed _____.[D] the formula for how work is conducted efficiently35. Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?[C]Can We Win the Race Against Machines36. The author believes that the housing sector______.[D]involves certain political factors37. It can be learned that affordable housing has_____.[A]suffered government biases38. According to Paragraph 5, George Osborne may _____.[C]allow greater government debt for housing39. It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would _____.[C]contribute to funding new developments40. The author believes that after 2015, the government may _____.[B]stop generous funding to the housing sector41.Stone Cirele[D]represents the elegance of the British land art.42.Olaf Street Study[E]depicts the ordinary side of the British land art.43.Across the Park[G]contains images from different parts of the same photograph.44.Towards Avebury[C]reminds people of the English landscape painting tradition.45.Seven Days[A]originates from a long walk that the artist took.Section III Translation大多数人认为乐观主义就是无休止的开心，就像在看到一个装了一半水的杯子的时候，会认为还差半杯就满了，而非空了一半。
2014山东卷英语作文As an AI, I don't have access to historical data or documents, including specific exam papers or their contents. However, I can help you draft an essay that could fit the style andformat of an English composition question that might have appeared on a 2014 Shandong Province English exam. Here's a sample essay that could be relevant:In today's rapidly developing world, the issue of environmental protection has gained significant attention.The environment is the foundation of our existence and playsa crucial role in sustaining life on Earth. However, with the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, the environment is facing numerous challenges.Firstly, air pollution has become a serious concern.Industrial emissions and vehicle exhausts are the primary contributors to this problem. The air quality in many cities has deteriorated to alarming levels, posing a threat to human health and the ecosystem. It is essential for governments to implement stricter regulations on emissions and promote the use of cleaner energy sources.Secondly, water pollution is another pressing issue. The indiscriminate disposal of industrial waste and untreatedsewage has led to the contamination of rivers and lakes. This not only affects aquatic life but also the availability of clean drinking water for humans. Efforts must be made totreat wastewater before it is released into natural bodiesand to educate the public about the importance of water conservation.Additionally, deforestation is a major concern. Thedestruction of forests for agricultural expansion and urban development has led to a loss of biodiversity and contributes to climate change. It is imperative to protect existingforests and to reforest areas that have been destroyed.In conclusion, environmental protection is a collective responsibility. It requires the cooperation of individuals, communities, and governments. By adopting sustainablepractices and making conscious choices, we can ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for generations to come.Please note that the actual content of the 2014 Shandong Province English exam essay prompt could be different, andthis is just a sample essay based on a common topic thatmight have been discussed in an English exam. If you have a specific topic or prompt from the 2014 exam, feel free to provide it, and I can tailor the essay to fit that topic.。
2014 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题Part I WritingD i r e ct i o n s:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay explaining why it is unwise to jump to conclusions upon seeing or hearing something. You can give examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. Write your essay on Answer Sheet 1.Now it is widely believed that jumping to conclusions upon seeing or hearing something is unscientific and thoughtless. We do not have to look very far to find out the truth of this argument.Sometimes what we see or hear is probably staying merely on the surface of things, thus the judgment we make under such circumstances often cannot hold water. For example, when a mother came to her son with two apples in her hand, she told her son to select one apple. The son quickly took one bite and then another before he gave his mother an apple. At first thought, we may regard this son as selfish and impious.However, when we learn that the reason why the boy did this is just for the purpose of checking out which apple is tasty, and the apple he handed his mother is more delicious than the rest one, we should condemn ourselves with shame and regret.To sum up, before making a judgment, we should have a deep analysis of the whole matter. Only in that way can we draw the correct conclusion.Part II L i s t e n i n g ComprehensionPart III R e ad i n g C o m p r e h e ns i onSect i o n AD i r e ct i o n s: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single li ne through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 a r e based on the following pa ss ag e.Millions of Americans are entering their 60s and are more concerned than ever about retire-ment. They know they need to save, but how much? And what exactly are they saving for-to spend more time 36 N the grandkids, go travelling, or start another career? It turns out that husbands and wives may have 37 K different ideas about the subject.The deepest divide is in the way spouses envisage their lifestyle in their later years. Fidelity In- vestments Inc. found 41 percent of the 500 couples it surveyed 38 C on whether both or at least one spouse will work in retirement. Wives are generally right regarding their husbands’retirement age, but men 39 O the age their wives will be when they stop working. And husbands are slightly more 40 I about their standard of living than wives are.Busy juggling (穷于应付)careers and families, most couples don’t take the time to sit down, 41M or together, and think about what they would like to do 5, 10, or 20 years from now. They 42 A they are on the same page, but the 43 L is they have avoided even talking about it.If you are self-employed or in a job that doesn’t have a standard retirement age, you may be more apt to delay thinking about these issues. It is often a 44 E retirement date that provides the c at-a lyst (催化剂)to start planning. Getting laid off or accepting an early-retirement 45 J can force your hand. But don’t wait until you get a severance (遣散费) check to begin planning.S e ct i o n BWhat If Middle-Class J o b s D i s a ppe a r?A) The most recent recession in the United States began in December of 2007 and ended in June of2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. However, two years after the of- ficial end of the recession, few Americans would say that economic troubles are behind us. The unemployment rate, in particular, remains above 9%. Some labour market indicators, such as the proportion of long-term unemployed, are worse now than for any post-war recession.B) There are two widely circulated narratives to explain what’s going on. The Keynesian narrativeis that there has been a major drop in aggregate demand. According to this narrative, the slump can be largely cured by using monetary and fiscal (财政的) stimulus. The main anti-Keynesian narrative is that businesses are suffering from uncertainty and over-regulation. According to this narrative, the slump can be cured by having the government commit to and follow a morehands-off approach.C)I want to suggest a third interpretation. Without ruling out a role for aggregate demand or for theregulatory environment, I wish to suggest that structural change is an important factor in the cur- rent rate of high unemployment. The economy is in a state of transition, in which the mid-dle-class jobs that emerged after World War II have begun to decline. As Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee put it in a recent e-book Race Against the Machine: “The root of our problems is not that we’re in a great recession, or a great stagnation (停滞), but rather that we are in the early throes (阵痛) of a great restructuring.”D) In fact, I believe that the Great Depression of the 1930s can also be interpreted in part as an eco-nomictransition. The impact of the internal combustionengine (内燃机) and the small electric motor on farming and manufacturing reduced the value of uneducated labourers. Instead, by the 1950s, a middle class of largely clerical (从事文秘工作的)workers was the most significant part of the labour force. Between 1930 and 1950, the United States economy underwent a Great Transition. Demand fell for human effort such as lifting, squeezing, and hammering. Demand in- creased for workers who could read and follow directions. The evolutionary process eventually changed us from a nation of labourers to a nation of clerks.E) The proportion of employment classified as “clerical workers” grew from 5.2% in 1910 to a peak of 19.3percent in 1980. “However, by 2000 this proportion had edged down to 17.4 %”Over- all, workers classified as clerical workers, technical workers, managers, officials exceeded 50% of the labour force by 2000. Corresponding declines took place in the manual occupations. Workers classified as labourers, other than farm hands or miners, peaked at 11.4% of the labour force in 1920 but were barely 6% by 1950 and less than 4% by 2000. Farmers and farm labourers fell from 33% of the labour force in 1910 to less than 15% by 1950 and only 1.2% in 2000.F)The introduction of the tractor and improvements in the factory rapidly reduced the demand foruneducated workers. By the 1930s, a marginal farm hand could not produce enough to justify his employment. Sharecropping, never much better than a subsistence occupation, was no longer visable ( 可行的). Meanwhile, machines were replacing manufacturing occupations like cigar rolling and glass blowing for light bulbs.G)The structural-transition interpretation of the unemployment problem of the 1930s would be that thedemand for uneducated workers in the United States had fallen, but the supply remained high. The high school graduation rate was only 8.8% in 1912 and still just 29% in 1931. By 1950, it had reached 59% . With a new generation of workers who had completed high school, the mismatch between skills and jobs had been greatly reduced.H) What took place after the Second World War was not the revival of a 1920s economy, with its smallfarming units, urban manufacturing, and plurality of labourers. Instead, the 1950s saw the creation of a new suburban economy, with a plurality of white-collar workers. With an expanded transportation and communications infrastructure (基础设施), businesses needed telephone op-erators, shipping clerks, and similar occupations. If you could read, follow simple instructions, and settle into a routine, you could finda job in the post-war economy.I)The trend away from manual labour has continued. Even within the manufacturing sector, the shareof production and non-supervisory workers in manufacturing employment went from over 85% just after the Second World War to less than 70% in more recent years. To put this another way, the proportion of white-collar work in manufacturing has doubled over the past 50 years. On the factory floor itself, work has become less physically demanding. Instead, it requires more cognitive skills and the ability to understand and carry out well-defined procedures.J)As noted earlier, the proportion of clerical workers in the economy peaked in 1980. By that date, computers and advanced communications equipment had already begun to affect telephone oper- ations and banking. The rise of the personal computer and the Internet has widened the impact of these technologies to include nearly every business and industry.K) The economy today differs from that of a generation ago. Mortgage and consumer loan und er-writers (风险评估人)have been replaced by credit scoring. Record stores have been replaced by music downloads. Book stores are closing, while sales of books on electronic readers have in- creased. Data entry has been moved off shore. Routine customer support also has been out- s ourced (外包) overseas.L） These trends serve to limit the availability of well-defined jobs. If a job can be characterized by a precise set of instructions, then that job is a candidate to be automated or outsourced to modestly educated workers in developing countries. The result is what David Autor calls the polarization of the American job market.M）Using the latest Census Bureau data, Matthew Slaughter found that from 2000 to 2010 the real earnings of college graduates （with no advanced degree）fell by more in percentage terms than the earnings of high school graduates. In fact, over this period the only education category to show an increase in earnings was those with advanced degrees.N)The outlook for mid-skill jobs would not appear to be bright. Communication technology and computer intelligence continue to improve, putting more occupations at risk. For example, many people earn a living as drivers, including trucks and taxicabs. However, the age of driver-less ve- hicles appears to be moving closer. Another example is in the field of education. In the fall of 2011, an experiment with an online course in artificial intelligence conducted by two Stanford professors drew tens of thousands of registrants (报名者). This increases the student-teacher ra-tio by a factor of close to a thousand. Imagine the number of teaching jobs that might be elimi- nated if this could be done for math, economics, chemistry, and so on.O) It’s important to bear in mind that when we offer a structural interpretation of unemployment, a “loss of jobs”means an increase in productivity. Traditionally, economists have argued that pro- ductivity increases are a good thing, even though they may cause unemployment for some work- ers in the short run. In the long run, the economy does not run out of jobs. Rather, new jobs e- merge as old jobs disappear. The story we tell is that average well-being rises, and the more that people are able to adapt, the more widespread the improvement becomes.注意院此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答遥46. Even factory floor work today has become intellectually challenging rather than physically demand- ing. I47. Increases in productivity prove beneficial though some people may lose their jobs temporarily.O48. The unemployment rate remained high even two years after the government declared the recent re- cessionwas over.A49. The author suggests that the recent high unemployment rate is mainly caused by a decrease of mid- dle-class jobs.C50. The creation of a suburban economy in the 1950s created lots of office jobs.H51. In the first decade of the 21st century, only people with postgraduate degrees experienced an in- crease inearnings.M52. One economics theory suggests using monetary and fiscal stimulus to cope with an economic re-cession.B53. The popularity of online courses may eliminate many teaching jobs.N54. Computer technology has brought about revolutionary changes in the record and book business.K55. White-collar workers accounted for more than half of the labour force by the end of the 20th century. ES e ct i o n CPassage O neQuestions 56 to 60 a r e based on the following pa ss a g e.“Deep reading”-as opposed to the often superficial reading we do on the Web-is an endan- gered practice, one we ought to take steps to preserve as we would a historic building or a significant work of art.Its disappearance would jeopardize the intellectual and emotional development of gener- ations growing up online, as well as the preservation of a critical part of our culture: the novels, po-ems and other kinds of literature that can be appreciated only by readers whose brains, quite literally, have been trained to apprehend them.Recent research in cognitive science and psychology has demonstrated that deep reading-slow, immersive, rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity is a distinctive experi- ence, different in kind from the mere decoding of words. Although deep reading does not, strictly speaking, require a conventional book, the built-in limits of the printed page are uniquely helpful to the deep reading experience. A book’s lack of hyperlinks “超链接”, for example, frees the reader from making decisions. Should I click on this link or not?-allowing her to remain fully immersed in the narrative.That immersion is supported by the way the brain handles language rich in detail, indirect refer- ence and figures of speech: by creating a mental representation that draws on the same brain regions that would be active if the scene were unfolding in real life. The emotional situations and moral dilemmas that are the stuff of literature are also vigorous exercise for the brain, propelling us inside the heads of fictional characters and even, studies suggest, increasing our real-life capacity for empathy(认同).None of this is likely to happen when we’re browsing through a website. Although we call the activity by the same name, the deep reading of books and the information-driven reading we do on the Web are very different, both in the experience they produce and in the capacities they develop. A growingbody of evidence suggests that online reading may be less engaging and less satisfying, even for the “digital natives”for whom it is so familiar. Last month, for example, Britain’s National Lit-eracy Trust released the results of a study of 34,910 young people aged 8 to 16. Researchers reported that 39% of children and teens read daily using electronic devices, but only 28% read printed materi- als every day. Those who read only onscreen were three times less likely to say they enjoy reading very much and a third less likely to have a favorite book. The study also found that young people who read daily only onscreen were nearly two times less likely to be above-average readers than those who read daily in print or both in print and onscreen.56. What does the author say about”deep reading’?A) It serves as a complement to online reading.B) It should be preserved before it is too late.C) It is mainly suitable for reading literature.D) It is an indispensable part of education.57. Why does the author advocate the reading of literature?A) It helps promote readers’ intellectual and emotional growth.B) It enables readers to appreciate the complexity of language.C)It helps readers build up immersive reading habits.D) It is quickly becoming an endangered practice.58. In what way does printed-page reading differ from online reading?A) It ensures the reade r’s cognitive growth.B) It enables the reader to be fully engaged.C） It activates a different region of the brain.D) It helps the reader learn rhetorical devices.59. What do the studies show about online reading?A) It gradually impairs one’s eyesight.B) It keeps arousing readers’ curiosity.C) It provides up-to-date information.D) It renders reading less enjoyable.60. What do we learn from the study released by Britain’s National Literacy Turst?A) Onscreen readers may be less competent readers.B) Those who do reading in print are less informed.C) Young people find reading onscreen more enjoyable.D) It is now easier to find a favourite book online to read.Passage T woQuestions 61 to 65 a r e based on the following pa ss a g e.Many current discussions of immigration issues talk about immigrants in general, as if they were abstract people in an abstract world. But the concrete differences between immigrants from dif- ferent countries affect whether their coming here is good or bad for the American people.The very thought of formulating immigration laws from the standpoint of what is best for the American people seems to have been forgotten by many who focus on how to solve the problems of illegal immigrants.It is hard to look for “the ideal outcome” on immigration in the abstract. Economics ProfessorMilton Friedman once said, “The best is the enemy of the goo d”which to me meant that attempts to achieve an unattainable ideal can prevent us from reaching good outcomes that are possible in prac- tice.Too much of our current immigration controversy is conducted in terms of abstract ideals, such as “We are a nation of immigrants.”Of course we are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a na-tion of people who wear shoes. Does it follow that we should admit anybody who wears shoes?The immigrants of today are very different in many ways from those who arrived here a hun- dred years ago. Moreover, the society in which they arrive is different. To me, it is better to build a wall around the welfare state than the country.But the welfare state is already here-and, far from having a wall built around it, the welfare state is expanding in all directions. We do not have a choice between the welfare state and open bor- ders. Anything we try to do as regards immigration laws has to be done in the context of a huge wel- fare state that is already a major, inescapable fact of life.Among other facts of life utterly ignored by many advocates of de facto amnesty (事实上的大赦) is that the free international movement of people is different from free international trade in goods.Buying cars or cameras from other countries is not the same as admitting people from those countries or any other countries. Unlike inanimate objects, people have cultures and not all cultures are compatible with the culture in this country that has produced such benefits for the American peo- ple for so long.Not only the United States, but the Western world in general, has been discovering the hard way that admitting people with incompatible cultures is an irreversible decision with incalculable consequences. If we do not see that after recent terrorist attacks on the streets of Boston and London, when will we see it?“Comprehensive immigration reform”means doing everything all together in a rush, without time to look before we leap, and basing ourselves on abstract notions about abstract people.61. What does the author say about immigrants in America?A) They all hope to gain citizenship and enjoy the welfare.B) They come to America with different dreams and purposes.C) Their background may determine whether they benefit the American people.D) Their cultures affect the extent to which they will achieve success in America.62. What does the author try to say by citing Milton Friedman’s remark?A) It is hardly practical to find an ideal solution to America’s immigration problem.B) Ideal outcomes could be produced only by comprehensive immigration reform.C) As for immigration, good results cannot be achieved without good intentions.D) The proper solution of immigration issues is an ideal of the American public.63. What is the author’s view regarding America’s immigration policy?A) America should open its borders to immigrants from different countries.B) Immigrants have contributed greatly to the welfare of American people.C) Unrestricted immigration will undermine the American welfare state.D) There is no point building a wall around the American welfare state.64. What is the author;s purpose in citing the recent terrorist attacks on the streets of Boston and London?A) To show that America should join hands with Europe in fighting terrorists.B) To prove that it is high time America made comprehensive immigration reforms.C) To prove that terrorism is the most dangerous threat to America and the world in general.D) To show that immigrants’ cultural incompatibility with the host country has consequences.65. What is the author”s attitude towards :comprehensive immigration reform”?A) Supportive. B) Negative.C) Wait-and-see. D) Indifferent.Part IV TranslationEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中文热词通常反映社会变化和文化袁有些在外国媒体上愈来愈流行。
大学英语六级考试试题及答案解析(六十七)一、Writing （本大题1小题．每题106.0分，共106.0分。
For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition . You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below: ）第1题Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Importance of Creating a Healthy Internet. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.1．随着社会和经济发展．网络成为了每个人必不可少的获取信息的工具2．但是，在网络上也出现了一些不健康的因素，如垃圾信息、黄色网站、虚假新闻、网络炒作等3．我们应采取措施制止这些，并建立—个健康的网络环境The Importance of Creating a Healthy Internet____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________【正确答案】：答案:The Importance of Creating a Healthy Internet[范文与解析][1] With the development of our society and economy, the Internet becomesa necessary tool for everyone to obtain information. [2] However, there are also some unhealthy contents in the Internet, such as trash information, pornographic pictures and video clips, fabled news, and annoying online drumbeatings.[3] I think it is high time that we made efforts to create a healthy Internet. [4] First, creating a healthy Internet helps to eliminate online crimes. [5] Second, creating a healthy Internet helps to protect children. Nowadays many children have access to computers and the Internet, so they might be exposed to unhealthy contents and might be misled. [6] Third, a healthy Internet brings great convenience to our lives, while an unhealthy one does great harm to us. When trash information and online drumbeating jam the network, we will certainly spend much more time to search for the information we really need.[7] In one word, creating a healthy Internet should be Netizens' common responsibility, and let's all contribute to a clean and harmonious virtual environment.[本题分数]： 106.0 分【答案解析】[写作指南]作文标题是“创建健康网络环境的重要性”，这已经表明，写作的重点是说明“为什么要创建健康的网络环境”。
