1. Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. " You can cite examples to illustrate your point of view, You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
It's of Utmost Importance to Do Small Things in a Great Way
It couldn't be truer that "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way". Even if most of us can't accomplish a task as great as walking on the moon or winning a Nobel Prize, we can still achieve success by doing small things excellently. ①We have to admit that if we care about trivial things and do them brilliantly, we can eventually achieve great things. Take Tao Huabi, a self-made entrepreneur as an example. At the very beginning, Mrs Tao, miserable and illiterate, made a living by selling flavorings. With years of explorations, she developed a kind of flavoring specialized for the snacks, which contained pepper, soy sauce, spring onions, etc., and tasted a lot better than the regular flavorings. It was so successful that she finally set up her own brand—Lao Gan Ma. And now it has become a household name and even marched into the overseas market. Doing the trivia as small as making flavorings wholeheartedly, she's really created a miracle in life. ②From what has been discussed above, we may safely draw a conclusion that doing small things in a great way is a good start to accomplishing great things.
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
Section A Directions:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A, B, C and D, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
[听力原文] W: A clever man hides his virtues within himself. A fool keeps them on his tongue. M: You mean I'm staging my own praises? In that case, I'm a fool—a thorough fool. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
对话中女士说傻瓜会把美德挂在嘴上,男士向女士发问:“你的意思是说我在自吹自擂?”,(You mean I'm singing my own praises?)。由此可知,男士对女士的评论不满。
2.
A.Three crew members were involved in the incident.
B.None of the hijackers carried any deadly weapons.
C.The plane had been scheduled to fly to Japan.
D.None of the passengers were injured or killed.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] W: What does the paper say about the horrible incident that happened this morning on Flight 870 to Hong Kong? M: It ended with the arrest of the three hijackers. They had forced the plane to fly to Japan, but all the passengers and crew members landed safely. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
对话中男士说所有的乘客和机组人员都安全着陆了。由此可知,没有乘客受伤或被杀害。
3.
A.At a checkout counter.
B.At a commercial bank.
C.At a travel agency.
D.At a hotel front desk.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] M: I'd like to transfer money from my checking account to my savings account. W: OK. Give me the numbers of those accounts and some identification please. Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?
对话中男士说他想把支票账户的钱转到储蓄账户。由此可知,对话很可能发生在银行。
4.
A.The restaurant was not up to the speakers' expectations.
B.The restaurant places many ads in popular magazines.
C.The critic thought highly of the Chinese restaurant.
D.Chinatown has got the best restaurants in the city.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] W: I'm not going to trust the restaurant critic from that magazine again. The food here doesn't taste anything like what we had in Chinatown. M: It definitely wasn't worth the wait. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
B.Prof. Laurence is going into an active retirement.
C.The professor's graduate seminar is well received.
D.The professor will lead a quiet life after retirement.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] W: I can't believe Professor Laurence is going to retire. M: He's still going to lead a graduate seminar each semester though. Q: What does the man mean?
[听力原文] W: Bob, I really think we should meet to figure out what to do about replacing Leon. We have to find someone soon. M: I can't come right now. I've got a meeting with Rodney. It might take all day. Can we meet tomorrow? Q: What does the woman want to discuss with the man?
A.Helen has been looking forward to the exhibition.
B.The photography exhibition will close tomorrow.
C.Helen asked the man to book a ticket for her.
D.Photography is one of Helen's many hobbies.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] W: Helen won't be coming to work tomorrow. She's finally going to the photography exhibition. M: Oh, so she managed to get a ticket after all. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
[听力原文] W: Steve has listed a few ways of motivating the employees. I think he is out of touch with the real world. M: You just took the words out of my mouth. Let's try to persuade him to see things our way. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
[听力原文] M: I'd like to go to the States, but if I took the job there, I wouldn't get a very good salary. W: Really? I thought salaries were high there, but there would be some fringe benefits presumably. M: Oh, yes. It'd be stimulating and it has some advantages. W: What else do you have in mind? M: Well, there's a position in Portugal. W: How does it compare? M: It'd offer greater security, because it'd be on a home-based contract. W: And salary? M: Much better. I get an overseas allowance plus free accommodation from the firm. W: Presumably you'll be given moving expenses from the Portugal job? M: Yes, but just to complicate matters, there is a possibility of a post in Sao Paulo. W: That's Brazil, isn't it? M: Yes. And I'd get promotion if I took a post there. W: I'd love to go to Brazil. M: But there are some disadvantages. I'd have to do a five-year term there. W: That's no problem surely. M: Well, not at the moment. But if there were a change in family circumstances, I'd be a long way from home. W: But if you are worried about distance, isn't that the same problem with the States? M: Yes, but in the States I'd be on an annual contract so I could leave fairly quickly if I needed to. W: In Portugal? M: Well, that's almost next door, isn't it? I could visit home every few months if necessary. W: I can see you've got a difficult choice to make. M: Well, fortunately I don't have to make up my mind about any of them yet. In fact, I haven't even been called for an interview.
C.He has to spend a lot more traveling back and forth.
D.He has difficulty communicating with local people.
A B C D
A
对话中女士说:“我愿意去巴西。”男士说:“但是也有一些不利条件,我必须在那儿待五年。”由此可知,男士说在巴西工作的不利条件是必须签一份长期合同。 A中的sign along-term contract是对对话中do a five-year term的同义转述。
12.
A.The woman sympathizes with the man.
B.The man is in the process of job hunting.
C.The man is going to attend a job interview.
D.The woman will help the man make a choice.
A B C D
B
对话末尾男士说:“是啊,幸运的是目前我还没有必要考虑这些问题,实际上,我甚至还没有被通知去面试呢。”由此可知,男士正在找工作,暂时还没收到面试通知。 B中的in the process of job hunting可由对话结尾处的I haven't even been called for an interview推断得出。
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
A.To see if he can get a loan from the woman's bank.
B.To see if he can find a job in the woman's company.
C.To inquire about the current financial market situation.
D.To inquire about the interest rates at the woman's bank.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] W: Good morning, High Mountain Savings & Loan. How may we help you? M: Well, I'm looking for the highest possible on a short-term certificate of deposit account. W: Well, let's see what we can do for you. High Mountain is currently offering a rate of 6.4% on a 13-week account with the minimum deposit of only 12,000 dollars, 6.55% on the minimum deposit of 25,000 dollars, and 6.7% on the deposit of 50,000 dollars, those who'll have yields of 6.55%, 6.71%, and 6.87% respectively. M: Rate and yield? I'm afraid I don't understand the difference. W: Well, sir, the rate is the percentage of simple interest paid on your money, and the yield is the total percentage you'll receive on your account if you leave your money with us for at least a year at the same interest rate. M: Oh, well, urn, but I'm not interested in long-term investing and three months sounds just fine. W: Then perhaps you'd like to open one of our high finance money market checking accounts. With a minimum balance of only 50,000 dollars, you'll get an interest of 6.1% on any amount over that, for a yearly yield of 6.27%. Of course, there's no penalty for early withdrawal. M: Ur, no, thank you. I... W: Or could we persuade you to save with us if we offered you a dining coupon book that will get you a 25% discount at many of the areas or leading restaurants, at a cost to you of only 12 dollars and 95 cents. M: Look, I... I think I'll just call around for more information. Thank you for your time.
Section B Directions:In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
[听力原文] Karen Smith is a buyer for a department store in New York. Department store buyers purchase the goods that their Stores sell. They not only have to know what is fashionable at the moment, but also have to guess what will become fashionable next season or next year. Most buyers work for just one department in a store. But the goods that Karen finds may be displayed and sold in several different sections of the store. Her job involves buying handicrafts from all over the world Last year, she made a trip to Morocco and returned with rugs, pots, dishes and pants. The year before, she visited Mexico and bought back handmade table cloths, mirrors with frames of tin and paper flowers. The paper flowers are bright and colorful, so they were used to decorate the whole store. This year Karen is travelling in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Many of the countries that Karen visits have government offices that promote handicrafts. The officials are glad to cooperate with her by showing her the products that are available. Karen especially likes to visit markets in small towns and villages whenever she can arrange for it. She is always looking for interesting and unusual items. Karen thinks she has the best job she could've found. She loves all the travelling that she has to do. Because she often visits markets and small out-of-the-way places, she sees much more of the country she visits than an ordinary tourist would. As soon as she gets back to New York from one trip, Karen begins to plan another.
短文中提到,百货商店的采购员不仅要了解当下流行着什么样的商品,还要预测下一李或下一年将会流行的商品。由此可知,一个优秀的百货商店采购员要具有预测时尚趋势的能力。 A中的predict fashion trends是对原文中guess what will become fashionable的同义转述。
2.
A.Promoting all kinds of American hand-made specialties.
B.Strengthening cooperation with foreign governments.
C.Conducting trade in art works with dealers overseas.
A.Its role is to regulate international coffee prices.
B.It represents several countries that export coffee.
C.Its most important task is to conduct coffee studies.
D.It is a Portuguese company selling coffee in New York.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] Ukim de Silva is a Brazilian who lives and works in New York. Brazil's most important product is coffee, and coffee is Ukim's business. He works for an international coffee institute. It represents Brazil and several other countries that export coffee. The institute wants more people to drink more coffee. That hasn't been easy to do for the last few months. A period of freezing weather destroyed a large part of Brazil's coffee crop. As a result, there has been a shortage of coffee throughout the world. The shortage has caused prices to go very high. Many people are talking about giving up coffee until the prices come down again. All the countries that are represented in the institute want people to continue drinking coffee. They spend a lot of time explaining the recent rising price to newspaper reporters. They want the public to understand the reason for the shortage. Among the goal Ukim was put in charge of an advertising campaign. The campaign will try to encourage people to keep on drinking coffee. Sometimes, Ukim misses the beaches and tropical weather in Rio de Janeiro, but he likes life in New York. He's young, only 27 years old and he is a good-looking bachelor. There are a lot of women to meet in New York, and a lot of places to go with them. When he misses home, there are several Brazilian restaurants where he can go and speak Portuguese, his native language. The last few weeks, however, he's been to busy to think about anything except coffee price and his advertising campaign.
短文中提到,乌季姆所在的国际咖啡协会代表巴西和其他一些咖啡出口国。it指代的是the international coffee institute。 B是对短文中It represents Brazil and several other countries that export coffee.的再现。
2.
A.The increased coffee consumption.
B.The fluctuation of coffee prices.
C.The freezing weather in Brazil.
D.The impact of global warming.
A B C D
C
短文中提到,持续了一段时间的严寒天气毁坏了巴西很大一部分咖啡作物,这导致了世界范围内的咖啡短缺。由此可知,是巴西的严寒天气导致了近期世界范围内的咖啡短缺。 C是对短文中A period of freezing weather destroyed a large part of Brazil's coffee crop.的再现。
3.
A.He is a heavy coffee drinker.
B.He is tall, rich and intelligent.
C.He is doing a bachelor's degree.
D.He is young, handsome and single.
A B C D
D
短文中提到,乌季姆·德席尔瓦正年轻,只有27岁,是个外表帅气的单身男士。短文中的he指代的就是Ukim de Silva。由此可知,他年轻、英俊并且单身。 D中的young是短文中的原词复现,handsome and single对应短文中的good-looking bachelor。
[听力原文] Last summer my wife and I had saved for a year to be able to take a romantic cruise to several Caribbean islands. Because the train was scheduled to arrive in Miami, Florida several hours before the sailing, we didn't think we'd have any reason to worry about getting to the dock on time. We should have known that long-distance trains are often many hours late. We should have taken an earlier one to allow extra time. We should have, but we didn't. And we missed the boat. Because there wouldn't have been a refund on our cruise fare if we returned home, we had to pay for a hotel room and meals in the city and an airfare to fly to the first island on the ship's route. Two days later, we missed half the cruise. This year we decided to let an experienced travel agent do our vacation planning for us. We had to pay the full price in advance for an escorted tour. We should be enjoying that relaxing well-planned trip right now. How couldwe've known there would be a strike against our airline? And why hadn't anyone advised us that the travel agency can't refund your money unless the tour operator can get the passengers' fees back from the reserved hotels, the tour bus company and so on? To avoid trouble like this, we ought to get more travel experience. But to tell you the truth, we don't want to go anywhere. We are planning to spend our vacations at home for a long time to come.
D.It was canceled because of an unexpected strike.
A B C D
D
短文中提到,我们现在应该正在享受那个令人放松的、计划周密的旅行。(可是)我们怎么能料到我们的航班所属的航空公司会遭遇罢工呢?由此可知,说话者今年的旅行并未成行,而具体原因就是航空公司遭遇了一场始料不及的罢工。 短文中使用了虚拟语气we should be enjoying...,可见说话者实际并未去度假,而接下来的反问句则阐明了原因。
3.
A.Go overseas.
B.Stay at home.
C.Take escorted trips.
D.Take romantic cruises.
A B C D
B
短文指出,在未来很长一段时间内,我们打算在家里度过假期。由此可知,说话者打算以后在家里度过假期。 B是对短文中spend our vacations at home的同义转述。
Section C Directions:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its" general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Why would an animal kill itself? It seems a strange question, and yet it is one that has 1 some people for a long time. The lemming (旅鼠) is one such animal. Lemmings periodically commit mass 2 , and no one knows just why! The small 3 , which inhabit the Scandinavian mountains, sustain themselves on a diet of roots and live in nests they make underground. When their food supply is 4 large, the lemmings live a normal, undisturbed life. However, when the lemmings' food supply becomes too low to support the population, a singular 5 commences. The lemmings leave their nests all together at the same time, forming huge crowds. Great numbers of the lemmings begin a long and hard journey across the Scandinavian plains, a journey that may last weeks. The lemmings eat everything in their path, continuing their 6 march until they reach the sea. The reason for what follows remains a mystery for zoologists and naturalists. Upon reaching the coast, the lemmings do not stop but swim by the thousands into the surf. Most 7 only a short time before they tire, sink, and drown. A common theory for this unusual phenomenon is that the lemmings do not realize that the ocean is such 8 water. In their cross-country journey, the animals must traverse many smaller bodies of water, such as rivers and small lakes. They may 9 that the sea is just another such swimmable 10 . But no final answer has been found to the mystery.
[听力原文] Why would an animal kill itself? It seems a strange question, and yet it is one that has puzzled some people for a long time. The lemming (旅鼠) is one such animal. Lemmings periodically commit mass suicide, and no one knows just why! The small creatures, which inhabit the Scandinavian mountains, sustain themselves on a diet of roots and live in nests they make underground. When their food supply is sufficiently large, the lemmings live a normal, undisturbed life. However, when the lemmings' food supply becomes too low to support the population, a singular migration commences. The lemmings leave their nests all together at the same time, forming huge crowds. Great numbers of the lemmings begin a long and hard journey across the Scandinavian plains, a journey that may last weeks. The lemmings eat everything in their path, continuing their destructive march until they reach the sea. The reason for what follows remains a mystery for zoologists and naturalists. Upon reaching the coast, the lemmings do not stop but swim by the thousands into the surf. Most float on water only a short time before they tire, sink, and drown. A common theory for this unusual phenomenon is that the lemmings do not realize that the ocean is such a huge body of water. In their cross country journey, the animals must traverse many smaller bodies of water, such as rivers and small lakes. They may assume that the sea is just another such swimmable obstacle. But no final answer has been found to the mystery.
空前的most和空后的only a short time提示,主句缺少谓语,本空应填动词(短语)。float on water意为“在水面上漂浮”。
8.
a huge body of
空前的is such和空后的名词water提示,本空可能填量词。a huge body of意为“大量的”。
9.
assume
空前的may和空后的that从句提示,本空应填动词原形。assume意为“假定”。
10.
obstacle
空前的is和another such swimmable提示,本空应填可数名词的单数形式。obstacle意为“障碍”。
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension
Section A Directions: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 line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. Travel websites have been around since the 1990s, when Expedia, Travelocity, and other holiday booking sites were launched, allowing travelers to compare flight and hotel prices with the click of a mouse. With information no longer 1 by travel agents or hidden in business networks, the travel industry was revolutionized, as greater transparency helped 2 prices. Today, the industry is going through a new revolution—this time transforming service quality. Online rating platforms— 3 in hotels, restaurants, apartments, and taxis—allow travelers to exchange reviews and experiences for all to see. Hospitality businesses are now ranked, analyzed, and compared not by industry 4 , but by the very people for whom the service is intended—the customer. This has 5 a new relationship between buyer and seller. Customers have always voted with their feet; they can now explain their decision to anyone who is interested. As a result, businesses are much more 6 , often in very specific ways, which creates powerful 7 to improve service. Although some readers might not care for gossipy reports of unfriendly bellboys (行李员) in Berlin or malfunctioning hotel hairdryers in Houston, the true power of online reviews lies not just in the individual stories, but in the websites' 8 to aggregate a large volume of ratings. The impact cannot be 9 . Businesses that attract top ratings can enjoy rapid growth, as new customers are attracted by good reviews and 10 provide yet more positive feedback. So great is the influence of online ratings that many companies now hire digital reputation managers to ensure a favorable online identity. A. accountable B. capacity C. controlled D. entail E. forged F. incentives G. occasionally H. overstated I. persisting J. pessimistic K. professionals L. slash M. specializing N. spectators O. subsequently
1.
C
分析句子结构可知,此处使用了with独立主格结构,结合空后的by和or hidden...可判断,本空应填过去分词,与hidden并列。C. controlled(控制)符合语义,故为答案。 E. forged(形成;缔造)和H. overstated(夸大;把……讲得过分)均与语义不符,故均排除。
2.
L
空前的helped和空后的prices提示,此处是help do sth结构,本空应填动词原形,故D. entail和L. slash入选。动词helped提示,空前的greater transparency和空后的prices之间存在一种因果关系,而结合常识不难判断,信息透明度更高,会促使价格“大幅度下降”,L. slash(大幅度削减<数量、价格等>)符合语义,故为答案。 D. entail(需要;使必要)代入句中无法使句子语义通顺,故排除。
3.
M
platforms之后的破折号和allow之前的破折号之间的内容是对主语online rating platforms(在线评价平台)的说明,因此本空可能填分词或形容词,且所填词能与in构成合理搭配,故I. persisting和M. specializing入选。分析句意可知,酒店、餐馆、公寓和出租车应该是在线评价平台所针对的行业“范围”,M. specializing(专门从事;专攻)常与in搭配使用,符合此处的语义和搭配需要,故为答案。 I. persisting(坚持;继续存在)也常与in搭配使用,但语义上明显不符,故排除。
4.
K
分析句子结构可知,not...but...连接并列成分by industry (39) 和by the very people...,表示对酒店服务业进行排名、分析和比较的两类人群,再结合并列成分性质相同的特性可判断,所填词应与people性质相同,即也应为表示人的复数名词,故K. professionals和N. spectators入选。K. professionals意为“专业人员;专家”,industry professionals表示“业内专业人士”,与后面的the very people...intended—the customer(顾客)相对应,符合此处的语义需要,故答案为K. professionals。 N. spectators(观看者;观众)也表示人,但一般不与industry连用,与前后语义也明显不符,故排除。
5.
E
分析句子结构可知,本句谓语部分不完整,空前的has提示,本空应填过去分词。分析上文可知,本句的this指代前面提到的“顾客对酒店服务业进行排名、分析和比较”这一现象,而这种现象与空后的“新型的买卖关系”存在某种因果关系,E. forged(形成;缔造)符合这一语义需要,表示上述现象“缔造了”一种新型的买卖关系,故答案为E. forged。 C. controlled(控制)和H. overstated(夸大;把……讲得过分)放在句中均无法构成合理的语义和逻辑关系,故均排除。
6.
A
空前的are much more提示,本空应填一个多音节形容词,故A. accountable和J. pessimistic入选。前一句说顾客现在可以对任何感兴趣的人解释他们做某个决定的原因,本句句首的as a result表明,本句是阐述上一句的现象所带来的结果。结合句中的specific ways(具体的方式)和improve service(改善服务质量)可推测,企业的应对方式应该是“积极的”,两个备选形容词中,显然A. accountable(负有责任的)符合语义需要,故为答案。此处是说企业(因担心顾客差评)会更加负责。 J. pessimistic(悲观的;悲观主义的)不符合此处的语义色彩,故排除。
7.
F
空前的creates powerful提示,本空应填名词,作宾语。which引导非限制性定语从句,修饰其前面的句子,结合动词creates(带来)和后面的不定式to improve service(改善服务质量)可判断,此处应该是进一步阐述前面情况带来的结果,F. incentives意为“刺激;鼓励”,powerful incentives表示“有力的刺激;强大的动力”,符合此处的语义需要,故答案为F. incentives。 B. capacity(能力)具有一定的干扰性,powerful capacity表示“强大的能力”,尽管表面看来,“强大的改善服务质量的能力”也是积极的结果,但从句的谓语creates(创造)并不能和capacity(能力)构成合理的动宾搭配,故排除。
8.
B
空前的websites'提示,本空应填名词。分析句子结构可知,not just...but...连接并列成分in the individual stories和in the websites' (43) ...,体现在线评价真正力量的两个方面,而not just...but...(不仅……而且……)强调后者,可见but in the websites' (43) 应该是说网站的积极方面,B. capacity意为“能力”,与前面的the true power相呼应,符合此处的语义需要,故为答案。此外说的是网站(具有)汇集大量评价的能力。 其他备选名词均与此处的语义不符,故均排除。
9.
H
空前的be提示,本空应填形容词或分词。分析上下文可知,主语the impact指的是上段中提到的“在线评价的影响”。由本段最后一句中的So great is the influence of online ratings that...可知,此处应该是说在线评价的影响巨大,H. overstated意为“夸大;把……讲得过分”,cannot be overstated为惯用表达,表示“再怎么强调也不为过”,符合此处语义需要,故答案为H. overstated。 其他备选项均不符合此处的结构和语义需要,故均排除。
10.
O
分析句子结构可知,句子主干结构完整,are attracted...和provide...feedback是由and连接的并列谓语,空格位于动词provide之前,故本空应填副词,修饰provide,G. occasionally和O. subsequently入选。新顾客“被好评所吸引”与“给出更积极的反馈”之间是一种承接关系,显然O. subsequently(后来;随后)符合这一语义和逻辑需要,故为答案。 G. occasionally(偶然;偶尔;间或)不能使句子语义通顺,故排除。
Section B Directions:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Plastic Surgery
A better credit card is the solution to ever larger hack attacks
A. A thin magnetic stripe (magstripe) is all that stands between your credit-card information and the bad guys. And they've been working hard to break in. That's why 2014 is shaping up as a major showdown: Banks, law enforcement and technology companies are all trying to stop a network of hackers who are succeeding in stealing account numbers, names, email addresses and other crucial data used in identity theft. More than 100 million accounts at Target, Neiman Marcus and Michaels stores were affected in some way during the most recent attacks, starting last November. B. Swipe (刷卡) is the operative word: Cards are increasingly vulnerable to attacks when you make purchases in a store. In several recent incidents, hackers have been able to obtain massive information of credit-, debit-(借记) or prepaid-card numbers using malware, i.e. malicious software, inserted secretly into the retailers' point-of-sale system—the checkout registers. Hackers then sold the data to a second group of criminals operating in shadowy comers of the web. Not long after, the stolen data was showing up on fake cards and being used for online purchases. C. The solution could cost as little as $2 extra for every piece of plastic issued. The fix is a security technology used heavily outside the U.S. While American credit cards use the 40-year-old magstripe technology to process transactions, much of the rest of the world uses smarter cards with a technology called EMV (short for Europay, MasterCard, Visa) that employs a chip embedded in the card plus a customer PIN (personal identification number) to authenticate (验证) every transaction on the spot. If a purchaser fails to punch in the correct PIN at the checkout, the transaction gets rejected. (Online purchases can be made by setting up a separate transaction code.) D. Why haven't big banks adopted the more secure technology? When it comes to mailing out new credit cards, it's all about relative costs, says David Robertson, who runs the Nilson Report, an industry newsletter: "The cost of the card, putting the sticker on it, coding the account number and expiration date, embossing (凸印) it, the small envelope—all put together, you're in the dollar range." A chip-and-PIN card currently costs closer to $3, says Robertson, because of the price of chips. (Once large issuers convert together, the chip costs should drop.) E. Multiply $3 by the more than 5 billion magstripe credit and prepaid cards in circulation in the U.S. Then consider that there's an estimated $12.4 billion in card fraud on a global basis, says Robertson. With 44% of that in the U.S., American credit-card fraud amounts to about $5.5 billion annually. Card issuers have so far calculated that absorbing the liability for even big hacks like the Target one is still cheaper than replacing all that plastic. F. That leaves American retailers pretty much alone the world over in relying on magstripe technology to charge purchases—and leaves consumers vulnerable. Each magstripe has three tracks of information, explains payments security expert Jeremy Gumbley, the chief technology officer of CreditCall, an electronic-payments company. The first and third are used by the bank or card issuer. Your vital account information lives on the second track, which hackers try to capture. "Malware is scanning through the memory in real time and looking for data," he says. "It creates a text file that gets stolen." G. Chip-and-PIN cards, by contrast, make fake cards or skimming impossible because the information that gets scanned is encrypted (加密). The historical reason the U.S. has stuck with magstripe, ironically enough, is once superior technology. Our cheap, ultra-reliable wired networks made credit-card authentication over the phone frictionless. In France, card companies created EMV in part because the telephone monopoly was so maddeningly inefficient and expensive. The EMV solution allowed transactions to be verified locally and securely. H. Some big banks, like Wells Fargo, are now offering to convert your magstripe card to a chip-and-PIN model. (It's actually a hybrid (混合体) that will still have a magstripe, since most U.S. merchants don't have EMV terminals.) Should you take them up on it? If you travel internationally, the answer is yes. I. Keep in mind, too, that credit cards typically have better liability protection than debit cards. If someone uses your credit card fraudulently (欺诈性地), it's the issuer or merchant, not you, that takes the hit. Debit cards have different liability limits depending on the bank and the events surrounding any fraud. "If it's available, the logical thing is to get a chip-and-PIN card from your bank," says Eric Adamowsky, a co-founder of CreditCardInsider.com. "I would use credit cards over debit cards because of liability issues." Cash still works pretty well too. J. Retailers and banks stand to benefit from the lower fraud levels of chip-and-PIN cards but have been reluctant for years to invest in the new infrastructure (基础设施) needed for the technology, especially if consumers don't have access to it. It's a chicken-and-egg problem: no one wants to spend the money on upgraded point-of-sale systems that can read the chip cards if shoppers aren't carrying them—yet there's little point in consumers' carrying the fancy plastic if stores aren't equipped to use them. (An earlier effort by Target to move to chip and PIN never gained progress.) According to Gumbley, there's a "you-first mentality. The logjam (僵局) has to be broken." K. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently expressed his willingness to do so, noting that banks and merchants have spent the past decade suing each other over interchange fees—the percentage of the transaction price they keep—rather than deal with the growing hacking problem. Chase offers a chip-enabled card under its own brand and several others for travel-related companies such as British Airways and Ritz-Carlton. L. The Target and Neiman hacks have also changed the cost calculation: Although retailers have been reluctant to spend the $6.75 billion that Capgemini consultants estimate it will take to convert all their registers to be chip-and-PIN-compatible, the potential liability they now face is dramatically greater. Target has been hit with class actions from hacked consumers. "It's the ultimate nightmare," a retail executive from a well-known chain admitted to TIME. M. The card-payment companies MasterCard and Visa are pushing hard for change. The two firms have warned all parties in the transaction chain—merchant, network, bank—that if they don't become EMV-compliant by October 2015, the party that is least compliant will bear the fraud risk. N. In the meantime, app-equipped smartphones and digital wallets—all of which can use EMV technology—are beginning to make inroads (侵袭) on cards and cash. PayPal, for instance, is testing an app that lets you use your mobile phone to pay on the fly at local merchants—without surrendering any card information to them. And further down the road is biometric authentication, which could be encrypted with, say, a fingerprint. O. Credit and debit cards, though, are going to be with us for the foreseeable future, and so are hackers, if we stick with magstripe technology. "It seems crazy to me," says Gumbley, who is English, "that a cutting-edge-technology country is depending on a 40-year-old technology." That's why it may be up to consumers to move the needle on chip and PIN, Says Robertson: "When you get the consumer into a position of worry and inconvenience, that's where the rubber hits the road."
1. It is best to use an EMV card for international travel.
Section C Directions:There are 2 passages in this section. 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 and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One I'll admit I've never quite understood the obsession (难以破除的成见) surrounding genetically modified (GM) crops. To environmentalist opponents, GM foods are simply evil, an understudied, possibly harmful tool used by big agricultural businesses to control global seed markets and crush local farmers. They argue that GM foods have never delivered on their supposed promise, that money spent on GM crops would be better channeled to organic farming and that consumers should be protected with warning labels on any products that contain genetically modified ingredients. To supporters, GM crops are a key part of the effort to sustainably provide food to meet a growing global population. But more than that, supporters see the GM opposition of many environmentalists as fundamentally anti-science, no different than those who question the basics of man-made climate change. For both sides, GM foods seem to act as a symbol: you're pro-agricultural business or anti-science. But science is exactly what we need more of when it comes to GM foods, which is why I was happy to see Nature devote a special series of articles to the GM food controversy. The conclusion: While GM crops haven't yet realized their initial promise and have been dominated by agricultural businesses, there is reason to continue to use and develop them to, help meet the enormous challenge of sustainably feeding a growing planet. That doesn't mean GM crops are perfect, or a one-size-fits-all solution to global agriculture problems. But anything that can increase farming efficiency—the amount of crops we can produce per acre of land—will be extremely useful. GM crops can and almost certainly will be part of that suite of tools, but so will traditional plant breeding, improved soil and crop management—and perhaps most important of all, better storage and transport infrastructure (基础设施), especially in the developing world. (It doesn't do much good for farmers in places like sub-Saharan Africa to produce more food if they can't get it to hungry consumers.) I'd like to see more non-industry research done on GM crops—not just because we'd worry less about bias, but also because seed companies like Monsanto and Pioneer shouldn't be the only entities working to harness genetic modification. I'd like to see GM research on less commercial crops, like corn. 1 don't think it's vital to label GM ingredients in food, but I also wouldn't be against it—and industry would be smart to go along with labeling, just as a way of removing fears about the technology. Most of all, though, I wish a tenth of the energy that's spent endlessly debating GM crops was focused on those more pressing challenges for global agriculture. There are much bigger battles to fight.
1. How do environmentalist opponents view GM foods according to the passage?
A.They will eventually ruin agriculture and the environment.
B.They are used by big businesses to monopolize agriculture.
C.They have proved potentially harmful to consumers' health.
D.They pose a tremendous threat to current farming practice.
2. What does the author say is vital to solving the controversy between the two sides of the debate?
A.Breaking the GM food monopoly.
B.More friendly exchange of ideas.
C.Regulating GM food production.
D.More scientific research on GM crops.
A B C D
D
第2段第1句提到争论双方的分歧,第2句指出说到转基因食品,我们更需要的恰恰就是科学……由此可见,解决双方争议最重要的是更多关于转基因农作物的科学研究。D的叙述与原文相符,故为答案。 A是利用第1段第2句中提到的control global seed markets设置的干扰,予以排除。文中没有提到争论双方要多交流观点,也没有提到要规范转基因产品,故B和C都属于无中生有,可排除。
3. What is the main point of the Nature articles?
A.Feeding the growing population makes it imperative to develop GM crops.
B.Popularizing GM technology will help it to live up to its initial promises.
C.Measures should be taken to ensure the safety of GM foods.
D.Both supporters and opponents should make compromises.
Passage Two When the right person is holding the right job at the right moment, that person's influence is greatly expanded. That is the position in which Janet Yellen, who is expected to be confirmed as the next chair of the Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) in January, now finds herself. If you believe, as many do, that unemployment is the major economic and social concern of our day, then it is no stretch to think Yellen is the most powerful person in the world right now. Throughout the 2008 financial crisis and the recession and recovery that followed, central banks have taken on the role of stimulators of last resort, holding up the global economy with vast amounts of money in the form of asset buying. Yellen, previously a Fed vice chair, was one of the principal architects of the Fed's $3.8 trillion money dump. A star economist known for her groundbreaking work on labor markets, Yellen was a kind of prophetess early on in the crisis for her warnings about the subprime (次级债) meltdown. Now it will be her job to get the Fed and the markets out of the biggest and most unconventional monetary program in history without derailing the fragile recovery. The good news is that Yellen, 67, is particularly well suited to meet these challenges. She has a keen understanding of financial markets, an appreciation for their imperfections and a strong belief that human suffering was more related to unemployment than anything else. Some experts worry that Yellen will be inclined to chase unemployment to the neglect of inflation. But with wages still relatively flat and the economy increasingly divided between the well-off and the long-term unemployed, more people worry about the opposite, deflation (通货紧缩) that would aggravate the economy's problems. Either way, the incoming Fed chief will have to walk a fine line in slowly ending the stimulus. It must be steady enough to deflate bubbles (去泡沫) and bring markets back down to earth but not so quick that it creates another credit crisis. Unlike many past Fed leaders, Yellen is not one to buy into the finance industry's argument that it should be left alone to regulate itself. She knows all along the Fed has been too slack on regulation of finance. Yellen is likely to address the issue right after she pushes unemployment below 6%, stabilizes markets and makes sure that the recovery is more inclusive and robust. As Princeton Professor Alan Blinder says, "She's smart as a whip, deeply logical, willing to argue but also a good listener. She can persuade without creating hostility." All those traits will be useful as the global economy's new power player takes on its most annoying problems.
1. What do many people think is the biggest problem facing Janet Yellen?
最后一段第2句提到普林斯顿大学教授艾伦·布林德对耶伦的评价,其中提到她(耶伦)可以在不产生敌意的情况下劝服别人。由此可见,艾伦·布林德认为耶伦有很强的说服力。 文中没有提到耶伦对自己的所为有信心,故B属于无中生有,予以排除。C是利用第2段第3句中的a star economist设置的干扰,文中说的是她是个明星经济学家,而非最伟大的经济学家,并且这也不是艾伦·布林德对耶伦的评价,故排除C。D是利用第1段最后一句中的the most powerful person设置的干扰,文中说的是如果说失业是当今最大的问题,那么耶伦可以被看成是世界上最有影响力的人,故D的叙述与文意不符,同时也不符合题意。
Part Ⅳ Translation Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.
①The Han Dynasty is one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. ②There were a lot of remarkable achievements during the reign of the Han rulers. ③Being the first to open the door to other cultures, it excelled in its foreign trade. ④The Silk Road explored in the Hart Dynasty led to Central and West Asia, and even to Rome. ⑤With various sorts of art flourishing, there appeared many great works of literature, history and philosophy. ⑥The first dictionary in China was compiled in 100 AD, which included 9,000 entry words, providing interpretations and listing various styles of writing. ⑦In the meanwhile, the Han Dynasty also achieved great progress in science and technology: Paper, water clocks, sundials and earthquake detectors were invented. ⑧The Han Dynasty lasted for more than 400 years, but the corruption of the rulers ultimately led to its collapse.