1. Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then discuss the importance of positive attitude. You should give sound arguments to support your views and write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
[范文]
The Positive Attitude Leads to Success
The picture tells us a vivid story: two men are trapped in a dark cell. One of them is depressed and upset, while the other is encouraging him by pointing at the light on the floor. The two persons respectively represent two types of people when they are faced with difficulties: the pessimistic and the optimistic. There is a saying that life is full of ups and downs. Everybody has to face the low point of his life. Students may fail their exams; adults may lose their jobs; elderly people may get ill. What should be done at that time? Crying? Giving up? Or doing nothing at all? If you have read some inspirational books, you may have heard a lot of amazing things that happen every day in the world. The student who is admitted to the top university may have taken the entrance exam more than three times. The famous entrepreneur of a company may have been unemployed for a long time. The healthy old lady may have conquered serious disease with her strong willpower. All of these imply that keeping a positive attitude leads to success, which we should always bear in mind.
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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.
[听力原文] W: Well, Mr. Smith, I've looked into your invoice and found out why it hasn't been paid. M: Why? W: We asked our bank to transfer the money but they couldn't. They said that your bank details were wrong. So they couldn't transfer the money then. M: What do you mean my bank details were wrong? They are printed on our invoice. I think that you receive the same invoice as all our other customers. W: I'm sorry. What did you say? M: I said our bank details were printed on the invoice. W: Well, I have the invoice here. Can we just check? The account number is 21406881. Is that right? M: Yes, that's right. And what about the name of the bank? W: At the Bank of Scotland at 46 Portland Street in... M: Hold on, did you say Bank of Scotland? W: Yes. What's the matter? M: It is the Royal Bank of Scotland, not the Bank of Scotland. W: You mean there are two different banks? M: Exactly. W: OK, Mr. Smith. I'll ask our bank to transfer the amount to the Royal Bank of Scotland as soon as it opens. I'm sorry about the mistake. M: Well, I'm glad we've sorted it out.
What can we know about the invoice from the speakers?
2.
A.She didn't receive the same invoice as others.
B.She found the man's account number was wrong.
C.She confused the names of two banks.
D.She couldn't identify the account of the invoice.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] Why can't the woman transfer the money to the man?
3.
A.Transfer the money to the man as soon as possible.
B.Try to sort out the truth and call the bank.
C.Check the account number with Bank of Scotland.
D.Make up for her mistakes and be careful next time.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] What does the woman promise to do?
4.
A.They are manager and assistant.
B.They are business partners.
C.They are customer and manager.
D.They are coworkers of the same company.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
A.Health conditions improve with time spent watching healthy programs.
B.Comedy videos can cure most people of chronic heart attacks.
C.Chances of having heart attacks reduce with those amused daily.
D.Most patients can't survive once they suffer from a second heart attack.
A B C D
C
[听力原文]
W: We've all heard the saying "Laughter is the best medicine" How important is it to our health, Dr. Berk?
M: This saying has been scientifically proven! A year-long study of heart attack victims done at the Oakhurst Health Research Institute in California found that of those patients who spent half an hour a day watching comedy videos, 10 percent had a second heart attack, whereas 30 percent of those who did not watch had a second attack.
W: Wow! Laughter is really a good medicine to patients. Can you give us another example?
M: Sure! Norman Cousins, editor of the Saturday Review, learned this during a battle with an illness. He discovered that his condition improved when he enjoyed himself and watched funny movies.
W: You said Norman learned this? Do we have to learn to laugh?
M: Not necessarily. Since laughing is something people can do sitting down, costs no money, and requires no special exercise equipment or skill, it's the perfect workout for anyone who doesn't have the time or desire to participate in a regular fitness program.
W: Oh. Do you have such a program to offer to the general public?
M: Yes, we do. It's called the Smile Time-Out. You take a deep breath, smile, exhale, and say "Aaah" while visualizing all your muscles and cells smiling. Then add to that a memory of a time you felt really good and laughed and laughed.
W: What about the situation in which you aren't in a mood to laugh?
M: Even when you fake a smile or laugh, you get the same physiological benefits as when it's the real thing, because your mind is smart, but your body is stupid and can't tell the difference!
What did the year-long study of heart attack victims find?
[解析] 从选项可以看出问题与heart attack有关,听到相关话题时注意后面的数据反映的事实:每天看半小时喜剧的心脏病患者中只有10%再次发作,而不看的人中有30%再次发作,因此可以推断,每天都开心的人心脏病发作率降低,即C。A中的healthy programs太笼统,且对话中并未提及健康状况随着看有益于健康的节目的时间增长而改善的信息。
6.
A.Laughing is a learned behavior.
B.Laughing is a good medicine to patients.
C.Laughing is easier than battling with an illness.
D.Laughing is something people can do without effort.
A B C D
B
[听力原文]
What is Norman's example meant to prove?
[解析] 对话中提到Laughter is really a good medicine to patients. 之后,举了Norman作为例子,故答案为B。
7.
A.A fitness program offered to the general public.
B.A physical exercise to build up muscles.
C.A program that makes people keep laughing.
D.A situation where you have no mood to smile.
A B C D
A
[听力原文]
What is the so-called Smile Time-Out?
[解析] 对话先提到fitness program,然后女士问“有没有such a program”,男士说“有,叫做Smile Time Out”,故选A。
8.
A.You'd better smile or laugh from the bottom of your heart.
B.You can't fool your body by pretending to be happy.
C.A smart mind can't tell the difference between a fake one and a real one.
D.Even a fake one can benefit people physiologically just as well as a real one.
A B C D
D
[听力原文]
What can we learn about smile or laugh according to Dr. Berk?
[解析] 选项与真笑假笑有关,D是最后一句的同义表达。选项C与原文意思相悖。
Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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.
A.They are delighted because they can enjoy the scenery while driving.
B.They are frightened because traffic accidents are frequent.
C.They are irritated because the bridge is jammed with cars.
D.They are pleased because it saves them much time.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] The Golden Gate Bridge joins the beautiful city of San Francisco with the suburbs to the north. Each day about 100,000 automobiles cross the bridge talking people to and from the city. More than haft of them cross the bridge during the morning and evening rush hours. With traffic so heavy, the trip is not pleasant. Now, however, there is at least one group of happy commuters. These are the people who travel under the bridge instead of on it. They go to work by boat and enjoy it so much that most of them say they will never go by car again. The ferry they take is spacious, quiet and comfortable. Commuters can enjoy the sun on deck. In the morning they can have breakfast in the coffee shop. And in the evening they can order a drink in the bar while looking at the beautiful scenery. The trip takes only 30 minutes and is not very costly. But best of all, being on a boat seems to make people feel more friendly toward each other. There has already been a marriage of two commuters who met on the ferry. Because the ferry has been so successful, there are plans to use other still larger boats. There is also a proposal for a high speed boat that will make the trip in only 15 minutes. But not everyone is happy about that. A lot of people feel that haft an hour is just enough time to relax.
According to the speaker, how do commuters feel about crossing the Golden Gate Bridge by car?
[解析] 根据“with traffic so heavy, the trip is not pleasant.”可以得出桥上的交通太拥挤了,司机感到很恼怒,所以答案为C。
2.
A.They don't have their own cars to drive to work.
B.Many of them are romantic by temperament.
C.Most of them enjoy the drinks on the boat.
D.They tend to be more friendly to each other.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What does the speaker say about ferry commuters?
[解析] 短文提到,乘船似乎使人与人之间感到更友善。由此可以判断答案为D。
3.
A.Many welcome the idea of having more bars on board.
B.Many prefer the ferry to maintain its present speed.
C.Some suggest improving the design of the deck.
D.Some object to using larger luxury boats.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] How do commuters respond to plans for the future of the ferry?
[解析] “But not everyone is happy about that. A lot of people feel that half an hour is just enough time to relax.”中的第一个that指的是把船所用时间缩短,而不是所有人都对此感到高兴,他们更希望船保持现有的速度。所以答案为B。
[听力原文] Most people have had a dog or wanted one as their companion at some time in their lives. If you are thinking of buying a dog, however, you should first decide what sort of companion you need and whether the dog is likely to be happy in the surroundings you can provide. Specialist advice is available to help you choose the most suitable breed of dog. But in part, the decision depends on common sense. Most breeds were originally developed to perform specific tasks. So, if you want a dog to protect you or your house, for example, you should choose a breed that has the right size and characteristics. You must also be ready to devote a good deal of time to train the dog when it is young and give it the exercise it needs throughout its life, unless you live in the country and can let it run freely. Dogs are demanding pets. Whereas cats identify with the house and so are content if their place there is secure, a dog identifies with its master and consequently wants him to show proof of his affection. The best time to buy a baby dog is when it's between 6 and 8 weeks old so that it can transfer its affection from its mother to its master. If baby dogs have not established a relationship with the human being until they are over three months old, their strong relationship will always be with dogs. They are likely to be too shy when they are brought out into the world to become good pets.
What is mentioned as a consideration in buying a dog?
5.
A.It needs more secure place.
B.It needs more love and care.
C.It demands more food and space.
D.It must be trained so it won't bite.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] In what way is a dog said to be more demanding than a cat?
6.
A.Because it is less likely to run away.
B.Because it is less likely to be too shy with other dogs.
C.Because it's easier for it to form a relationship with its master.
D.Because it's easier for its master to train it to become a good pet.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] Why is it advised to buy a baby dog under three months old?
Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.
[听力原文] Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you Mr. Chairman for that kind introduction. This morning I'm here to share some thoughts about our industry—the insurance. It is the job of insurance to reduce or remove risks. And that's something today's businesses need. In a world where new risks seem to be created out of thin air every day, businesses must be able to reduce their risks—otherwise no one will ever want to invest or take a risk again. How do we respond to a situation where our customers want us, but in which all our thinking and planning was just the opposite? How do we respond to a world that looks the same, in which people continue to go about their daily business, their ordinary lives as we insist on calling them, but a world which feels tangibly different.., a world in which a new mood now prevails. The world is different—we now need to behave differently. And that's the challenge before the insurance industry today. Then how differently? Well to try to give you some of the answers, I want to cover three main points this morning. First, I want to take a critical look at some of the trends and pressures affecting the US and world markets over the last year. You'll be familiar with many of these individually, but it's when we look at them collectively—when we see the pattern they form—that it becomes clear we're now operating in unknown—and perhaps dangerous—waters. All of this, I believe, has a great deal of impact on our current thinking about the so-called "insurance cycle". Next, I want to put forward the response which I believe we need to make as an industry to this new insurance environment. Finally, I want to share with you how the company is taking control of its own destiny and will no longer allow external forces such as the insurance cycle to drive it in a direction it no longer wishes to travel. So let's begin by looking at the state of the insurance industry and the economy last year and think about what all of this means for the insurance cycle.
What do today's companies need according to the speaker?
[解析] 选项皆为不定式,推测题目可能询问某事件的目的。主讲人指出,保险的作用是降低和消除风险(to reduce or remove risks),而这是当今企业的共同需求,C项“降低风险”符合题意。A项“做生意”过于笼统宽泛,且没有扣紧题意。B项“投保”混淆因果,企业需要降低风险,所以他们才选择保险。因为企业投资,所以需要降低风险,D项“投资”也不符合题意。
2.
A.How to invest and take a risk again.
B.How to make plans for consumers.
C.How to continue the daily business.
D.How to respond to a different world.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What is the challenge of the insurance industry?
[解析] 主讲人列举了商业大环境中的新变化,提到世界在变(The world is different),保险业要与时俱进,接着总结出这是保险业当前的挑战,D项“如何应对一个不同的世界”是这部分内容的概括。A项“如何投资和承担风险”和C项“如何继续发展日常业务”是保险业发展的大前提,并非挑战。B项“如何为消费者筹划”表述与录音意思不符,录音中是说要如何应对消费者的意愿与保险公司的构想和筹划大相径庭的情况。
3.
A.Reduction of risks.
B.Insurance cycle.
C.Company needs.
D.Control of its own destiny.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] What is the insurance company thinking about by studying market trends and economy?
B.Having enough knowledge about different careers.
C.Understanding the new trend of career planning.
D.Knowing more about yourself.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] As career planning is very essential in your career, I would like to offer some tips about how to do career planning. Study yourself. This is the key to career planning. Understanding what you are like, what you value, and what kind of person you want to become is the foundation for all career planning. In studying yourself, you examine your strengths and weaknesses, your goals, and the trends in your personal development. The self-understanding that you gain enables you to imagine how certain occupations may best fit your personality, interests, abilities, and goals. All career decisions require us to learn both about ourselves and about work, and to integrate these two kinds of knowledge. Make a list of short and long term career goals. Consider your individual skills, talents, interests and hobbies. You may realize that your daily struggle with new technologies is a source of frustration that you would like to eliminate. List all the goals you have for your work life. Assign a time frame to each goal. Some may be achievable in the near future. Others may require years of efforts. Many will probably lead to a series of goals that you must accomplish over time to reach your desired end result. If your ultimate goal is to have a managerial role, you may need to become a trainer first, then a supervisor. Add specific action steps to your plan that will help you to achieve each goal. Research classes that may help you become more familiar with new technologies. Make a list of classes that you want to take, and then schedule a time to meet with your manager to discuss opportunities for pursuing this type of education. Write a detailed description of your end goals for each year over the next five years. By the end of the first year, you may want to have a few successful projects under your belt. As the second year comes to a close, you might want to be promoted to a higher position, and so on. Be clear about the changes that you want to see happen, when they should take place, and what steps you will take to get where you want to be. Career planning does not guarantee that all the problems, difficulties, or decision-making situations that you face in the future will be solved. Nor can any formula be given to do that. But career planning should help you to approach and cope better with new problems, such as deciding whether or not to enter educational or training programs, deciding whether or not to change jobs, and analyzing the difficulties you are having with a situation or a person. Q: What is the fundamental step of career planning? [解析] 解题思路:四项均为动名词短语,很可能是针对以what开头的提问。四项大意分别为“努力学习”“了解不同职业”“了解职业规划趋势”和“了解自己”。听录音时重点抓住各项的关键信息。 题目中提到fundamental step,讲话开始部分提到:“研究你自己。这是职业规划的关键。了解自己属于哪类人、注重什么以及想成为什么样的人,这是一切职业规划的基础。”由此可知,进行职业规划的基础性步骤就是“了解自己”,故选D。其他三项均为根据个别词汇设置的干扰项,与讲话内容不符,应排除。
5.
A.Ask for professional advice from experienced people.
B.Bring it down to a practical level.
C.Divide it into smaller and achievable goals.
D.Find an objective standard to reevaluate your ability.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] Q: According to the speaker, what should you do if your ultimate aim is rather ambitious? [解析] 解题思路:四项均为以动词原形开头的短语,可能表示即将做某事或建议做某事。其中一项含有ask for...advice,一项含有bring it down,一项含有divide it into smaller...,应该与某种有难度的情况有关,很可能考查对策。 题目问,如果你的最终目标颇为雄心勃勃的话,你应该怎么做。讲话中间部分提到,有些目标也许在不久的将来就能实现,另一些也许需要多年的努力。题干中提到的rather ambitious就属于后者。对此讲话者给出的解决方案是:它可能给你带来一系列的目标,必须经历一段时间去完成它们,才能实现最终的结果……为你的计划增加具体的行动步骤,它们会帮你实现每个目标。可见对于较为长远的目标,讲话者明确给出了“详细规划、分步实施”的建议,故正确答案为C。
6.
A.To help you to deal with new problems you may meet with in your career better.
B.To ensure that you achieve something big sometime in the future.
C.To shorten the time you are tangled up with tricky situations.
D.To accelerate the process of climbing up the social ladder.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] Q: What is the meaning of making career plans? [解析] 解题思路:四项均为不定式短语,可能表示目的,大意分别为“帮助处理新问题”“确保做成大事”“缩短纠结时间”和“加快攀登速度”。听音时注意抓住各项关键信息,并结合录音进一步判断。 本题考查进行职业规划的意义,讲话近结尾处提到:“职业规划并不能保证解决未来你将面临的所有问题、困难和需要做决定的情况。也没有能达到这一效果的公式。但是职业规划可以帮助你更好地面对和处理新的问题。”由此可知,进行职业规划可以帮助人们更好地处理职业生涯中可能遇到的新问题,故答案为A。其他三项讲话中并未提及,均可排除。
[听力原文] Train and railway expressions worked their way into American English over a century ago. Many of those terms are still being used today. Railroads changed the look of the United States. They also gave many Americans the chance to move around the country. Sometimes railroad tracks would not join up in a town but divide into two. If you say someone is from the wrong side of the tracks, it means they are from the bad side of town. To go off the track means to move away from one's intended purpose or goal. For example, you could say your career went way off track if you wanted to be a lawyer but became an actor instead. But if you go to law school and complete your studies, your career is back on track. Let's say you finished law school very quickly because you took double the course load. You then could say you fast-tracked your way to becoming a lawyer. In the world of business, it is common to say a project has been fast-tracked or is on a fast track. To stay on track means to pay attention to your goal or purpose. But getting sidetracked is just the opposite. A train that is sidetracked gets sent to a different station or down a different line. Talking about train tracks, a rail is a single piece of steel that is part of the larger railway. Some rails are dangerous to touch. The third rail is also an issue which can fuel a heated debate. At a party, religion or politics could be the third rail topics. Talking about them could kill your social life! When something goes off the rails, it is always a bad thing. To go off the rails means a person's project or life is a wreck, or—pardon the expression—a train wreck. When a train reaches its final stop, we say it has reached the end of the line. If you reach the end of the line you have come to the end of something. Often in old films, this is what the bad guy says just before he kills someone.
How did Americans benefit from the railway?
8.
A.Bad guys in old films.
B.A person's life project.
C.Religion or politics.
D.People's goal or purpose.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] What could be the third rail topics at a party?
9.
A.His project or life is a train wreck.
B.He has come to the end of something.
C.He is from the bad side of the town.
D.He pays attention to his goal or purpose.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] What does it mean when we say a man reaches the end of the line?
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. The increase in the margin rate (保证金率) from 50% to 70% was not an attempt to stem any rampant (泛滥的) speculation on the part of the public—actually the market seemed technically quite strong, with public participation essentially dignified—but rather an attempt by the Federal Reserve Board to preserve the sound underpinnings that existed in the market. Naturally, such a move had a 1 chilling effect upon prices but if the FRB had been preoccupied with undue speculation, the increase might have been to the 80% or even 90% level. Such increases in the margin rate is a 2 of a strong stock market and since 1989, such increases have resulted in interim (临时的) market highs over twelve months later. Obviously, there could be no 3 that this would once again be the case, but if history is any guideline—and if business and corporate earnings were to continue on the same course—continued optimism over the outlook for the stock market would seem more 4 than pessimism. The margin increase 5 the good rise that stocks had enjoyed for the previous year—and the fact that a 50% rate was maintained as long as it was pointed up the fact that the rise was mainly conservative in that it was concentrated in the blue chips for the most part. In past Investment Letters we have 6 the thought that speciality stocks could outperform the general market from this point. We continue to believe that this could be the case. For example, steel stocks tend to sell at a certain fixed price/earnings ratio. Below a certain ratio they are considered good value—above a certain ratio, 7 . If a company produces a unique product, it is far more difficult for market analysis to place a numerical ratio upon the company's earnings. We have also contended in the past Letters that the stock market reflects mass psychology as well as the business outlook. When investors—both the public and the institutions—are nervous and 8 they definitely hesitate to buy stocks: They seek tow price/earnings multiples and high 9 . These same investors—when they are in an optimistic frame of mind—become far less 10 with yields and more willing to pay a premium (high p/e multiples) for accelerated growth. If the public's attitude toward the auto industry is any measure, then this period seems to have been one of optimism. A. confirmation D. invariably G. pessimistic J. representation M. vicinity B. guarantee E. momentarily H. preoccupied K. speculate N. voiced C. intelligible F. overpriced I. prudent L. underscored O. yields
1.
E
2.
A
3.
B
4.
I
5.
L
6.
N
7.
F
8.
G
9.
O
10.
H
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.
Opportunists and Competitors
A. Growth, reproduction, and daily metabolism all require an organism to expend energy. The expenditure of energy is essentially a process of budgeting, just as finances are budgeted. If all of one's money is spent on clothes, there may be none left to buy food or go to the movies. Similarly, a plant or animal cannot squander all its energy on growing a big body if none would be left over for reproduction, for this is the surest way to extinction. B. All organisms, therefore, allocate energy to growth, reproduction, maintenance, and storage. No choice is involved; this allocation comes as part of the genetic package from the parents. Maintenance for a given body design of an organism is relatively constant. Storage is important, but ultimately that energy will be used for maintenance, reproduction, or growth. Therefore the principal differences in energy allocation are likely to be between growth and reproduction. C. Almost all of an organism's energy can be diverted to reproduction, with very little allocated to building the body. Organisms at this extreme are "opportunists". At the other extreme are "competitors", almost all of whose resources are invested in building a huge body, with a bare minimum allocated to reproduction. D. Dandelions are good examples of opportunists. Their seed heads raised just high enough above the ground to catch the wind, the plants are no bigger than they need be, their stems are hollow, and all the rigidity comes from their water content. Thus, a minimum investment has been made in the body that becomes a platform for seed dispersal. These very short-lived plants reproduce prolifically; that is to say they provide a constant rain of seed in the neighborhood of parent plants. E. A new plant will spring up wherever a seed falls on a suitable soil surface, but because they do not build big bodies, they cannot compete with other plants for space, water, or sunlight. These plants are termed opportunists because they rely on their seeds' falling into settings where competing plants have been removed by natural processes, such as along an eroding riverbank, on landslips, or where a tree falls and creates a gap in the forest canopy. F. Opportunists must constantly invade new areas to compensate for being displaced by more competitive species. Human landscapes of lawns, fields, or flowerbeds provide settings with bare soil and a lack of competitors that are perfect habitats for colonization by opportunists. Hence, many of the strongly opportunistic plants are the common weeds of fields and gardens. G. Because each individual is short-lived, the population of an opportunist species is likely to be adversely affected by drought, bad winters, or floods. If their population is tracked through time, it will be seen to be particularly unstable—soaring and plummeting in irregular cycles. H. The opposite of an opportunist is a competitor. These organisms tend to have big bodies, are long-lived, and spend relatively little effort each year on reproduction. I. An oak tree is a good example of a competitor. A massive oak claims its ground for 200 years or more, out-competing all other would-be canopy trees by casting a dense shade and drawing up any free water in the soil. The leaves of an oak tree taste foul because they are rich in tannins, a chemical that renders them distasteful or indigestible to many organisms. The tannins are part of the defense mechanism that is essential to longevity. J. Although oaks produce thousands of acorns, the investment in a crop of acorns is small compared with the energy spent on building leaves, trunk, and roots. Once an oak tree becomes established, it is likely to survive minor cycles of drought and even fire. A population of oaks is likely to be relatively stable through time, and its survival is likely to depend more on its ability to withstand the pressures of competition or predation than on its ability to take advantage of chance events. K. It should be noted, however, that the pure opportunist or pure competitor is rare in nature, as most species fall between the extremes of a continuum, exhibiting a blend of some opportunistic and some competitive characteristics. L. Oak wood has a density of about 0.75g/cm3, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quarter-sawn. M. Oak planking was common on high status Viking longships in the 9th and 10th centuries. The wood was hewn(砍) from green logs, by axe and wedge, to produce radial planks, similar to quarter-sawn timber. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior paneling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London and in the construction of fine furniture. N. Oak wood, from Quercus robur and Quercus petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, timber frame buildings, and for veneer production. Barrels in which wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Scotch whisky and Bourbon whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak. The use of oak in wine can add many different dimensions to wine based on the type and style of the oak. Oak barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the colour, taste, and aroma of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavour to these drinks. The great dilemma for wine producers is to choose between French and American oak woods. French oaks (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) give the wine greater refinement and are chosen for the best wines since they increase the price compared to those aged in American oak wood. American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces more violent wine bouquets. Oak wood chips are used for smoking fish, meat, cheeses and other foods. O. Japanese oak is used in the making of professional drums from manufacturer Yamaha Drums. The higher density of oak gives the drum a brighter and louder tone compared to traditional drum materials such as maple and birch. In hill states of India, besides fuelwood and timber, the local people use oak wood for making agricultural implements. The leaves are used as fodder during lean period and bedding for livestock.
1. Growth, reproduction, and daily metabolism all require a plant to expend energy.
A
[解析] 替换题。根据daily metabolism定位到A段第一句,原句是:Growth, reproduction, and daily metabolism all require an organism to expend energy. 这里把“an organism”替换成了“a plant”,因为前者“organism”包括了后者“plant”,意义不变。
2. A massive oak claims its ground for 200 years or more, winning all other would-be canopy trees by casting a dense shade and drawing up any free water in the soil.
I
[解析] 转换题。根据200 years定位到I段第一句,原句是:A massive oak claims its ground for 200 years or more, out-competing all other would-be canopy trees by casting a dense shade and drawing up any free water in the soil. 这里将“out-competing”替换成“winning”,意义不变。
3. The energy stored by a plant would be used for maintenance, reproduction, or growth ultimately.
B
[解析] 意义理解题。根据maintenance,reproduction,or growth定位到B段第四句,原句是:Storage is important, but ultimately that energy will be used for maintenance, reproduction, or growth. 意思就是:所以储存的能量都被用于维持生命、繁衍或生长。
4. Opportunist and competitor are different and complementary.
H
[解析] 转换题。根据opportunist,competitor定位到H段,原句是:The opposite of an opportunist is a competitor. 题干中用“different and complementary”替换了“opposite”,都代表两种截然不同的形式。
5. Almost all of an organism's energy can be diverted to reproduction, with very little allocated to building the body.
C
[解析] 定位题。根据diverted to reproduction定位到C段第一句,原句是:Almost all of an organism's energy can be diverted to reproduetion, with very little allocated to building the body. 通过阅读意思,可知本句与题干意义一致。
6. The reason why the population of an opportunist species is likely to be adversely affected by drought, bad winters, or floods is because each individual is short-lived.
G
[解析] 句式题。根据short-lived,the population of an opportunist定位到G段第一句,原句是:Because each individual is short-lived, the population of an opportunist species is likely to be adversely affected by drought,bad winters, or floods. 这里将句式前后做了一个倒置,但整体含义是一致的。
7. If you want to find a good example of opportunists, dandelion is a good choice for research.
D
[解析] 定位题。根据dandelion定位到D段第一句,原句是:Dandelions are good examples of opportunists. 题干的意思与此句意思一致,翻译为:如果想找一个机会主义的例子来研究,蒲公英是很好的选择。
8. The common weed of a rose filed is more opportunistic than the rose within the same place.
F
[解析] 推理题。根据common weed和opportunistic定位到F段最后一句,原句是:Hence, many of the strongly opportunistic plants are the common weeds of fields and gardens. 意思是:因为杂草是机会主义者,根据推理,玫瑰地里的杂草比玫瑰本身更像机会主义者。
9. If the oak wood is quarter-sawn, there would be very obvious grain markings.
L
[解析] 句式题。根据quarter-sawn定位到L段最后一句,原句是:It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quarter-sawn. 这里将句式变化后,意义不变。
10. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the oak wood was frequently used in the Viking longships.
M
[解析] 定位题。根据9th and 10th定位到M段第一句,原句是:Oak planking was common on high status Viking longships in the 9th and 10th centuries. 题干的意思是:在9世纪到10世纪之间,橡木是海盗造船的重要材料。
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 Honeybee populations declined by 13.6% over the winter, according to a survey of beekeepers across England. Losses were most severe in the north-east, where the survey recorded a loss rate of 17.1%. Experts worry that the declines will affect plant productivity. There are also concerns that the declines, along with drought conditions in some area, will mean less English honey this year. Martin Smith, president of the British Beekeepers Association, which carried out the survey, said: "If this was measured against similar losses in livestock, it would be seen as disastrous and there would be great concern on the knock-on impact of food prices." Beekeepers are puzzled by the decline because the cold winter and early spring should have favoured bees. They stay "clustered" tightly in their hives when it is cold and dry, saving energy for spring foraging when the temperature rises about 12℃. However, there is good news that the rate of colony loss has slowed. Four years ago, one in three hives was wiped out. Beekeepers suspect that poor nutrition is a likely cause of weakness in adult bees that makes them succumb to diseases spread by a parasitic mite. "The varroa mite is the number one reason why people lose bees, so the government needs to increase research to cure diseases caused by varroa," said Smith. "But a colony that has a good source of pollen and nectar will go into winter more strongly and better able to fend off disease." The association is calling on everyone who has a garden, small, to plant bee-friendly plants this summer. "It is really important that there are flowering nectar-rich plants around in August, September and October to provide the nutrition that's needed so the bees can top up their stores of honey in the hive to see them through winter," said Smith. A campaign being launched next week to save all bees, spearheaded by Sam Roddick and Neal's Yard Remedies, pins the blame for the decline on pesticide. It will start a petition to hand to Downing Street in October to ban the use of a class of pesticides that has been implicated in bee deaths across the world. Roddick said, "These neonicotinoid pesticides penetrate the plant and indiscriminately attack the nervous system of insects that feed off them, disorientating bees, impairing their foraging ability and weakening their immune system, causing bee Aids. On current evidence, Italy, Germany and Slovenia have banned some varieties. In the UK, it's up to the people to show the government that if there is any doubt that they are contributing to bee deaths, we need to ban them." A spokesman for the government's National Bee Unit said: "The UK has a robust system for assessing risks from pesticides and all evidence shows neonicotinoids do not pose an unacceptable risk when products are used correctly, but we will not hesitate to act if presented with any new evidence."
1. What can we safely infer from the first paragraph?
A.Many beekeepers don't continue their work in winter.
B.Many honeybees fly to other countries in winter.
C.A number of honeybees die from the low temperature.
D.Cold weather may pose adverse effect on honeybees.
A B C D
D
[解析] 推断题。文章第一段讲到Honeybee populations declined by 13.6% over the winter, according to a survey of beekeepers across England. Losses were most severe in the north-east, where the survey recorded a loss rate of 17.1%. (英国蜂农调查,蜜蜂数量在冬天下降了13.6%,而东北部的损失尤其严重,损失率达到17.1%。),英国位于北半球,冬季非常寒冷,而在冬天,英国东北部比英国其他地区气温更低,文章讲到英国东北部损失率更高,由此可知,越寒冷,蜜蜂损失率越高,那么寒冷天气可能会对蜜蜂产生不良影响。因此,正确答案是D。
2. Which of the following is not the reason of less honey in Britain according to scientists?
A.Because the number of honeybees declines.
B.Because the beekeepers become much less.
C.Because the productivity of honey plant will decline.
D.Because of the drought conditions in some areas in Britain.
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。根据题目中less honey in Britain可定位至文章第二段,根据Experts worry that the declines will affect plant productivity. There are also concerns that the declines, along with drought conditions in some area, will mean less English honey this year. (专家担心蜜蜂数量的下降会影响工厂生产力,加之一些地区干旱的情况,可能会导致今年英国蜂蜜的产量减少。)可知,蜜蜂数量的下降、工厂生产力的下降和一些地区的干旱情况是专家担心蜂蜜产量下降的三大因素,而B项“蜂农明显减少”文章并未提及,不能构成蜂蜜产量下降的原因。
3. What leads to bee Aids according to Roddick?
A.The parasitic mites.
B.A lack of nutrition.
C.The neonicotinoid pesticides.
D.The cold weather.
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。根据题目中的bee Aids可定位至文章第十段,根据These neonicotinoid pesticides penetrate the plant and indiscriminately attack the nervous system of insects that feed off them, disorientating bees, impairing their foraging ability and weakening their immune system, causing bee Aids. (这些新烟碱类的农药会渗透到农药中,任意侵蚀以这些植物为食的昆虫的神经系统,迷惑蜜蜂,损害它们的觅食能力,从而降低它们的免疫能力,最终导致蜜蜂患上艾滋病。)可知,neonicotinoid pesticides“新烟碱类的农药”是导致蜜蜂患艾滋病的原因,因此选择D。
4. According to the bee experts, which is not the possible cause of the decline of bee populations in this passage?
A.The cold weather.
B.The poor nutrition of bees.
C.The varroa mites.
D.The neonicotinoid pesticides.
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。文章第四段提到Beekeepers are puzzled by the decline because the cold winter and early spring should have favoured bees. (蜂农们对蜜蜂数量的下降感到很迷惑,因为寒冬季早春应该有利于蜜蜂的生存),可见在经验丰富的养蜂专家看来,寒冷的天气并非蜜蜂数量下降可能的原因。故选择A项。B、C、D三项文章均有提到。
5. What is the experts' point towards the decline of bee populations in winter?
A.They are indifferent to the phenomenon.
B.They feel puzzled towards the decline and put forward several possible causes.
C.They are rational and they only persist on one possible reason.
Passage Two The U.S. isn't the only country with an expanding waistline (腰围). A new study from the European Society of Cardiology predicts that rates of obesity will increase in almost all European countries by 2030. And Ireland comes in as the fattest country, with a 47% projected obesity rate for both men and women. To be fair, everywhere people are expanding. The prevalence of obesity worldwide nearly doubled between 1980 and 2008, according to the World Health Organization (WHO. , and although the U.S. is still leading the pack with obesity at 34.9%, European countries aren't lagging far behind with rates at roughly 23% for women and 20% for men. Presented by Dr. Laura Webber at the EuroPRevent congress in Amsterdam, the study takes into account all available data on body mass index and obesity/overweight trends in the WHO's 53 Euro-region countries. In those countries the study revealed little evidence of any plateau (稳定期). Even as England's rate of increase today is less steep than it has been historically, levels continue to rise and will be much higher in 2030 than they were in 1993. Examining both overweight and obese rates combined, the numbers become even more shocking. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in males is set to reach 75% in the U.K. and 80% in the Czech Republic, Spain, and Poland. In Ireland, the projected rate is an enormous 90% for men and 84% for women. Considering that's almost everybody, Dr. Webber's comment that these results may be underestimates is all the more concerning. She points to the poor data available from many countries contributing to less certain predictions. The study also does not take into account the significant increase in childhood weight and obesity issues across Europe, with one in three 11-year-olds overweight or obese, according to the WHO. In accounting for differences in projected levels (the lowest found in Belgium at 44% and the Netherlands at 47%) the authors mention the potential effects of "economic positioning" and "type of market." Ireland and the U.K., where obesity rates are highest, have unregulated markets similar to the U.S. Giant food companies work collectively to maximize profit-encouraging over-consumption. In areas with more controlled market economies, like the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Finland, obesity levels are lower. However, obesity is a complex disease. "The United Nations has called for a whole-of-society approach to preventing obesity and related diseases," Dr. Webber said. "Policies that reduce obesity are necessary to avoid premature mortality and prevent economic strain on already overburdened health systems. The WHO has put in place strategies that aim to guide countries towards reducing obesity through the promotion of physical activity and healthy diets."
1. What can we infer from the study from the European Society of Cardiology?
A.Ireland may exceed the U.S. to be the fattest country.
B.Europe will have a higher obesity rate than the U.S.
C.Obesity will grow fast only in developed countries.
D.Obesity will rise faster among men than among women.
Part Ⅳ Translation Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
Zhouzhuang is one of the few places where people can experience the life of a typical Chinese water town. Acclaimed as "Venice of the East", the town near Suzhou in Jiangsu Province attracts a constant flow of visitors throughout the year with its well-preserved old houses and picturesque landscape of crisscrossing waterways. Among the most eye-catching features in this picture-perfect landscape are the bridges, in different shapes and sizes—built with stone or wood. Twin Bridge, built during the Ming Dynasty and considered as the symbol of the town, is a must-see in Zhouzhuang. One of its arches is round and the other is rectangular, which makes the bridge look like an ancient Chinese key. Thus locals also call it the Key Bridge.