Part Ⅰ Writing Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then express your views on the importance of learning basic skills. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
1.
[范文] The drawing above vividly shows that the need to learn basic skills such as the multiplication table is questioned. In reality, there is also concern about whether basic skills might become out-dated and of no help to college graduates. As I see it, the basic skills college students learn will not turn old-fashioned. Instead, they will remain as important as they will ever be. To begin with, though basic skills is often classified as impractical subjects that cannot be applied directly to one's future career, it is these basic subjects that lay a solid foundation for more advanced skills, preparing us for further studies. Furthermore, most basic skills, like calculating and literacy, are always necessary In a variety of occupations. It is obvious that no employer is willing to hire a graduate who can't even fully understand a written contract. For this reason a lack of these skills may result infuture career failure. To sum up, insignificant and boring as learning basic skills may seem, it is actually of great importance and should not be neglected.
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)
Can Digital Textbooks Truly Replace the Print Kind?
The shortcomings of traditional print edition textbooks are obvious: For starters they're heavy, with the average physics textbook weighing 3.6 pounds. They're also expensive, especially when you factor in the average college student's limited budget, typically costing hundreds of dollars every semester. But the worst part is that print versions of textbooks are constantly undergoing revisions. Many professors require that their students use only the latest versions in the classroom, essentially rendering older texts unusable. For students, it means they're basically stuck with a four pound paperweight that they can't sell back. Which is why digital textbooks, if they live up to their promise, could help ease many of these shortcomings. But till now, they've been something like a mirage (幻影) in the distance, more like a hazy (模糊的) dream than an actual reality. Imagine the promise: Carrying all your textbooks in a 1.3 pound iPad? It sounds almost too good to be true. But there are a few pilot schools already making the transition (过度) over to digital books. Universities like Cornell and Brown have jumped onboard. And one medical program at the University of California, Irvine, gave their entire class iPads with which to download textbooks just last year. But not all were eager to jump aboard. "People were tired of using the iPad textbook besides using it for reading," says Kalpit Shah, who will be going into his second year at Irvine's medical program this fall. "They weren't using it as a source of communication because they couldn't read or write in it. So a third of the people in my program were using the iPad in class to take notes, the other third were using laptops and the last third were using paper and pencil." The reason it hasn't caught on yet, he tells me, is that the functionality of e-edition textbooks is incredibly limited, and some students just aren't motivated to learn new study behavior. But a new application called Inkling might change all that. The company just released an updated version last week, and it'll be utilized in over 50 undergraduate and graduate classrooms this coming school year. "Digital textbooks are not going to catch on," says Inkling CEO Matt MacInnis as he's giving me a demo (演示) over coffee. "What I mean by that is the current perspective of the digital textbook is it's an exact copy of the print book. There's Course Smart, etc, these guys who take an image of the page and put it on a screen. If that's how we're defining digital textbooks, there's no hope of that becoming a mainstream product." He calls Inkling a platform for publishers to build rich multimedia content from the ground up, with a heavy emphasis on real-world functionality. The traditional textbook merely serves as a skeleton. At first glance Inkling is an impressive experience. After swiping (触击) into the iPad app (应用软件), which you can get for free here, he opens up a few different types of textbooks. Up first is a chemistry book. The boot time is pretty fast, and he navigates through (浏览) a few chapters before swiping into a fully rendered 3D molecule that can be spun around to view its various building blocks. "Publishers give us all of the source media, artwork, videos," he says. "We help them think through how to actually build something for this platform." Next he pulls up a music composition textbook, complete with playable demos. It's a learning experience that attacks you from multiple sensory directions. It's clear why this would be something a music major would love. But the most exciting part about Inkling, to me, is its notation (批注) system. Here's how it works: When you purchase a used print book, it comes with its previous owner's highlights and notes in the margins. It uses the experience of someone who already went through the class to help improve your reading (how much you trust each notation is obviously up to you). But with Inkling, you can highlight a piece of content and make notes. Here's where things get interesting, though: If a particularly important passage is highlighted by multiple Inkling users, that information is stored on the cloud and is available for anyone reading the same textbook to come across. That means users have access to notes from not only their classmates and Facebook friends, but anyone who purchased the book across the country. The best comments are then sorted democratically by a voting system, meaning that your social learning experience is shared with the best and brightest thinkers. As a bonus, professors can even chime in (插话) on discussions. They'll be able to answer the questions of students who are in their class directly via the interactive book. Of course, Inkling addresses several of the other shortcomings in traditional print as well. Textbook versions are constantly updated, motivating publishers by minimizing production costs (the big ones like McGraw-Hill are already onboard). Furthermore, students will be able to purchase sections of the text instead of buying the whole thing, with individual chapters costing as little as $2.99. There are, however, challenges. "It takes efforts to build each book," MacInnis tells me. And it's clear why. Each interactive textbook is a media-heavy experience built from the ground up, and you can tell that it takes a respectable amount of manpower to put together each one. For now the app is also iPad-exclusive, and though a few of these educational institutions are giving the hardware away for free, for other students who don't have such a luxury it's an added layer of cost—and an expensive one at that. But this much is clear: The traditional textbook model is and has been broken for quite some time. Whether digitally interactive ones like Inkling actually take off or not remains to be seen, and we probably won't have a definite answer for the next few years. However, the solution to any problem begins with a step in a direction. And at least for now, that hazy mirage in the distance? A little more tangible (可触摸的), a little less of a dream.
1. The biggest problem with traditional print textbooks is that ______.
A.they are not reused once a new edition comes out
3. According to Kalpit Shah, some students still use paper and pencil because ______.
A.they find it troublesome to take notes with an iPad
B.they are unwilling to change their study behavior
C.they have got tired of reading on the iPad
D.they are not used to reading off the screen
A B C D
A
[解析] 由Kalpit Shah及use paper and pencil定位至第6段。 在该段首句中,Kalpit Shah提到,学生厌倦了使用iPad版教材,紧接着第2句解释了原因:他们既不能在那上面阅读,也不能在那上面写东西,A“觉得用iPad做笔记很麻烦”符合文意,故为答案。B“不愿改变他们的学习行为”对应第7段段末的内容(即一些学生并没有多大兴趣去了解新的学习方式),但文中该处讲述的是电子书没流行起来的其中一个原因,B属于答非所问,故可排除。
4. Inkling CEO Matt MacInnis explains that the problem with Course Smart's current digital textbooks is that ______.
A.they have to be revised repeatedly
B.they are inconvenient to use in class
C.they are different from most mainstream products
D.they are no more than print versions put on a screen
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据题干中的Inkling CEO Matt MacInnis及Course Smart定位至第9段第3句。 该句提到,像Course Smart这样的公司只是截取页面的图像并将之置于屏幕中,只是印刷版的一个复制品(an exact copy)。D“它们仅仅是将印刷版搬上屏幕”与此相符,故为答案。
5. Matt MacInnis describes the updated version of Inkling as ______.
6. The author is most excited about Inkling's notation system because one can ______.
A.share his learning experience with the best and brightest thinkers
B.participate in discussions with classmates and Facebook friends
C.vote for the best learners democratically
D.store information on the cloud
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据题干中的most excited及notation system定位至第14至16段。 第14段提到,对于作者来说,Inkling最令人兴奋的部分是它的批注系统。接着在第16段解释有趣的地方(where things get interesting),最后一句提到,投票系统会客观地整理出最好的笔记,这意味着你在和最优秀、最睿智的思想家们共享你的社会学习经验,A与此相符。
7. One additional advantage of the interactive digital textbook is that ______.
A.students can switch to different discussions at any point
B.students can download relevant critical comments
C.professors can join in students' online discussions
D.professors can give prompt feedback to students' homework
10. According to the author, whether digital textbooks will catch on still ______.
remain to be seen
[解析] 根据题干的whether digital textbooks will catch on定位至倒数第2段第2句。 题干中的whether digital textbooks will catch on与原文中的Whether digitally...take off or not意思相同,因此空格处对应原句中的remains to be seen,但由于空格前有助动词will,后应接动词原形,因此应将原文中的remains改为remain。
C.There is no need for the man to make such a fuss.
D.Timmy should learn to do things in the right way.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] M: I don't know what to do with Timmy. This morning I found orange juice spilled all over the kitchen floor. W: Don't be so hard on him. he's only four. Q: What does the woman mean? [解析] 男士说他拿Timmy没办法,今天早上他发现橙汁洒得厨房满地都是。女士回答说不要对Timmy那么严厉,他只有4岁。由此可见,女士Timmy还只是小孩,认为男士没必要这么大惊小怪。因此选C。 ①四个选项中有三个选项是用了should或shouldn't的句式,有两项提到Children,由此可推断,对话跟小孩闯祸有关。②A“应该教导小孩学会更小心”和D项“Timmy应该学会正确做事”都是指小孩应该被教育或自身应学会怎样,属于同义项,没有对话原文支持,均可排除;B利用orange juice进行干扰,对话没有提到“小孩不应该喝那么多橙汁”,也可排除。
2.
A.Fitness training.
B.The new job offer.
C.Computer programming.
D.Directorship of the club.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] W: Excuse me, Sir. I would like to know about this fitness training program in your club. M: I'll have you speak with the director in charge of new account. Q: What is the woman interested in? [解析] 女士说想了解一下这家俱乐部里的健身训练课程(fitness training program)。由此可见,女士对健身训练感兴趣,选A。 B“新的工作机会”听力原文没有提及相关内容;C“电脑编程”和D“俱乐部的管理”只是分别利用原词program和director进行干扰,不是女士感兴趣的内容。
3.
A.He needs to buy a new sweater.
B.He has got to save on fuel bills.
C.The fuel price has skyrocketed.
D.The heating system doesn't work.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] W: It's really cold in this apartment. Can we turn up the heat a little bit? M: Sorry, I've run out of money and can hardly pay the fuel bill. Maybe you'd better put on a sweater. Q: What does the man mean? [解析] 女士说屋里相当冷,问男士能否调高暖气。男士说抱歉,他已经花完了钱,没能力交燃气费,他叫女士最好穿上毛衣。由此可见,男士意思是得节省燃气费,选B。 ①预读选项可知,对话内容与天冷和暖气费用有关。②男士建议女士最好穿上毛衣,不是他自己必须买一件新的毛衣,故A排除;对话没有提到燃气费飙升,而是男士花完了钱才会用不起燃气,所以C也不对;男士不开暖气是因为没钱,与供暖系统是否故障无关,故排除D“供暖系统不工作”。
4.
A.Committing theft.
B.Taking pictures.
C.Window shopping.
D.Posing for the camera.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] M: I'm sorry, miss, but you have to come with me to security office. The video cameras in ourshop have recorded everything you did. W: No, no, I...I didn't do anything. I'll call the police if you dare insult me. Q: What does the man think the woman was doing? [解析] 男士叫女士跟他去一趟保卫处,说商店里的摄像机已记录下女士的所作所为。由此可推断男士认为女士在行窃,选A。 ①四个选项均是动作性的名词短语,表明问题与某人做某事有关。②对话提到的摄像头(video cameras)是商店里的摄像头,与“拍照”(B)和“摆姿势拍照”(D)没有关系,B、D只是利用camera的相关语义所设置的干扰项,可排除;对话提到shop,但只是为了说明那个商店里的摄像头,不表示女士是光看不买地闲逛,C也不对。
5.
A.She is taking some medicine.
B.She has not seen a doctor yet.
C.She does not trust the man's advice.
D.She has almost recovered from the cough.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] M: I think you ought to see a doctor right away about bad cough. W: Well, I'll wait a few more days. I'm sure I'll get over it soon. Q: What do we learn about the woman? [解析] 男士说女士咳嗽这么厉害应该马上去看医生,女士说想多等几天,她肯定能很快熬过去。由此可见,女士尚未去看医生,B推断正确。 ①预读选项可知,对话跟女士身体抱恙有关。②对话中,只是男士叫女士看医生,没提及女士吃药与否,故A不对;女士想自己熬过去,多等几天再说,但这并不意味着她不信任男士的建议,她只是暂时不采纳而已,C属于过度推断;女士希望不用看医生就能自己熬过去,可见她的咳嗽并没有好,D“她咳嗽几乎已经痊愈”与事实不符。
[听力原文] M: I've heard that Pamela made quite a feW mistakes in her lab report. W: Well, she wouldn't have if she hadn't been in such a hurry to get it done. Q: What does the woman imply? [解析] 男士听说Pamela的实验报告里有很多错误,女士说如果她不是那么匆忙,她不会犯那么多错误。由此可见Pamela的错误原本是可以避免的,选D。 ①四个选项都是讲Pamela的不足,由此可推断问题跟Pamela受到什么批评有关。②对话说Pamela匆忙完成报告,不等于她没按时完成报告,A不正确;B“Pamela习惯匆忙了事”只是利用对话中的in a hurry来进行干扰,而对话只是说Pamela是匆忙完成这次报告的,没提到一贯的做事习惯,B排除;女士提到如果她没那么匆忙还是可以避免错误的,由此可见C“Pamela不擅长写研究报告”推断过度,故排除。
7.
A.In the left-luggage office.
B.At the hotel reception.
C.In a hotel room.
D.At an airport.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] M: We'd better check out before 12 o'clock, Mary.And now there're only 30 minutes left. W: Let's hurry up. You go pay the bill and I'll call the reception to have our luggage taken downstairs. Q: Where did this conversation most probably take place? [解析] 男士说他们得12点钟之前退房,而现在只剩下30分钟了。女士叫男士去付钱而她负责打电话给前台叫人来把行李带到楼下。由关键词check out,reception及luggage可见,他们对话地点是在酒店的客房中,C正确。 ①四个选项均是地点短语,故本题很可能提问对话发生的地点。②当听到check out(退房)时可排除A“在行李寄存处”和D“在机场”;听到女士的安排可知他们还在客房内,还没把行李带到前台,B“在酒店的前台”不正确。
8.
A.She was an excellent student at college.
B.She works in the entertainment business.
C.She is fond of telling stories in her speech.
D.She is good at conveying her message.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] W: Have you ever heard the speaker before? M: Yes. She is excellent.She gets her point across and it's entertaining at the same time. Q: What does the man say about the speaker? [解析] 女士问男士以前有没听说过讲话的那个人,男士回答听说过,说她很优秀,她的观点挺受理解同时也很有趣。由此可见讲话者擅长传达信息,应选D。 ①四个选项都是关于She的优点、工作或爱好,听音时要留意对She的推断。②男士只是说她优秀,而A中的student和at college均无对话信息支持;B“她在娱乐行业工作”是利用原词entertaining制造干扰,原词是“有趣的”之义,B却理解成“娱乐行业”(entertainment business);对话没有提到讲话者喜欢做什么,C“她喜欢在讲话中讲故事”属于胡乱推断。
A.Arranging the woman's appointment with Mr. Romero.
B.Fixing the time for the designer's latest fashion show.
C.Talking about an important gathering on Tuesday.
D.Preparing for the filming on Monday morning.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] M: What should I do about Mr. Romero? Remember? He said it was important and couldn't wait. I think he may want you for that new movie he's directing. W: That's absolutely correct. Now, we have to fit him in somewhere. Uh...what does Monday morning look like? M: That doesn't look SO good. You have a makeup session starting at six, then filming starts at eight, and that's going to take the whole morning. W: Well, what's after that? M: You have lunch with your agent to discuss the award ceremony, and you're to meet him at oneo'clock at the restaurant. W: Oh, terrific! Listen, I cannot miss that. But I still have to make time for Mr. Romero. M: Well, now, don't forget, you've got a three o'clock appointment with your fashion designer. W: That's right. You know, he is showing the latest fashions from Japan. You know that loose-fitting look? Those clothes are so "in" this year! M: At four-thirty you have an appointment with your hairdresser. Then at seven you have dinner with a journalist. Now, remember, be nice to that guy! W: Do I have to? That won't be easy, and it's likely to run late. How does Tuesday look? M: Well, you have to spend the whole morning at the photographer's. They're taking photos to publicize your new movie. W: What about the afternoon? Am I free then? M: Let me see... yes. You're free after three-thirty. W: Then you can set up a meeting with Mr. Romero at four. M: OK I'll get on it right away. What are the speakers doing? [解析] 对话一开始,男士就表明要安排女士跟Romero先生的会面,接着对话展开。内容都是关于女士的日程安排,对话结尾处男士终于确定女士跟Romero先生见面的具体时间。由此可见。对话围绕着安排女士跟Romero的见面时间展开,故选A。 ①四个选项均是动名词短语选项,可判断提问与对话主题有关。②与时装设计师见面早已安排好的,不是他们谈话的重点,B“定时间去参加设计师最新的时装发布会”可排除;对话双方最终确定了周二跟Romero先生见面;C“讨论周二一个重要的聚会”偷换概念,不正确;周一上午拍戏是女士行程的一部分。是为了确认女士跟Romero先生见面的时间而提到的,D“为周一上午的电影拍摄做准备”不是他们在做的事,可排除。
10.
A.Her travel to Japan.
B.The awards ceremony.
C.The proper hairstyle for her new role.
D.When to start the makeup session.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] What is the woman going to discuss with her agent over lunch on Monday? [解析] 男士提到女士周一中午须跟经纪人吃午饭,讨论颁奖典礼,B正是讨论的内容,故为答案。 ①四个选项均是名词短语,推测问题跟会面的主题有关。②对话提到日本时是说“设计师发布源自日本的最新时装秀”,A“她的日本之旅”利用原词Japan进行干扰,实际原文并无此语义;对话提到女士四点半与hairdresser有个见面,但跟电影角色没有关系,C也可排除;makeup session在录音原文有提到,是女士周一六点的安排,但D“何时开始化妆”不是女士跟经纪人的讨论内容。
11.
A.He is Mr. Romero's agent.
B.He is an entertainment journalist.
C.He is the woman's assistant.
D.He is a famous movie star.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] What do we learn from the conversation about the man? [解析] 整个对话都是男士跟女士讨论女士的日程安排。通过他叮嘱女士don't forget...,At four-thirty you have an appointment...等等都可知他负责安排女士与他人会面的时间。由此可推断男士是女士的助理,应选C。 ①预读选项可推断是提问He的身份。②A和B分别利用agent(经纪人)和journalist(记者)进行干扰,两者都是女士日程里不同时间点要会面的对象;通过对话可知女士才是著名影星,而不是男士,D张冠李戴。
[听力原文] M: I'm phoning up about this job you advertise in the paper. This err... young sales manager? W: Oh, yes. M: I'd like to apply for it. Would you send me an application form? W: No. You simply send in a written application—a letter. M: Can you tell me a bit more about the job? W: Well, we're really looking for someone who isn't too concerned about working fairly long hours. M: What do you mean by long hours? W: This is a job which does, as the advertisement says, have travel possibilities and very often onewould be away at weekends for instance. M: Oh, I thought you meant working in the evenings and working overtime. W: Well it can also mean working in the evenings. But for a managerial post, I'm afraid we don't pay overtime. Um... that's for other grades. M: Oh, what kind of money are you paving then? W: Well, this is to be negotiated. Ah... it depends partly on your experience and education. Perhaps you can tell me briefly what that is? M: I've just left school and got A level in geography. W: Oh, I see. M: And it's the travel that appeals to me. That's why I'm inquiring about the job. W: Yes, I see. What sort of salary were you thinking in terms of? M: Starting off, I thought it would be something like 500 pounds a week. W: Well, send in a written application and then we'll consider your case along with all the otherapplicants. M: All right. Many thanks. Goodbye. W: Bye. What does the woman say an applicant should do first to apply for the job? [解析] 男士说在报纸上看到招聘广告,想求职,问女士是否能发给他一份求职申请表,女士说只需男士发一份书面求职信过来就好。由此可见,要想申请该职位,求职者首先要发一封求职信,B正确。 ①四道题的选项包含有interview,application letter,work,pay,promotion等求职信号词,由此可推断此对话跟求职有关。②对话一开始男士只是打电话咨询,女士也没提到面试安排等内容,故A“安排面试”不正确;是男士自己索取求职申请表,不是女士说要“填一份求职申请表”,故C不对;对话结尾处女士有问道男士的经验和教育背景,但只是说及薪水时提到的.不是求职者一开始应做的事情,故D“在电话中做个简单自我介绍”可排除。
13.
A.Someone having a college degree in advertising.
B.Someone experienced in business management.
C.Someone ready to take on more responsibilities.
D.Someone willing to work beyond regular hours.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What kind of a person is the company looking for? [解析] 当男士要求女士多谈一下该职位的信息时,女士说他们想找的是“不那么在意长时间工作的人”,之后又提到这份工作可能需要周末外出工干和晚上加班,即在常规工作时间外工作,故D正确。 ①四个选项均是关于某人具备什么样的技能或素质,据此可推断本题与职位要求有关。②A利用advertise进行干扰,原文是说在报纸看到招聘广告,对话里并没提到求职者所学专业要是“广告学”,故A排除;对话后半部分提到managerial(管理的)一词,但这只是职位的特点,并没有要求求职者是“有商业管理经验的人”,B不对;C“做好准备承担更多责任的人”属于随意捏造,对话没有相关信息支持。
14.
A.Travel opportunities.
B.Handsome pay.
C.Prospects for promotion.
D.Flexible working hours.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] What does the man like most about the job? [解析] 男士说这个职位吸引他的是出差(it's the travel that...),可见促使他求职的是该职位有出差的机会,A正确。 ①四个选项均是有关职位的相关福利,可推测本题与职位特点有关。②B“满意的薪水”、C“升值前景”和D“弹性的工作时间”均与提问的关键词like most无关,故排除。
15.
A.It depends on the working hours.
B.It is about 500 pounds a week.
C.It will be set by the Human Resources.
D.It is to be negotiated.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What does the woman say about the salary if the man is accepted by the company? [解析] 男士问女士薪水如何,女士回答说这个可以商量(to be negotiated)。对话结尾男士说开始做的时候,期望薪水是每周500英镑,然后女士的反应是叫男士发求职信来,他们再结合其他求职者的条件来考虑男士的情况。由此可推断工资不是固定死的,可以商量,选D。同时可以排除C“工资由人力资源设定”。 ①四个选项都是关于薪水待遇,可推断提问与之有关。②A“工资由工作时长决定”利用原词working hours设置干扰,并无实质依据;B“大概每周500英镑”是男士自己的期望薪水,不是女士给的薪水。
[听力原文] A typical large supermarket offers around 17,000 to 20,000 items for sale and it wants to makesure that its customers see as many of them as possible. That's why you'll normally find essential goods like bread, vegetables and meat in completely different parts of the store. Products with a high profitmargin are always placed on shelves within easy reach of the customer, while lower margin items, like sugar or flour, are on the top or bottom shelves. Many people make shopping lists before they visit supermarkets, but even so around 60% of all supermarket purchases are the result of decisions thatare taken in the store. For this reason, supermarkets try to attract their customers by placing certain kinds of products next to each other. In the UK, beer will often be found next to items for baby, because research shows that fathers with babies buy them on their way home from work and will buy beer at the same time. Research has also shown that this kind of "impulse buy" happens more frequently when no sales assistants are nearby. Supermarkets have made selling such a fine art thattheir customers often lose all sense of time. When interviewed, customers normally guess that they have only spent half an hour in the supermarket, even when they have been there for over 45 minutes. But that shouldn't be too surprising. Any really profitable supermarket knows that it should keep its clocks well hidden. Why are essential goods displayed in totally different parts of the supermarket? [解析] 录音首句就提到,典型的大超市想要让消费者看到尽可能多的产品。接着以that's why表明这就是要将基本商品放在超市完全不同区域的原因。故B正确,其中shoppers对应原文的customers。 ①四个选项均为不定式短语,表目的。故推测本题问做某事的目的。②将生活必需品摆放在不同区域并不会因此而增加消费者的选择(A)或使超市能提供更多的商品(C),故排除A、C两项;D中的profitable products在录音中有提到,但录音说的是把高利润的商品放在顾客手能触及的地方,这与必需品的摆放位置无关。
2.
A.On the top shelves.
B.On the bottom shelves.
C.On easily accessible shelves.
D.On clearly marked shelves.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] Where are goods with a high profit margin usually found? [解析] 录音说到,高利润商品常常放在消费者容易触及的货架上(shelves within easy reach of the customer),C与此表达一致,故为答案。 ①选项都是On引导的表示位置的状语,据此可提前推测应该是问某类产品的摆放位置。②A、B是利润收益低的商品所放置的位置。D“标识清楚的架子”未在录音中提及。
3.
A.Many of them buy things on impulse.
B.A few of them are fathers with babies.
C.A majority of them are young couples.
D.Over 60% of them make shopping lists.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] What does the speaker say about supermarket goers? [解析] 录音提到60%的购买都是在商店里所做的临时决定(60%...are the result of decisions...taken in the store)。故可知,许多人都会冲动购物(buy things on impulse),故A正确。 B的fathers with babies在录音有提到,但并没有说他们数量的多少,故不对;C的young couples未在录音中提及;D的60%在录音中对应的是冲动型消费者,而非列购物清单的人。
4.
A.Sales assistants promoting high margin goods.
B.Sales assistants following customers around.
C.Customers competing for good bargains.
D.Customers losing all sense of time.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What shouldn't be too surprising according to the speaker? [解析] 录音末尾提到,超市有一项高超的技艺,即能让消费者失去时间概念。然后指出,很多人以为自己只花了半个小时在超市,实则是超过了45分钟。然后表示并不应对此感到惊讶(shouldn't be too surprising),故可知,不应感到惊讶的是顾客在超市中失去时间观念,D正确。 ①四个选项均与customers有关,推测本题与消费者在超市的消费行为有关。②sales assistants在录音中只出现过一次,还是表明when no sales assistants are nearby的情况,故A“销售人员推销利润高的产品”和B“销售人员跟在顾客周围”可以排除;C“顾客竞相购买好的便宜货”在录音未提到。
[听力原文] When Matty Sallin was working on a degree in art and technology at university, he got aninteresting assignment in electronics class: Create something for the household. He decided to create an alarm clock. "Everybody has to use an alarm clock of some kind every day, and it is extremely unpleasant! " he says. He asked different people what they'd like to wake up to instead of a noisy alarm. A lot ofthem said, "The smell of bacon." So Sallin invented a new kind of alarm clock: a wooden box with a pig face and a digital clock that uses the smell of cooking bacon rather than sound to wake someone up. He explains, "There's no danger of burning, because I built it carefully. It uses light bulbs instead of a flame for cooking and turns off automatically after ten minutes." Just a few easy steps are required to set the "alarm." "What you do is put in a couple of frozen strips the night before," says Sallin. Bacon is preserved, so there is no danger of it spoiling overnight. "If you set the alarm for 8:00, it will turn on at 7:50 and slow cook for ten minutes under the bulbs," he says. Then the bulbs turn off and a fan blows the smell out through the nose of the pig. "So instead of an alarm, you smell yourself awake," says Sallin. "Then you can open the door on the side and pull the bacon out and eat it." What was Matty Sallin doing when he created an alarm clock? [解析] 短文开头说Matty Sallin在大学攻读艺术与科技学位时,他在电子学课程上被派到一个有趣的任务:为家居设计一样东西,而他决定设计一个闹钟。由此可见,Matty Sallin创造闹钟时,他正在大学修学位,故选C。 A“在学校里教数学”、B“在学院里做研究”和D“在一个高科技公司工作”均是命题者随意捏造的干扰项,没有听力原文支持。
6.
A.He studied the designs of various clocks.
B.He did experiments on different materials.
C.He bought an alarm clock with a pig face.
D.He asked different people for their opinions.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] What did Matty Sallin do before making the new type of alarm clock? [解析] 短文提到Matty Sallin询问不同人的意见,问他们,不用一个又吵又闹的闹钟的话。他们想要用什么来把自己叫醒,很多被问的人都说“培根的味道”。所以,Sallin设计了一种新型的闹钟。由此可见是Sallin问了很多人的意见后,才发明这款新型闹钟,这两者是因果关系,故选D。 ①四个选项均是关于He做过什么,根据studied,experiments,asked different people等字眼可推断提问可能跟做某项试验之前的准备有关。②A“他研究不同时钟的设计”和B“他用不同的材料做试验”属于随意捏造的选项,听力短文无相关信息支持;短文有提到pig face,但这只是Sallin的新型闹钟的造型中的一个部分,故C不对。
7.
A.Its automatic mechanism.
B.Its manufacturing process.
C.Its way of waking people up.
D.Its funny-looking pig face.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] What makes the newly invented alarm clock so unique? [解析] 短文最后提到Sallin自己说不是通过闹铃声叫醒,而是通过闻到味道而醒来。由此可见他新发明的闹钟独特之处是叫醒人的方式与传统闹钟不同,是通过培根的气味而非声音,故应选C。 A“它的自动机制”、B“它的生产过程”和D“它可爱的猪头造型”均不是短文提到的新型闹钟有别传统闹钟的特点,只是选项中的automatic和pig face字眼在短文中有出现而已,均可排除。
A.It is often caused by a change of circumstances.
B.It actually doesn't require any special attention.
C.It usually appears all of a sudden.
D.It generally lasts for several years.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] Most people feel lonely sometimes but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. For some people, though, loneliness call last for years. Psychologists are studying this complex phenomenon and have identified three different types of loneliness. The first kind of loneliness is temporary. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation, for example, a divorce, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, it usually does not last for more than a year. Unlike the second type, the third kind of loneliness usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many of them think there is little or nothing they Can do about it. Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, for example, friends, family members,etc. We depend on various people for different. reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support and our friends share similar interest and activity. However, psychologists have found that the number of social contacts we have is not the only reason for loneliness. It is more important how many social contacts we think or expect we should have. In other words, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their own popularity. What does the speaker say about situational loneliness? [解析] 录音介绍situational loneliness时说它是由某种特定情形所自然造成的结果(natural result of a particular situation),如离婚和搬家,故推断situational loneliness是由环境的改变而引发的,A与此意表达类似,为正确选项。 B“实际上并不需要特定的关注”属于第一种孤独(temporary loneliness)的内容;C“经常突然出现”在录音中未提到;D“一般持续好几年”为第三种孤独(habitual loneliness)的特征。
9.
A.They cannot mix well with others.
B.They irrationally annoy their friends.
C.They depend heavily on family members.
D.They blame others for ignoring their needs.
A B C D
A
[听力原文] What problem will people have if they experience habitual loneliness? [解析] 在介绍habitual loneliness时,录音提到,有习惯性孤独感受的人在社交和与他人亲近方面有问题(have problems socializing and becoming close to others)。这种说法与A的“不能与他人好好相处”为同义表达,故A为正确答案。 ①四个选项均为某类人在社交方面的不良状况,推测题目与某类人的社交问题有关。②B“不理智地烦扰朋友”及D“抱怨他人忽略其需要”均不能在录音中找到根据;录音中虽然出现C的family members,但录音说的是家人在孤独症患者的社交中的关键因素,而非说习惯性孤独症患者会过分依赖家人,故C错误。
10.
A.They lack consistent support from peers.
B.They doubt their own popularity.
C.They were born psychologically weak.
D.They focus too much on themselves.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] Why do some people suffer loneliness according to psychologists? [解析] 录音结尾部分提到,一个造成孤独的更重要原因是我们期待要多少社交,有些人即使拥有很多社交,但依然期盼得到更多。末句总结这是因为他们质疑自己的受欢迎程度(question their own popularity),B中的doubt与录音中的question同义,故正确。 ①A“他们缺乏同龄人的支持”、C“他们生来心理就脆弱”以及D“他们过度关注自己”均不是造成孤独的原因,只是利用support,psychologically等在录音中出现的词来制造障碍而已。
Section C There was a time when any personal information that was gathered about us was typed on a piece of paper and 1 away in a file cabinet. It could remain there for years and, often 2 , never reach the outside world. Things have done a complete about-face since then. 3 for the change has been the astonishingly 4 development in recent years of the computer. Today, any data that is 5 about us in one place or another—and for one reason or another—can be stored in a computer bank. It can then be easily passed to other computer banks. They are owned by 6 and by private businesses and corporations, lending 7 , direct mailing and telemarketing firms, credit bureaus, credit card companies, and government 8 at the local, state, and federal level. A growing number of Americans are seeing the accumulation and distribution of computerized data as a frightening invasion of their privacy. 9 as the computer becomes increasingly efficient, easier to operate, and less costly to purchase and maintain. In 1970, a national survey showed that 10 Seven years later, 47 percent expressed the same worry. 11
Surveys show that the number of the worrying Americans has been steadily growing over the years
[解析] Surveys,show,worrying Americans,steadily,growing over the years 本句为简单的宾语从句。the number of表示“……的数量”,谓语动词要用单数形式has been…growing。名词Surveys和Americans不要漏写s。
10.
37% of the people questioned felt their privacy was being invaded
A recent survey by a credit bureau reviewed that the number of alarmed citizens had shot up to 76%
[解析] survey,a credit bureau,reviewed,alarmed citizens,shot up to 本句的时态为一般过去时,注意review后要加ed。shot的过去分词依然是shot。另注意bureau要拼写正确。
Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth)
Section A Walking, if you do it vigorously enough, is the overall best exercise for regular physical activity. It requires no equipment, everyone knows how to do it and it carries the 1 risk of injury. The human body is designed to walk. You can walk in parks or along a river or in your neighborhood. To get 2 benefit from walking, aim for 45 minutes a day, an average of five days a week. Strength training is another important 3 of physical activity. Its purpose is to build and 4 bone and muscle mass, both of which shrink with age. In general, you will want to do strength training two or three days a week, 5 recovery days between sessions. Finally, flexibility and balance training are 6 important as the body ages. Aches and pains are high on the list of complaints in old age. The result of constant muscle tension and stiffness of joints, many of them are 7 , and simple flexibility training can 8 these by making muscles stronger and keeping joints lubricated (润滑). Some of this you do whenever you stretch. If you watch dogs and cats, you'll get an idea of how natural it is. The general 9 is simple: whenever the body has been in one position for a while, it is good to 10 stretch it in an opposite position. A. allowing B. avoidable C. briefly D. component E. determined F. helping G. increasingly H. lowest I. maintain J. maximum K. prevent L. principle M. provoke N. seriously O. topic
Passage One Junk food is everywhere. We're eating way too much of it. Most of us know what we're doing and yet we do it anyway. So here's a suggestion offered by two researchers at the Rand Corporation: Why not take a lesson from alcohol control policies and apply them to where food is sold and how it's displayed? "Many policy measures to control obesity (肥胖症) assume that people consciously and rationally choose what and how much they eat and therefore focus on providing information and more access to healthier foods," note the two researchers. "In contrast," the researchers continue, "many regulations that don't assume people make rational choices have been successfully applied to control alcohol, a substance—like food—of which immoderate consumption leads to serious health problems." The research references studies of people's behavior with food and alcohol and results of alcohol restrictions, and then lists five regulations that the researchers think might be promising if applied to junk foods. Among them: Density restrictions: licenses to sell alcohol aren't handed out unplanned to all comers but are allotted (分配) based on the number of places in an area that already sell alcohol. These make alcohol less easy to get and reduce the number of psychological cues to drink. Similarly, the researchers say, being presented with junk food stimulates our desire to eat it. So why not limit the density of food outlets, particularly ones that sell food rich in empty calories? And why not limit sale of food in places that aren't primarily food stores? Display and sales restrictions: California has a rule prohibiting alcohol displays near the cash registers in gas stations, and in most places you can't buy alcohol at drive-through facilities. At supermarkets, food companies pay to have their wares in places where they're easily seen. One could remove junk food to the back of the store and ban them from the shelves at checkout lines. The other measures include restricting portion sizes, taxing and prohibiting special price deals for junk foods, and placing warning labels on the products.
1. What does the author say about junk food?
A.People should be educated not to eat too much.
B.It is widely consumed despite its ill reputation.
C.Its temptation is too strong for people to resist.
D.It causes more harm than is generally realized.
A B C D
B
[解析] 根据题干中的junk food定位到第1段。 首段提到,“垃圾无处不在,我们已吃得太多了(eating...too much of it)”;而最后一句“我们大部分人都知道自己在干什么,但我们还是照吃不误”则暗示了,人们明知垃圾食品有害,但仍会去吃。B中的widely consumed“被广泛食用”对应首段的前两句,despite its ill reputation“不顾其坏名声”则对应首段最后一句,故B为答案。 由首段最后一句可知,人们都清楚垃圾食品的危害,故无需再对人们进行此类教育,排除A;人们对垃圾食品照吃不误(do it anyway),其中的原因有多种,并不只是受诱惑而购买,C“垃圾食品的诱惑太大,令人无法抗拒”属于过度推断,人们不能拒绝垃圾食品的说法也过于绝对;D“垃圾食品的危害性比普遍所知的要大”,全文都在讨论如何减少食用垃圾食品,并未谈及垃圾食品对健康具体存在哪些危害,D严重偏离主题。
2. What do the Rand researchers think of many of the policy measures to control obesity?
A.They should be implemented effectively.
B.They provide misleading information.
C.They are based on wrong assumptions.
D.They help people make rational choices.
A B C D
C
[解析] 根据题干中的policy measures to control obesity定位到第3、4段。 本题询问Rand公司的研究人员对许多控制肥胖症措施的看法。第3、4段比较了两种基于不同假设的措施。第3段提到,许多措施都是假设(assume)“人们能够有意识且理性地选择吃什么、吃多少”;第4段的措施则假设人们并非理性地选择食品。而结果是,基于后者的假设能成功用于禁酒,而食品和酒一样,摄入过多都会导致严重的健康问题。由此可知,研究人员认为很多控制肥胖症的措施的假设是错误的,故C正确。 由第3段可知,许多控制肥胖症的措施效果不佳是由于其所立足的假设有误,并非其实行的力度不够(A)或传递错误的信息(B),故排除A、B;许多措施认为人们在选择食品时是理性的(rational),而非要让人们作出理性的选择(rational choices),故D也可排除。
3. Why do policymakers of alcohol control place density restrictions?
A.Few people are able to resist alcohol's temptations.
B.There are already too many stores selling alcohol.
C.Drinking strong alcohol can cause social problems.
D.Easy access leads to customers' over-consumption.
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据题干中的density restrictions定位到第6段。 本题询问为什么要在禁酒措施中实行密度控制。第6段详述了density restrictions措施,段末提到此举能让人们不易买到酒,且减少人们喝酒的欲望(reduce...cues to drink)。第7段开头则将说这与垃圾食品相似(Similarly):向人们展现垃圾食品会刺激人们的食用欲望,故可推断,向人们展现酒同样也能促进人们饮用的欲望,故D“容易获得(酒)会导致消费者过度消费”为本题答案。 文章只是从酒的获得途径进行分析,并未提及人们是否有能力抵受酒的诱惑,故A“很少有人能抵受住酒精的诱惑”属于无中生有;限制售卖酒的商店数量是为了不让人很容易就能买到酒,而非本来售卖酒的商店就很多,B排除;C“喝烈酒能引发社会问题”也是无中生有,本文是在讨论如何禁酒,并没有涉及由喝酒而产生的问题。
4. What is the purpose of California's rule about alcohol display in gas stations?
A.To effectively limit the density of alcohol outlets.
B.To help drivers to give up the habit of drinking.
C.To prevent possible traffic jams in nearby areas.
D.To get alcohol out of drivers' immediate sight.
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据题干中的California和gas stations定位到最后一段。 题干中问的“加州有关酒类商品在加油站的陈列规定”是指该段首句提到的“禁止在加油站收银台旁陈列酒类商品,并且在驾车通过的地方买不到酒。”该做法的目的与下文提到的“将垃圾食品移到商店后部,禁止将它们放在收银台前”一样,都是要将这些有害商品远离人们的视线,使其less easy to get,故确定D“使酒精淡出司机的视线”为本题答案。 本文提到的两项措施都是“限制性”措施,分别是限制售卖点和陈列位置,其本质目的都是让人们更不容易得到酒(less easy to get),而B“帮助司机摆脱喝酒的习惯”及C“防止附近区域可能产生的交通堵塞”都是仅凭常识的主观臆断,完全脱离原文内容;A“可以有效地限制酒类销售点的密度”说的是第一项措施density restrictions的内容,与加州的法规无关,也排除。
5. What is the general guideline the Rand researchers suggest about junk food control?
A.Guiding people to make rational choices about food.
B.Enhancing people's awareness of their own health.
C.Borrowing ideas from alcohol control measures.
D.Resorting to economic, legal and psychological means,
A B C D
C
[解析] 根据题干中的Rand researchers定位到第2段及第5段。 文章第2段提到,Rand公司的研究人员建议向“禁酒方面的政策学习”(take a lesson from...),第5段则提到研究人员的建议是从有关喝酒行为及禁酒结果的研究中得出的,且全文多处将禁酒方面的措施与禁止垃圾食品的措施对比,故确定研究人员提出的建议都是从禁酒措施中借鉴得来的(borrow),故C正确。 研究人员提出的措施都是“限制性”措施,是从人们获得垃圾食品的途径入手,其重点并不在于A“指导人们理性地选择食品”及B“提高人们对自身健康的意识”;最后两段措施中提到的限制发放售酒许可证及征税等属于经济和法律手段,虽然第6段末提到要“减少心理暗示”(psychological cues),但这只是进行密度限制的目的,不属于采取心理手段来禁止垃圾食品,故D错误。
Passage Two Kodak's decision to file for bankruptcy (破产) protection is a sad, though not unexpected, turning point for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the film market for decades, but ultimately failed to adapt to the digital revolution. Although many attribute Kodak's downfall to "complacency (自满)," that explanation doesn't acknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak anticipated that digital photography would overtake film—and in fact, Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1975—but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditional film business. It wasn't that Kodak was blind to the future, said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at Harvard Business School, but rather that it failed to execute on a strategy to confront it. By the time the company realized its mistake, it was too late. Kodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot of money trying to do so, but ultimately failed. Large companies have a difficult time switching to new markets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses. Although Kodak anticipated the inevitable rise of digital photography, its corporate (企业的) culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fully embrace the future. They were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Now their history has become a liability. Kodak's downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded 90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s brought new competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lower prices for film and photo supplies. Kodak's decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited its sponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.
1. What do we learn about Kodak?
A.It went bankrupt all of a sudden.
B.It is approaching its downfall.
C.It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.
D.It is playing the dominant role in the film market.
A B C D
B
[解析] 定位到第1段。 文章开篇即提到柯达公司申请破产保护(file for bankrupt protection),且第2段及第6段均提到Kodak's downfall,由此可知柯达正处衰落期,故B正确。 首段提到柯达的申请破产保护的决定是not unexpected,即意料之中的,A说这是突然的(au of a sudden)与文意相反,故可排除;首段提到柯达是胶卷摄影业的先驱,但却因不能适应数字革命而面临倒闭,虽然第2段有提到柯达在1975年发明第一台数码相机,但它随后即将之束之高阁,继续专注于传统的胶卷业,故不能说“它引领胶卷业数字革命”,C错误;由首段可知,柯达在过去的确在胶卷业占统治地位,但并非现在,D属于时态错误。
2. Why does the author mention Kodak's invention of the first digital camera?
A.To show its early attempt to reinvent itself.
B.To show its effort to overcome complacency.
C.To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.
D.To show its will to compete with Japan's Fuji Photo.
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据题干中的invention of the first digital camera定位到第2段。 题干中提到的柯达发明首台数码相机的事例出现在第2段第2句。举例都是为了论点服务的,故可在例证的前后寻找论点句。例证前一句提到,柯达曾经有一长段时间致力于重新改造自己(reinvent itself),而发明新产品正好说明该公司在改造自己,A中的reinvent itself复现了原文信息,故为本题答案。 第2段首句中的doesn't acknowledge(没有认识到)就否定了“柯达公司自满”的说法,既然根本不存在“自满情绪”,B中的“克服自满情绪的努力”就无从说起;文中多次提到柯达公司不能适应数字革命,故C的“很快适应数字革命”与文意相反;由最后一段可知,来自富士的竞争是从20世纪80年代开始的,故柯达在1975年发明数码相机时不会考虑到要与富士竞争,D错误。
3. Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?
A.They find it costly to give up their existing assets.
B.They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.
C.They are unwilling to invest in new technology.
D.They are deeply stuck in their glorious past.
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据题干中的switching to new markets定位到第4、5段。 第4段末句的主句内容“大公司在转向新市场时总会遇到麻烦”对应题干,故because后的内容即为本题答案。该句提到大公司总想把现有的资本投入到新业务中去,而第5段则以柯达公司为例作了详细的解释,过分植根于过去的成功(too rooted in the success of the past),D中的“陷在辉煌的过去”(stuck in their glorious past)与此对应,故为本题答案。 本题的直接解题句是because引导的从句,但四个选项都没有明显与该句对应的,此时考生需将目光往下看,就可发现D所述与第5段的内容对应,据此就能选出答案。A“它们认为放弃现有资产成本很高”、B“它们往往在应对新挑战时反应缓慢”及C“它们不愿意在新科技中投入”均属于主观臆断,与第4、5段的内容无关。
4. What does the author say Kodak's history has become?
A.A burden.
B.A mirror.
C.A joke.
D.A challenge.
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据题干中的Kodak's history定位到第5段。 第5段最后两句提到,柯达的历史对它非常重要,而现在历史已成为了它的负担(liability),A中的burden与文中的liability同义,故为答案。 本题的解题关键词是liability,考生若不知道其准确词义,可通过上下文语境来进行推断。第5段提到,柯达公司过分依赖过去的成功(too rooted in the success of the past),以致其无法完全打破传统充分拥抱未来,柯达深陷在时间里。第5段中的past和time都与history同义,故可知,过去的历史成了阻碍公司发展的东西,成了一种累赘或不利因素,选项中只有burden与此语义接近,故确定A为答案。B“镜子”;C“笑话”;D“挑战”。
5. What was Kodak's fatal mistake?
A.Its blind faith in traditional photography.
B.Its failure to see Fuji Photo's emergence.
C.Its refusal to sponsor the 1984 Olympics.
D.Its overconfidence in its corporate culture.
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据题干中的fatal mistake定位到第2段末句。 第2段末句明确提到,在发明了首台数码相机后,柯达公司作了一个“致命的决定”(a fateful decision):将新发明放到一边去(shelf its new discovery),主攻传统的胶卷业务;第3段末提到,后来该公司意识到这是一个错误(realized.its mistake)。A“盲目坚守其传统摄影业务”,是对该错误决定的概括,故为答案。 最后一段虽然提到富士的兴起,蚕食了柯达的市场份额,但并没有提到柯达对此有没有作出应对措施,B“没有看到富士胶片公司的兴起”无原文根据;C“拒绝赞助1984年的奥运会”是最后一段提到的柯达公司的重大错误(a major miscalculation),该错误使得富士在市场上立稳脚根,但对柯达公司来说并非“致命的”,文章多次提到柯达的倒闭是因为不能适应数字革命,没有及时革新,故C排除;第2段首句已否定了柯达的倒闭是由于自满,故D“对企业文化的过度自信”错误。
Part Ⅴ Cloze UK households are cutting back on spending at the fastest rate since 1980. This is 1 to the worst economic slowdown in three decades. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed 2 spending fell by 1.2% in the first three months of the year. People spent less on housing, household goods and services, 3 those who went on holiday abroad also spent 4 less. Consumers tightened their belts 5 the face of job losses, pay 6 or freezes and sharply reduced City bonuses. The figures showed employees' 7 falling by 1.1% in the quarter, the largest fall 8 records began in 1955. Wages and salaries declined, 9 lower bonus payments in the financial sector than normal, while 10 also fell. The data was 11 as part of the ONS's latest assessment of the UK economy, which 12 that gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 1.9% in the first quarter, 13 sharpest decline since 1979. GDP stood 4.1% 14 than a year ago, the biggest annual fall since 1980. "The breakdown (分析) of first-quarter GDP gives a pretty 15 picture of weakness right across the 16 in the early months of this year," said Jonathan Loynes of Capital Economics. "With 17 components like household spending and investment set to fall considerably further in 18 to the weakness in the housing market, the labour market and bank lending, we 19 unconvinced that recent 'green shoots'(经济复苏迹象) will translate 20 a return to decent growth next year."
[解析] 考查名词辨义。空格处填入名词,作现在分词falling的逻辑主语,四个选项中,只有compensation“报酬”可与“下降”构成主谓搭配,且与下文提到的Wages and salaries declined“工资下降”语义一致,形成呼应,故C为答案。composition“作文;组成”;conservation“保存”;construction“建造”。
8.
A.since
B.when
C.as
D.until
A B C D
A
[解析] 考查连词用法。空格前用了最高级the largest fall“最大的降幅”,只有在特定的范围内最高级才有意义,故推断“______records...”表示范围,since“从……以来”代入空格表示时间范围,意为“自1955年有记录以来”。本文多处出现“最高级+since...”(自从……以来最……)的说法,这也提示了本题答案。
[解析] 考查名词辨义。由本句的Wages and salaries“薪资”,bonus payments“奖金”等表达可看出本句的内容跟“工作者切身利益”有关,选项中与此有关的只有employment“就业”。competition“竞争”;achievement表示“成就”;attraction“吸引力”。