Ⅰ.CAREFUL READING Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET.
Passage 1 A guest at the Holiday Inn on Union Square in San Francisco is attempting to turn on the radio in his room. Not matter which button he pushes, the radio will not play. Finally, the guest reports a defective (有毛病的) radio. A hotel employee soon arrives at the guest's room with a new radio, a box of chocolates, and flowers. As for the radio already in the room, the employee turns it on without difficulty and quickly reassures the guest that the radio is tricky to operate. The employee shows the guest how to work the radio and pleasantly exits the room, leaving the radios, the chocolates and the flowers. An elderly woman is in her favorite food store, Ukrop's Super Market of Richmond, Virginia. She picks up a large pineapple from the display case, holds it for several moments, and then returns it with obvious reluctance. Ukrop's president, James Ukrop, witnesses this scene and asks the customer if she would like to buy half of the pineapple, indicating that the store would be glad to cut it in half. The customer accepts and states how she looks forward to visiting Ukrop's because the staff is so friendly and makes her feel so welcome. Night after night, in Aurora, Colorado, police officers answer calls for break ins of cars parked outside a local dance hall. One officer notes that the burglaries usually involve purses of female customers who say they lock their handbags in their cars, fearing the bags would be stolen from unattended tables during dances. The officer then persuades the dance hall owner to install lockers and the burglary calls drop from dozens each month to two in four months. These three stories emphasize our central argument, that is, the essence of services marketing is service. Service quality is the foundation of services marketing, for the core product being marketed is a performance. The performance is the product; the performance is what customers buy. A strong service concept gives companies the opportunity to compete for customers; a strong performance of the service concept builds competitiveness by earning customers' confidence and reinforcing branding, advertising, selling, and pricing.
1. The radio in the guest's room at the Holiday Inn does not work because ______
4. In a service business, the product being marketed is ______.
A.a brand
B.a person
C.a promise
D.a performance
A B C D
D
[解析] 题干问,在服务企业中,产品是作为一个什么。由文中最后一段第二句“Service quality is the foundation of services marketing, for the core product being marketed is a performance”。可知D项正确。答案为D。
5. The author sets forth the argument of the passage by ______.
Passage 2 Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero? Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people. A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people. The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant? Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (实行种族隔离) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
1. Heroes may come from different cultures, but they ______.
A.generally share some inspiring characteristics
B.probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C.are often influenced by their previous generations
D.are often pursued by a large number of fans
A B C D
A
[解析] 不同文化中英雄的共同点在第二段...generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people,他们具有许多指导性的,鼓舞人心的品质。选项D为famous men的特点。答案为A。
2. According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that ______.
A.they have a vision from the mountaintop
B.they have warm feelings and emotions
C.they can serve as concrete examples of noble strengths
D.they can make people feel stronger and more enthusiastic
A B C D
C
[解析] 题干问文中把英雄比作高压变压器的原因。文章第三段中说,But a hero goes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high voltage transformers,...英雄因为选项C,they can serve as concrete examples of noble strengths,因而产生选项D的结果,所以C项符合题意。答案为C。
3. Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because ______.
A.they do not improve their fans morally
B.they are popular only with certain groups of people
C.their primary concern is their own financial interests
D.they are not clear about what principles they should follow
A B C D
A
[解析] 题干问,为什么迈克尔·杰克逊和麦当娜不被认为是英雄?文中说,Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?这句反问句说他们没有使歌迷的生活更丰富多彩,即他们没有从精神上使歌迷得到提高。答案为A。
4. Gandhi and Martin Luther King are examples of outstanding leaders who ______.
A.are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B.are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
C.can bring about social changes in their nations
D.can change the whole world with their skills and charms
A B C D
C
[解析] 甘地和马丁·路德·金是那些给社会带来巨大变化的杰出领袖的代表。答案为C。
5. The author concludes that historical changes would ______.
A.be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B.not occur without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C.take place if there were heroes to lead the people
D.produce leaders with attractive personalities
A B C D
A
[解析] 文中说,It may be possible for large scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but...be slow, slow与delay意义相关。答案为A。
Passage 3 Interest in pursuing international careers has soared in recent years, enhanced by chronic (长久的) personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent. Professionals seek career experience outside their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity and initiative. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language. When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a résumé or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one or two page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a résumé are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the corporate culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to embrace (包含) two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start: Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of "cross-border" job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not be an adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. Pay attention to the résumé format you use: chronological or reverse chronological order. Chronological order means listing your "oldest" work experience first. Reverse chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse chronological format. If you are submitting your résumé in English, find out if the recipient (收件人) uses British English or American English because there are variations between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as "tertiary education" in the United Kingdom, but this term is rarely used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these variations may assume that your contains errors.
1. Companies are searching for talent outside their home countries because ______.
A.they need to expand their business globally
B.they have difficulty hiring employees at home
C.they can benefit from international professionals
D.foreign employees are more capable than those at home
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“公司在国外寻找人才的原因是什么?”A选项“他们需要扩大全球业务”,是正确答案。文中第一段说Interest in pursuing...their home borders for talent。B选项“他们很难在国内雇到员工”;C选项“他们能够从国际专业人员中获利”;D选项“国外的员工比国内的员工有能力”。答案为A。
2. According to the passage, professionals looking for international careers ______.
A.are usually creative and have the initiative
B.are no longer satisfied with their own life at home
C.aim to improve their foreign language skills
D.aim at opportunities for themselves and their children
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。“根据文章内容,寻找国际职业的专业人员的状况是什么?”D选项“目标是为自己及子女创造机会”,是正确答案。文中第二段说Or they may...to learn a second language。A选项“通常具有创新性和主动性”;B选项“不满意国内的状况”;C选项“为了提高外语能力”。答案为D。
3. When it comes to résumé writing, it is advisable to ______.
A.take cultural factors into consideration
B.learn about the company's hiring process
C.follow appropriate guidelines for job hunting
D.find out the employer's personal likes and dislikes
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“在写简历的时候,合理的做法是什么?”A选项“考虑文化因素”,是正确答案。文中第三段说The best advice...making the hiring decision。B选项“了解公司的雇佣程序”;C选项“按照找工作的恰当指南”;D选项“查明雇主的喜好和厌恶”。答案为A。
4. When writing about qualifications in the résumé job applicants are advised to ______.
A.emphasize their academic potential to impress the decision maker
B.start with the title of the degree they have obtained at home
C.provide a detailed description of their studies and work experiences
D.show intense interest in pursuing international careers
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。“当在简历中写具备条件的时候,申请者被建议怎么做?”C选项“提供关于自己学业和丁作经历的详细描述”,是正确答案。文中第四段说just stating...and any related experience。A选项“强调学术潜力来打动决策者”;B选项“以在国内获得的学位开头”;D选项“表明对寻求国际职业的强烈兴趣”。答案为C。
5. According to the author's last piece of advice, job applicants should be aware of ______.
A.the different educational systems in the US and the UK
B.the differences between American English and British English
C.the recipient's preference with regard to résumé format
D.the distinctive features of American and British cultures
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。“根据文章内容,工作申请者应该当心什么?”B选项“美式英语和英式英语的差异”,是正确答案。文中最后一段说If you...between the two versions。A选项“美国和英国不同的教育体系”;C选项“接受者对简历样式的偏好”;D选项“美国文化和英国文化的不同”。答案为B。
Passage 4 Blaming the media for violence is misguided. To better understand the issue of violence and society, it is helpful to examine its historical roots. Certainly not all tribal societies were violent. For example, many native tribes in the American southwest were entirely peaceful. However, for most tribal people throughout most of the world, war and violence have always been part of life. One of our oldest books, the Old Testament, tells of constant tribal wars among the peoples of the Middle East. Likewise, ancient texts such as the Greek Iliad, the Indian Bhagavad Gita and the Nordic Beowulf all tell tales of war and violence. Certainly the peoples of ancient Babylonia, Greece, India, and Scandinavia were not influenced by the media, yet most of the earliest human records indicate that violence has been an ever present part of human life. Since violence was with us long before modern media, it seems unlikely that controlling the media now would have much impact on stopping human violence. A comparison of violence in nations around the world indicates that there is no relationship between media violence and real violence. In the United States, in 1996, there were 9,390 gun-related deaths. In the same year, Japan had 15 gun related deaths. Yet the level of violence on television in Japan is higher than that in the U.S.. Japanese TV often depicts graphic violence that would not be allowed on U.S. television, and Japanese movie goers see the same major, Hollywood films that Americans see, but street crime is so rare in Tokyo that most people do not worry about it. In contrast, in American cities, people in general, and women in particular, are afraid to walk alone at night. Security is an ever present concern in the U.S., where citizens limit their lives in numerous ways to reduce the chances of joining the 11,000 people who are killed by guns in America each year. However, the number of murders in the U.S. is small compared to Columbia, where, for example, 23,000 people were murdered in 1999. Columbians have much less exposure to media violence than either Americans or Japanese; they have fewer TV stations and watch fewer films. Indeed, those committing murders in Columbia are often people from the countryside who have the least exposure to the media. Thus people who are not exposed to the media are often more likely to commit violent crimes than those exposed to it. Since Canada borders the U.S., Canadians receive the same TV and radio programs that Americans receive, yet gun violence in Canada is nearly one hundred times lower than that in the U.S.. Clearly there is no significant relationship between media violence and real life violence. We need to look elsewhere for solutions to real life violence.
1. The author cites the examples of ancient texts in the first paragraph to show that ______.
A.ancient texts are just as violent as modern media
B.ancient societies could be both peaceful and violent
C.violence came into being long before modern media did
D.there is more violence in ancient works than in the media
2. The author uses Japanese, Columbian and Canadian examples to show that real life violence and media violence ______.
A.are not related
B.are not serious
C.affect each other
D.are directly related
A B C D
A
[解析] 题干问,作者用日本人,哥伦比亚人和加拿大人的例子来说明现实生活中的暴力和媒体上的暴力是怎样的关系。由文章第二段最后可知Clearly there is no significant relationship between media violence and real life violence。答案为A。
3. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the safest country is ______.
4. The phrase "reduces the chances of joining..." (para. 2) may be replaced by ______.
A.refuses to take part in
B.adds to the number of
C.avoids becoming one of
D.decreases the number of
A B C D
C
[解析] 题干问,reduces the chances of joining是什么意思。在文中找到相关的句子,其整句话意思为安全问题在美国是永远存在的担忧,在美国,许多公民用很多方式限制暴力事件的发生以减少死亡,然而每年仍有11000人被枪杀。根据句意知人们是为了避免自己成为被枪杀的人之一。答案为C。
5. According to the passage, those who are the least exposed to media violence are citizens of ______.
A.Japan
B.the U.S.
C.Canada
D.Columbia
A B C D
D
[解析] 题干问,根据此文,哪个国家的公民最不易受媒体暴力的影响。文中第二段中间部分Columbians have much less exposure to media violence than either Americans or Japanese; they have fewer TV stations and watch fewer films. Canadians receive the same TV and radio programs that Americans receive.答案为D。
Ⅱ.SPEED READING Skim or scan the following passages, and then decide on the best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET.
Passage 5 In 1781 twelve families trooped north from Mexico to California. On a stream along the desert's edge, they built a settlement called Los Angeles. For many years it was a market town, where nearby farmers and ranchers met to trade. Then in 1876 a railroad linked Los Angeles to San Francisco and, through San Francisco, to the rest of the country. The next year farmers sent their first trainload of oranges east. By 1885 a new railroad provided a direct route between Los Angeles and Chicago. Then in the 1890's oil was discovered in the city. As derricks went up, workers built many highways and pipe lines. Digging began on a harbor that would make Los Angeles not only an ocean port but also a fishing center. The harbor was completed in 1914. That year the Panama Canal opened. Suddenly Los Angeles was the busiest port on the Pacific Coast. Today the city is the main industrial center in the West. It produces goods not only for other West Coast communities but also for those in other parts of the country. It leads the nation in making airplanes and equipment for exploring outer space. Many motion pictures and television programs are filmed in Los Angeles. The city is also the business center for states in the West. Improvements in transportation are the main reason for Los Angeles' growth.
1. According to the passage, what was the main commercial activity of Los Angeles during the years directly following its settlement?
A.Fruit growing.
B.Oil drilling.
C.Fishing.
D.Trading.
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。“根据原文,在洛杉矶建立后的年份里最主要的商业活动是什么?”D选项“交易”。文中说For many years it was a market town, where nearby farmers and ranchers met to trade。其他A选项“水果种植”;B选项“石油开发”;C选项“打鱼”,文中都没有提到。答案为D。
2. According to the passage, in which year were oranges first shipped from Los Angeles to the East Coast by train?
A.1781.
B.1876.
C.1877.
D.1890.
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。“根据原文,在哪一年第一次用火车把橘子从洛杉矶运到了东海岸?”C选项“1877”。文中说“Then in 1876...their first trainload of oranges east.”可推断出应为1876年的下一年。答案为C。
3. San Francisco is mentioned in the passage for which of the following reasons?
A.The settlers who founded Los Angeles came from San Francisco.
B.San Francisco linked Los Angeles with the rest of the country.
C.San Francisco was a market town where farmers came to trade.
D.Oil was discovered in San Francisco in the 1890's.
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。“圣弗朗西斯克在本文中被提及是由于什么原因?”B选项“圣弗朗西斯克把洛杉矶与国家的其他地方连接在了一起”。文中说“Then in 1876 a railroad linked Los Angeles to San Francisco and, through San Francisco, to the rest of the country”。A选项“洛杉矶的建立者来自圣弗朗西斯克”;C选项“圣弗朗西斯克是一个农民们来交易的市场”;D选项“1890年,在圣弗朗西斯克发现了石油”。答案为B。
4. Where in the passage does the author state the principal cause of the expansion of Los Angeles?
A.Line 7.
B.Line 9.
C.Line 13.
D.Lines 14-15.
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。“文中,作者陈述洛杉矶扩张的主要原因在第几行?”B选项“第九行”。文中说Then in the 1890's oil was discovered in the city. As derricks went up, workers built many highways and pipe lines,可见由于这个城市发现了石油,所以才快速地扩展起来。答案为B。
5. The passage mainly talks about ______.
A.The development province of Los Angeles
B.The relationship between Los Angeles and other countries
C.The relationship between Los Angeles and Panama Canal
D.Derricks were used in Los Angeles in an early time
Passage 6 In every society it is necessary to have a general system of laws to ensure justice. Laws are designed to make certain that people's rights are protected and that people respect each other's rights. Sometimes, however, laws are passed which are specific to a time or situation. For example, a town in Indiana once passed a law making it illegal to shoot open a can of food. Apparently, some gun-carrying citizens forgot their can openers and naturally enough, used their guns to do the job. This disturbed other citizens, and endangered their lives, so a law was passed to prevent it. Specific laws sometimes remain in existence long after the problem has disappeared. The laws then seem strange. For example, the Indiana law was no longer necessary when citizens stopped carrying guns and using them as can-openers. Since the law was no longer needed, what once made sense now seems like nonsense. Sometimes laws designed to serve a good purpose were passed but somehow these became mixed up in their .wording. As a result, the laws don't make sense. In one state there is a law which says that it is "illegal to move or to attempt to move a motor vehicle." Obviously, a massive traffic jam would occur if everyone suddenly obeyed that law. But no one does, of course, because the intention of the law was not to prevent owners from moving their own cars. It was to prevent people from moving (stealing) other people's cars. It is often harder to repeal a law than to pass one, so many of these old laws remain in existence. Because they no longer fit the way people live or because the problem no longer exists, these laws are ignored. Everyone understands that and life goes on. Thus, laws that once made very good sense now seem like nonsense.
1. According to the passage, laws are designed for the purpose of ______.
A.protecting people's rights
B.making people respect each other
C.opening the cans of food
D.punishing criminals
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节理解题。文章在第一段的第二句话中说道:Laws are designed to make certain that people's rights are protected and that people respect each other's rights.意思是指:制定法律的目的就是要保护公民的权益和促使公民来尊重彼此的权利。答案为A。
2. The word "job" in paragraph 1 refers to ______.
3. The author used the Indiana law as an example to explain ______.
A.how some laws are passed and changed
B.how people in Indiana open cans
C.why some laws may seem strange
D.why people in Indiana no longer use their guns
A B C D
C
[解析] 主旨大意题。作者先是在文章第一段中讲述了印第安纳州法律禁止公民使用枪支来打开罐头的例子。紧接着在第二段的第一行中就说:Specific laws sometimes remain in existence long after the problem has disappeared. The laws then seem strange.有时在问题消失之后,某些具体的法律规定仍然会存在很长时间没有废除。因而,印第安纳州的这项法律规定似乎很奇怪。可见,作者举例的目的就是为了解释为什么有些法律规定很奇怪。答案为C。
4. What's the problem with the law concerning motor vehicles?
A.It leads to traffic jams.
B.It is not clearly written.
C.It is not designed to serve a good purpose.
D.It has been out of date.
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节理解题。文章在最后一段的第二行中说道:It is illegal to move or attempt to move a motor vehicle...obeyed that law.一项法律曾经规定“骑摩托车是不合法的”,很显然,如果每位公民按照这项规定来做的话,势必会导致大规模的交通堵塞。又本段第一行中说道:Sometimes laws designed to serve a good purpose...in their wording.制定一项法律规定,其目的是好的,但有时,实施后的效果确实微乎其微的。可见,关于禁止骑摩托车的法律规定所带来的相关问题在文章中并未详细地阐述。答案为B。
5. We can conclude from the passage that ______.
A.a law system is necessary for every society
B.some laws that don't make sense may also get passed
C.it is more difficult to change the old law than pass a new one
Ⅲ.DISCOURSE CLOZE The following is taken from the textbook. Read the passage and fill in the numbered spaces (there are more suggested answers than necessary). Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to live. 1 . But always we were interested in discovering just how the doomed man chose to spend his last days or his last hours. I speak, of course, of free men who have a choice, not condemned criminals whose sphere of activities is strictly delimited Such stories set us thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances. What events, what experiences, what associations should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings? 2 ? Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more clays and months and years to come. 3 , but most people would be chastened by certainty of impending death. In stories, the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. 4 . It has often been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do. Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. 5 . We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty task, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life. The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. 6 . Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration, and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill. I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. 7 . Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed. "Nothing in particular." She replied. 8 , for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little. How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? 9 . I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sigh of awakening Nature after her winter's sleep. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolution; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy shiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. 10 . To me the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my fingertips. A.Sometimes it was as long as a year; sometimes as short as twenty-four hours B.This is a basic fact to keep in mind C.But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties D.He becomes more appreciative of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values E.Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound F.There are those, of course, who would adopt the epicurean motto of "Eat, drink, and be merry" G.In this way, the survivors can become all-powerful H.I who cannot see find hundred of things to interest me through mere touch I.When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable J.I might have been incredulous had I not been accustomed to such responses K.To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug L.What happiness should we find in reviewing the past, what regrets
1.
A
2.
L
3.
F
4.
D
5.
I
6.
C
7.
E
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Ⅳ.WORD FORMATIONS Complete each of the following sentences with the proper form of the word in the bracket. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.
1. (custom)He slowly accepts its rhythm and ______ himself to conforming to its demands.
Ⅴ.GAP FILLING The following is taken from the textbook. Fill in the numbered gaps with the correct form of the words or phrases in the box (there are more words than necessary). Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. about log dawn unrealized privilege masterpiece legend especially while behalf There is a 1 of an artist who long sought for a piece of sandalwood, out of which to carve a Madonna, He was 2 to give up in despair, leaving the vision of his life 3 , when in a dream he was bidden to carve his Madonna from a block of oak wood which was destined for the fire. He obeyed, and produced a 4 from a log of common firewood. Many of us lose great opportunities in life by waiting to find sandalwood for our carvings, when they really lie hidden in the common 5 that we burn. One man goes through life without seeing chances for doing anything great, 6 another close beside him snatches from the same circumstances and 7 opportunities for achieving grand results. Opportunities? They are everywhere. "America is another name for opportunities. Our whole history appears like a last effort of divine providence in 8 of the human race." Never before were there such grand openings, such chances, such opportunities. 9 is this true for girls and young women. A new era is 10 for them. Hundreds of occupations and professions, which were closed to them only a few years ago, are now inviting them to enter.
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Ⅵ.SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Read the passage carefully and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. Blaming the media for violence is misguided. To better understand the issue of violence and society, it is helpful to examine its historical roots. Certainly not all tribal societies were violent. For example, many native tribes in the American southwest were entirely peaceful. However, for most tribal people throughout most of the world, war and violence have always been part of life. One of our oldest books, the Old Testament, tells of constant tribal wars among the peoples of the Middle East. Likewise, ancient texts such as the Greek Iliad, the Indian Bhagavad Gita and the Nordic Beowulf all tell tales of war and violence. Certainly the peoples of ancient Babylonia, Greece, India, and Scandinavia were not influenced by the media, yet most of the earliest human records indicate that violence has been an ever present part of human life. Since violence was with us long before modern media, it seems unlikely that controlling the media now would have much impact on stopping human violence. A comparison of violence in nations around the world indicates that there is no relationship between media violence and real violence. In the United States, in 1996, there were 9,390 gun-related deaths. In the same year, Japan had 15 gun related deaths. Yet the level of violence on television in Japan is higher than that in the U.S.. Japanese TV often depicts graphic violence that would not be allowed on U.S. television, and Japanese movie goers see the same major, Hollywood films that Americans see, but street crime is so rare in Tokyo that most people do not worry about it. In contrast, in American cities, people in general, and women in particular, are afraid to walk alone at night. Security is an ever present concern in the U.S., where citizens limit their lives in numerous ways to reduce the chances of joining the 11,000 people who are killed by guns in America each year. However, the number of murders in the U.S. is small compared to Columbia, where, for example, 23,000 people were murdered in 1999. Columbians have much less exposure to media violence than either Americans or Japanese; they have fewer TV stations and watch fewer films. Indeed, those committing murders in Columbia are often people from the countryside who have the least exposure to the media. Thus people who are not exposed to the media are often more likely to commit violent crimes than those exposed to it. Since Canada borders the U.S., Canadians receive the same TV and radio programs that Americans receive, yet gun violence in Canada is nearly one hundred times lower than that in the U.S.. Clearly there is no significant relationship between media violence and real life violence. We need to look elsewhere for solutions to real life violence.
1. Why does the author examine the historical roots of violence in the first paragraph?
The author examines the historical roots of violence to show that violence existed long before modern media. Ancient texts demonstrate that violence has been an ever present part of human life.
2. According to the author, what is the relationship between media violence and real life violence?
The author argues that there is no significant relationship between media violence and real life violence. In fact, people not exposed to the media are often more likely to commit violent crimes than those exposed to it.
Ⅶ.TRANSLATION Read the passage carefully and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. Actually, he did like something: his business. 1 The problem was that while he was still a fabulously wealthy man, he had recently begun to make big mistakes. 2 He insisted on buying companies at very high prices, only to watch them fail or go bankrupt. Ellsworth was in pretty good shape for a 76-year-old, but his business failures were ruinous to his health. 3 He had suffered his last heart attack after his disastrous purchase of a small railroad in Iowa. 4 The health problem he suffered before that came about because of excitement over the failure of a chain of grocery stores, stores which he had purchased at an inflated price. It seemed that all his recent purchases had to be liquidated at a great sacrifice to both his pocketbook and his health. 5 They were beginning to have serious effects.