Ⅰ.CAREFUL READING Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET.
Passage 1 What better occasion than Valentine's Day to ask for your sweetheart's hand? In America, the answer is almost any other. Most love-stuck American men are unaware of the perils of proposal. Many will surprise girlfriends with a diamond engagement ring. Suitors (求偶者) would do well to consider what might happen to that expensive rock if the engagement is broken off before the wedding day. Etiquette and common sense dictate that the ring should be returned to the man. In many states, that is what the law requires too. But not all. Brian Bix, a law professor at Quinnipiac College in Connecticut, points out that in some parts of America it matters who is responsible for the break-up. In his state, if the man is to blame, legal precedent suggests that the woman keeps the ring. Things are not so clear in neighbouring New York. When the ring is given might matter too, for some states could let the finance keep the ring if she can convince a court that it was an "unconditional" gift, rather than one given for possible marriage. Legal scholars say this is a very tricky point. But one thing is clear. A woman could strengthen the argument that the ring was given unconditionally if she had received it on a traditional gift-giving occasion, such as Valentine's Day. Luckily for romance, De Beers brought to the market an undisputedly eternal option: the Millennium diamond, which comes with a serial number and an appropriately epochal logo etched (蚀刻) into the stone by lasers. Officials at the diamond cartel are confident that the limited edition of 20,000 gems will go fast. No doubt many men will rush to buy these diamonds, which De Beers vows not to issue again until 3,000. How could any fellow fail to win his girl's heart with such a "once-in-a-millennium" token (信物)? Just to be safe, though, better not give it on her birthday?
1. According to the passage, when do most American men propose?
[解析] 推理题。由下文的定语从句“which comes with a serial...by lasers”可知,人们认为“Millennium diamond”是以激光蚀刻为标志的永恒的象征,可见,Millennium意为时间久远指“一千年”。答案为A。
5. The information contained in the passage is most useful to ______.
A.a man who is about to propose
B.a woman who is about to marry
C.a newly-married couple
D.manufacturers of diamond rings
A B C D
A
[解析] 推理题。文章讲了男人求婚的时间,当然对一个正打算求婚的男士最有帮助。答案为A。
Passage 2 Albert Einstein once attributed the creativity of a famous scientist to the fact that he never went to school, and therefore preserved the rare gift of thinking freely. There is undoubtedly a truth in Einstein's observation; many artists and geniuses seem to view their schooling as a disadvantage. But such a truth is not a criticism of schools. It is the function of schools to civilize, not to train explorers. The explorer is always a lonely individual whether his or her pioneering be in art, music, science or technology. The creative explorer of unmapped lands shares with the genius what William James described as the "faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way." In so far as schools teach perceptual patterns they tend to destroy creativity and genius. But if school could somewhat exist solely to cultivate genius, then society would break down. For the social order demands unity and widespread agreement, both traits that are destructive to creativity. There will always be conflict between the demands of society and the impulses of creativity and genius.
1. Albert Einstein once thought that schools ______.
Passage 3 Gopher Prairie, in which the action of Sinclair Lewis' Main Street (1920) takes place, is a town of 3,000 inhabitants, smug, dull people whose one idea is to get on materially. They have no use for anyone who wishes something better for them; they oppose civic reform, cultural and educational projects. The most honored citizens are bankers. Carol, who has been to college and held a position as a librarian, comes to Gopher Prairie to live with her doctor husband. Appalled by the stagnant life of the town, and failing to become adjusted to it, she tries a number of cultural ideas. Her efforts to establish a little theater meet with no encouragement. Indeed, the people merely think she is putting on airs. Her affection for her husband wanes, and she takes up with Erik Valborg, in whom she sees a spirit akin to her own. She leaves the little town for Washington D.C., where she works as a government clerk. Later she returns to Gopher Prairie, better equipped than before to understand the forces which shape Main Street. At the time of its first appearance, Main Street provoked a storm of protest on the ground that the novelist libeled good Americans. Today, no one thinks of repeating this charge. Indeed, as Lewis Gannett points out, Main Street has in no way changed except externally, it is the same Main Street; yet doubtless it reads Sinclair Lewis, novels as eagerly as the rest of the nation. At the time when Main Street was published Lewis was accused of hating dull people. The novelist retorted that he did not hate them. He loved them. The truth is, the world of 1920 could not stand criticism. The Pulitzer Prize Committee refused to award Main Street a prize. The novelist was to have his revenge six years later, when he rejected the same award for Arrowsmith.
1. Which of the following is the central preoccupation of the people of Gopher Prairie?
A.Progressive.
B.Material possessions.
C.Cultural activity.
D.Civic reform.
A B C D
B
[解析] 推理题。从第一段的第一句话“...whose one idea is to get on materially”可推知,他们最关注的是“物质所有物”。答案为B。
2. According to the passage, why is Carol unhappy in Gopher Prairie?
A.She regrets that her husband is a doctor and not a banker.
B.She dislikes being a housewife and wants to live in Washington D.C.
C.She cannot find a job as a librarian or a theater director.
D.She finds the town residents dull and unreceptive to her ideas.
Passage 4 If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies like the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training. That's especially true of booming fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five job offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience. But in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open I doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years. As further evidence of the erosion of corporate faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices. Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. "They want someone who isn't constrained by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture," says Scheetz. This sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems. David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree. I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things, says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize. "A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the market place," says Scheetz.
1. What kinds of people are in high demand on the job market?
A.Students with a bachelor's degree in humanities.
B.People with an MBA degree from top universities.
C.People with formal schooling plus work experience.
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 The crew of a clipper ship had to work together smoothly to keep the ship sailing. To help, they sang work songs called sea chanteys. The chanteyman sang out the verses. They set the rhythm for the work to be done. The chanteyman made up his own lines, and the men joined in the chorus. The songs were about sailing, fishing, love, war, anything and everything. The men heaved or pulled the ropes on the beat of the chorus. Different rhythms were necessary for different shipboard jobs. There were slow capstan chanteys sung while turning the capstan, a large wheel on deck used to pull up the anchor. There were halyard chanteys sung while pulling up the sails. Pumping chanteys were sung, when the sailors manned the pumps amidships, and short-haul chanteys were sung for any job that required quick, sharp pulls.
1. Sailing a clipper ship called for ______.
A.a great many songs from the sailors
B.smooth action by the crew
C.teamwork on many jobs
D.both B and C
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。“划快船需要什么?”D选项“船员动作麻利和团队工作”,正确。文中第一段说The crew of a clipper ship had to work together smoothly to keep the ship sailing。A选项“船员的许多歌”,文中没提及;B选项“船员动作麻利”,C选项“团队工作”都错误,这两个选项不全面。答案为D。
2. The underlined "chorus" implies that ______.
A.man, no matter who he is, should work with the spirit of teamwork
B.whatever we are doing, we can sing a song together
C.only the crew of a clipper ship need to sing a chorus when they are working
D.chorus is a way of entertainment for sailors to relax themselves
3. The rhythms of the chanteys varied because ______.
A.different jobs required different rhythms
B.some chanteymen sang in different rhythms
C.sailors worked at different speeds
D.some jobs required the work of many sailors
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“船歌的节奏为什么变化?”A选项“不同的工作需要不同的节奏”是正确的。文中第三段说Different rhythms were necessary for different shipboard jobs。其他B选项“船员唱歌节奏不同”;C选项“船员工作节奏不同”;D选项“某些工作需要很多船员”,文中都未提及。答案为A。
4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A.When turning the capstan, men sang slow capstan chanteys.
B.When pulling up the sails, pumping chanteys were sung.
C.When the sailors manned the pumps amidships, they sang halyard chanteys.
D.Sailors never sang any chantey when they were working.
5. Sailors working with sharp, quick pulls would probably have sung a ______.
A.slow capstan chantey
B.halyard chantey
C.short-haul chantey
D.pumping chantey
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。“进行快节奏工作的船员需要唱什么样的歌?”C选项“短拉歌”正确。文中最后一段说short-haul chanteys were sung for any job that required quick, sharp pulls。其他A选项“慢起锚歌”;B选项“升降歌”;D选项“泵歌”。答案为C。
Passage 6 The great power of tornadoes is almost unbelievable. The speed of this whirling funnel shaped wind may be more than 500 miles per hour. It can tear up trees, carry buildings away, and can even lift large trucks off the highway. The tornado is like a giant vacuum sweeper that sucks up anything in its path. Experts believe that the most violent force of a tornado is found inside the funnel, where a vacuum is created because of very low air pressure. When this vacuum moves over a building which is filled with air under normal pressure, the difference between the air pressure inside the building and that outside causes the building to explode. The largest tornado on record had a funnel a mile wide. There are many interesting stories about the strange things that tornadoes have done in the U.S. Common wheat straw has been driven several inches into posts and trees. Buildings have been turned completely around on their foundations and have remained intact. People and animals have been carried hundreds of feet, often suffering no physical harm. Feathers have been removed from chickens. Cars, trucks, and even whole freight trains have been carried away. A tornado does not last long, about 20 to 30 minutes on the average. Usually it destroys an area about 16 miles long and the great damage that it does in one place last only about 30 seconds. Tornadoes normally occur on hot, humid days but not necessarily in the summer. The biggest and most destructive tornado in the U.S. struck on March 18, 1925. Roaring along at a speed of 60 miles per hour, it swept clean a path a mile wide across the states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indian. In its 220 mile long journey across these three states, the tornado killed 689 people. More than 200 tornadoes strike in the United States every year. It is not possible to predict when a tornado will strike although the U.S. Weather Bureau gives storm warnings when conditions are right to cause a tornado. The safest place to be if a tornado seems likely is in some underground area such as a cellar or a basement.
1. Low air pressure inside funnel of a tornado creates a ______.
A.tension
B.vacuum
C.wind
D.speed
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。“台风中的低气压将产生什么?”B选项“真空”正确。文中第一段说a vacuum is created because of very low air pressure。答案为B。
2. A tornado may reach a speed of more than ______.
A.500 miles per hour
B.700 miles per hour
C.100 miles per hour
D.50 miles per hour
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“台风的速度可以达到多少?”A选项“每小时500英里”正确。文中第一段说The great power...500 miles per hour。答案为A。
3. The most favorable kind of weather for a tornado is ______.
A.dry and dusty
B.cold and windy
C.cloudy and rainy
D.hot and humid
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。“最容易发生台风的天气是怎样的?”D选项“又热又潮湿”正确。文中第三段说Tornadoes normally occur on hot, humid days...。A选项“又干又有灰尘”;B选项“又冷又有风”;C选项“多云有雨”。答案为D。
4. The largest recorded tornado funnel was ______.
A.1 mile
B.6 miles
C.10 miles
D.18 mile
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“有记载的最大的台风是多少?”A选项“1英里”正确。文中第一段说The largest tornado on record had a funnel a mile wide。答案为A。
5. Which place(s) is the safest place to stay if a tornado seems to happen?
A.On the playground.
B.In some underground area.
C.Beside the river.
D.Stay at one's own home.
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。由本文最后一句话The safest place to be if a tornado seems likely is in some underground area such as a cellar or a basement可知躲避龙卷风最安全的地点应是一些地下区域。答案为B。
第二部分 非选择题
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. Prometheus was happy to be of service to man. He taught people 1 . He taught them how to plant and grow their own food, and how to use animals to make their work easier. He even taught them 2 . But without fire, life on earth was very difficult. Food had to be eaten raw; 3 . Tools had to be of stone because there was no fire for working metals. Athena, daughter of Zeus, had been watching over Prometheus and had helped him in his work. Now, because Prometheus was kind and wanted man to be comfortable on earth, 4 . She knew that Zeus was away and promised to lead Prometheus to Mount Olympus by a secret path. Before leaving, Prometheus called his brother Epimetheus to him and told him what he was going to do. "My brother," said Prometheus, "I know that when I steal the fire from the heavens, 5 . He will, I am sure, 6 . I am willing to accept punishment 7 . I love mankind, and want to be sure that you will carry on my work." Sadly, Epimetheus gave his promise. Then Prometheus added, "Be very careful when I am gone. Be sure, above all, 8 . He has great powers, and is to be feared." Then Athena led Prometheus to Mount Olympus. 9 , Apollo came back from his day's journey in his chariot of the sun. Prometheus lit a torch from the chariot and put the fire in a hollow stalk that he concealed under his cloak. Then he stole away without being seen by any of the gods, 10 . A.Zeus will be very angry B.he called upon Athena to help him get fire from Mount Olympus C.that you do not do anything to anger Zeus D.how to make their own tools and how to build homes for themselves E.and brought his fire to earth F.houses could not be kept warm G.how to make music and how to paint H.punish me severely I.Just as he arrived J.if you will promise to take my place K.he asked Zeus for a tool L.be fond of me
1.
D
2.
G
3.
F
4.
B
5.
A
6.
H
7.
J
8.
C
9.
I
10.
E
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. (accomplish)An example of the same thing may be that although Americans like to talk about their ______.
5. (adventure)Three years later he has still not returned, and his friends can only speculate about what ______ has overtaken him in the depths of time.
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. ashamed of another all over what steal lose living how after as if even alive against Jim also had a fighting dog which he named 1 the President, Andrew Jackson. That was the ugliest dog on earth, and he looked 2 he were about to die any minute, and when he didn't look that way, he looked as if he wanted to 3 something like a common thief. But when the time came to fight another dog, Jim's pup was 4 dog. At first, Jim's dog appeared ready to 5 to the other dog. The other dog would run him around and tackle him, bite him, and throw him 6 the ring. People would start to increase their bets 7 Andrew Jackson. Then, all of a sudden, Jim's pup would come 8 . He'd grab the other dog by the hind legs and freeze to them. He wouldn't chew, you understand, he would just hold on until the other dog had to give up. Smiley always won money on that dog. Always except once, that is. The dog had to fight another dog, as usual, but this time the other dog had no hind legs. Well, old Andrew Jackson didn't know 9 to make of it and he lost that fight. Afterwards, he just shook his head, slinked off past Smiley as though he were 10 what had happened, and then lay down and died.
1.
after
2.
as if
3.
steal
4.
another
5.
lose
6.
all over
7.
against
8.
alive
9.
what
10.
ashamed of
Ⅵ.SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Read the passage carefully again and answer the questions briefly by referring back to Passage Four. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies like the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training. That's especially true of booming fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five job offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience. But in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open I doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years. As further evidence of the erosion of corporate faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices. Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. "They want someone who isn't constrained by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture," says Scheetz. This sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems. David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree. I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things, says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize. "A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the market place," says Scheetz.
1. According to the passage, what does "liberal-arts" mean?
Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior plus a computer course or two.
2. According to the passage, labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have, what does it include?
Writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems.
Ⅶ.TRANSLATION The following excerpt is taken from the textbook. Read the paragraph carefully and translate into Chinese each of the numbered and underlined parts. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. 1 The fortunate people in the world, the only really fortunate people in the world, in my mind, are those whose work is also their pleasure. The class is not a large one, not nearly so large as it is often represented to be; and authors are perhaps one of the most important elements in its composition. They enjoy in this respect at least a real harmony of life. 2 To my mind, to be able to make your work your pleasure is the one class distinction in the world worth striving for; and I do not wonder that others are inclined to envy those happy human beings who find their livelihood in the gay effusions of their fancy, to whom every hour of labour is an hour of enjoyment to whom repose—however necessary is a tiresome interlude, and even a holiday is almost deprivation. 3 Whether a man writes well or ill, has much to say or little, if he cares about writing at all, he will appreciate the pleasures of composition. To sit at one's table on a sunny morning, with four clear hours of uninterruptible security, plenty of nice white paper, and a Squeezer pen that is true happiness. 4 The complete absorption of the mind upon an agreeable occupation, what more is there than to desire? What does it matter what happens outside? The House of Commons may do what it like, and so may the House of Lords. The heathen may rage furiously in every part of the globe. The bottom may be knocked clean out of the American market. Consols may fall and suffragettes may rise. 5 Never mind, for four hours, at any rate, we will withdraw ourselves from a common, ill governed, and disorderly world, and with the key of fancy unlock that cupboard where all the good things of the infinite are put away.