1. Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on happiness by referring to the saying "Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them. " You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain how you can develop your ability to deal with problems and be happy. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
The Way to Happiness
① When it comes to the topic of happiness, everybody has his own interpretation. But an inspiring idea goes that happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them, ② which reveals the nature of happiness. ③ Happiness will be achieved only when we show great courage to confront problems and develop the capacity to solve them. There is no denying that we may encounter many problems in our life, but that doesn't mean we are deprived of happiness. ④ Many people have set great examples for us to follow: ⑤ Nelson Mandela was sentenced to 27 years in jail, but he was optimistic and finally became successful in fighting against racial segregation. ⑥ Steve Jobs was abandoned by his biological parents and dropped out of university but still managed to change the world. ⑦ In our lives, no one is definitely immune to problems, but we may achieve happiness through striving. ⑧ Therefore, it is of great necessity to equip ourselves with the ability to cope with problems. ⑨ To be more specific, we need to be cooperative, persistent and decisive, and have a positive attitude toward problems. Only when we are proficient in dealing with problems, can we fully enjoy happiness and live a merry life.
Section A Directions:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A, B, C and D, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
B.The rock band is going to play here for a month.
C.Their hard work has resulted in a big success.
D.He appreciates the woman's help with the band.
A B C D
C
[听力原文] W: What a wonderful performance! Your rock band has never sounded better. M: Many thanks. I guess all those hours of practice in the past month are finally paying off. Q: What does the man mean?
[解析] 四个选项多次出现了The rock band,the band等,还出现了practice,hard work,big success等,故推测本题考查的内容与摇滚乐队的练习和成功有关。 对话中女士赞叹男士的摇滚乐队表演精彩,男士表示感谢,认为过去一个月花费大量时间进行练习,现在终于有了回报。也就是说,男士的辛苦工作最终带来了乐队的巨大成功,故本题答案为C)。
2.
A.Go on a diving tour in Europe.
B.Add 300 dollars to his budget.
C.Travel overseas on his own.
D.Join a package tour to Mexico.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] M: I can't decide what to do for my summer vacation. I either want to go on a bike tour of Europe or go diving in Mexico. W: Well, we're offering an all-inclusive two-week trip to Mexico for only 300 dollars. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do for his vacation?
[听力原文] W: How long do you think this project might take? M: I'd say about three months, but it could take longer if something unexpected happened. Maybe we'd better allow an extra month, so we won't have to worry about being late. Q: Why does the man say extra time should be allowed for the project?
[解析] 四个选项中出现了problem should occur,Something unexpected has happened等短语,故推测本题考查的内容与发生的意想不到的事情有关。 对话中女士询问男士,这个项目需要花费多长时间。男士认为要三个月,不过如果发生意想不到的事情,可能时间会更长一些,最好再多留一个月的时间,这样就不用担心逾期了。由此可见,男士认为项目应该预留更多时间是为了预防发生意想不到的事情,故本题应该选择A)。
4.
A.The woman asked for a free pass to try out the facilities.
B.The man is going to renew his membership in a fitness center.
C.The woman can give the man a discount if he joins the club now.
D.The man can try out the facilities before he becomes a member.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] M: I'm thinking about becoming a member here, and I'd like some information. W: Sure. A three-month membership costs 150 dollars, and that includes use of the wait room,sauna and pool. I'll give you a free pass so that you can try out the facilities before you decide. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
[解析] 四个选项中出现了membership,club,member等,并多次出现了try out the facilities,故推测本题考查的内容与申请俱乐部的会员资格和试用里面的设施有关。 对话中男士表示他正在考虑成为这里的会员,想来了解一些相关信息。女士告诉男士申请三个月的会员需要的费用及获得的服务,并表示可以让男士在作出决定前试用里面的设施,故本题应该选择D)。
5.
A.He is not ah-aid of challenge.
B.He is not fit to study science.
C.He is worried about the test.
D.He is going to drop the physics course.
A B C D
B
[听力原文] W: I'm sorry to hear that you failed the physics course, Ted. M: Let's face it. I'm just not cut out to be a scientist. Q: What ms the man mean?
[听力原文] M: Gary insisted on buying the food for the picnic. W: That's pretty generous of him. But shouldn't we at least offer to share the expenses? He has a big family to support. Q: What does the woman suggest they do?
[听力原文] W: Did you see the headlines in the paper this morning? M: Yeah. Apparently the bus company will be laying off its employees if they can't reach an agreement on wages by midnight. Q: What did the man read about?
[听力原文] W: Have we received payment for the overseas order we delivered last month? M: Yes. The check came in yesterday afternoon. I'll be depositing it when I go to the bank today. Q: What is the woman concerned about?
[听力原文] W: OK, that's it. Now we have to make a decision. We might as well do that now, don't you think? M: Sure, let's see. First we saw Frank Brisenski. What did you think of him? W: Well, he's certainly a very polite young man. M: And very relaxed, too. W: But his appearance... M: Um... He wasn't well dressed. He wasn't even wearing a tie. W: But he did have a nice voice. He'd sound good on the telephone. M: True. And I thought he seemed very intelligent. He answered Dona's questions very well. W: That's true, but dressing well is important. Well, let's think about the others. Now what about Barbara Jones? She had a nice voice, too. She'd sound good on the telephone, and she was well dressed, too. M: Um... She did look very neat, very nicely dressed, but... W: But so shy. She wouldn't be very good at talking to people at the front desk. M: Um...OK. Now who was the next? Ah...Yes, David Wallace. I thought he was very good; had a lot of potential. What do you think? W: Um...He seemed like a very bright guy. He dressed very nicely, too. And he had a really nice appearance. M: He seemed relaxed to me, the type of person people feel comfortable with right away. W: He was polite, but also very friendly and relaxed as you say. I think he'll be good with the guests at the front desk. M: He had a very pleasant voice, too. W: That's right. OK, good! I guess we have our receptionist then. don't you? M: Yes, I think so. We'll just offer the job to...
[听力原文] W: Hello. M: Hello. Is that the reference library? W: Yes, can I help you? M: I hope so. I rang earlier and asked for some information about Dennis Hutton, the scientist. You asked me to ring back. W: Oh, yes. I have found something. M: Good. I've got a pencil and paper. Perhaps you could read out what it says. W: Certainly. Hutton Dennis, born: Darlington, 1836. died: New York, 1920. M: Yes, got that. W: Inventor and physicist, the son of a farm worker. He was admitted to the University of London at the age of 15. M: Yes. W: He graduated at 17 with the first class degree in physics and mathematics. All right? M: Yes, all right. W: He made his first notable achievement at the age of 18. It was a method of refrigeration which rose from his work in low temperature physics. He became professor of mathematics at the University" of Manchester at 24, where he remained for twelve years. During that time. he married one of his students, Natasha Willoughby. M: Yes, go on. W: Later working together in London, they laid the foundations of modern physics by showing that normal laws of cause and effect do not apply at the level of subatomic particles. For this he and his wife received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1910, and did so again in 1912 for their work on very high frequency radio waves. In his lifetime, Hutton patented 244 inventions. Do you want any more? M: Yes. When did he go to America? W: Let me see. In 1920 he went to teach in New York and died there suddenly after only three weeks. Still he was a good age. M: Yes, I suppose so. Well, thanks.
What do we learn about Dennis Hutton when he was 15?
Section B Directions:In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
[听力原文] In America, white-tailed deer are more numerous than ever before, so abundant in fact that they've become a suburban nuisance and a health hazard. Why can't the herd be thinned the old-fashioned way? The small community of North Haven on Long Island is home to some six hundred to seven hundred deer. The Department of Environmental Conservation estimates the optimum population at 60. The town has been browsed bare of vegetation except where gardens and shrubs are protected by high fences. Drivers routinely collide with deer and there are so many dead bodies left by the side of the road that the town has made it a deal with a local pet cemetery to collect and dispose of the bodies. Some people in the town have become ill from deer transmitted diseases. On the occasions when hunting has been tried, local animal rights people have worked to secure court orders against the hunts. And when that is failed, they stop the hunters, banging on pots and pans to alert the deer. Town meetings called to discuss the problem inevitably dissolved into confrontations. The activists believe simply that the deer are not the problem. ,Some communities have even discussed the possibility of bringing wolves back into the ecological mix. That means wolves in the suburbs of New York. It is almost too wonderful not to try it. The wolves would kill deer, of course. They would also terrorize and kill dogs and cats, which is not what the suburban dwellers have in mind.
What do we learn about white-tailed deer in North Haven?
[解析] 预览三道题的各选项,其中出现了wolves,hunters,deer和domestic animals等,还出现了tourist attraction,damage to crops,spread a fatal disease及pose a threat等短语,因此预测短文可能与动物保护以及动物给人类带来的利弊有关。 短文一开始就提到,与以前相比,美国白尾鹿的数量已大量增加,实际上已经成为郊区居民讨厌的东西,而且对人类健康产生危害。换句话说,白尾鹿的大量繁殖已经成为令居民们感到头疼的事情,故答案为D)。
2.
A.To celebrate their victory.
B.To cheer up the hunters.
C.To scare the wolves.
D.To alert the deer.
A B C D
D
[听力原文] Why do local animal rights people bang on pots and pans?
[听力原文] And now, if you'll walk this way, ladies and gentlemen, the next room we're going to see is the room in which the family used to hold their formal dinner parties and even occasionally entertain heads of state anti royalty. However, they managed to keep this room friendly and intimate. And I think you'll agree. It has a very informal atmosphere, quite unlike some grand houses you visit. The curtains were never dragon1, even at night, so guests got a view of the take and fountains outside which were lit up at night - a very attractive sight. As you can see, ladies and gentlemen, the guests were seated very informally around this oval table, which would add to the relaxed atmosphere. The table dates from the 18th century and is made from Spanish oak. It's rather remarkable for the fact that although it's extremely big, it's supported by just six rather slim legs. However, it seems to have survived like that for 200 years. So it's probably going to last a bit longer. The chairs which go with the table are not a complete set. There were originally six of them. They are interesting for the fact that they are very plain and undecorated for the time, with only one plain central panel at the back and no armrests. I myself find them rather uncomfortable to sit in for very long, but people were used to more discomfort in the past. And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like to follow me into the great hall...
[听力原文] Janet James was 22 years old when she was diagnosed with MS - a disease that attacks the body's nerves. She had just graduated from college and got a job at an advertising agency when she began to sense that something strange was going on inside her body. When James realized how severe her illness was, she knew she had better hurry up and live life.MS is the biggest crippler of young adults. And although she didn't have many symptoms, she knew it was just a matter of time. First on her agenda was to pursue her dream of hosting a pop music program. She worked at a radio station for a year, always aware that her body was degenerating. Then her best friend moved away. And one night James began screaming, "I got to go! I got to go!" Two weeks later, she arrived at Alaska, thousands of miles from her friends, her family and her past. "Everything fell into a place", she recalls. A 23-year-old girl with an incurable disease can fly to Alaska and everything can work out. The MS attacks came and went. And most of the time they hardly slowed her down. James hiked, fished, learnt to sail and experimented with hot air ballooning. "I lived for adventure", she says. "Nobody ever had a better time or did more exotic strange things than I did in an 80-year period." Inevitably, however, the day came when she was so weakened that she had to return to Pittsburgh, her home town. There she began relieving her adventures by writing a book about them. Her book was published in 1993.
Section C Directions:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. It's difficult to estimate the number of youngsters involved in home schooling, where children are not sent to school and receive their formal education from one or both parents. 1 and court decisions have made it legally possible in most states for parents to educate their children at home, and each year more people take advantage of that opportunity. Some states require parents or a home tutor to meet teacher certification standards, and many require parents to complete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving 2 in state-approved curricula. Supporters of home education claim that it's less expensive and far more 3 than mass public education. Moreover, they cite several advantages: alleviation of school overcrowding, strengthened family relationships, lower 4 rates, the fact that students are allowed to learn at their own rate, increased 5 , higher standardized test scores, and reduced 6 problems. Critics of the home schooling movement 7 that it creates as many problems as it solves. They acknowledge that, in a few cases, home schooling offers educational opportunities superior to those found in most public schools, but few parents can provide such educational advantages. Some parents who withdraw their children from the schools 8 home schooling have an inadequate educational background and insufficient formal training to provide a satisfactory education for their children. Typically, parents have fewer technological resources 9 than do schools. However, the relatively inexpensive computer technology that is readily available today is causing some to challenge the notion that home schooling is in any way 10 more highly structured classroom education.
[听力原文] It's difficult to estimate the number of youngsters involved in home schooling, where children are not sent to school and receive their formal education from one or both parents. Legislation and court decisions have made it legally possible in most states for parents to educate their children at home, and each year more people take advantage of that opportunity. Some states require parents or a home tutor to meet teacher certification standards, and many require parents to complete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving instruction in state-approved curricula. Supporters of home education claim that it's less expensive and far more efficient than mass public education. Moreover, they cite several advantages: alleviation of school overcrowding, strengthened family relationships, lower dropout rates, the fact that students are allowed to learn at their own rate, increased motivation, higher standardized test scores, and reduced discipline problems. Critics of the home schooling movement contend that it creates as many problems as it solves. They acknowledge that, in a few cases, home schooling offers educational opportunities superior to those found in most public schools, but few parents can provide such educational advantages. Some parents who withdraw their children from the schools in favor of home schooling have an inadequate educational background and insufficient formal training to provide a satisfactory education for their children. Typically, parents have fewer technological resources at their disposal than do schools. However, the relatively inexpensive computer technology that is readily available today is causing some to challenge the notion that home schooling is in any way inferior to more highly structured classroom education.
[解析] 此空所在句的句子结构为fewer...than...结构,此结构看似不缺少任何成分,但than后面接一个动词短语,因此可以判断空格处应该填入一个表示动作的词或短语。短语at their disposal意为“由他们支配,由他们做主”。
10.
inferior to
[解析] 此空前面有系动词is和介词短语in any way,后面是名词短语more highly structured classroom education,因此应填入一个表示比较的形容词,充当is的表语,再填入一个介词引导后面的名词短语。短语inferior to意为“比……差,等级低”。
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension
Section A Directions:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. Some performance evaluations require supervisors to take action. Employees who receive a very favorable evaluation may deserve some type of recognition or even a promotion. If supervisors do not acknowledge such outstanding performance, employees may either lose their 1 and reduce their effort or search for a new job at a firm that will 2 them for high performance. Supervisors should acknowledge high performance so that the employee will continue to perform well in the future. Employees who receive unfavorable evaluations must also be given attention. Supervisors must 3 the reasons for poor performance. Some reasons, such as a family illness, may have a temporary adverse 4 on performance and can be corrected. Other reasons, such as a bad attitude, may not be temporary. When supervisors give employees an unfavorable evaluation, they must decide whether to take any 5 actions. If the employees were unaware of their own deficiencies, the unfavorable evaluation can pinpoint (指出) the deficiencies that employees must correct. In this case, the supervisor may simply need to monitor the employees 6 and ensure that the deficiencies are corrected. If the employees were already aware of their deficiencies before the evaluation period, however, they may be unable or unwilling to correct them. This situation is more serious, _and the supervisor may need to take action. The action should be 7 with the firm's guidelines and may include reassigning the employees to new jobs, 8 them temporarily, or firing them. A supervisor's action toward a poorly performing worker can 9 the attitudes of other employees. If no 10 is imposed on an employee for poor performance, other employees may react by reducing their productivity as well. A. additional B. affect C. aptly D. assimilate E. circulation F. closely G. consistent H. enthusiasm I. identify J. impact K. penalty L. reward M. simplifying N. suspending O. vulnerable
[解析] 该空格前面有形容词adverse修饰,充当动词have的宾语,而且后面接有介词on引导的短语,因此应该填入名词。根据上下文,本句谈论员工表现不佳的原因,家庭成员生病之类的原因会对员工的表现产生短暂的负面影响。impact符合句意要求,而且能够构成固定短语have an impact on,由此确定空格处应该填入impact“影响”。备选项里还有两个名词circulation和penalty,这两个词都不能被adverse修饰,也不和介词on搭配,因此均可以排除。
Section B Directions:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
The College Essay: Why Those 500 Words Drive Us Crazy
[A] Meg is a lawyer-morn in suburban Washington, D. C., where lawyer-morns are thick on the ground. Her son Doug is one of several hundred thousand high-school seniors who had a painful fall. The deadline for applying to his favorite college was Nov. 1, and by early October he had yet to fill out the application. More to the point, he had yet to settle on a subject for the personal essay accompanying the application. According to college folklore, a well-turned essay has the power to seduce (诱惑) an admissions committee. "He wanted to do one thing at a time." Meg says, explaining her son's delay. "But really, my son is a huge procrastinator (拖延者). The essay is the hardest thing to do, so he's put it off the longest. " Friends and other veterans of the process have warned Meg that the back and forth between editing parent and writing student can be traumatic (痛苦的). [B] Back in the good old days - say, two years ago, when the last of my children suffered the ordeal (折磨) - a high-school student applying to college could procrastinate all the way to New Year's Day of their senior year, assuming they could withstand the parental pestering (烦扰). But things change fast in the nail-biting world of college admissions. The recent trend toward early decision and early action among selective colleges and universities has pushed the traditional deadline of January up to Nov. 1 or early December for many students. [C] If the time for heel-dragging has been shortened, the true source of the anxiety and panic remains what it has always been. And it's not the application itself. A college application is a relatively straightforward questionnaire asking for the basics: name, address, family history, employment history. It would all be innocent enough - 20 minutes of busy work - except it comes attached to a personal essay. [D] "There are good reasons it causes such anxiety," says Lisa Sohmer, director of college counseling at the Garden School in Jackson Heights, N. Y. "It's not just the actual writing. By now everything else is already set. Your course load is set, your grades are set, your test scores are set. But the essay is something you can still control, and it's open-ended. So the temptation is to write and rewrite and rewrite. " Or stall and stall and stall. [E] The application essay, along with its mythical importance, is a recent invention. In the 1930s, when only one in 10 Americans had a degree from a four-year college, an admissions committee was content to ask for a sample of applicants' school papers to assess their writing ability. By the 1950s, most schools required a brief personal statement of why the student had chosen to apply to one school over another. [F] Today nearly 70 percent of graduating seniors go off to college, including two-year and four-year institutions. Even apart from the increased competition, the kids enter a process that has been utterly transformed from the one baby boomers knew. Nearly all application materials are submitted online, and the Common Application provides a one-size-fits form accepted by more than 400 schools, including the nation's most selective. [G] Those schools usually require essays of their own, but the longest essay, 500 words maximum, is generally attached to the Common Application. Students choose one of six questions. Applicants are asked to describe an ethical dilemma they've faced and its impact on them, or discuss a public issue of special concern to them, or tell of a fictional character or creative work that has profoundly influenced them. Another question invites them to write about the importance (to them, again) of diversity - a word that has assumed magic power in American higher education. The most popular option: write on a topic of your choice. [H] "Boys in particular look at the other questions and say, ' Oh, that's too much work, ' " says John Boshoven, a counselor in the Ann Arbor, Mich. , public schools. "They think if they do a topic of their choice, 'I'll just go get that history paper I did last year on the Roman Empire and turn it into a first-person application essay! ' And they end up producing something utterly ridiculous. " [I] Talking to admissions professionals like Boshoven, you realize that the list of "don'ts" in essay writing is much longer than the "dos. " "No book reports, no history papers, no character studies," says Sohmer. [J] "It drives you crazy, how easily kids slip into clichés (考生常谈 ), " says Boshoven. "They don't realize how typical their experiences are. ' I scored the winning goal in soccer against our archrival. ' 'My grandfather served in World War Ⅱ, and I hope to be just like him someday. ' That may mean a lot to that particular kid. But in the world of the application essay, it's nothing. You'll lose the reader in the first paragraph. " [K] "The greatest strength you bring to this essay," says the College Board's how-to book, "is 17 years or so of familiarity with the topic: YOU. The form and style are very familiar, and best of all, you are the world-class expert on the subject of YOU... It has been the subject of your close scrutiny every morning since you were tall enough to see into the bathroom mirror. " The key word in the Common Application prompts is "you. " [L] The college admission essay contains the grandest American themes - status anxiety, parental piety (孝顺), intellectual standards - and so it is only a matter of time before it becomes infected by the country's culture of excessive concern with self-esteem. Even if the question is ostensibly (表面上) about something outside the self (describe a fictional character or solve a problem of geopolitics), the essay invariably returns to the favorite topic: what is its impact on YOU? [M] "For all the anxiety the essay causes," says Bill McClintick of Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, "it's a very small piece of the puzzle. I was in college admissions for 10 years. I saw kids and parents beat themselves up over this. And at the vast majority of places, it is simply not a big variable in the college's decision-making process. " [N] Many admissions officers say they spend less than a couple of minutes on each application, including the essay. According to a recent survey of admissions officers, only one in four private colleges say the essay is of "considerable importance" in judging an application. Among public colleges and universities, the number drops to roughly one in 10. By contrast, 86 percent place "considerable importance" on an applicant's grades, 70 percent on "strength of curriculum. " [O] Still, at the most selective schools, where thousands of candidates may submit identically high grades and test scores, a marginal item like the essay may serve as a tie-breaker between two equally qualified candidates. The thought is certainly enough to keep the pot boiling under parents like Meg, the lawyer-mom, as she tries to help her son choose an essay topic. For a moment the other day, she thought she might have hit on a good one. "His father's from France," she says. "I said maybe you could write about that, as something that makes you different. You know: half French, half American. I said, 'You could write about your identity issues. ' He said, ' I don't have any identity issues! ' And he's right. He's a well-adjusted, normal kid. But that doesn't make for a good essay, does it?"
1. Today many universities require their applicants to write an essay of up to five hundred words.
G
[解析] [G]段第一句提到,那些学校通常要求申请人提供原创论文,但是最长的论文(不超过500字)一般和通用申请表一起提交。本题题干将原文简化为“很多高校要求申请人撰写一篇多达500字的论文”,是对原文的同义转述,故答案为[G]。 由题干关键词up to five hundred words定位到原文划线处。
2. One recent change in college admissions is that selective colleges and universities have moved the traditional deadline to earlier dates.
B
[解析] [B]段倒数第二句提到,大学录取方面的事情瞬息万变。接着在最后一句中具体指出最近发生的变化:入学申请的截止日期由传统的1月份提前到11月1日或者12月初。题干中的“申请截止日期提前了一些”是对原文中的具体日期进行概括性说明。其中的moved...to...是对原文中的pushed...up to...的同义转述,故确定本题的答案为[B]。 由题干关键词selective colleges and universities,traditional deadline定位到原文划线处。
3. Applicants and their parents are said to believe that the personal essay can sway the admissions committee.
A
[解析] [A]段以梅格母子为例介绍了学生和家长们对个人论文的看法:措辞优美的论文足以对录取委员会产生诱惑,即影响其作出的录取决定。题干中的sway意为“影响,使动摇”,与原文中的seduce意思相近,题干中的can是对原文中的has the power的同义转述,故答案为[A]。 由题干关键词sway,admissions committee定位到原文划线处。
4. Applicants are usually better off if they can write an essay that distinguishes them from the rest.
O
[解析] [O]段第一句提到,在一些最具竞争力的高校里,候选人所提交的成绩和测验分数同样都很高。对于两位具有相同资格的候选人来说,论文之类的边缘项目可能会起到决定成败的作用。题干是对原文的概括,题干中的are better off是对原文中的serve as a tie-breaker的同义转述,故答案为[O]。 由题干关键词better off,distinguishes定位到原文划线处。
5. Not only is the competition getting more intense, the application process today is also totally different from what baby boomers knew.
F
[解析] [F]段第二句提到,即使不考虑竞争加剧的因素,现在的孩子们需要经历的过程与婴儿潮时期出生的那代人所经历的过程完全不同。这说明现在的入学申请竞争不断加剧,而且申请程序也与以前完全不同。题干正是对这一内容的同义转述。题干中的the competition getting more intense是对原文中的the increased competition的同义转述,题干中的totally different from和原文中的has been utterly transformed from意思相同,故确定本题答案为[F]。 由题干关键词competition,intense,application process,what baby boomers knew定位到原文划线处。
6. In writing about their own experiences many applicants slip into clichés, thus failing to engage the reader.
J
[解析] [J]段第一句提到博斯文对孩子们写作的评价,孩子们写作的内容往往是一些老生常谈的问题,会让你感到抓狂。最后一句提到,对于这样的论文,人们读完第一段就不愿意继续读下去了。题干将原文中具有因果关系的两件事情明确地表述出来了。题干中的slip into clichés和原文表述完全一致,题干中的failing to engage the reader是对原文中的lose the reader in the first paragraph的同义转述,故确定答案为[J]。 由题干关键词slip into clichés,failing to engage the reader定位到原文划线处。
7. According to a recent survey, most public colleges and universities consider an applicant's grades highly important.
N
[解析] [N]段介绍了最近开展的一个关于招生负责人的调查结果。本段最后一句提到。86%的学校认为申请人的成绩“非常重要”。题干中的According to a recent survey与原文表述完全一致,题干中的most一词是对86 percent的总结,题干中的consider...important与原文中的place "considerable importance" on意思相同,因此确定答案为[N]。 由题干关键词According to a recent survey,an applicant's grades,highly important定位到原文划线处。
8. Although the application essay causes lots of anxiety, it does not play so important a role in the college's decision-making process.
M
[解析] [M]段第一句中提到了入学申请论文会导致很多焦虑,最后一句中提到,在绝大部分地方,论文在大学决定录取的过程中并不是一个多么重要的因素。题干则是借助连词although把原文中开头和结尾两个具有让步关系的句子连接起来。题干中的causes lots of anxiety和原文中的all the anxiety the essay causes意思相同,题干中的does not play so important a role和原文中的simply not a big variable是同义转述,题干中的in the college's decision-making process和原文中的表述完全一致,因此确定答案为[M]。 由题干关键词causes lots of anxiety,in the college's decision-making process定位到原文划线处。
9. The question you are supposed to write about may seem outside the self, but the theme of the essay should center around its impact on you.
L
[解析] [L]段最后以句提到,即使从表面上看问题是关于自我之外的东西,论文仍然会回归到那个最受人喜爱的话题:它对“你自己”有什么影响?题干中的表述是对原文的同义转述。题干中的outside the self与原文中的表述完全一致,题干中的should center around是对原文中的invariably returns to the favorite topic的同义转述,题干中的its impact on you是对原文中的what is its impact on YOU?的简化,由此确定答案为[L]。 由题干关键词outside the self,its impact on you定位到原文划线处。
10. In the old days, applicants only had to submit a sample of their school papers to show their writing ability.
E
[解析] [E]段中提到20世纪30年代如何评估申请人的写作能力:录取委员会要求申请人提供在校期间的试卷样本,这样就可以评估他们的写作能力。题干只是把原句进行了改写,并没有改变意思。题干中的In the old days是对原文中的In the 1930s的模糊化处理,题干中的applicants only had to submit和原文中的an admissions committee was content to ask for是同义转述,题干中的a sample of their school papers和writing ability与原文中的表述完全一致,因此确定[E]为本题的答案。 由题干关键词a sample of their school papers,writing ability定位到原文划线处。
Section C Directions:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One Among the government's most interesting reports is one that estimates what parents spend on their children. Not surprisingly, the costs are steep. For a middle-class, husband-and-wife family (average pretax income in 2009: $ 76,250 ), spending per child is about $12,000 a year. With inflation the family's spending on a child will total $286,050 by age 17. The dry statistics ought to inform the ongoing deficit debate, because a budget is not just a catalog of programs and taxes. It reflects a society's priorities and values. Our society does not - despite rhetoric (说辞) to the contrary - put much value on raising children. Present budget policies tax parents heavily to support the elderly. Meanwhile, tax breaks for children are modest. If deficit reduction aggravates these biases, more Americans may choose not to have children or to have fewer children. Down that path lies economic decline. Societies that cannot replace their populations discourage investment and innovation. They have stagnant (萧条的) or shrinking markets for goods and services. With older populations, they resist change. To stabilize its population - discounting immigration - women must have an average of two children. That's a fertility rate of 2.0. Many countries with struggling economies are well below that. Though having a child is a deeply personal decision, it's shaped by culture, religion, economics, and government policy. "No one has a good answer" as to why fertility varies among countries, says sociologist Andrew Cherlin of The Johns Hopkins University. Eroding religious belief in Europe may partly explain lowered birthrates. In Japan young women may be rebelling against their mothers' isolated lives of child rearing. General optimism and pessimism count. Hopefulness fueled America's baby boom. After the Soviet Union's collapse, says Cherlin, " anxiety for the future" depressed birthrates in Russia and Eastern Europe. In poor societies, people have children to improve their economic well-being by increasing the number of family workers and providing support for parents in their old age. In wealthy societies, the logic often reverses. Government now supports the elderly, diminishing the need for children. By some studies, the safety nets for retirees have reduced fertility rates by 0.5 children in the United States and almost 1.0 in Western Europe, reports economist Robert Stein in the journal National Affairs. Similarly, some couples don't have children because they don't want to sacrifice their own lifestyles to the time and expense of a family. Young Americans already face a bleak labor market that cannot instill (注入) confidence about having children. Piling on higher taxes won't help, "If higher taxes make it more expensive to raise children," says Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, "people will think twice about having another child. " That seems like common sense, despite the multiple influences on becoming parents.
1. What do we learn from the government report?
A.Inflation increases families' expenses.
B.Raising children is getting expensive.
C.Budget reduction is around the corner.
D.Average family expenditure is increasing.
A B C D
B
[解析] 推理判断题。文章开头首句提到,在政府的众多报告中,最有趣的是一份估算父母在子女身上所花费的费用的报告;第二句接着指出具体内容,费用急剧增加,这一点不足为奇。由此可见,政府报告的内容主要是抚养子女的费用急剧增加。本题的解题关键在于理解steep这个词。steep最常用的意思为“陡峭的”,此处引申为“急剧的”。由此确定本题的答案为B)。 由题干中的government report定位到文章首段第一、二句:Among the government's most interesting reports is one that estimates what parents stand on their children. Not surprisingly, the costs are steep. 文章第一段明确指出,要谈论的话题是关于父母抚养子女费用不断增加的政府报告,而不是关于A)“通货膨胀增加了家庭的费用”、C)“减少预算即将进行”和D)“普通家庭的支出持续增加”,因此均可以排除。
2. What is said to be the consequence of a shrinking population?
A.Weakened national strength.
B.Increased immigration.
C.Economic downturn.
D.Social instability.
A B C D
C
[解析] 事实细节题。文章第二段倒数第二句提到,可能会有更多的美国人选择不要孩子或者少要孩子,即题干中的shrinking population;最后一句指出其后果是经济衰退(economic decline),句中的Down that path lies字面意思为“沿着那条道路会有……”,引申为“结果”,即题干中的consequence。C)Economic downturn和原文中的economic decline意思相同,所以确定C)为本题的答案。 由题干中的the consequence of a shrinking population定位到文章第二段最后两句:If deficit reduction aggravates these biases, more Americans may choose not to have children or to have fewer children. Down that path lies economic decline. A)“国家力量衰弱”和D)“社会不稳定”,原文中未提及,可以排除;B)“外来移民增加”在第三段第四句中提到,但不是在谈人口减少带来的后果,而是如何稳定人口数量,因此可以排除。
4. Why do people in wealthy countries prefer to have fewer children?
A.They want to further improve their economic well-being.
B.They cannot afford the time and expenses of rearing children.
C.They are concerned about the future of the coming generation.
D.They don't rely on their children to support them in old age.
A B C D
D
[解析] 推理判断题。文章第五段第二句提到,在富裕社会里,这一逻辑与贫穷社会恰恰相反;第三句中进一步说明,由于政府现在大力支持老年人,客观上减少了对孩子的需要,所以人们倾向于少生孩子。第四句中通过一些研究结果进一步说明人们倾向于少生孩子的原因在于为退休人员织就的安全网。综合以上内容可知,富裕社会的人不愿意生孩子,原因在于政府为老年人提供的福利条件较好,不需要子女为他们养老。所以确定D)为本题的答案。 由题干中的wealthy countries定位到文章第五段第二至四句:In wealthy societies, the logic often reverses. Government now supports the elderly, diminishing the need for children. By some studies, the safety nets for retirees have reduced fertility rates by 0.5 children in the United States and almost 1.0 in Western Europe, reports economist Robert Stein in the journal National Affairs. 第五段第一句提到,贫穷社会里的人们愿意多生孩子,因为这样可以增加家庭里的劳动力数量,从而有助于改善家庭的经济状况,但是本题谈论的是在富裕社会里,因此可以排除A)“他们想要进一步提高经济状况”;第五段最后一句提到,许多夫妇不愿意生育子女,因为他们不愿意牺牲自己的生活方式,投入大量的时间和金钱去照顾一个家庭,但这不能说明他们没有时间和资金养育子女,因此可以排除B)“他们没有时间和资金养育子女”;C)“他们关注下一代的未来”,原文中未提及,可以排除。
5. What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?
A.To instill confidence in the young about raising children.
B.To advise couples to think twice before having children.
C.To encourage the young to take care of the elderly.
D.To appeal for tax reduction for raising children.
A B C D
D
[解析] 主旨大意题。作者在第二段指出,我们的社会并不太重视子女的抚养,为了赡养老人,当前的预算政策导致父母们的纳税负担过重,与此同时,针对孩子的税收减免却少得多。如果赤字削减进一步加剧这种偏差,将导致生育率降低,最终导致经济衰退。最后一段借用尼古拉斯·艾伯斯塔德的话总结全文,也道出了作者写这篇文章的目的。该段第二句中指出,更高的税收将导致抚养子女的费用更高,对于再生育一个子女的问题,人们可能会三思而后行。由此可知,作者呼吁降低抚养的税费,提高生育率,故答案为D)。 由题干中的purpose in writing the passage可知,本题考查文章主旨。对于主旨题,要特别注意首尾段以及每段的首句。 作者在最后一段首句提到了美国年轻人的现状:面对一个萧条的劳动力市场,导致他们没有信心去生儿育女,但原文并未提及作者的目的是给年轻人抚养子女注入信心,故排除A)“增强年轻人抚养子女的信心”;最后一段中引用尼古拉斯·艾伯斯塔德的话指出,如果更高的税收导致抚养子女的费用更高,对于再生育一个子女的问题,人们可能会三思而后行,可见税收太高,不利于提升生育率,而文中指出,生育率降低,最终会导致经济衰退,可见作者是提倡人们多生育子女的,B)“建议人们在生育孩子问题上三思而后行”与原文意思相反,故排除;C)“鼓励年轻人去照顾老人”不是本文的主题,当然也不是作者写作本文的目的,故排除。
Passage Two Space exploration has always been the province of dreamers: The human imagination readily soars where human ingenuity (创造力) struggles to follow. A Voyage to the Moon, often cited as the first science fiction story, was written by Cyrano de Bergerac in 1649. Cyrano was dead and buried for a good three centuries before the first manned rockets started to fly. In 1961, when President Kennedy declared that America would send a man to the moon by the decade's end, those words, too, had a dreamlike quality. They resonated (共鸣) with optimism and ambition in much the same way as the most famous dream speech of all, delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. two years later. By the end of the decade, both visions had yielded concrete results and transformed American society. And yet in many ways the two dreams ended up at odds with each other. The fight for racial and economic equality is intensely pragmatic (讲求实用的) and immediate in its impact. The urge to explore space is just the opposite. It is figuratively and literally otherworldly in its aims. When the dust settled, the space dreamers lost out. There was no grand follow-up to the Apollo missions. The technologically compromised space shuttle program has just come to an end, with no successor. The perpetual argument is that funds are tight, that we have more pressing problems here on Earth. Amid the current concerns about the federal deficit, reaching toward the stars seems a dispensable luxury - as if saving one-thousandth of a single year's budget would solve our problems. But human ingenuity struggles on. NASA is developing a series of robotic probes that will get the most bang from a buck. They will serve as modern Magellans, mapping out the solar system for whatever explorers follow, whether man or machine. On the flip side, companies like Virgin Galactic are plotting a bottom-up assault on the space dream by making it a reality to the public. Private spaceflight could lie within reach of rich civilians in a few years. Another decade or two and it could go mainstream. The space dreamers end up benefiting all of us - not just because of the way they expand human knowledge, or because of the spin-off technologies they produce, but because the two types of dreams feed off each other. Both Martin Luther King and John Kennedy appealed to the idea that humans can transcend what were once considered inherent limitations. Today we face seeming challenges in energy, the environment, health care. Tomorrow we will transcend these as well, and the dreamers will deserve a lot of the credit. The more evidence we collect that our species is capable of greatness, the more we will actually achieve it.
1. The author mentions Cyrano de Bergerac in order to show that ______.
A.imagination is the mother of invention
B.ingenuity is essential for science fiction writers
C.it takes patience for humans to realize their dreams
D.dreamers have always been interested in science fiction
A B C D
A
[解析] 推理判断题。文章开篇指出,人类的想象力很容易就扶摇直上太空,而人类的创造力也苦苦地紧追不舍,接着以Cyrano de Bergerac科幻小说中的想象多年以后最终成为现实为例进行证明,从而说明,先有想象力的存在,然后真正的创造才有可能成为现实,即A)中论述的“想象是创造之母”。由此确定A)为本题的答案。 由题干中的Cyrano de Bergerac定位到文章第一段:Space exploration has always been the province of dreamers: The human imagination readily soars where human ingenuity(创造力) struggles to follow. A Voyage to the Moon, often cited as the first science fiction story, was written by Cyrano de Bergerac in 1649. Cyrano was dead and buried for a good three centuries before the first manned rockets started to fly. 作者在第一段中举出Cyrano de Bergerac的例子,是为了证明第一句中提到的观点,即丰富的想象力是进行创造的基础,而不是为了证明B)“创造力对于科幻小说作家来说是非常重要的”、C)“人类实现梦想不能操之过急”和D)“梦想家们一直都对科幻小说非常感兴趣”,因此可以排除这三个选项。
2. How did the general public view Kennedy's space exploration plan?
A.It symbolized the American spirit.
B.It was as urgent as racial equality.
C.It sounded very much like a dream.
D.It made an ancient dream come true.
A B C D
C
[解析] 事实细节题。文章第二段第一句提到,1961年肯尼迪总统宣布美国将在六十年代末以前把人类送到月球上,民众对这一计划的反应是:那些话语同样也像是梦想一般。由此确定C)为本题的答案。 由题干中的Kennedy,space exploration plan定位到文章第二段第一句:In 1961, when President Kennedy declared that America would send a man to the moon by the decade's end, those words, too, had a dreamlike quality. 文章中没有提到美国精神,因此可以排除A)“它象征着美国精神”;第二段最后三句提到,为种族和经济平等的斗争讲求实用,能够产生立竿见影的效果,而探索太空的欲望却恰恰相反,其目标更具有象征意义,由此可见,民众认为太空探索计划只是具有象征意义,并不像寻求种族平等那样紧急,因此排除B)“它和种族平等一样紧急”;D)“它使一个古代梦想成为现实”,这在后来成为事实,但并不是民众当时的反应,所以也可以排除。
3. What does the author say about America's aim to explore space?
A.It may not bring about immediate economic gains.
B.It cannot be realized without technological innovation.
C.It will not help the realization of racial and economic equality.
D.It cannot be achieved without a good knowledge of the other worlds.
A B C D
A
[解析] 观点态度题。文章第二段倒数第三句提到,为种族和经济平等的斗争非常讲求实用,能够产生立竿见影的效果,倒数第二句中接着指出,探索太空的欲望却恰恰相反,说明作者认为探索太空并不实用,不可能产生立竿见影的效果,最后一句补充说明其看法,(太空探索的)目标更具有象征意义,给人一种超凡脱俗的感觉。由此可见,作者认为,美国的太空探索可能不会在短期内产生多少经济效益。所以确定A)为本题的答案。 由题干中的America's aim to explore space定位到文章第二段最后三句:The fight for racial and economic equality is intensely pragmatic (讲求实用的) and immediate in its impact. The urge to explore space is just the opposite. It is figuratively and literally other worldly in its aims. 本文谈论的主题是是否应该开展太空探索,而不是如何开展太空探索活动,B)“没有技术革新,它将无法实现”和D)“不充分了解其他世界,它是无法实现的”是在探讨如何才能实现太空探索计划,所以可以排除;第五段第一句提到,太空梦想家们的努力终将造福我们所有人,因为两种类型的梦想可以相互扶持,由此可见,开展太空探索对于实现种族和经济平等也会起到促进作用,所以可以排除C)“它不会对实现种族和经济平等起到帮助作用”。
4. What is the author's attitude toward space programs?
A.Critical.
B.Reserved.
C.Unbiased.
D.Supportive.
A B C D
D
[解析] 观点态度题。解答本题需要从整体上把握全文结构。作者采取了欲扬先抑的写作手法,前三段指出目前的资金紧张导致太空探索陷入后继无人的尴尬境地,第四段开头使用but一词,笔锋一转,指出人类的创造依然在艰难中前行,第五段第一句接着指出,太空梦想家们的努力终将造福我们所有人,第三、四句进一步突出主题,将来我们会超越现在面临的各种挑战,梦想家们也必然会获得相应的赞誉。从整体上来看,作者是支持梦想家们的,支持美国的太空探索项目。由此确定本题答案为D)。 由题干中的attitude toward space programs定位到文章第四段第一句:But, human ingenuity struggles on;第五段第一句:The space dreamers end up benefiting all of us...;第五段第三、四句:Today we face seeming challenges in energy, the environment, health care. Tomorrow we will transcend these as well, and the dreamers will deserve a lot 0f the credit. 由前面的分析可以看出,作者支持美国的太空探索项目,同时可以排除A)“批评的”、B)“含蓄的,缄默的”和C)“公正的”。
5. What does the author think of the problems facing human beings?
A.They pose a serious challenge to future human existence.
B.They can be solved sooner or later with human ingenuity.
C.Their solutions need joint efforts of the public and private sectors.
D.They can only be solved by people with optimism and ambition.
A B C D
B
[解析] 推理判断题。文章第五段第三句提到,我们现在正面临着能源、环境、医疗保健方面的各种所谓的挑战,第四句中作者表明了自己的态度,将来我们同样也会超越这些挑战,梦想家们也必然获得相应的赞誉,第五句中进一步强调我们要认识到人类的伟大,并且人类将会变得越来越伟大。由此可见,对于人们现在面临的各种问题,作者认为是可以超越的,换句话说,这些问题迟早是能够得到解决的。由此确定B)为本题的答案。 由题干中的the problems facing human beings定位到文章第五段最后三句:Today we face seeming challenges in energy, the environment, health care. Tomorrow we will transcend these as well, and the dreamers will deserve a lot of the credit. The more evidence we collect that our species is capable of greatness, the more we will actually achieve it. 第五段第四句中作者明确指出,将来我们同样也会超越这些挑战,既然挑战能够被超越,就不会危及到人类将来的生存,因此可以排除A)“它们给人类将来的生存带来严峻的挑战”;C)“解决这些问题需要公众和个人的共同努力”,文中没有提及相关信息,可以排除;第二段提到,(肯尼迪总统的)话语就像马丁·路德·金发表的最为著名的梦想演说一样,给人们带来了乐观精神和雄心壮志,但是文中最后没有提到乐观精神和雄心壮志能够解决人类现在所面临的挑战,因此可以排除D)“只有具有乐观精神和雄心壮志的人才能解决这些问题”。
Part Ⅳ Translation Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
1. 中国园林(the Chinese garden)是经过三千多年演变而成的独具一格的园林景观(landscape)。它既包括为皇室成员享乐而建造的大型花园,也包括学者、商人和卸任的政府官员为摆脱嘈杂的外部世界而建造的私家花园。这些花园构成了一种意在表达人与自然之间应有的和谐关系的微缩景观。典型的中国园林四周有围墙,园内有池塘、假山(rockwork)、树木、花草以及各种各样由蜿蜒的小路和走廊连接的建筑。漫步在花园中,人们可以看到一系列精心设计的景观犹如山水画卷(scroll)一般展现在面前。
The Chinese garden has become a landscape of unique style after an evolvement for more than 3,000 years. It includes not only the large gardens built as entertainment venues for royal family, but also the private gardens built as secluded retreats for scholars, merchants and retired government officials. These gardens have constituted a miniature designed to express the harmonious relationship between man and nature. A typical Chinese garden is surrounded by walls, and in the garden there are ponds, rockwork, trees, flowers and all kinds of buildings linked by winding trails and corridors. Wandering in the gardens, people may feel that a series of well-designed scenery spreads out before us like a landscape scroll.
[解析] 1.第一句中,“三千多年演变”可以译成an evolvement for more than 3,000 years,不能译成mote than 3,000 years of evolvement;“独具一格的”可以用单个形容词unique来表达,也可以用短语of a unique style来表达。 2.第二句中,“既……也……”可以套用固定结构not only...but also...来表达;“为皇室成员享乐而建造的”转译成更为地道的表达方式built as entertainment venues for...;同样,“为摆脱嘈杂的外部世界而建造的”也进行了类似的处理。 3.第置句中,长定语“一种意在表达人与自然之间应有的和谐关系的”,可以译成后置定语,使用定语从句表达,为了使行文简洁,可以简化成过去分词结构,即designed to express...。 4.第四句中,“四周有围墙”用被动句式译出,更符合英语的表达习惯,故译作is surrounded by walls;“园内有……”应该使用there be句型译出,考虑到表语部分较长,可以将状语部分in the garden提前至句首;长定语“由蜿蜒的小路和走廊连接的”可以用定语从句译出,为了使行文简洁,可以简化成过去分词结构,即linked by winding trails and corridors。 5.第在句中,“漫步在花园中”译成前置状语,但是需要使用现在分词结构;人们看到的内容可以用that引导的宾语从句来表达;“展现”一词可以用短语spread out表达,富有韵味。