1. Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times: During the first reading, which will be read at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be read at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more. Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.
When we think of money today,/ we picture it either as round,/ flat pieces of metal coins; or as printed paper notes./ But there are still parts of the world today where coins and notes are of no use./ They would buy nothing,/ and a traveler could starve if he has none of the local "money" to exchange for food./ Among isolated peoples,/ commerce usually means a direct exchange of goods./ Perhaps it is fish for vegetables, meat for grain,/ or various kinds of food in exchange for pots, baskets, or other manufactured goods./ For this kind of simple trading,/ money is not needed./ But there is often something that everyone wants and everybody can use,/ such as salt to flavor food,/ or iron and copper to make into tools and vessels./ These things are still used as money in the remote parts of the world today./
Part Ⅱ LISTENING COMPREHENSION In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet.
SECTION A CONVERSATIONS In this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation.
[解析] 1-3 W: I see you are having the fish for lunch. M: That's right. Fish sticks and tomato soup, my favorites. W: I bet they were frozen. M: What? W: The fish sticks. M: Of course they were frozen. We are hundreds of miles from the ocean. The cafeteria can't afford to fly in fresh fish. W: I just mentioned it because an anecdote Professor Chambers told me in my American social history class this morning. M: He talked about fish sticks? W: Not exactly. But he did talk about frozen fish. OK, this is back in 1912, right? It's 20 degrees below zero. And this guy Clarence Birdseye's out ice-fishing. M: Where is this, Antarctica? W: No. Massachusetts I think. Anyway he catches a fish and drops it beside him on the ice and it freezes solid. M: So? W: So, later at home he thaws out the fish in a bucket of water and it's alive. Of course Birdseye is amazed. But he eventually figures out that the fish froze so fast that no large ice crystals formed. M: What do you mean? W: Look, usually when a plant or animal cell freezes, large ice crystals form inside and eventually tear the cell walls. That's what kills the frozen plant or animal. And also what changes the taste of something that's been frozen. But if you freeze something quickly, only very small ice crystals form. So Birdseye invented the process of quick freezing food. M: And that was the beginning of frozen foods? W: Right.
本题考查原因。对话的开头就提到:“I see you are having the fish for lunch.”两人的对话从这个男士正在吃的鱼排展开,谈到了女士的美国社会史教授讲述的冷冻食品的来源。因此选项B为正确答案。
2. Why is it important to quick freeze fresh food?
A.The cells of plants and animals are damaged by slow freezing.
B.It saves time in the food production process.
C.It reduces the amount of energy required to freeze the food.
D.The food defrosts more quickly.
A B C D
A
本题考查原因。根据原文“Look, usually when a plant or animal cell freezes, large ice crystals form inside and eventually tear the cell walls... And also what changes the taste of something that's been frozen. But if you freeze something quickly, only very small ice crystals form.”因此选项A为正确答案。
3. What was Clarence Birdseye surprised to learn?
A.A fish could survive being frozen.
B.The fish were easier to catch in the winter.
C.Food can be kept frozen indefinitely.
D.Solutions that freeze slowly form large crystals.
A B C D
A
本题考查事实。根据原文“So, later at home he thaws out the fish in a bucket of water and it's alive. Of course Birdseye is amazed.”可知应选A。
Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation.
4. What happened after the man built his first computer?
A.He turned to become an enthusiastic reader.
B.He went on to build a machine for his Junior High School.
C.He became obsessed with computer engineering.
D.He was brushed by a hook.
A B C D
C
[解析] 4-6 W: What started you in computers? M: I built my first computer when I was in Junior High School. I was an enthusiastic reader. I studied everything I could get my hands on. Then I turned to building my own machine. From that point on, I was hooked. W: Where do you see computers as going in the future? M: This will be the era of distributed devices, some of which will be in your walls, some of which you will wear, some of which will be in your cars and throughout your house, and maybe one of which will be on your desk. Devices with processors in them will be everywhere, they will be connected, and they will look less like traditional PCs. W: What kind of computer do you have now? M: My primary machine is a heavily loaded PowerMac, which I use to write all my books and to do video editing. I've also got a Toshiba notebook which I use for all my work at the company and for email. W: There are critics who say that technology is dangerous and is moving too fast. What's your reaction? M: There is criticism voiced in every generation. One can't stop this kind of progress, so the critics you cite above are cursing the dark. That being said, it's important to always consider the implications of the technology we create, for they have social impact.
本题考查事实。根据原文“Then I turned to building my own machine. From that point on, I was hooked.”这里使用了hook“难以摆脱”一词,因此选项C为正确答案。
5. What does the man see the future of computers?
A.We will always have traditional PCs.
B.We will see PowerMacs getting popular with people.
C.Computers will be more friendly.
D.There will be an era of distributed devices.
A B C D
D
本题考查评价。根据原文“This will be the era of distributed devices, ...”可知他认为将来的计算机应该是功能化的设备。因此选项D为正确答案。
6. What does the man say about the criticism of technology?
A.Ignore the criticism.
B.We need to consider what technology may bring us.
C.He feels bad about the criticism.
D.He thinks the criticism is far-fetched.
A B C D
B
本题考查评价。根据原文“There is criticism voiced in every generation.”及随后的“... it's important to always consider the implications of the technology we create, for they have social impact.”可知选项B为正确答案。
Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation.
[解析] 7-10 M: How did you like yesterday's astronomy class? W: It was interesting. But the point she was trying to make seemed a little far-fetched. M: Oh, that new theory that ocean water came from comets? W: Yeah. Do you remember what it was based on? M: Some recent satellite photos, I think. Apparently, space satellites recently detected thousands of small comets colliding with earth's outer atmosphere, almost 40,000 per day. W: Ok, so they collided with the atmosphere. So that's what created the water? M: It's not that the collision created water. Comets contain water. They are made up mostly of cosmic dust and water. When they collide with the atmosphere, they break up. And the water they contain rains down to earth. Ocean water came from that rain. W: Oh. Well, this morning I asked my geology professor about that. He said that most geologists draft accept it. M: Why not? W: Their research indicates that most of the water molecules from the comet would have burned up as they fell through the atmosphere. Enough rain couldn't have reached the earth to fill up the ocean. M: Well, did the geologists have an alternative theory to explain where ocean water came from? W: Yeah, he said the more traditional view is that the ocean water came from volcanoes. M: From volcanoes? W: Right. They say volcanic fumes are mostly steam. And they claimed that it was the volcanic steam that created the oceans, not rain from comets.
8. What did recent photographs from a space satellite indicate?
A.The surface of the ocean is expanding.
B.Volcanic activity is increasing.
C.The surface of Earth contains tons of cosmic dust.
D.Thousands of comets are colliding with Earth's atmosphere.
A B C D
D
本题考查事实。根据原文“Apparently, space satellites recently detected thousands of small comets colliding with earth's outer atmosphere, almost 40, 000 per day.”可知每天大约有40,000个小彗星与地球的外气层相碰撞。因此选项 D为正确答案。
9. According to the new theory, where did ocean water come from?
A.Disintegrating comets.
B.Gases in the atmosphere.
C.Underground water that rose to the surface.
D.Water vapor.
A B C D
A
本题考查事实。根据原文“Comets contain water.”及后面提到的“When they collide with the atmosphere, they break up. And the water they contain rains down to earth. Ocean water came from that rain.”可知当彗星与地球外气层相碰撞时,彗星中包含的水分会落到地球上来。因此选项A为正确答案。
10. What group disagrees with the new theory described in the conversation?
A.Biologists.
B.Geologists.
C.Oceanographers.
D.Astronomers.
A B C D
B
本题考查事实。根据原文“Well, did the geologists have an alternative theory to explain where ocean water came from?”和随后的回答“Yeah, he said the more traditional view is that the ocean water came from volcanoes.”可以得知他的地理学教授说大部分地理学家不赞成这一说法。因此选项B为正确答案。
SECTION B PASSAGES In this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the passage.
1. The speaker tells the students that they are not likely to succeed if they
A.are too selfish.
B.do everything as others do.
C.are not greedy enough.
D.don't get a right degree.
A B C D
B
[解析] 11-13 As you know, there are too many students today who is trying to crack the puzzle of career success, do all the right things, like going to the right school, studying the right things and getting the right grades. To some extent, every student in this room is doing that. I want you to promise yourself that, after tonight, you'll spend a little more time being selfish. Because if there isn't some "me" time in the equation, you won't be successful. The other thing you have to do to succeed in meeting your career goals is to be prepared for a lifetime of learning. You could not think that your education is finished once you get your degree (or degrees), even if your degree is from a good school like the University of Minnesota. This learning can involve formal training: participation in teams or task forces or new assignments. Companies today cannot be competitive in the global marketplace, unless all their people renew their old skills and develop new ones. You need to be willing to leave your comfort zone. As Alvin Toffler said, "The illiterate of the future are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."
推理排除题。讲话者首先提到:“Because if there isn't some 'me' time in the equation, you won't be successful.”可知,每个人都应该有自己独特的地方,如果总是跟在别人的身后,就很难成功,选项D为正确答案。
2. In the speaker's opinion, learning includes
A.participation in new assignments.
B.formal training.
C.renew skills.
D.all of the above.
A B C D
D
语义理解题。讲话者强调:“This learning can involve formal training: participation in teams or task forces or new assignments.”所以正确答案是D。
3. The illiterate of the future refers to those people who can't
A.renew their knowledge.
B.forget the old knowledge.
C.know what they are doing.
D.read or write.
A B C D
A
推理排除题。讲话者最后引用了Alvin Toffler的一句话:“The illiterate of the future are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”可知以后的文盲就是指那些不能更新自己的知识的人,选项A为正确答案。
Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the passage.
4. When was the first actual radio broadcast made?
A.On Christmas Eve of 1906.
B.On Christmas Eve of 1960.
C.On Christmas Eve of 1895.
D.On Christmas Eve of 1859.
A B C D
A
[解析] 14-17 It was an Italian inventor who created the first wireless device for sending out radio signals in 1895. But not until the American inventor Lee De Forest built the first amplifying vacuum tube in 1906 did we get the first radio as we know it. And the first actual radio broadcast was made on Christmas Eve of 1906. That's when someone working from an experimental station in Brand Rock, Massachusetts, arranged the program of two short musical selections, a poem and a brief holiday greeting. The broadcast was heard by wireless operators on ships with a radio through several hundred miles. The following year, De Forest began regular radio broadcasts in New York. These programs were similar to much of what we hear on the radio today in that De Forest played only music. But because there were still no home radio receivers, De Forest's audience consisted of only wireless operators on ships in New York harbor. There is no doubt that radio broadcasting was quite a novelty in those days. But it took a while to catch on commercially. Why? For the simple fact that only a few people, in fact, only those who tinkered with wireless telegraphs as a hobby, owned receivers. It wasn't until the 1920's that someone envisioned mass appeal for radio. This was radio pioneer, David Sarnoff, who predicted that one day there would be a radio receiver in every home.
情景事实题。短文的开篇讲到“And the first actual radio broadcast was made on Christmas Eve of 1906.”即真正能用来广播的装置是De Forest于1906年圣诞夜时做成的。选项A为正确答案。
5. Where dill De Forest begin regular radio broadcasts?
A.In Massachusetts.
B.On ships.
C.In New York.
D.On ships in New York harbor.
A B C D
C
情景事实题。短文中明确讲到“The following year, De Forest began regular radio broadcasts in New York.”可知选项C为正确答案。其他几个选项文中都有所提及,尤其是选项D具有较强干扰性,但是要注意在纽约码头船上是接收广播的地点,而不是De Forest播放广播的地点。
6. According to the talk, who owned receivers in the early days of radio?
A.Military communications officers.
B.People who treated radio technology as a hobby.
C.People who lived in big cities.
D.People with an interest in music.
A B C D
B
语义理解题。文中提到“For the simple fact that only a few people, in fact, only those who tinkered with wireless telegraphs as a hobby, owned receivers.”即原因很简单,只有那些喜爱无线电的人才有接收机。因此选项D为正确答案。
7. According to tile talk, what did David Sarnoff predict about radios?
A.They would get smaller in size.
B.Their signals would travel further.
C.They would become less popular than television.
D.They would be common household items.
A B C D
D
语义理解题。从“This was radio pioneer, David Sarnoff, who predicted that one day there would be a radio receiver in every home.”可知总有一天,每个家庭都将拥有无线电收音机。选项D为正确答案。
Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the passage.
8. According to the speaker, what were the beliefs of the Greek philosophers based upon?
A.How the natural world was described in Greek mythology.
B.What they observed directly.
C.The writings of philosophers from other societies.
D.Measurements made with scientific instruments.
A B C D
B
[解析] 18-20 In ancient times, many people believed the earth was a flat disc. Well over 2000 years ago, the ancient Greek philosophers were able to put forward two good arguments proving that it was not. Direct observations of heavenly bodies was the basis of both these arguments. First, the Greeks knew that during eclipses of the moon, the earth was between the sun and the moon, and they saw that during these eclipses, the earth's shadow on the moon was always round, they realized that this could be true only ff the earth was spherical. If the earth were a flat disc, then its shadow during eclipses would not be a perfect circle, it would be stretched out into a long ellipse. The second argument was based on what the Greeks saw during their travels. They noticed that the Noah Star, or Polaris, appeared lower in the sky when they traveled south, in more northernly regions, the North Star appeared to them to be much higher in the sky. By the way, it was also from this difference in the apparent position of the Noah Star that the Greeks first calculate the approximate distance around the circumference of the earth, a figure recorded in ancient documents says 400, 000 stadia, that's the plural of the word stadium. Today, it's not known exactly what length one stadium represents, but let's say it was about 200 meters. It's a very good estimate for those writing se long before even the first telescope was invented.
SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.
[解析] 21-22 Tropical storm Arlene has weakened somewhat after making landfall this afternoon along the Gulf Coast. But the storm is still hitting the region with strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical storm Arlene followed a path similar to that of devastating hurricane Ivan, but it packed much less punch. Shortly after coming ashore, Arlene sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, down from 70 miles an hour earlier in the day. Escambia County spokeswoman Sonya Smith says despite some beach erosion and heavy rainfall, it appears the Pensacola area experienced little additional damage. We actually anticipated a lot more road flooding; we actually anticipated a lot more problems than what we've had. We actually expected debris even to be a problem, and we just have not had that. In the meantime, Smith says evacuated residents are being allowed to return home tonight.
本题考查对新闻细节(地点)的捕捉。新闻的开篇就讲到:“Tropical storm Arlene has weakened somewhat after making landfall this afternoon along the Gulf Coast.”即今天下午热带风暴在海湾地区登陆后就有所减弱,可知热带风暴是在海湾地区登陆的。选项A和C虽然在文中都有所提及,而且风暴也确实经过了这些地区,但是新闻中并没有具体说明热带风暴就是在这个地方登陆的,因此选项D为正确答案。
2. Who are being allowed to return home tonight?
A.The evacuated residents.
B.Escambia County spokeswoman Sonya Smith.
C.People who fight hurricane.
D.People who fight tropical storm.
A B C D
A
本题考查对新闻细节的捕捉。新闻的最后提到:“In the meantime, Smith says evacuated residents are being allowed to return home tonight.”即同时,新闻发言人说撤离疏散的居民今晚就可以回家了。可知,选项A为正确答案。
Questions 23 and 24 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.
3. How were the live US military officials killed?
A.They were killed with bullets to the head.
B.They were hit by a roadside bomb.
C.They were found decapitated.
D.They were kidnapped and then be killed.
A B C D
B
[解析] 23-24 US military officials in Iraq say five American marines were killed yesterday in Iraq's Ambar Province. The five men were hit by a roadside bomb during combat operations in the desert region west of Baghdad. In the same region the bodies of 21 Iraqi men were also found, most of the men were killed with bullets to the head, but three were found decapitated. The men were in civilian clothing and it's not clear whether they are the Iraqi soldiers who were kidnapped in the region as they were headed to Baghdad on leave. The violence took place in an area where US marines carried out two major operations last month. The area is strategically important because it includes the main road from Damascus Syria to Baghdad.
本题考查对新闻细节的捕捉。新闻中提到“The five men were hit by a roadside bomb during combat operations in the desert region west of Baghdad.”因此选项B为正确答案。
4. Who are tile dead Iraqi men?
A.They are Iraqi civilian.
B.They are Iraqi soldiers.
C.They are Iraqi terrorists.
D.Their identities are net very clear.
A B C D
D
本题考查对新闻细节(人物)的捕捉。从文中“The men were in civilian clothing and it's not clear whether they ale the Iraqi soldiers...”这些伊拉克人都穿着平民的衣服,现在还不清楚他们是不是那些前往巴格达休假时在这一地区被绑架的伊拉克士兵。由此可知,这些人的身份还没有得到证实,因此选项D为正确答案。
Questions 25 and 26 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.
A.A fire broke out when people were busy scooping up the petrol.
B.More than 100 people were engulfed by flames.
C.A lire caused by gas spill pat 57 people to death.
D.As the petrol started to spill, local people ran up with cans to collect it.
A B C D
C
[解析] 25-26 Petrol spilling from a fuel tanker burst into flames in Pakistan's central Punjab Province yesterday, burning at least 57 people to death as they tried to scoop it up. About 60 others were injured in the blaze at a rural bus station near the central Punjab town of Jhang. As the petrol started to spill, local residents ran up with cans to collect the liquid, a witness said. "More than 100 people were busy filling their cans when suddenly the fire broke out and all of them were engulfed by flames," he said. Some reporters returning from the site said 86 people were killed, but Jhang district administration officials put the death toll at 57.
本题考查对新闻大意的理解。从新闻的第一句话:“Petrol spilling from a fuel tanker burst into flames in Pakistan's central Punjab Province yesterday, burning at least 57 people to death as they tried to scoop it up.”可知,选项C为正确答案。
6. According to the officials, the total death is
A.57.
B.60.
C.86.
D.67.
A B C D
A
本题考查对新闻细节(数字)的捕捉。新闻中提到几处数字:“Some reporters returning from the site said 86 people were killed, but Jhang district administration officials put the death toll at 57.”即一些从当地发回的报道说有86人死亡;官方统计数字是57人死亡。由此可知选项A为正确答案。
Questions 27 and 28 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.
7. According to the Sun, where did they get tile pictures of Saddam Hussein in jail in his underwear?
A.From US military.
B.From Saddam Hussein's family member.
C.From Saddam Hussein.
D.From US government.
A B C D
A
[解析] 27-28 A British tabloid has published several pictures of Saddam Hussein in jail in his underwear. The US military denies releasing them and is investigating how they got out. Framed by the headline Tyrant in His Pants, the Sun shows Saddam outside a shower stall in his briefs. Other shots show him seated on a plastic chair, scrubbing his trousers, asleep in bed, or pacing around in tile prison yard. Tile Sun says it has got the pictures from the US military. In Baghdad US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Steven Boylon said the pictures appear to have been taken over a year ago. It's unfortunate that these photos were released or ever taken, and they are not being released from the US military, so the claims by the Sun that they were released by the US military are not correct. Boylon said the military was investigating the pictures: whether or not they violated the Geneva Convention on prisoners and how to stop potential leaks in future.
本题考查对新闻细节的捕捉。新闻中在说到:“The Sun says it has got the pictures from the US military.”由此可知这些照片来自于美国军方。因此选项A为正确答案。
8. According to the news, what's the US military doing now?
A.They are inquisiting Saddam Hussein.
B.They are taking photos on Saddam Hussein.
C.They are releasing some Saddam Hussein's photos.
D.They are investigating how these photos got out.
Question 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.
A.Women may not have the aptitude for science and mathematics that men have.
B.A plan to improve conditions for scientists.
C.A plan to improve the conditions of the university.
D.A plan to improve conditions for female scientists.
A B C D
D
[解析] 29-30 Harvard President Lawrence Summers announced a plan today to improve conditions for female scientists at the university. Summers said Harvard would spend fry million dollars over the next ten years to implement the recommendations of two committees that had been studying the issue since February. Summers has been under fire since he made remarks suggesting that women may not have the aptitude for science and mathematics that men have.
本题考查对新闻细节的捕捉。新闻中的第一句话就点出了本段新闻的大意:“Harvard President Lawrence Summers announced a plan today to improve conditions for female scientists at the university.”由此可知选项D为正确答案。
10. How much the plan might cost?
A.Fifteen million dollars.
B.Five million dollars.
C.Fifty million dollars.
D.Filly-five million dollars.
A B C D
C
本题考查对新闻细节(数字)的捕捉。新闻中只提到一个数字,即Summers said Harvard would spend fifty million dollars over the next ten years to implement the recommendations....所以选项C为正确答案。注意其他选项的发音干扰。