博士入学英语试题.doc

7Part III Reading comprehension (35%)Directions: In this part, there are 7 reading passages. Each passage is followed by 5 questions. 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 the answer sheet.Passage 1 Andrew Carnegie, American industrialist and philanthropist, made a fortune by manufacturing iron and steel protected by custom tariff. In 1873,on one of his frequent trips to England, he met Henry Bessemer and became convinced that the industrial future lay in steel. He built the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Mills near Pittsburgh, and from that moment on, the Carnegie Empire was one of constant expansion. Later on, the Carnegie Steel Co. became an immense organization. It included all the processes of steel production from the great furnaces and finishing mills of Pittsburgh to the ores and the finished products. Like his grandfather, Andrew Carnegie did not abandon the radical idealism of his forebears for the benefit of the working class and the poor people. In spite of his espousal of Herbert Spencers philosophy and the social Darwinism of the period Carnegie remained deeply committed to many of the charitist ideals of his boyhood. He believed in the social responsibility of the man of wealth to society. He must serve as a steward for the fortune he has earned and use that fortune to provide greater opportunity for all and to increase mans knowledge of himself and of his universe. Furthermore, Carnegie considers that the dispensation of wealth for the benefit of society must never be in the form of free charity but rather must be as a buttress to the communitys responsibility for its own people. When Carnegie died in Lenox Mass, on August 11,1919, most of his fortune was already gone. People wonder that if Carnegie had known this when he was alive, he would have spread most of his wealth to the poor people.1. Carnegie was able to develop his vast industrial fortune _.A) with the act of five enterprise systemB) through large loans from the American government C) because the American government had special tariffs to protect the American steel and iron industryD) because he had relatives in the English steel industry2. Carnegie followed his ancestors footsteps _.A) by developing a large industrial companyB) in caring for and improving benefits for the worker and the poorC) by furthering Spencers PhilosophyD) by being a follower of social Darwinism3. The industry Carnegie was not concerned with was _. A) the manufacturing steelB) the transporting of the finished productC) the movement of raw materials D) the lumber business4. Carnegies trips to England _. A) were poorly for pleasure and visiting relativesB) introduced him to the charitist ideals which would influence his lifeC) helped him gain steel contracts with the British industrialists.D) led him to believe that the industrial future would be with steel5. Which happened first? A) The foundation of the Carnegie Steel Co.B) The introduction of Charitist ideals.C) The foundation of the J. Edgar Thomson Steel MillsD) Andrew Carnegies trips to Great Britain.Passage 2 We often speak of an artist as creating something and of a craftsman as making something. The artist has the desire to create or achieve something original, while the craftsmans aim is to produce something familiar and expected. We may say, then, that originality is what distinguished art from craft and is the measure of artistic greatness or importance. Unfortunately, originality is also very hard to define, the usual synonyms - uniqueness, novelty, freshness - do not help us very much, and the dictionaries tell us only that an original work must not be a copy, reproduction, imitation, or translation. What they fail to point out is that originality is always relative: there is no such thing as a completely original work of art. Thus, if we want to rate works of art on an “originality scale”, our problem does not lie in deciding whether or not a given work is original, since the obvious copies and reproduction are for the most part easy enough to eliminate, but in establishing just exactly how original it is. To do is not impossible. However, the difficulties involved in our task are so great that we cannot hope for more than indefinite and incomplete answers.6. We may conclude from the passage that a painting by an artist who has been influenced by other artists _. A) might be called an example of craft, not art. B) must be considered an imitation, not an original work C) might still be considered an original work D) cannot properly be rated on an “originality scale”7. The author specifically mentions his dissatisfaction with the fail of dictionaries to _. A) distinguish clearly between art and craft B) indicate that originality is a matter of degree C) recognize that a reproduction may be true art D) mention that a work of art must be original8. The author suggests that an “originality scale” might be used to _. A) distinguish an original work from a copy B) determine the artistic greatness of a work C) show that originality is always relative D) explain the difference between art and craft9. According to the author, the aim of the artist and the aim of the craftsman are _. A) quite different from one another B) more or less practical in nature C) both basically artistic D) difficult to define10. Which of the following statement would the author be least likely to make in talking about a great painting? A) The painter is more than a good craftsman. B) The painting has considerable artistic significance. C) The painting has a strange, unusual quality. D) The painters owe nothing to other painters.Passage 3 The best place now for an oil-hungry to look for more oil is in the sea. But the costs of drilling, producing and sending oil offshore are enormous compared with taking oil out of the ground. One of the largest single costs is the production platform itself an artificial island of steel or reinforced concrete that must be able to ride out the severest ocean storms. At great depths, stability is best achieved by making the base of the platform substantially wider than its top. Where concrete platforms are used, this means the legs must be cast at an angle, which is expensive and difficult. But Ingenior F. Selmer A/S of Oslo, Norway has modified a widely used construction technique called slip casting to produce a large-scale, tripod-legged platform that is cheaper and easier to construct. The mold into which concrete is poured normally raised on jacks as the structure is being built, so that as soon as one section begins to dry another can be poured. In the Selmer method, the jack is actually a group of steel rails that form part of the reinforcing material of the concrete leg being cast. As concrete is poured, the Selmer mold simply rides the rails upward, at up to 15 degrees of incline. The company says it can produce platforms capable of operating at depths of 800 feet with the same amount of concrete and steel now needed to build platforms that can operate at depths up to 475 feet, and at the same time increase the stability.11. People turn their eyes eagerly to the sea _. A. to look for cheap oil B. with a strong wish to take out more oil out of its bottom C. to enjoy their artificial islands D. to try to find the best site for storing their oil products12. The distinguishing feature of the Selmer method is _.A. that the concrete platform legs are cast at an angleB. that the mold is raised on jacksC. that the jack will be built in the concrete and form part of the leg being castD. that the mold can be constructed at an incline of up to 15 degrees13. In order to increase the stability of a deep-sea production platform each of its reinforced concrete legs should be made _.A. inclined outwards at an angle of up to 15 degrees with the vertical lineB. Inclined outwards at an angle of up to the sea levelC. Inclined inwards at an angle of up to 15 degrees with the vertical lineD. Inclined inwards at an angle of up to 15 degrees to the sea level14. Slip casting is a construction technique _.A. which is invented by Ingenior F. Selmer A/S of OsloB. which is otherwise called the Selmer methodC. which is used solely to produce large-scale tripod-legged platformsD. which is widely used in reinforced concrete work15. The advantage of the Selmer method over other methods in building oil production platforms is _.A. that the construction work can be cheaper and easierB. that the platform can last safely through the severest ocean stormsC. that the platform can operate at a greater depthD. both B and CPassage 4 At one time in England, the oath which one takes to the truth was against the accused with devastating effect. If he refused to take the oath, he was held in contempt and punished. If he took the oath and then refused to answer a question, the refusal was taken as a confession of the thing charged in the question. Thus were men compelled to testify against themselves. A widely heralded defiance of this practice was made by John Lilburne, who was charged with sending scandalous books into England. He refused to be examined under oath, saying that the oath was “both against the law of God and the law of the land”. He announced that he would never take it “though I be pulled in pieces by wild horses. Lilburne was held in contempt, publicly whipped, fined, and placed in solitary confinement. That was in 1638. On February 13, 1645, the House of Lords set aside that judgement, contending that it was “against the liberty of the subject and the law of the land and Magna Carta”. And in 1648, Lilburne was granted damages for his imprisonment. Lilburne was willing to testify on matters of which he was accused. His refusal related to questions “concerning other men, to ensnare (陷害) me, and get further matter against me”. At that time, an accused had no immunity from testifying against himself at his own trial. Lilburnes protest, therefore, was against being compelled to testify on matters not properly charged against him. In other words, he objected to furnishing evidence which could be used as the basis for future prosecutions against him.Before the end of the seventeenth century, the immunity claimed by Lilburne had been broadly extended in England. It protected the person who was charged with a crime from testifying against himself at his own trial. It also protected and witness from testifying to anything that might possibly be incriminating (牵连) in future proceedings.16. This article A. describes the origin of a concept which is a part of our heritage.B. explains the reasons behind the loyalty oath.C. opposes the law which requires a witness to tell the truth.D. explains why a man should be forced to testify against himself.17. Lilburne refused to testify at his own trial because he A. was unwilling to testify on matters of which he was accused.B. believed he would be forced to testify about crimes not charged against him.C. was really guilty.D. was innocent of the charge.18. The immunity from testifying against oneselfA. did not become law until the Bill of Right was written.B. became law in the nineteenth century.C. was common in England before the end of the seventeenth century.D. is a universally accepted law.19. As a result of Lilburnes claimA. a man cannot testify in his own defense.B. a man is protected from furnishing evidence against himself.C. a man is considered guilty until he is proven innocent.D. the accused cannot be tried twice for the same crime.20. Which of the following is implied in the passage?A. The oath which one takes to tell the truth was used against the accused with devastating effect.B. The Fifth Amendment is a hindrance to law enforcement.C. We owe some of our liberties to the courage of unknown men.D. Lilburne was guilty.Passage 5Culture is the sum total of all the traditions, customs, beliefs, and 2asys of life of a given group of human beings. In this sense, every group has a culture, however savage, undeveloped, or uncivilized it may seem to us.To the professional anthropologist, there is no intrinsic superiority of one culture over another, just as to the professional linguist there is no intrinsic hierarchy among languages.People once thought of the languages of backward groups as savage, undeveloped forms of speech, consisting largely of grunts and groans, it is a fact established by the study of “backward” languages that no spoken tongue answers that description today. Most languages of uncivilized groups are, by our most severe standards, extremely complex, delicate, and ingenious pieces of machinery for the transfer of ideas. They fall behind our Western languages not in their sound patterns or grammatical structures, which usually are fully adequate for all language needs, but only in their vocabularies, which reflects the objects and activities known to their speakers. Even in this department, however, two things are to be noted: 1. All languages seem to possess the machinery for vocabulary expansion, either by putting together words already in existence or by borrowing them from other languages and adapting them to their own system. 2. The objects and activities requiring names and distinctions in “backward” languages, while different from ours, are often surprisingly numerous and complicated. A Western language distinguishes merely between two degrees of remoteness (“this” and “that”); some languages of the American Indians distinguish between what is close to the speaker, or to the person addressed, or removed from both, or out of sight, or in the past, or in the future.This study of language, in turn, casts a new light upon the claim of the anthropologists that all cultures are to be viewed independently, and without ideas of rank or hierarchy.21. The languages of uncivilized groups as compared to Western languages are limited in _.A. sound patterns. C. vocabulariesB. grammatical structures. D. both B and C.22.The author says that professional linguists recognize that _.A. western languages are superior to Eastern languages.B. all languages came from grunts and groans.C. the hierarchy of languages is difficult to understand.D. there is no hierarchy of languages.23.The article states that grunt-and groan forms of speech are found _.A. nowhere today.B. among the Australian aborigines.C. among Eastern cultures.D. among people speaking “backward” languages24.According to the author, languages, whether civilized or not, have _.A. the potential for expanding vocabulary.B. their own sound patterns. C. an ability to transfer ideas. D. grammatical structure.25.Which of the following is implied in the passage?A. The study of languages has discredited anthropological studies.B. The study of language has reinforced anthropologists in their view that there is no hierarchy among cultures.C. The study of language is the same as the study of anthropologists.D. The study of languages casts a new light upon the claim of anthropologists.Passage 6The world has spent on preparations for war more than $ 112 billion a year, roughly $ 45o per head for every man, woman, and child in the world, let us, consider for a moment what could be done with this sum of money if it were spent on peace and not on war. Some of it, at any rate, in the more prosperous countries, could be spent on the reduction of taxation, the rest should be spent in ways that will, at the same time, be of benefit to mankind and a solution to the economic problem of conversion from war industry to the expansion of peace industries. As to the expansion, let us begin with the most elementary of all need, namely, food. At present, the majority of mankind suffers from undernourishment, and, in view of the population explosion, this situation is likely to grow worse in coming decades. A very small part of what is now only could the American surplus of grain, which was for many years uselessly destroyed, be spent in relief of famine, but by irrigation, large regions now desert could be made fertile, and, by improvement in transport, distribution from regions of excess to regions of scarcity could be facilitated.Housing, even in the richest countries, is often disastrously inadequate. This could be remedied by a tiny fraction of what is being spent on missiles. Education everywhere, but especially in the newly liberated countries of Africa and Asia, demands an expenditure many times as great as that which it receives at present. But it is not only greater expenditure that is needed in education. If the terror of war were removed, science could be devotes to improving human welfare, instead of to the invention of increasingly expensive methods of mutual slaughter, and schools would no longer think it a part of their duty to promote hatred of possibly enemies by means of ignorance tempered by lies. By the help of modern techniques, the world could enter upon a period of happiness and prosperity far surpassing anything known in previous history. All this is possible. It requires only a different out look on international affairs and a different state of mind toward those nations which are now regarded as enemies. This is possible, I repeat, but it can not be done all at once. To reverse the trend of affairs in the most powerful nations of the world is no light task and will require a di