英语试题-2008.doc

ENGLISH EXAMINATIONFOR PHD CANDIDATES OF 2008Part I. Vocabulary (1 point each)15%Directions: There are fifteen sentences in this part. Choose the word from the four choices given to best complete or match each sentence. Mark the corresponding letter with a single bar across the square brackets on your Machine-scoring Answer Sheet.1. He always his failure in obtaining a job to bad luck.A. ascribes B. Transcribes C. inscribes D. prescribes2. Its a timetable. Sometime lessons happen, sometimes they dont.A. haphazard B. odiousC. haughty D. handicapped3. No men were allowed to on the livelihood of his neighbor.A. wadeB. invokeC. muffleD. infringe4. Successful scientists always check statements and make new experiments carefully andobjectively to them.A. infuseB. verifyC. restoreD. refute5. The scents of the flowers was to us by the breeze.A. intercepted B. detested C. saturatedD. wafted6. The machinery had been wrecked so efficiently that police were sure it was a case of .A. vagabond B. sabotage C. paradoxD. tachyon7. The actor amused the audience by some well-known people.A. embroidering B. riggingC. yelpingD. mimicking8. The speaker us with tales of exotic lands and buried treasure.A. detourB. offsetC. tantalized D. ushered9. I assure you there was no motive in my suggestion.A. ulterior B. stationary C. vulgarD. toxic10. Government loans have been the of several shaky business companies.A. tornadoB. salvationC. delinquency D. momentum11. He is always meticulous in keeping the records up to date.A. scrupulous B. perpetual C. puerileD. studious12. A group of young men in rags sauntered along the street.A. shuffledB. rambled C. tackedD. hollered13. The letter was peremptory in tone.A. temperate B. moderate C. arbitraryD. percussive14. The students who like lo absent themselves from classes will sooner or later receive severity of the school regulations.A. vindication B. concurrence C. deference D. rigot15. She was the victim of her neighbors malicious gossiping.A. malevolent B. violentC. lenientD. benevolentPart II. Reading Comprehension(2 points each)30%Directions: In this part, there are three passages for you to read. Read each passage carefully and then do the questions that follow. Choose the best answer A, B, C, or D and mark the corresponding letter with a single bar across the square brackets on your Machine-scoring Answer Sheet.Text A(1) The Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker or Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx, once widely spoken on the Isle of Man but now extinct. Governments financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europes regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the countrys three million people.(2) The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up che United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club- Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.(3) The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe- only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.(4) Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means “land of compatriots,” is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nations symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere- on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers.(5) “Until very recent times, most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,” said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Waless annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands.(6) “There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,” Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. “We used to think. We cant do anything, were only Welsh. Now I think thats changing.”16. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant toA. maintain the present status among the nations.B. reduce legislative powers of England.C. create a better state of equality among the nations.D. grant more say to all the nations in the union. 17. The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph meansA. separatist.B. conventional.C. feudal.D. political.18. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPTA. peoples desire for devolution.B. locals turnout for the voting.C. powers of the legislative body.D. status of the national language.19. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh national identityA. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight.20. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed isA. peoples mentality.B. pop culture. C. towns appearance.D. possibilities for the people.Text B(1) Womens minds work differently from mens. At least, that is what most men are convinced of. Psychologists view the subject either as a matter of frustration or a joke. Now the biologists have moved into this minefield, and some of them have found that there are real differences between the brains of men and women. But being different, they point out hurriedly, is not the same as being better or worse.(2) There is, however, a definite structural variation between the male and female brain. The difference is in a part of the brain that is used in the most complex intellectual processes the link between the two halves of the brain.(3) The two halves are linked by a trunkline of between 200 and 300 million nerves, the corpus callosum. Scientists have found quite recently that the corpus callosum in women is always larger and probably richer in nerve fibres than it is in men. This is the first time that a structural difference has been found between the brains of women and men and it must have some significance. The question is “What?”, and if this difference exists, are there others? Research shows that present-day women think differently and behave differently from men. Are some of these differences biological and inborn, a result of evolution? We tend to think that is the influence of society that produces these differences. But could we be wrong?(4) Research showed that these two halves of the brain had different functions, and that the corpus callosum enabled them to work together. For most people, the left half is used for word-handling, analytical and logical activities; the right half works on pictures, patterns and forms. We need both halves working together. And the better the connections, the more harmoniously the two halves work. And, according to research findings, women have the better connections.(5) But it isnt all that easy to explain the actual differences between skills of men and women on this basis. In schools throughout the world girls tend to be better than boys at “language subject” and boys better at maths and physics. If these differences correspond with the differences in the hemispheric trunkline, there is an unalterable distinction between the sexes.(6) We shall not know for a while, partly because we dont know of any precise relationship between abilities in school subjects and the functioning of the two halves of the brain, and we cannot understand how the two halves interact via the corpus callosum. But this striking difference must have some effect and, because the difference is in the parts of the brain involved in intellect, we should be looking for differences in intellectual processing.21. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. Biologists are conducting research where psychologists have given up.B. Brain differences point to superiority of one sex over the other.C. Results of scientific research fail to support popular belief.D. The structural difference in the brain between the sexes has long been known.22. According to the passage it is commonly believed that brain differences are caused by factors.A. biological B. psychological C. physical D. social23. “these differences” in paragraph 5 refer to those in .A. skills of men and women B. school subjectsC. the brain structure of men and women D. activities carried out by the brain24. At the end of the passage the author proposes more work on .A. the brain structure as a whole B. the functioning of part of the brain C. the distinction between the sexes D. the effects of the corpus callosum25. What is the main purpose of the passage?A. To outline the research findings on the brain structureB. To explain the link between sex and brain structureC. To discuss the various factors that cause brain differencesD. To suggest new areas in brain researchText C(1) Information is the primary commodity in more and more industries today.(2) By 2005, 83% of American management personnel will be knowledge workers. Europe and Japan are not far behind.(3) By 2005, half of all knowledge worker (22% of the labour force) will choose “flextime, flexplace” arrangements, which allow them to work at home, communication with the office via computer networks.(4) In the United States, the so-called “digital divide” seems to be disappearing. In early 2000, a poll found, that, where half of white households owned computers, so did fully 43% of African-American house holds, and their numbers were growing rapidly. Hispanic households continued to lag behind, but their rate of computer ownership was expanding as well.(5) Company-owned and industry-wide television networks are bringing programming to thousands of locations. Business TV is becoming big business.(6) Computer competence will approach 100% in US urban areas by the year 2005, with Europe and Japan not far behind.(7) 80% of US homes will have computers in 2005, compared with about 50% now.(8) In the United States, 5 of the 10 fastest-growing careers between now and 2005 will be computer related. Demand for programmers and systems analysts will grow by 70%. The same trend is accelerating in Europe, Japan, and India.(9) By 2005, nearly all college texts and many high school and junior high books will be tried to Internet sites that provide source material, study exercises, and relevant news articles to aid in learning. Others will come with CD-ROMs that offer similar resources.(10) Internet links will provide access to the card catalogues of all the major libraries in the world by 2005. It will be possible to call up on a PC screen millions of volumes from distant libraries. Web sites enhance books by providing pictures, sound, film clips, and flexible indexing and search utilities.(11) Implications: Anyone with access to the Internet will be able to achieve the education needed to build a productive life in an increasingly high-tech world. Computer learning may even reduce the growing American prison population.(12) Knowledge workers are generally better paid than less-skilled workers. Their wealth is raising overall prosperity.(13) Even entry-level workers and those in formerly unskilled position require a growing level of education. For a good career in almost any field, computer competence is a must. This is one major trend raising the level of education required for a productive role in todays work force. For many workers the opportunity for training is becoming one of the most desirable benefits any job can offer.26. Information technology is expected to have impact on all the following EXCEPT .A. American management personnel B. European management personnelC. American peoples choice of career D. traditional practice at work 27. “digital divide” in the 4th paragraph refers to .A. the gap in terms of computer ownershipB. the tendency of computer ownershipC. the dividing line based on digitsD. the ethnic distinction among American households28. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT according to the passage?A. By 2005 all college and school study materials will turn electronic.B. By 2005 printed college and school study materials will be supplemented with electronic material.C. By 2005 some college and school study materials will be accompanied by CD-ROMs.D. By 2005 Internet links make worldwide library search a possibility.29. Which of the following areas is NOT discussed in the passage?A. future careers B. nature of future workC. ethnic differences D. schools and libraries30. At the end of the passage, the author seems to emphasize in an increasingly high-tech world.A. the variety of education B. the content of educationC. the need for education D. the function of educationPart III. CLOZE (1 point each ) 15%Directions: Read the passage through. Then, go back and choose one suitable word or phrase marked A, B, C or D for each blank in the passage. Mark the corresponding letter of the word(s) with a single bar across the square brackets on your Machine-scoring Answer Sheet.On a single weekend last month, there were three serious highway accidents in this country that 31 teenaged drivers. One of the result of this 32 weekend was a 33 public demand that high school students should be required to 34 a course of driving-training before receiving their drivers licenses. 35, most of the high schools in this area have offered driver-training courses for many years. But these courses have always been 36, 37 required; and sometimes only a small fraction of the student body has actually been 38 in the courses. It would be an excellent idea, as I see it, to make driver training a required course.The opponents of this idea have 39 that providing driver training for every student would be very 40 and that the 41 would not be worth the price. It is true that the course would be costly. Our town school board has estimated that in order to provide driver training for every high school student, they would need at least two more full-time instructors and two additional training cars, as well as 42 lab space and equipment. 43 the course of this program would be large, it must be 44 against the much greater cost both in money and in human suffering of continuing to allow inexperienced and poorly trained people to join the ranks of licensed drivers. An effective drive-training program would certainly be worth the 45.31. A. relatedB. includedC. involvedD. concerned32. A. unluckyB. tragicC. horribleD. miserable33. A. restoredB. recoveredC. revivedD. renewed34. A. giveB. makeC. takeD. hold35. A. TrueB. RealC. SureD. Certain36. A. randomB. objectiveC. auxiliaryD. elective37. A. far fromB. rather thanC. as well asD. other than38. A. adoptedB. receivedC. enrolledD. permitted39. A. arguedB. agreedC. claimedD. assured40. A. worthlessB. demandingC. impossibleD. expensive41. A. resultsB. effectsC. coursesD. demands42. A. extraB. specificC. hugeD. grand43. A. WhenB. BecauseC. WhileD. Unless44. A. showedB. comparedC. weighedD. measured45. A. attentionB. expenseC. promotionD. SuccessPart IV. Fill in the blanks with the words given below. 5%Directions: Each bland requires one word. Choose the one which is both grammatically and semantically acceptable. Put your answers on you Answer sheet.A. deference,B. emulation.C. impediment,D. demonstration,E. appellation,F. alternative,G. multiplicity, H. alleviate,I. justified,J. Ratified1) Not satisfie