研究生学位英语考试试题_广西.doc

硕士研究生学位英语考试（模拟试题Part IICloze (10 points)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should choose the one that best fits in to the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter with a single line through the center.Mankinds fascination with gold is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Egyptians respected gold, which had a religious 1 to them, and King Tutankhamun was buried in a sold-gold coffin 3,300 years ago. The wandering Israelites 2 a golden calf, and the legendary King Midas asked that everything he touched 3 into gold. 4 only is gold beautiful, but it is 5 indestructible. It will not rust or corrode; gold coins and products 6 from the metal have survived undamaged for centuries. Gold is extremely easy to 7 ; one ounce, which is about the size of a cube of sugar, can be beaten into a sheet nearly 100 square feet in size, and become to thin that light passes through it. An ounce of gold can also be 8 into a wore 50 miles long. Gold 9 electricity better than any other 10 and it is particularly important in the modern electronics industry.People have always longed to 1 gold. Unfortunately, this longing has also 12 the worst in the human character. The Spanish conquerors of the 16th century robbed palaces, 13 and graves, and killed thousands of Indians in their 14 search for gold. Even today, the economic running of South Africas mines depends largely on the employment of black laborers who are paid about 40 pounds a month, plus room and board, and who must work in condition that can only be 15 as cruel.Historically, the desire to keep gold at home has been primarily 16 of the working and peasant chasses, who have no 17 in paper money. George Bernard Shaw 18 their instincts eloquently: “You have to choose between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability of the 19 and intelligence of members of the government”, he said, “and with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you to 20 for gold.”1. A. significance B. capabilityC. conceptionD. qualification2. A. bredB. grazedC. prayedD. worshiped3. A. turnedB. was turnedC. be turned D. to be turned4. A. ItB. If C. EvenD. Not5. A. apparently B. reversiblyC. virtuallyD. actually6. A. fabricateB. to fabricateC. fabricatingD. fabricated7. A. hand downB. work withC. wear outD. pay off8. A. expandedB. amplifiedC. stretchedD. prolonged9. A. conveysB. conductsC. handlesD. transplants10. A. substanceB. componentC. essenceD. ingredient11. A. possessB. preserve C. exploreD. rob12. A. backed upB. pulled outC. brought outD. amounted to13. A. churchesB. templesC. nurseriesD. cathedrals14. A. ruthlessB. mercifulC. aggressiveD. maximal15. A. consideredB. describedC. illustratedD. characterized16. A. a commitment B. a jobC. a profession D. an occupation17. A. royaltyB. faithC. fidelity D. credit18. A. defendedB. criticized C. commentedD. narrated19. A. honestyB. delicacyC. capability D. confidence20. A. select B. chooseC. elect D. votePart IIIReading Comprehension (35 points)Passage 1One of the greatest mysteries of the world, for which scientists have so far been unable to find any satisfactory explanation, is the Bermuda Triangle, sometimes called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.” This is an area of the Western Atlantic between Bermuda and Florida, roughly triangular in shape, where since 1845 at least a hundred ships and planes and over a thousand people have disappeared. No wreckage has been found, no bodies, lifebelts or any other evidence of disaster. It is as if these planes, ships and people had never existed. In some cases a routine radio message has been received from aircraft reporting everything in order a few minutes before all contact was lost, in others a weak S.O.S. message has been picked up and in perfect weather, inexplicable references to fog and loss of bearings. In the extraordinary case of five U.S. navy planes disappearing on a routine mission from Florida, the rescue plane sent to locate them vanished also. There have been references to the curious white light which is a feature of the sea in part of this area, and it is interesting to note that not only was this light observed by the astronauts o their way to space, but was also noted by Columbus, five centuries ago. Whether this light has any connection with the mysterious disappearances is unknown it is just another curious circumstance as yet unexplained.Many theories, some bordering on the fantastic, have been advanced to account for the disturbing incidents that occur in the area of the Bermuda Triangle. It has been asked whether these disappearances are caused by extraterrestrial activity, by some undiscovered source of energy, or some dimension of time or space unguessed at by Man. There is no answer and speculation continues as anxiety increases. 21. What is the most puzzling feature of the incidents that have occurred in the Bermuda Triangle area?A. The unexplained wreckage found in the area.B. The lack of evidence of disaster.C. The appearance of the wreckage.D. The disastrous losses in the area. 22. Before contact with missing aircraft has been lost _.A. unidentified signals have sometimes been received.B. confusing signals have sometimes been received C. the pilot has invariably reported bad weather conditionsD. the pilot has never made any request for assistance23. The five United States Navy planes that disappeared were _.A. trying to locate a missing planeB. trying to rescue a plane in troubleC. on a special missionD. on a normal flight24. The curious white lights observed on the surface of the sea in the Bermuda Triangle area _.A. were only seen by astronautB. were unearthed by ColumbusC. were seen from a spacecraftD. were not discovered for five centuries25. The cause of the disappearances of ships and planes in the area is _.A. known only by laymenB. inexplicable to scientistsC. known only to scientistsD. comprehensible only to scientistPassage 2Automation refers to the introduction of electronic control and automatic operation of productive machinery. It reduces the human factors, mental and physical, in production, and is designed to make possible the manufacture of more goods with fewer workers. The development of automation in American industry has been called the “Second Industrial Revolution”.Labors concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment, and fears of major changes in jobs. In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, the result of automation my well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing, maintaining, and repairing automation equipment. The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and improved living standards.To protect the interests of their members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a number of new policies. One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefit planes. It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements, requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service. Another approach is the idea of the “improvement factor”, which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity. It is possible, however, that labor will rely mainly in reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation. 26. Though labor worries about the effects of automation, it never doubts that _.A. automation will eventually prevent unemploymentB. automation will help workers acquire new skillsC. automation will eventually benefit the workers no less than the employersD. automation is a trend which cannot be stopped27. The idea of the “improvement factor”(para.3) implies roughly _.A. wages should be paid on the basis of length of serviceB. the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workersC. supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promotedD. about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers28. In order to get the full benefits of automation, labor will depend mostly on _.A. additional payment to the permanently dismissed workersB. the increase of wages in proportion to the increase in productivityC. shorter working hours and more leisure timeD. strong drive for planning new installations29. Which of the following can best sum up the passage?A. Advantages and disadvantage of automation.B. Labor and the effects of automation.C. Unemployment benefit plans and automation.D. Social benefits of automation.Passage 3 President Lincoln was leaning lightly forward with his hand on the railing. He had turned his head to look into the audience. Pulling around the flag that decorated the box, he was looking between the pillar and the flag. It was at this moment, 10:15 P.M., that John Wilkes Booth entered the door to box 8 and fired the fatal shot. A single-shot derringer, about six inches long, was fired by Booth at close range. The bullet entered Lincolns head and lodged close behind the right eye. The President slumped forward in his chair and then backward, never to regain consciousness.Quickly Major Rathbone sprang upon the assassin. Booth dropped the gun, broke from Rathbones grasp, and lunged at him with a large knife. Rathbone received a deep wound in his left arm above the elbow. Booth placed one hand on the railing to the left of the centre pillar, and jumped over the railing. Pathnone again seized Booth but caught only his clothing. As he leaped, Booths right boot struck the framed picture of George Washington. The spur on his heel caught in the fringe of the flag and brought it down, tearing a strip with it. These obstacles caused the assassin to lose his balance, and he fell awkwardly on the stage, He landed in a kneeling position with his left leg resting on the stage. In the fall, the large bone of his left leg was fractured about two inches above the ankle.The actor regained his balance like an athlete, and was supposed to have waved his dagger and shouted, “Sic Semper Tyrannis” (Thus always with tyrants), before dashing across the stage. Harry Hawk, seeing Booth coming toward him with a knife, ran through the centre doorway on the stage and up a flight of stairs.Leaving the stage on the north side of the theatre, Booth passed between Laura Keene and young William J. Ferguson, standing near a desk. In the narrow aisle leading from the stage to rear door, Booth bumped into William Withers Jr., the orchestra leader. He slashed twice at Withers, cutting his cost and knocking him to the floor before rushing out of the door. Grasping the horses reins from Mr. Burroughts, Booth felled him with the butt end of his knife. He then mounted his hose and rode swiftly from the alley. History had been made.30. Lincoln was shot while he was sitting in _.A. the balconyB. the front rowC. the back rowD. a box seat31. The person who first tried to stop Booth was _.A. FergusonB. WithersC. KeeneD. Rathbone32. In a fall to the stage, Booth fractured his _.A. ArmB. ankleC. backD. leg33. The author arranges details _.A. in order of importanceB. in order of timeC. in order of interestD.in order of space34. When Booth shouted “Sic Semper Tyrannis”, _.A. he was scolding Major RathboneB. he was referring to himselfC. he was calling Lincoln a tyrantD. he was making a reference to his enemies35. The author develops his writhing through _.A. personal opinionsB. vivid descriptionsC. scientific factsD. logical reasoningPassage 4 Testing has replaced teaching in most public schools. My own childrens school week is framed by pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then skim the text for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to state proudly and openly that they teach to the mandated state test.Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon. Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some sensible methods of assessment to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to reverse the process. First one looks at a commercially available test. Then one distills the skills needed not to master reading, say, or math, but to do well on the test. Finally, the test skills are taught. The ability to read or write or calculate might imply the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparation for a test of a skill with the acquisition of that skill. Too many discussions of basic skills make this fundamental confusion because people are test-obsessed rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught. Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple terms, the phenomenon of students with phonic and grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are competent at test taking and filling in workbooks and ditto masters. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but cant see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grade that they have no time or ease of mind to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary. 36. The author gives an account of Ericas performance in her study in order to _.A. illustrate her cleverness in test-takingB. reveal the incompetence of teachersC. show there is something wrong with the current practice in teachingD. demonstrate the best way to read textbooks.37. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. The phenomenon of teaching to the test has aroused curiosity in many educators.B. Skills in general are not only useless but often lead students astray.C. Ability to read and write is one thing, and ability to do well on standardized tests is quite anotherD. Preparation for a test of a skill does not necessarily mean the acquisition of that skill.38. The author insists that _.A. mandated state tests be replaced by some more sensible methods of assessment.B. Teachers pay more attention to the nature and quality of what is taught.C. Students not be concerned with grades but do more reading and thinking.D. Radical changes be brought about in the general approach to teaching39. We can safely conclude that _ may cause educational problems.A. test obsessionB. standardized testsC. test-takingD. preparation for mandated state tests40. By “crisis of comprehension ” the author means many students _.A. are too much concerned with gradesB. fail to understand the real goal of educationC. lack proper practice in phonic and grammar drillsD. are unable to understand what they read, though they do reasonably well on standardized testsPassage 5Do we need laws that prevent us from running risks with our lives? If so, then perhaps laws are needed prohibiting the sale of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. Both products have been known to kill people. The hazards of drinking too much alcohol are as bad or worse than the hazards of smoking too many cigarettes. All right then, lets pass a law closing the liquor stores and the bars in this country. Lets put and end once and for all to the ruinous disease from which as many as 10 million Americans currently suffer alcoholism.But wait. Weve already tried that. For 13years, between 1920 and 1933, there were no liquor stores anywhere in the United States. They were shut downabolished by an amendment to the Constitution (to18th) and by a law of Congress (the Volstead Act). After January 20, 1920, there was supposed to be no more manufacturing, selling, or transporting of “intoxicating liquors.” Without any more liquor, people could not drink it. And if they did not drink it, how could they get drunk? There would be no more dangers to the public welfare from drunkenness and alcoholism. It was all very logical. And yet prohibition of liquor, beer, and wine did not work. Why?Because, law or no law, millions of people still liked to drink alcohol. And they were willing to take risks to get it. They were not about to change their tastes and habits just because of a change in the law. And gangs of liquor smugglers made it easy to buy an illegal drink or two or three. They smuggled millions of gallons of the outlawed beverages across the Canadian and Mexican borders. Drinkers were lucky to know of an illegal bar that served Mexican