科技英语阅读试卷.doc

科技英语阅读课程期末考试卷 A (20132014学年度第二学期)班级_学号_ 姓名_ 考试时间: _ 题 号IIIIII IV总分 得 分阅卷教师复核人I. Vocabulary and Fast Reading(40 points) Part One. Each of the following sentences has a word in bold type. In the blank, write the letter of the word that best defines the word in bold.1.Too often, the indigenous people of the rain forests are considered backward; however, they have lived successfully in their homelands for thousands of years.a. native c. uneducatedb.poor d. displaced2.California power companies had blackouts because there was not enough energy to supply the residents electrical needs.a. fainting spellsc. rate hikesb.power failuresd. lower prices3.Rebecca was accused of slander when she spread lies about Ross after they broke up.b. stalkingc. burglaryb. damage to a person s reputation d. hatefulness4.Jordan demonstrated his agility when he caught the football, turned in midair, outran the defense, and scored a touchdown.c. clumsiness and fearc. quickness and graceb. determinationd. courage5.The perimeter of a figure is the total distance around the edge of the figure.a. borderc. centerb. insided. value6.Marie smiled and whistled as she obligingly helped her father with the car.a. resentfullyc. reluctantlyb .agreeablyd. skillfully7.Mark and Sandi made no advanced plans for their trip; they simply meandered across the country for two weeks.a. ran c. rushedb.driftedd. drove8.The emergence of the butterfly from its cocoon surprised and delighted the young child.a. beautyc. changeb .appearanced. shape9. Kaye coerces the other children to give their allowance to her by threatening to beat them up.a. forces c. helpsb .limits d. discourages10. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is an enduring reminder of the strength, wisdom, and sacrifice of Abraham Lincoln.a. temporaryc. humbleb. lastingd. finalPart Two.Read the following passage adapted from the college communications textbook, Then answer the questionsTALK RADIO(1)Between 1990 and 1995, many more stations began devoting, or giving, the greater part of their on-air time to talk. (2)In fact, talk shows almost tripled, from 450 to 1,130. (3)With talk, radio stations discovered a new way to boost their ratings and bring in advertisers. (4)By the end of the 1990s, ratings made talk one of the top radio formats in the United States.(5)Experts believe that talk radio capitalizes on, rather than avoids, emotion. Issues like homosexuality may arouse anger and fear. (6)The talk show hosts know this. (7)They talk more about such subjects than may seem needed. (8)They start heated debates and push people to become excited. (9)That boosts ratings.(10)The popularity of talk radio has created a wide range of hosts. (11)They range from conservative Rush Limbaugh to outrageous Howard Stern. (12)Even some politicians had their own shows. (13)For example, Pat Buchanan, who ran for President, was the first to understand the power of a talk show to get his ideas to the American people.(14)A 1993 survey showed that almost one-third of adults had listened to political talk shows. (15)Many listeners said they strongly disagreed with the talk show host most of the time.(16)Some critics of talk radio speculate about why it is so successful. (17)One reason given is that talk radio is the new town meeting. (18)In a society that is so fragmented (not unified or in touch with each other), radio offers a place to connect to each other. (19)In this new town meeting, the populace speaks rather than relying on official voices. (20)In fact, critics credit the public interest in talk radio to a rising distrust of public officials.(21)Critics often attack talk radio as a harmful force. (22)Critics suggest that talk radio exploits, instead of educates. (23)Tatk radio, they say, spreads fear and paranoia.1. What does devoting mean in sentence 1?a. giving c. talking b. taking away d. growing2. What does boost mean in sentence 3? a. hurt c.stopb. raise d. See3. What does capitalizes on mean in sentence 5?a. ignoresc. tears downb. takes advantage ofd. furthers4. What does conservative mean in sentence11?a. extremec. simpleb. cruded. traditional5. What does speculate mean in sentence 16?a. guessc. gambleb. knowd. bet6. What does fragmented mean in sentence18?a. joined togetherc. broken apartb. strongd. afraid7. What does populace mean in sentence 19?a. publicc. governmentb. privated. popular8. What does distrust mean in sentence 20?a. trust deeplyc. respectb. doubtd. hate9. What does exploits mean in sentence 22?a. takes advantage ofc. teachesb. helpsd. kills10. What does paranoia mean in sentence 23?a. trustc. mistrustb. hoped. cautionPart Three Fast Reading(20 points)Low carbon Future: We Can Afford to Go GreenTackling climate change will cost consumers the earth. Those who campaign for a green revolution are out to destroy our western lifestyles. Such are the cries of opponents of emissions cuts, and their message has political impact: a number of surveys have found that the enthusiasm of voters for policies to reduce climate change falls off as the price tag increases.However, a new modelling exercise suggests that these fears are largely unfounded, It projects that radical cuts to the UKs emissions will cause barely noticeable increases in the price of food, drink and most other goods by 2050. Electricity and petrol costs will rise significantly, but with the right policies in place, say the modellers, this need not lead to big changes in our lifestyle.These results show that the global project to fight climate change is feasible, says Alex Bowen, a climate policy expert at the London School of Economics. Its not such a big ask as people are making out.Although it is impossible to precisely predict prices four decades from now, the exercise is one of the most detailed examinations yet of the impact of climate change policies on UK consumers. It provides a useful rough guide to our economic future.Though its results speak directly to the UK consumer, previous research has come to similar conclusions for the US. In June, one study found that if the US were to cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2050, prices of most consumer goods would increase by less than 5 per cent. The findings are also consistent with analyses by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change in Washington DC. Even cutting emissions by 80 per cent over four decades has a very small effect on consumers in most areas, says Manik Roy of the Pew Center. The challenge is now to convince consumers and policy-makers that this is the case.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends that wealthy nations cut their emissions to between 80 and 95 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050 in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The UK government aims to reduce its contribution by 80 per cent and leaders of the other G8 nations have discussed following suit. To meet this goal, industries will have to cut down fossil fuel consumption, and low-carbon powersources will have to massively expand. Companies will have to pay increasingly higher prices for the right to emit greenhouse gases.How will this affect the average citizens wallet? To measure the impact of the 80 per cent target on the UK population, New scientist approached Cambridge Econometrics, a firm known for its modelling of the European e- conomy. The firm used historic economic data to predict the impact of emissions reductions on prices in over 40 categories of goods and services. It compared the impact of the 80 per cent cut with a baseline situation in which the government takes no action other than the limited emissions restrictions already in place as a result of the Kyoto protocol.Most of the price increases are a consequence of rising energy costs, in part because coal and gas are replaced by more expensive low-carbon sources. The price of electricity is projected to be 15 per cent higher in 2050 compared with the baseline. In todays prices, that would add around 5 onto typical monthly household electricity bills. It will also result in higher prices elsewhere, as every industrial sector uses electricity.But electricity and other forms of energy make up only a small part of the price of most goods. Other factorsraw materials, labour and taxesare far more important. The energy that goes into producing food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco, for example, makes up just 2 per cent of the consumer price. For motor vehicle purchases and hotel stays, the figure is 1 per cent. Only for energy-intensive industries does the contribution climb above 3 per cent.As a result, most products cost just a few per cent more by 2050. At current prices, going low-carbon is forecast to add around 5 pence to the price of a slice of bread or a pint of beer. The price of household appliances such as washing machines rises by a few pounds.There is one major exception to the pattern. Airlines do not currently have a low-carbon alternative to jet fuel. Unless one is found, they will bear, the full burden of carbon pricing, and average fares will rise by at least 140 per centraising the cost of a typical London to New York return trip from around 350 to 840.Achieving the overall picture of low prices does require government action. The model forecasts that by 2050 natural gas and petrol will cost 160 per cent and 32 per cent more respectively. To avoid large price rises in home heating and road transport while still hitting the 80 per cent target, the Cambridge researchers had to build two major policies into their analysis. They assumed that future governments will provide grants to help switch all domestic heating and cooking to electricity, and invest in the basic facilities needed for electric cars to almost completely replace petroleum-fuelled vehicles.Both policies have been discussed in recent UK government strategy documents, though the detail of how they would be implemented still needs further discussion. Firm policies must follow if ambitious emissions cuts are going to be made, says Chris Thoung of Cambridge Econometrics.So is tackling climate change going to be easier than expected, in terms of consumer costs? While the Cambridge Econometrics model is widely respected and regularly used by the UK governments climate change advisers, any attempt to forecast four decades ahead can be diverted from its intended course by unforeseen events. That leads some economists to question the models results.For example, companies could move to countries with less strict carbon regulations, points out Richard Tol of the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin, Ireland. Incomes in the UK would fall, making goods relatively more expensive. Tol also questions whether it is reasonable to use historical prices as a basis for projecting beyond 2020.Despite this, the Cambridge Econometrics results, together with other recent studies, do provide a useful guide for governments, says Michael Grubb of the University of Cambridge. They suggest that the overall challenge is conquerable, even if many of the details will only become clear in years to come.1. Why does the enthusiasm of the policy-makers to lessen climate change decrease?A) Economic recession is widely spread.B) Western lifestyles are destroyed.C) The cost of a green revolution rises.D) The environment is improved.2.According to the modellers, emission cuts wont change the lifestyle, provided that .A) the price of food and drink remains stableB) appropriate policies are carried outC) electricity and petrol costs dont riseD) the public has a strong faith in it3.The studies released in UK and US show that .A) cutting emissions wont affect the price of daily goods muchB) the two countries situations of the green revolution are differentC) the consumers strongly support cutting emissionD) the most challenging problem is how to stabilize the price4.Cambridge Econometrics predicted the impact of emissions reductions on prices from .A) computer analysisB) past economic dataC) current categories of goodsD) a baseline situation5.Whats the major cause of the higher price according to the passage?A) Higher taxes on carbon emissions.B) Changes of the lifestyle.C) The rising living standards.D) Rising energy costs.6Why are the air fares predicted to rise dramatically?A) More and more people will take the plane.B) No clean energy can replace the jet fuel.C) Many airlines collapse due to carbon pricing.D) The cost of an airline increases for Ending new energy.7.The two major policies built by the Cambridge researchers include .A) imposing higher taxes for petroleum-fuelled vehiclesB) stabilization of the price of daily goods and serviceC) the electrification of residential heating and cooking systemD) the prohibition of driving petroleum-fuelled vehicles8.Some economists doubt the models results because the prediction may be diverted by_9. Richard Tol points out that goods in UK may become more expensive as companies could find other locations with _10.The Cambridge Econometrics results provide a useful guide for policy-makers, with a suggestion that the government can _the challenge.II. Topics and Main Ideas（20 points）The following paragraphs are adapted from an article by Tim Wendell called Healing Harmonies. Read the paragraphs from the article, and answer the questions that follow each one.1 Music is good for us. 2New studies point to the idea that music can change how our brains and bodies function. 3Experts use music to battle cancer, stir memory in Alzheimers patients, relieve stress, and boost test scores. 4Doctors believe using music as a therapy (treatment) in hospitals and nursing homes makes the sick feel better and heal faster. 5A growing number of nursing homes have hired music therapists to help older patients with physical and social skills. 6As a result, some stroke patients have improved rapidly by listening to music as they exercise._ 1. The word therapy in sentence 3 meansa. sickness.c. treatment.b. music.d. distraction._ 2. What is the topic of the paragraph?a. therapy to boost test scores c. patients dancing to musicb. music to battle cancer d. positive effects of music_ 3. What is the main idea of the paragraph?a.sentence 2 c. sentence 1b. sentence 4d. sentence 57Some experts found the sound of drums may influence how our bodies work. 8Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart believes a simple drumbeat can stir long-forgotten memories. 9He visits nursing homes, hands out drums, and leads residents in impromptu, or spur-of-the-moment, concerts. 10One researcher states, Deep in our long-term memory is this rehearsed music. nHere is where you remember the music played at your wedding, the music of your first love, that first dance. 12Such things can still be remembered even in people with progressive (non-improving) diseases. 13It can be a window to reach them.4. The word impromptu in sentence 9 meansa. planned far in advance.b. loud.c. fast-paced.d. occurring on the spur of the moment.5. The word progressive in sentence 12 meansa. serious.c. improving.b. short-lived.d. nonimproving.6. What is the topic of the paragraph?a. music and memoryc. musicb. the Grateful Deadd. memory7. What is the main idea of the paragraph?a. sentence 7c. sentence 12b. sentence 8d. sentence 1314Music is seen as fodder or food for the young, growing brain. 15A small group of college students did better on certain tests after listening to Mozart. 16As a result, many mothers played classical music to their babies in the womb. 17Now newer studies focus on the benefit of music making instead of just listening to music. 18One study found that 3- and 4-year-olds who were taught to play the piano scored higher in abstract reasoning, such as math and science than children who got computer instruction.Tim Wendell, Healing Harmonies, USA Weekend Magazine, 26-28 Oct. 2001, pp. 7-8. Copyright 2001, USA Today. Reprinted by permission._ 8. The word fodder in sentence 14 meansa.stress.c. food.b.poison.d. help._ 9. The term abstract reasoning in sentence 18 blem solving.c. college courses.b.hardly possible.d. high school._ 10. What is the topic of the paragraph?a.music and the young brain c. the young brainb.test scoresd. classical musicIII. Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered black and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (20 points)The Internet affords anonymity to its users, a blessing to privacy and freedom of speech. But that very anonymity is also behind the explosion of cyber-crime that has 1 across the Web. Can privacy be preserved 2 bringing safety and security to a world that seems increasingly 3 ? Last month, Howard Schmidt, the nations cyber-czar, offered the federal government a 4 to make the Web a safer place-a “voluntary trusted identity” system that would be the high-tech 5 of a physical key, a fingerprint and a photo ID card, all rolled 6 one. The system might use a smart identity card, or a digital credential 7 to a specific computer .and would authenticate users at a range of online services. The idea is to 8 a federation of private online identity systems. User could 9 which system to join, and only registered users whose identities have been authenticated could navigate those systems. The approach contrasts with one that would require an Internet drivers license 1