2015年广西民族大学基础英语考研真题A卷

1、2015年广西民族大学基础英语考研真题A卷I. Vocabulary (20 points，1 point each) Directions: There are 20 sentences in this part. Each sentence contains a word or phrase which is underlined. Below each sentence are four other expressions. Choose the one which would best keep the meaning of the original, and write down t

2、he letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.1. Please keep your comments pertinent to the topic under discussion.A. relevant B. conforming C. satisfactory D. direct2. He was deeply committed to political doctrines of social equality.A. issues B. beliefs C. interests D. basics3. His plots are always

3、very ingenious.A. stupid B. smart C. absurd D. consistent4. In this example 'X' denotes the time taken and 'Y' the distance covered.A. represents B. points to C. equals to D. emphasizes5. He didn't give an adequate answer to the question.A. enough B. wise C. prompt D. satisfactor

4、y6. A high proportion of crime in any country is perpetrated by young males in their teens and twenties.A. committed B. witnessed C. perceived D. restricted7. Baldwin enlightened her as to the nature of the experiment.A. showed B. explained to C. warned D. frightened8. Most scientists believe it is

5、legitimate to use animals in medical research.A. desirable B. reasonable C. legal D. effective9. He said he was resigning but did not elaborate on his reasons.A. explain B. provide C. state D. tell10. Success in the talks will reinforce his reputation as an international statesman.A. establish B. fo

6、rm C. consolidate D. threaten11. We did not realize the magnitude of the problem.A. essence B. importance C. content D. consequences12. Sleep has often been thought of as being in some way analogous death.A. similar B. close C. identical D. related13. How much to tell terminally ill patients is left

7、 to the discretion of the doctor.A. decision B. secrets C. contemplation D. words14. The director tried to wave aside these issues as trivial details that could be settled later.A. simple B. unimportant C. useless D. inferior15. Some astronomers contend that the universe may be younger than previous

8、ly thought.A. explain B. agree C. think D. argue16. It takes time to really understand all these facts.A. ruminate B. realize C. assimilate D. accept17. Computers can be used to make language learning easier.A. facilitate B. accelerate B. relieve D. alleviate18. The selection process is based on rig

9、orous tests of competence and experience.A. serious B. thorough C. difficult D. demanding19. He appended a glossary to his novel where he used an invented language.A. added B. used C. included D. compiled20. Mr Norris said he was hopeful that his request would elicit a positive response.A. cause B.

10、obtain C. produce D. call forthII. Reading Comprehension (80 points)Directions: The following two passages are followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and write down the letter on your ans

11、wer sheet. Passage 1 (15 points, 3 points each)One of the great mysteries of the brain is that we still cannot pin down exactly what a memory isthat is, how neural circuitry stores a given recollection. Yet in the last decade we have learned a lot about memorys limitations. Memories are not necessar

12、ily written into our brains like ink on paper. Think of them instead as inscribed in clay, suggests André Fenton, a neuroscientist at New York Universitys Center for Neural Science. Every time you access a memory, the message can get smudged, just as a clay tablet might if you were to pick it u

13、p and run your fingers over its surface. Ongoing biochemical processes cause memories to shift over time.Further, our mind sets and emotions can influence what we pay attention to and thus remember. Scientists are tinkering with experimental chemicals that, when injected, can interfere with memory-f

14、orming proteins and erase certain types of maladaptive feelings, such as an addicts desire for drugs. Researchers have even managed to trick mice into forming entirely false memories. Memory formation and recollection is an evolving, active and plastic process that involves many different working pa

15、rts of the brain, and scientists are just beginning to piece together how they coalesce into such a complex machine.1. The first sentences of this passage suggests that _.A. scientists have little idea about the mechanism of memoryB. recollections are stored in memoryC. memory is the last big proble

16、m to solve about our brainD. if we know how our brain stores the recollections we know the nature of memory2. Fenton suggests that _.A. ink on paper is different from inscriptions in clayB. using memory is harmful for our brainC. messages in our memory always change a little when we use themD. none

17、of the above3. According to the second paragraph, _.A. chemicals that can influence memory-formation work on proteinsB. addiction to drugs is a faulty type of adaptationC. altering memory-formation is already successful on miceD. all of the above4. According to the second paragraph, which of the fol

18、lowing is true about memory formation and recollection?A. The process is not a rigid or static oneB. The process relies on every part of the brain working togetherC. Scientists are trying to combine what they know into a theory about memoryD. none of the above5. Which of the following is NOT true, a

19、ccording to this essay?A. Scientists are fascinated with the process of memory and recollectionB. We still don't know everything about our brainC. The research of scientists are focused on eliminating undesired memoriesD. “Ongoing biochemical processes” refer mainly to those intrinsic to our bod

20、y, not to the experimental chemicals in the laboratory.Passage 2 (15 points, 3 points each)A new study suggests holding a position of power, with weighty responsibilities, increases symptoms of depression in women but diminishes them in men. "Women with job authority - the ability to hire, fire

21、 and influence pay - have significantly more symptoms of depression than women without this power." Pudrovska, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, explained in a press release. "In contrast, men with job authority have fewer symptoms of depression than men without such powe

22、r."Pudrovska and her research partner conducted their study using data on mental health and job authority collected from 1954 to 2004 as part of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. The study's authors claim that social and cultural norms allow for men to more seamlessly assume positions of po

23、wer. According to them, a man in power is expected and accepted by his peers, colleagues and subordinates - by those working alongside him as well as outsiders looking in. In contrast, previous studies have shown women in positions of authority regularly experience "interpersonal tension, negat

24、ive social interactions, negative stereotypes, prejudice, social isolation, as well as resistance from subordinates, colleagues and superiors." The weight of these stressors and tensions results in an uptick of depressive symptoms, with women in power possessing depression symptoms more often t

25、han men not in positions of authority. As well, men in positions of power were even less likely to be depressed.The study's authors say their findings are proof that "we need to address gender discrimination, hostility and prejudice against women leaders to reduce the psychological costs an

26、d increase the psychological rewards of higher-status jobs for women."1. The first paragraph suggests that _.A. women are depressed but men are notB. holding a position of power has different effects on women and menC. having more power is harmful for women but healthy for menD. none of the abo

27、ve2. The study was called a “longitudinal study” because _.A. the study was based on collected dataB. the study was conducted on mental health and job authorityC. the study was done across 50 yearsD. none of the above3. In the study's authors' opinion, the differences between men and women i

28、n adapting to job authority_.A. lies primarily in social and cultural normsB. consists in the different expectations that society has on men and womenC. are manifested in their different patterns of depressionD. all of the above4. The study's authors believe that _.A. society ought to pay women

29、leaders more than men leadersB. social discrimination and hostility toward women leaders increase their psychological tensionC. women leaders had better be relieved of their higher-status jobsD. none of the above5. The author of this passage _.A. reports on the study and the findings but gives no ex

30、plicit commentB. apparently agrees with the study's authors on their conclusionC. shows sympathy to women in high positionsD. wants to draw public attention to the social discrimination addressed in the studyPassage 3Read the following passages carefully and then explain in your own English the

31、exact meaning of the numbered and underlined parts. (25 points, 5 points each)Consider the times youve hopped on a subway, boarded a plane or entered a waiting room. 1Chances are, you probably avoided engaging with any fellow commuters or patients. But contrary to what we might think, wed be happier

32、 if we did strike up a conversation with a total stranger.In a study, commuters in Chicago were asked to either talk with a stranger on a train, or sit quietly alone, or just 2do whatever theyd normally do on their commute. Then, they responded to a survey about how they felt. It turns out that thos

33、e who engaged with strangers had the most pleasurable experience and 3those who remained solitary had the least enjoyable experience. These answers were compared with another group that did not participate but instead had to predict how they might feel in each situation. This group thought talking w

34、ith strangers would be the least enjoyable, by far.So 4despite being social animals and enjoying social engagement, we avoid chatting with strangers. Why? Well, according to a follow up study its because we think, wrongly, that strangers dont want to talk with us. 5The one way to get over this is to

35、 practice reaching out who knows, commuting could become more enjoyable.Passage 4Read the following passages carefully and then explain in your own English the exact meaning of the numbered and underlined parts. (25 points, 5 points each)1The intelligence of dolphins is well documented by science. S

36、tudies show that dolphins are able to understand sign language, solve puzzles, and use objects in their environment as tools. Scientists also believe that dolphins possess a sophisticated language: numerous instances have been recorded in which dolphins transmitted information from one individual to

37、 another. A recent experiment proved that dolphins can even recognize themselves in a mirror2something achieved by very few animals. This behavior demonstrates that dolphins are aware of their own individuality, at a level of intelligence that may be very near our own.Are dolphins usually intelligen

38、t? Dolphins have large brains, but we know that 3brain size alone does not determine either the nature or extent of intelligence. Some researchers have suggested that dolphins have big brains because they need themfor sonar and sound processing and for social interactions. Others have argued that re

39、gardless of brain size, dolphins have an intelligence level somewhere between that of a dog and a chimpanzee. The fact is, we don't know, and 4comparisons may not be especially helpful. Just as human intelligence is appropriate for human needs, dolphin intelligence is right for the dolphin's

40、 way of life. 5Until we know more, all we can say is that dolphin intelligence is different.III. General knowledge (20 points)A. Fill in each blank with a suitable word or phrase, and write your answers on the answer sheet. (10 points, 1 point each)1. The Theory of Conversation Implicatures was prop

41、osed by _.2. American Behaviorist linguistics was represented by the linguist _. The title of his best-known book was _. TG Grammar was proposed by _.3. The Oxford professor of philosophy _ was famous for the Speech Act Theory, in which speech acts are described as consisting of three parts, i.e. _ act, _ and _ act.4. In terms of