外国语2008年基础英语试题

外国语大学2008年所示入学考试基础英语试ReadingComprehension(50points)AMultipleChoice(24points)PleasereadthepassagesandchooseA,B,CorDtobestcompletethestatementsaboutTheGreeningof--HowAmericaislikelytotakeoverleadershipofthefightagainstclimatechange;andhowitcangetitAcountrywithaialsystemtendstogetidentifiedwithitsleader.So,fortherestoftheworld,AmericaisGeorgeBush'sAmericarightnow.ItisthecountrythathasmismanagedtheIraqwar;holdsprisonerswithouttrialatGuantanamoBay;restrictsfundingforstem-cellresearchbecauseoffundamentalistreligiousbeliefs;anddestroyedthechanceofaglobalclimate-changedealbasedontheKyotoProtocol.Buttosimplifythusistomisunderstand--especiallyinthecaseofthehuge,federalAmerica.Oneofitsgreatstrengthsisthediversityofitspolitical,economicandculturallife.WhiletheWhiteHousedugitsheelsinonglobalwarming,muchoftherestofthecountrywasmoving.That'swhatforcedthe'sconcessiontogreensinthestate-of-the-unionaddress.HispollratingssinkingundertheweightofIraq,Bushisgrasforpopularissuestokeephimafloat;andglobalwarminghasevidently esuchanissue.Albeitinthecontextofenergysecurity,anowfamiliarconcernofhis,inpart,tocombatit.It'stheweather,appropriay,thathasturnedpublicopinion--startingwithHurricaneKatrina.ScientistshadbeenwarningAmericansforyearsthattileriskof"extremeweatherevents"wouldprobablyincreaseasaresultofclimatechange.Butscientificpapersdonotdrivemessageshomeasconvincinglyasthedestructionofacity.AndtheheatwavethattorchedAmerica'swestcoastlastyear, paniedbyaconstantdripofnewresearchonmeltingglaciersanddyingpolarbears,hasonlystrengthenedthebeliefthatsomethingmustbedone.Businessischangingitsmindtoo.FiveyearsagocorporateAmericawassolidlyagainstcarboncontrols.Butthethreatofapatchworkofstateregulations,combinedwiththeopportunitytoprofitfromnewtechnologies,begantoshiftbusinessattitudes.Andthatmovementhasgainedmomentum,becausecompaniesthatsawtheircompetitorsespousecarboncontrolsbegantofearthat,oncetheernmentgotdowntodesigningregulations,theywouldbeleftoutofthediscussioniftheydidnotjumponthebandwagon.Sonowtheloudestvoicesarenotresistingchangebutarguingforit.Supportforcarboncontrolshasalsogrownamongsomeunlikelygroups:securityhawks(whowanttoreduceAmerica'sdependenceonMiddleEasternoil);farmers(wholikesubsidiesforgrowingtherawmaterialforethanol);andevangelicals(whoworrythatmanshouldlookingaftertheEarthGodgavehimalittlebetter).Thisalliancehashelpedpersuadepoliticianstomove.ArnoldSchwarzenegger,California'sRepublicanernor,hasledtheadvance,withmuscularmeasureslegislatingKyoto-stylecurbsinhisstate.Hispopularityhasreboundedasaresult.Andnowthereismovementtooatthefederallevel,whichiswhereitreallymatters.Billstotackleclimatechangehaveproliferated.Andthreeoftheseriouscandidatesforthepresidencyin2008--JohnMcCain,HillaryClintonandBarackObama--areallpushingforfederalUnfortunay,Bush'snewfoundinterestinclimatechangeiscoupledwith,anddistortedby,hisfocusonenergysecurity.ReducingAmerica'spetrolconsumptionby20%in2017,atargetheannouncedinthestate-of-the-unionaddress,wouldcertainlydiminishthecountry'sdependenceonMiddleEasternoil,butthewayheplanstogoaboutitmaynotbeeitherefficientorclean.Increasingfuel-economystandardsforcarsandtruckswillgopartoftheway,butformostoftheswitchAmericawillhavetorelyonagreateruseofalternativefuels.Thatmeansethanol(inefficientbecauseofheavysubsidiesandhightariffsonimportsofforeignethanol)orliquefiedcoal(filthybecauseofhighcarbonemissions).ThemeasureofBush'sfailuretotacklethisissueseriouslyishiscontinuedrejectionoftheonlytwocleanandefficientsolutionstoclimatechange.Oneisacarbontax,whichthispaperhaslongadvocated.Thesecondisacap-and-tradesystemofthesortEuropeintroducedtomeettheKyototargets.Itwouldlimitcompanies'emissionswhileallowingthemtobuyandsellpermitstopollute.Eithersystemshould,bysettingapriceoncarbon,discourageemission;and,inngso,encouragethedevelopmentanduseofcleaner-energytechnologies.JustasAmerica'sadoptionofcatalyticconvertersledeventuallytotheworld'sconversiontolead-freepetrol,soitsdrivetoclean-energytechnologieswillensurethatthesetoospread.AtaxisunlikelybecauseofAmerica'saversiontothatthree-letterword.Giventhat,itshouldgoforatoughcap-and-tradesystem.Inngso,itcanusefullylearnfromEurope'sexperience.First,getgooddata.Europefailedtodoso:companiesweregiventoomanypermits,andemissionshavethere-forenotfallen.Second,auctionpermits(whichare,ineffect,money)ratherthangivingthemawayfree.Europegavethemaway,whichallowedpolluterstomakewindfallprofits.Thiswillbeahugefight;for,ifthefederalernmentdidwhattheEuropeansdid,itwouldhandout$40billionto$50billioninpermits.Third,setalongtime-horizon.Europeansdonotknowwhethercarbonemissionswillstillbeconstrainedafter2012,whenKyotorunsout.Sincemostclean-energyprojectshaveapaybackperiodofmorethanfiveyears,thesystemthusfailstoencouragegreeninvestment.OneofAmerica'smostadmirablecharacteristicsisitsbeliefthatithasadutyofmoralleadership.Atpresent,however,it'snotngtoowellonthatscore.Globalwarmingcouldchangethat.Bytacklingtheissuenowitcouldregainthehighmoralground(atthesametimeforgingaheadintheclean-energybusiness,whichEuropemightotherwisedominate).Anditlooksasthoughitwill;foreveniftheToxicTexancontinuestoevadetheissue,hissuccessorwillgraspit.ItcanbeinferredfromthefirstparagraphAmericaisbusydealingwiththeIraqwarandtileGuant,4namoBayAmericaisinterestedinstem-cellAmericadespisestheglobalclimate-changeAmericadeclinestosigntheKyoto"Digone'sheelsin"inthesecondparagraphimproveby B.judgebyC.refusetochangeone's D.paymoreattentionWhichisNOTthereasonthatcausesthecorporateAmericatochangeitsmindovercarbonThestateregulationsaregettingThereisanopportunitytoprofitfromnewSomecompetitorsapproveofcarbonTheloudestvoicesaresupportingcarbonAccordingtotheauthor,whichisNOTapracticablewaytoreducecarbonemissionsinImpositionofacarbon B.Establishmentofacap-and-tradeC.Permissiontobuyandsellpermitsto D.SettingapriceonBecauseoftheAmericans'distastefortax,theauthorsuggeststhatallofthefollowingshouldbedoneEXCEPTasuitablenumberofpermitsbe B.thepriceforthepermitsbeC.carbonemissionsbetackledinalong-term D.carbonemissionsbeloosenedafterThepolluters'"windfallprofits"(Para.8)standstheprivilegegrantedbythe B.theunexpectedluckygainfromtheC.thefinancialsupportfromthefederal D.theillegalinterestsmadebytheSouthernWheneverIreturntoNorthCarolina,myhomestateinAmerica'sSoutheast,morethanthefamiliarroilinggrasslandhillslsmeI'mhome:Backthere,myearsperkuptofamiliarbitsofSouthern-styleAmericanEnglish,aregionaldelicacythathasyettosneakitswayintoChina."Listenupgoodnow,becauseI'mfixing'tolyouallaboutit."Ihadbeenlookingforwardtoanice,bigChristmasdinnerforsometimeleadinguptomymostrecentvisithome,becauseIknewIwouldbe"eatinghighonthehog".ThisSouthernism,whichoriginallymeanthavingtheluxuryofeatingthehighest-qualitypartsofthepig,nowsimplyreferstoenjoyinggoodfoodinlargeties.Mymom'sdeliciousbakedhamdidhappentobeonthetableaswefeastedthisChristmas,butthepresenceofporkishardlyanecessityforeatinghighonthehog,nordoesonehavetobeintheSouthtodoso.Infact,thephraseoftenpassesthroughmymindwhenIsitdowntoa inghotpotorabowofXinjiang-stylenoodlesinBeijing.ButtorSouthernerswhoenjoygoodbarbecuedpork(andtherearen'tmanywhodon't),there'sagreatwaytoeathighonthehogwhileeatingevery,partofit:goto"apigpickin".Apigpickinisnotsomuchamealasitisanevent,wherepeoplegatheraroundawholehogwhichisslaw-roastedinasmokyovenuntilitstendermeatcanbepickedrightoffthebonesandeaten.There'sonlyonewaytodescribethetasteofjuicybarbecueonasummerafternoon:"finger-lickingood!"ManySoutherncolloquialismsreflecttheagriculturalheritageoftheregion,andsolotsofSouthernslangcallsonimagesoralitiesweassociatewithanimals.Afteralong,hamdayatwork,nothingdescribessomeoneisexhaustedquiteasvividlyassayingheorsheis"dogtired",evokinganimageofalazy,long-earedhounddoglazingonafrontporch.Or,ifsomeonehasanaturalinligenceforunderstandingthewaysoftheworld,wemaysaythathas"horsesense",likeatrustyfour-leggedfriendwhoalwaysknowswhichwaytogowhenitcomestoaforkintheroad.TheSouth'slong-standingreligioustraditionsalsopepperthespeechoflocals.WhenaproperSouthernerwantstoexpressthatsomethingwillhappenifallgoeswell,hemightsay,"GoodLordwillin"andthecreekdon'trise",whichrecallsmoreprimitivetimeswhenmanySouthernfarmersre-liedongoodweatherconditionsfortheirlivelihoods.Forexample,onefriendmightsaytoanotherwhenarrangingaweekendie,"GoodLordwillin'andthecreekdon'trise,I'llseeyouonSun-day."Ifthatweekendbringsathunderstorm,rainingouttheic,thetwounluckyfriendsmaycursetheweather,callingit"god-awful".versionof"youall",andtheinfamous"aim’s",whichmeans"isnot","arenot"or"amnot".WhileSouthernersandnon-SouthernerswillprobablyneverstoparguingoverwhetherornottheseofficiallyqualifyasEnglishwords(theyareinthedictionary,ifthatcountsforanything),theyareundeniablypartoftheSouthernvocabulary.OneoftilecharmsofthewaySouthernersspeakisthattheyoftenhaveamultitudeofcolorfulwaystosayverysimplethings.Ifsomeoneplanstodosomethingvery,soon,hecouldsayitanynumberofways,someofwhichmaybringastothelistener'sface.Insteadofsaying"rightaway",aSouthavenmightsubstituteanyofthefollowing:"tasterthanyoucanskinacat";"quickerthanyoucansay'JackRobinson'"(don'taskmewhoJackis);"'rightnowinaminute";or"lickety-split".Southern-styleEnglishissomethingthatmanyAmericansfeelverystronglyabout.WhilemanynativesoftheSouthareproudofthedistinctiontheirslangbringstotheirspeech,otherEnglishspeak-est.’softenturntheirnosesupattheearthy,down-hometoneoftheregion'sslang.Butloveitorhateit,theEnglishoftheAmericanSouthisfullofalityandlikenothingelseyou'lleverhear.WhattheauthorwantstolinthefirstparagraphisheisfairlyfamiliarwiththesceneofAmerica'severybodyknowswellthatNorthCarolinaissouthernEnglishisveryexpressiveandrichinitisworthwhiletointroducesomethingabouthisWhattheauthormeansby"eatinghighonthehog"havingabig B.eatingtilehighest-qualitypartsoftheC.enjoyingdeliciousbaked D.livingveryAccordingtothepassage,theuniquenessofSoutherncolloquialismscanbetracedtoallofthefollowingfactorsA.agricultural B.religious C.irregular D.eatingWhichofthereasonslistedbelowDOESNOTexplainwhymanyAmericansfeelstronglyaboutsouthern-styleBecauseitisvividand B.BecauseitisspecialandC.BecauseitenjoyshighprestigeintheUnited D.BecauseitisconsideredinferiorbysomeWhichofthehollowingisNOTmentionedinthepassageaboutsouthern-styleAdialectthatbearsthemarksofreligiousAnartofconversationtobepracticedandAdialectwithmanycolorfulwaystotalkaboutplainAregionaldialectnotyetintroducedintoTheauthor'sattitudetowardsouthern-styleEnglishA. B. C.with D.withBTrueorFalse(10Readthefollowingpassagecarefullyandthendecidewhetherthestatementswhichfollowaretrue(T)orfalse(X-CeilingOverMenarealwayslingmenottogeneralizeaboutthem.ButastartlingnewstudyshowsthatscienceisbackingmeupResearchpublishedlastweekinthejournalNaturerevealsthatwomenaregeneticallymorecomplexthanscientistseverimagined,whilemenremainthesimplecreaturestheyappear."Alas,"saidoneoftheauthorsofthestudy,theDukeUniversitygenomeexpertHuntingtonWillard,"geneticallyspeaking,ifyou'vemetoneman,you'vemetthemall.Weare,Ihatetosayit,predictable.Youcan'tsaythataboutwomen.Menandwomenarefartherapartthanweeverknew.It'snotMarsorVenus.It'sMarsorVenus,Pluto,Jupiterandwhoknowswhatotherplanets.Womenarenotonlymoredifferentfrommenthanweknew.Womenaremoredifferentfromeachotherthanweknewcreaturesof"'infinitevariety,"asShakespearewrote."Wepoormenonlyhave45chromosomestodoourworkwithbecauseour46thisthepatheticYthathasonlyafewgeneswhichoperatebelowthewaistandabovetheknees,"Dr.Willardobserved."Incontrast,wenowknowthatwomenhavethefull46chromosomesthatthey'regettingworkfromandthe46thisasecondXthatisworkingatlevelsgreaterthanweknew."Dr.Willardandhisco-author,LauraCarrel,amolecularbiologistatthePennsylvaniaStateUniversityCollegeofMedicine,thinkthattheirdiscoverymayhelpexplainwhythebehaviorandtraitsofmenandwomenaresodifferent;theymaybehard-wiredinthebrain,inadditiontobeinghormonalorcultural.SoisLawrenceSummersrightafterall?"Onlytimewilll,"Dr.WillardTheresearcherslearnedthatawhop15percent--200to300--ofthegenesonthesecondXchromosomeinwomen,thoughttobesubmissiveandinert,lollingaboutonanevolutionaryVictorianfaintingcouch,areactive,givingwomenasignificantincreaseingeneexpressionovermen.AstheTimessciencereporterNicholasWade,whoiswritingabookabouthumanevolutionandgenetics,explainedittome,"Womenaremosaics,onecouldevensaychimeras,inthesensethattheyaremadeupoftwodifferentkindsofcell.Whereasmenarepureand plicated,beingmadeofjustasinglekindofcellthroughout."Thismeansmen'sgeneralizationsaboutwomenarecorrect,too.Womenareinscrutable,changeable,crafty,idiosyncratic,adifferentspecies."Women'schromosomeshavemorecomplexity,whichmenviewasunpredictability,"saidDavidPage,amolecularbiologistandexpertonsexevolutionattheWhiteheadInstituteforBiomedicalRe-searchinCambridge,Mass.KnownasMr.Y,Dr.Ecallshimself"thedefenderoftherottingYchromosome."He'sreferringtostudiesshowingthattheYchromosomehasbeensheddinggeneswilly-nillyformillionsofyearsandisnowafractionofthesizeofitspartner,theXchromosome."TheYmarriedup,"henotes."TheXmarrieddown."Sizematters,sosomeexpertshavesuggestedthatin10millionyearsorevenmuchsooner--100,000years--mencoulddisappear,taking magazine,MarchMadnessandcoldpizzainthemorningwiththem.bythelitterofoldfastfoodtakeoutboxes."TheYwantstomaintainhimselfbutdoesn'tknowhow,"hesaid."He'sfallingapart,liketheguywhocan'tmanagetogetadoctor'sappointmentorcan'tcleanupthehouseorapartmentunlesshiswifedoesit.""IprefertothinkoftheYasperseveringandnoble,notastheRodneyDangerfieldofthehumanDr.PagesaystheY--arefugethroughoutevolutionforanygenethatisgoodformalesand/orbadforfemales--hase"amirror,ametaphor,ablankslateonwhichyoucanwriteanythingyouwanttothinkaboutmales."Ithasinspiredcartoongenemapsthatshowthebelchinggene,theinability-to-remember-birthdays-and-anniversariesgene,fascination-with-spiders-and-reptilesgene,theselective-heating-loss"Huh"gene,theinability-to-express-affection-on-the-phonegene.Thediscoveryaboutwomen'ssuperiorgeneexpressionmayanswerfileage-oldquestionaboutwhymenhavetroubleexpressingthemselves:becausetheirgenesdo.ScienceindicatesthatitisverydifficulttomakegeneralizationsaboutThesciencejournalNaturerevealsthatwomen'simaginationismuchmorecomplicatedthanGeneticallyspeaking,menhave45chromosomestousewhilethe46thisofnouseatMen'sbehaviorsaredifferentfromwomen'sbecauseofneurological,hormonalandculturalAlthoughsomegenesonthesecondXchromosomeinwomenareobedientandstagnant,theyenhancewomen'sgeneCGapFilling(14Pleasechoosethebestsentencefromthelistafterthepassagetofillineachofthegapsinthetext.Therearemoresentencesthangaps.TruthstoLiveTheartoflivingistoknowwhentoholdfastandwhentoletgo. Therabbisofoldputitthisway:mancomesintothisworldwithhisfistclenched,butwhenhedies,hishandisopen..Weknowthatthisisso,butalltoooftenwerecognizethistruthonlyinourbackwardglancewhenwerememberwithfargreaterpainthatwedidnotseethatbeautywhenitflowered,thatwefailedtorespondwithlovetolovewhenitwastendered. .Iwashospitalizedfollowingasevereheartattackandhadbeeninintensivecareforseveraldays.Itwasnotapleasantplace.Onemorning,Ihadtohavesomeadditionaltests.Therequiredmachineswerelocatedinabuildingattheoppositeendofthehospital,soIhadtobewheeledacrossthecourtyard.Asweemergedfromourunit,thesunlighthitme.That'salltherewastomyexperience.Justthelightofthesun.Ilookedtoseewhetheranyoneelserelishedthesun'sgoldenglow,buteveryonewashurryingtoandfro,mostwiththeireyesfixedontheground.ThenIrememberedhowoftenI,too,hadbeenindifferenttothegrandeurofeachday,toopreoccupiedwithpettyandsometimesevenmeanconcernstorespondtothesplendorofitall.Theinsightgleanedfromthatexperienceisreallyascommonplaceaswastheexperienceitself:life'sgirlsarepreciousbutwearetooheedlessofthem.Herethenisthefirstpoleoflife'sparadoxicaldemandsonus:Neverbetoobusyforthewonderandtheaweof.Embraceeachhour.Seizeeachgolden.Thisisthesecondsideoflife'scoin,theoppositepoleofitsparadox:wemustacceptourlosses,andlearnhowtoletgo.Thisisnotaneasylessontolearn,especiallywhenweareyoungandthinkthattheworldisourstocommand,thatwhateverwedesirewiththefullforceofourpassionatebeingcan,may,will,beours.(24)Surelyweoughttoholdfasttolife,foritiswondrous,andfullofabeautythatbreaksthrougheveryporeofGod'sownButthenlifemovesalongtoconfrontuswithrealities,andslowlybutsurelythissecondtruthdawnsuponForlifeisaparadox:itenjoinsustoclingtoitsmanygiftsevenwhileitordainstheireventualWhenlifeistreatedwiththeproperattitude,regretwillsurelynotbeleftArecentexperiencere-taughtmethisHoldfasttolife..,butnotsofastthatyoucannotletBereverentbeforeeachdawningAndyethowbeautifulitwas--howwarming,howsparkling,howPleasereadthefollowingpassageandtranslatetheunderlinedpartsintoChinese.(40Points,8pointsConfidenceisafeeling-aninnerfireandanouterradiance,abasicsatisfactionwithwhatoneisplusareachingouttoemore.Confidenceisnotsomethingafewpeoplearebornwithandothersarenot.,foritisanacquiredcharacteristic.Confidenceisthealpossessionofnoone;thewhohasitlearnsit-andgoesonlearning.Themostgiftedindividualonearthhastoconstructconfidenceinhisgiftsfromthebasisoffaithandexperience,likeanybodyelse.Thetoolswilldifferfromonetothenext,buttheessentialtaskisthesame.Confidenceandposeareavailabletousallaccordingtoourabilitiesandneeds-notsomebodyelse's-providedweutilizeourgiftsandexpandthem.Oneofthemostrewardingaspectsofconfidenceisthatitsitsgracefullyoneveryageandleveloflife-onchildren,men,women,thefamous,theobscure,rich,poor,artist,executive,teen-ager,theveryold.Andyoucantakeitwithyouintooldage.Thereisnothingmoreinspiringthanandoldwhomaintainshisgoodwill,humor,andfaithinhimself,inothers,inthefuture.Conversely,therootcause