外语类试卷专业英语八级(阅读)模拟试卷54

经典word整理文档，仅参考，双击此处可删除页眉页脚。本资料属于网络整理，如有侵权，请联系删除，谢谢！[外语类试卷]专业英语八级（阅读）模拟试卷540Distantindeedseemthedayswhenthetwogreatrivalsofcommercialaviation,BoeingandAirbus,wouldusebigairshowstotrumpethundredsofneworders.Thisyear'sParisAirShowwasamuchmoresombreaffair,eveniftheBoeing-Airbusfeudstilltookcentrestage.Therewereoneortwobrightspots.Airbuswasabletoboastofafirmorderfortenofitswide-bodyA350sfromAirAsiaX.JohnLeahy,itstopsalesman,expectsdeliveriesin2009tomatchtherecord483in2008.Boeing,whichwashitbyaprolongedstrikelastyear,willprobablydelivermoreaircraftthisyearthanlast.Bothfirmsbuiltuphugebacklogsinthefatyears:eachhasordersforabout3,500planes.Butmanyofthosemaysoonevaporate.GiovanniBisignani,thebossofIATA,thetradebodythatspeaksformostairlines,gavewarningearlierthismonththathismembersmightdeferasmanyas30%ofaircraftdeliveriesnextyear.Healsoalmostdoubledhisforecastfortheindustry'scumulativelossesin2009,to$9billion.BothMr.LeahyandJimMcNerney,thechiefexecutiveofBoeing,thinkthatMr.Bisignaniisoverdoingthegloom.Buttheyconcedethatpotentialcustomersmayfindpurchaseshardtofinance.Anotherissueisthecostoffuel.Mr.McNerneythinkstherecentincreaseintheoilpriceshouldencouragecarrierstoreplaceelderlygasguzzlerswithefficientnewplanes.Butiftheprice"spikesover$100"allbetsareoff.Thetwoaviationgiantsagreeononeotherthing:theindustrywillnotgetasuccessortoitsubiquitousshort-haulworkhorses,the737andtheA320,formorethanadecade.Thatispartlybecausethe15-20%efficiencygainthatairlinessaytheywantfromthenextgenerationis,saysMr.McNerney,"abarthatkeepsmovingnorth"thankstothecontinuousimprovementsof1-2%ayearthatthemanufacturersaremakingtoexistingplanes.Moreover,bothBoeingandAirbusareconservingcashforalongandbitterscraptodominatethemarketforlong-haulaircraftwithupto350seats.Boeing'stroubled787Dreamlinerwillatlasttaketotheairthismonth,twoyearslate.Theproductionproblemsthatstemmedfromboththerevolutionaryuseofcompositesandanextendedglobalsupplychainappeartohavebeenovercome.Tospeedupdeliveriesofthe787,forwhichBoeinghasreceivedmorethan860orders,Mr.McNerneyisplanningasecondassemblyline.Thedelaystothe787havebeenagodsendforAirbus.Itsrival,theslightlybiggerA350,isontracktoflyinearly2012afterapainfulgestation.Withnearly500orders,AirbusclaimsthattheA350issellingevenfasterthantherecord-breaking787didatthesamestageinitsdevelopment.ThebiggestconcernforBoeing,however,isnotthattheA350willtakesalesfromthe787,butthatitslargestvariant,theA350-1000,willbeastrongrivaltoitssuccessful777.MrMcNerneysaysthatBoeingcanaffordtowaitand答案见麦多课文库seehowgreatathreatthebiggestA350is.ButaccordingtoAirbusexecutives,Boeingwillbefacedwiththedilemmaofmerelyupgradingthe777ortakingthebiggerandmorecostlystepofbuildingareplacement.TheA350andthe787areattheheartofthelong-runningandacrimoniousdisputebetweenBoeingandAirbusattheWorldTradeOrganisation(WTO)overstatesubsidiesforlargecommercialaircraft.ThisweekEuropeangovernmentsdeclaredthattheywerereadytocontribute3.5billion($4.9billion)ofreimbursablelaunchaidtothe11billioncostofdevelopingtheA350.TheannouncementhadBoeingexecutivesscurryingtotheirBlackBerrystocondemnwhattheysawasa"provocative"movegiventhattheWTOisexpectedtoissuearulingonBoeing'scomplaintwithinweeks(arulingonacounter-complaintbyAirbusisduelaterintheyear).LouisGallois,thechiefexecutiveofEADS,theparentcompanyofAirbus,deniedtherewasanythingoddaboutthetiming:"Wedonotpleadguilty,"hesaid."OursupportismuchmoretransparentthanBoeing's.WehavefullyrepaidwithinterestthesupportwereceivedfortheA320andA330andwearealreadypayingbackontheA380(super-jumbo)."TomEnders,thechiefexecutiveofAirbus,addedthattheaidwasaimedonlyat"levellingtheplayingfield"andthattheEuropeanUnionhaddescribedthe787asthemostsubsidisedcommercialaircraftinhistory.1ItcanbeinferredfromParagraphOnethatBoeingandAirbus______.（）havenotsufferedfromareductionofnewordersuntilthisyear（）didnotcompetewitheachotherintenselyinthepast（C）usedtoadvertisetheirsuccessinbusinessatairshows（）wouldhavetoresolvetheirrivalryasearlyaspossible2Accordingtothepassage,AirbusandBoeingsharedthefollowingchallengesEXCEPT______.（）financialtroubleofpotentialcustomers（）labourdisputewiththeiremployees（C）riskofoilpricehigherthan$100答案见麦多课文库（）difficultiesindevelopingnewaircraft3BoeingexecutivesfoundtheannouncementofAirbus"provocative"because______.（）AirbusreceivedhighersubsidiesthanBoeing（）Airbusreceivednewsubsidieswhiletheolddisputeremainedunsolved（C）Airbusdidn'thavetorepaythenewlyannouncedsubsidies（）WTOrulingisexpectedtobeinAirbus'sfavour4Whichtypeoftheaircraftsmentionedinthispassagewillbethelasttobegindelivery?（）Boeing787.（）Boeing777.（C）A380.（）A350.5Whatdoes"levellingtheplayingfield"inthelastparagraphmean?（）Makingthegroundsmooth.（）Makingthecompetitionfair.（C）Supportingthedevelopmentofnewaircraft.（）Reimbursingprevioussubsidies.5Scientist,engineer,musicianandgreatartist,LeonardodaVinciisthearchetypalRenaissanceman.Thisundisputedgenius,wholivedtobe67,wasalsooneofhistory'smostaccomplishedunderachievers.Hestartedmanyprojectshedidnotfinish;heacceptedcommissionsheneverbegan;hismanyplannedtreatisesremainedjustnotes.Only18ofhispaintingssurvive.Halfofthemareincludedinashowthatopenedon答案见麦多课文库November9thatLondon'sNationalGallery,makingthisthemostimportantdaVincidisplayever.TheartistwasbornnearFlorencein1452andwenttoMilanattheageof30.LukeSyson,theshow'scurator,hascometobelievethatthefreedomdaVincienjoyedthereascourtpaintertoLudovicoSforza,DukeofMilan,wasthekeythatunlockedhisgenius.Mr.Syson'scontentionthatLeonardo'sgreatbreakthroughcameinMilanandnotlaterinFlorence,ashasgenerallybeenaccepteduntilnow,hascaptivatedcurators,collectorsandmuseumdirectorswhohavebeengenerousinloaningworkstotheshow;fromtheVatican,Prague,Cracow,ParisandtheRoyalCollection.AllthepicturesonshowwerepaintedduringdaVinci's18yearsinMilan.NeverhasitbeenpossibletoseesomanyofdaVinci'spaintingstogether.Therearealsosome50drawings,includingthemonumentalVirginandChildwithSaintAnneandSaintJohntheBaptist(sometimescalledTheBurlingtonHouseCartoon).TheonepicturemissingfromthisperiodisTheLastSupper,whichispaintedonawall.Thiswork,whichisbadlydamaged,isrepresentedherebyalargephotographandanear-contemporary(thoughfarinferior)copy.InpagesfromanotebookdaVinci'sslanted"mirror"writingdescribestheguestsatadinner.Withanovelist'sinterestindetail,hecarefullyobservedtheshrugofoneman'sshoulders,thepositionofanother'shands,thescowlononefaceandthefrownonyetonemore.Theexhibitionisarrangedthematically;inadditionto"BeautyandLove",thereisalso"CharacterandEmotion"and"BodyandSoul".ThevisitorquicklycomesfacetofacewiththeportraitofCeciliaGallerani,alsoknownasTheLadywithanErmine.Althoughtheimageisfamiliarfromreproductions,theradianceofthepaintingissurprising.Furtheralongisanunfinished,yetsearing,SaintJerome.Forthefirsttime,bothversionsofTheVirginoftheRocks,onetheNationalGallery'sownandtheotherbelongingtotheLouvre,areshowntogether.Thetwoversionshangatoppositeendsofthelongexhibitionspace.Themoreonelooksatthetwopictures,themorevisiblearethedifferencesbetweenthem;thestrangelyformedrocksintheLouvre'sversioncreateaprotectiveatmosphere,whereasintheNationalGallery'spaintingtherocksseemquiteeerie,contributingtotheoverallsepulchralfeelofthework.Asaphilosopherandscientist,daVincistrovetounderstandwhatheobservedinhisclosestudiesofnature.Artwasanexpressionofhisthoughts.TheLadywithanErmineshowstheDukeofMilan'steenagemistressinafashionableredgown,itsslitsleevesrevealingapaleunderdress.DaVinci,alwaysfascinatedbyknots,carefullydetailsthewaytheblackribbonsaretiedonCecilia'sleftsleeve.Herrightarmisinshadow.Thetiesonthatsleevearesketchy.Theartisthastakenintoaccounthisobservationthatvisualacuitydeclinesinthedark.Thebrainfillsinnecessaryinformation.Thesketchinessoftherightsleevehelpsbringtheportraittolife,creatingwhatWalterPater,答案见麦多课文库a19th-centuryBritishessayistandartcritic,describedasa"realitywhichalmostamountstoillusion".DaVinciwouldsometimesspendyearsthinkingaboutasinglepainting.Mr.SysonhopesvisitorstotheNationalGallerywill,inturn,looklongandhardattheseworks.Advanceticketsforentrytotheendoftheyearhadsoldoutbytheopeningday.TheshowdoesnotcloseuntilFebruary5th2012,butadvanceticketsforitsfinalweeksaregoingfast.Meanwhile,theonlywaytogetinnowistoqueueforoneofthe500ticketsbeingheldbackforsaleeachmorning.Thesecuritychecksareelaborate,butthewaitiswellworthit.6ThatLeonardodaVinci"wasalsooneofhistory'smostaccomplishedunderachievers"(ParagraphOne)means______.（）hefailedtocompletemanyofhisworks（）hisachievementshavebeenexaggerated（C）hedidnotdeservethefameinthehistory（）hecouldhaveachievedmorewithhisgenius7TheoriginalTheLastSupperisnotdisplayedattheshowbecause______.（）itsreplicalooksbetter（）itcannotbemoved（C）itisnotkeptinLondon（）itdoesnotfitintothethemeoftheshow8WhichofthefollowingwordscanbestdescribethestyleofLeonardodaVinci'spaintings?（）Radiant.（）Exquisite.答案见麦多课文库（C）Exotic.（）Sketchy.9Whichofthefollowingstatementscontainsapun?（）Thekeythatunlockedhisgenius.(ParagraphTwo)（）Mr.Syson'scontention...hascaptivatedcurators...(ParagraphThree)（C）...themonumentalVirginandChildwithSaintAnneandSaintJohntheBaptist.(ParagraphFour)（）...anunfinished,yetsearing,SaintJerome.(ParagraphSix)10ThetoneoftheauthortoLeonardodaVinceis______.（）critical（）neutral（C）curious（）praising10Oneoftheparadoxesofhumanbiologyisthattherichworldhasfewerchildrenthanthepoorworld.Inmostspecies,improvedcircumstancesareexpectedtoincreasereproductiveeffort,notreduceit,yetaseconomicdevelopmentgetsgoing,countryaftercountryhasexperiencedwhatisknownasthedemographictransition;fertility(definedasthenumberofchildrenbornebyawomanoverherlifetime)dropsfromaroundeighttonearoneandahalf.Thatnumberissosmallthatevenwiththereducedchildmortalitywhichusuallyaccompaniesdevelopmentitcannotpossiblysustainthepopulation.Thisreproductivecollapseisparticularlyworryingbecauseitcomesincombinationwithanincreaseinlifeexpectancywhichsuggeststhat,bythemiddleofthecentury,notonlywillpopulationsinthemostdevelopedcountrieshaveshrunk(unlesstheyareproppedupbyhistoricallyhugelevelsofimmigration)butalsothatthenumberofretiredindividualssupportedbyeachpersonofworkingagewillincreasesignificantly.IfMikkoMyrskylaoftheUniversityofPennsylvaniaandhiscolleaguesarecorrect,though,things答案见麦多课文库mightnotbequiteasbadasthat.AstudytheyhavejustpublishedinNaturesuggeststhatasdevelopmentcontinues,thedemographictransitiongoesintoreverse.Dr.Myrskylacomparedtwothings.Onewasthetotalfertilityrate(thenumberofchildrenthatwouldbeborntoawomaninaparticularcountryoverthecourseofherlifeifsheexperiencedtheage-specificfertilityratesobservedinthatcountryduringthecalendaryearinquestion).Theotherwasthehumandevelopmentindexforthatcountry.TheHDI,ameasureusedbytheUnitedNations,hasthreecomponents:lifeexpectancy;averageincomeperperson;andlevelofeducation.Itsmaximumpossiblevalueisone.Backinthe1970s,nocountrygotanywherenearone.Ofthe107placestheresearcherslookedat,thebestwasCanada,withanHDIof0.89.By2005,however,thingshadimprovedmarkedly.Twodozenofwhatwerenow240countrieshadHDIsabove—andsomethingelseremarkablehadhappened.Backin1975,agraphplottingfertilityrateagainsttheHDIfellastheHDIrose.By2005,though,thelinehadakinkinit.AboveanHDIof0.9orso,itturnedup,producingwhatisknowninthejargonasa"J-shaped"curve(eventhoughitisthemirrorimageofaletterJ).Inmanycountrieswithreallyhighlevelsofdevelopment(around0.95)fertilityratesarenowapproachingtwochildrenperwoman.Thereareexceptions,notablyCanadaandJapan,butthetrendisclear.Whythischangehascomeabout,andwhythedemographictransitionhappensinthefirstplace,aremattersofdebate.Therearelotsofsocialexplanationsofwhyfertilityratesfallascountriesbecomericher.Theincreasingabilityofwomeninthedevelopedworldtocontroltheirownreproductiveoutputisone,asistherelatedphenomenonofwomenenteringtheworkplaceinlargenumbers.Theincreasingcostofraisingchildreninasocietywithmorematerialabundanceplaysapart.Sodoesthesubstitutionofnationalisedsocial-securitysystemsforthesupportofoffspringinoldage.Fallingratesofchildmortalityarealsosignificant.Conversely,Dr.Myrskylaspeculatesthattheintroductionoffemale-friendlyemploymentpoliciesinthemostdevelopedcountriesallowswomentohavethebestofbothworlds,andthatthismaycontributetotheuptick.Nodoubtallthesesocialexplanationsaretrueasfarastheygo,buttheydonotaddressthedeeperquestionofwhypeople'spsychologyshouldhaveevolvedinawaythatmakesthemwantfewerchildrenwhentheycanaffordmore.Thereisapossiblebiologicalexplanation,though.11WhichofthefollowingfactorsdoesNOTcontributetothefallingfertilityrateinmanydevelopedcountries?（）Highercostofraisingchildren.（）Morematerialabundance.答案见麦多课文库（C）Betteravailabilityofbirthcontrolmeasures.（）Improvedsocial-securitysystems.12ThefollowingstatementsareconsistentwithDr.Myrskyla'sviewaboutdemographictransitionEXCEPTthat______.（）fertilityratesinCanadadon'trisebecauseofthelackoffemale-friendlyemploymentpolicies（）somecountriesexperienceanothertransition;fertilityraterisesastheybecomemoredeveloped（C）therisingfemaleemploymentdoesnotalwaysresultinreducedreproductiveoutput（）HDIisanimportantindicatorforacountry'slevelofdevelopment13Whatistheroleofthe4thparagraphinthedevelopmentofthetopic?（）Toillustratethatfertilityratesinsomehighlydevelopedcountriesbegantorise.（）ToshowthatcountrieslikeCanadaandJapanremainlowfertilityrates.（C）Toexplainhowdemographictransitionoccurredfrom1975to2005.（）ToindicatethatthetrendofHDIisunrelatedtotheriseorfalloffertilityrates.14Whatdoestheword"uptick"attheendofthe5thparagraphreferto?（）Longerlifeexpectancy.（）Risingsurvivabilityofchildren.（C）Moreandmorewomenpursuingtheirowncareer.（）IncreasingfertilityratesincountrieswithHDIabove0.9.答案见麦多课文库14DetroitseemstobewhereWallStreetmeetsMainStreet.TightcreditisreckonedtohavecosttheAmericancarmakers40,000salesinAugust,worthabout$1billioninrevenue.TheimpacthasbeenfeltmostbyAmerica'sBig—GeneralMotors,FordandChrysler—whichhavesufferedthisyearasconsumersshunnedgas-guzzlersinfavourofthesmallercarsmostlymadebyJapanesefirmsinAmericanfactories.Overalllight-vehiclesaleshita15-yearlowinSeptember,withafallof27%comparedwithayearearlier.Theproblemisfinance."Wehaveplentyofcustomers—whatwedon'thaveisfinancingavailabletomeettheirneeds,"MikeJackson,chiefexecutiveofAutoNation,aleadingcar-dealerchain,toldCNBCthisweek.Hereckonsthattightercreditandlimitsonfinanceforleaseshavecosthisfirmafifthofitssalesthisyear.TheBigThreehavebeenhitbypetrolpricespushingtowards$4agallon,bymoredemandingfederalfuel-economyrulesandbythecreditcrunchwreckingconsumerfinance.ButthefederalgovernmentcametotheiraidthisweekwhenGeorgeBushsignedanenergybillthatincludes$25billioninloanguaranteestoeasetheirpain.SupposedlythisistoallowtheBigThreetoretooltheirfactoriestoproducemoreeconomicalvehicles.DavidCole,directoroftheCentreforAutomotiveResearch,anindustrybody,estimatesthatsuchretoolingcouldcostatleast$100billion.Butmoneyismoney,sotheinfusionofcheapcreditwillhelpthecarmakerspaytheirbillsnextyear."GiventhemarketpositionoftheBigThree,thingswillgetstickybymid-2009,becausetheyhavetokeepspendingonnewprogrammes,"saysJoePhilippiofAutoTrends,aconsultancy.Therulesarestillbeingworkedout,butthedealmeansthatcarcompanies—blessedwiththegovernmentguarantee—shouldgetloanswithaninterestrateofaround5%ratherthanthe15%theywouldfaceontheopenmarketintoday'sconditions.Thestipulationthattheloansareonlyforfirmswithfactoriesatleast20yearsoldrulesoutnearlyallthe"transplant"factoriesthatforeigncarmakersbuiltinAmericatogetaroundtariffbarriers.AndevenifsomeJapanesecarmakersdoqualifyforloans,theyarenotexpectedtoaskforthem.Soasumthatseemedpreposterousonlyafewmonthsagohaswonoverwhelmingapprovalfrompoliticians.Comparedwiththedemandfor$700billiontounderpinthefinancialsystem,whocancomplainaboutamere$25billionforcarmakers?Andusinggovernmentmoneytokeephonest,hardworkingcar-industryworkersintheirjobsiseasierforpoliticianstojustifythanhandoutsforgreedyWallStreetbankers.Thesales-pitchisevenmorecompellinginanelectionyear.Onceindustrialsubsidieslikethisbegintoflow,itisdifficulttostopthem.ArecentstudybytheCatoInstitute,aright-wingthink-tank,foundthatthefederalgovernmentspentsome$92billionsubsidisingbusinessin2006alone.Only$21billionofthatwenttofarmers: