试题库

Test 1

I. Multiple Choice. (30 points)

A. Listening to short conversations (20 points)

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. (2×10 = 20 points)

1. A) No one needs a vacation as much as he does.

   B) He has just had one.

   C) A vacation is incredibly good for a change.

   D) A vacation is even more exhausting.

2. A) Stephen is good at taking account of everything.

   B) Stephen’s babies are interested in collecting coins.

   C) Stephen learns to be systematic from his hobby.

   D)Stephen collects coins because they are valuable.

3. A) The farmer makes robots without much knowledge about high-tech.

   B) The farmer has held on to his hobby even though he met with great difficulty.

   C) The farmer’s hobby has brought great changes to his village.

   D) The farmer started his hobby at the age of 44.

4. A) 3 hours or so.

   B) 9 hours or so.

   C) 21 hours or so.

   D) 5 hours or so.

5. A) He is taking an entrance examination.

   B) He is working as an engineer.

C) He is receiving his Bachelor’s degree.

D) He is at a job interview.

1. A) He has been teaching in high school for a long time.

   B) He is completely lost in a foreign culture.

   C) He thinks he will never get old.

   D) He wants to keep learning all his life.

2. A) He is interested in the progress of architecture.

   B) He is interested in writing the history of cities.

   C) He is interested in the history of cities shown in pictures.

   D) He is interested in giving lectures on photography.

3. A) He is a billionaire in Chinatown.

   B) He is a successful businessman.

   C) He owns a big company in China.

   D) He earned 100 million dollars last year.

4. A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

1. She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

2. She left the party before the man arrived.

   D) She didn’t want to see the man.

1. A) He had a worse driver in the back seat of his car.

   B) He got very nervous when sitting behind the wheel.

   C) He cannot drive the mother anywhere next time.

   D) He was criticized by the woman’s mother all the way.

    

   B. Listening to a passage (10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation between Wilbur and Sharon talking about Habitat for Humanity. After the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four choices given to each question you hear.（2×5 = 10 points)

2. A) Finding a place to live in Habitat for Humanity.

1. Working together with Sharon in Habitat for Humanity.

2. Getting information about Habitat for Humanity.

   D) Finding a job in Habitat for Humanity.

   12. A) It brought about a lot of changes in her life.

3. It offered her a chance to make other friends there.

4. It was a higher calling for her to help others.

5. It aroused her desire to lead people there.

   13. A) It’s a social activity for volunteers to do good for others.

6. It’s a unique chance to perform a citizen’s duty to help others.

7. It’s a good way for people to help fellow Americans.

8. It’s a means for a country to do good for its own people.

1. A) To serve people in need is to protect her country.

1. To believe in freedom is a reflection of society.

2. To do one’s share for others is to make our world a better   place to live in.

3. To do good for others is life’s most profound and persistent question.

1. A) Because Wilbur chose to ask her for the information needed.

1. Because Wilbur will donate money to the organization she works for.

2. Because she can donate some money to the hurricane-stricken areas.

3. Because she can do something good for others together with Wilbur.

1. True or false questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation among three business colleagues: Philip, Lorraine and John, and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The conversation will be read twice.

   (    ) 16. The three speakers have just come back from their holidays.

   (    ) 17. The tour around Italy opened Philip’s eyes to the charm of the country.

   (    ) 18. Lorraine looked tanned from her trip to the beach.

   (    ) 19. Staying at home, John felt marvelous being thoroughly lazy for a change.

   (    ) 20. In Philp’s opinion, it’s not much of a holiday to stay at home and trim the lawn.

    

2. Gap-filling. (2×10 = 20 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be read three times.

   Outrageous shopping bills are a familiar nightmare for many compulsive shoppers. And contrary to the popular opinion, men suffer that (21)______ nearly as often as women. A new survey finds that both (22)_______ are almost equally likely to suffer compulsive buying disorder, a condition marked by uncomfortable, unnecessary and  (23)_______ shopping sprees.

   Researchers used to estimate that between 2 and 16 percent of the US population suffered compulsive buying disorder, and that 90 percent of (24)_______ were female. But a 2004 telephone survey of more than 2500 American adults found that 6 percent of women and about 5.5 percent of men are compulsive shoppers; that’s more than one in 20 (25)_______.

   The sexes do not shop at the same aisles though. Experts say that women are more likely to (26) _______ buy things like clothes or gifts for other people, while men tend to buy expensive (27) _______. This survey is the first to find such a high (28)_______ of compulsive shoppers in the general population.

   Study authors hope that this finding can convince doctors of how many people are hurt by the disorder, so they can make (29)_______  a cure a (30)_______.

   I’m Bill Blackmore in New York.

    

   IV. One-sentence answer. (5×3 =15 points)

   Directions: Listen to an interview between a reporter and the famous movie star Pierce Brosnan, who has successfully played the 007 role, and here talks about his work and family. After the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. Write down the answer to each question.  

   1. What are some of the productions that Brosnan mentioned?

   2. What’s the name of Brosnan’s fourth James Bond movie?

   3. How old is Brosnan’s son? What are his interests?

    

   V. Writing. (25 points)

   Directions: Listen to the following passage about education and write an article no less than 200 words to express your opinion on education. The passage will be read three times.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Test 2

   I. Multiple choice. （30 points）

   A. Listening to short conversations. (20 points)

   Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. (2×10 =10 points)

1. A) It about how to give appropriate smiles at parties.

   B) It about how to overcome shyness in social life.

   C) It about cultural differences between English and Chinese people

   D) It is about personality evident in an individual’s gestures.

    

2. A) How to turn off taps properly.

   B) How to save water every day.

   C) How to switch off light in the house.

   D) How to protect water and trees in nature.

    

   3.  A) He has only one hobby and no bad hobbies.

   B) He thinks he can learn skills from good hobbies.

   C) He has both bad hobbies and good ones.

   D) He thinks one can turn bad hobbies into good ones.

    

3. A) Louisiana tornado was as terrible as the one in Texas

   B) Louisiana tornado killed 50 people

   C) Louisiana tornado killed 200 people

   D) Louisiana tornado was much worse than the one in Texas

    

4. A) Thy didn’t have enough time to get their seats on the plan.

   B) The pilot had trouble staring the engine.

   C) The engine started as soon as they got on the plane.

   D) They were delayed at the airport.

    

5. A) Jason will have to work a little harder.

   B) She’s certain he can work on something else.

   C) Jason can take the test on another day.

   D) Jason can skip the test and won’t have to make it up

    

   7.  A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

   B) She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

   C) She left the party before the man arrived.

   D) She didn’t want to see the man.

    

   8.  A) The woman is unhappy about too many advertisements on TV.

   B) The man is complaining about difficulties in his daily life.

   C) The woman is very interested in the advertisements around her.

   D) The man dislikes TV advertisements as the woman does.

    

   9.  A) To ask for help from advanced learners.

   B) To receive assistance from the teacher.

   C) To study by himself in the lab.

   D) To join in at the intermediate level.

    

   10.  A) The man is a Brazilian.

   B) The man makes a habit of being late.

   C) The man has bad temper.

   D) The man is rude to his friends.

    

1. Listening to a conversation (10 points)

   Directions: In this section you will hear a long conversation. At the end of the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. The passage will be read twice. (2×5 = 10 points)

1. A) There is a lot of trouble protecting the environment.

   B) It is not true that the environment is polluted.

   C)People and industries can do nothing to help the environment.

   D) Many things can be done to protect the environment.

   12. A) Driving at a steady speed will help protect the ozone layer.

   B) It is necessary to drive to work at a steady speed.

   C) Driving steadily will not cause global warming.

   D) It is believed driving steadily can protect us from carbon monoxide.

   13. A) Because they don’t use disposable products.

   B) Because they don’t believe in disposable products.

   C) Because they have enough disposable products.

   D) Because they use much too many disposable products.

   14.  A) To follow a typical American family.

       B) To cut the use of water in our daily life.

       C) To buy a special “low-flow” shower head.

       D) To use as much water as people drink.

   15. A) Things people can do to burn less gasoline.

       B) Things people can do to reduce pollution.

       C) Things people can do to prevent the forest from shrinking.

       D) Things people can do to save water in our daily life.

1. True or false questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a talk on education and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The talk will be read twice.

   (    ) 16. We get most of our education at school.

   (    ) 17. Education can occur in a local shop when traveling.

   (    ) 18. Students at school usually use similar textbooks.

   (    ) 19. Only at school can you get new information and skills.

   (    ) 20. Education is always with us throughout our whole lives.

    

2. Gap-filling. (2×10 = 20 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be read three times.

   Christopher Reeve: 1996 Democratic National Convention Address

   Thank you very, very much.

   Well, 1 just have to start with a  21  to the President: Sir, I have seen your train go by. and I think I can  22   it.

   I’ll even give you a head start.

   And over the last few years we have heard a lot about something called family values. And like many of you, I have struggled to  23  out what that means. And since my accident, l’ve found a  24   that seems to make sense. I think it means that we’re all family. And that we all have value.

   Now. if that’s true, if America really is a family, then we have to  25  that many members of our family are hurting. And just to take one aspect of it, one in five of us has some kind of  26  . You may have an aunt with Parkinson’s disease, a neighbour with a spinal cord injury, or a brother with AIDS, and if we’re really 27    to this idea of family, we’ve got to do something about it.

   Now first of all, our nation cannot  28  discrimination of any kind. And that’s why the Americans with Disabilities Act is so important.

   It must be honored everywhere. It is a Civil Rights Law that is tearing down barriers, both in architecture and in attitude.

   Its purpose, its purpose is to give the  29  access not only to buildings but to every opportunity in society

   Now, I strongly, believe our nation must give us its full support to the caregivers who are helping people with disabilities live  30  lives.

    

   IV. One-sentence answer. (3×5 =15 points)

   Directions: Listen to an interview between a news reporter and Jeremy Gypton, a history teacher at Empire High School in Vail, Arizona. Then answer the following questions.  

1. How does the history teacher at Empire High school teach his class?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using computers to follow a history course?

3. What do you think of the teaching method that this history teacher uses?

V. Writing. (25 points)

Directions: Listen to the following passage about traveling and write an article no less than 200 words to express your opinion on how traveling changes our lives. The passage will be read three times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test 3

I. Multiple choice. （20 points）

A. Listening to short conversations. (10 points)

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. (1×10 =10 points)

1. A) Yao Ming is the best player in the national team.

B) Yao Ming is surprised at his loss in the first round.

C) Yao Ming’s team should not have lost in the first round.

D) Yao Ming’s team is expected to win the national tournament.

2. A) He has been teaching in high school for a long time.

B) He is completely lost in a foreign culture.

C) He thinks he will never get old.

D) He wants to keep learning all his life.

3. A) He succeeded quickly by working hard.

B) He won because he’s got very good luck.

C) Despite his achievements, he hasn’t got a reputation yet.

D) He had a reputation as an experienced speaker on TV.

4. A) Stephen is good at taking account of everything. 

B) Stephen’s babies are interested in collecting coins. 

C) Stephen learns to be systematic from his hobby. 

D) Stephen collects coins because they are valuable. 

5. A) Husband and wife.

B) Customer and salesman.

C) Father and daughter.

D) Co-worker.

1. A) Jason will have to work a little harder.

   B) She’s certain he can work on something else.

   C) Jason can take the test on another day.

   D) Jason can skip the test and won’t have to make it up

   7.  A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

   B) She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

   C) She left the party before the man arrived.

   D) She didn’t want to see the man.

   8.  A) The woman is unhappy about too many advertisements on TV.

   B) The man is complaining about difficulties in his daily life.

   C) The woman is very interested in the advertisements around her.

   D) The man dislikes TV advertisements as the woman does.

    

   9.  A) To ask for help from advanced learners.

   B) To receive assistance from the teacher.

   C) To study by himself in the lab.

   D) To join in at the intermediate level.

   10. A) The man is a Brazilian.

   B) The man makes a habit of being late.

   C) The man has bad temper.

   D) The man is rude to his friends.

1. Listening to a conversation (10 points)

   Directions: In this section you will hear a long conversation. At the end of the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. The passage will be read twice. (2×5 = 10 points)

1. A) There is a lot of trouble protecting the environment.

   B) It is not true that the environment is polluted.

   C) People and industries can do nothing to help the environment.

   D) Many things can be done to protect the environment.

   12. A) Driving at a steady speed will help protect the ozone layer.

   B) It is necessary to drive to work at a steady speed.

   C) Driving steadily will not cause global warming.

   D) It is believed driving steadily can protect us from carbon monoxide.

   13. A) Because they don’t use disposable products.

   B) Because they don’t believe in disposable products.

   C) Because they have enough disposable products.

   D) Because they use much too many disposable products.

   14.  A) To follow a typical American family.

       B) To cut the use of water in our daily life.

       C) To buy a special “low-flow” shower head.

       D) To use as much water as people drink.

   15. A) Things people can do to burn less gasoline.

       B) Things people can do to reduce pollution.

       C) Things people can do to prevent the forest from shrinking.

       D) Things people can do to save water in our daily life.

   II. True or false questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a talk on education and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The talk will be read twice.

   (    ) 16. We get most of our education at school.

   (    ) 17. Education can occur in a local shop when traveling.

   (    ) 18. Students at school usually use similar textbooks.

   (    ) 19. Only at school can you get new information and skills.

   (    ) 20. Education is always with us throughout our whole lives.

    

   III. Gap-filling. (1×10 = 10 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be read three times.

   Christopher Reeve: 1996 Democratic National Convention Address

   Thank you very, very much.

   Well, 1 just have to start with a  21  to the President: Sir, I have seen your train go by. and I think I can  22   it.

   I’ll even give you a head start.

   And over the last few years we have heard a lot about something called family values. And like many of you, I have struggled to  23  out what that means. And since my accident, l’ve found a  24   that seems to make sense. I think it means that we’re all family. And that we all have value.

   Now. if that’s true, if America really is a family, then we have to  25  that many members of our family are hurting. And just to take one aspect of it, one in five of us has some kind of  26  . You may have an aunt with Parkinson’s disease, a neighbor with a spinal cord injury, or a brother with AIDS, and if we’re really 27  to this idea of family, we’ve got to do something about it.

   Now first of all, our nation cannot  28  discrimination of any kind. And that’s why the Americans with Disabilities Act is so important.

   It must be honored everywhere. It is a Civil Rights Law that is tearing down barriers, both in architecture and in attitude.

   Its purpose, its purpose is to give the  29  access not only to buildings but to every opportunity in society

   Now, I strongly, believe our nation must give us its full support to the caregivers who are helping people with disabilities live  30   lives.

    

   IV. Reading Comprehension. (15 points) (1×15 =15 points)

   Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You should decide which one is the best answer.

   Passage One

   The phrase almost completes itself: midlife crisis. It’s the stage in the middle of the journey when people feel youth vanishing, their prospects narrowing and death approaching.

   There’s only one problem with the cliche (套话).It isn’t true.

   “In fact, there is almost no hard evidence for midlife crisis other than a few small pilot studies conducted decades ago,” Barbara Hagerty writes in her new book, Life Reimagined. The vast bulk of the research shows that there may be a pause, or a shifting of gears in the 40s or 50s, but this shift “can be exciting, rather than terrifying”.

   Barbara Hagerty looks at some of the features of people who turn midlife into a rebirth. They break routines, because “autopilot is death”. They choose purpose over happiness---having a clear sense of purpose even reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. They give priority to relationships, as careers often recede (逐渐淡化).

   Life Reimagined paints a picture of middle age that is far from gloomy. Midlife seems like the second big phase of decision-making. Your identity has been formed; you’ve built up your resources; and now you have the chance to take the big risks precisely because your foundation is already secure.

   Karl Barth described midlife precisely this way. At middle age, he wrote, “the sowing is behind; now is the time to reap. The run has been taken; now is the time to leap. Preparation has been made; now is the time for the venture of the work itself.”

   “The middle-aged person”, Barth continued, “can see death in the distance, but moves with a ‘measured haste’ to get big new things done while there is still time.”

   What Barth wrote decades ago is even truer today. People are healthy and energetic longer. We have presidential candidates running for their first term in office at age 68, 69 and 74. A longer lifespan is changing the narrative structure of life itself. What could have been considered the beginning of a descent is now a potential turning point---the turning point you are most equipped to take full advantage of.

   31. What does the author think of the phrase “midlife crisis” ？

   A) It has led to a lot of debate.

   B) It is widely acknowledged.

   C) It misrepresents real life.

   D) It is no longer fashionable.  

   32.How does Barbara Hagerty view midlife?

   A) It may be the beginning of a crisis.

   B) It can be terrifying for the unprepared.

   C)It may see old-age diseases approaching.

   D) It can be a new phase of one’s life.

   33.How is midlife pictured in the book Life Reimagined?

   A) It can be quite rosy.

   B) It can be burdensome.

   C) It undergoes radical transformation.

   D) It makes for the best part of one’s life.

   34.According to Karl Barth, midlife is the time_______.

   A) to relax B) to mature

   C) to harvest D) to reflect

   35.What does the author say about midlife today?

   A) It is likely to be a critical turning point in one’s life.

   B) It is likely to change the narrative of one’s life,

   C) It is more important to those with a longer lifespan.

   D) It is more meaningful than other stages of life.

   Passage Two

   Manufacturers of products that claim to be environmentally friendly will face tighter rules on how they are advertised to consumers under changes proposed by the Federal Trade Commission.

   The commission’s revised “Green Guides” warn marketers against using labels that make broad claims, like “eco—friendly”. Marketers must qualify their claims on the product packaging and limit them to a specific benefit, such as how much of the product is recycled.  

   “This is really about trying to cut through the confusion that consumers have when they are buying a product and that businesses have when they are selling a product.” said Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the commission.

   The revisions come at a time when green marketing is on the rise. According to a new study, the number of advertisements with green messages in mainstream magazines has risen since 1987, and peaked in 2008 at 10.4％. In 2009, the number dropped to 9％.

   But while the number of advertisements may have dipped, there has been a rapid spread of eco-labeling. There are both good and bad players in the eco-labeling game.

   In the last five years or so，there has been an explosion of green claims and environmental claims. It is clear that consumers don’t always know what they are getting.

   A handful of lawsuits have been filed in recent years against companies accused of using misleading environmental labels. In 2008 and 2009, class.action lawsuits(集体诉讼)were filed against SC Johnson for using “Greenlist” labels on its cleaning products. The lawsuits said that the label was misleading because it gave the impression that the products had been certified by a third party when the certification was the company’s own.

   “We are very proud of our accomplishments under the Greenlist system and we believe that we will prevail in these cases,” Christopher Beard, director of public affairs for SC Johnson, said, while acknowledging that “this has been an area that is difficult to navigate.”

   Companies have also taken it upon themselves to contest each other’s green claims. David Mallen, associate director of the Council of Better Business Bureau, said in the last two years the organization had seen an increase in the number of claims companies were bringing against each other for false or misleading environmental product claims.

   “About once a week, I have a client that will bring up a new certification I’ve never even heard of and I’m in this industry,” said Kevin Wilhelm, chief executive officer of Sustainable Business Consulting. “It’s kind of a Wild West, anybody can claim themselves to be green.” Mr. Wilhelm said the excess of labels made it difficult for businesses and consumers to know which labels they should pay attention to.

    

   36.What do the revised “Green Guides” require businesses to do?

      A) Manufacture as many green products as possible.

   B) Specify in what way their products are green.

   C) Indicate whether their products are recyclable.

   D) Attach green labels to all of their products.

   37.What does the author say about consumers facing an explosion of green claims?

      A) They can easily see through the businesses’ tricks.

      B) They have to spend lots of time choosing products.

      C) They have doubt about current green certification.

   D) They are not clear which products are truly green.

   38. What was SC Johnson accused of in the class.action lawsuits?

     A) It gave consumers the impression that all its products were truly green.

     B) It gave a third party the authority to label its products as environmentally friendly.

   C) It misled consumers to believe that its products had been certified by a third party.

   D) It sold cleaning products that were not included in the official “Greenlist”.

   39. How did Christopher Beard defend his company’s labeling practice?

      A) His company’s products had been well received by the public.

   B) There were no clear guidelines concerning green labeling.

      C) It was in conformity to the prevailing practice in the market.

   D) No law required the involvement of a third party in certification.

   40.What does Kevin Wilhelm imply by saying “It’s kind of a Wild West” in the last paragraph?

    A) Businesses compete to produce green products.

    B) Consumers grow wild with products labeled green.

   C) Each business acts its own way in green labeling.

    D) Anything produced in the West can be labeled green.

Passage Three

Early decision—you apply to one school? and admission is binding—seems like a great choice for nervous applicants. Schools let in a higher percentage of early-decision applicants, which arguably means that you have a better chance of getting in. And if you do, you’re done with the whole agonizing process by December. But what most students and parents don’t realize is that schools have hidden motives for offering early decision.

Early decision, since it’s binding, allows schools to fill their classes with qualified students; it allows admissions committees to select the students that are in particular demand for their college and know those students will come. It also gives schools a higher yield rate, which is often used as one of the ways to measure college selectivity and popularity.

The problem is that this process effectively shortens the window of time students have to make one of the most important decisions of their lives up to that point. Under regular admissions, seniors have until May 1 to choose which school to attend early decision effectively steals six months from them, months that could be used to visit more schools, do more research, speak to current students and alumni（校友）and arguably make a more informed decision.

There are, frankly, an astonishing number of exceptional colleges in America, and for any given student, there are a number of schools that are a great fit. When students become too fixated（专注）on a particular school early in the admissions process, that fixation can lead to severe disappointment if they don’t get in or, if they do? the possibility that they are now bound to go to a school that, given time for further reflection, may not actually be right for them.

Insofar as early decision offers a genuine admissions edge, that advantage goes largely to students who already have numerous advantages. The students who use early decision tend to be those who have received higher-quality college guidance, usually a result of coming from a more privileged background. In this regard, there’s an argument against early decision, as students from lower-income families are far less likely to have the admissions know-how to navigate the often confusing early deadlines.

Students who have done their research and are confident that there’s one school they would be thrilled to get into should, under the current system, probably apply under early decision. But for students who haven’t yet done enough research, or who are still constantly changing their minds on favorite schools, the early-decision system needlessly and prematurely narrows the field of possibility just at a time when students should be opening themselves to a whole range of thrilling options.

41.What are students obliged to do under early decision?

A) Look into a lot of schools before they apply.

B) Attend the school once they are admitted.

C) Think twice before they accept the offer.

D) Consult the current students and alumni.

42.Why do schools offer early decision?

A) To make sure they get qualified students.

B) To avoid competition with other colleges.

C) To provide more opportunities for applicants.

D) To save students the agony of choosing a school.

43.What is said to be the problem with early decision for students?

A) It allows them little time to make informed decisions.

B) It places too high a demand on their research ability.

C) It makes their application process more complicated.

D) It exerts much more psychological pressure on them.

44.Why are some people opposed to early decision?

A) It interferes with students’ learning in high school.

B) It places students from lower-income families at a disadvantage.

C) It causes unnecessary confusion among college applicants.

D) It is biased against students at ordinary high schools.

45.What does the author advise college applicants to do?

A) Refrain from competing with students from privileged families.

B) Look beyond the few supposedly thrilling options.

C) Find sufficient information about their favorite schools.

D) Avoid choosing early decision unless they are fully prepared.

 

V. Translation. (25 points)

A. English-Chinese translation (10 points)

Who is to say, then, if there is any right path to the top, or even to say what the top consists of? Obviously the colleges don’t have more than a partial answer—otherwise the young would not be so disaffected with an education that they consider vapid. Obviously business does not have the answer — otherwise the young would not be so scornful of its call to be an organization man.

1. Chinese-English translation (15 points)

从来就没有完美的幸福，人类社会不存在尽善尽美。不管幸福可能是什么,它既不在于拥有也不在于实现,而在于追求的过程。我们应该牢记:开国元勋们为我们所宣布的与生俱来的权利,不是享受幸福而是追求幸福。假如他们当初能够预见到现在出现的幸福市场,他们就会强调这样一个基本事实:幸福在于为之奋斗的过程,在于我们终生为之努力并从中获得启迪的事业,也就是说在于追求的过程。

 

VI. Writing. (20 points)

It is reported that families in many Chinese cities like Beijing have become smaller. According to the latest statistics, averagely there are 2.71 persons in one family in Beijing, 0.98 less than in 1982. Analyze the phenomenon and write a passage of no fewer than 200 words to explain what you think contribute to this shrinking of family size. The suggested title is The Shrinking Family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test 4

I. Multiple choice. （20 points）

A. Listening to short conversations. (10 points)

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be read twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. (1×10 =10 points)

1. A) No one needs a vacation as much as he does.

   B) He has just had one.

   C) A vacation is incredibly good for a change.

   D) A vacation is even more exhausting.

2. A) Stephen is good at taking account of everything.

   B) Stephen’s babies are interested in collecting coins.

   C) Stephen learns to be systematic from his hobby.

   D)Stephen collects coins because they are valuable.

3. A) The farmer makes robots without much knowledge about high-tech.

   B) The farmers has held on to his hobby even though he met with great difficulty.

   C) The farmer’s hobby has brought great changes to his village.

   D) The farmer started his hobby at the age of 44.

4. A) 3 hours or so.

     B) 9 hours or so.

     C) 21 hours or so.

     D) 5 hours or so.

5. A) He is taking an entrance examination.

   B) He is working as an engineer.

C) He is receiving his Bachelor’s degree.

D) He is at a job interview.

1. A) He has been teaching in high school for a long time.

   B) He is completely lost in a foreign culture.

   C) He thinks he will never get old.

   D) He wants to keep learning all his life.

2. A) He is interested in the progress of architecture.

   B) He is interested in writing the history of cities.

   C) He is interested in the history of cities shown in pictures.

   D) He is interested in giving lectures on photography.

3. A) He is a billionaire in Chinatown.

   B) He is a successful businessman.

   C) He owns a big company in China.

   D) He earned 100 million dollars last year.

4. A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

1. She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

2. She left the party before the man arrived.

   D) She didn’t want to see the man.

1. A) He had a worse driver in the back seat of his car.

   B) He got very nervous when sitting behind the wheel.

   C) He cannot drive the mother anywhere next time.

   D) He was criticized by the woman’s mother all the way.

    

   B.Listening to a passage (10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation between Wilbur and Sharon talking about Habitat for Humanity. After the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four choices given to each question you hear.

   11. A) Finding a place to live in Habitat for Humanity.

1. Working together with Sharon in Habitat for Humanity.

2. Getting information about Habitat for Humanity.

   D)Finding a job in Habitat for Humanity.

   12. A ) It brought about a lot of changes in her life.

3. It offered her a chance to make other friends there.

4. It was a higher calling for her to help others.

5. It aroused her desire to lead people there.

1. A) It’s a social activity for volunteers to do good for others.

1. It’s a unique chance to perform a citizen’s duty to help others.

2. It’s a good way for people to help fellow Americans.

3. It’s a means for a country to do good for its own people.

   14. A) To serve people in need is to protect her country.

4. To believe in freedom is a reflection of society.

5. To do one’s share for others is to make our world a better   place to live in.

6. To do good for others is life’s most profound and persistent question.

   15.A) Because Wilbur chose to ask her for the information needed.

7. Because Wilbur will donate money to the organization she works for.

8. Because she can donate some money to the hurricane-stricken areas.

9. Because she can do something good for others together with Wilbur.

   II. True or false questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a speaker talking about the facets of a person’s physical appearance and his/her life. Then decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The talk will be read twice.

   (    ) 16. Charlotte was a bit too fat when she was born.

   (    ) 17. Charlotte will crawl 150 kilometres before she is two years old.

   (    ) 18. She’ll learn a new word every two hours from age two to twelve.

   (   ) 19. According to the speaker, this little girl has the potential to accomplish great things in her life.

   (    ) 20.What the speaker says is an accurate forecast of an English woman’s life.

    

   III. Gap-filling. (1×10 = 10 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be read three times.

   Outrageous shopping bills are a familiar nightmare for many compulsive shoppers．And contrary to the popular opinion, men suffer that    21   nearly as often as women. A new survey finds that both    22  are almost equally likely to suffer compulsive buying disorder, a condition marked by uncontrollable, unnecessary and    23   shopping sprees. 

   Researchers used to estimate that between 2 and 16 percent of the US population suffered compulsive buying disorder, and that 90 percent of 24 were female. But a 2004 telephone survey of more than 2,500 American adults found that 6 percent of women and about 5.5 percent of men are compulsive shoppers; that’s more than 1 in 20   25  .     

   The sexes do not shop at the same aisles though. Experts say that women are more likely to  26  buy things like clothes or gilts for other people, while men tend to buy expensive  27 . This survey is the first to find such a high  28 of compulsive shoppers in the general population. Study authors hope that this finding can convince doctors of how many people are hurt by the disorder, so they can make   29   a cure a   30   .       

   I’m Bill Blakemore in New York.

    

    

   IV. Reading Comprehension. (15 points) (1×15 =15 points)

   Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You should decide which one is the best answer.

   Passage One

   The brain is a seemingly endless library, whose shelves house our most precious memories as well as our lifetime’s knowledge. But is there a point where it reaches capacity?

   The answer is no, because brains are more sophisticated than that. Instead of just crowding in, old information is sometimes pushed out of the brain for new memories to form.

   Previous behavioural studies have shown that learning new information can lead to forgetting. But in a new study, researchers demonstrated for the first time how this effect occurs in the brain.

   In daily life, forgetting actually has clear advantages. Imagine, for instance, that you lost your bank card. The new card you receive will come with a new personal identification number (PIN). Each time you remember the new PIN, you gradually forget the old one. This process improves access to relevant information, without old memories interfering.

   And most of us may sometimes feel the frustration of having old memories interfere with new, relevant memories. Consider trying to remember where you parked your car in the same car park you were at a week earlier. This type of memory (where you are trying to remember new, but similar information) is particularly vulnerable to interference.

   When we acquire new information, the brain automatically tries to incorporate (合并)it within existing information by forming associations. And when we retrieve (检索) information, both the desired and associated but irrelevant information is recalled.,

   The majority of previous research has focused on how we learn and remember new information. But current studies are beginning to place greater emphasis on the conditions under which we forget, as its importance begins to be more appreciated.

   A very small number of people are able to remember almost every detail of their life. While it may sound like an advantage to many, people with this rare condition often find their unusual ability burdensome.

   In a sense, forgetting is our brain’s way of sorting memories, so the most relevant memories are ready for retrieval. Normal forgetting may even be a safety mechanism to ensure our brain doesn’t become too full.

   31. What have past behavioural studies found about our brain?

   A) Its capacity actually knows no limits.

   B) It grows sophisticated with practice.

   C) It keeps our most precious memories until life’s end.

   D) New information learned pushes old information out.

   32. What is the benefit of forgetting?

   A) It frees us from painful memories.

   B) It helps slow down our aging process.

   C) It facilitates our access to relevant information.

   D) It prevents old information from forming associations.

   33. What is the emphasis of current studies of memory?

   A) When people tend to forget.

   B) Why learning and forgetting arc complementary.

   C) How new technology hinders memory capacity.

   D) What contributes to forgetting.

   34. What do people find about their rare ability to remember every detail of their life?

   A) It makes their life more complicated.

   B) It adds to the burden of their memory

   C) It contributes to their success in life.

   D) It constitutes a rare object of envy.

   35. What does the passage say about forgetting?

   A) It can enlarge our brain capacity.

   B) It helps get rid of negative memories.

   C) It is a way of organising our memories.

   D) It should not cause any alarm in any way.

   Passage Two

   Aging happens to all of us, and is generally thought of as a natural part of life. It would seem silly to call such a thing a “disease.”

   On the other hand, scientists are increasingly learning that aging and biological age are two different things, and that the former is a key risk factor for conditions such as heart disease, cancer and many more. In that light, aging itself might be seen as something treatable, the way you would treat high blood pressure or a vitamin deficiency.

   Biophysicist Alex Zhavoronkov believes that aging should be considered a disease. He said that describing aging as a disease creates incentives to develop treatments.

   “It unties the hands of the pharmaceutical(制药的)industry so that they can begin treating the disease and not just the side effects,” he said.

   “Right now, people think of aging as natural and something you can’t control,” he said. “In academic circles, people take aging research as just an interest area where they can try to develop interventions. The medical community also takes aging for granted, and can do nothing about it except keep people within a certain health range.”

   But if aging were recognized as a disease, he said, “It would attract funding and change the way we do health care. What matters is understanding that aging is curable.”

   “It was always known that the body accumulates damage,” he added. “The only way to cure aging is to find ways to repair that damage. I think of it as preventive medicine for age-related conditions.”

   Leonard Hayflick, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, said the idea that aging can be cured implies the human lifespan can be increased, which some researchers suggest is possible. Hayflick is not among them.

   “There’re many people who recover from cancer, stroke, or heart disease. But they continue to age, because aging is separate from their disease,” Hayflick said. “Even if those causes of death were eliminated, life expectancy would still not go much beyond 92 years.”

    

   36. What do people generally believe about aging?

   A) It should cause no alarm whatsoever.

   B) They just cannot do anything about it.

   C) It should be regarded as a kind of disease.

   D)They can delay it with advances in science.

   37. How do many scientists view aging now?

   A) It might be prevented and treated.

   B) It can be as risky as heart disease.

   C) It results from a vitamin deficiency.

   D)It is an irreversible biological process.

   38. What does Alex Zhavoronkov think of “describing aging as a disease”?

   A) It will prompt people to take aging more seriously.

   B) It will greatly help reduce the side effects of aging.

   C) It will free pharmacists from the conventional beliefs about aging.

   D)It will motivate doctors and pharmacists to find ways to treat aging.

   39. What do we learn about the medical community?

   A) They now have a strong interest in research on aging.

   B) They differ from the academic circles in their view on aging.

   C) They have ways to intervene in people’s aging process.

   D)They can contribute to people’s health only to a limited extent.

   40. What does Professor Leonard Hayflick believe?

   A) The human lifespan cannot be prolonged.

   B) Aging is hardly separable from disease.

   C) Few people can live up to the age of 92.

   D) Heart disease is the major cause of aging.

   Passage Three

   Living in an urban area with green spaces has a long-lasting positive impact on people's mental well-being, a study has suggested. UK researchers found moving to a green space had a sustained positive effect, unlike pay rises or promotions, which only provided a short-term boost. Co-author Mathew White, from the University of Exeter, UK, explained that the study showed people living in greener urban areas were displaying fewer signs of depression or anxiety. "There could be a number of reasons," he said, "for example, people do many things to make themselves happier: they strive for promotion or pay rises, or they get married. But the trouble with those things is that within six months to a year, people are back to their original baseline levels of well-being. So, these things are not sustainable; they don't make us happy in the long term. We found that for some lottery (彩票) winners who had won more than ￡500,000 the positive effect was definitely there, but after six months to a year, they were back to the baseline."

   Dr. White said his team wanted to see whether living in greener urban areas had a lasting positive effect on people's sense of well-being or whether the effect also disappeared after a period of time. To do this, the team used data from the British Household Panel Survey compiled by the University of Essex.

   Explaining what the data revealed, he said: "What you see is that even after three years, mental health is still better, which is unlike many other things that we think will make us happy." He observed that people living in green spaces were less stressed, and less stressed people made more sensible decisions and communicated better.

   With a growing body of evidence establishing a link between urban green spaces and a positive impact on human well-being, Dr. White said, "There's growing interest among public policy officials, but the trouble is who funds it. What we really need at a policy level is to decide where the money will come from to help support good quality local green spaces."

   41.According to one study, what do green spaces do to people?

   A. Add to their sustained happiness.

   B. Improve their work efficiency.

   C. Help them build a positive attitude towards life.

   D. Lessen their concerns about material well-being.

   42.What does Dr. White say people usually do to make themselves happier?

   A. Earn more money.  

   B. Settle in an urban area.

   C. Gain fame and popularity.

   D. Live in a green environment.

   43.What does Dr. White try to find out about living in a greener urban area?

   A. How it affects different people.

   B. How strong its positive effect is.

   C. How long its positive effect lasts.

   D. How it benefits people physically.

   44.What did Dr. White's research reveal about people living in a green environment?

   A. Their stress was more apparent than real.

   B. Their decisions required less deliberation.

   C. Their communication with others improved.  

   D. Their memories were greatly strengthened.

   45.According to Dr. White, what should the government do to build more green spaces in cities?

   A. Improve urban planning.

   B. Find financial support.  

   C. Involve local residents in the effort.

   D. Raise public awareness of the issue

    

 

V. Translation. (25 points)

A. English-Chinese translation (10 points)

Everyone, at some point, will suffer a loss — the loss of loved ones, good health, and a job. “It’s your ‘desert experience’— a time of feeling barren of options, even hope,” explains Patrick Del Zoppo, a psychologist and bereavement specialist with the Archdiocese of New York. “The important thing is not to allow yourself to be stranded in the desert.”

 

1. Chinese-English translation (15 points)

消费者们，这就是你们所期望的未来吗?你希望电器比你还聪明吗?当然不是。你的家用电器应该比你笨,就像你的家具、宠物和国会众议员一样。所以我敦促你们以电话、信件、传真或者电子邮件的方式让电器制造商们知道，在“智能电器”这个问题上你们会投反对票。你们必须尽快行动，因为在你读这篇文章时,你的微波炉可正在投赞成票。

VI. Writing. (20 points)

Nowadays technology is developing very fast. Artificial intelligence has made our life more convenient and brought us great benefits; however, many people argue that artificial intelligence is a double-edged sword. Do you have the concern that computers will eventually replace human and dominate the earth? please justify your answer. Write an essay of no fewer than 200 words to express your idea. The suggested title is Artificial Intelligence: Convenience or Problem.

Sample Test 5

I.Multiple choice. (30 points)

Part A. Listen to short conversations.

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. ((2×10 =20 points)

1.  A) Yao Ming is the best player in the national team.

B) Yao Ming is surprised at his loss in the first round.

C) Yao Ming’s team should not have lost in the first round.

D) Yao Ming’s team is expected to win the national tournament.

2.  A) He has been teaching in high school for a long time.

B) He is completely lost in a foreign culture.

C) He thinks he will never get old.

D) He wants to keep learning all his life.

3.  A) He succeeded quickly by working hard.

B) He won because he’s got very good luck.

C) Despite his achievements, he hasn’t got a reputation yet.

D) He had a reputation as an experienced speaker on TV.

4.  A) Stephen is good at taking account of everything. 

B) Stephen’s babies are interested in collecting coins. 

C) Stephen learns to be systematic from his hobby. 

D) Stephen collects coins because they are valuable. 

5.  A) Husband and wife.

B) Customer and salesman.

C) Father and daughter.

D) Co-worker.

6.  A) He is taking an entrance examination.

B) He is working as an engineer.

C) He is receiving his Bachelor’s degree.

D) He is at a job interview.

7.  A) The woman is unhappy about too many advertisements on TV.

B) The man is complaining about difficulties in his daily life.

C) The woman is very interested in the advertisement in his daily life.

D) The man dislikes TV advertisements as the woman does.

8.  A) He wants to make his body stronger.

B) He wants to get the upper hand in a fight.

C) He wants to make friends with people in class.

D) He wants to learn more about Chinese culture.

9.  A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

B) She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

C) She left the party before the man arrived.

D) She didn’t want to see the man.

10. A) How to turn off taps properly.

B) How to save water every day.

C) How to switch off light in the house.

D) How to protect water and trees in nature.

Part B. Listen to a passage.

Directions: Listen to a passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear. The passage will be spoken twice. (2×5 =10 points)

1. What might lead to the end of Barbie’s production?

   A) The old-fashioned design.

   B) The competition in the toy market.

   C) The objection of feminists.

   D) The decreasing sales worldwide.

2. What are the basic elements for toys, according to the toy analyst?

   A) Toys need to be magical and creative.

   B) Toys are supposed to reflect the life of children.

   C) Toys should look pretty and appealing in appearance.

   D) A child can learn what real life is through toys.

3. Why do some feminists criticize Barbie?

   A) Because Barbie makes children too obsessed with play.

   B) Because Barbie stands for an outdated image of women.

   C) Because Barbie is too attractive for girls to refuse its temptation.

   D) Because Barbie distracts girls from other activities like watching movies.

4. What might be the future of Barbie dolls?

   A) Barbie dolls may disappear from the market.

   B) Barbie dolls may get popular again.

   C) Barbie dolls may be redesigned and reshaped.

   D) Barbie dolls may be mainly sold in Asian countries.

5. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A) The Barbie brand will appear only in movies and clothes.

   B) Barbie dolls are still the favorite of children.

   C) The Barbie brand will expand to other entertainment fields.

   D) The name of Barbie will no longer be known by future generation.

    

1. True or False questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a talk on education and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The talk will be spoken twice.

   (    ) 16. We get most of our education at school.

   (    ) 17. Education can occur in a local shop when traveling.

   (    ) 18. Students at school usually use similar textbooks.

   (    ) 19. Only at school can you get new information and skills.

   (    ) 20. Education is always with us throughout our whole lives.

    

2. Gap-filling. (2×10 = 20 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be spoken three times.

   I was being interviewed by a senior manager for a (21) insurance company. I honestly said that the principal reason for my (22) with them was my need to keep my family in Boston. My wife of 26 years had (23) died. A job in Boston would help me (24) the extreme pain of the loss for my 16-year-old daughter, since it’s important to keep her in her (25) school.

   I could still barely talk about the loss of my wife. Bruce, the interviewer, was (26) empathetic, but he didn’t probe any further. He acknowledged my loss and, with great (27) , moved on to another subject.

      After the next interview, Bruce took me to lunch and asked me to take a walk with him. He told me that he, too, had lost his wife of 20 years. In his sharing, I (28) that he had experienced the same pain as mine, a pain almost impossible to (29) to someone who had not lost a loved one. He (30) his business card and home phone number and suggested that, should I need someone to talk to, I should feel free to call him. Whether I got the job or not, he wanted me to know that he was there if I ever needed help.

    

   IV. One-sentence answer. (4×5 =20 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation between David and Jessie about how to be an effective learner. At the end of the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. Answer these questions briefly in one sentence. The passage will be spoken three times.

1. What did David think of a writing course at first?

    

2. What does Jessie say about thinking and writing?

    

3. What is NOT mentioned by Jessie as an important factor in writing?

 

1. What does Jessie expect to learn next from the writing course?

    

   35. What is David going to do after talking with Jessie?

V. Writing. (20 points)

Directions: Listen to the following passage about hobbies and addiction and write an article on your understanding of the differences between hobbies and addiction within 200 words. The passage will be spoken three times.

 

Sample Test 6

1. Multiple choice. (30 points)

   Part A. Listen to short conversations.

   Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. ((2×10 =20 points)

   1. A) Roy often empties his bag when he returns home. 

   B) Roy is trying to persuade Carol to go fishing with him. 

   C) Roy is only interested in catching fish. 

   D) Roy’s real interest in fishing is sitting alone and doing nothing. 

   2. A) The woman is preparing presents for her coach.

   B) The woman is packing for her coach.

   C) The woman is packing for a visit to her coach.

   D) The woman is packing for her bus tour.

   3. A) To ask for help from advanced learners.

   B) To receive assistance from the teacher.

   C) To study by himself in the lab.

   D) To join in at the intermediate level.

   4. A) He is interested in the progress of architecture.

   B) He is interested in writing the history of cities.

   C) He is interested in the histories of cities shown in pictures.

   D) He is interested in giving lectures on photography.

   5. A) The man is a Brazilian.

   B) The man makes a habit of being late.

   C) The man has a bad temper.

   D) The man is rude to his friends.

   6. A) They didn’t have enough time to get their seats on the plane.

   B) The pilot had trouble starting the engine.

   C) The engine started as soon as they got on the plane.

   D) They were delayed at the airport.

   7. A) Louisiana tornado was as terrible as the one in Texas.

   B) Louisiana tornado killed 50 people.

   C) Louisiana tornado killed 200 people.

   D) Louisiana tornado was much worse than the one in Texas.

   8. A) He has only one hobby and no bad hobbies. 

   B) He thinks he can learn skills from good hobbies. 

   C) He has both bad hobbies and good ones. 

   D) He thinks one can turn bad hobbies into good ones. 

   9. A) It will take them many years to get rich and famous.

   B) There’s a new school of artistic movement around the corner.

   C) The man’s idea is not feasible at all.

   D) The man has gone mentally insane.

   10. A) Jason will have to work a little harder.

   B) She’s certain he can work on something else.

   C) Jason can take the test on another day.

   D) Jason can skip the test and won’t have to make it up.

   Part B. Listen to a passage.

   Directions: Listen to a passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear. The passage will be spoken twice. (2×5 =10 points)

   11. How old is Nola Ochs?

   A) She will be 100 years old on Wednesday.

   B) She has just celebrated her 95th birthday on Friday.

   C) She is going to be 90 years old on Friday.

   D) She will celebrate her 95th birthday on Wednesday.

   12. What degree is Nola Ochs pursuing?

   A) She is studying for an MA degree in law.

   B) She is seeking a BA degree in religion.

   C) She is pursuing her Ph.D. degree in college.

   D) She is just learning and does not intend to get a degree.

   13. How did Mrs. Ochs study her courses before she lived on campus?

   A) She enrolled at Fort Hays in 1930 and stayed there ever since.

   B) She finished all her classes at the Kansas State Teachers College.

   C) She completed some of her courses on the Internet.

   D) She was taught by her granddaughter at home.

   14. What will happen to Mrs. Ochs on Friday?

   A) She will attend her graduation ceremony.

   B) Her son and others will hold a birthday party for her.

   C) She will meet her granddaughter at the graduation ceremony.

   D) She and her son will celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday together.

   15. What can be inferred from the passage?

   A) Nola Ochs has set up a remarkable example as a lifetime learner.

   B) The Guinness Book of World Records will accept Nola Ochs’ application.

   C) Nola Ochs will become the oldest university graduate on Friday.

   D) The degree Nola Ochs will get is very important for her life and work.

    

2. True or False questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation among three business colleagues: Philip, Lorraine and John, and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The conversation will be spoken twice.

   (    ) 16. The three speakers have just come back from their holidays.

   (    ) 17. The tour around Italy opened Philip’s eyes to the charm of the country.

   (    ) 18. Lorraine looked tanned from her trip to the beach.

   (    ) 19. Staying at home, John felt marvelous being thoroughly lazy for a change.

   (    ) 20. In Philp’s opinion, it’s not much of a holiday to stay at home and trim the lawn.

    

3. Gap filling. (2×10 = 20 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be spoken three times.

   In my recent (21) to West Africa, I came to see how much in need so many people are in this part of the world. Infectious disease and poverty kill more people than those who die in the continuing bloody conflicts. We live in a world filled with (22) that cry out for others to help.

   What can you do in a world that needs such help? Serving and volunteering, whether in your community or in a (23) country overseas, is a wonderful way to fill real (24) needs. Being involved in serving others and true humanitarian (25) can offer you experience and (26) with others that will help you through the rest of your life. The biggest benefit is that you have a (27) impact on helping other human beings.

   We should remember that serving the needs of the despondent of this world is a very worthy cause. Doing good, one act at a time, one (28)
   at a time, is an important part of being a light in a world of (29) and preparing for a greater cause in the (30) .

    

   IV. One-sentence answer. (5×3 =15 points)

   Directions: Listen to a conversation between two Chinese office workers, Huang and Zhao, talking about Chinese calligraphy. After the conversation, some questions will be asked about what was said. Answer these questions briefly in one sentence. The passage will be spoken three times.

   31.What is mainly talked about in this conversation?

   32.What are Huang and Zhao worried about in terms of children?

   33. What type of advice do they offer in the end?

V. Writing. (25 points)

Directions: Listen to the following passage about nature and write an article on your understanding of living in agreement with nature within 200 words. The passage will be spoken three times.

 

 

Sample Test 7

I. Multiple choice. （20 points）

Part A. Listen to short conversations.

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. (1×10 =10 points)

1.  A) Yao Ming is the best player in the national team.

B) Yao Ming is surprised at his loss in the first round.

C) Yao Ming’s team should not have lost in the first round.

D) Yao Ming’s team is expected to win the national tournament.

2.  A) He has been teaching in high school for a long time.

B) He is completely lost in a foreign culture.

C) He thinks he will never get old.

D) He wants to keep learning all his life.

3.  A) He succeeded quickly by working hard.

B) He won because he’s got very good luck.

C) Despite his achievements, he hasn’t got a reputation yet.

D) He had a reputation as an experienced speaker on TV.

4.  A) Stephen is good at taking account of everything. 

B) Stephen’s babies are interested in collecting coins. 

C) Stephen learns to be systematic from his hobby. 

D) Stephen collects coins because they are valuable. 

5.  A) Husband and wife.

B) Customer and salesman.

C) Father and daughter.

D) Co-worker.

6.  A) He is taking an entrance examination.

B) He is working as an engineer.

C) He is receiving his Bachelor’s degree.

D) He is at a job interview.

7.  A) The woman is unhappy about too many advertisements on TV.

B) The man is complaining about difficulties in his daily life.

C) The woman is very interested in the advertisement in his daily life.

D) The man dislikes TV advertisements as the woman does.

8.  A) He wants to make his body stronger.

B) He wants to get the upper hand in a fight.

C) He wants to make friends with people in class.

D) He wants to learn more about Chinese culture.

9.  A) She didn’t go to the party yesterday.

B) She didn’t remember seeing the man at the party.

C) She left the party before the man arrived.

D) She didn’t want to see the man.

10. A) How to turn off taps properly.

B) How to save water every day.

C) How to switch off light in the house.

D) How to protect water and trees in nature.

 

Part B. Listen to a passage.

Directions: Listen to a passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear. The passage will be spoken twice. (2×5 =10 points)

1. What might lead to the end of Barbie’s production?

   A) The old-fashioned design.

   B) The competition in the toy market.

   C) The objection of feminists.

   D) The decreasing sales worldwide.

2. What are the basic elements for toys, according to the toy analyst?

   A) Toys need to be magical and creative.

   B) Toys are supposed to reflect the life of children.

   C) Toys should look pretty and appealing in appearance.

   D) A child can learn what real life is through toys.

3. Why do some feminists criticize Barbie?

   A) Because Barbie makes children too obsessed with play.

   B) Because Barbie stands for an outdated image of women.

   C) Because Barbie is too attractive for girls to refuse its temptation.

   D) Because Barbie distracts girls from other activities like watching movies.

4. What might be the future of Barbie dolls?

   A) Barbie dolls may disappear from the market.

   B) Barbie dolls may get popular again.

   C) Barbie dolls may be redesigned and reshaped.

   D) Barbie dolls may be mainly sold in Asian countries.

5. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A) The Barbie brand will appear only in movies and clothes.

   B) Barbie dolls are still the favorite of children.

   C) The Barbie brand will expand to other entertainment fields.

   D) The name of Barbie will no longer be known by future generation.

    

   II. True or False questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

   Directions: Listen to a talk on education and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The talk will be spoken twice.

   (    ) 16. We get most of our education at school.

   (    ) 17. Education can occur in a local shop when traveling.

   (    ) 18. Students at school usually use similar textbooks.

   (    ) 19. Only at school can you get new information and skills.

   (    ) 20. Education is always with us throughout our whole lives.

    

   III. Gap-filling. (1×10 = 10 points)

   Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be spoken three times.

   I was being interviewed by a senior manager for a (21) insurance company. I honestly said that the principal reason for my (22) with them was my need to keep my family in Boston. My wife of 26 years had (23) died. A job in Boston would help me (24) the extreme pain of the loss for my 16-year-old daughter, since it’s important to keep her in her (25) school.

   I could still barely talk about the loss of my wife. Bruce, the interviewer, was (26) empathetic, but he didn’t probe any further. He acknowledged my loss and, with great (27) , moved on to another subject.

      After the next interview, Bruce took me to lunch and asked me to take a walk with him. He told me that he, too, had lost his wife of 20 years. In his sharing, I (28) that he had experienced the same pain as mine, a pain almost impossible to (29) to someone who had not lost a loved one. He (30) his business card and home phone number and suggested that, should I need someone to talk to, I should feel free to call him. Whether I got the job or not, he wanted me to know that he was there if I ever needed help.

   IV. Reading Comprehension (15 points) (1×15 =15)

   Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You should decide which one is the best answer.

   Passage One

   Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.

“Wars of the next century will be fought over water.” This latest warning comes from the World Bank, the largest international investor in water projects.

So is the world running out of the stuff? No. The total quantity of fresh water on the Earth exceeds all possible human needs. But tell that to the government of Jordan, which has drawn its underground water almost dry since Israel diverted much of its largest water source, the river Jordan. Or to the millions of women in the African countryside walking for hours every day to collect water from polluted wells and muddy river beds.

The answer is that there is no world water crisis but many severe local water crises. There are crises of under investment, of political conflict over rivers that cross national boundaries, and of plain idiotic water management.

The Middle East is the likeliest place for future water wars. A long-term settlement between Israel and its neighbors will depend at least as much on fair allocation of water as of land. Iraq and Syria watch and wait as Turkey builds dams in the headwaters of the Euphrates. Elsewhere, India angers Bangladesh by diverting to its fields the thin dry-season flow of the Ganges.

Meanwhile, the best places for dams are mostly used up. Engineering and environmental costs of developing new water sources will be much higher than in the past. The human costs too are great. 16 million people have lost their homes and land to man-made lakes in India. China will have to move one million people to make way for the Three Gorges dam on the Yangtze, on which construction work began this year.

But the solution to the world’s water crisis lies less in supply than in demand. The World Bank has spent half a century building dams, but the water problem in most countries results mainly from inefficient use of water.

Israeli scientists have long since understood this. They have revolutionized their countries’ use of water, cutting out much of the waste in watering crops, which in many countries accounts for 90% of water use. Waste takes other forms. Most city supply systems leak 30-50% of their water underground. And most urban sewage—a vast potential source of recycled water—passes untreated into rivers.

In most countries, water is delivered at prices that reflect only a small part of the real cost. The World Bank is now calling for proper water pricing. The time is coming when water must be treated as a valuable resource, like oil, not a free one like air.

31. The world’s total fresh water supply _____.        

A. is likely to run out in the next century

B. falls short of human demands

C. is more than adequate for human needs

D. can’t be renewed once it is used up

32. Which of the following statements is true?

A. There is a world water crisis.

B. There is local fresh water shortage.

C. There is great improvement in the fresh water supply.

D. There is no way to solve the present water problems.

33. According to the passage, future water wars will most probably break out ________.      

A. between India and Bangladesh

B. in the Middle East

C. between Iraq and Syria

D. wherever there is shortage of water

34. According to the author, peace between Israel and its neighbors will not come unless _______.      

A. the UN takes part in the talks

B. the USA acts as the peace maker

C. all Arab countries join in the peace talks

D. the water problem is solved

35. The chief solution to the water crisis is ___________.      

A. developing new fresh water sources

B. efficient use of water

C. building more dams

D. cooperation among nations

Passage Two

Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

In cities across the United States, old factories, warehouses, schools, railroad stations and other buildings are being renovated for new uses. City planners and private investors are finding that good buildings, no matter how old, can be remodeled for new purposes. “If you’d asked someone four or five years ago whether he’d rent an apartment in an abandoned piano factory or clothing ware-house, he’d have thought you were crazy,” says a New York architect. “Today, many people are eager to do it.” The renovating may include a former city hall or courthouse changed into offices; a bank or church changed into a restaurant; or, as in Plains, Georgia, a railroad station used as a center for a presidential campaign.

Only a few decades ago, renovation was unpopular and generally far more expensive than taking down abandoned buildings and starting from the beginning. A change began in the 1960s with a number of well-advertised projects. They included Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, where an old chocolate factory was restored and made into shops and restaurants; Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, where abandoned car warehouses became a shopping mall; the Soho district of New York City, where unused warehouses were made into artists’ studios and apartments.

What caused the change? “One reason is nostalgia,” a San Francisco builder suggests. “Maybe old is better than new, many people are saying. Feelings about preserving attractive or historic buildings have changed a great deal.” A second cause is economy. The cost of tearing down an old building and constructing a new one from nothing now has risen to the point where it is often less expensive to fix a solid older structure. Also builders realize that fixing up an existing building often requires no new permits, sewer lines, or water connections.

Even when the costs of restoration are the same as or a bit more than the costs of putting up a new building, fixing the old building may be better. A Boston architect says, “The advantage comes when you can develop a final project that is more desirable than a new building – one with the right location, more space, more floor area, a special character, materials of a particular quality.” Gradually, architects and builders are developing knowledge about renovation and preservation, brining imagination and creativity to the job.

36. In the United States, renovating old buildings _________.
A. has had a long history
B. is becoming increasingly popular
C. is still unpopular
D. has just caught the fancy of architects and builders

37. Ghirardelli Square, Trolley Square, and the Soho district are projects that ______.
A. have been given much publicity
B. are little known to the public
C. have been widely discussed among builders and city planners
D. have changed the building business

38. “Nostalgia” in the 3rd paragraph most probably means _______.
A. being conservative

B. being keen on saving money
C. being fond of things new

D. being fond of things of the remote past

39. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Every old building can be renovated for new uses.
B. Renovating old buildings is always less costly than putting up new      ones.
C. Renovation does not require imagination and creativity.
D. Fixing the old building may have advantages even when it costs a little more.

40. The main idea of the passage is _________.

A. the increasing popularity of renovating old buildings

B. nostalgia

C. changes in the building business

D. preservation of attractive or historic buildings

Passage Three

Questions 41 to 45 are based on the following passage.

Today anyone will accept money in exchange for goods and services. People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things we need or want. When they work, they usually get paid in money.
  Lots of the money today is made of paper. But people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells.

Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Some Africans once used elephant tusks, monkey tails, and salt as money.
  The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the center. People strung them together and carried them from place to place.

Different countries have used different metals and designs for their money. The first coins in England were made of tin. Sweden and Russia used copper to make their money. Later some countries began to make coins of gold and silver.
    But even gold and silver were inconvenient if you had to buy something expensive. Again the Chinese thought of a way to improve money. They began to use paper money. The first paper money looked more like note from one person to another than the paper money used today.  

Money has had an interesting history, from the days of shell money until today.
41. In the Philippines Islands ______ was once used as money.
A. cloth  

B. knife  

C. rice

D. wheat
42. What was first used as money? ______.
A. Elephants tusks  

B. Cloth  

C. Salt  

D. Shells
43. The first metal coins looked like ______.
A. square-shaped with some designs on them
B. square-shaped with a round hole in the center
C. round-shaped with a square hole in the middle
D. round-shaped with a round hole in the middle
44. The first paper money______.
A. looked like a note used today
B. was passed from west Asia to China  

C. was first used in Europe            

D. looked like a piece of fur

45. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. paper money isn’t difficult to make  
B. people need money to exchange goods with each other

C. money must be suited to carry
D. people prefer metal coins to paper notes

V. Translation (25 points)

A. English-Chinese translation (10 points)

Is this the kind of future you want, consumers? Do you want appliances that are smarter than you? Of course not. Your appliances should be dumber than you, just like your furniture, your pets and your representatives in Congress. So, I am urging you let the appliance industry know, by phone, letter, fax and e-mail, that when it comes to “smart” appliances, you vote NO. You need act quickly. Because while you are reading this, your microwave oven if voting YES.

1. Chinese-English translation (15 points)

他们应该说“不要害怕失败! ”失败并不致命。无数人曾失败过，也因此而变得更加强大。有些甚至成了名人。历史上充满了卓越的中途退出者以及沿着自己的道路前行的“孤独者”，他们不惧怕偶尔的波折，因为他们坚信自己的方向感。阅读他们的传记总是令人振奋，这不仅因为他们打破了旧体制，更因为他们创立的体制要优于他们打破的体制。

VI. Writing (20 points)

Parents play a vital role in one’s development. What kind of influence does your father or mother have on you? Write an essay of not fewer than 200 words to share the most valuable quality your father or mother has passed on to you. Use specific details and examples to explain the impact of your family tradition on you. The suggested title is The Most Valuable Tradition of My Family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Test 8

I. Multiple choice. （20 points）

Part A. Listen to short conversations.

Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken twice. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and then decide which is the best answer. (1×10 =10 points)

1. A) Roy often empties his bag when he returns home. 

B) Roy is trying to persuade Carol to go fishing with him. 

C) Roy is only interested in catching fish. 

D) Roy’s real interest in fishing is sitting alone and doing nothing. 

2. A) The woman is preparing presents for her coach.

B) The woman is packing for her coach.

C) The woman is packing for a visit to her coach.

D) The woman is packing for her bus tour.

3. A) To ask for help from advanced learners.

B) To receive assistance from the teacher.

C) To study by himself in the lab.

D) To join in at the intermediate level.

4. A) He is interested in the progress of architecture.

B) He is interested in writing the history of cities.

C) He is interested in the histories of cities shown in cities.

D) He is interested in giving lectures on photography.

5. A) The man is a Brazilian.

B) The man makes a habit of being late.

C) The man has a bad temper.

D) The man is rude to his friends.

6. A) They didn’t have enough time to get their seats on the plane.

B) The pilot had trouble starting the engine.

C) The engine started as soon as they got on the plane.

D) They were delayed at the airport.

7. A) Louisiana tornado was as terrible as the one in Texas.

B) Louisiana tornado killed 50 people.

C) Louisiana tornado killed 200 people.

D) Louisiana tornado was much worse than the one in Texas.

8. A) He has only one hobby and no bad hobbies. 

B) He thinks he can learn skills from good hobbies. 

C) He has both bad hobbies and good ones. 

D) He thinks one can turn bad hobbies into good ones. 

9. A) It will take them many years to get rich and famous.

B) There’s a new school of artistic movement around the corner.

C) The man’s idea is not feasible at all.

D) The man has gone mentally insane.

10. A) Jason will have to work a little harder.

B) She’s certain he can work on something else.

C) Jason can take the test on another day.

D) Jason can skip the test and won’t have to make it up.

Part B. Listen to a passage.

Directions: Listen to a passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear. The passage will be spoken twice. (2×5 =10 points)

11. How old is Nola Ochs?

A) She will be 100 years old on Wednesday.

B) She has just celebrated her 95th birthday on Friday.

C) She is going to be 90 years old on Friday.

D) She will celebrate her 95th birthday on Wednesday.

12. What degree is Nola Ochs pursuing?

A) She is studying for an MA degree in law.

B) She is seeking a BA degree in religion.

C) She is pursuing her Ph.D. degree in college.

D) She is just learning and does not intend to get a degree.

13. How did Mrs. Ochs study her courses before she lived on campus?

A) She enrolled at Fort Hays in 1930 and stayed there ever since.

B) She finished all her classes at the Kansas State Teachers College.

C) She completed some of her courses on the Internet.

D) She was taught by her granddaughter at home.

14. What will happen to Mrs. Ochs on Friday?

A) She will attend her graduation ceremony.

B) Her son and others will hold a birthday party for her.

C) She will meet her granddaughter at the graduation ceremony.

D) She and her son will celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday together.

15. What can be inferred from the passage?

A) Nola Ochs has set up a remarkable example as a lifetime learner.

B) The Guinness Book of World Records will accept Nola Ochs’ application.

C) Nola Ochs will become the oldest university graduate on Friday.

D) The degree Nola Ochs will get is very important for her life and work.

II. True or False questions. (2×5 = 10 points)

Directions: Listen to a conversation among three business colleagues: Philip, Lorraine and John, and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False. The conversation will be spoken twice.

(    ) 16. The three speakers have just come back from their holidays.

(    ) 17. The tour around Italy opened Philip’s eyes to the charm of the country.

(    ) 18. Lorraine looked tanned from her trip to the beach.

(    ) 19. Staying at home, John felt marvelous being thoroughly lazy for a change.

(    ) 20. In Philp’s opinion, it’s not much of a holiday to stay at home and trim the lawn.

III. Gap-filling. (1×10 = 10 points)

Directions: In this part you will hear a passage. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with what you hear. The passage will be spoken three times.

In my recent (21) to West Africa, I came to see how much in need so many people are in this part of the world. Infectious disease and poverty kill more people than those who die in the continuing bloody conflicts. We live in a world filled with (22) that cry out for others to help.

What can you do in a world that needs such help? Serving and volunteering, whether in your community or in a (23) country overseas, is a wonderful way to fill real (24) needs. Being involved in serving others and true humanitarian (25) can offer you experience and (26) with others that will help you through the rest of your life. The biggest benefit is that you have a (27) impact on helping other human beings.

We should remember that serving the needs of the despondent of this world is a very worthy cause. Doing good, one act at a time, one (28)
at a time, is an important part of being a light in a world of (29) and preparing for a greater cause in the (30) .

IV. Reading Comprehension (15 points) (1×15 =15)

Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You should decide which one is the best answer.

Passage One

   The Cherokee Indians lived in different states in the southeastern and southern parts of the United States. Like many other languages, Cherokee was originally only a spoken language, that is, there was no system for writing or reading this language. However, this problem was solved by a Cherokee Indian named Sequoyah, the inventor of an alphabet that let people read and write Cherokee.

   Sequoyah was born in the state of Tennessee. He was born of an Indian mother and a white father. Although he did not receive any school education, he recognized the value of reading and writing. Every evening he worked hard to come up with an alphabet. In 1823, he completed his alphabet after twelve years of hard work. His alphabet had symbols for the eighty six sounds of Cherokee language.

   Thousands of Cherokee learned to read and write because of Sequoyah’s new alphabet. Soon, a newspaper, Phoenix, was published in both English and Cherokee. Sequoyah himself moved to different states teaching his new alphabet until his death in 1843. He was nearly seventy years old. His willingness to help his people will be remembered for a long time.

31. A good title for this passage is _____.

A. Sequoyah and His New Alphabet

B. A Language for All Indians

C. The Cherokee Indians    

D. A New Indian Language

32. In the second paragraph, “come up with” means _____.

A. arrive     B. pronounce    C. appear   D. produce

33. We may conclude that Tennessee is _____.

A. a country in North America

B. where Sequoyah’s parents were born

C. in the southeastern or southern U.S.

D. Both A and B

34. Sequoyah finished his alphabet _____.

A. in 1823

B. in 1843

C. in 1835

D. Not mentioned in this passage

35. From the passage, we know that Sequoyah never _____.

A. finished his alphabet

B. taught anything

C. did any hard work

D. attended school

 

Passage Two

Greenwich is on the River Thames, five miles from the middle of London, and its history is two thousand years old. The first English people were fishermen there, and they named the place Greenwich, meaning “green village”. Later the English kings and queens lived at Greenwich in their beautiful palaces.

The name of the earliest palace was Placentia. Its windows were made of glass ---- the First in England. Henry VIII lived there. He knew that England must be strong at sea. So he started two big shipyards (船坞) at Greenwich, and for 350 years the ships which were made there were the best in the world.

But trouble was coming to Greenwich. In 1649, a war started in England and for eleven years there was no king. The men worked for him at Placentia decided to live in the palace themselves. They sold all its beautiful things and bought small pieces of the palace garden with money. Finally, the war ended and King Charles II came back. But Placentia was falling down. So King Charles II built a new and bigger palace, which is now open to the public.

At this time, Charles was worried about losing so many of its ships at sea: their sailors didn’t know how to tell exactly where they were. So in 1675, Charles made John Flamsteed, the first astronomer in England, try to find the answer. Flamsteed worked in a new building on the high ground in Greenwich Park. From it, with a telescope which he made himself, Flamsteed could look all round the sky. And he did, night after night, for twenty years. Carrying on Flamsteed’s work a hundred years later, an astronomer called Harrison finally made a clock which told the time at sea, and helped sailors to know where they were. You can see Harrison’s clock, still working, in Greenwich’s museum of the sea. Because of Flamsteed’s work, every country in the world now tells its time by Greenwich time.

36. The first English people living in “green village” were _____.

A. sailors

B. fishermen

C. the families of kings and queens

D. King Charles II and his family

37. Placentia was so famous at that time because _____.

A. King Henry VIII lived there

B. there were two shipyards near the palace

C. the windows of the palace were made of glass

D. it had beautiful gardens

38. Charles made Flamsteed try to find _____.

A. a place to set up a telescope

B. a way for sailors to tell their positions at sea

C. how to build ships

D. how to tell the time

39. What kind of trouble came to Greenwich in 1649?

A. Placentia was destroyed.

B. Shipyards were built.

C. King Henry VIII died.

D. A war started in England.

40. Greenwich is now famous for _____.

A. Greenwich time

B. its beautiful palace

C. its ship building

D. its wonderful history

Passage Three

   In the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, all hurricanes are now given girl’s name. For years hurricanes in the Caribbean were names after the saint’s day on which the hurricane happened. An example is the “Saint Ana” hurricane which struck Puerto Rico on July 26, 1825, and “San Felipe” (1876) and “San Felipe” (1928) which passed over Puerto Rico on September 3. Early in last century an Australian forecaster named hurricanes in his area after political figures he disliked. Another method of naming hurricanes was the phonetic alphabet used by the troops during the First World War (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc.). The oldest method is called the latitude-longitude method. The first written mention of lady hurricanes may have been in the novel Storm, by George R. Steward (1941). During World War II the practice of giving the storms girls’ names became more widespread.

41. Hurricanes were probably first given girl’s names in _____.

A. World War I  B. 1925      C. 1928         D. 1941

42. Two hurricanes had the same name. They were both called _____.

A. “Storm”     B. “Able”    C. “Saint Ana”   D. “San Felipe”

43. The practice of naming hurricanes after saints’ day began _____.

A. in Australia

B. in the Caribbean area

C. in the North Atlantic area

D. in the North Pacific area

44. The forecaster who names hurricanes after political figures did so _____.

A. in the beginning of last century

B. in the beginning of this century

C. in World War I

D. in World War II

45. Which of the following statements if NOT true?

A. “Storm” is a title of a novel.

B. The latitude-longitude method was the oldest of naming hurricanes.

C. All the hurricanes in the oceans are now given after girls’ names.

D. People began giving the hurricanes girls’ names during World War II.

 

V. Translation (25 points)

A. English-Chinese translation (10 points)

To hold this opinion, however, is little short of treason in America. A boy or girl who leaves college is branded a failure — and the right to fail is one of the few freedoms that this country does not grant its citizens. The American dream is a dream of “getting ahead”, painted in strokes of gold wherever we look. Our advertisements and TV commercials are a hymn to material success; our magazine articles a toast to people who has made it to the top. Smoke the right cigarette or drive the right car — so the ads imply — and the girls will be swooning into your deodorized arms or caressing your expensive lapels. Happiness goes to the man who has the sweet smell of achievement. He is our national idol, and everybody else is our national fink.

1. Chinese-English translation (15 points)

如果办公室真的彻底变成我们的社区，如果我们所从事的行业真的彻底变成我们的种族印记，那我们怎样才能把自己和工作区分开来呢？自我价值并不是只有在市场环境中才能得到体现。但是在这些新的社区中，如果不先说明我们是从事哪行哪业的，就越来越难以说清楚我们究竟是谁。

VI. Writing (20 points)

Wealth has always been longed for by many people. Does wealth really mean success? Different people have different ideas. Write an essay of not fewer than 200 words to express your idea. The suggested title is The Relationship between Wealth and Success.