Part III Reading Comprehension (45 minutes, 30 points)
Directions: There are six 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. Choose the
best answer and mark the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.
Passage One
Astronaut Jim Voss has enjoyed many memorable moments in his career, including three space flights and one space walk. But he recalls with special fondness a decidedly earthbound ( 为地球所吸引 ) experience in the summer of 1980, when he participated in the NASA - ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. Voss then a science teacher at West Point, was assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center's propulsion (推进) lab in Alabama to analyze why a hydraulic fuel pump on the space shuttle was working so well when previous seals had failed. It was a seemingly tiny problem among the vast complexities of running the space program. Yet it was important to NASA because any crack in the seal could have led to destructive results for the astronauts who relied on them.
“I worked a bit with NASA engineers,” says Voss, "but I did it mostly by analysis. I used a
handheld calculator, not a computer, to do a thermodynamic (热力学的) analysis," At the end of
the summer, he, like the other NASA-ASEE fellows working at Marshall, summarized his f'indings in a formal presentation and detailed paper. It was a valuable moment for Voss because the ASEE program gave him added understanding of NASA, deepened his desire to fly in space, and intensified his application for astronaut status. "
It was not an essay process. Voss was actually passed over when he first applied for the astronaut program in 1978. Over the next nine years he reapplied repeatedly, and was finally accepted in1987. Since then he has participated in three space mission. The 50-year-old Army officer, who fives in Huston, is now in training fro a four-month mission as a crew member on the International Space Station starting in July 2000
Voss says the ASEE program is wonderful for all involved. "It brings in people from the
academic world and gives NASA a special properly for a particular period of time. It brings some
fresh eyes and fresh ideas to NASA, and establishes a link with our colleges and universities, " Voss explains. “There’s an exchange of information and an exchange of perspectives that is very important.”
For the academic side, Voss says, the ASEE program also "brings institutions of higher learning more insight into new technology. We give them an opportunity to work on real-world problems and take it back to the classroom."
36. Why was the hydraulic fuel pump seal important for the space shuttle?
A. Because previous seals all failed.
B. Because it was very complex in running the space program.
C. Because great care has to be taken of the hydraulic fuel pump sealing.
D. Because any crack in the seals would cause disastrous results for the astronauts.
37. The great significance of Voss's findings lies in _________.
I. strengthening his determination to join in space flights
II. furthering his understanding of NASA
III. consolidating his astronaut status in NASA programs
A. I only.
B. II only.
C. I, II and III all included.
D. I and II only.
38. How many flights will Voss have finished if his Four-month mission starting in July 2000 ends up successfully?
A. Three B. Two
C. Four D. Five
39. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to what Voss said on the ASEE program?
A. Fresh members from die academic world participate in the program.
B. The program brings new outlooks to HASA space programs.
C. It is important for the space scientists to exchange information and perspectives.
D. American colleges and universities me a special property of NASA.
40. What does Voss want to stress in the last paragraph?
A. The technological significance of the program
B. The educational significance of the program
C. The philosophical significance of the program
D. The historical significance of the program
Passage Two
The current emergency in Mexico City that has taken over our fives is nothing. I could ever have imagined for me or my children, we are living in an environmental crisis, an air - pollution
emergency of unprecedented severity. What it really means is that just to breathe here is to play a
dangerous game with your health.
As parents, what terrorizes us most are reports that children are at higher risk because they
breathe more times per minute. What more can we do to protect them and ourselves? Our
pediatrician's (儿科医师的) medical recommendation was simple: abandon the city permanently.
We are foreigners and we are among the small minority that can afford to leave. We are here because of my husband's work. We are fascinated by Mexico--its history and rich culture. We know that for us, this is a temporary danger. However, we cannot stand for much longer the fear we feel for our boys. We cannot stop them from breathing.
But for millions, there is no choice. Their lives, their jobs, their futures depend on being here. Thousands of Mexicans arrive each day in this city, desperate for economic opportunities. Thousands more are born here each day. Entire families work in the streets and practically live there. It is a familiar sight: as parents hawk goods at stoplights, their children play in the grassy highway dividers, breathing exhaust fumes. I feel guilty complaining about my personal situation; we won't be here long enough for our children to form the impression that skies are colored only gray.
And yet the government cannot do what it must to end this problem. For any country, especially a developing Third World economy like Mexico's, the idea of barring from the capital city enough cars, closing enough factories and spending the necessary billions on public transportation is simply not an option. So when things get bad, as in the current emergency, Mexico takes half measures-prohibiting some more cars from circulating, stopping some factories from producing--that even its own officials concede aren't adequate.
The word "emergency" implies the unusual. But when daily life itself is an emergency, the
concept loses its meaning. It is human nature to try to adapt to that which we cannot change. Or to
mislead ourselves into believing we can adapt.
41. According to the passage, the current emergency in Mexico City refers to ________.
A. serious air pollution B. economic crisis
C. unemployment D. natural disaster
42. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. Kids are in greater danger than grown-ups in Mexico City.
B. The author is not a native Mexican.
C. The author’s husband is a pediatrician.
D. The Mexican history and culture appeal to the author.
43. The word "hawk" (Paragraph 3) most probably means ________.
A. sell B. transport C. place D. deliver
44. The Mexican government takes half measures to solve the pollution problem because______.
A. Mexican economy depends very much on cars and factories
B. it is not wise enough to come up with effective measures
C. Mexicans are able to adapt themselves to the current emergency
D. Mexicans enjoy playing dangerous games with their health
45. The purpose of the passage is to _________.
A describe the harmful air pollution
B. explain the way to prevent air pollution
C. show the worries about the air pollution
D. recommend a method to avoid air pollution
Passage Three
In 1998 consumers could purchase virtually anything over the Internet. Books, compact discs, and even stocks were available from World Wide Web sites that seemed to spring up almost daily. A few years earlier, some people had predicted that consumers accustomed to shopping in stores would be reluctant to buy things that they could not see or touch in person. For a growing number of time-starved consumers, however, shopping from their home computer was proving to be a convenient alternative to driving to the store.
A research estimated that in 1998 US consumers would purchase $ 7.3 billion of goods over the Internet, double the 1997 total. Finding a bargain was getting easier owing to the rise of online
auctions and Web sites that did comparison shopping on the Internet for the best deal.
For all the consumer interest, retailing in cyberspace was still a largely unprofitable business, however. Internet pioneer Amazon.Com, which began selling books in 1995 and later branched into recorded music and videos, posted revenue of $ 153.7 million in the third quarter, up from $37.9 million in the same period of 1997. Overall, however, the company's loss widened to $45.2 million from $ 9.6 million, and analysis did not expect the company to turn a profit until 2001. Despite the great loss, Amazon.Com had a stock market value of many billion, reflecting investors' optimism about the future of the industry.
Internet retailing appealed to investors because it provided an efficient means for reaching
millions of consumers without having the cost of operating conventional stores with their armies of salespeople. Selling online carried its own risks, however. With so many companies competing for consumers' attention, price competition was intense and profit margins thin or nonexistent. One video retailer sold the hit movie Titanic for $ 9.99, undercutting (削价) the $ 19.99 suggested retail price and losing about $ 6 on each copy sold. With Internet retailing still in its initial stage, companies seemed willing to absorb such losses in an attempt to establish a dominant market position.
46. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the writer?
A. Consumers are reluctant to buy things on the Internet.
B. Consumers are too busy to buy things on the Internet.
C. Internet retailing is a profitable business.
D. More and more consumers prefer Internet shopping.
47. Finding a' bargain on the Internet was getting easier partly because _______.
A. there were more and more Internet users
B. there were more and more online auctions
C. the consumers had more money to spend
D. there were more goods available on the Internet
48. "For all the consumer interest" (Paragraph 3) means ________.
A. to the interest of all the consumers
B. for the interest of all the consumers
C. though consumers are very much interested
D. all the consumers are much interested
49. It can be inferred from the passage that Amazon. Com ________.
A. will probably make a profit in 2001
B. is making a profit now
C. is a company that sells books only
D. suffers a great loss on the stock market
50. Investors are interested in Internet retailing because __________.
A. selling online involves little risk
B. Internet retailing is in its initial stage
C. it can easily reach millions of consumers
D. they can make huge profits from it
Passage Four
It is all very well to blame traffic jams, the cost of petrol and the quick peace of modern life, but manners on the roads are becoming horrible. You might tolerate the rude and inconsiderate driver, but nowadays the well-mannered motorist is the exception to the rule. Perhaps the situation calls for a "Be Kind to Other Drivers" campaign, otherwise, it may get completely out of hand.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too. It takes the most cool-headed and good-tempered of drivers to resist the temptation to revenge when subjected to uncivilized behaviors. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards relieving the tensions of motoring. A friendly nod or a wave of acknowledgement in response to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of goodwill and tolerance so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such acknowledgements of politeness are all too rare today. Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, improper politeness can also be dangerous. A typical example is the driver who waves a child across a crossing into the path of oncoming vehicles that may be unable to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they care to.
A veteran driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if motorists learn to filter correctly into traffic streams without causing the total blockages (堵塞) that give rise to bad
temper. Unfortunately, modern motorists can't even learn to drive, let alone be well-mannered on the road. Years ago the experts warned us that the car-ownership explosion would demand a lot more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.
51. According to this passage, troubles on the road are primarily caused by _______.
A. people's attitude towards drivers
B. the rhythm of modern life
C. traffic conditions
D. the behavior of the driver
52. The sentence "You might tolerate the rude and inconsiderate driver, but nowadays the well-
mannered motorist is the exception to the rule" implies that ?????________.
A. our society is unjust towards well-mannered motorists
B. rude drivers can be met only occasionally
C. nowadays impolite drivers constitute the majority of motorists
D. the well-mannered motorist cannot tolerate the rude driver
53. By "good sense" (Paragraph 2), the writer means _________.
A. the driver's prompt response to difficult conditions
B. the driver's ability to understand and react reasonably
C. the driver' s tolerance of bad road conditions
D. the driver's acknowledgement of politeness and regulations
54. Experts have long pointed out that in the face of car-ownership explosion, ________.
A. Drivers should be ready to yield to one another
B. road users should make more sacrifices
C. drivers should have more communication among themselves
D. drivers will suffer a great loss if they pay no respect to others
55. In the writer's opinion _________.
A. drivers should apply road politeness properly
B. strict traffic regulations are badly needed
C. rude and inconsiderate drivers should be punished
D. drivers should try their best to avoid traffic jams
Passage Five
The most noticeable trend among today's media companies is vertical integration--an attempt to control several related aspects of the media business at once, each part helping the other. Besides publishing magazines and books, Time Warner, for example, owns Home Box Office (HBO), Warner movie studios, various cable TV systems throughout the United States and CNN as well. The Japanese company Matsushita owns MCA Records and Universal Studios and manufactures broadcast production equipment.
To describe the financial status of today's media is also to talk about acquisitions. The media are buying and selling each other in unprecedented numbers and forming media groups to position themselves in the marketplace to maintain and increase their profits. In 1986, the first time a broadcast network had been sold, two networks were sold that year --ABC and NBC.
Media acquisitions have skyrocketed since 1980 for two reasons. The first is that most big corporations today are publicly traded companies, which means that their stock is traded on one of the nation's stock exchanges. This makes acquisitions relatively easy.
A media company that wants to buy a publicly owned company can buy that company's stock when the stock becomes available. The open availability of stock in these companies means that anybody with enough money can invest in the American media industries, which is exactly how Rupert Murdoch joined the media business.
The second reason for the increase in media alliances is that beginning in 1980, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) gradually deregulated the broadcast media. Before 1980, for example, the FCC allowed one company to own only five TV stations, five AM radio stations, and five FM radio stations; companies also were required to hold onto a station for three years before the station could be sold. The post-1980 FCC eliminated the three-year rule and raised the number of broadcast holdings allowed for one owner. This trend of media acquisitions is continuing throughout the 1990s, as changing technology expands the market for media products.
The issue of media ownership is important. If only a few corporations direct the media industries in this country, the outlets for differing political viewpoints and innovative ideas could be limited.
56. What do Time Warner and Matsushita have in common?
A. They both belong to Rupert Murdoch.
B. They are both big American media corporations.
C..They are both outlets of differing viewpoints and innovative ideas.
D. They both own several different but related media businesses.
57. Which of the following is true of the media?
A. They used to sell and buy each other in great numbers.
B. They are trading each other in greater numbers today.
C. They used to be controlled by two networks--ABC and NBC.
D. They have stopped the trend of acquisitions in the 1990s.
58. According to the passage, what makes acquisitions easier?
A. The changing technology employed by the media.
B. The media's increasing profits in the marketplace.
C. The ever tougher regulations of the FCC on the media since 1980.
D. The availability of the media' s stocks on stock exchanges.
59. What is the FCC's new policy regarding media alliances?
A. It allows companies to sell their stocks publicly.
B. It doesn't allow companies to sell their stocks publicly.
C. It permits one company to own more media businesses at the same time.
D. It has eliminated all post-1980 companies.
60. The issue of media ownership is important because
A. it affects the amount of money the stockholders will make
B. it decides whether we can have different aspects of the media
C. it concerns the channels through which to express opinions
D. it means that more and more people will hold onto only a few stations
Passage six
In the 1997 general-election campaign, "Education, Education" was Tony Blair's pet phrase.
Times change quickly. Education is going rapidly out of fashion. "Learning" (to be exact, "lifelong learning" ) is New Labour's new buzzword (时髦语). The shift from "education" to "learning" reflects more than a change of language. It stems from both educational research and left-wing ideas. During the 1980s, British educationalists got some new American ideas. One was the notion that traditional examinations do not test the full range of people's abilities. Another was the belief that skills are not necessarily learned from teachers in a conventional classroom. People can pick them up in all sorts of ways.
All this echoed left-wing ideas that traditional teaching methods were sufficiently adaptable to the needs of individual learners. Advocates of lifelong learning argue that it merely describes what has changed in education in the past decade: And there are now hundreds of schemes in which pupils learn outside the classroom.
Until now, education has been changing from below. In the next few weeks, the government will help from above. One of its main projects for lifelong learning is about to begin its first pilot programmers. With funding of $ 44 million in its first year, it will coordinate a new network of "learning centers" throughout the country. Traditional institutions, such as schools and colleges, will provide training at some non-traditional places of learning, such as supermarkets, pubs, and churches. The theory is that in such places students will feel more at ease, and therefore will be better motivated, than in a classroom.
The new schemes allow consumers of education to exercise complete choice over where, what and when they learn. In the rest of the state-run education sectors (部门), the government still seems to be committed to restricting choices as much as possible. If these programs succeed, they could improve the skills of Britain's workforce.
61. According to the writer, the shift from "education" to "learning" ________.
A. is but a change of language
B. reflects the traditional ideas in education
C. reflects the government's wish to restrict choices
D. is not just a change of language
62. All the following statements are true EXCEPT that __
A. pupils can learn skills outside the classroom
B. students will be better motivated in a classroom
C. the new schemes are intended to improve the skills of Britain' s workforce
D. traditional teaching methods cannot satisfy the needs of individual learners
63. It can be inferred from the passage that the new projects _________.
A. are started from below
B. have begun in the past decade
C. will allow students to have complete control over their learning
D. will be carried out in the traditional institutions
64. In the second paragraph, the writer suggests that __________.
A. traditional exams can test the full range of people's abilities
B. there are other ways for pupils to learn skills
C. pupils can learn little from teachers in a conventional classroom
D. the notion of lifelong learning is only the result of educational research
65. According to this passage, the New Labour's government
A. will set up many "learning centers" in Britain
B. has not changed its educational policy
C. will continue to restrict choices in all the state-run education sectors
D. is reluctant to make large investments in education
Part IV Cloze (15 minutes, 10 points)
Directions: In this part, there is a passage with twenty blanks. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose for each blank and mark the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.
Most worthwhile careers require some kind of specialized training. Ideally, therefore, the choice of an 66 should be made even before the choice of a curriculum in high school. Actually, 67 , most people make several job choices during their working lives, 68 because of economic and industrial changes and partly to improve 69 position. The "one perfect job" does not exist. Young people should 70 enter into a broad flexible training program that will 71 them for a field of work rather than for a single 72.
Unfortunately many young people have to make career plans 73 benefit of help from a
competent vocational counselor or psychologist. Knowing 74 about the occupational world, or
themselves for that matter, they choose their lifework on a hit-or-miss 75 . Some drift from job to job. Others 76 to work in which they are unhappy and for which they are not fitted.
One common mistake is choosing an occupation for 77 real or imagined prestige. Too many high-school students--or their parents for them--choose the professional field, 78 both the relatively small proportion of workers in the professions and the extremely high educational and personal 79 . The imagined or real prestige of a profession or a "White-collar" job is 80 good reason for choosing it as life's work. 81 , these occupations are not always well paid. Since a large proportion of jobs are in mechanical and manual work, the 82 of young people should give serious 83 to these fields.
Before making an occupational choice, a person should have a general idea of what he wants 84 life and how hard he is willing to work to get it. Some people desire social prestige, others intellectual satisfaction. Some want security, others are willing to take 85 for financial gain. Each occupational choice has its demands as well as its rewards.
66. A. identification B. entertainment C. accommodation D. occupation
67. A. however B. therefore C. though D. thereby
68. A. entirely B. mainly C. partly D. his
69. A. its B. his C. our D. their
70. A. since B. therefore C. furthermore D. forever ~
71. A. make B. fit C. take D. leave
72. A. job B. way C. means D. company
73. A. to B. for C. without D. with
74. A. little B. few C. much D. a lot
75. A. chance B. basis C. purpose D. opportunity
76. A. apply B. appeal C. stick D. turn
77. A. our B. its C. your D. their
78. A. concerning B. following C. considering D. disregarding
79. A. preference B. requirements C. tendencies D. ambitions
80. A. a B. any C. no D. the
81. A. Therefore B. However C. Nevertheless D. Moreover
82. A. majority B. mass C. minority D. multitude
83. A. proposal B. suggestion C. consideration D. appraisal
84. A. towards B. against C. out of D. without
85. A. turns B. parts C. choices D. risks
