英语考研模拟题4与精析

Section Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on Answer Sheet 1. (10 points) Most worthwhile careers require some kind of specialized training. Ideally, therefore, the choice of an 1 should be made even before choice of a curriculum in high school. Actually, 2 , most people make several job choices during their working lives, 3 because of economic and industrial changes and partly to improve their position. The one perfect job does not exist. Young people should 4 enter into a broad flexible training program that will fit them for a 5 of work rather than for a single job. Unfortunately many young people have to make career plans 6 benefit of help from a competent vocational counselor or psychologist. Knowing 7 about the occupational world, or themselves for that matter, they choose their lifework on a hit-or-miss 8 . Some drift from job to job. Others 9 to work in which they are unhappy and for which they are not fitted. One common mistake is choosing an occupation for its real or 10 prestige. Too many high瞫chool students or their parents for them choose the professional field, 11 both the relatively small proportion of workers in the professions and the extremely high educational and personal 12 . The prestige that people tend to 13 to a profession or a white-collar job is no good reason for choosing it as lifes work. 14 , these occupations are not always well paid. Since a large 15 of jobs are in mechanical and manual work, the majority of young people should give serious 16 to these fields. Before making an occupational choice, a person should have a general idea of what he wants 17 life and how hard he is willing to work to get it. Some people desire social prestige, others intellectual 18 . Some want security; others are willing to take 19 for financial gain. Each occupational choice has its demands as well as its 20 . 1. A identification B entertainment C accommodation D occupation 2. A however B therefore C though D thereby 3. A entirely B mainly C partly D his 4. A since B therefore C furthermore D forever 5. A place B chance Cfield D opening 6. A to B for C without D with 7. A little B few C much D a lot 8. A chance B basis C purpose D opportunity 9. A apply B appeal C stick D turn 10. A imagined B substantial C acquired D demanded 11. A concerning B following C considering D disregarding 12. A preferences B requirements C tendencies D ambitions 13. A contribute B attach C attribute D allot 14. A Therefore B However C Nevertheless D Moreover 15. A proportion B part C quanitity D batch 16. A proposal B suggestion C consideration D appraisal 17. A towards B against C out of D without 18. A knowledge B satisfaction C culture D sensitivity 19. A turns B parts C choices D risks 20. A awards B requirements C results D needs Section Reading Comprehension Part A Directions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on Answer Sheet 1. (40 points) Text 1 It is said that people buy contemporary art when they are confident about the future and old art when they are not. Conventional wisdom has it that older art holds its value, while contemporary stuff is for risk-lovers. William Goetzmann, a professor at Yale, estimates that during the last art-market depression, which set in after 1990, impressionist and contemporary works fell by most (51% and 40% respectively), while Old Masters suffered least (down by 16%). Yet despite the ups and downs, contemporary works have been rewarding for those who are prepared to hang on: according to Jianping Mei and Michael Moses, professors at New York University (NYU) since 1970 the returns on contemporary art have far exceeded those on Old Masters and 19th-century paintings. Since the late 1980s, more sophisticated analysis of the art market and a growing interest in alternative investments have spurred the creation of several new investment funds focused on art. At a recent conference organised by one of these, the Fine Art Fund, Rachel Campbell of Maastricht University pointed out the low correlation between returns on art and on those other investments. Given that it usually pays to diversify, that is a good argument for investing in art, whatever your taste. The Fine Art Fund, which began buying this April (and has 36% of its money in cash), advises that investors spread their art allocation fairly evenly between Impressionists, Old Masters, modern art and contemporary works. Contemporary art, in particular, has served rich investors well in the past few years. Prices stayed stable when stock markets fell. Nevertheless, one recent academic study has found a correlation with another asset class: during the last world art boom, in the late 1980s, prices were closely tied to property values, specifically Japanese land prices. After 1990, art and property fell together. Now property prices in several countries are once again at frightening heights. Investing in art will always be a risky business. Works of art by definition belong to different categories; holding periods vary; the market is illiquid; art yields no income, producing only capital gain or loss; transaction costs are high. As for contemporary art in particular, it is a sobering thought that, according to Mr Moses, each year an average of only two artists emerge whose work increases in value over time. All this speaks against a big commitment to speculating in art; better, maybe, simply to buy what you like, if you can: treat your money, in other words, not as invested but as consumed. 21. By saying that the market is illiquid (Line 2, Para. 4), the author suggests that .A art works seldom lose their value in the marketB investment in art does not have guaranteed return of profitsC the difficulty to trade art works is obvious and evidentD the art market tends to be responsive to the economic situation 22. The Fine Art Fund advise that investors need to spread their art allocation because .A Old Masters always promise a high return of profitsB different art works are valued differently in the marketC buying art works is always a good way of investmentD people should be aware of the risks of investment in art 23. The returns on contemporary art indicate .A people have come to see the value of contemporary artB the economic prospects are positively assessedC there is a growing interest in alternative art investmentsD investors have learned to spread their art allocation 24. We can learn from the text that .A the two NYU professors advise people against buying Old MastersB cautious investors are advised to stay away from the art marketC the real estate market is a good indicator of the art marketD art investors should not speculate in the art market 25. What is the possible attitude of Mr Moses toward investing in contemporary art?A Investors in contemporary art should be more patient.B A supplicated analysis of the art market is always a must.C Contemporary art seems to promise greater returns of profits.D It is dangerous to speculate in the contemporary art market. Text 2 They have been writers and actors, entertainers and creators. They have won Academy Awards and received critical acclaim. They have graced the covers of magazines. In the arts and entertainment world, women have made a myriad of contributions to what we know as popular culture. Although many female celebrities may be known more for their figures than their talents, women remain more than just pretty faces. Womens History Month promises to take a look back at the influential female lives and legacies that have shaped our society. In this century alone, a number of famous females have made their artistic marks. In the literary world, women such as Sylvia Plath and Colette composed celebrated works, establishing themselves as creative writers to be reckoned with. Colette, a prolific French novelist, tackled weighty themes such as the womans struggle for independence. Her catalog of works includes celebrated novels such as Cheri and The Pure and the Impure. Plath, renowned for her suicide as much as for her writing, wrote The Bell Jar as well as a wealth of poetry. Within the realm of fashion, influential designers such as Coco Chanel changed the face of female dressing. The Chanel name has become synonymous with high style. Coco invented the little black dress, perfected a trademark scent-Chanel No. 5-and became famous for her tweed suits and quilted handbags. Hollywood starlets such as Katharine Hepburn transformed the film world. She was known for her portrayal of strong, spirited females in her films, clearly embodying what it means to be an independent woman. As Hepburn once said, I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex. The music industry has also seen its share of barrier-breaking female stars. Women such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald endure as revered names within the jazz world. Similarly, Joan Baez took the folk music genre by storm. She was one of the most outspoken performers during the social turmoil of the 1960s, establishing herself not only as an acclaimed singer/songwriter but also as an activist for civil rights and nonviolence. Undeniably, women have contributed to our culture in immeasurable ways. From the silver screen to the record-store shelves, the most talented stars exhibit a wealth of creativity, a fan瞱inning charisma and a unique dedication to their respective crafts-and many of them also happen to be female. 26. Who may be considered as a feminist writer according to the passage?A Sylvia Plath.B Colettle.C Both Plath and Colette.D Neither Plath nor Colette. 27. From the passage, we can learn that Chanel No. 5 is .A a typical style of little black dressB a perfume marketed by ChanelC a high class way of life advocated by CocoD the chanel tweed suits and quilted handbags. 28. By saying women remain more than just pretty faces, the author means .A some women have nothing but pretty facesB beauty for many female celebrities is necessaryC some women dont mange to be successful for beautyD each female celebrity has her own success story 29. Joan Baez is called an outspoken performer because she .A stunned the world by the message her music expressedB was expressive for her performance on the stageC had to suffer the social turmoil of the 1960sD openly voiced her opinions on the major social issues 30. Womens contributions to pop culture are NOT caused by .A their enthusiasm they have toward what they doB the physical appeal they have to the publicC their understanding of the importance of pop cultureD the display of their natural talents and gifts Text 3 Old people are always saying that the young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and it is always true. It has never been truer than it is today. The young are better educated; they have a lot more money to spend and enjoy more freedom. They grow up more quickly and are not so dependent on their parents. They think more for themselves and do not blindly accept the ideals of their elders. Events which the older generation remembers vividly are nothing more than past history. This is as it should be. Every new generation is different from the one that preceded it. Today the difference is very marked indeed. The old always assume that they know best for the simple reason that they have been around a bit longer. They dont like to feel that their values are being questioned or threatened. And this is precisely what the young are doing. They are questioning the assumptions of their elders and disturbing their sense of feeling contended. They doubt that the older generation has created the best of all possible worlds. What they reject more than anything is conformity. Office hours, for instance, are nothing more than enforced slavery. Wouldnt people work best if they were given complete freedom and responsibility? And what about clothing? Who said that all the men in the world should wear dull gray suits and convict haircuts? If we turn our minds to more serious matters, who said that human differences can best be solved through conventional politics or by violent means? Why have the older generation so often used violence to solve their problems? Why are they so unhappy and guilt-ridden in their personal lives; so obsessed with mean ambitions and the desire to amass more and more material possessions? Can anything be right with the rat-race? Havent the old lost touch with all that is important in life? These are not questions the older generation can shrug off lightly. Their record over the past forty years or so hasnt been exactly spotless. Traditionally, the young have turned to the older for guidance. Today, the situation might be reversed. The old-if they are prepared to admit it-could learn a thing or two from their children. One of the biggest lessons they could learn is that enjoyment is not sinful. Enjoyment is a principle one could apply to all aspects of life. It is surely not wrong to enjoy your work and enjoy your leisure; to shed restricting inhibitions. It is surely not wrong to live in the present rather than in the past or future. The world is full of uncertainty and tension. This is their glorious heritage. Can we be surprised that they should so often question the sanity of the generation that passed it down? 31. Which of the following features in the young is NOT mentioned?A Better educatedB More money and freedom.C Greater independence. D Respect for work. 32. What do the young have an attitude for?A The differences between the old and young.B The assumption of the old generation.C The emphasis on violence as a solution to social problems.D The social conventions that they are expected to follow. 33. Why do the young stress on the present because .A the past is full of sanity that should be done withB the present is more secure than the pastC the present world is substantial and sustainingD the present is made up of a glorious heritage 34. What can the old learn from the young generation?A Enjoyment is not despicable for what it isB People should have more time for leisure.C It is a blessing that people can learn to enjoy lifeD One should break free of the restrictions that life imposes 35. How do the young think about office hours?A They are more painful than enforced slaveryB They are happier than enforced slaveryC They are almost as painful as enforced slaveryD They are the most painful enforced slavery Text 4 Researchers are finding that boys and girls really are from two different planets. Experts say boys and girls have different crisis points, stages in their emotional and social development where things can go very wrong. Until recently, girls got all the attention. But boys are much more likely than girls to have discipline problems at school and to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Boys far outnumber girls in special-education classes. Theyre also more likely to commit violent crimes and end up in jail. Even normal boy behavior has come to be considered pathological（病态的）in the wake of the feminist movement. An abundance of physical energy and the urge to conquerthese are normal male characteristics, and in an earlier age they were good things, even essential to survival. If Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer were alive today, says Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder of Boys, wed say they had ADD. He says one of the new insights were gaining about boys is a very old one: boys will be boys. They are who they are, says Gurian, and we need to love them for who they are. Lets not try to rewire them. But what exactly is the essential nature of boys? Even as infants, boys and girls behave differently. A recent study at Childrens Hospital in Boston found that boy babies are more emotionally expressive; girls are more reflective. (That means boy babies tend to cry when theyre unhappy; girl babies suck their thumbs.) This could indicate that girls are innately more able to control their emotions. Boys have higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of neurotransmitter serotonin(神经传递素), which inhabits aggression(睾丸激素) and impulsivity. That may help explain why more males than females carry through with suicide or become alcoholics. Theres a struggle between a desire and need for warmth on the one hand and a pull toward independence on the other. Boys are going through what psychologists long ago declared an integral part of growing up: individualization and disconnection from parents, especially mothers. But now some researchers think that process is too abrupt. When boys repress normal feelings like love because of social pressure, says William Pollack, head of the Center for Men at Bostons McLean Hospital, theyve lost contact with the genuine nature of whom they are and what they feel. Boys are in a silent crisis. The only time we notice it is when they pull the trigger. 36. Which of the following is NOT true according to the first paragraph?A Boys and girls are different.B Boys need more att