北京某外国语大学硕士研究生入学考试试题(样卷)

北京外国语大学硕士研究生入学考试试题（样卷）

招生专业：英语语言文学、翻译学、外国语言学及应用语言学

科目名称：英语基础测试（技能）

（考试时间3小时，满分150分，全部写在答题纸上，答在试题页上无效）

PartIGRAMMAR(30points,3pointseach)

CorrectErrors

Thepassagecontainstenerrors.Eachindicatedlinecontainsamaximumofoneerror.

Ineachcase,onlyONEwordisinvolved.Youshouldproofreadthepassageandcorrect

itinthefollowingway:

Forawrongword,copythewrongwordtoyouranswersheetandwritethe

correctoneafterit.

Foramissingword,write/Iontheanswersheetfollowedbythewordafter

themissingword,andthenwritethewordwhichyoubelieveismissing.

Foranunnecessaryword,copytheunnecessarywordtoyouranswersheetand

crossitwithaslash/.

Therehasbeenmuchtalkinrecentyearsabouttheendofthebook,

but

theAustenindustryappearstohaveheardthenews.Allfourofthe[1]一

booksunderreviewingarepublishedinhigh-qualityhardbackeditions,⑵—

with

BharatTandon'sannotatededitionofEmmabeingthemosthandsome.Its

largesizeandheavyweight,complementedbythick,wood-textured

endpapers,acid-freecream-vellumpaper,generousmarginsandwoven

bindingsthatsuggestanobjectimportantintheirownright,anobjectand[3]一

a

formthatwillnotgoquietintothegoodnight.⑷一

Holdingabookofthissizeandweight,oneisremindednotonlyof

the

bookasathing,butalsooftheimportantrolethatthingsthemselvesplay

in

books.Inliterarystudies,thishasfosteredanewmethodofcriticism

under

theheadingof"thingtheory".Takingitscuefromtheanthropology,this⑸一

practiceconsidershowobjectsareinvestedwithmeaningsbeyondtheir

materialexistence.Itwouldbeamistake,however,toreadAusten's[6]一

fictions

asprimarily,orevenpredominantly,aboutthings.Inaletter,Austen

famouslyconcludedthat"threeorfourfamiliesinacountryvillageisthe

verythingtowork”,andhernovelsfocusnotonlyonthecourtshipplots[7]一

thatstructurehernarratives,butalsoonthemanners,thejudgement,the

subtletyandthetactrequiringtonegotiateday-to-dayencounterswith[8]—

those

whom,likeMrs.EltoninEmma,oneoftenloathesbutofwhomonewill

likelyneverbefree.Theyarenovelsofsocialevaluation,ofminutelyand[9]一

carefulobservation,bothofmannersandofinternalmentalprocesses,

novelsinwhichideasandthoughtsmatter.Austen'sworks,however,are[10]一

novelsinwhichevenseeminglysimplewordsbearmultipleresonances,

andinthiscontext,Tandon'snotesaresuperb.

PartIIREADINGCOMPREHENSION

(60points,3pointseach)

A.MultipleChoice

PleasereadthefollowingpassagesandchooseAfB,CorDtobestcompletethe

statementsorbestanswerthequestionsinfrontofthem.

PassageI

Thebaby-boomergenerationisintheprocessofretiring,andallthoseex-hippies

andpunkscanexpecttolivelongerthantheAmericanswhoretiredbeforethem.But

thefinancialchallengethisposesislesswellunderstood.Anylingeringcomplacency

oughttobeexplodedbytwoarticlesinthelatestJournalofRetirement,

Thefirst,fromtheCentreforRetirementResearch(CRR)atBostonCollege,

estimatestheproportionof65-year-oldswhowillbeabletoretirewithoutabighitto

theirdisposableincome.Pensionersdonotusuallyneedasmuchmoneycominginas

workers:forastart,theynolongerneedtosaveforretirement.TheCRRestimatesthat

65-85%oftheirpreviousincomeisareasonable"replacementrate”,dependingonthe

typeofhousehold.Aswellasprivatepensions,elderlyAmericansreceiveincomefrom

thefederalgovernment(intheformofSocialSecurity,thepublicpension)andmany

earnmoneyfromtheiraccumulatedwealth,particularlybytakingequityoutoftheir

houses.Evenallowingforthesesourcesofincome,theCRRestimatesthat52%of

Americansmaynotbeabletomaintaintheirstandardofliving.

Unsurprisingly,thebiggestproblemsfacethosewithnoprivatepensionatall:68%

oftheseAmericansareexpectedtofallshort.Thoseluckyenoughtobecoveredby

defined-benefitplans—inwhichpensionsarelinkedtoaworker9ssalary—havethe

leastdifficulty:only20%aredeemedatrisk.Ofthoseindefined-contribution(DC)

plans—inwhichworkersreceivewhateverpensionpottheyhaveaccumulatedby

retirement一53%probablywillnotreachthereplacementrate.Theproblemisthat

manypeoplesimplydonotsaveenoughinaDCpension.Thecombinedcontributions

ofemployersandemployeesaveragejust11.3%ofsalary.Thiswillnotgeneratethe

samelevelofpensionasatypicaldefined-benefitplan.TheCRRfoundthattheaverage

retirementassetsofthoseaged50-59werejust$110,000in2013,slightlylowerthan

in2010.Thisbalancewillimproveovertime,sinceDCplansarerelativelynew,but

thereisalongwaytogo.Ifpensionerstakean(inflation-adjusted)4%ayearfromtheir

pot,theywillneed$250,000justtogenerateanincomeof$10,000.

Atleast,youmightthink,SocialSecuritywillprovideabasicincomeforthe

elderly.Butthesecondpaper,bySylvesterSchieber,aformerchairmanoftheSocial

SecurityAdvisoryBoard,pointsoutthatthereareholesinthesafetynet.Retirement

incomeisbasedonanaverageofeveryworker'shighest35yearsofearnings.Butifa

workerwasnotinemploymentforthefull35years—becauseofsickness,aninability

tofindworkortimespentcaringfbrchildrenorotherrelatives一themissingyears

countaszeroesfbrthecalculation.MrSchieberfindsthatpeoplewhosetotalcareers

lastedjust10-19yearscomprise8%ofpensioners,butjustoverhalfofthepooresttenth

oftheelderly.Suchworkerscouldhardlyhavesavedmorefbrtheirretirement;they

hadbarelyadequateincomeinthefirstplace.Thatcouldbealoomingproblem,given

SocialSecurity'sfinances.Payrolltaxesoncurrentworkersnolongerexceedthe

benefitspaidout,promptingthegovernmenttotapthesurplusofpastyears.Oncurrent

projections,thiswillrunoutin2034.Afterthat,thecostofpensionscouldstillbemet

mainlybycontributionsfromworkers.Butthepoliticiansofthedaymaybeforcedto

considerbenefitcuts.MrSchieberthinkstheSocialSecuritysystemisunderfundedby

around25%.Ifanacross-the-boardbenefitcutofthatmagnitudewereapplied,itwould

hitthepoorestworkershardest,sincetheyhavefewalternativesourcesofincome.At

present,a25%benefitcutwouldreducetheincomeofthemedianpensionerby12.3%.

Butthepooresttenthwouldlose18.9%oftheiraggregateincome.

Sobuddingpensionreformerswillhavetosolveseveralproblemssimultaneously.

First,theyneedtostabilizeSocialSecuritywhileprotectingtheincomesofthepoorest.

Thatshouldinvolvesomecombinationofhighertaxes,benefitcutsforthebest-paid

andgreatersavinginthemiddlerungsoftheincomeladder一atthesametimeas

ensuringthatpeopledonotsavetoomuchtooquickly,incasetheimpactondemand

crashestheeconomy.

(11)Whichofthefollowingisanappropriatetitleforthispassage?

[A]ElderlyAmericansreceivepensionsfromthefederalgovernment.

[B]SocialSecuritywillprovideabasicincomefortheelderly.

[C]Americansarenotsavingenoughfortheirretirement.

[D]Americansareexpectedtofallshort.

(12)WhichofthefollowingstatementsistrueaboutAmericanbabyboomers?

[A]Mostofthemwerehippiesandpunks.

[B]TheyareexpectedtolivelongerthantheaverageAmerican.

[C]Theywillretirewithenoughdisposableincome.

[D]Theyarereachingretirementage.

(13)Whatdoes"fallshort"mean,inParagraph3?

[A]haveinadequatepensiontoliveon

[B]liveunderthepovertyline

[C]lowertheirreplacementrate

[D]receivelowersalaries

(14)StatisticsfromtheCRRindicatesthattheaverageretirementassetsofAmericans

aged50-59in2013_____________________________

[A]decreasedby$110,000fromthe2010level.

[B]werehigherthanin2010.

[C]werelowerthanin2010.

[D]remainedthe2010level.

(15)WhichofthefollowingmeasureswillhelpmostinstabilizingtheU.S.Social

Security,accordingtothispassage?

[A]Across-the-boardbenefitcut

[B]Greatersavingsfromthemiddleclass

[C]Higherincomesforthepoorest

[D]Highertaxesforthehigherincomegroup

Passage2

Jumpingafenceofpricklypears,GumatHussain,alocalchiefinthedriestdistrict

ofNorthWollo,Ethiopia'smostdrought-proneprovince,walksgloomilythroughhis

sorghum."Thecropshavenotproducedgrain.TheyareuselessevenfbrtheanimalsJ

hesighs.ElNino,theworld'slargestclimaticweatherphenomenon,iskeepingtherains

awayacrossswathesofAfricathisyear.Ethiopianofficialssaythattheharvestisfailing

ascompletelyasinaseriesofdroughtsthattogetherkilledmorethanImofthe

country'speoplebetween1965and1985,andmadeEthiopiaabywordforhopeless

famine.Morethan8millionEthiopiansarenowgoinghungry.Butadecade-oldfood-

securityprogramiskeepingthepoorestfromstarvation—andshowinghowpreparation

forextremeweathereventscanmitigatetheworsteffects.InAfrica^largestsocial­

protectionscheme,6millionEthiopiansspendfivedayseachmonthfortheleanhalf

oftheyearonpublicworkssuchasdiggingwater-holesforanimalsandbuilding

terracesforcrops.Inreturntheyget13kgofcerealand4kgofpulsesamonth,orthe

cashequivalent.Anothermillionwhoareunabletoworkgetthehandout,too.

ElNinowasnamedaftertheChrist-childbyPeruvianfishermenwhonoticedthat

theglobalweatherpattern,whichhappenseverytwotosevenyears,cuttheirhauls

aroundChristmas.ElNinoseeswarmwater,collectedoverseveralyearsinthewestern

tropicalPacific,sloshbackeastwardswhenwindsthatnormallyblowwestwards

weaken,orsometimesreverse.America'sNationalOceanicandAtmospheric

Administrationsaysthatthisyear'sNinocouldbethestrongestsincerecordsbeganin

1950.

Theweathereffects,bothgoodandbad,arefeltinmanyplaces.Richcountries

gainmorefrommightyNinos,onbalance,thantheylose.Theirlargelytemperate

climesmeanthatextradeathsduringheatwavesaremorethanoffsetbyfewerduring

coldsnaps.AstudyfromtheIMFandCambridgeUniversityfoundthatastrongNino

in1997-98boostedAmerica'seconomyby$15billion,partlybecauseofhigher

agriculturalyields:farmersintheMidwestgainedfromextrarain.Thetotalrisein

agriculturalincomesinrichcountriesisgreaterthanthefallinpoorones,saysSolomon

HsiangoftheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley.Oneknock-oneffectofElNino—

fewerAtlantichurricanes——particularlybenefitsAmerica.ThemostrecentmightyNino,

in1997-98,killedaround21,000peopleandcauseddamagetoinfrastructureworth$36

billionaroundtheglobe.ButsuchNinoscomewithmonthsofwarning,andsomuch

isknownabouthowtheyplayoutthatgovernmentscanprepare一iftheyare

sufficientlyfarsighted.AccordingtotheOverseasDevelopmentInstitute,aBritish

think-tank,andtheGlobalFacilityforDisasterReductionandRecovery,however,just

12%ofdisaster-relieffundinginthepasttwodecadeshasgoneonreducingrisksin

advance,ratherthanrecoveryandreconstructionafterwards.Thatisdespiteevidence

thatadollarspentonrisk-reductionsavesatleasttwoonmoppingup.

Simpleimprovementstoinfrastructure,suchasthosecarriedoutbyEthiopia's

public-worksprogram,canreducethespreadofdisease.Bettersewersmakeitless

likelythatheavyrainisfollowedbyanoutbreakofdiarrhoea.Strongerbridgesmean

villagesarelesslikelytobeleftwithoutfoodandmedicineafterfloods.Accordingto

apaperin2011,civilconflictiscorrelatedwithElNinonsmaligneffects—andthe

poorerthecountry,thestrongerthelink.Thoughtherelationshipmaynotbecausal,

helpingdividedcommunitiestopreparefbrdisasterswouldatleastlessentheriskthat

thosedisastersarefollowedbybloodshed.

Disasterinsurancecanbetoocostlyforpoorgovernmentsandindividuals:

uncertaindemand,weakregulationandlocalcorruptionallputinsurersoff,too.Butby

makingthecostofrisksexplicit,insurancecanencouragetheirmitigation.Collective

schemes,suchastheCaribbeanCatastropheRiskInsuranceFacility,canmake

insurancemoreaffordable,anddisseminateinformationthathelpsgovernments,

citizensandthoserunningportsandairportstoprepare.Sincethepoorestareleastlikely

torecouptheirlossesfromdisasterslinkedtoElNino,minimizingtheirlossesneedsto

bethepriority.

(16)Ethiopia'sharvesthasfailedcompletelythisyearbecause

[A]ElNinokilledmanyEthiopianpeople.

[B]Ethiopiaisabywordforhopelessfamine.

[C]ElNinocausedseveredroughtstothecountry.

[D]thisyear'sNinoisthestrongestsince1950.

(17)WhichofthefollowingstatementsisNOTtrueaboutAfrica'slargestsocial­

protectionscheme?

[A]ItputsixmillionEthiopianstodigwater-holesforanimals

[B]ItputsixmillionEthiopianstobuildterracesforcrops.

[C]ItprovidedfoodorcashforsixmillionEthiopiansinreturnfortheirtimespent

onpublicworks.

[D]ItprovidedfoodorcashforsixmillionEthiopianswhoareunabletowork.

(18)Inparagraph3,theword“knock-on“means.

[A]indirect

[B]damaging

[C]direct

fD]domino

(19)ThereportbytheOverseasDevelopmentInstituteandtheGlobalFacilityfor

DisasterReductionandRecoverysuggeststhat

[A]adollarspentonrisk-reductionsavesatleasttwoonprevention.

[B]preventionismoreimportantthanriskreduction.

[C]morefundingshouldhavegonetoriskreductioninthepasttwoyears.

[D]morefundingshouldhavegonetodisaster-reliefinthepasttwodecades.

(20)Whichofthefollowingisanappropriatetitleforthispassage?

[A]ElNinoandEthiopia

[B]EffectsofElNino

[C]Disasterforetold

fD]PlanningforElNino

B.TrueorFalse

Readthefollowingpassagecarefullyandthendecidewhetherthestatementswhich

followaretrue(T)orfalse(F).

WhatdoaBrailleprintermadeoutofLegoandadronethathelpsfarmersmonitor

cropshavetodowithchipmaking?IntelCapital,theventure-capitalVCunitofthe

Americantechnologygiant,isnotquitesureyetbutitwantstofindout.Itrecently

announceditwastakingstakesin16startups,includingthefii*msmakingtheseproducts.

Intelhasbeenintheventure-capitalbusinessforover20years,andhasinvestedin

morethan1,300companiesin56countries.Overthattimecorporateenthusiasmfor

venturecapitalhaswaxedandwaned—buthasseldombeengreaterthanitisnow.

Companiesasdiverseasconveniencestores(7-Eleven),chemists(Boots),

financialfirms(VisaandCitigroup)andcarmakers(BMW)areallgettingintothegame.

Theyarelookingforquicker,cheaperandbettersourcesofinnovationthanR&D

(ResearchandDevelopment),whichoftendisappoints.Inreturn,thestartupsthey

investinbenefitfromtheircapital,expertiseandconnections.Overthepastfiveyears

thenumberofcorporate-ventureunitsworldwidehasdoubledto1,100;25ofthe30

firmsthatcomprisetheDowJonesIndustrialAveragehaveoneaccordingtoGlobal

CorporateVenturing,atradepublication.The$6.4billionsuchunitshaveinvestedso

farthisyearisover60%morethantheydidin2012.America'scorporateinvestors

havebeeninvolvedin18%ofthecountry'sventure-capitaldealsthisyear.

Skepticsseeabubble.Threepreviousbooms,whichcoincidedwithonesin

conventionalventurecapital,endedintears一inthelate1960s,theearly1980sand,

mostspectacularly,duringthedotcombubble,whenastaggering$21billionwas

investedin2000alone.Aftereachbust,ventureunitsweremothballedorshut.

BelieverssaythelikesofIntelCapitalandGoogleVentureshavelearnedtouse

theirexpertiseratherthanjusttheirdeeppockets.Thisboomisalsodrivenbynecessity,

saysDorteHoppneroftheEuropeanVentureCapitalAssociation.Disruptive

innovationhasbecomethesinglebiggestworryformanyfirms.SettingupVCarmsis

awaytoidentifylife-threateningchangestotheirbusinessearly,sothattheycanadapt

or,betteryet,getinontheact,saysBenVeghteofAmerica'sNationalVentureCapital

Association,whosemembershiphasmushroomedinrecentyears.

Perhapsasaresult,thenewgenerationofventureunitslooksbetterintegratedwith

theirparents:insteadofchasingthenextFacebook(ordrone),theytendtoinvestin

industriesrelatedtothefirm'smainbusiness.IBM,forinstance,hassetupa$100m

fundtobackstartupsthatusethetechnologybehindWatson,acomputerthatcan

communicateincolloquiallanguage.IthasalreadyinvestedinWelltok,ahealth-care

startupwhichhasinventedanappwhichusesthetechnologytoanalyseusers9habits

andgivemedicaladvice.

TherearesomeindicationsthatcorporateVCisworkingbetterthaninthepast.

Startupsbackedbyfirmsaremorelikelytolisttheirsharesthanthosechampionedby

conventionalventuregroups.AbankinSiliconValleyestimatedlastyearthatcorporate

VCyieldsthreetimesthenumberofpatentsperdollarinvestedthanin-houseR&D.

ThelongevityofcorporateVCarmsisalsoincreasing:theaverageageisnowfiveand

120havelastedadecadeormore.Thatmakesthemhardierthanmanychiefexecutives.

[21]LargecorporationslikeBMWaregettingincreasinglyinterestedininvestingin

startups.

[22]It'softencheaperforcorporationstofundahotstartupasasourceofinnovation

thantodoinnovativeresearchthemselves.

[23]Corporationsrelymostlyonventurecapitalarmsforinnovationandsurvival.

[24]Corporateventureunitstendtoinvestinstartupsengagedinindustriesrelatedto

thecorporation'smainbusiness.

[25]CorporateVCarmsworkbetterandharderthanmanychiefexecutives.

C.GapFilling

Choosefromthelist[A]to[F]afterthepassagethebestsentencestofillinthegapsin

thetext.Therearemoresentencesthangaps.

ThedevelopedworldisheadingintowhatShakespearedescribedas"second

childishnessandmereoblivion,sanseyes,sansteeth,sanstaste,sanseverything^^.The

shareofthepopulationagedover65inrichcountrieswillrisefrom15%in2010to27%

by2050,whilethoseagedover80willincreasefrom4%to9%.Whilethistrendis

wellknown,countriesareonlyjuststartingtograpplewiththeimplications.Theissue

wasthesubjectofaconferenceheldattheLondonSchoolofEconomicslastmonth.

(26),Thefirstishowtoachieveeconomicgrowthinthefaceofa

shrinkingworkforce.Thesecondissue,giventhatshrinkingworkforce,ishowtolook

aftertheveryelderly,manyofwhomwillneedround-the-clocknursing.

Intermsofgrowth,oneobviousansweristogetpeopletoworklonger.Since1970,

thelifeexpectancyoftheaverage65-year-oldintheOECD,aclubmostlyofrich

countries,hasrisenbyfourorfiveyears,virtuallyallofwhichhasbeenspentin

retirement.Theageatwhichgovernmentsstartpayingpensionsisatlaststartingto

edgehigher,from65to67or68.

(27).Thesepotsmaybetoosmalltogenerateadecentincome,as

manypeoplearediscovering;theywillneedtokeepworking,whatevertheofficial

retirementagemaybe.

InBritaintheproportionofmenagedover65inemploymenthasrisenfromless

than8%attheturnofthecenturytomorethan13%today.Inaddition,fewerpeople

aretakingearlyretirement,whethervoluntaryorinvoluntary.(28).Since

therecession,thebiggestsinglegaininemploymenthasbeenamongwomenaged60-

64.

SimilartrendshavebeenseeninAmerica.Since2000,employmentofthoseaged

65andoverhasrisenby51%,whilethatofthoseaged25-64hasfallen3.5%.

(29).Thegrowingranksofolderworkers(particularlythoseworking

part-time)maybeputtingpressureonwages.

Couldtheyalsobelessproductive?Itishardtobecertain.Whether,andhowfast,

workers9productivitydeclineswithagemustdependonwhattheydo;whatistruefor

manuallabourmaynotbetrueforconsultancy.Economistsassumethatwagesmove

intandemwithproductivity,asemployersrewardworkersforthevalueoftheiroutput

(minusaprofitmargin).Inpractice,however,wagesaresetbyamorecomplexprocess

thatispartlyamatterofcustom.(30).Manycompanieshavepayscales

thatrewardseniority.

Onefieldinwhichthegrowingnumberofelderlyworkersmaysoonbeneededis

inlookingafterthosewhoareevenolderandfrailer.Onepaper,basedonasurveyof

fivecountries,estimatedthatthenumberofpeopleneedingformalcarecouldriseby

35%by2025.Inallfivecountriesthedemandforformalcareislikelytooutstripthe

supplyofcareworkersbyasubstantialmargin.

[A]Attheturnofthecentury,54%ofBritishwomenaged50-64wereinwork;now

itisnearly66%.

[B]However,itmaywellbethatchangesinprivate-sectorpensionsai*emore

importantindetermininghowlongtheelderlywork.Generousfinal-salary

pensionsaredyingout;theyhavebeenreplacedwithdefined-contribution

schemes,wherebytheemployeeaccumulatesapottoseehimthroughhisdotage.

[C]Therearetwomainageing-relatedproblems.

[D]Noristhisanareawhereproductivityislikelytoincreasemuch:some