2011年同等学力申请硕士学位英语真题-阅读部分
2011-12-08 12:10阅读：
Part
Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (45 minutes, 30 points, 1 for
each)
Directions:
There are 5 passages in this
part. Each passage is followed by 6 questions or unfinished
statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and
D. Choose the best one and mark corresponding letter with a single
bar across the square brackets on your machine-scoring ANSWER
SHEET.
Passage One
Until last spring, Nia Parker
and the other kids in her neighborhood commuted to school on Bus
59. But as fuel prices rose, the school district needed to find a
way to cut its transportation costs. So the school’
s busing company redrew its route map, eliminating Nia’s bus
altogether. Now Nia and her neighbors travel the half mile to
school via a “
walking school bus”— a group of kids,
supervised by an adult or two, who make the walk together.
Like the rest of us, school
districts are feeling pinched by rising fuel costs—and finding new
way to adapt. The price of diesel fuel has gone up 34 percent in
the past two years. For the typical American school district, bus
bills total 5 percent of the budget. As administrators look to
trim, busing is an inviting target, since it doesn’t affect
classroom instruction (or test scores). More than one third of
American school administrators have eliminated bus stops or routes
in order to stay within budget.
Many parents are delighted to
see their kids walking to school, partly because many did so
themselves: according to a 1969 survey, nearly half of school kids
walked or biked to school, compared with only 16 percent in 2001.
Modern parents have been unwilling to let kids walk to school for
fear of traffic, crime or simple bullying, but with organized adult
supervision, those concerns have diminished.
Schools and busing companies
are finding other ways to save. In rural areas where busing is a
must, some schools have even chosen four-day school weeks. Busing
companies instruct drivers to eliminate extra stops from routes and
to turn off the engine while idling. They are also using computer
software to determine the most fuel-efficient routes, which aren’t
always the shortest ones.
There could be downsides,
however, to the busing cutbacks. If every formerly bused student
begins walking to school, it’s an environmental win—but if too many
of their parents decide to drive them instead, the overall carbon
footprint can grow. Replacing buses with many more parent-driven
cars can also increase safety risks. A 2002 report concluded
students are 13 times safer on a school bus than in a passenger
car, since buses have fewer accidents and withstand them better due
to their size. And some students complain about the long morning
hikes, particularly when the route contains a really big
hill.
31. The “walking school bus”
___________.
A.
does not consume fuel
B. aims to keep children fit
C.
seldom causes traffic jams
D. is popular with school
kids
32. In America the
responsibility for busing kids to school lies
with___________.
A.
individual schools
B. school districts
C.
teachers
D. parents
33. As regards walking to
school, modern parents seem much concerned with
the___________.
A.
time spent on the way
B. changes
in the route
C.
kids’ physical strength
D.
safety of their children
34. To save money, some schools
choose to ____________________.
A.
take the shortest routes
B.
shorten the school week
C.
give drivers better training
D. use fuel-efficient
buses
35. Busing cutbacks may
eventually lead to _________________.
A. fiercer
competition among bus companies
B. more
students taking public transportation
C. an
increase in carbon dioxide emissions
D. a
decrease in the safety of school buses
36. Which of the following best
describes the author’s attitude towards busing
cutbacks?
A.
Favorable.
B. Critical.
C.
Objective.
D. Indifferent.
Passage Two
People are living longer than ever, but for some
reason, women are living longer than men. A baby boy born in the
United States in 2003 can expect to live to be about 73, a baby
girl, about 79.This is indeed a wide gap, and no one really knows
why it exists. The greater longevity
(长寿) of
women, however, has been known for centuries. It was, for example,
described in the seventeenth century. However, the difference was
smaller then—the gap is growing.
A number of reasons have been
proposed to account for the differences. The gap is greatest in
industrialized societies, so it has been suggested that women are
less susceptible to work strains that may raise the risk of heart
disease and alcoholism. Sociologists also tell us that women are
encouraged to be less adventurous than men (and this may be why
they are more careful drivers, involved in fewer
accidents).
Even smoking has been implicated in the age
discrepancy. It was once suggested that working women are more
likely to smoke and as more women entered the work force, the age
gap would begin to close, because smoking is related to earlier
deaths. Now, however, we see more women smoking and they still tend
to live longer although their lung cancer rate is climbing
sharply.
One puzzling aspect of the problem is that women do
not appear to be as healthy as men. That is, they report far more
illnesses. But when a man reports an illness, it is more likely to
be serious.
Some researchers have suggested that men may die
earlier because their health is more strongly related to their
emotions. For example, men tend to die sooner after losing a spouse
than women do. Men even seem to be more weakened by loss of a job.
(Both of these are linked with a marked decrease in the
effectiveness of the immune system). Among men, death follows
retirement with an alarming promptness.
Perhaps we are searching for the answers too
close to the surface or the problem. Perhaps the answers lie deeper
in our biological heritage. After all, the phenomenon is not
isolated to humans. Females have the edge among virtually all
mammalian (哺乳动物的) species, in that they generally live longer. Furthermore,
in many of these species the differences begin at the moment of
conception; there are more male
miscarriages(流产).In humans, after birth, more baby boys than girls
die.
37. What can we learn from the
first two paragraphs?
A.
Men’s lifespan remains almost unchanged.
B.
Researchers have found the causes of the age gap.
C.
The more advanced a society, the greater the age gap.
D.
The age gap was noticed only recently.
38. As is suggested in
Paragraph 2, the two factors relevant to women’s longer lifespan
are ______.
A.
diseases and road accidents
B.
industrialization and work strains
C. their
immunity to heart disease and refusal of alcohol
D. their
endurance of work strains and reluctance for adventure
39. According to Paragraph 3,
which of the following statements is true?
A. The
great number of male smokers contributes to the age
gap.
B. The
growing number of smoking women will narrow the age
gap.
C. Female
workers are more likely to smoke than male workers.
D. Smoking
does not seem to affect women’s longevity.
40. Which of the following
phenomena makes researchers puzzled?
A. Men’s
health is more closely related to their emotions.
B. Though
more liable to illnesses, women still live longer.
C. Men
show worse symptoms than women when they fall ill.
D. Quite a
number of men die soon after their retirement.
41. The word “edge” in
Paragraph 6 means “_____________________”
A. margin
B. side
C.
advantage
D.
quality
42. What is the main idea of
the passage?
A. The
greater longevity of women remains a mystery.
B. That
women are healthier than men well explains their
longevity.
C. People
are living longer as a result of industrialization.
D. Women
are less emotionally affected by difficulties in life.
Passage
Three
Many are aware of the tremendous waste of energy in our
environment, but fail to take advantage of straightforward
opportunities to conserve that energy. For example, everyone knows
that lights should be switched off when no one is in an office.
Similarly, when employees are not using a meeting room, there is no
need to regulate temperature.
Fortunately, one need not rely on human
intervention to conserve energy. With the help of smart sensing
and network technology, energy conservation processes such as
turning off lights and adjusting temperature can be readily
automated. Ultimately, this technology will enable consumers and
plant managers to better identify wasteful energy use and institute
procedures that lead to smarter and more efficient homes, buildings
and industrial plants.
Until now, wires and cables for power and
connectivity have limited the widespread adoption of
sensor(传感器）networks by making them difficult and expensive to install
and maintain. Battery-powered wireless networks can simplify
installation and reduce cost. But their high power consumption and
the corresponding need for regular battery replacement has made
wireless networks difficult and costly to maintain. Nobody wants to
replace hundreds or thousands of window sensor batteries in a large
building on a regular basis.
The promise of wireless sensor networks can only be
fully realized when the wiring for both the data communication and
the power supply is eliminated. Doing so requires a true
battery-free wireless solution, one that can utilize energy
harvested directly from the environment. To facilitate the
widespread deployment of wireless sensor networks, GreenPeak has
developed an ultra-low-power communication technology that can
utilize environmental energy sources such as light, motion and
vibration. This technology, employing on-board power management
circuits and computer software to monitor energy harvesters and
make the best use of harvested energy, enables sensors to operate
reliably in a battery-free environment.
Wireless sensor networks
deployed in our offices and homes will have an enormous impact on
our daily lives, helping to build a smarter world in which energy
is recycled and fully utilized. These wireless platforms, equipped
with advanced sensing capability, will enable us to better control
our lives, homes and environment, creating a truly connected world
that enables people worldwide to live in a more comfortable, safer,
and cleaner environment.
43. By “human
intervention”(Paragraph 2), the author refers to
______.
A.
the reduction of great energy waste in the environment
B.
the grasping of straightforward opportunities
available
C.
acts like turning off lights when no one is in the
room
D.
the adoption of smart sensing and network technology
44. Batteries are not an ideal
energy source for sensor networks because they______.
A.
have to be replaced from time to time
B.
contain metals that pollute the environment
C.
require automatic recharging
D.
are difficult and costly to maintain
45. Battery-free wireless
sensor networks are made possible by the fact
that______.
A.
there is energy in the environment to be utilized
B.
the cost of using them has been drastically reduced
C.
modern data communication consumes little energy
D.
their maintenance has been greatly simplified
46. According to the passage,
GreenPeak _______.
A.
is the first company to install wireless sensor
networks
B.
promotes the application of wireless sensor networks
C.
supplies batteries operating on harvested energy
D.
benefits handsomely from communication technology
47. The focus of Paragraph 4 is
on the _________.
A.
replacement of batteries in harvesters
B.
monitoring of batteries in sensor networks
C.
elimination of batteries in sensor networks
D.
impact of sensor networks on power supply
48. Wireless sensor networks
promise to__________.
A.
bring businesses high profits
B.
further develop the sensing technology
C.
turn motion into a major source of energy
D.
improve the daily lives of people worldwide
Passage
Four
If you haven’t heard or seen anything about Road
Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the
media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary
phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have more
likely encountered aggressive driving and/or Road Rage recently if
you drive at all.m
While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the
facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For
instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety
Association, 41,907 people died on the highway last year. Of those
fatalities, the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused
at least in part by aggressive driving behavior.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now,
and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short
years ago? Experts have several theories, and all are probably
partially correct. One suggestion is sheer overcrowding. In the
last decade, the number of cars on the roads has increased by more
than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35
percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased
by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space; and
the problem is magnified in urban areas. Also, people have less
time and more things to do, With people working and trying to fit
extra chores (琐事) and activities into the day, stress levels have never
been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers.
These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road
Rage.
You may think you are the last person who
would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance,
have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn
long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver
from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations,
watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or
another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can
do to avoid any major confrontation. If you are susceptible to Road
Rage, the key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way. If
you’re the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible
to get away from the other diver safely, including avoiding eye
contact and getting out of their way.
49. The first sentence in
Paragraph 1 implies that__________.
A.
people not interested in the media know little about recent
happenings
B.
Road Rage has received much media coverage in the last few
months
C.
one may be raged by media report and wants to avoid
them
D.
the media coined the term “Road rage” only a few months
ago
50. According to the National
Highway Transportation Safety Association, last
year________.
A.
drunk driving remained the NO.1 killer on the highway
B.
more people were killed by aggressive driving than by drunk
driving
C.
two thirds of drivers were killed by aggressive
driving
D.
41.907 people fell victim to aggressive driving
51.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a cause of aggressive
driving?
A. Increasing number of cars.
B. Drivers’ stress and
anxiety.
C. Overcrowded roads.
D.
Rush hour traffic.
52.
The word “spell” in Paragraph 3 means
“________”
A. speak
B.
cause
C. describe
D. spare
53. Which of the
following characterizes aggressive
driving？
A.
Talking while driving.
B. Driving
fast.
C.
Yelling at another driver.
D. Sounding the horn when
passing.
54. The last paragraph is
intended to________.
A.
tell people how to cope with Road Rage
B.
inform people how aggressive drivers could be
C.
tell people how to control themselves when angry
D.
warn people against eye contact with another driver
Passage
Five
In the early 20th century, a horse named Clever
Hans was believed capable of counting and other impressive mental
tasks. After years of great performance, psychologists discovered
that though Hans was certainly clever, he was not clever in the way
everyone expected. The horse was cleverly picking up on tiny,
unintentional bodily and facial signals given out not only by his
trainer, but also by the audience. Aware of the “Clever Hans”
effect, Lisa Lit at the University of California and her colleagues
wondered whether the beliefs of professional dog handlers might
similarly affect the outcomes of searches for drugs and explosives.
Remarkably, Dr Lit found, they do.
Dr Lit asked 18 professional dog handlers and
their dogs to complete brief searches. Before the searches, the
handlers were informed that some of the search areas might contain
up to three target scents, and also that in two cases those scents
would be marked by pieces of red paper. What the handlers were not
told was that none of the search areas contained the scents of
either drugs or explosives. Any “detections” made by the teams thus
had to be false.
The findings reveal that
of 144 searches, only 21 were clean (no alerts). All the others
raised one alert or more. In total, the teams raised 225 alerts.
While the sheer number of false alerts struck DR Lit as
fascinating, it was where they took place that was of greatest
interest.
When handlers could see a red piece of paper,
allegedly marking a location of interest, they were much more
likely to say that their dogs signaled an alert. The human handlers
were not only distracted on almost every occasion by the stimulus
aimed at them, but also transmitted that distraction to their
animals—who responded accordingly. To mix metaphors, the dogs were
crying “wolf” at the unconscious signal of their
handlers.
How much that matters in the real world
is unclear. But it might. If a handler, for example, unconsciously
“profiled” people being sniffed by drug-or explosive-detecting dog
at an airport, false positives could abound, That is not only bad
for innocent travelers, but might distract the team from catching
the guilty.
55. What did psychologists find
out about Clever Hans?
A.
He was as clever as people claimed.
B.
He was really good at counting.
C.
He could understand human language.
D.
He merely responded to human signals.
56. Lisa Lit and her Colleagues
________
A.
questioned the “Clever Hans” effect
B.
discovered the “Clever Hans” effect
C.
confirmed the “Clever Hans” effect
D.
rejected the “Clever Hans” effect
57. The dog handlers learned
before the searches that _________.
A.
each search area contained three target scents
B.
there was actually no target scent in the search area
C.
some target scents may be labeled with a special mark
D.
their dogs were expected to find the scents of red
paper
58. What was most significant
about the experiment, according to Dr. Lit?
A.
The location of the false alerts
B.
The regularity of the false alerts
C.
The number of the false alerts
D.
The timing of the false alerts
59. It can be concluded from
the experiment that __________.
A.
dog handlers are more likely to be distracted than their
dogs
B.
dogs may act in response to their handlers’ bodily
signals
C.
the cooperation between dogs and their handlers is key to
success
D.
well-trained dogs can better understand their handlers’
signals
60. The author thinks that Dr.
Lit’s findings __________.
A.
should raise our concern in real life
B.
may not be useful in real situations
C.
should be backed up by further evidence
D.
will be widely applied in the near future
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