2008年全国大学生英语竞赛样题及答案（A级）
Part I Listening Comprehension (25 minutes, 30 marks)
Section A (10 marks)
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 only once. After each question, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
1. A. At a bank. B. At a department store. C. At a lawyer's office.
2. A. Jealous. B. Indifferent. C. Negative.
3. A. A party invitation.
B. A tour of the house.
C. A dinner party.
4. A. Policeman and driver.
B. Teacher and pupil.
C. Driver and actress.
5. A. To attend a party.
B. To the beauty salon.
C. To the school.
6. A. 1,090. B. 530. C. 1,060.
7. A. Dec. 13th, 1906. B. Dec. 30th, 1906. C. Nov. 13th, 1916.
8. A. Nothing. B. Dinner. C. A snack.
9. A. In less than three days.
B. In more than three days.
C. In three days.
10. A. To a friend's house.
B. To the kindergarten.
C. Do some shopping.
Section B (5 marks)
Directions: In this section, you will hear one long conversation. The conversation will be read only once. At the end of the conversation, there will be a one-minute pause. During the pause, you must read the five questions, each with three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
11. What does Susan have to do on Saturday morning?
A. Walk the dog. B. Clean the house. C. Go to the doctor's.
12. What will Susan do at noon?
A. Go shopping. B. Watch TV. C. Go to the dentist's.
13. What time is Susan meeting with Julie?
A. 12:30 am. B. 2:00 pm. C. 4:30 pm.
14. How does Susan feel about her schedule on Saturday?
A. Exciting. B. Disappointing. C. Exhausting.
15. Why can't they watch a video at Susan's house?
A. The machine doesn't work.
B. They can't decide on a video.
C. Susan's mother is going to use it.
Section C (5 marks)
Directions: In this section, you will hear 5 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and then the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
16. Who got to move to the next step?
A. Andre Agassi. B. Rogen Fidow. C. Roger Federer.
17. What did the gunman force the charity to do?
A. Delay the operation in this area.
B. Operate on their own staff.
C. Attack the Sans Frontieres.
18. Why were the Iraqi detainees made to pick up garbage?
A. Because the serviceman abused the detainees.
B. Because the commander gave the order to the serviceman.
C. Because the detainees were accused.
19. Where did the clash happen?
A. In the West Bank.
B. Near Israeli. C. Near Ariel.
20. Why do the Israeli forces threaten to carry out a massive offensive against the Palestinians?
A. Because Israeli troops were besieged by the Palestinians.
B. Because the military operation began since last November.
C. Because Palestinians killed Israelis in a suicide attack.
Section D (10 marks)
Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. There are ten missing words or phrases in it. Fill in the blanks with the exact words or phrases you hear on the tape. Remember to write the answers on the Answer Sheet.
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have (21) ______degrees of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, and the other becomes (22) ______. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, and events, and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the (23) ______of things, the pleasant part of convention, the fine weather. They enjoy all the (24) ______things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the (25) ______things. Therefore, they are continually (26) ______. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend many people, and make themselves (27) ______everywhere. If this turn of mind were found in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The tendency to criticize and to be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally (28) ______. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects (29) ______. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit. Although in fact it is chiefly (30) ______, it has serious consequences in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck.
Part II Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes, 15 marks)
Directions: There are 15 incomplete sentences in this section. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
31. Essentially, a theory is an abstract, symbolic representation of ______reality.
A. what it is conceived B. that is conceived
C. what is conceived to be D. that is being conceived of
32. New York City collects garbage ______$209 per family per year.
A. at the cost of B. at sacrifice of
C. in demand of D. in support of
33. I would just as soon ______rudely to her.
A. you not speak B. you won't speak
C. you not speaking D. you didn't speak
34. ______so many people been out of work as today.
A. More than ever before B. Never before have
C. In the past, there never have D. Formerly, there never were
35. We got home late last night, ______, early this morning.
A. namely B. in other words C. or rather D. in any case
36. The miners escaped the danger by ______.
A. a hair breadth B. hair breadth
C. hair's breadth D. a hair's breadth
37. Praise is like warm sunshine. It not only brings joy to ______who are praised but also adds pleasure to ______who praise.
A. these; these B. we; us C. them; them D. those; those
38. When our imports ______our exports, we say we have a favorable trade balance; however, when our imports and exports are the other way round we say we have an unfavorable trade balance.
A. fall short B. fall short of
C. run out of D. are lack of
39. ______that distinguish human beings from other primates are related to the ability of people to stand upright and walk on two legs.
A. Many of the physical characteristics
B. Of the many physical characteristics
C. The physical characteristics
D. There are many physical characteristics
40. Classical logic is characterized by a concern for the structure and elements of argument ______that thought, language, and reality are interrelated.
A. based on the belief B. on the belief based
C. belief based on the D. the based belief on
41. ______fashioned from a wick floating in a bowl of oil functioned according to the principle of capillary action.
A. All lamps early B. Lamps all early
C. All early lamps D. Early all lamps
42. In 1964 ______of Henry Osaka Tanner's paintings was shown at the Smithsonian Institution.
A. was a major collection B. that a major collection
C. a collection was major D. a major collection
43. Traditionally, ______on Thanksgiving Day in New England.
A. when served is sweet cider B. when sweet cider is served
C. is served sweet cider D. sweet cider is served
44. Richard: This class is so boring. When will it end?
Drew: I don't know. I don't think I can take it much longer.
Teacher: ______
Richard: Oh, nothing. We were discussing the text.
A. Hey you two! What are you talking about?
B. Do one of you know what the answer to this problem is?
C. Am I boring you two?
D. The two of you go to the principal's office right now!
45. Delivery man: I have a package here for Beverly Beaver.
Beverly: That is me. ______
Delivery man: Yes, please sign here on the line.
Beverly: Thank you. These must be the new drapes I ordered.
A. Where is the receipt?
B. Do you have the sender's address?
C. Do you take a credit card?
D. Do I have to sign for it?
Part III Reading Comprehension (20 minutes, 40 marks)
Section A (5 marks)
Directions: There is one passage in this section with 5 questions. For each question, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. Then mark the corresponding letter on the
Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Questions 46-50 are based on the following passage.
No matter what our work is, we all have to face that choice - in my field no less than in others. There may not be a more important field for the dissemination of values in our country than the entire communications
industry - most strikingly, television. Networks are very sensitive to that fact, and they employ dozens of censors to prevent all of us from using language on television that an eight year old might have to explain to his parents. But the point that censors miss, I think, is that it is not so much what we say that teaches as what we don't say. Even programs that attempt to make a moral point don't always make the point that they intended to. Because when we sense we are being sole something, we automatically defend ourselves against it. I think it may be the unspoken assumptions that mold an audience.
Look at the way, for instance, that violence is treated on television. It is not only the quantity that offends. There probably is no more violence on television than there is in a Shakespearean tragedy. But on television you find unfelt violence and in Shakespeare you tend to find felt violence. In Shakespeare the characters react with a human response: They fear, they hurt, they mourn. Most of the time on television, violence is dealt with by sweeping it under the rug as fast as possible and by having people go on about their business as if nothing had happened. (If I can't have less violence, I want at least a better grade of violence.) One of the unspoken assumptions is that violence can be tolerated as long as you ignore it and have no reaction to it. But that seems to me to be dangerously close to psychopathic behavior. I wonder if there is any connection between the long acceptance by our people of the Vietnam War and the thousands and thousands of deaths that we have seen on television over the years that were never mourned, never even paused for except to sell shampoo for sixty seconds.
Maybe our greatest problem is that we have two separate sets of value systems that we use - the one we talk about and the one we live by. We seem to place a very high value on fairness and on human concerns. And yet we still have widespread discrimination based on race, sex and religion. You still don't find Jews, blacks or other minorities in any significant numbers in decision-making positions in the banking industry, for instance. You think that's an accident? I think somebody puts a value on that. And you don't find women in any significant numbers in decision-making capacities in any industry. Why? Because we place a higher value on appeasing the fragile male ego than we do on fairness and decency. Maybe what we need is a declaration of interdependence.
Questions:
46. It can be concluded from the first paragraph that ______.
A. we won't buy things that are recommended
B. we become defensive whenever we are taught to do something
C. television is the most important part of the communication industry
D. TV programs can never successfully convey a moral point
47. What is the author's attitude toward violence on television?
A. He thinks that violence on television should be totally banned.
B. Violence on television is more tolerable than the one in Shakespeare's plays.
C. Violence can be tolerated if you pretend that it doesn't exist.
D. Violence, if unavoidable, should be presented on television in a more appropriate way.
48. The word “appeasing” (line 6 in paragraph 3) most probably means ______.
A. attacking B. accusing C. soothing D. satisfying
49. By citing the examples of the Jews, blacks, and other minorities in the last paragraph, the author aims to show that ______.
A. it's an accident that they are out-numbered in the decision-making positions in the banking industry
B. they stand for one set of value system
C. what we talk about and what we actually do might be totally different
D. fairness is well respected in our life
50. The author's tone in writing the text is ______.
A. neutral B. matter-of-fact
C. critical D. questioning
Section B (15 marks)
Directions: There is one passage in this section with 10 questions. Go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on the Answer Sheet.
For questions 51 - 55, mark
Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;
N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;
NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.
For questions 56 - 60, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
You hear the same complaint all the time as people get older: “My memory is terrible.” Is it all in the mind, or do real changes take place in the brain with age to justify such grumbling (抱怨)? The depressing answer is that the brain's cells, the neurons, die and decline in efficiency with age.
Professor Arthur Shimamura, of the University of California at Berkeley, says there are three main ways in which mental function changes. The first is mental speed, for example how quickly you can react to fast-moving incidents on the road. Drivers in their late teens react quickly but tend to drive too fast, while the over sixties are more cautious but react more slowly. The near-inevitable slowing with age also partly explains why soccer players are seen as old in their thirties, while golf professionals are still in their prime at that age. This type of mental slowing results from a reduction in the efficiency with which the brain's neurons work.
The fact that adults find it harder to learn musical instruments than children points to a second type of mental loss with age - a reduction in learning capacity. The parts of the brain known as the temporal lobes control new learning, and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of aging. This means that, as we get older, we take longer to learn a new language, and slower to master new routines and technologies at work, and we have to rely more on diaries and other mental aids.
“Working memory” is the third brain system which is vulnerable to the effects of aging. Working memory is the brain's “blackboard”, where we juggle from moment to moment the things we have to keep in mind when solving problems, planning tasks and generally organizing our day-to-day life. Absent-mindedness occurs at all ages because of imperfections in the working memory system - so, for instance, you may continually lose your glasses, or find yourself walking into a room of your house only to find that you cannot remember what you came for.
Such absent-mindedness tends to creep up on us as we age and occurs because our plans and intentions, which are chalked up on the mental blackboard, are easily wiped out by stray thoughts and other distractions. Stress and preoccupation can also cause such absent-mindedness, in addition to age-related changes in the brain. The frontal lobes of the brain - located behind the forehead and above the eyes - are where the working memory system is located. Like the temporal lobes, which handle new learning, the frontal lobes are more vulnerable to the aging process than other parts of the brain.
The news, however, is not all bleak. Although neurons reduce in number with age, the remaining neurons send out new and longer connection fibers (dendrites) to maintain connections and allow us to function reasonably well with only relatively small drops in ability.
This and other evidence suggests that the principle “use it or lost it” might apply to the aging brain. Professor Shimamura studied a group of university professors who were still intellectually active, and compared their performance on neuropsychological tests with that of others of their age group, as well as with younger people. He found that on several tests of memory, the mentally active professors in their sixties and early seventies were superior to their contemporaries, and as good as the younger people.
Research on animals provide even stronger evidence of the effects of stimulation on the brain structure. Professor Bryan Kolb, of the University of Lethbridge in Canada, has shown that animals kept in stimulating environments show sprouting (生长) and lengthening of the connecting nerve fibers in comparison with animals kept in unstimulating environments.
The beneficial effects of continued mental activity are shown by the fact that older contestants in quiz shows are just as fast and accurate in responding to general knowledge questions as younger competitors, suggesting that at least part of their intellectual apparatus is spared the effects of aging because of practice and skill.
Such findings lead to the intriguing possibility of “mental fitness training” to accompany jogging and workouts for the health conscious. Research in Stockholm by Professor Lars Backman and his colleague has shown that older people can be trained to use their memory better, with the effects of this training lasting several years.