考研英语一真题及答案
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考研英语一真题及答案 1
Section I 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 the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
Could a hug a day keep the doctor away? The answer may be a resounding "yes!" 1 helping you feel close and 2 to people you care about, it turns out that hugs can bring a 3 of health benefits to your body and mind. Believe it or not, a warm embrace might even help you 4 getting sick this winter.
In a recent study 5 over 400 health adults, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania examined the effects of perceived social support and the receipt of hugs 6 the participants susceptibility to developing the common cold after being 7 to the virus .People who perceived greater social support were less likely to come 8 with a cold ,and the researchers 9 that the stress-reducing effects of hugging 10 about 32 percent of that beneficial effect. 11 among those who got a cold, the ones who felt greater social support and received more frequent hugs had less severe 12 .
"Hugging protects people who are under stress from the 13 risk for colds thats usually 14 with stress," notes Sheldon Cohen, a professor of psychology at Carnegie. Hugging "is a marker of intimacy and helps 15 the feeling that others are there to help 16 difficulty."
Some experts 17 the stress-reducing , health-related benefits of hugging to the release of oxytocin, often called "the bonding hormone" 18 it promotes attachment in relationships, including that between mother and their newborn babies. Oxytocin is made primarily in the central lower part of the brain , and some of it is released into the bloodstream. But some of it 19 in the brain, where it 20 mood, behavior and physiology.
1.[A] Unlike [B] Besides [C] Despite [D] Throughout
【答案】[B] Besides
2.[A] connected [B] restricted [C] equal [D] inferior
【答案】[A] connected
3.[A] choice [B] view [C] lesson [D] host
【答案】[D] host
4.[A] recall [B] forget [C] avoid [D] keep
【答案】[C] avoid
5.[A] collecting [B] involving [C] guiding [D] affecting
【答案】[B] involving
6.[A] of [B] in [C] at [D] on
【答案】[D] on
7.[A] devoted [B] exposed [C] lost [D] attracted
【答案】[B] exposed
8.[A] across [B] along [C] down [D] out
【答案】[C] down
9.[A] calculated [B] denied [C] doubted [D] imagined
【答案】[A] calculated
10.[A] served [B] required [C] restored [D] explained
【答案】[D] explained
11.[A] Even [B] Still [C] Rather [D] Thus
【答案】[A] Even
12.[A] defeats [B] symptoms [C] tests [D] errors
【答案】[B] symptoms
13.[A] minimized [B] highlighted [C] controlled [D] increased
【答案】[D] increased
14.[A] equipped [B] associated [C] presented [D] compared
【答案】[B] associated
15.[A] assess [B] moderate [C] generate [D] record
【答案】[C] generate
16.[A] in the face of [B] in the form of [C] in the way of [D] in the name of
【答案】[A] in the face of
17.[A] transfer [B] commit [C] attribute [D] return
【答案】[C] attribute
18.[A] because [B] unless [C] though [D] until
【答案】[A] because
19.[A] emerges [B] vanishes [C] remains [D] decreases
【答案】[C] remains
20.[A] experiences [B] combines [C] justifies [D]influences
【答案】[D]influences
Section II 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 the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Text 1
First two hours , now three hours-this is how far in advance authorities are recommending people show up to catch a domestic flight , at least at some major U.S. airports with increasingly massive security lines.
Americans are willing to tolerate time-consuming security procedures in return for increased safety. The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804,which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea ,provides another tragic reminder of why. But demanding too much of air travelers or providing too little security in return undermines public support for the process. And it should: Wasted time is a drag on Americans economic and private lives, not to mention infuriating.
Last year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found in a secret check that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons---both fake and real-past airport security nearly every time they tried .Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving Chicagos OHare International .It is not yet clear how much more effective airline security has become-but the lines are obvious.
Part of the issue is that the government did not anticipate the steep increase in airline travel , so the TSA is now rushing to get new screeners on the line. Part of the issue is that airports have only so much room for screening lanes. Another factor may be that more people are trying to overpack their carry-on bags to avoid checked-baggage fees, though the airlines strongly dispute this.
There is one step the TSA could take that would not require remodeling airports or rushing to hire: Enroll more people in the PreCheck program. PreCheck is supposed to be a win-win for travelers and the TSA. Passengers who pass a background check are eligible to use expedited screening lanes. This allows the TSA wants to enroll 25 million people in PreCheck.
It has not gotten anywhere close to that, and one big reason is sticker shock. Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks. Since the beginning, this price tag has been PreChecks fatal flaw. Upcoming reforms might bring the price to a more reasonable level. But Congress should look into doing so directly, by helping to finance PreCheck enrollment or to cut costs in other ways.
The TSA cannot continue diverting resources into underused PreCheck lanes while most of the traveling public suffers in unnecessary lines. It is long past time to make the program work.
21. the crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 is mentioned to
[A] stress the urgency to strengthen security worldwide.
[B] highlight the necessity of upgrading major US airports.
[C] explain Americans tolerance of current security checks.
[D] emphasis the importance of privacy protection.
【答案】[C] explain Americans tolerance of current security checks.
22. which of the following contributions to long waits at major airport?
[A] New restrictions on carry-on bags.
[B] The declining efficiency of the TSA.
[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
[D] Frequent unexpected secret checks.
【答案】[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
23.The word "expedited" (Line 4, Para.5) is closest in meaning to
[A] faster.
[B] quieter.
[C] wider.
[D] cheaper.
【答案】[A] faster.
24. One problem with the PreCheck program is
[A] A dramatic reduction of its scale.
[B] Its wrongly-directed implementation.
[C] The governments reluctance to back it.
[D] An unreasonable price for enrollment.
【答案】[D] An unreasonable price for enrollment.
25. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] Less Screening for More Safety
[B] PreCheck-a Belated Solution
[C] Getting Stuck in Security Lines
[D] Underused PreCheck Lanes
【答案】[B] PreCheck-a Belated Solution
Text 2
"The ancient Hawaiians were astronomers," wrote Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaiis last reigning monarch, in 1897. Star watchers were among the most esteemed members of Hawaiian society. Sadly, all is not well with astronomy in Hawaii today. Protests have erupted over construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope(TMT), a giant observatory that promises to revolutionize humanitys view of the cosmos.
At issue is the TMTs planned location on Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano worshiped by some Hawaiians as the piko , that connects the Hawaiian Islands to the heavens. But Mauna Kea is also home to some of the worlds most powerful telescopes. Rested in the Pacific Ocean, Mauna Keas peak rises above the bulk of our planets dense atmosphere, where conditions allow telescopes to obtain images of unsurpassed clarity.
Opposition to telescopes on Mauna Kea is nothing new. A small but vocal group of Hawaiians and environments have long viewed their presence as disrespect for sacred land and a painful reminder of the occupation of what was once a sovereign nation.
Some blame for the current controversy belongs to astronomers. In their eagerness to build bigger telescopes, they forgot that science is the only way of understanding the world. They did not always prioritize the protection of Mauna Keas fragile ecosystems or its holiness to the islands inhabitants. Hawaiian culture is not a relic of the past; it is a living culture undergoing a renaissance today.
Yet science has a cultural history, too, with roots going back to the dawn of civilization. The same curiosity to find what lies beyond the horizon that first brought early Polynesians to Hawaiis shores inspires astronomers today to explore the heavens. Calls to disassemble all telescopes on Mauna Kea or to ban future development there ignore the reality that astronomy and Hawaiian culture both seek to answer big questions about who we are, where we come from and where we are going. Perhaps that is why we explore the starry skies, as if answering a primal calling to know ourselves and our true ancestral homes.
The astronomy community is making compromises to change its use of Mauna Kea. The TMT site was chosen to minimize the telescopes visibility around the island and to avoid archaeological and environmental impact. To limit the number of telescopes on Mauna Kea, old ones will be removed at the end of their lifetimes and their sites returned to a natural state. There is no reason why everyone cannot be welcomed on Mauna Kea to embrace their cultural heritage and to study the stars.
26. Queen Liliuokalanis remark in Paragraph 1 indicates
[A] its conservative view on the historical role of astronomy.
[B] the importance of astronomy in ancient Hawaiian society.
[C] the regrettable decline of astronomy in ancient times.
[D] her appreciation of star watchers feats in her time.
【答案】[B] the importance of astronomy in ancient Hawaiian society.
27. Mauna Kea is deemed as an ideal astronomical site due to
[A] its geographical features
[B] its protective surroundings.
[C] its religious implications.
[D] its existing infrastructure.
【答案】[A] its geographical features
28. The construction of the TMT is opposed by some locals partly because
[A] it may risk ruining their intellectual life.
[B] it reminds them of a humiliating history.
[C] their culture will lose a chance of revival.
[D] they fear losing control of Mauna Kea.
【答案】[B] it reminds them of a humiliating history.
29. It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that progress in todays astronomy
[A] is fulfilling the dreams of ancient Hawaiians.
[B] helps spread Hawaiian culture across the world.
[C] may uncover the origin of Hawaiian culture.
[D] will eventually soften Hawaiians hostility.
【答案】[C] may uncover the origin of Hawaiian culture.
30. The authors attitude toward choosing Mauna Kea as the TMT site is one of
[A] severe criticism.
[B] passive acceptance.
[C] slight hesitancy.
[D] full approval.
【答案】[D] full approval.
Text 3
Robert F. Kennedy once said that a countrys GDP measures "everything except that which makes life worthwhile." With Britain voting to leave the European Union, and GDP already predicted to slow as a result, it is now a timely moment to assess what he was referring to.
The question of GDP and its usefulness has annoyed policymakers for over half a century. Many argue that it is a flawed concept. It measures things that do not matter and misses things that do. By most recent measures, the UKs GDP has been the envy of the Western world, with record low unemployment and high growth figures. If everything was going so well, then why did over 17 million people vote for Brexit, despite the warnings about what it could do to their countrys economic prospects?
A recent annual study of countries and their ability to convert growth into well-being sheds some light on that question. Across the 163 countries measured, the UK is one of the poorest performers in ensuring that economic growth is translated into meaningful improvements for its citizens. Rather than just focusing on GDP, over 40 different sets of criteria from health, education and civil society engagement have been measured to get a more rounded assessment of how countries are performing.
While all of these countries face their own challenges , there are a number of consistent themes . Yes , there has been a budding economic recovery since the 2008 global crash , but in key indicators in areas such as health and education , major economies have continued to decline . Yet this isnt the case with all countries . Some relatively poor European countries have seen huge improvements across measures including civil society , income equality and the environment.
This is a lesson that rich countries can learn : When GDP is no longer regarded as the sole measure of a countrys success, the world looks very different .
So, what Kennedy was referring to was that while GDP has been the most common method for measuring the economic activity of nations , as a measure , it is no longer enough . It does not include important factors such as environmental quality or education outcomes - all things that contribute to a persons sense of well-being.
The sharp hit to growth predicted around the world and in the UK could lead to a decline in the everyday services we depend on for our well-being and for growth . But policymakers who refocus efforts on improving well-being rather than simply worrying about GDP figures could avoid the forecasted doom and may even see progress .
31.Robert F. Kennedy is cited because he
[A]praised the UK for its GDP.
[B]identified GDP with happiness .
[C]misinterpreted the role of GDP .
[D]had a low opinion of GDP .
【答案】[D] had a low opinion of GDP
32.It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that
[A]the UK is reluctant to remold its economic pattern .
[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .
[C]the UK will contribute less to the world economy .
[D]policymakers in the UK are paying less attention to GDP .
【答案】[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .
33.Which of the following is true about the recent annual study ?
[A]It is sponsored by 163 countries .
[B]It excludes GDP as an indicator.
[C]Its criteria are questionable .
[D]Its results are enlightening .
【答案】[D]Its results are enlightening .
34.In the last two paragraphs , the author suggests that
[A]the UK is preparing for an economic boom .
[B]high GDP foreshadows an economic decline .
[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .
[D]it requires caution to handle economic issues .
【答案】[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .
35.Which of the following is the best title for the text ?
[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson
[B]GDP Figures, a Window on Global Economic Health
[C]Rebort F.Kennedy, a Terminator of GDP
[D]Brexit, the UKs Gateway to Well-being
【答案】[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson
Text 4
In a rare unanimous ruling, the US Supreme Court has overturned the corruption conviction of a former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell. But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct, which included accepting gifts such as a Rolex watch and a Ferrari automobile from a company seeking access to government.
The high courts decision said the judge in Mr. McDonnells trial failed to tell a jury that it must look only at his "official acts," or the former governors decisions on "specific" and "unsettled" issues related to his duties.
Merely helping a gift-giver gain access to other officials, unless done with clear intent to pressure those officials, is not corruption, the justices found.
The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is "distasteful" and "nasty." But under anti-bribery laws, proof must be made of concrete benefits, such as approval of a contract or regulation. Simply arranging a meeting, making a phone call, or hosting an event is not an "official act".
The courts ruling is legally sound in defining a kind of favoritism that is not criminal. Elected leaders must be allowed to help supporters deal with bureaucratic problems without fear of prosecution for bribery." The basic compact underlying representative government," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the court," assumes that public officials will hear from their constituents and act on their concerns."
But the ruling reinforces the need for citizens and their elected representatives, not the courts, to ensure equality of access to government. Officials must not be allowed to play favorites in providing information or in arranging meetings simply because an individual or group provides a campaign donation or a personal gift. This type of integrity requires well-enforced laws in government transparency, such as records of official meetings, rules on lobbying, and information about each elected leaders source of wealth.
Favoritism in official access can fan public perceptions of corruption. But it is not always corruption. Rather officials must avoid double standards, or different types of access for average people and the wealthy. If connections can be bought, a basic premise of democratic society-that all are equal in treatment by government-is undermined. Good governance rests on an understanding of the inherent worth of each individual.
The courts ruling is a step forward in the struggle against both corruption and official favoritism.
36. The undermined sentence (Para.1) most probably shows that the court
[A] avoided defining the extent of McDonnells duties.
[B] made no compromise in convicting McDonnell.
[C] was contemptuous of McDonnells conduct.
[D] refused to comment on McDonnells ethics.
【答案】[C] was contemptuous of McDonnells conduct.
37. According to Paragraph 4, an official act is deemed corruptive only if it involves
[A] leaking secrets intentionally.
[B] sizable gains in the form of gifts.
[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.
[D] breaking contracts officially.
【答案】[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.
38. The courts ruling is based on the assumption that public officials are
[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.
[B] qualified to deal independently with bureaucratic issues.
[C] allowed to focus on the concerns of their supporters.
[D] exempt from conviction on the charge of favoritism.
【答案】[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.
39. Well-enforced laws in government transparency are needed to
[A] awaken the conscience of officials.
[B] guarantee fair play in official access.
[C] allow for certain kinds of lobbying.
[D] inspire hopes in average people.
【答案】[B] guarantee fair play in official access.
40. The authors attitude toward the courts ruling is
[A] sarcastic.
[B] tolerant.
[C] skeptical.
[D] supportive
【答案】[D] supportive
Part B
Directions:
The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered box. Paragraphs B and D have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
[A]The first published sketch, "A Dinner at Poplar Walk" brought tears to Dickenss eyes when he discovered it in the pages of The Monthly Magazine. From then on his sketches ,which appeared under the pen name "Boz" in The Evening Chronicle, earned him a modest reputation.
[B]The runaway success of The Pickwick Papers, as it is generally known today, secured Dickenss fame. There were Pickwick coats and Pickwick cigars, and the plump, spectacled hero, Samuel Pickwick, became a national figure.
[C]Soon after Sketches by Boz appeared, a publishing firm approached Dickens to write a story in monthly installments, as a backdrop for a series of woodcuts by the ten-famous artist Robert Seymour, who had originated the idea for the story. With characteristic confidence, Dickens successfully insisted that Seymours pictures illustrate his own story instead. After the first installment, Dickens wrote to the artist and asked him to correct a drawing Dickens felt was not faithful enough to his prose. Seymour made the change, went into his backyard, and expressed his displeasure by committing suicide. Dickens and his publishers simply pressed on with a new artist. The comic novel, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, appeared serially in 1836 and 1837, and was first published in book form in 1837.
[D]Charles Dickens is probably the best-known and, to many people, the greatest English novelist of the 19th century. A moralist, satirist, and social reformer. Dickens crafted complex plots and striking characters that capture the panorama of English society.
[E]Soon after his fathers release from prison, Dickens got a better job as errand boy in law offices. He taught himself shorthand to get an even better job later as a court stenographer and as a reporter in Parliament. At the same time, Dickens, who had a reporters eye for transcribing the life around him especially anything comic or odd, submitted short sketches to obscure magazines.
[F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth, on Englands southern coast. His father was a clerk in the British navy pay office -a respectable position, but wish little social status. His paternal grandparents, a steward and a housekeeper possessed even less status, having been servants, and Dickens later concealed their background. Dickens mother supposedly came from a more respectable family. Yet two years before Dickens birth, his mothers father was caught stealing and fled to Europe, never to return. The familys increasing poverty forced Dickens out of school at age 12 to work in Warrens Blacking Warehouse, a shoe-polish factory, where the other working boys mocked him as "the young gentleman." His father was then imprisoned for debt. The humiliations of his fathers imprisonment and his labor in the blacking factory formed Dickens greatest wound and became his deepest secret. He could not confide them even to his wife, although they provide the unacknowledged foundation of his fiction.
[G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world. In Oliver Twist, e traces an orphans progress from the workhouse to the criminal slums of London. Nicholas Nickleby, his next novel, combines the darkness of Oliver Twist with the sunlight of Pickwick. The popularity of these novels consolidated Dichens as a nationally and internationally celebrated man of letters.
D → 41. → 42. → 43. → 44. → B →45.
【答案】
41. [F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth
42. [E] Soon after his fathers release from prison
43. [A]The first published sketch
44. [C]Soon after Sketches by Boz appeared
45. [G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world
Part C
Directions:
Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
The growth of the use of English as the world`s primary language for international communication has obviously been continuing for several decades.
(46)But even as the number of English speakers expands further there are signs that the global predominance of the language may fade within the foreseeable future.
Complex international, economic, technological and culture change could start to diminish the leading position of English as the language of the world market, and UK interests which enjoy advantage from the breath of English usage would consequently face new pressures. Those realistic possibilities are highlighted in the study presented by David Graddol
(47)His analysis should therefore end any self-contentedness among those who may believe that the global position of English is so stable that the young generation of the United Kingdom do not need additional language capabilities.
David Graddol concludes that monoglot English graduates face a bleak economic future as qualified multilingual youngsters from other countries are proving to have a competitive advantage over their British counterparts in global companies and organizations. Alongside that,(48)many countries are introducing English into the primary-school curriculum but British schoolchildren and students do not appear to be gaining greater encouragement to achieve fluency in other languages.
If left to themselves, such trends will diminish the relative strength of the English language in international education markets as the demand for educational resources in languages, such as Spanish ,Arabic or Mandarin grows and international business process outsourcing in other language such as Japanese, French and German, spreads.
(49)The changes identified by David Graddol all present clear and major challenges to UK`s providers of English language teaching to people of other countries and to broader education business sectors. The English language teaching sector directly earns nearly &1.3 billion for the UK in invisible exports and our other education related explores earn up to &10 billion a year more. As the international education market expands, the recent slowdown in the number of international students studying in the main English-speaking countries is likely to continue, especially if there are no effective strategic policies to prevent such slippage.
The anticipation of possible shifts in demand provided by this study is significant:(50) It gives a basis to all organization which seek to promote the learning and very different operating environment. That is a necessary and practical approach. In this as in much else, those who wish to influence the future must prepare for it.
【答案】
(46) 但是即使当下英语使用者的人群还在进一步扩大，有迹象表明：在可预见的未来，英语可能会逐渐失去其全球主导地位。
(47) 因此，对于那些认为英语的国际地位无懈可击、甚至觉得他们的年青后辈们不需要学习其他语言的人而言，他的分析可能会给他们的骄傲自大画上一个句号。
(48) 众多国家正在将英语引进小学课程，但是，毫不夸张地说，英国学童和学生似乎没有受到更多的鼓励去学会流利地使用其他语言。
(49) 大卫·葛拉尔多所发现的变化给教授他国人士英语的.英国机构以及更广阔的教育市场带来了显而易见的巨大挑战。
(50)这给所有致力于推广英语学习和使用的机构提供了一个制定规划的依据，让我们能够应对未来完全不同的操作环境里出现的各种可能性。
Section III Writing
Part A
51. Directions：
You are to write an email to James Cook , a newly-arrived Australian professor , recommending some tourist attractions in your city . Please give reasons for your recommendation .
You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET .
Do not sign your own name at the end of the email . Use "Li Ming" instead.
Do not write the address . (10 points)
【参考范文】
Dear James Cook,
Welcome to China! Im writing this email to recommend some scenic spots in Beijing to you so that you can have a wonderful time here.
First of all, you could have a visit to the Summer Palace and Forbidden City, which are renowned for its old buildings and diverse cultures. After that, it is advisable to go to Wang Fujing, where you can have a taste of some delicious local food while enjoying the traditional culture. Finally, you can go to the National Museum, in which some traditional art exhibitions are being held. What do you think of my plans?
I sincerely hope that you could enjoy yourselves in Beijing and it will be my pleasure to be your guide.
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming
Part B
52. Directions：
Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following pictures. In your essay , you should
1)describe the pictures briefly,
2)interpret the meaning , and
3)give your comments.
You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.( 20 points )
【参考范文】
Portrayed in the two cartoons is thought-provoking: In the left one, a young man, comfortably lounging on the chair, is looking at his huge bookshelf full of books contentedly, while the other, in the right drawing, is determined to finish reading 20 books in a year.
By this scenario, the cartoonist is trying to awaken us to the importance of reading and sticking to our goals. It is universally held that with the advance of modern society, only those equipped with updated knowledge which requires constant reading are most likely to reach the summit of the success. Conversely, without persistent learning and taking actions, our objectives are bound to be a fantasy. Indeed, people fail always because they stop trying, not because they encounter invincible difficulties.
From what has been mentioned above, we may reasonably arrive at the conclusion that only those who keep learning and cherish the spirit of persistence have opportunities to succeed. Therefore, such essence is an important virtue worthy of being fostered. If you understand and adhere to this principle in your study and work, you will definitely benefit greatly.
考研英语一真题及答案 2
Section II 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 the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
How can the train operators possibly justify yet another increase to rail passenger fares? It has become a grimly reliable annual ritual: every January the cost of travelling by train rises, imposing a significant extra burden on those who have no option but to use the rail network to get to work or otherwise. This years rise, an average of 2.7 per cent, may be a fraction lower than last years, but it is still well above the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation.
Successive governments have pertted such increases on the grounds that the cost of investing in and running the rail network should be borne by those who use it, rather than the general taxpayer. Why, the argument goes, should a car-driving pensioner from Lincolnshire have to subsidise the daily commute of a stockbroker from Surrey? Equally there is a sense that the travails of commuters in the South East, many of whom will face among the biggest rises, have received too much attention compared to those who must endure the relatively poor infrastructure of the Midlands and the North.
However, over the past12 months, those commuters have also experienced some of the worst rail strikes in years. It is all very well train operators trumpeting the improvements they are making to the network, but passengers should be able to expect a basic level of service for the substantial sums they are now paying to travel. The responsibility for the latest wave of strikes rests on the unions. However, there is a strong case that those who have been worst affected by industrial action should receive compensation for the disruption they have suffered.
The Government has pledged to change the law to introduce a minimum service requirement so that, even when strikes occur, services can continue to operate. This should form part of a wider package of measures to address the long-running problems on Britains railways. Yes, more investment is needed, but passengers will not be willing to pay more indefinitely if they must also endure cramped, unreliable services, punctuated by regular chaos when timetables are changed, or planned maintenance is managed incompetently. The threat of nationalisation may have been seen off for now, but it will return with a vengeance if the justified anger of passengers is not addressed in short order.
21.【题干】The author holds that this years increase in rail passengers fares_____.
【选项】
A.will ease train operations burden.
B.has kept pace with inflation.
C.is a big surprise to commuters.
D.remains an unreasonable measure.
【答案】D
22.【题干】The stockbroker in 2 is used to stand for_____.
【选项】
A.car drivers
B.rail travellers
C.local investors
D.ordinary taxpayers
【答案】B
23.【题干】It is indicated in 3 that train operators_____.
【选项】
A.are offering compensations to commuters.
B.are trying to repair relations with the unions.
C.have failed to provide an adequate service.
D.have suffered huge losses owing to the strikes.
【答案】C
24.【题干】If unable to calm down passengers, the railways may have to face_____.
【选项】
A.the loss of investment.
B.the collapse of operations.
C.a reduction of revenue
D.a change of ownership.
【答案】D
25.【题干】Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
【选项】
A.Who Are to Blame for the Strikes?
B.Constant Complaining Doesnt Work
C.Can Nationalization Bring Hope?
D.Ever-rising Fares Arent Sustainable
【答案】D
Last year marked the third year in a row of that Indonesia’s bleak rate of deforestation has slowed in pace. One reason for the turnaround may be the countrys antipoverty program.
In 2007, Indonesia started phasing in program that gives money to its poorest residents under certain conditions, such as requiring people to keep kids in school or get regular medical care. Called conditional cash transfers or CCTs, these social assistance programs are designed to reduce inequality and break the cycle of poverty. Theyre already used in dozens of countries worldwide. In Indonesia, the program has provided enough food and medicine to substantially reduce severe growth problems among children.
But CCT programs dont generally consider effects on the environment. In fact, poverty alleviation and environmental protection are often viewed as conflicting goals, says Paul Ferraro, an economist at Johns Hopkins University.
Thats because economic growth can be correlated with environmental degradation, while protecting the environment is sometimes correlated with greater poverty. However, those correlations dont prove cause and effect. The only previous study analyzing causality, based on an area in Mexico that had instituted CCTs, supported the traditional view. There, as people got more money, some of them may have more cleared land for cattle to raise for meat, Ferraro says.
Such programs do not have to negatively affect the environment, though. Ferraro wanted to see if Indonesias poverty-alleviation program was affecting deforestation. Indonesia has the third-largest area of tropical forest in the world and one of the highest deforestation rates.
Ferraro analyzed satellite data showing annual forest loss from 2008 to 2012-including during Indonesias phase-in of the antipoverty program-in 7, 468 forested villages across 15 provinces and multiple islands. The duo separated the effects of the CCT program on forest loss from other factors, like weather and macroeconomic changes, which were also affecting forest loss. With that, "we see that the program is associated with a 30 percent reduction in deforestation," Ferraro says.
Thats likely because the rural poor are using the money as makeshift insurance policies against inclement weather, Ferraro says. Typically, if rains are delayed, people may clear land to plant more rice to supplement their harvests. With the CCTs, individuals instead can use the money to supplement their harvests.
Whether this research translates elsewhere is anybodys guess. Ferraro suggests the importance of growing rice and market access. And regardless of transferability, the study shows that whats good for people may also be good for the value of the avoided deforestation just for carbon dioxide emissions alone is more than the program costs.
26.【题干】According to the first two paragraphs, CCT programs aim to_____.
【选项】
A.facilitate health care reform.
B.help poor families get better off.
C.improve local education systems.
D.lower deforestation rates.
【答案】B
27.【题干】The study based on an area in Mexico is cited to show that_____.
【选项】
A.cattle rearing has been a major means of livelihood for the poor.
B.CCT programs have he helped preserve traditional lifestyles.
C.antipoverty efforts require the participation of local farmers.
D.economic growth tends to cause environmental degradation.
【答案】D
28.【题干】In his study about Indonesia, Ferraro intends to find out_____.
【选项】
A.its acceptance level of CCTs.
B.its annual rate of poverty alleviation.
C.the relation of ccts to its forest loss.
D.the role of its forests in climate change.
【答案】C
29.【题干】According to Ferraro, the CCT program in Indonesia is most valuable in that_____.
【选项】
A.it will benefit other Asian countries.
B.it will reduce regional inequality.
C.it can protect the environment.
D.it can boost grain production.
【答案】C
30.【题干】What is the text centered on?
【选项】
A.The effects of a program.
B.The debates over a program.
C.The process of a study.
D.The transferability of a study.
【答案】A
As a historian whos always searching for the text or the image that makes us re-evaluate the past, Ive become preoccupied with looking for photographs that show our Victorian ancestors smiling (what better way to shatter the image of 19th-century prudery?). Ive found quite a few, and- since I started posting them on Twitter-they have been causing quite stir. People have been surprised to see evidence that Victorians had fun and could, and did, laugh. They are noting that the Victorians suddenly seem to become more human as the hundred-or-so years that separate us fade away through our common experience of laughter.
Of course, I need to concede that my collection of Smiling Victorians makes up only a tiny percentage of the vast catalogue of photographic portraiture created between 1840 and 1900, the majority of which show sitters posing miserably and stiffly in front of painted backdrops, or staring absently into the middle distance. How do we explain this trend?
During the 1840s and 1850s, in the early days of photography, exposure times were notoriously long: the daguerreotype photographic method (producing an image on a silvered copper plate) could take several minutes to complete, resulting in blurred images as sitters shifted position or adjusted their limbs. The thought of holding a fixed grin as the camera performed its magical duties was too much to contemplate, and so a non-committal blank stare became the norm.
But exposure times were much quicker by the 1880s, and the introduction of the Box Brownie and other portable cameras meant that, though slow by todays digital standards, the exposure was almost instantaneous. Spontaneous smiles were relatively easy to capture by the 1890s, so we must look elsewhere for an explanation of why Victorians still hesitated to smile.
One explanation might be the loss of dignity displayed through a cheesy grin. “Nature gave us lips to conceal our teeth,” ran one popular Victorian maxim, alluding to the fact that before the birth of proper dentistry, mouths were often in a shocking state of hygiene. A flashing set of healthy and clean, regular pearly whites rare sight in Victorian society, the preserve of the super-rich (and even then, dental hygiene was not guaranteed).
A toothy grin (especially when there were gaps or blackened teeth) lacked class: drunks, tramps, prostitutes and buffoonish music hall performers might gurn and grin with a smile as wide as Lewis Carrolls gum-exposing Cheshire Cat, but it was not a becoming look for properly bred persons. Even Mark Twain, a man who enjoyed a hearty laugh, said that when it came to photographic portraits there could be "nothing more damning than a silly, foolish smile fixed forever".
31.【题干】According to Paragraph 1, the authors posts on Twitter. _____
【选项】
A.changed peoples impression of the Victorians.
B.highlighted social medias role in Victorian studies.
C.re-evaluated the Victorians notion of public image.
D.illustrated the development of Victorian photography.
【答案】A
32.【题干】What does author say about the Victorian portraits he has collected? _____
【选项】
A.They are in popular use among historians.
B.They are rare among photographs of that age.
C.They mirror 19th-century social conventions.
D.They show effects of different exposure times.
【答案】B
33.【题干】What might have kept the Victorians from smiling for pictures in the 1890s? _____
【选项】
A.Their inherent social sensitiveness.
B.Their tension before the camera.
C.Their distrust of new inventions.
D.Their unhealthy dental condition.
【答案】D
34.【题干】Mark Twain is quoted to show that the disapproval of smiles in pictures was_____.
【选项】
A.a deep-root belief.
B.a misguided attitude.
C.a controversial view.
D.a thought-provoking idea.
【答案】A
35.【题干】Which of the following questions does the text answer?_____
【选项】
A.Why did most Victorians look stern in photographs?
B.Why did the Victorians start view photographs?
C.What made photography develop slowly in the Victorian period?
D.How did smiling in photographs become a post-Victorian norm?
【答案】A
From the early days of broadband, advocates for consumers and web-based companies worried that the cable and phone companies selling broadband connections had the power and incentive to favor affiliated websites over their rivals. Thats why there has been such a strong demand for rules that would prevent broadband providers from picking winners and losers online, preserving the freedom and innovation that have been the lifeblood of the internet.
Yet that demand has been almost impossible to fill-in part because of pushback from broadband providers, anti-regulatory conservatives and the courts. A federal appeals court weighed in again Tuesday, but instead of providing badly needed resolution, it only prolonged the fight. At issue before the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was the latest take of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on net neutrality, adopted on a party-line vote in 2017. The Republican-penned order not only eliminated the strict net neutrality rules the FCC had adopted when it had a Democratic majority in 2015, but rejected the commissions authority to require broadband providers to do much of anything. The order also declared that state and local governments couldnt regulate broadband providers either.
The commission argued that other agencies would protect against anti-competitive behavior, such as a broadband-providing conglomerate like AT&T favoring its own video-streaming service at the expense of Netflix and Apple TV. Yet the FCC also ended the investigations of broadband providers that imposed data caps on their rivals streaming services but not their own.
On Tuesday, the appeals court unanimously upheld the 2017 order deregulating broadband providers, citing a Supreme Court ruling from 2005 that upheld a similarly deregulatory move. But Judge Patricia Millett rightly argued in a concurring opinion that “the result is unhinged from the realities of modern broadband service,” and said Congress or the Supreme Court could intervene to "avoid trapping Internet regulation in technological anachronism."
In the meantime, the court threw out the FCCs attempt to block all state rules on net neutrality, while preserving the commissions power to preempt individual state laws that undermine its order. That means more battles like the one now going on between the Justice Department and California, which enacted a tough net neutrality law in the wake of the FCCs abdication.
The endless legal battles and back-and-for at the FCC cry out for Congress to act. It needs to give the commission explicit authority once and for all to bar broadband providers from meddling in the traffic on their network and to create clear rules protecting openness and innovation online.
36.【题干】There has long been concern that broadband provides would_____.
【选项】
A.bring web-based firms under control.
B.slow down the traffic on their network.
C.show partiality in treating clients.
D.intensify competition with their rivals.
【答案】C
37.【题干】Faced with the demand for net neutrality rules, the Fcc_____.
【选项】
A.Sticks to an out-of-date order.
B.Takes an anti-regulatory stance.
C.Has issued a special resolution.
D.Has allowed the states to intervene.
【答案】B
38.【题干】What can be learned about AT&T from Paragraph 3?
【选项】
A.It protects against unfair competition.
B.It engages in anti-competitive practices.
C.It is under the FCCs investigation.
D.It is in pursuit of quality service.
【答案】B
39.【题干】Judge Patricia Millett argues that the appeals courts decision_____.
【选项】
A.focuses on trivialities.
B.conveys an ambiguous message.
C.is at odds with its earlier rulings.
D.is out of touch with reality.
【答案】D
40.【题干】What does the author argue in the last paragraph?
【选项】
A.Congress needs to take action to ensure net neutrality.
B.The FCC should be put under strict supervision.
C.Rules need to be set to diversify online services.
D.Broadband providers rights should be protected.
【答案】A
Section II Reading Comprehension Part B
The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A-G and filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs C and F have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
In the movies and on television, artificial intelligence is typically depicted as something sinister that will upend our way of life. When it comes to AI in business, we often hear about it in relation to automation and the impending loss of jobs, but in what ways is AI changing companies and the larger economy that don’t involve doom-and-mass unemployment predictions?
A recent survey of manufacturing and service industries from Tata Consultancy Services found that companies currently use Al more often in computer-to-computer activities than in automating human activities. One common application? Preventing electronic security breaches, which, rather than eliminating IT jobs, actually makes those personnel more valuable to employers, because they help firms prevent hacking attempts.
Here are a few other ways AI is aiding companies without replacing employees:
Better hiring practices
Companies are using artificial intelligence to remove some of the unconscious bias from hiring decisions. "There are experiments that show that, naturally, the results of interviews are much more biased than what AI does," says Pedro Domingos, author of The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World and a computer science _____(41)One company that’s doing this is called Blendoor. It uses analytics to help identify where there may be bias in the hiring process.
More effective marketing
Some AI software can analyze and optimize marketing email subject lines to increase open rates. One company in the UK, Phrasee, claims their software can outperform humans by up to 10 percent when it comes to email open rates. This can mean millions more in revenue. _____(42)There are “tools that help people use data, not a replacement for people,” says Patrick H. Winston, a professor of artificial intelligence and computer science at MIT.
Saving customers money
Energy companies can use AI to help customers reduce their electricity bills saving them money while helping the environment. Companies can also optimize their own energy use and cut down on the cost of electricity. Insurance companies meanwhile, can base their premiums on AI models that more accurately access risk. "Before, they might not insure the ones who felt like a high risk or charge them too much," says Domingos, _____(43)
Improved accuracy
Machine learning often provides a more reliable form of statistics, which makes data more valuable," says Winston. It "helps people make smarter decisions." _____(44)
Protecting and maintaining infrastructure
A number of companies, particularly in energy and transportation, use AI image processing technology to inspect infrastructure and prevent equipment failure or leaks before they happen. "If they fail first and then you fix them, its very expensive," says Domingos. _____(45)
[A] I replaces the boring parts of your job. If youre doing research, you can have AI go out and look for relevant sources and information that otherwise you just wouldnt have time for.
[B] One accounting firm, EY, uses an AI system that helps review contracts during an audit. This process, along with employees reviewing the contracts, is faster and more accurate.
[C] There are also companies like Acquisio, which analyzes advertising performance across multiple channels like Adwords, Bing and social media and makes adjustments or suggestions about where advertising funds will yield best results.
[D] You want to predict if something needs attention now and point to where its useful for employees to go to.
[E] Before, they might not insure the ones who felt like a high risk or charge them too much, or they would charge them too little and then it would cost [the company] money.
[F] Were also giving our customers better channels versus picking up the phone to accomplish something beyond human scale.
[G] AI looks at resumes in greater numbers than humans would be able to, and selects the more promising candidates.
41.【答案】G
42.【答案】C
43.【答案】E
44.【答案】B
45.【答案】D
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