中国人民大学2007年考博英语试题

中国人民大学 2007 年博士研究生入学考试试题 (非英语专业) Part I. Vocabulary (20 %) Directions: Choose the best answer (from A, B, C and D) to complete each of the following sentences. Mark your choice with a single bar across the square brackets on your Machine-scoring Answer Sheet. 1. Tom doesn’t think that the situation here is as good as his hometown' s. A. economics B. economic C. economy D. economical 2. the increase in the number of computers in our offices, the amount of paper hat we need has risen as well. A. Along with B. Altogether C. Although D. All along 3. The food was divided according to the age and size of the child. A. equally B. individually C. sufficiently D. proportionally 4. Our new firm for a credible, aggressive individual with great skills to fill this position. A. have looked B. are looking C. is looking D. look 5. Plastic bags are useful for holding many kinds of food, their cleanness, toughness and low cost. A. by virtue of B. in addition to C. for the sake of D. as opposed to 6. He himself bitterly for his miserable behavior that evening. A. repealed B. resented C. replayed D. reproached 7. Many of the fads of the 1970s as today' s latest fashions. A. are being revived B. is revised C. are revoked D. is being reviled 8. All of the international delegates attending the conference to bring a souvenir from their own countries. A. has asked B. is asking C. were asked D. was asking 9. Britain hopes of a gold medal in the Olympic Games suffered yesterday, when Hunter failed to qualify during preliminary session. A. a severe set-back B. sharp set-back C. a severe blown-up D. sharp blown-up 10. If you want to do well on the exam, you on the directions that the professor gives and take exact notes. A. will have concentrated B. have to concentrate C. will be concentrated D. will be concentrating 11. What about that article in the newspaper was that its writer showed an attitude cool enough, professional enough and, therefore, cruel enough when facing that tragedy. A. worked me out B. knocked me out C. brought me up D. put me forward 12. Since his injury was serious, the doctor suggested that he in the game. A. did not play B. must not play C. not play D. not to play 13. According to the latest report, consumer confidence a breathtaking 15 points last month, to its lowest level in ten years. A. soared B. mutated C. plummeted D. fluctuated 14. Our car trunk with suitcases and we could hardly make room for anything. A. went cramming B. was crammed C. is cramming D. was been crammed 15. The secretary didn't know who he was, or she him more politely. A. will be treating B. would have treated C. was treating D. would have been treated 16. The instructions on how to use the new machine that nobody seemed to be able to understand. A. were very simplistic B. was very confused C. were so confusing D. was so simplistic 17. John played basketball in college and active ever since. A. have extremely been B. has been extremely C. will be extremely D. should extremely be 18. The of the spring water attracts a lot of visitors from all over the country. A. clash B. clarify C. clarity D. clatter 19. the gift in beautiful green paper, Sarah departed for the party. A. Having wrapped B. To wrap C. Wrap D. Wrapping 20. The advertisement for Super Suds detergent that the sale has increased by 25% in the first quarter of the year. A. have been so successful B. had been so successful C. has been so successful D. will be so successful 21. Tom and Alice having a new car to replace their old one for years. A. has been dreaming of B. have been dreaming of C. has dreamed D. will have dreamed 22. When the air in a certain space is squeezed to occupy a smaller space, the air is said to be . A. commenced B. compressed C. compromised D. compensated 23. the heavy pollution, the city officials have decided to cancel school for the day. A. Prior B. By means of C. Due to D. Through 24. Our boss is taking everyone to the ballet tonight, and I need to make sure my new dress for the occasion. A. has been cleaned B. should have been cleaned C. is being cleaned D. has been cleaning 25. Peter's mother kept telling him that in the street is dangerous, but he would not listen. A. played B. will play C. playing D. been playing 26. A knowledge of history us to deal with the vast range of problems confronting the contemporary world. A. equips B. provides C. offers D. satisfies 27. He wouldn’t even think of wearing clothes; they make him look so old! A. same B. despite C. such D. that 28. Mary finally decided all the junk she had kept in the garage. A. get rid B. gotten rid of C. getting rid of D. to get rid of 29. The team leader Of mountain climbers marked out . A. that seemed to be the best route B. what seemed to be the best route C. which seemed to be the best route D. something that to be the best route 30. Tom Jones, who around the world, will come to Asia next month. A. will be touring B. have toured C. had been touring D. has been touring 31. The paint on the clown's face that it scared the children he was trying to entertain. A. was so exaggeration B. were an exaggeration C. was such an exaggeration D. was exaggerating 32. Men often wait longer to get help for medical problems than women, and , women live about six years longer than men on an average. A. instead of B. constantly C. consequently D. because 33. The emphasis on exams is by far the worst form of competition in schools. A. negligent B. edible C. fabulous D. disproportionate 34. There is conflicting information on how much iron women need in their diet. A. so much B. so many C. too few D. a few 35. It must guarantee freedom of expression, to the end that all to the flow of ideas shall be removed. A. prophecies B. transactions C. arguments D. hindrances 36. Not until the 1980s in Beijing start to find ways to preserve historic buildings from destruction. A. some concerned citizens B. some concerning citizens C. did some concerning citizens D. did some concerned citizens 37. After failing his mid-term exams, Jeremy was face his parents. A. too ashamed to B. too embarrassing to C. very ashamed of D. very embarrassing to 38. My grandmother has been going to a better dentist, so this problems she is having with her dentures. A. won' t eliminate B. will be elimination C. should have been eliminated D. should help eliminate 39. He told a story about his sister who was in a sad when she was iii and had no money. A. plight B. polarization C. plague D. pigment 40. During her two-week stay in Beijing, Elizabeth never a chrome(chance) to practice her Chinese. A. passed by B. passed on C. passed out D. passed up Part II. Reading Comprehension (30%) Directions: Rend the following passages and then choose the best answer (from A, B, C and D) to complete each of the following sentences. Mark your choice with a single bar across the square brackets on your Machine-scoring Answer Sheet. Passage 1 British food has a good reputation, but English cooking has a bad one. It is difficult to explain the reason for this. Unfortunately, however, superb raw ingredients are often mined from the kitchen so that they come to the table without any of the natural flavor and goodness. This bad reputation discourages a lot of people from eating in an English restaurant. If they do go to one, they are usually full of prejudice against the food. It is a pity, because there are excellent cooks in England, excellent restaurants, and excellent home-cooking. How, then, has the bad reputation been built up? Perhaps one reason is that Britain' s Industrial Revolution occurred very early, in the middle of the nineteenth century. As a result, the quality of food changed too. This was because Britain stopped being a largely agricultural country. The population of the towns increased enormously between 1840 and 1870, and people could no longer grow their own food, or buy it fresh from a farm. Huge quantities of food had to be taken to the towns, and a lot of it lost its freshness on the way. This lack of freshness was disguised by "dressing up" the food. The rich middle classes ate long elaborate meals which were cooked for them by French chefs. French became, and has remained, the official language of the dining room. Out-of-season delicacies were served in spite of their expense, for there were a large number of extremely wealthy people who wanted to establish themselves socially. The "look" of the food was more important than its taste. In the 1930s, the supply of servant began to decrease. People still tried to produce complicated dishes, however, but they economized on the preparation time. The Second World War made things even worse by making raw ingredients extremely scarce. As a result, there were many women who never had the opportunity to choose a piece of meat from a well-stocked butcher' s shop, but were content and grateful to accept anything that was offered to them. Food rationing continued in Britain until the early 1950s. It was only after this had stopped, and butter, eggs and cream became more plentiful, and it was possible to travel abroad again and taste other ways of preparing food, that the English difference to eating became replaced by a new enthusiasm for it. 41. According to the author, it is difficult to explain . A. why excellent ingredients are spoiled in the process of cooking B. why people do not like English cooking C. why British food often has a natural flavor D. why people prefer home-cooking to ready made food 42. The negative effect of Britain' s Industrial Revolution on English cooking is that . A. the population in the countryside decreased dramatically B. people no longer grew their own food on their own farms C. the freshness of food was lost on the way to the cities D. Britain was no longer an agricultural country 43. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, . A. more attention was given to the look of the food B. French became the official language in English restaurants C. a large number of extremely wealthy people ate in French restaurants D. out-of-season delicacies became very expensive 44. The Second World War worsened the problem because . A. there was an increasing demand for servants B. there was a lack of raw ingredient supply C. many women refused to choose meat from butcher' s shops D. French chefs dominated English restaurants 45. A new enthusiasm for eating emerged in Britain . A. when many women finally had the opportunity to purchase fresh meat from a well-stocked butcher's shop B. when butter, eggs and cream became available C. when people started traveling to other cities D. after the early 1950s Passage 2 In his typically American open style of communication, Mr. Hayes confronted Isabeta about not looking at him. Reluctantly, she explained why. As a newcomer from Mexico, she had been taught to avoid eye contact as a mark of respect to authority figures, teachers, employers, parents. Mr. Hayes did not know this. He then informed her that most Americans interpret lack of eye contact as disrespect and deviousness. Ultimately, he convinced Isabela to try and change her habit, which she slowly did. People from many Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean cultures also avoid eye contact as a sign of respect. Many African Americans, especially from the South, observe this custom, too. A master's thesis by Samuel Avoian, a graduate student at Central Missouri State University, tells how misinterpreting eye-contact customs can have a negative impact when white football coaches recruit African American players for the teams. He reports that, when speaking, white communicators usually look away from the listener, only periodically glancing at them. They do the opposite when listening they are expected to look at the speaker all the time. Many African Americans communicate in an opposite way. When speaking, they tend to constantly stare at the listener; when listening, they mostly look away. Therefore, if white sports recruiters are not informed about these significant differences, they can be misled about interest and attentiveness when interviewing prospective African American ball players. In multicultural America, issues of' Eye contact have brought about social conflicts of two different kinds in many urban centers, non-Korean customers became angry when Korean shopkeepers did not look at them directly. The customers translated the lack of eye contact as a sign of disrespect, a habit blamed for contributing to the open confrontation raking place between some Asians and African Americans in New York, Texas, and California. Many teachers too have provided stories about classroom conflicts based on their misunderstanding Asian and Latin American children lack of eye contact as being disrespectful. On the other hand, direct eye contact has now taken on a new meaning among the younger generation and across ethnic borders. Particularly in urban centers, when one teenager looks directly at another, this is considered a provocation, sometimes called mad-dogging, and can lead to physical conflict. Mad-dogging has become the source of many campus conflicts. In one high school, it resulted in a fight between Cambodian newcomers and African-American students. The Cambodians had been staring at the other students merely to learn how Americans behave, yet the others misinterpreted the Cambodians' intentions and the fight began. Mad-dogging seems to be connected with the avoidance of eye contact as a sign of respect. Thus, in the urban contemporary youth scene, if one looks directly at another, this disrespects, or "disses," that person. Much like the archaic phrase "I demand satisfaction," which became the overture to a duel, mad-dogging may become a prelude to a physical encounter. At the entrances to Universal Studio's "City Walk" attraction in Los Angeles, they have posted Code of Conduct signs. The second rule warns against "physically over bally threatening any person, fighting, annoying others through noisy or boisterous activities or by unnecessary staring..." 46. Many African Americans from the South . A. adopt a typically American open style of communication B. often misinterpret the meaning of eye contact C. avoid eye contact as a sign of respect D. are taught to avoid eye contact whenever telling to the others 47. When listening to the others, white communicators tend to . A. look at the speaker all the time B. glance at the speaker periodically C. look away from the speaker D. stare at the speaker 48. Many customers in American cities are angry with Korean shopkeepers because . A. Korean shopkeepers do not look at them directly B. they expect a more enthusiastic reflection from the shopkeepers C. there are some social conflicts in many urban centers D. they are not informed about difference between cultures 49. Mad-dogging refers to . A. a provocation from one teenager to another of a different ethnic background B. physical conflict among the younger generation in urban centers C. a lack of eye contact as a sign of respect D. the source of many campus conflicts across ethnic borders in urban centers 50. The archaic phrase, "I demand satisfaction" . A. was connected with the avoidance of eye contact B. often led to a fight C. was a sign of disrespect D. often resulted in some kind of misinterpretation Passage 3 When television is good, nothing--not the theatre, not the magazines, or newspapers--nothing is better. But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, or anything else to distract you and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, more violence, sadism, murder, Western bad men, Western good men, private eyes, gangster, still more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials that scream and offend. And most of all, boredom. True, you will see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, try it. Is there no room on television to teach, to inform, to uplift, to stretch, to enlarge the capacities of our children? Is there no room for programs to deepen the children's understanding of children in other lands7 Is there no room for a children's news show explaining something about the world for them at their level of understanding? Is there no room for reading the great literature of the past, teaching them the great traditions of freedom? There are some fine children's shows, but they are drowned out in the massive doses of cartoons, violence, and more violence. Must these be your trademarks? Search your conscience and see whether you cannot offer more to your young children whose future you guard so many hours each and every day. There are many people in this great country, and you must serve all of us. You will get no argument from me if you say that, given a choice between a Western and a symphony, more people will watch the Western. I like Westerns and private eyes, too, but a steady diet for the whole country is obviously not in the public interest. We all know that people would more often prefer to be entertained than stimulated or informed. But your obligations are not satisfied if you look only to popularity as a test of what to broadcast. You are not only in show business; you are free to communicate ideas as well as to give relaxation. You must provide a wider range of choices, more diversity, more alternatives. It is not enough to cater to the nation's whims--you must also serve the nation' s needs. The people own the air. They own it as much in prime evening time as they do at six o' clock in the morning. For every hour that the people give you--you owe them something. I intend to see that your debt is paid with service. 51. What the author advises us to-do is to A. read a book while watching television programs . B. observe a vast wasteland on television C. watch all the programs of our television station D. find out why television is good 52. What seems to have offended the author most on television is . A. violence B. commercials C. Westerns D. private eyes 53. As far as children are concerned, the author's chief complaint is that . A. cartoons and violence have become trademarks B. there is no children's news show on television C. there is no reading of great literature for children D. there are not enough good television programs for children 54. According to the author, it is in the public interest to . A. broadcast only popular television programs B. cater for the needs of all the people C. broadcast both Westerns and symphonies D. entertain people only 55. It is the obligation of television business to . A. cater to the nation's whims B. provide best programs in prime evening free C. broadcast news programs, at six in the morning D. serve the nation's needs all the time Passage 4 Some of my classmates in the same dorm established a chatting group on the Net when broadband was available on campus. Then everyone faced their own laptops and talked to each other by sending messages in the chatting group in the same room. Their dorm was silent the whole night The only sound came from tapping the keyboard. Before they went to bed that night, all of them sighed and said, "that's ridiculous." Information Technology brings about revolutionary changes to human communication. The Internet makes the world global village; that is to say, we can get in touch with each other swiftly regardless of one's location. However, does the convenience in communication mean that we are actually getting closer? I don't think so. As the anecdote above shows, access to broadband made my fellow classmates fall in silence. The Cambridge International Dictionary defines "communica