今年1月英语四级考试模拟卷2_CET模拟题
part i listening comprehension (35 points,35 minutes)
part a (15 points, 15 minutes)
section a
directions: in part a, you will hear short conversations between
two people. after each conversation, you will hear a question about the
conversation. the questions and the questions will not be repeated. after
you hear a question , read the four possible answers in your test book and
choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the
question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the
answer you have chosen.
1. (a) go to the basketball game.
(b) try to postpone the game.
(c) go to work
(d) change her work schedule.
2. (a) the man should consider changing jobs.
(b) the style of the suit is out-of-date.
(c) the color of the suit is not appropriate.
(d) the man should buy the suit.
3. (a) he thinks they should study at the woman's apartment.
(b) he won't have much time to study.
(c) his apartment is messy.
(d) his apartment is in a noisy area.
4. (a) he lost pam's notes.
(b) he tried to call pam yesterday.
(c) he wants the woman to call pam.
(d) he forgot to return the notes to pam.
5. (a) speak to his teacher about the presentation.
(b) record himself practicing the presentation.
(c) listen to a tape of her presentation.
(d) ask someone else to do the presentation.
6. (a) stop bothering the woman.
(b) take the woman's book with him.
(c) show the woman how to get to the library.
(d) ask someone else to go to the library.
7. (a) he isn't very hungry right now.
(b) he regularly eats at his restaurant.
(c) the selection on the menu is limited.
(d) he doesn't want salad with his lunch.
8. (a) she's still looking for an apartment.
(b) she was told the dorm was full.
(c) she doesn't plan to move.
(d) she wants to move out of the dorm.
9. (a) she knows the man's sister.
(b) she wants to watch her sister play.
(c) she thinks the man is a good soccer player.
(d) she isn't interested in soccer.
10. (a) he'll schedule the woman for an afternoon appointment.
(b) he can't schedule an appointment for the woman.
(c) dr. anderson will call the woman back soon.
(d) dr. anderson's schedule is full.
section b
directions: in this part of the test you will hear longer
conversations. after each conversation you will hear several questions.
the conversations and questions will not be repeated.
after you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test
book and choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the
number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to your
letter of the answer you have chosen.
remember, you are not allowed to take notes or write in your test book.
11. (a) it's only open to poetry majors.
(b) it requires another class first.
(c) it's already full.
(d) it's only offered in the morning.
12. (a) the class meets during his working hours.
(b) the class is too far away.
(c) he has another class at the same time.
(d) he's already familiar with the material.
13. (a) all the other work schedules conflict with his classes.
(b) he doesn't want to ask his boss for another favor.
(c) he wants to work the same schedule as his friends.
(d) he likes to do his homework in the evenings.
14. (a) its courses cost less.
(b) it has a pool.
(c) the class size is smaller.
(d) it may offer the class he needs during the day.
15. (a) an experiment in antarctica.
(b) the breaking off of part of the larsen ice shelf.
(c) the formation of the larsen ice shelf.
(d) an expedition in antarctica.
part b (20 points,20 minutes)
section a
in this part of the test you will hear several talks. after each talk,
you will hear some questions. the talks and questions will not be
repeated.
after you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test
book and choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the
number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the
letter of the answer you have chosen.
16. (a) how most species of spiders reproduce.
(b) how one species of spider feed its young.
(c) how spiders defend their territory.
(d) how darwin experimented with spiders.
17. (a) they eat one another.
(b) they eat insects that they catch.
(c) they build a new nest.
(d) they are attacked by other species of spiders.
18. (a) no two members of a species are exactly alike.
(b) a single species may evolve into two separate species.
(c) primitive life-forms evolve into more advanced life-forms.
(d) the survival of the strongest in a species contributions to the
survival of that species.
19. (a) early newspa
pers in england.
(b) the early history of magazines.
(c) the life of daniel defoe.
(d) differences between newspapers and magazines.
20. (a) its publication was banned by the british government.
(b) it was the first weekly newspaper.
(c) it caused a prison revolt.
(d) it was the first magazine ever published.
21. (a) it had many more pages than newspapers.
(b) it was given away for free.
(c) it dealt with issues rather than events.
(d) it was more widely available than newspapers.
22. (a) he wrote articles of the church of england.
(b) he refused to stop publishing the review.
(c) he refused to pay publishing taxes.
(d) he refused to join the church of england.
23. (a) it was not really a magazine.
(b) it featured a variety of articles and stories.
(c) it was praised by readers of poetry.
(d) it was unpopular with politicians.
24. (a) how artists gained fame.
(b) a schedule of art exhibits.
(c) one form of folk art.
(d) the preservation of old paintings.
25. (a) very few were produced.
(b) most were kept only a short time.
(c) most were printed on delicate paper.
(d) many have been acquired by collectors.
section b compound dictation
the library of congress is america’s national library. it has more than
one-hundred-twenty-million books and other objects. it has newspapers, s1
publications and letters of s2 interest. it also has maps,
photographs, art s3 , movies, sound recordings and musical s4
.the library of congress is open to the public monday through saturday,
except for government holidays. anyone may go there and read anything in
the collection. but no one is s5 to take books out of the building.
the library of congress was s6 in eighteen-hundred. it started
with eleven boxes of books in one room of the capitol building. by
eighteen-fourteen, the collection had increased to about three-thousand
books. they were s7 that year when the capitol was burned during
america’s war with britain.
to help re-build the library, congress bought the books of president
thomas jefferson. mister jefferson’s collection included seven-thousand
books in seven languages. s8
. today, three buildings hold the library’s collection.s9
. it buys some of its books and gets others as
gifts. it also gets materials through its copyright office.
s10 . this means the library of congress receives
almost everything published in the united states.
part ii reading comprehension (35 points, 25minutes)
section i careful reading (25points, 20minutes)
there are 4 passages in this part. each passage is followed by some
questions or unfinished statements. for each of them there are four
choices marked a), b), c) and d). you should decide on the best choice and
mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line
through the centre.
text a
the train clattered over points and passed through a station.
then it began suddenly to slow down, presumably in obedience to a signal.
for some minutes it crawled along, then stopped; presently it began to
move forward again. another up-train passed them, though with less
vehemence than the first one. the train gathered speed again. at that
moment another train, also on a down-line, swerved inwards towards them,
for a moment with almost alarming effect. for a time the two trains ran
parallel, now, one gaining a little, now the other. mrs. mcgillicuddy
looked from her window through the window of the parallel carriages. most
of the blinds were down, but occasionally the occupants of the carriages
were visible. the other train was not very full and there were many empty
carriages.
at the moment when the two trains gave the illusion of being
stationary, a blind in one of the carriages flew up with a snap. mrs.
mcgillicuddy looked into the lighted first-class carriage that was only a
few feet away.
then she drew her breath in with a gasp and half-rose to her feet.
standing with his back to the window and to her was a man. his hands
were round the throat of a woman who faced him, and he was slowly,
remorselessly, strangling her. her eyes were starting from their sockets,
her face was purple. as mrs. mcgillicuddy watched, fascinated, the end
came; the body went limp and crumpled in the man’s hands.
at the same moment, mrs. mcgillicuddy’s train slowed down again and
the other began to gain speed. it passed forward and a moment or two later
it had vanished from sight.
almost automatically mrs. mcgillicuddy’s hand went up to the
communication cord, then paused, irresolute. after all, what use would it
be ringing the cord of the train in which she was travelling? the horror
of what she had seen at such close quarters, and the unusual
circumstances, made her feel paralysed. some immediate action was
necessary,—but what?
the door of her compartment was drawn back and a ticket collector
said, “ticket, please.”
26. when mrs. mcguillicuddy’s train passed through a station, it___.
a. gained speed suddenly b. kept its usual speed c. changed its
speed d. stopped immediately
27. mrs. mcguillicuddy seems to be a (an) ___ person.
a. observant b. interested c. nosy d. nervous
28. what she saw in the parallel train made her feel___.
a. excited b. anxious c. worried d. horrified
29. she didn’t ring the communication cord immediately because___.
a. she was very much afraid
b. there was no point of doing so
c. she was too shocked to move
d. the ticket collector came in お
text b
i am one of the many city people who are always saying that given the
choice we would prefer to live in the country away from the dirt and noise
of a large city. i have managed to convince myself that if it weren’t for
my job i would immediately head out for the open spaces and go back to
nature in some sleepy village buried in the county. but how realistic is
the dream?
cities can be frightening places. the majority of the population live
in massive tower blocks, noisy, dirty and impersonal. the sense of
belonging to a community tends to disappear when you live fifteen floors
up. all you can see from your window is sky, or other blocks of fiats.
children become aggressive and nervous - cooped up at home all day, with
nowhere to play; their mothers feel isolated from the rest of the world.
strangely enough, whereas in the past the inhabitants of one street all
knew each other, nowadays people on the same floor in tower blocks don’t
even say hello to each other.
country life, on the other hand, differs from this kind of isolated
existence in that a sense of community generally binds the inhabitants of
small villages together. people have the advantage of knowing that there
is always someone to turn to when they need help. but country life has
disadvantages too. while it is true that you may be among friends in a
village, it is also true that you are cut off from the exciting and
important events that take place in cities. there’s little possibility of
going to a new show or the latest movie. shopping becomes a major problem,
and for anything slightly out of the ordinary you have to goon an
expedition to the nearest large town. the city-dweller who leaves for the
country is often oppressed by a sense of unbearable stillness and quiet.
what, then, is the answer? the country has the advantage of peace
and quiet, but suffers from the disadvantage of being cut off: the city
breeds a feeling of isolation, and constant noise batters the senses. but
one of its main advantages is that you are at the centre of things, and
that life doesn’t come to an end at half-past nine at night. some people
have found (or rather bought) a compromise between the tw they have
expressed their preference for the “quiet life” by leaving the suburbs and
moving to villages within commuting distance of large cities. they
generally have about as much sensitivity as the plastic flowers they leave
behind—they are polluted with strange ideas about change and improvement
which they force on to the unwilling original inhabitants of the villages.
what then of my dreams of leaning on a cottage gate and murmuring
“morning” to the locals as they pass by. i’m keen on the idea, but you see
there’s my cat, toby. i’m not at all sure that he would take to all that
fresh air and exercise in the long grass. i mean, can you see him mixing
with all those hearty malesdown the farm? no, he would rather have the
electric imitation-coal fire any evening.
30. we get the impression from the first paragraph that the author___.
a. used to live in the country
b. used to work in the city
c. works in the city
d. lives in the country
31. in the author’s opinion, the following may cause city people to be
unhappy except___.
a. a strong sense of fear b. lack of communicationc. housing
conditions d. a sense of isolation
32. the passage implies that it is easy to buy’ the following things in
the country except___
a. daily necessities b. fresh fruits c. designer clothes d. fresh
vegetables
33. according to the passage, which of the following adjectives best
describes those people who work in large cities and live in villages?
a. original. b. quiet. c. arrogant. d. insensitive.
34. do you think the author will move to the country?
a. yes, he will do so. b. no, he will not do so.c. it is difficult to
tell. d. he is in two minds. お
text c
traditionally
, the woman has held a low position in marriage
partnerships. while her husband went his way, she had to wash, stitch and
sew. today the move is to liberate the woman, which may in the end
strengthen the marriage union.
perhaps the greatest obstacle to friendship in marriage is the amount
a couple usually see of each other. friendship in its usual sense is not
tested by the strain of daily, year-long cohabitation. couples need to
take up separate interests (and friendship) as well as mutually shared
ones, if they are not to get used to the more attractive elements of each
other’s personalities.
married couples are likely to exert themselves for guests - being
amusing, discussing with passion and point — and then to fall into dull
exhausted silence when the guests have gone.
as in all friendship, a husband and wife must try to interest each
other, and to spend sufficient time sharing absorbing activities to give
them continuing common interests. but at the same time they must spend
enough time on separate interests with separate people to preserve and
develop their separate personalities and keep their relationship fresh.
for too many highly intelligent working women, home represents chore
obligations, because the husband only tolerates her work and does not
participate in household chores. for too many highly intelligent working
men, home represents dullness and complaints - from an over-dependent wife
who will not gather courage to make her own life.
in such an atmosphere, the partners grow further and further apart,
both love and liking disappearing. for too many couples with children, the
children are allowed to command all time and attention, allowing the
couple no time to develop liking and friendship, as well as love,
allotting them exclusive parental roles.
35. according to the passage, which of the following statements is
correct?
a. friendship in marriage means daily, year-long cohabitation.
b. friendship can be kept fresh by both separate and shared interests.
c. friendship in marriage is based on developing similar interests.
d. friendship in marriage is based on developing separate interest.
36. the passage suggests that married couples become___.
a. unfriendly with guests
b. uninterested in guests
c. hostile when guests have left
d. quiet when guest have left
37. the passage seems to indicate at the end that children___.
a. help couples reinforce their friendship
b. make no impact on the quality of friendship
c. may pose obstacles in marital friendship
d. command less time and care than expected
section ii skimming and scanning (10 points ,5 minutes.)
in this section there are seven passages with a total often
multiple-choice questions. skim or scan them as required and then mark
your answers on your answer sheet.お
text d
first read the following question.
38. the writer is concerned about___.
a. budget housekeeping b. the retail trade
c. computer skills d. mental arithmetic
now read text d quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
a lot of attention is being given to children who leave school unable
to read or write. i think there should be equal concern for those who are
unable to cope with simple mental arithmetic -particularly girls. it is
often stated that today’s children are growing up in a computer world and
they don’t need the same skills that their grandparents did. but is it any
wonder that many young girls trying to cope with budget housekeeping fail
for the simple reason they cannot keep accurate checks on their
purchases? shopping in markets is no source of cheap purchasing unless
one is able to keep pace with the apparent mental agility of the vendor.
must we face the thought that at some time in the distant future everyone
will need to carry in their handbag or pocket one of the miniature
calculators?
text e
first read the following question.
39. this is a letter of___.
a. reference b. application c. inquiry
d. complaint
now read text f quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
10 garden ave.
essex
the personnel officer
belgian medico ltd.
p0 box 920
brussels
belgium
5th may 200___
dear sir,
with reference to your advertisement in the “daily star”, i’d like to
apply for the position of translator with your firm. i hold a degree in
german and french from the university of london. and i have worked as a
translator for the past three years with watson & sons, ltd., manufacturer
of laboratory instruments, translating business correspondence from french
and german into english. i am 25 years old and unmarried. i enjoy living
and working
in different countries and i should welcome the chance of
moving to belgium.
yours
sincerely,
(miss) janet
holbrooke
text f
first read the following question.
40. the passage is mainly about___.
a. loneliness b. experience c.memory d.
isolation
now read text g quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
loneliness is a curious thing. most of us can remember feeling most
lonely when we were not in fact alone at all, but when we were surrounded
by people. everyone has experienced, at some time, that strong sense of
isolation that comes over you when you are at a party or in a room full of
happy laughing people. it suddenly seems to you as if everybody knows
everybody else, everybody knows what is going on; everybody, that is,
except you.
this feeling of loneliness which can overcome you when you are in a
crowd is very difficult to get rid of. people living alone are advised to
tackle their loneliness by joining a club or a society, by going out and
meeting people.お
text g
first read the following question.
41. the author mainly discusses ___ of public transportation.
a. the price b. the types
c. the improvement d. the advantage
now read text h quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
the price of public transportation in beijing has doubled twice since
1989, but it is still a bargain. using the subway and minibuses used to
show class status; now people of all classes take them, while some wealthy
prefer taxis or private cars. what a change in just a few years! but there
are downfalls to having more cars on the roads. fortunately, the
government is aware of the problem. no-lead gasoline is the only one
permitted in the city, and the rest of the country follows. thousands of
trees are planted in and around the city every year. children are taught
why and how to protect the environment. at the same time, public
transportation has marked real progress: buses are everywhere and run
frequently. we no longer see those old buses with broke n windows.
instead, there are fast buses, double-decker buses, air-conditioned o r
heated buses, all offering a good service.お
text h
first read the following questions.
42. each participating team should at least have ___
a. two b.three c.four d. five
43. participants can bring along their ___ to the competition.
a. christmas trees b. christmas presents
c. festival costumes d. decoration materials
now read text h quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
with christmas day around the corner, hong kong’s provisional regional
council announced that a christmas tree decoration competition will be
held on sunday in conjunction with the ongoing regional council festival.
members of the public are welcome to take part in the competition as
families or small groups. each team should be formed by at least three
persons.
a total of 99 christmas trees of 1.5 metres in height will be available
for the participating teams to decorate. participants can bring along
their own decoration materials and to use their imagination and creativity
to achieve the best results.
each participating team can take home the christmas tree it has
decorated as a souvenir. in addition, there will be cash awards for the
winners.お
text i
first read the following questions.
44. if you only have time for a half-day trip, which day would you
choose?
a. sunday 23 july. b. saturday 15 july.
c. wednesday 9 august. d. saturday 5 august.
45. which of the following trips offers you the opportunity to see
georgian architecture?
a. trip one. b. trip two.
c. trip three. d. trip four.
now read text i quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
summer outings
trip one
saturday 15 july stratford-upon-avon and “julius caesar”
the coach will leave at 9 am, allowing a couple of hours to visit
stratford before the performance of “julius caesar” at the royal
shakespeare theatre. back around 7:30 pm.
trip two
sunday 23 july bath
the spa town of bath contains the country’s finest roman ruins, and
much elegant georgian architecture. the coach will depart at 9 am,
returning at around 6:30 pm.お
trip three
saturday 5 august stratford-upon-avon and “the taming of the
shrew” another chance to visit stratford. “the taming of the shrew” stars
josie lawrence in the title role. the coach will leave at 9 am, returning
at around 7:30 pm.お
trip four
wednesday 9 august oxford and “a midsummer night’s dream” a
half-day trip to
oxford. the coach will leave at 2:15 pm, allowing an
afternoon to see the sights before one of shakespeare’s most popular plays
at the playhouse theatre. back after the show.お
text j
first read the following questions.
46. which nation is thought to be business-minded?
a. the dutch. b. the italians.
c. the british. d. the germans.
47. the opinions seem to be most divided on___.
a. the germans b. the dutch
c. the french d. the british
text k
first read the following question.
47. the passage advertises overseas___.
a. jobs b. studies c. travel d. aid
now, go through textk quickly and answer question 47.
new horizons
are you looking for something interesting to do? then why not work
abroad for a year or two? we have jobs in most parts of the world
—including europe, africa and southeast asia. we have jobs for teachers,
doctors, nurses, engineers, car mechanics and many others. why not see
the world? we cannot offer you very much money, but the work is
interesting. you can learn another language and work with people, too. for
more information write to us at:
new horizons job center,
110 spring gardens,
london sw ! 7bc
please send your personal information (date of birth, educational
qualifications, interests. experiences, etc.)
now read text o quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
some of the data from a survey on national stereotypes in some
european countries is summarized below: germans liked themselves best of
all. most europeans agreed that the germans had the highest proportion of
good qualities. they considered themselves very tolerant, but nobody else
did. french not really admired by anyone except the italians. other
europeans found them conservative, withdrawn, brilliant, superficial.
also, not very friendly, british mixed reactions. some found them calm,
reserved, open- minded, others thought they were insular and superior. the
british most admired the dutch. italians generally considered by everyone
to be lazy and untrustworthy, and the italians agreed! most also found
them to be charming, hospitable and noisy.
the italians admired the french. hardly anyone loved the italians
except the french.
dutch most admired people in europe—except by their neighbours—the
belgians. everyone agreed that the dutch are hardworking, thrifty,
good-natured, tolerant and business-minded.
part a (15 points, 15 minutes)
section a
directions: in part a, you will hear short conversations between
two people. after each conversation, you will hear a question about the
conversation. the questions and the questions will not be repeated. after
you hear a question , read the four possible answers in your test book and
choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the
question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the
answer you have chosen.
1. (a) go to the basketball game.
(b) try to postpone the game.
(c) go to work
(d) change her work schedule.
2. (a) the man should consider changing jobs.
(b) the style of the suit is out-of-date.
(c) the color of the suit is not appropriate.
(d) the man should buy the suit.
3. (a) he thinks they should study at the woman's apartment.
(b) he won't have much time to study.
(c) his apartment is messy.
(d) his apartment is in a noisy area.
4. (a) he lost pam's notes.
(b) he tried to call pam yesterday.
(c) he wants the woman to call pam.
(d) he forgot to return the notes to pam.
5. (a) speak to his teacher about the presentation.
(b) record himself practicing the presentation.
(c) listen to a tape of her presentation.
(d) ask someone else to do the presentation.
6. (a) stop bothering the woman.
(b) take the woman's book with him.
(c) show the woman how to get to the library.
(d) ask someone else to go to the library.
7. (a) he isn't very hungry right now.
(b) he regularly eats at his restaurant.
(c) the selection on the menu is limited.
(d) he doesn't want salad with his lunch.
8. (a) she's still looking for an apartment.
(b) she was told the dorm was full.
(c) she doesn't plan to move.
(d) she wants to move out of the dorm.
9. (a) she knows the man's sister.
(b) she wants to watch her sister play.
(c) she thinks the man is a good soccer player.
(d) she isn't interested in soccer.
10. (a) he'll schedule the woman for an afternoon appointment.
(b) he can't schedule an appointment for the woman.
(c) dr. anderson will call the woman back soon.
(d) dr. anderson's schedule is full.
section b
directions: in this part of the test you will hear longer
conversations. after each conversation you will hear several questions.
the conversations and questions will not be repeated.
after you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test
book and choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the
number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to your
letter of the answer you have chosen.
remember, you are not allowed to take notes or write in your test book.
11. (a) it's only open to poetry majors.
(b) it requires another class first.
(c) it's already full.
(d) it's only offered in the morning.
12. (a) the class meets during his working hours.
(b) the class is too far away.
(c) he has another class at the same time.
(d) he's already familiar with the material.
13. (a) all the other work schedules conflict with his classes.
(b) he doesn't want to ask his boss for another favor.
(c) he wants to work the same schedule as his friends.
(d) he likes to do his homework in the evenings.
14. (a) its courses cost less.
(b) it has a pool.
(c) the class size is smaller.
(d) it may offer the class he needs during the day.
15. (a) an experiment in antarctica.
(b) the breaking off of part of the larsen ice shelf.
(c) the formation of the larsen ice shelf.
(d) an expedition in antarctica.
part b (20 points,20 minutes)
section a
in this part of the test you will hear several talks. after each talk,
you will hear some questions. the talks and questions will not be
repeated.
after you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test
book and choose the best answer. then, on your answer sheet, find the
number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the
letter of the answer you have chosen.
16. (a) how most species of spiders reproduce.
(b) how one species of spider feed its young.
(c) how spiders defend their territory.
(d) how darwin experimented with spiders.
17. (a) they eat one another.
(b) they eat insects that they catch.
(c) they build a new nest.
(d) they are attacked by other species of spiders.
18. (a) no two members of a species are exactly alike.
(b) a single species may evolve into two separate species.
(c) primitive life-forms evolve into more advanced life-forms.
(d) the survival of the strongest in a species contributions to the
survival of that species.
19. (a) early newspa
pers in england.
(b) the early history of magazines.
(c) the life of daniel defoe.
(d) differences between newspapers and magazines.
20. (a) its publication was banned by the british government.
(b) it was the first weekly newspaper.
(c) it caused a prison revolt.
(d) it was the first magazine ever published.
21. (a) it had many more pages than newspapers.
(b) it was given away for free.
(c) it dealt with issues rather than events.
(d) it was more widely available than newspapers.
22. (a) he wrote articles of the church of england.
(b) he refused to stop publishing the review.
(c) he refused to pay publishing taxes.
(d) he refused to join the church of england.
23. (a) it was not really a magazine.
(b) it featured a variety of articles and stories.
(c) it was praised by readers of poetry.
(d) it was unpopular with politicians.
24. (a) how artists gained fame.
(b) a schedule of art exhibits.
(c) one form of folk art.
(d) the preservation of old paintings.
25. (a) very few were produced.
(b) most were kept only a short time.
(c) most were printed on delicate paper.
(d) many have been acquired by collectors.
section b compound dictation
the library of congress is america’s national library. it has more than
one-hundred-twenty-million books and other objects. it has newspapers, s1
publications and letters of s2 interest. it also has maps,
photographs, art s3 , movies, sound recordings and musical s4
.the library of congress is open to the public monday through saturday,
except for government holidays. anyone may go there and read anything in
the collection. but no one is s5 to take books out of the building.
the library of congress was s6 in eighteen-hundred. it started
with eleven boxes of books in one room of the capitol building. by
eighteen-fourteen, the collection had increased to about three-thousand
books. they were s7 that year when the capitol was burned during
america’s war with britain.
to help re-build the library, congress bought the books of president
thomas jefferson. mister jefferson’s collection included seven-thousand
books in seven languages. s8
. today, three buildings hold the library’s collection.s9
. it buys some of its books and gets others as
gifts. it also gets materials through its copyright office.
s10 . this means the library of congress receives
almost everything published in the united states.
part ii reading comprehension (35 points, 25minutes)
section i careful reading (25points, 20minutes)
there are 4 passages in this part. each passage is followed by some
questions or unfinished statements. for each of them there are four
choices marked a), b), c) and d). you should decide on the best choice and
mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line
through the centre.
text a
the train clattered over points and passed through a station.
then it began suddenly to slow down, presumably in obedience to a signal.
for some minutes it crawled along, then stopped; presently it began to
move forward again. another up-train passed them, though with less
vehemence than the first one. the train gathered speed again. at that
moment another train, also on a down-line, swerved inwards towards them,
for a moment with almost alarming effect. for a time the two trains ran
parallel, now, one gaining a little, now the other. mrs. mcgillicuddy
looked from her window through the window of the parallel carriages. most
of the blinds were down, but occasionally the occupants of the carriages
were visible. the other train was not very full and there were many empty
carriages.
at the moment when the two trains gave the illusion of being
stationary, a blind in one of the carriages flew up with a snap. mrs.
mcgillicuddy looked into the lighted first-class carriage that was only a
few feet away.
then she drew her breath in with a gasp and half-rose to her feet.
standing with his back to the window and to her was a man. his hands
were round the throat of a woman who faced him, and he was slowly,
remorselessly, strangling her. her eyes were starting from their sockets,
her face was purple. as mrs. mcgillicuddy watched, fascinated, the end
came; the body went limp and crumpled in the man’s hands.
at the same moment, mrs. mcgillicuddy’s train slowed down again and
the other began to gain speed. it passed forward and a moment or two later
it had vanished from sight.
almost automatically mrs. mcgillicuddy’s hand went up to the
communication cord, then paused, irresolute. after all, what use would it
be ringing the cord of the train in which she was travelling? the horror
of what she had seen at such close quarters, and the unusual
circumstances, made her feel paralysed. some immediate action was
necessary,—but what?
the door of her compartment was drawn back and a ticket collector
said, “ticket, please.”
26. when mrs. mcguillicuddy’s train passed through a station, it___.
a. gained speed suddenly b. kept its usual speed c. changed its
speed d. stopped immediately
27. mrs. mcguillicuddy seems to be a (an) ___ person.
a. observant b. interested c. nosy d. nervous
28. what she saw in the parallel train made her feel___.
a. excited b. anxious c. worried d. horrified
29. she didn’t ring the communication cord immediately because___.
a. she was very much afraid
b. there was no point of doing so
c. she was too shocked to move
d. the ticket collector came in お
text b
i am one of the many city people who are always saying that given the
choice we would prefer to live in the country away from the dirt and noise
of a large city. i have managed to convince myself that if it weren’t for
my job i would immediately head out for the open spaces and go back to
nature in some sleepy village buried in the county. but how realistic is
the dream?
cities can be frightening places. the majority of the population live
in massive tower blocks, noisy, dirty and impersonal. the sense of
belonging to a community tends to disappear when you live fifteen floors
up. all you can see from your window is sky, or other blocks of fiats.
children become aggressive and nervous - cooped up at home all day, with
nowhere to play; their mothers feel isolated from the rest of the world.
strangely enough, whereas in the past the inhabitants of one street all
knew each other, nowadays people on the same floor in tower blocks don’t
even say hello to each other.
country life, on the other hand, differs from this kind of isolated
existence in that a sense of community generally binds the inhabitants of
small villages together. people have the advantage of knowing that there
is always someone to turn to when they need help. but country life has
disadvantages too. while it is true that you may be among friends in a
village, it is also true that you are cut off from the exciting and
important events that take place in cities. there’s little possibility of
going to a new show or the latest movie. shopping becomes a major problem,
and for anything slightly out of the ordinary you have to goon an
expedition to the nearest large town. the city-dweller who leaves for the
country is often oppressed by a sense of unbearable stillness and quiet.
what, then, is the answer? the country has the advantage of peace
and quiet, but suffers from the disadvantage of being cut off: the city
breeds a feeling of isolation, and constant noise batters the senses. but
one of its main advantages is that you are at the centre of things, and
that life doesn’t come to an end at half-past nine at night. some people
have found (or rather bought) a compromise between the tw they have
expressed their preference for the “quiet life” by leaving the suburbs and
moving to villages within commuting distance of large cities. they
generally have about as much sensitivity as the plastic flowers they leave
behind—they are polluted with strange ideas about change and improvement
which they force on to the unwilling original inhabitants of the villages.
what then of my dreams of leaning on a cottage gate and murmuring
“morning” to the locals as they pass by. i’m keen on the idea, but you see
there’s my cat, toby. i’m not at all sure that he would take to all that
fresh air and exercise in the long grass. i mean, can you see him mixing
with all those hearty malesdown the farm? no, he would rather have the
electric imitation-coal fire any evening.
30. we get the impression from the first paragraph that the author___.
a. used to live in the country
b. used to work in the city
c. works in the city
d. lives in the country
31. in the author’s opinion, the following may cause city people to be
unhappy except___.
a. a strong sense of fear b. lack of communicationc. housing
conditions d. a sense of isolation
32. the passage implies that it is easy to buy’ the following things in
the country except___
a. daily necessities b. fresh fruits c. designer clothes d. fresh
vegetables
33. according to the passage, which of the following adjectives best
describes those people who work in large cities and live in villages?
a. original. b. quiet. c. arrogant. d. insensitive.
34. do you think the author will move to the country?
a. yes, he will do so. b. no, he will not do so.c. it is difficult to
tell. d. he is in two minds. お
text c
traditionally
, the woman has held a low position in marriage
partnerships. while her husband went his way, she had to wash, stitch and
sew. today the move is to liberate the woman, which may in the end
strengthen the marriage union.
perhaps the greatest obstacle to friendship in marriage is the amount
a couple usually see of each other. friendship in its usual sense is not
tested by the strain of daily, year-long cohabitation. couples need to
take up separate interests (and friendship) as well as mutually shared
ones, if they are not to get used to the more attractive elements of each
other’s personalities.
married couples are likely to exert themselves for guests - being
amusing, discussing with passion and point — and then to fall into dull
exhausted silence when the guests have gone.
as in all friendship, a husband and wife must try to interest each
other, and to spend sufficient time sharing absorbing activities to give
them continuing common interests. but at the same time they must spend
enough time on separate interests with separate people to preserve and
develop their separate personalities and keep their relationship fresh.
for too many highly intelligent working women, home represents chore
obligations, because the husband only tolerates her work and does not
participate in household chores. for too many highly intelligent working
men, home represents dullness and complaints - from an over-dependent wife
who will not gather courage to make her own life.
in such an atmosphere, the partners grow further and further apart,
both love and liking disappearing. for too many couples with children, the
children are allowed to command all time and attention, allowing the
couple no time to develop liking and friendship, as well as love,
allotting them exclusive parental roles.
35. according to the passage, which of the following statements is
correct?
a. friendship in marriage means daily, year-long cohabitation.
b. friendship can be kept fresh by both separate and shared interests.
c. friendship in marriage is based on developing similar interests.
d. friendship in marriage is based on developing separate interest.
36. the passage suggests that married couples become___.
a. unfriendly with guests
b. uninterested in guests
c. hostile when guests have left
d. quiet when guest have left
37. the passage seems to indicate at the end that children___.
a. help couples reinforce their friendship
b. make no impact on the quality of friendship
c. may pose obstacles in marital friendship
d. command less time and care than expected
section ii skimming and scanning (10 points ,5 minutes.)
in this section there are seven passages with a total often
multiple-choice questions. skim or scan them as required and then mark
your answers on your answer sheet.お
text d
first read the following question.
38. the writer is concerned about___.
a. budget housekeeping b. the retail trade
c. computer skills d. mental arithmetic
now read text d quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
a lot of attention is being given to children who leave school unable
to read or write. i think there should be equal concern for those who are
unable to cope with simple mental arithmetic -particularly girls. it is
often stated that today’s children are growing up in a computer world and
they don’t need the same skills that their grandparents did. but is it any
wonder that many young girls trying to cope with budget housekeeping fail
for the simple reason they cannot keep accurate checks on their
purchases? shopping in markets is no source of cheap purchasing unless
one is able to keep pace with the apparent mental agility of the vendor.
must we face the thought that at some time in the distant future everyone
will need to carry in their handbag or pocket one of the miniature
calculators?
text e
first read the following question.
39. this is a letter of___.
a. reference b. application c. inquiry
d. complaint
now read text f quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
10 garden ave.
essex
the personnel officer
belgian medico ltd.
p0 box 920
brussels
belgium
5th may 200___
dear sir,
with reference to your advertisement in the “daily star”, i’d like to
apply for the position of translator with your firm. i hold a degree in
german and french from the university of london. and i have worked as a
translator for the past three years with watson & sons, ltd., manufacturer
of laboratory instruments, translating business correspondence from french
and german into english. i am 25 years old and unmarried. i enjoy living
and working
in different countries and i should welcome the chance of
moving to belgium.
yours
sincerely,
(miss) janet
holbrooke
text f
first read the following question.
40. the passage is mainly about___.
a. loneliness b. experience c.memory d.
isolation
now read text g quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
loneliness is a curious thing. most of us can remember feeling most
lonely when we were not in fact alone at all, but when we were surrounded
by people. everyone has experienced, at some time, that strong sense of
isolation that comes over you when you are at a party or in a room full of
happy laughing people. it suddenly seems to you as if everybody knows
everybody else, everybody knows what is going on; everybody, that is,
except you.
this feeling of loneliness which can overcome you when you are in a
crowd is very difficult to get rid of. people living alone are advised to
tackle their loneliness by joining a club or a society, by going out and
meeting people.お
text g
first read the following question.
41. the author mainly discusses ___ of public transportation.
a. the price b. the types
c. the improvement d. the advantage
now read text h quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
the price of public transportation in beijing has doubled twice since
1989, but it is still a bargain. using the subway and minibuses used to
show class status; now people of all classes take them, while some wealthy
prefer taxis or private cars. what a change in just a few years! but there
are downfalls to having more cars on the roads. fortunately, the
government is aware of the problem. no-lead gasoline is the only one
permitted in the city, and the rest of the country follows. thousands of
trees are planted in and around the city every year. children are taught
why and how to protect the environment. at the same time, public
transportation has marked real progress: buses are everywhere and run
frequently. we no longer see those old buses with broke n windows.
instead, there are fast buses, double-decker buses, air-conditioned o r
heated buses, all offering a good service.お
text h
first read the following questions.
42. each participating team should at least have ___
a. two b.three c.four d. five
43. participants can bring along their ___ to the competition.
a. christmas trees b. christmas presents
c. festival costumes d. decoration materials
now read text h quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
with christmas day around the corner, hong kong’s provisional regional
council announced that a christmas tree decoration competition will be
held on sunday in conjunction with the ongoing regional council festival.
members of the public are welcome to take part in the competition as
families or small groups. each team should be formed by at least three
persons.
a total of 99 christmas trees of 1.5 metres in height will be available
for the participating teams to decorate. participants can bring along
their own decoration materials and to use their imagination and creativity
to achieve the best results.
each participating team can take home the christmas tree it has
decorated as a souvenir. in addition, there will be cash awards for the
winners.お
text i
first read the following questions.
44. if you only have time for a half-day trip, which day would you
choose?
a. sunday 23 july. b. saturday 15 july.
c. wednesday 9 august. d. saturday 5 august.
45. which of the following trips offers you the opportunity to see
georgian architecture?
a. trip one. b. trip two.
c. trip three. d. trip four.
now read text i quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
summer outings
trip one
saturday 15 july stratford-upon-avon and “julius caesar”
the coach will leave at 9 am, allowing a couple of hours to visit
stratford before the performance of “julius caesar” at the royal
shakespeare theatre. back around 7:30 pm.
trip two
sunday 23 july bath
the spa town of bath contains the country’s finest roman ruins, and
much elegant georgian architecture. the coach will depart at 9 am,
returning at around 6:30 pm.お
trip three
saturday 5 august stratford-upon-avon and “the taming of the
shrew” another chance to visit stratford. “the taming of the shrew” stars
josie lawrence in the title role. the coach will leave at 9 am, returning
at around 7:30 pm.お
trip four
wednesday 9 august oxford and “a midsummer night’s dream” a
half-day trip to
oxford. the coach will leave at 2:15 pm, allowing an
afternoon to see the sights before one of shakespeare’s most popular plays
at the playhouse theatre. back after the show.お
text j
first read the following questions.
46. which nation is thought to be business-minded?
a. the dutch. b. the italians.
c. the british. d. the germans.
47. the opinions seem to be most divided on___.
a. the germans b. the dutch
c. the french d. the british
text k
first read the following question.
47. the passage advertises overseas___.
a. jobs b. studies c. travel d. aid
now, go through textk quickly and answer question 47.
new horizons
are you looking for something interesting to do? then why not work
abroad for a year or two? we have jobs in most parts of the world
—including europe, africa and southeast asia. we have jobs for teachers,
doctors, nurses, engineers, car mechanics and many others. why not see
the world? we cannot offer you very much money, but the work is
interesting. you can learn another language and work with people, too. for
more information write to us at:
new horizons job center,
110 spring gardens,
london sw ! 7bc
please send your personal information (date of birth, educational
qualifications, interests. experiences, etc.)
now read text o quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.
some of the data from a survey on national stereotypes in some
european countries is summarized below: germans liked themselves best of
all. most europeans agreed that the germans had the highest proportion of
good qualities. they considered themselves very tolerant, but nobody else
did. french not really admired by anyone except the italians. other
europeans found them conservative, withdrawn, brilliant, superficial.
also, not very friendly, british mixed reactions. some found them calm,
reserved, open- minded, others thought they were insular and superior. the
british most admired the dutch. italians generally considered by everyone
to be lazy and untrustworthy, and the italians agreed! most also found
them to be charming, hospitable and noisy.
the italians admired the french. hardly anyone loved the italians
except the french.
dutch most admired people in europe—except by their neighbours—the
belgians. everyone agreed that the dutch are hardworking, thrifty,
good-natured, tolerant and business-minded.