历年考博英语试题

武汉大学2004年博士研究生入学考试试题

Part ⅠReading Comprehension (30%)

Directions: There are 4 reading 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 your answer on the ANSWER SHEET by blackening the corresponding letter in the brackets.

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:

All types of stress study, whether under laboratory or real-life situations, study mechanisms for increasing the arousal level of the brain.

The brain blood flow studies show that reciting the days of the week and months of the year increases blood flow in appropriate areas, whereas problem solving which demands intense concentration of a reasoning type produces much larger changes in the distribution of blood in the brain.

Between these basic studies of brain function and real life situations there is still a considerable gap, but reasonable deduction seems possible to try and understand what happens to the brain. Life consists of a series of events which may be related to work or to our so-called leisure time. Work may be relatively automatic—as with typing, for instance, it requires intense concentration and repetition during the learning phase to establish a pattern in the brain. Then the typist's fingers automatically move to hit the appropriate keys as she reads the words on the copy. ？However, when she gets tired she makes mistakes much more frequently. To overcome this she has to raise her level of arousal and concentration but beyond a certain point the automatic is lost and thinking about hitting the keys leads to more mistakes.

Other jobs involve intense concentration such as holding bottles of wine up to a strong light and turning them upside down to look for particles of dirt falling down. This sounds quite easy but experience teaches that workers can do this for only about thirty minutes before they start making a mistake. This is partly because the number of occasions with dirt in the bottle is low and the arousal level, therefore, fails. Scientists have shown that devices to raise arousal level will increase the accuracy of looking for relatively rare events. A recent study of the effect of loss of sleep in young doctors showed that in tests involving a challenge to their medical judgment when short of sleep they raised their arousal level and became better at tests of grammatical reasoning as well.

1. According to the brain blood flow studies, problem solving ________.

A. increases blood flow in some areas of the brain

B. causes changes in the distribution of blood in the brain

C. demands intense concentration of blood in certain areas

D. is based on the ability to recite the time

2. The author believes that ________.

A. the results obtained in the laboratory exactly reflects the real-life situations

B. the gap between the laboratory studies and real-life situations is too large to fill up

C. the gap between the laboratory studies and real-life situations can be closed by proper reasoning

D. the difference between the laboratory studies and real-life situations will be reduced

3. When a typist gets tired, ________.

A. she has to try hard to raise her automatic

B. she can type only automatically

C. she cannot think about what she is doing.

D. she can seldom type automatically

4. Examining bottles of wine is hard work because ________.

A. the bottles must be held upside down

B. it is difficult to see the particles of dirt？

C. it requires high level of automatic

D. most bottles are all right

5. According to the author, a key factor in the ability to reason is ________. ？？？？？？A. the subject's knowledge of grammar

B. the amount of sleep the subject has had

C. the level of arousal of the subject

D. the extent to which the subject has been taught to reason

Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:

Auctions are public sales of goods, conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asks the crowd assembled in the auction-room to make offers, or “bids”, for the various items on sale. He encourages buyers to bid higher figures, and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of the goods. This is called “knocking down” the goods, for the bidding ends when the auctioneer bangs a small hammer on a table at which he stands. This is often set on a raised platform called a rostrum. ？The ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the Latin auctio, meaning “increase”. The Romans usually sold in this way the spoils taken in war; these sales were called sub basra, meaning “under the spear”, a spear being stuck in the ground as a signal for a crowd to gather. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries goods were often sold “by the candle”: a short candle was lit by the auctioneer, and bids could be made while it stayed alight.

Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, hides, skins, wool, tea, cocoa, furs, spices, fruit and vegetables and wines. Auction sales are also usual for land and property, antique furniture, pictures, rare books, old china and similar works of art. The auction rooms at Christie's and Sotheby's in London and New York are world famous.

An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold and where and when they can be viewed by prospective buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full details, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold？together, called a “lot”, is usually given a number. The auctioneer need not begin with Lot 1 and continue in numerical order; he may wait until he registers the fact that certain dealers are in the room and then produce the lots they are likely to be interested in. The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price tha goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible.

The auctioneer must know fairly accurately the current market values of the goods he is selling, and he should be acquainted with regular buyers of such goods. He will not waste time by starting the bidding too low. He will also play on the rivalries among his buyers and succeed in getting a hight price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other. It is largely on his advice that a seller will fix a “reserve” price, that is ,a price below which the goods cannot be sold. Even the best auctioneers, however, find it difficult to stop a “knock out”, whereby dealers illegally arrange beforehand not to bid against each other, but nominate one of themselves as the

only bidder, in the hope of buying goods at extremely low prices. If such a “knock-out” comes off ,the real auction sale takes place privately afterwards among the dealers.

6. A candle used to burn at auction sales ________.

A. because they took place at night

B. as a signal for the crowd to gather

C. to keep the auctioneer warm

D. to limit the time when offers could be made

7. An auction catalogue gives prospective buyers ________.

A. the current market values of the goods

B. details of the goods to be sold

C. the order in which goods must be sold

D. free admission to the auction sale

8. The auctioneer may decide to sell the “lots” out of order because ________. ？？A. he sometimes wants to confuse the buyers

B. he knows from experience that certain people will want to buy certain items

C. he wants to keep certain people waiting

D. he wants to reduce the number of buyers

9. An auctioneer likes to get high prices for the goods he sells because ________.

A. then he earns more himself

B. the dealers are pleased

C. the auction-rooms become world famous

D. it keeps the customers interested

10. A “knock out”？is arranged ________.

A. to keep the price in the auction room low

B. to allow one dealer only to make a profit

C. to increase the auctioneer's profit

D. to help the auctioneer

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

Whenever two or more unusual traits or situations are found in the same place, it is tempting to look for more than a coincidental relationship between them. The high Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau certainly have extraordinary physical characteristics and the cultures which are found there are also unusual, though not unique. However there is no intention of adopting Montesquieu's view of climate and soil as cultural determinants. The ecology of a region merely poses some of the problems faced by the inhabitants of the region, and while the problems facing a culture are important to its development, they do not determine it.？

The appearance of the Himalayas during the late Tertiary Period and the accompanying further raising of the previously established rages had a marked effect on the climate of the region. Primarily, of course, it blocked the Indian monsoon (季风) from reaching Central Asia at all. Secondarily, air and moisture from other？？Directions were also reduced.

Prior to the raising of the Himalayas, the land now forming the Tibetan uplands had a dry, continental climate with vegetation and animal life similar to that of much of the rest of the region on the same parallel, but somewhat differen than that of the areas farther north, which were already drier. With the coming of the Himalayas and the relatively sudden drying out of the region, there was a severe thinning out of the animal and plant population. The ensuing incomplete

Pleistocene glaciations (冰蚀) had a further thinning effect, but significantly did not wipe out life in the area. Thus after the end of the glaciation there were only a few varieties of life extant from the original continental species. Isolated by the Kunlun range from the Tarim basin and Turfan depression, species which had already adapted to the dry steppe climate, and would otherwise have been expected to flourish in Tibetan, the remaining native fauna and flora (动植物) multiplied. Armand describes the Tibetan fauna as not having great variety, but being “striking” in the abundance of the particular species that are present. The plant life is similarly limited in variety, with some observers finding no more than seventy varieties of plants in even the relatively fertile Eastern Tibetan valleys. with fewer than ten food crops. Tibetan “tea” is a major staple, perhaps replacing the unavailable vegetables.

The difficulties of living in an environment at once dry and cold. and populated with species more usually found in more hospitable climates, are great. These difficulties may well have influenced the unusual polyandrous (一妻多夫制) societies typical of the region. Lattimore sees the maintenance of multiple-husband households as being preserved from earlier forms by the harsh conditions of the Tibetan uplands, which permitted no experimentation and “froze” the cultures which came there. Kawakita, on the other hand, sees the polyandry as a way of easily permitting the best householder to become the head husband regardless of age. His detailed studies of the Bhotea village of Tsumje do seem to support this idea of polyandry as a method of talent mobility is a situation where even the best talent is barely enought for survival.

In sum, though arguments can be made that a pre-existing polyandrous system was strengthened and preserved (insofar as it has been) by the rigors of the land, it would certainly be an overstatement to lay causative factors of any stronger nature to the ecological influences in this case.

11. What are the “unusual traits or situations” referred to in the first sentence?

A. Patterns of animal and plant growth.

B. Food and food preparation patterns of the upland Tibetans.

C. Social and familial organization of typical Tibetan society.

D. All of the above.

12. The purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. analyze the possible causal links between Tibetan ecology and society

B. describe the social organization of typical Tibetan villages

C. describe Tibetan fauna and flora

D. analyze the mysteries of the sudden appearance of the Himalayas

13. The author 's knowledge of Tibet is probably ________.

A. based on firsthand experience

B. the result of lifelong studies

C. derived from books only

D. limited to geological history

14. According to the passage, which of the following would probably be the most agreeable to Montesquieu?

A. All regions have different soils and thus, different cultures.

B. some regions with similar climates will have similar cultures.

C. Cultures in the same area, sharing soil and climate, will be essentially identical.

D. The plants of a country, by being the food of its people, cause the people to have similar views

to one another.

15. The species of fauna and flora remaining in Tibet after the Pleistocene glaciation can properly be called continental because they ________.

A. are originally found in continental climates

B. are the only life forms in Tibet, which is as big as a continent

C. have been found in other parts of the Asian continent

D. are found in land mass that used to be a separate continent

Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:

Opponents of affirmative action say the battle over the use of race in college admissions is hardly over, despite the Supreme Court's ruling Monday upholding the goal of a diverse student body. Higher education leaders overwhelmingly hailed the decision, saying it reaffirmed policies used by most selective colleges and universities. But some critics raised the possibility of more lawsuits, and promised to continue pressuring the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to investigate questionable policies.“We're talking about admissions programs, scholarships, any program...only for minorities or in which the standards used to judge admissions are substantially different,” says Linda Chavez, founder and president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative non-profit group.

Others say they'll take their case to voters. “We have to seriously contest all this at the ballot box,” says University of California regent Ward Cannerly, who helped win voter approval of California's Proposition 209, which prohibits considering race or gender in public education, hiring and contracting. Because of that law, Monday's ruling had no practical impact in the state. “It may be time for us to...let the (Michigan) voters decide if they want to use race as a factor in admissions,” Connerly said Monday.

Meanwhile, U. S. Education Secretary Rod Paige, consistent with President Bush's stance opposing affirmative action, said the Department of Education will “continue examining and highlighting effective race-neutral approaches to ensure broad access to and diversity within our public institutions”. Even Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O' Connor, in one of the opinions, recommended that states look for lessons in race-neutral programs being tried in California and elsewhere. While the ruling said admissions officials may consider race in the selection process, colleges and universities are not obligated to do so. “Ultimately in the debate, diversity is a choice, not a legal mandate,” says Arthur Coleman, a former Department of Education official who now helps colleges and universities ensure constitutional policies.

The public, too, remains conflicted, largely along racial lines. According to a january poll by the non-profit research organization Public Agenda, 79% of Americans said it is important for colleges to have a racially diverse student body, while just 54% said affirmative action programs should continue. In a Gallup poll conducted days before the ruling, 49% of adults said they favor affirmative action and 43% did not, with blacks and Hispanics far more likely to favor the practice than whites. And some educators doubt that with Monday's ruling, those opposing affirmative action will change their minds.

For now, admissions officials and university lawyers are poring over the ruling to determine how or whether to adjust policies. While most tend to be closed-mouthed about admissions policies, many say they don't expect significant changes.

16. What the critics said in the first paragraph amounts to the idea that ________.

A. no admission policies based on race should be implemented.

B. minority applicants should be given favorable considerations.

C. different standards for admitting minority students should be set up.

D. selective colleges and universities should be punished for their discriminatory policies.

17. Connerly insists that the Court's ruling should ________.

A. win approval from Californian voters before it is put in effect

B. be contested by the Michigan voters with an opinion poll

C. be applied in some states before it is extended to other states

D. produce the intended practical effect before it is widely accepted

18. What is the attitude of the Department of Education towards affirmative action?

A. Neutrality

B. Objection

C. Approval

D. Indifference

19. Which of the following is True about affirmative action according to the text?

A. A vast majority of people support it.？

B. The minorities claim it to be a discriminatory policy.

C. The minority students are more likely to welcome it.

D. the Court's decision will certainly change people's attitude to it.

20. It can be inferred from the text that one of the major objectives of affirmative action is to ________.

A. ensure race-neutral programs are set up in college and universities

B. adapt the Supreme Court's ruling to college situations

C. formulate the right policies for college admissions

D. discourage the practice of racial discrimination in college admissions

Part ⅡEnglish-Chinese Translation (25%)

？Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then translate the underlined sentences into Chinese.

Computers are permeating almost every aspect of our lives, including many areas previously untouched by technology. 1. But unlike such other pervasive technologies as electricity, television and the motor car, computers are on the whole less reliable and less predictable in their behavior. This is because they are discrete state digital electronic devices that are prone to total and catastrophic failure. Computer systems, when they are “down,” are completely down, unlike electromechanical devices, which may be only partially down and are thus partially usable. Computers enable enormous quantities of information to be stored, retrieved, and transmitted at great speed on a scale not possible before. 2. This is all very well, but it has serious implications for data security and personal privacy because computers are inherently insecure. The recent activities of hackers and data thieves in the United States, Germany, and Britain have shown how all-too-easy it still is to break into even the most-sophisticated financial and military systems. The list of scares perpetrated by the new breed of hi-tech criminals, ranging from fraud in airline-ticket reservations to the reprogramming of the chips inside mobile phones, is growing daily. Computer systems are often incredibly complex-so complex, in fact, that they are not always understood even by their creators (although few are willing to admit it). This often makes them completely unmanageable. Unmanageable complexity, can result in massive foul-ups or spectacular budget “runaways.” For example, Jeffrey Rothfeder in Business Week reports that

Bank of America in 1988 had to abandon a $ 20-million computer system after spending five years and a further $ 60 million trying to make it work. Allstate Insurance saw the cost of its new system rise from $ 8 million to a staggering $ 100 million and estimated completion was delayed from 1987 to 1903. Moreover, the problem seems to be getting worse: in 1988 the American Arbitration. Association took on 190 computer disputes, most of which involved defective systems. The claims totaled 200m i l l i o n—up from only $ 31 million in 1984.

3. Complexity can also result in disaster: no computer is 100 percent guaranteed because it is virtually impossible to anticipate all sorts of critical applications, such as saving lives, flying air craft, running nuclear power stations, transferring vast sums of money, and controlling missile systems—sometimes with tragic consequences. For example, between 1982 and 1987, some twenty-two servicemen died in five separate crashes of the United States Air Force's sophisticated Blackhawk helicopter before the problem was traced to its computer-based “fly-by-wire” system. At least two people died after receiving overdoses of radiation emitted by the computerized. There are 25 X-ray machines, and there are many other examples of fatal computer-based foul-ups. Popular areas for less life-threatening computer malfunctions include telephone billing and telephone switching software, bank statements and bank-teller machines, electronic funds-transfer systems, and motor-vehicle license data bases. Although computers have often taken the “blame” on these occasions, the ultimate cause of failure in most cases is, in fact, human error.

Every new technology creates new problems—as well as new benefits--for society, and computers are no exception. 4. But digital computers have rendered society especially vulnerable to hardware and software malfunctions. Sometimes industrial robots go crazy, while heart pacemakers and automatic garage door openers are rendered useless by electromagnetic radiation or “electronic smog” emitted from point-of-sale terminals, personal computers, and video games. Automated teller machines (ATMs) and pumps at gas stations are closed down because of unforeseen software snafus.

The cost of all this downtime is huge. 5. For example, it has been reported that British businesses suffer around thirty major mishaps a year. revolving losses running into millions of pounds. These are caused by machine or human error and do not include human misuse in the form of fraud and sabotage. The cost of failures in domestically produced software in the United Kingdom alone is conservatively estimated at $ 900 million per year. In 1989, a British Computer Society committee, reported that much software was now so complex that current skills in safety assessment were inadequate and that therefore the safety of people could not be guaranteed.

Part Ⅲ？？Chinese-English Translation (25%)

？Directions: Translate the following short paragraph into English and write your translation on the ANSWER SHEET.

1. 一位负责扶贫工作的官员说，到２００４年底，尽管大多数贫困人口将解决温饱问题，还将有一些生活极端贫困的人们，他们还需要政府的资助。此外，对于那些刚刚脱贫的人们，他们目前的生活状况必须改善，因为他们的生产和生活状况没有从根本上被改变。如果遭受自然灾害的袭击，就可能回到原来的贫困状况。另外，现在的贫困线标准非常低，要使全体中国人过更好的生活，长期的艰苦斗争将必不可少。

2. 中国的饮食方式正在发生许多变化。众所周知，中国的饮食文化具有悠久的历史。人们采用肉、蔬菜、豆制品等能做出各种美味食品，但往往耗时多。这一点与快节奏的现代社会极不相符。如今我们有了许多不同的选择：除传统家常菜外，还有营养保健配餐和方便可口的快餐食品。由于午休时间短，人们不愿在吃上花时间，因而各种快捷、便宜的快餐成了人

们，特别是年轻人的首选。

Part ⅣWriting (20%)

？Directions: In this part you are required to write a composition entitled My View on Terrorist Explosions in Some Countries in no less than 200 words. Your composition Should be following outlines:

1. 恐怖活动日益猖獗的表现

2. 分析其猖獗的原因

3. 各国政府应采取的有效措施

4. 你对我国政府所采取措施的态度或看法