最新武汉大学博士研究生入学英语试题及详解汇总

2008年武汉大学博士研究生入学英语试题及详解2008年武汉大学博士研究生入学英语试题及详解Part I Reading Comprehension (40%, 1=2 points)Directions: There are 5 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 4 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. （definition）→whatThe ancient Romans probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the Latin Autcio, meaning "increase". The Romans usually sold in this way the spoils taken in war; these sales were called sub hasta, 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.（history）→ howPractically 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 as Christie's and Sotheby's in London and New York are world-famous. （goods/items）→ howAn 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. I f the advertisement cannot give full details, catalogues are printed, and each group of goodsto be sold together, called a "lot", is usually given a number. The auctioneer need not begin with Lot I 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 the goods are sold for. The auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible. （process） how（363words）1. Why is the end of the bidding called "knocking down"? （fact/detail）A. Because the auctioneer knocks the buyer down.B. Because the auctioneers knocks the rostrum down.C. Because the goods are knocked down on to the table.D. Because the auctioneer bangs the table with a hammer.2. The Romans used to sell by auction _____.（fact/detail）A. spoilt goodsB. old worn-out weaponsC. property taken from the enemyD. spears3. A candle used to bum at auction sales ______.（judgment/inference）A. because they took place at nightB. as a signal for the crowd to gatherC. to keep the auctioneer warmD. to limit the time when offers could be made4. The auctioneer may decide to sell the "lots" out of the order because _____.A. he sometimes wants to confuse the buyersB. he knows from experience that certain people will want to buy certain itemsC. he wants to keep certain people waitingD. he wants to reduce the number of buyers（judgment/inference）Questios 5 to 8 are based on the following passage:Space is a dangerous place, not only because of meteors but also because of rays from the sun and other stars.Radiation is the greatest known danger to explorers in space.Doses of radiation are measured in units called 'rems'. We all receive radiation here on Earth from the sun,from cosmic rays and from radioactive minerals. The 'normal' dose of radiation that we receive each year is about 100 millirems; it varies according to where you live, and this is a very rough estimate. Scientists have reason to think that a man can put up with far more radiation than this without being damaged, the figure of 60 rems has been agreed.The trouble is that it is extremely difficult to be sure about radiation damage -- a person may feel perfectly well, but the cells of his or her sex organs may be damaged, and this will not be discovered until the birth of children or even grandchildren. whatEarly space probes showed that radiation varies in different parts of space around the Earth. It also varies in time because, when great spurts of gas shoot out of the sun, they are accompanied by a lot of extra radiation. Some estimates of the amount of radiation in space, based on various measurements and calculations, are as low as 10 rems per year, others are as high as 5 rems per hour. Missions to the moon have had to cross the Van Allen belts of high radiation and, during the outward and return journeys, the Apollo 8 crew accumulated a total dose of about 200 millirems per man. It was hoped that there would not be any large solar flares during the times of the Apollo noon walks because the walls of the LEMs were not thick enough to protect the men inside, though the command modules did give reasonable protection. So far, no dangerous doses of radiation have been reported, but the Gemini orbits and the Apollo missions have been quite short. We simply do not know yet how men are going to get on when they spend weeks and months outside the protection of the atmosphere, working in a space laboratory or in a base on the moon. Drugs might help to decrease the damage done by radiation, but no really effective ones have been found so far. At present, radiation seems to be the greatest physical hazard to space travelers, but it is impossible to say just how serious the hazard will turn out to be in the future.how (422words)5. Scientists have fixed a safety level of _____.（fact/detail）A. 10 rems per yearB. 60 rems per yearC. 100 milliremes per yearD. 5 rems hour6. The spacemen were worried about solar flares when they were ______.A. crossing the Van Allen beltsB. setting up a moon baseC. exploring the surface of the moonD. waiting in the command module（judgment/inference）7. When men spend long periods in space how will they protect themselves?A. By taking special drugs.B. By wearing special suits.C. By using a protective blanket.D. No solution has been found yet.（judgment/inference）8. Which of the following is true?（judgment/inference）A. The grandchildren of astronauts are deformed.B. The children of astronauts have damaged sex organs.C. Radiation damage may show only in later generations.D. Radiation does not seem to be very harmful.Questions 9 to 12 are based on the following passage:Over the past decade, American companies have tried hard to find ways to discourage senior managers from feathering their own nests at the expense of their shareholders. The three most popular reforms have been recruiting more outside directors in order to make boards more independent, linking bosses' pay to various performance measures, and giving bosses share options, so that they have the same long-term interests as their shareholders.These reforms have been widely adopted by America's larger companies, and surveys suggest that many more companies are thinking of following their lead. But have they done any good? Three papers presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management in Boston this week suggest not.What (idea--attitude)Start with those independent boards. On the face of it, dismissing the boss's friends from the board and replacing them with outsiders looks a perfect way to make senior managers more accountable. But that is not the conclusion of a study by Professor James Westphal. Instead, he found that bosses with a boardroom full of outsiders spend much of their time building alliances, doing personal favors and generally pleasing the outsiders.Why-whatAll too often, these seductions succeed. Mr. Westphal found that, to a remarkable degree, "independent" boards pursue strategies that are likely to favor senior managers rather than shareholders. Such companies diversify their business, increase the pay of executives and weaken the link between pay and performance. Why-how To assess the impact of performance-related pay, Mr. Westphal asked the bosses of 103 companies with sales of over $ 1 billion what measurements were used todetermine their pay. The measurements varied widely, ranging from sales to earnings per share. But the researcher's big discovery was that bosses attend to measures that affect their own incomes and ignore or play down other factors that affect a company's overall success. HowIn short, bosses are quick to turn every imaginable system of corporate government to their advantage -- which is probably why they are the people who are put in charge of things. Here is a paradox for the management theorists: any boss who cannot beat a system designed to keep him under control is probably not worth having. (360words) What9. What is the purpose of the large companies in recruiting outsiders and putting them on the board of directors?（judgment/inference）A. To diversify the business of corporationB. To enhance the cooperation between the senior managers and the board directors.C. To introduce effective reforms in business management.D. To protect the interests of the shareholders.10. What does Professor James Westphal's study suggest?（judgment/inference）butA. Boardroom reforms have failed to achieve the desired result.B. Outside board directors tend to be more independent.C. With a boardroom full of outsiders, senior managers work more conscientiously.D. Cooperation between senior managers and board directors suffered from the reforms.11. Which of the following statements is true?（Facts -judgment/inference）butA. Corporate executives in general are worth the high pay they receive.B. The income of corporate executives is proportional to the growth of corporate profits.C. Corporate executives tend to take advantage of their position to enrich themselves.D. The performance of corporate executives affects their own interests more than thoseof the shareholders.12. How does the author feel about the efforts to control senior executives? butA. Doubtful.B. Optimistic.C. Positive.D. Approving.（judgment/inference）Questions 13 to 16 are based on the following passage:There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of injury and death from motor vehicle accidents. More than 80 percent of all households own passenger cars or light trucks and each of these is driven an average of more than 11,000 miles each year. Almost one-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1 percent or higher. For the average adult, over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumed over a short period of time to attain these levels. One third of drivers who have been drinking, but fewer than 4 percent of all drivers, demonstrate these levels. Although less than 1 percent of drivers with BACs of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatal crashes, the probability of their involvement is 27 times higher than for those without alcohol in their blood. What-problemThere are a number of different approaches to reducing injuries in which intoxication plays a role. Based on the observation that excessive consumption correlates with the total alcohol consumption of a country's population, it has been suggested that higher taxes on alcohol would reduce both. While the heavier drinkers would be taxed the most, anyone who drinks at all would be penalized by this approach. How-solve-what To make drinking and driving a criminal offense is an approach directed only at intoxicated drivers. In some states, the law empowers police to request breath tests of drivers cited for any traffic offense and elevated BAC can be the basis for arrest. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, however, that even with increased arrests, there are about 700 violations for every arrest. At this level there is little evidence that laws serve as deterrents to drinking while intoxicated. I n Britain, motor vehicle fatalities fell 25 percent immediately following implementation of the Road Safety Act in 1967. As the British increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped, the effectiveness declined, although in the ensuing three years the fatality rate seldom reached that observed in the seven years prior to the Act. How-solve-howWhether penalties for driving with a high BAC or excessive taxation on consumption of alcoholic beverages will deter the excessive drinkers responsible for most fatalities is unclear. In part, the answer depends on the extent to which those with high BACs involved in crashes are capable of controlling their intake in response to economic or penal threat. Therapeutic programs which range from individual and group counseling and psychotherapy to chemotherapy constitute another approach, but they have not diminished the proportion of accidents in which alcohol was a factor. In the few controlled trials that have been reported, there is little evidence that rehabilitationprograms for those repeatedly arrested for drunken behavior have reduced either the recidivism or crash rates. Thus far, there is no firm evidence that Alcohol Safety Action Project supported programs, in which rehabilitation measures are requested by the court, have decreased recidivism or crash involvement for clients exposed to them, although knowledge and attitudes have improved. One thing is clear, however: unless we deal with automobile and highway safety and reduce accidents in which alcoholic intoxication plays a role, many will continue to die.How-result (532words)13. The author is primarily concerned with _____.（main idea）A. interpreting the results of surveys on traffic fatalitiesB. reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to curb drunk drivingC. suggesting reasons for the prevalence of drunk driving in the United StatesD. analyzing the causes of the large number of annual traffic fatalities14. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain _____.（judgment/inference）A. changed an existing law to lower the BAC level which defined driving while intoxicatedB. made it illegal to drive while intoxicatedC. increased the number of drunk driving arrestsD. placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinksl 5. The author cites the British example in order to ______.（judgment/inference）A. prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of intoxicated drivers will not deter drunk drivingB. prove that stricter enforcement of laws against intoxicated drivers would reduce traffic deathsC. show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain that in U.S.D. suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal lawsl 6. The author's closing remarks can best be described as _____. however （attitude）A. ironicB. indignantC. indifferentQuestions 17 to 20 are based on the following passage:Self-esteem is what people think about themselves -- whether or not they feel valued and when family members have self-respect, pride, and belief in themselves, this high self-esteem makes it possible to cope with the everyday problems of growing up. What- DefinitionSuccessful parent begins by communicating to children that they are loved for no other reasons than just because they exist. Through touch and tone of voice parents tell their infants whether or not they are valued, special, and loved, and it is these messages that form the basis of the child's self-esteem. When children grow up with love and are made to feel lovable despite their mistakes and failures, they are able to interact with others in a responsible, honest, and loving way. A healthy self-esteem is a resource for coping when difficulties arise, making it easier to see a problem as temporary, manageable, and something from which the individual can emerge. What- how-advantageIf, however, children grow up without love and without feelings of self-worth, they feel unlovable and worthless and expect to be cheated, taken advantage of, and looked down upon by others. Ultimately their actions invite this treatment, and their self-defeating behavior turns expectations into reality. They do not have the personal resources to handle everyday problems in a healthy way, and life maybe viewed as just one crisis after another. Without a healthy self-esteem they may cope by acting out problems rather than talking them out or by withdrawing and remaining indifferent towards themselves and others. These individuals grow up to live isolated, lonely lives, lacking the ability to give the love that they have never received. What- how-disadvantageSelf-esteem is a kind of energy, and when it is high, people feel like they can handle anything. It is what one feels when special things are happening or everything is going great. A word of praise, a smile, a good grade on a report card, or doing something that creates pride within oneself can create the energy. When feelings about the self have been threatened and self-esteem is low, everything becomes more of an effort. It is difficult to hear, see, or think clearly, and others seem rude, inconsiderate, and rough. The problem is not with others, it is with the self, but often it is not until energies are back to normal that the real problem is recognized.Why-importantChildren need help understanding that their self-esteem and the self-esteem of those they interact with have a direct effect on each other. For example, a little girl comes home from school and says," I need loving 'cause my feelings got hurt today." The mother responds to child's need to be held and loved. If instead the mother said shewas too busy to hold the little girl, the outcome would have been different. How-process-formThe infant's self-esteem is totally dependent on family members, and it is not until about the time the child enters school that outside forces contribute to feelings about the self. A child must also learn that a major resource for a healthy self-esteem comes from within. Some parents raise their children to depend on external rather than internal reinforcement through practices such as paying for good grades on report cards or exchanging special privileges for good behavior. The child learns to rely on others to maintain a high self-esteem and is not prepared to live in a world in which desirable behavior does not automatically produce a tangible reward such as a smile, money, or special privileges. How-process-formMaintaining a healthy self-esteem is a challenge that continues throughout life. One family found that they could help each other identify positive attitudes. One evening during an electric storm the family gathered around the kitchen table, and each person wrote down two things that they liked about each family member. These pieces of paper were folded and given to the appropriate person, who one by one opened their special messages. The father later commented, "It was quite an experience, opening each little piece of paper and reading the message. I still have those gifts, and whenI've had a really bad day, I read through them and I always come away feeling better." How-suggestionThe foundation of a healthy family depends on the ability of the parents to communicate messages of love, trust, and self-worth to each child. This is the basis on which self-esteem is built, and as the child grows, self-esteem is reflected in the way he or she interacts with others. How-suggestion (742words)17. According to the passage, a person with a self-esteem _____.（Facts/ detail）A. often withdraws from the societyB. always remains indifferent towards himself and other peopleC. has pride and belief in himselfD. tends to take advantage of others18. Which is one of the effective means that parents should employ for fostering a child's self-esteem?（Facts/ detail）A. Paying for good grades on report cards.B. Buying the child a present for his good behavior.C. Praising and smiling to the child no matter what is happening to him.D. Loving the child in spite of his mistakes and failures.19. Which of the following statements is true?（Facts/ detail）A. Good parents tell their children that they are loved for no other reasons than just because they are there as their children.B. If a child is not loved or felt valued, he may not deal with daily problems in a good way in the future.C. External rather than internal reinforcement plays a more important role in forming a child's self-esteem.D. One's self-esteem has nothing to do with the self-esteem of other people he has to interact with.20. The author's main point in writing this article is _____.（main idea）A. to teach how to love the childrenB. to emphasize the family's role in the development of a child's self-esteemC. to illustrate the profits of self-esteemD. to help family members to understand each otherPart IIEnglish-Chinese Translation (20%)Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then translate the underlined sentences into Chinese and write your translation on the ANSWER SHEET.(1) For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the high street or loading a cart in a shopping mall.Soon, that will change.Electronic commerce is growing fast and will soon bring people more choice.There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from fraud will be harder.Many governments therefore want to extend high-street regulations to the electronic world.(64words) But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation.(2) Consumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything from the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs, or their rights to refund when goods are faulty. But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence in their country is on a screen.(56words) Other countries have regulators, but the rules of consumer protection differ, as does enforcement. Even where a clear right to compensation exists, the on-line catalogue customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to extract a refund for a dud purchase.(3) One answer is for governments to cooperate more: to recognize each other's rules. But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules.And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober states to accept.Then, let the electronic businesses do the "regulation" themselves. (46words) They do, after all, have self-interest in doing so.(4) In electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive ernments, too, may compete to be trusted.For instance, customers ordering medicines on-line may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA's rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead. (63words)Consumers will still need to use their judgment. But precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than consumers of the normal sort -- and the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain noisily when a company lets them down. In this way, at least, the advent of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more.(1) For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the high street or loading a cart in a shopping mall.Soon, that will change.Electronic commerce is growing fast and will soon bring people more choice.There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from fraud will be harder.Many governments therefore want to extend high-street regulations to the electronic world.(64words)（1）对大多数人而言，购物仍然是在闹市街逛街购物或者在购物广场用购物车自选购物。