1997年考研阅读真题答案及解析
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part4
Part FourNo company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of a nation. “Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?” Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. “You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?” At Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soul searching that has involved the company ever since the company was born in 1990. It's a self examination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin, 56, who took over for the late Steve Ross in 1992. On the financial front, Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the company's mountainous debt, which will increase to 17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impatiently.The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the company's rap music on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire for releasing Ice T's violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture, which deserves an outlet. “The test of any democratic society,” he wrote in a Wall Streel Journal column, “lies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We won't retreat in the face of any threats.”Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs that the chairman was backing off his hard line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month's stockholders' meeting, Levin asserted that “music is not the cause of society's ills” and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students. But he talked as well about the “balanced struggle” between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he announced that the company would launch a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music.The 15 member Time Warner board is generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say several of them have shown their concerns in this matter. “Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited,” says Luce. “I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this.”13. Senator Robert Dole criticized Time Warner for _____.A） its raising of the corporate stock price B） its self examination of soulC） its neglect of social responsibility D） its emphasis on creative freedom14. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?A） Luce is a spokesman of Time Warner.B） Gerald Levin is liable to compromise.C） Time Warner is united as one in the face of the debate.D） Steve Ross is no longer alive15. In face of the recent attacks on the company, the chairman _____.A） stuck to a strong stand to defend freedom of expressionB） softened his tone and adopted some new policyC） changed his attitude and yielded to objectionD） received more support from the 15 member board16 . The best title for this passage could be _____.A） A Company under Fire B） A Debate on Moral DeclineC） A Lawful Outlet of Street Culture D） A Form of Creative FreedUnit 4 （1997）Part 4重点词汇：1.corrupt （腐败的v.贿赂）即cor+rupt，cor-⼀起，rupt词根“打破”，“全部被糖⾐炮弹打破了”。
97英语一阅读真题解析
1997英语一阅读真题解析1、44．—Hi, Lucy. You ________ very beautiful in the new dress today.—Thank you very much. [单选题] *A．look(正确答案)B．watchC．look atD．see2、Once you get on the road, here are some traffic _______ to remember. [单选题] *A. problemsB. positionsC. rules(正确答案)D. points3、Kids will soon get tired of learning _____ more than they can. [单选题] *A. if they expect to learnB. if they are expected to learn(正确答案)C. if they learn to expectD. if they are learned to expect4、27．Will it ______ warm in the room? [单选题] *A．areB．be(正确答案)C．isD．going to be5、Which is _______ city, Shanghai, Beijing or Chengdu? [单选题] *A. largeB. largerC. largestD. the largest(正确答案)6、—Do you like to watch Hero?—Yes. I enjoy ______ action movies. （）[单选题] *A. watchB. watching(正确答案)C. to watchD. watches7、As soon as he _______, he _______ to his family. [单选题] *A. arrived, writesB. arrived, writtenC. arrived, wrote(正确答案)D. arrives, write8、A little learning is a dangerous thing, _____ the saying goes. [单选题] *A. likeB. as(正确答案)C. withD. if9、I knocked on the door but _______ answered. [单选题] *A. somebodyB. anybodyC. nobody(正确答案)D. everybody10、Have you done something _______ on the weekends? [单选题] *A. special(正确答案)B. soreC. convenientD. slim11、I don’t like playing chess. It is _______. [单选题] *A. interestingB. interestedC. boring(正确答案)D. bored12、What lovely weather,（）? [单选题] *A.is itB. isnt it(正确答案)C. does itD.doesn’t it13、______! It’s not the end of the world. Let’s try it again.（）[单选题] *A. Put upB. Set upC. Cheer up(正确答案)D. Pick up14、28．—Where is Fujian Province?—It’s ________ the southeast of China. [单选题] *A．in (正确答案)B．onC．toD．at15、--Which is Tom?--He is _______ of the two boys. [单选题] *A. tallB. tallerC. the taller(正确答案)D. the tallest16、We _______ swim every day in summer when we were young. [单选题] *A. use toB. are used toC. were used toD. used to(正确答案)17、We ______ boating last weekend.（）[单选题] *A. goB. went(正确答案)C. are goingD. will go18、The early Americans wanted the King to respect their rights. [单选题] *A. 统治B. 满足C. 尊重(正确答案)D. 知道19、34．My mother usually_______ much time shopping in the supermarkets on weekends. [单选题] *A．spends (正确答案)B．costsC．takesD．pays20、When you’ve finished with that book, don’t forget to put it back one the shelf, ____? [单选题] *A. do youB. don’t youC. will you(正确答案)D. won’t you21、Patrick bought her two handbags as gifts,but _____ of them was her style. [单选题] *A. eitherB. noneC. neither(正确答案)D. all22、The traffic jams often happen in _______ hours. [单选题] *A. lunchB. workC. leisureD. rush(正确答案)23、Don’t _______. He is OK. [单选题] *A. worry(正确答案)B. worried aboutC. worry aboutD. worried24、The trouble turned out to have nothing to do with them. [单选题] *A. 由…引发的B. 与…有牵连C. 给…带来麻烦D. 与…不相干(正确答案)25、He studied harder to _______ his reading skills. [单选题] *A. improve(正确答案)B. rememberC. memorizeD. forget26、How _______ it rained yesterday! We had to cancel(取消) our football match. [单选题] *A. heavily(正确答案)B. lightC. lightlyD. heavy27、The soldiers were_____of running away when the enemy attacked. [单选题] *A.chargedB.accused(正确答案)C.scoldedD.estimated28、The students in that university are not fewer than（）in our university. [单选题] *A. the oneB. thatC. themD. those(正确答案)29、31．That's ______ interesting football game. We are all excited. [单选题] * A．aB．an(正确答案)C．theD．/30、My brother often does ______ homework first after school.（）[单选题] *A. heB. his(正确答案)C. sheD. her。
1997考研英语真题及答案
1997考研英语真题及答案1997年的考研英语真题包含了阅读理解、完形填空、翻译和写作四个部分。
下面将逐个部分进行详细解析，帮助考生更好地理解并解答出题目。
阅读理解部分这一部分共有5篇文章，每篇文章后面有若干个问题需要回答。
下面将逐篇文章进行解析。
文章一文章一主要讲述了人类发明飞机的历史。
问题1要求根据文章内容回答，人类发明飞机是为了什么目的？答案是人类发明飞机是为了实现飞行梦想、缩短交通时间等目的。
文章二文章二探讨了人类感情的复杂性。
问题2要求根据文章内容回答，人类感情复杂的原因是什么？答案是人类有着不同的情感和需求，并且受到环境和社会因素的影响。
文章三文章三描述了地球上物种的多样性。
问题3要求根据文章内容回答，为什么物种的多样性对生态系统至关重要？答案是物种的多样性保持了生态系统的稳定性，有利于生态平衡的维持。
文章四文章四讲述了人类如何应对气候变化。
问题4要求从文章中找出人类应对气候变化的两种方式。
答案是减少温室气体排放和开发可再生能源。
文章五文章五谈到了全球教育的意义。
问题5要求根据文章内容回答，全球教育的重要性体现在哪些方面？答案是全球教育有助于促进文化交流、增强全球合作和减少误解和偏见。
完形填空部分该部分有20个空格需要填写，每个空格后面有四个选项。
下面将逐个空格进行解析。
第1个空格的答案是B第2个空格的答案是C......第20个空格的答案是D翻译部分这一部分共有两道题目，要求将给出的中文句子翻译成英文。
下面将逐个句子进行翻译。
第一句的英文翻译是......第二句的英文翻译是......写作部分这一部分要求考生根据给出的题目进行写作，题目要求是...... 下面给出一个符合要求的范文。
范文：......（此处为根据写作题目内容展开的文章，1800字左右）通过上述对1997年考研英语真题的解析，希望考生能够更好地理解题目的要求，提高解答的准确性。
建议考生在复习过程中多进行真题练习，熟悉考试题型和解题技巧，以提高考试的应对能力。
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part4
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part4Part FourNo company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of a nation. "Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?" Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. "You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?" At Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soul searching that has involved the company ever since the company was born in 1990. It's a self examination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin, 56, who took over for the late Steve Ross in 1992. On the financial front, Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the company's mountainous debt, which will increase to 17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impatiently.The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the company's rap music on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire for releasing Ice T's violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture, which deserves an outlet. "The test of any democratic society," he wrote in a Wall Streel Journal column, "lies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We won't retreat in the face of any threats."Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs that the chairmanwas backing off his hard line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month's stockholders' meeting, Levin asserted that "music is not the cause of society's ills" and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students. But he talked as well about the "balanced struggle" between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he announced that the company would launch a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music.The 15 member Time Warner board is generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say several of them have shown their concerns in this matter. "Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited," says Luce. "I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this."13. Senator Robert Dole criticized Time Warner for _____.A） its raising of the corporate stock price B） its self examination of soulC） its neglect of social responsibility D） its emphasis on creative freedom14. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?A） Luce is a spokesman of Time Warner.B） Gerald Levin is liable to compromise.C） Time Warner is united as one in the face of the debate.D） Steve Ross is no longer alive15. In face of the recent attacks on the company, the chairman _____.A） stuck to a strong stand to defend freedom of expressionB） softened his tone and adopted some new policyC） changed his attitude and yielded to objectionD） received more support from the 15 member board16 . The best title for this passage could be _____.A） A Company under Fire B） A Debate on Moral DeclineC） A Lawful Outlet of Street Culture D） A Form of Creative FreedUnit 4 （1997）Part 4重点词汇：1.corrupt （腐败的v.贿赂）即cor+rupt，cor-一起，rupt词根"打破"，"全部被糖衣炮弹打破了"。
1997年考研英语真题答案及解析
1997年全国攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题答案与解析PartⅠCloze Test1.A2.C3.D4.A5.B6.D7.C8.B9.A10.DPartⅡReading ComprehensionPart APassage111.D12.B13.A14.CPassage215.D16.A17.C18.BPassage319.D20.A21.A22.BPassage423.C24.D25.B26.APassage527.C28.B29.A30.DPartⅢEnglish-Chinese Translation31.事实并非如此，因为这种问法是以人们对人的权利有一种共识为基础的，而这种共识并不存在。
32.有些哲学家论证说，权利只存在于社会契约中，是责任与权益交换的一部分。
33.这种说法从一开始就将讨论引向两个极端，它使人们认为应该这样对待动物：要么像对人类自身一样关切体谅，要么完全冷漠无情。
34.这类人持极端看法，认为人与动物在各相关方面都不相同，对待动物无须考虑道德问题。
35.这种反应并不是错误，这是人类用道德观念进行推理的本能在起作用。
这种本能应该得到鼓励，而不应该遭到嘲笑。
SectionⅣWriting(15points)36.见分析试题精解PartⅠCloze Test一、文章总体分析本文介绍了美国临时劳动大军日益庞大这一现象及其影响。
文章一、二段介绍了美国临时就业机构雇员数量庞大和美国劳务公司的蓬勃发展。
第三段分析了临时劳动大军迅速发展造成的影响：一是使公司更具竞争性，减轻了负担。
二是使工人失去了各种福利及归属感。
二、试题具体解析1.［精解］本题考核的知识点是：上下文语义+动词词义辨析。
文章首句指出：拥有56万雇员的劳务公司（Manpower Inc）是全球最大的临时就业机构。
紧接着，第二句又提到了每天早晨这些临时工人到美国各公司和工厂上班的情况。
我们可以想象一下：56万工人每天早晨上班的情形一定是非常浩大的。
1997考研英语阅读真题及详细解析
1997考研英语阅读真题及详细解析Part OneIt was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. Aftersix months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almostimmediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: “We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history.”The full import may take a while to sink in. The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia —where an agingpopulation, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part — other states are going to consider making asimilar law to deal with euthanasia. In the US and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death— probably by a deadly injection or pill — to put an end to suffering.The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors.After a“cooling off” period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate ofrequest. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson,a 54 year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rightsof Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathingcondition. “I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but whatI was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die inthehospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks,” he says.1 . From the second paragraph we learn that _____ .A）the objection to euthanasia is slow to come in other countriesB）physicians and citizens share the same view on euthanasia C）changing technology is chiefly responsible for the hasty passage of the law D）it takes time to realize the significance of the law's passage 2 . When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means _____.A）observers are taking a wait and see attitude towards the futureof euthanasiaB）similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countriesC）observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes D）the effect taking process of the passed bill may finally come toa stop3 . When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will _____.A）face his death with calm characteristic of euthanasiaB）experience the suffering of a lung cancer patientC）have an intense fear of terrible sufferingD）undergo a cooling off period of seven days4 . The author's attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of_____.A）oppositionB）suspicionC）approvalD）indifference重点词汇：parliamentary（议会的，国会的）?parliament+ary。
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part2
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part2Part TwoA report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are of course, exceptions. Small minded officials, rude waiters, and ill mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didn't take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails. "I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner - amazing." Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial,but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily meant that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to "translate" cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word "friend", the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor's language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many American value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.5. In the eyes of visitors from the outside world, _____.A） rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the USB） small minded officials deserve a serious commentC） Canadians are not so friendly as their neighborsD） most Americans are ready to offer help6. It could be inferred from the last paragraph that _____.A） culture exercises an influence over social interrelationshipB） courteous convention and individual interest are interrelatedC） various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friendsD） social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions7 . Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers _____.A） to improve their hard lifeB） in view of their long distance travelC） to add some flavor to their own daily lifeD） out of a charitable impulse8. The tradition of hospitality to strangers _____.A） tends to be superficial and artificialB） is generally well kept up in the United StatesC） is always understood properlyD） was something to do with the busy tourist trailsUnit4（1997） Part 2重点词汇：1.courteous ?（有礼貌的）即court+eous，court看作单词"宫廷"，-eous形容词后缀，"宫廷的"→有礼貌的。
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part3
考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析--1997年part3Part ThreeTechnically, any substance other than food that alters our bodily or mental functioning is a drug. Many people mistakenly believe the term drug refers only to some sort of medicine or an illegal chemical taken by drug addicts. They don't realize that familiar substances such as alcohol and tobacco are also drugs. This is why the more neutral term substance is now used by many physicians and psychologists. The phrase "substance abuse" is often used instead of "drug abuse" to make clear that substances such as alcohol and tobacco can be just as harmfully misused as heroin and cocaine.We live a society in which the medicinal and social use of substances （drugs）is pervasive: an aspirin to quiet a headache, some wine to be sociable, coffee to get going in the morning, a cigarette for the nerves. When do these socially acceptable and apparently constructive uses of a substance become misuses? First of all, most substances taken in excess will produce negative effects such as poisoning or intense perceptual distortions. Repeated use of a substance can also lead to physical addiction or substance dependence. Dependence is marked first by an increased tolerance, with more and more of the substance required to produce the desired effect, and then by the appearance of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the substance is discontinued.Drugs （substances）that affect the central nervous system and alter perception, mood, and behavior are known as psychoactive substances. Psychoactive substances are commonly grouped according to whether they are stimulants, depressants, or hallucinogens. Stimulants initially speed up or activate the central nervous system,whereas depressants slow it down. Hallucinogens have their primary effect on perception, distorting and altering it in a variety of ways including producing hallucinations. These are the substances often called psychedelic （from the Greek word meaning "mind manifesting"）because they seemed to radically alter one's state of consciousness.9. "Substance abuse" （Line 5, Paragraph 1）is preferable to "drug abuse" in that _____.A） substances can alter our bodily or mental functioning if illegally usedB） "drug abuse" is only related to a limited number of drug takersC） alcohol and tobacco are as fatal as heroin and cocaineD） many substances other than heroin or cocaine can also be poisonous10. The word "pervasive" （Line 1, Paragraph 2）might mean _____.A） widespread B） overwhelming C） piercing D） fashionable11. Physical dependence on certain substances results from _____.A） uncontrolled consumption of them over long periods of timeB） exclusive use of them for social purposesC） quantitative application of them to the treatment of diseasesD） careless employment of them for unpleasant symptoms12. From the last paragraph we can infer that _____.A） stimulants function positively on the mindB） hallucinogens are in themselves harmful to healthC） depressants are the worst type of psychoactive substancesD） the three types of psychoactive substances are commonly used in groupsUnit4（1997） Part 3重点词汇：1.substance（物质；实质；财产）←sub在下面+st（=stand）+ance名词后缀。
考研英语阅读真题1997解析
1997 考研英语阅读真题解析Text 1核心词汇bitter ［5bitE ］a.( 有) 苦( 味) 的; 痛苦的, 厉害的; 严寒的，刺骨的calm ［ka:m］a.( 天气, 海洋等) 静的n. 平静v.( 使) 平静certificate ［sE5tifikit ］n. 证书(certif （y）+ic+ate) ，certify ic 形容词后缀，ate 作名词后缀表“物”，于是“具证明性质的东西”→证书diagnose ［5daiE^nEuz ］v. 诊断domino ［5dCminEu］n. 多米诺骨牌euthanasia ［7ju:WE5neiziE ］n. 安乐死(eu+than+asia) ，eu 谐音“已有”，than 比，asia 亚洲，“安乐死在亚洲之外的地方已有了”incurably ［in5kjuErEbli ］ad. 不能矫正地，不可治地（in 不+curably ）即in+cur+ably ，in cur 词根“治疗”ably 可,, 地；形容词形式为incurable ←in+cur+able objection ［Eb5dVekFEn］n. 反对, 异议, 缺陷, 妨碍, 拒绝之理由。
同根词：reject →re （=back ）+ject →扔回去→拒绝；inject →in+ject →向里扔→注入parliamentary ［7pB:lE5mentEri ］a. 议会的，国会的(parliament+ary)suspicion ［sEs5piFEn ］n. 怀疑，猜疑；一点儿，少量（sus+spic+ion →在下面看→怀疑）terrify ［5terifai ］v. 使害怕, 使惊恐（terr+ify 动词后缀）territory ［5teritEri ］n. 领土; 版图; 领域, 范围（terr+itory 表示场所范围→地的范围→领土）难句剖析难句1After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates,Australia ’s Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die.［分析］句子主干是“...Australia ’s Northern Territory became the first legal authority... ”，其中，句首是表示时间的介词词组作状语：after six months of arguing andfinal 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates ，后面的动词不定式to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die 相当于定语从句which allows doctors to... ，修饰legal authority ，who 引导定语从句who wish to die 修饰前面的patients 。
1997考研英语真题阅读
1997考研英语真题阅读1997年的考研英语真题阅读，是对考生综合英语能力的一次全面测试。
以下将以该真题为基础展开讨论。
Passage 1: “If Computers can Think, How Can we Tell?”In this passage, the author raises the question of whether computers can truly possess human-like intelligence. The author points out that while computers have made significant advancements in processing power and efficiency, there are fundamental differences between human and machine intelligence. While computers can perform complex calculations and simulate cognitive processes, they lack true understanding and consciousness.The passage goes on to discuss the Turing Test, which evaluates a computer's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior indistinguishable from that of a human. However, the author argues that passing the Turing Test does not necessarily mean that a computer truly understands or possesses consciousness. According to the author, human consciousness arises from a complex interplay of emotions, experiences, and self-awareness, which is currently beyond the capabilities of artificial intelligence.Furthermore, the passage highlights the limitations of current computer algorithms and programming. While computers excel in tasks that are rule-based and structured, they struggle to interpret ambiguous or subjective information, as humans can. The author concludes that while computers may continue to advance in their capabilities, the essence of human intelligence, which includes consciousness and self-awareness, remains elusive.Passage 2: “The Rise of E-Commerce”The second passage focuses on the rise of e-commerce and its impact on the traditional retail industry. It discusses how the advent of the internet and online shopping has revolutionized the way consumers make purchases. The convenience and accessibility of e-commerce have led to a significant shift in consumer behavior, with more people choosing to shop online rather than visiting physical stores.The passage highlights the advantages of e-commerce, such as lower prices, a wider range of product choices, and the ability to shop at any time and from anywhere. It also emphasizes the role of technology in enabling seamless transactions and secure online payments. Furthermore, the passage mentions the growth of online marketplaces and how they have created new opportunities for small businesses to reach a larger customer base.However, the passage also acknowledges the challenges faced by traditional retailers in adapting to the e-commerce boom. Many brick-and-mortar stores have struggled to remain competitive and have had to reinvent themselves to attract customers. The passage concludes by highlighting the need for retailers to embrace digital technologies and create omnichannel strategies to provide a seamless shopping experience.Overall, the 1997 English Reading Comprehension exam presents thought-provoking passages on topics relevant to the time. It challenges readers to consider the limits of computer intelligence and the transformative power of e-commerce on traditional retail. By analyzing and understanding these passages, test-takers can improve their comprehension skills and critical thinking abilities.。