10年中级口译听力

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2010.9中级口译真题

2010.9中级口译真题

2010.9中级口译真题2010年9月中级口译真题Part A: Spot DictationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear a passage and read the same passage with blanks in it. Fill in each of the blanks with the word or words you have heard on the tape. Write your answer in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET. Remember you will hear the passage ONLY ONCE.British people are far more sophisticated about beverages than they were 50 years ago. Witness the Starbucks revolution and you'll know where ___________ (1) goes. However, spurred on by recent studies suggesting that it can cut the risk of ___________ (2) and retard the aging process, tea is enjoying a ___________ (3).Although tea is available in more places than ever, it remains to be _____________ (4) of a typical British family.If you are invited to an English home,_____________ (5) in the morning you get a cup of tea. It is either brought in by a heartily _____________ (6) or an almost malevolently silent maid. When you are _____________ (7) in your sweetest morning sleep you must not say: 'Go away, you _____________ (8).' On the contrary, you have to declare with your best five o'clock smile: 'Thank you very much. I _____________ (9) a cup of tea, especially in the morning.' If they leave you alone with the liquid you may pour it _____________ (10)!Then you have ___________ (11); then you have tea at 11 o'clock in the morning; _____________ (12); then you have tea for tea; then after supper; and again at eleven o'clock _____________ (13).You must not refuse any additional cups of tea under the _____________ (14): if it is hot; if it is cold; if you are _____________ (15); if you are nervous; if you are watching TV; _____________ (16); if you have just returned home; if you feel like it; if you do not feel like it;if you have had no tea ______________ (17); if you have just had a cup.You definitely must not ______________ (18). I sleep at five o'clock in the morning; I have coffee for breakfast; I drink innumerable _____________ (19) during the day; I have the _____________ (20) even at tea-time!Part B: Listening Comprehension1. StatementsDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear several short statements. These statements will be spoken ONLY ONCE, and you will not find them written on the paper; so you must listen carefully. When you hear a statement, read the answer choices and decide which one is closest in meaning to the statement you have heard. Then write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.1. (A) The program on Channel Eight reminds me of TV commercials.(B) The product advertised in the TVcommercial cannot help cure my illness.(C) I don't watch TV that much, because of the omnipresent advertisements.(D) I have to sit on the sofa, because I am too sick to stand in front of the television.2. (A) The plane arrived at 7:30.(B) The plane arrived at 8:00.(C) The plane arrived at 9:00.(D) The plane arrived at 10:00.3. (A) I'll ask someone else to read and check this agreement for errors.(B) I'll think more about the agreement before making a decision.(C) It's obvious that I'll discuss the agreement with my assistant first.(D) It's out of question that I should get into any agreement with you.4. (A) The better members decided to cancel the meeting.(B) Less than half of the committee was away on business trips.(C) It'd be better if no one had attendedthis morning's committee meeting……(D) The meeting was cancelled because of low attendance.5.(A) Supermarkets in the inner city and the suburbs are usually owned by the same company.(B) Products in grocery stores are more expensive than those in supermarkets.(C) There is a price difference for the same product even in shops run by the same company.(D) People prefer to shop in supermarkets, which are mostly located in the suburbs, with free parking space.6. (A) Many Americans cannot afford higher education because of the soaring college tuition fees and expenses.(B) Sending their children to college is no longer a bigger challenge for millions of Americans.(C) The American government has set the goal that it will eventually stop fundinghigher education institutions.(D) Nowadays, American parents have to pay more to send their children to college.7. (A) For many university graduates, the jobs they take will not be related to their academic achievements.(B) Because of economic recession, the number of university students majoring in liberal arts is declining.(C) University students who are interested in liberal arts will have more job opportunities upon graduation.(D) With high unemployment rate, many university students will have to opt for transferring to other majors.8. (A) Good business negotiators will never repeat what other people have already restated.(B) Restating by good business negotiators is not an effective way to check the information.(C) Good business negotiators are sometimes curious about other people's restatements.(D) Restating what others have said is a good strategy for confirming understanding.9. (A) We cannot reach an agreement, let alone a spoken promise.(B) We'd better draft and then sign a written agreement.(C) We generally keep our promises in business transactions.(D) We hope you understand why we are unable to keep our promises.10. (A) I don't think you have more to say on that topic.(B) I think we'd better talk about that in detail sometime later.(C) I am truly appreciative if you can elaborate on that topic after lunch.(D) I am busy right now, so we might as well discuss it over lunch today.2. Talks and ConversationsDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear several short talks and conversations Aftereach of these, you will hear a few questions. Listen carefully because you will hear the talk or conversation and questions ONLY ONCE. When you hear a question, read the four choices and choose the best answer to that question. Then write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.Questions 11-1411. (A) Two (B) Three (C) Four (D) Five12. (A) A profit-making private school.(B) A non-profit-making independent school.(C) A state school that is funded by non-governmental sources.(D) A secondary school that is open to the majority of British students.13. (A) Many children are no longer placed in schools according to their academic abilities.(B) Many children can afford to study in private schools, as they become part of the state system.(C) Children from wealthy families no longer choose to go and study in public schools.(D) Cleverer children will be sent to the best private schools in the country for a better development.14. (A) Clever and less bright children will mix well with each other.(B) School authorities will receive more funds from the government.(C) Most students will do well in their entrance examination for the higher education.(D) Every child will have an equal opportunity to go on to higher education.Questions 15-1815. (A) One that is unabridged with detailed definitions.(B) One that contains fewer words and emphasizes on special words.(C) One that contains a broad range of words in common usage.(D) One that spans several volumes and has extensive word histories16. (A) The New Oxford Picture Dictionary(B) The American Heritage Dictionary(C) The Dictionary of Legal Terms(D) The Drinking Water Dictionary17. (A) It lists abbreviations, proper nouns, and tables of measures.(B) It is an unabridged edition providing as many as 500,000 entries.(C) It was randomly compiled and contains as many foreign words as possible.(D) It provides detailed information of famous people and places.18. (A) A school dictionary. (B) A college dictionary.(C) A general dictionary. (D) A specialized dictionary.Questions 19-2219. (A) He's bought his wife a present. (B) He's missed an important phone call.(C) He's dismissed his new secretary. (D) He's popped out shopping.20. (A) Talking about the latest fashion.(B) Offering special reductions.(C) Giving bigger discounts to female customers.(D) Pressing on the customer to make a decision.21. (A) Upside down and inside out. (B) Inside out and back to front.(C) With its sleeves as trouser legs. (D) With its pattern upside down.22. (A) A V-necked pullover with short sleeves.(B) A high-necked pullover with long sleeves.(C) A white pullover with a pattern.(D) A blue pullover with a high neck.Questions 23-2623. (A) That of a creator. (B) That of a re-creator.(C) That of a receiver. (D) That of a performer.24. (A) Because we need to concentrate for our quiet thought.(B) Because we want to give full attention to the driving.(C) Because we try to avoid being caught by the patrolling police.(D) Because we intend to be as casual as possible in the driving.25. (A) In the elevator. (B) In the car.(C) In the bathroom. (D) In the church.26. (A) By perceptive and analytical listening.(B) By taking a sonic bath.(C) By attending classical concerts.(D) By listening to an emotional piece of music.Questions 27-3027. (A) His grandfather's house. (B) His parents' remarks.(C) A magazine. (D) A coursebook.28. (A) Enjoying visiting zoos. (B) Driving a car.(C) Making money. (D) Taking kids to amuseum.29. (A) It died a few years ago. (B) It killed several tourists.(C) It is only a legend. (D) It is a living dinosaur.30. (A) No one has provided an accurate description of the animal.(B) No dead bodies of the animal have ever been found.(C) There are only 500 species living in Loch Ness.(D) The lake is not deep enough for such a huge animal.Part C: Listening and Translation1. Sentence TranslationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear 5 sentences in English. You will hear the sentences ONLY ONCE. After you have heard each sentence, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)2. Passage TranslationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear 2 passages in English. You will hear the passages ONLY ONCE. After you have heard each passage, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET. You may take notes while you are listening.(1)(2)We are moving inexorably into the age of automation. Our aim is not to devise a mechanism which can perform a thousand different actions of any individual man but, on the contrary, one which could by a single actionreplace a thousand men.Industrial automation has moved along three lines. First there is the conveyor belt system of continuous production whereby separate operations are linked into a single sequence. The goods produced by this well-established method are untouched by the worker, and the machine replaces both unskilled and semiskilled. Secondly, there is automation with feedback control of the quality of the product: here mechanisms are built into the system which can compare the output with a norm, that is, the actual product with what it is supposed to be, and then correct any shortcomings. The entire cycle of operations dispenses with human control except in so far as monitors are concerned. One or two examples of this type of automation will illustrate its immense possibilities. There is a factory in the U.S.A. which makes 1,000 million electric light bulbs a year, and the factory employs three hundred people. If the preautomationtechniques were to be employed, the labour force required would leap to 25,000. A motor manufacturing company with 45,000 spare parts regulates their entire supply entirely by computer. Computers can be entrusted with most of the supervision of industrial installations, such as chemical plants or oil refineries. Thirdly, there is computer automation, for banks, accounting departments, insurance companies and the like. Here the essential features are the recording, storing, sorting and retrieval of information.The principal merit of modern computing machines is the achievement of their vastly greater speed of operation by comparison with unaided human effort; a task which otherwise might take years, if attempted at all, now takes days or hours.One of the most urgent problems of industrial societies rapidly introducing automation is how to fill the time that will be made free by the machines which will take overthe tasks of the workers. The question is not simply of filling empty time but also of utilizing the surplus human energy that will be released. We are already seeing straws in the wind: destructive outbursts on the part of youth whose work no longer demands muscular strength. While automation will undoubtedly do away with a large number of tedious jobs, are we sure that it will not put others which are equally tedious in their place? For an enormous amount of sheer monitoring will be required. A man in an automated plant may have to sit for hours on and watching dials and taking decisive action when some signal informs him that all is not well. What meaning will his occupation bear for the worker? How will he devote his free time after a four or five hour stint of labour? Moreover, what, indeed, will be the significance for him of his leisure? If industry of the future could be purged of its monotony and meaninglessness, man would then be better equipped to use his leisure time constructively.16. The main purpose of automation is _________.(A) to devise the machine which could replace the semi-skilled(B) to process information as fast as possible(C) to develop an efficient labor-saving mechanism(D) to make an individual man perform many different actions17. The chief benefit of computing machines is ________.(A) their greater speed of operation(B) their control of the product quality(C) their conveyor belt system of continuous production(D) their supervision of industrial installations18. One of the problems brought about by automation in industrial societies is _________.(A) plenty of information(B) surplus human energy(C) destructive outbursts(D) less leisure time19. Which of the following best explains the use of 'stint' (para.4)?(A) Effort.(B) Force.(C) Excess.(D) Period.20. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?(A) There is no automation with feedback control of the quality of the product.(B) Computers are reliable in any supervision of industrial installations.(C) The essential features for banks are the recording and sorting of information.(D) Automation will undoubtedly eliminate numerous tedious jobs.Questions 21-25The city water pipes in Rome were usually of baked clay or lead; copper was sometimesused and also hollowed stone. For the large supply conduits leading to the city the Romans used covered channels with free water surfaces, rather than pipes. Perhaps this choice was a matter of economics, for apparently they could make lead pipes up to 15 inches in diameter. While pipes can follow the profile of undulating ground, with the pressure increasing in the lower areas, channels cannot. They must slope continuously downwards, because water in channels does not normally flow uphill; and the grade must be flat, from 1 in 60 in small channels to perhaps 1 in 3,000 in large ones, to keep the water speed down to a few feet per second. Thus the main supply channels or aqueducts had long lengths of flat grade and where they crossed depressions or valleys they were carried on elevated stone bridges in the form of tiered arches. At the beginning of the Christian era there were over 30 miles of these raised aqueducts in the 250 miles of channels and tunnels bringing water to Rome. Thechannels were up to 6 feet wide and 5 to 8 feet high. Sometimes channels were later added on the tops of existing ones. The remains of some of these aqueducts still grace the skyline on the outskirts of Rome and elsewhere in Europe similar ruins are found.Brick and stone drains were constructed in various parts of Rome. The oldest existing one is the Cloaca Maxima which follows the course of an old stream. It dates back at least to the third century B.C. Later the drains were used for sewage, flushed by water from the public baths and fountains, as well as street storm run-off.The truly surprising aspect of the achievements of all the ancient hydraulic artisans is the lack of theoretical knowledge behind their designs. Apart from the hydrostatics of Archimedes, there was no sound understanding of the most elementary principles of fluid behaviour. Sextus Frontinus, Rome's water commissioner around A.D. 100, did not fully realize that in order to calculate the volumerate of flow in a channel it is necessary to allow for the speed of the flow as well as the area of cross-section. The Romans' flow standard was the rate at which water would flow through a bronze pipe roughly 4/3 inch in diameter and 9 inches long. When this pipe was connected to the side of a water-supply pipe or channel as a delivery outlet, it was assumed that the outflow was at the standard rate. In fact, the amount of water delivered depended not only on the cross-sectional area of the outlet pipe but also on the speed of water flowing through it and this speed depended on the pressure in the supply pipe.21. The Romans used all of the following to make water pipes EXCEPT _________.(A) earth (B) wood (C) copper (D) stone22. Covered channels were used instead of pipes to supply large quantities of water probably because _________.(A) the Romans could build them more cheaply(B) these channels could follow uneven ground more easily(C) the Romans could not build large pipes(D) these channels avoided rapid changes of pressure23. The use of 'grace' in line 15 suggests that the aqueducts today are _________.(A) hideous (B) divine (C) useful (D) attractive24. In order to calculate the volume of water flowing through a pipe, it is important to know its speed and ________.(A) the area across the end of the pipe (B) the length of the pipe(C) the water pressure in the pipe (D) the level from which the water falls25. The main subject of the passage is concerned essentially with __________.(A) the classical scientific achievements(B) the theoretical Greek hydrostatics(C) the ancient Roman hydraulic system(D) the early European architecturaldesigningQuestions 26-30Every day of our lives we are in danger of instant death from small high-speed missiles from space-the lumps of rocky or metallic debris which continuously bombard the Earth. The chances of anyone actually being hit, however, are very low, although there are recorded instances of 'stones from the sky' hurting people, and numerous accounts of damage to buildings and other objects. At night this extraterrestrial material can be seen as 'fireballs' or 'shooting stars', burning their way through our atmosphere. Most, on reaching our atmosphere, become completely vaporised.The height above ground at which these objects become sufficiently heated to be visible is estimated to be about 60-100 miles. Meteorites that have fallen on buildings have sometimes ended their long lonely space voyage incongruously under beds, inside flower pots oreven, in the case of one that landed on a hotel in North Wales, within a chamber pot. Before the era of space exploration it was confidently predicted that neither men nor space vehicles would survive for long outside the protective blanket of the Earth's atmosphere. It was thought that once in space they would be seriously damaged as a result of the incessant downpour of meteorites falling towards our planet at the rate of many millions every day. Even the first satellites showed that the danger from meteorites had been greatly overestimated by the pessimists, but although it has not happened yet, it is certain that one day a spacecraft will be badly damaged by a meteorite.The greatest single potential danger to life on Earth undoubtedly comes from outside our planet. Collision with another astronomical body of any size or with a 'black hole' could completely destroy the Earth almost instantly. Near misses of bodies larger than or comparablein size to our own planet could be equally disastrous to mankind as they might still result in total or partial disruption. If the velocity of impact were high, collision with even quite small extraterrestrial bodies might cause catastrophic damage to the Earth's atmosphere, oceans and outer crust and thus produce results inimical to life as we know it. The probability of collision with a large astronomical body from outside our Solar System is extremely low, possibly less than once in the lifetime of an average star. We know, however, that our galaxy contains great interstellar dust clouds and some astronomers have suggested that there might also be immense streams of meteorite matter in space that the Solar system may occasionally encounter. Even if we disregard this possibility, our own Solar system itself contains a great number of small astronomical bodies, such as the minor planets or asteroids and the comets, some with eccentric orbits that occasionally bring them close to the Earth's path.26. According to the writer, the Earth is being continuously bombarded by _________.(A) big bright stars from space(B) man-made space vehicles(C) great interstellar dust clouds(D) small high-speed pieces of rock from space27. The word "vaporised" (para.1) means _________.(A) turned from stones into missiles(B) turned from a fireball into black(C) turned from a solid into a gas(D) turned from meteors into shooting stars28. Why was it once thought that no spacecraft would survive for very long in space?(A) People believed that spacecraft would be destroyed in a black hole.(B) People believed that spacecraft would be misguided by missiles.(C) People believed that spacecraft would be collided with a star.(D) People believed that spacecraft wouldbe damaged by meteorites.29. What is the greatest danger to life on Earth?(A) Collision with small high-speed missiles.(B) Collision with an astronomical body.(C) Collision with stones from the sky.(D) Collision with spacecrafts.30. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?(A) Our galaxy contains great interstellar dust clouds.(B) Near misses of bodies smaller than our own planet could be disastrous.(C) The probability of collision with a large astronomical body is very high.(D) The chances of anyone actually being hit by missiles are very high.SECTION 3: TRANSLATION TEST (1) (30 minutes)Directions: Translate the following passage into Chinese and write your version in thecorresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.The economic system of the United States is principally one of private ownership. In this system, consumers, producers and government make economic decisions on a daily basis, mainly through the price system. The dynamic interaction of these three groups makes the economic function. The market’s primary force, however, is the interaction of producers and consumers; hence the “market economy” designation.As a rule, consumers look for the best values for what they spend while producers seek the best price and profit for what they have to sell. Government, at the federal, state, and local level, seeks to promote public security, assure reasonable competition, and provide a range of services believed to be better performed by public rather than private enterprises. Generally, there are three kinds of enterprises: single-owner operated businesses, partnershipsand corporations. The first two are important, but it is the latter structure that best permits the amassing of large sums of money by combining the investments of many people who, as stockholders, can buy and sell their shares of the business at any time on the open market. Corporations make large-scale enterprises possible.SECTION 4: TRANSLATION TEST (2) (30 minutes)Directions: Translate the following passage into English and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.进入耶鲁大学的校园,看到莘莘学子青春洋溢的脸庞,呼吸着书香浓郁的空气,我不由回想起40年前在北京清华大学度过的美好时光。

2010年3月上海市中级口译第二阶段口试真题试卷(精选)(题后含答案及解析)

2010年3月上海市中级口译第二阶段口试真题试卷(精选)(题后含答案及解析)

2010年3月上海市中级口译第二阶段口试真题试卷(精选)(题后含答案及解析)题型有: 2. 口译题口译题Part A Directions: In this part of the test, you will hear 2 passages in English. After you have heard each paragraph, interpret it into Chinese. Start interpreting at the signal.., and stop it at the signal...You may take notes while you are listening. Remember you will hear the passages ONLY ONCE. Now let us begin Part A with the first passage.听力原文:Ladies and Gentlemen, during my stay here for 5 years, I have noticed many cultural differences. Such cultural differences arise from a difference in region, race, history, environment and in the levels of social and economic development. // Here are some examples. We American emphasize efficiency, competition and originality, while your management gives priority to careful planning and encourages close cooperation. // In American schools, discussion is given top priority and seminar is the usual way of class. Teachers with flexible and adaptable talents are regarded as good and popular ones. // But Chinese teachers like to lecture in class, and a lot of them are obsessed with examinations; they spend long hours planning and preparing lessons, and writing consistent and standardized plans. It’s very interesting to us.1.Passage 1正确答案:女士们,先生们,我在此已生活了五年,我看到了许多文化差异。

2010春季中级口译听译部分原文及参考答案

2010春季中级口译听译部分原文及参考答案

1. My parents never interfered with my plans too much. They advised me, but never forced me into doing anything I didn’t want to do.参考译文:我的父母从来不会过分干涉我的计划。

他们会给我一些建议,但是从来不会强迫我做不喜欢的事情。

2. Weddings in the United States vary greatly, there are weddings in the church,on mountain tops or even on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But no matter where and how, they all include certain traditional customs.参考译文:在美国有各种不同的婚礼形式,有的在教堂和或是山顶举行,甚至有的在海底举行,为各位客人提供氧气罐。

但是无论在何地以何种方式举行婚礼,其中都会包含一些传统风俗。

3. According to government statistics, in 1990, there were twice as many men smokers as women smokers in the country. But now, women smokers have far outnumbered men smokers.参考译文:根据政府的数据显示,在1990,男性烟民的数量是女性烟民数量的两倍。

但是现在,女性烟民的数量已经远远超过了男性烟民数量。

4. Since it is a big order, I’ll accept your price of $ 8.50. However, it is a very special offer and it leaves us little profit.参考译文:既然这份订单很大,我接受你们8.5美元的出价。

2010下半年中级口译口试真题

2010下半年中级口译口试真题

2010下半年中级口译口试真题DIn American schools, discussion is given top priority and seminar is the usual way of class.Good teacher possess flexible & adaptable talents, and are able to respond instantaneously at any moment to any questions that might arise among students.But Chinese teachers like to lecture in class, and a lot of them are obsessed with examinations; they spend long hours planning and preparing lessons, and writing consistent & standardized teaching plans. All too often, they're happy with bringing up identical and standardized talents.2. 扶贫问题 issue of poverty reductionC-E1. 体育运动关键句:中国的悠久历史造就灿烂的文化,体育运动和奥运。

体育运动是世界通用的语言;强身健体,促进世界各国交流;奥运精神是其中的代表;通过教育和锻炼这一实践,发扬奥运精神。

体育运动,在很多年前跨越种族、肤色等。

启示:虽然奥运已经过去,但是这个话题是永远必须关注的!2. 文化遗产 Cultural Heritage自然和人为的损坏,我们要引起重视。

(据几位同学回忆,该篇难度最大。

)2010年11月21日下午中口口试真题口语:今年夏天至今,发生了很多自然灾害,如洪水、泥石流、暴雨等。

中级口译历年真题--听力篇

中级口译历年真题--听力篇

中级口译历年真题—听力篇2012年3月听力Spot Dictation 原文+评析Music affects us as profoundly as anything we experience. Very many people say that music is a big part of their everyday life. We can hear evidence of this in the blurring car radio and see the jogger w it h his personal stereo. That is the new portabil it y of music. That brings it everywhere people live, play and work.There are different kinds of music , for all tastes – classical, pop, rock, rap, jazz, folk – each culture has it s own style. Different parts of the body resonate to different sounds and p it ches, and most significantly, certain kinds of music resound powerfully in the human spirit.We can listen to music anywhere and everywhere.Listening to music can change your mood – sometimes dramatically. Sometimes, if you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to play slow sad music, but this would make you feel worse. And lifting tune or cheerful song can instantly improve your energy levels and your emotional well being.Music in film and television shows us how music can affect mood. A romantic drama would have a very different film score to a thriller. The old ―silent‖ films originally had a pianist in the cinema playing along, trying to strike the right mood. At times, when watching a film or TV programme, yo u know what’s about to happen because of the music being played –you can anticipate the terror, such as in ―Jaws‖. There’re many times when I’ve turn down the sound during a TV programme and use subtitles because the music unsettles means so much.Playing Mozart when studying is said to increase our IQ. A recent study has showed that children who learn a musical instrument are much quicker at developing spatial awareness and problem solving skills.Relaxation music has a slow rhythm. Sounds are often synthesised and there may be added natural sounds, such as whalesong, birdsong, waves or gentle rain to help produce a feeling of calm and relaxation.点评:这是一篇关于各种音乐与人之间的关系的文章。

2010年秋季高级口译考试下半场听力完整文本及答案

2010年秋季高级口译考试下半场听力完整文本及答案

2010年秋季高级口译考试下半场听力完整文本+答案解析Note-taking and Gap-fillingToday my topic is cultures and traditional holidays.Holiday are special times of respite from work and other routines. Insome cases, they are legal holidays when stores, businesses and government offices are officially closed. In other cases, they are celebrated without taking time off from work. Holidays are often timesfor celebration, revelry, eating, drinking, travel, and family gatherings,but they may also be times of rest and reflection. The current trend isaway from rest and reflection, Even Mardi Gras, the day before the traditionally reflective period of Lent, has turned into an entire weekof parties, parades and merry-making for those who make the annual pilgrimage to New Orleans, for example.In most cultures the scheduling of holidays originally was related tothe seasons, the lunar cycle, and religion, Christmas (December 25) celebrates the birth of Jesus, but it is not actually known whether Jesus was born in the wintertime. The first Roman emperor to espouse Christianity decided to have Christmas when the days are shortest to bring a spirit of optimism to the long winter months. It alsohelped bring Christianity to the pagans, who were accustomed to having festivals at the winter solstice, encouraging warmth and sunshine to return. Over the years Christmas has come to symbolizegoodwill and generosity for both Christians and non-Christians through the personification of Santa Claus, originally a Christian saint,known as St,Nicholas. Nowadays Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is almost as important a global symbol of Christmas as Jesus or Santaand the commercialization of Christmas threatens to replace generosity with greed. Many people forget that the original Christmasgifts were given by the Three Wise Men, all pagans, to Jesus, a Jewishchild born in a manger. All they think of are the gifts they will give orreceive, and all the money they have spent.One reason for the increasing popularity of Christmas is its proximityto New Year’s Day, encouraging a long holiday to evolve out of both. Inthe U,S., the holiday has turned into an extended holiday season, lasting from Thanksgiving Day in late November until New Year’s Day,with a seemingly endless array of parties, dinners, concerts, parades,and vacation trips. The schools and colleges are closed from mid-December through early January while many people eat too much, drink too much, and watch too much American football on TV.Many gifts, cards, and annual newsletters are exchanged, and the various festivities are not always very restful. Then the same peoplemake New Year’s Resolutions to eat less, drink less, spend less, andwork harder in the coming year.Christmas is by far the most important holiday in English-speaking countries. Other important holidays in addition to Thanksgiving andNew Year’s Day are Valentine’s Day, St,Patrick’s Day, April Fools’ Day,and Easter. On Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, people give cards, chocolates, flowers, and kisses to their spouses and sweethearts. On St,Patrick’s Day, March 17, people wear green to celebrate the luck of the Irish, and eat corned beef and cabbage washed down with green beer. During Easter Week in late March or early April, Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesuswhile Jews celebrate Passover, in memory of the escape of the Jewsfrom ancient Egypt, where they had been slaves. Although it is notactually a holiday and has no religious connotation, April Fools’ Day, celebrated on April 1, is a day when people play embarrassing trickson their friends and colleagues and even on their teachers. Another holiday with some similarity to April Fools’Day is Halloween on October 31,when children wear funny or scary costumes and ask their neighbors for, “tricks or treats”, The name Halloween means, hallowed evening”, the night before All Saints’ Day when Christian saints are honored. On the following day, All Souls’ Day, services and prayers aresaid for the dead. In many countries, it is a day when families visit cemeteries and place flowers on the tombs of their relatives. In Europe, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1, whereas in Canada and the United States, labor and laborers are honored by a legal holiday on the first Monday in September.Listening and TranslationⅠSentence Translation1.The biggest challenge facing us now is to improve the quality of life in cities, because sadly, cities don’t always offer the economic security, the safety or thecomfort they promise.现在我们面临的最大挑战是提高城市生活质量,因为令人遗憾的是,城市并不总能提供所允诺的经济保障,安全或者舒适。

中级口译笔试试题及答案

中级口译笔试试题及答案一、听力理解(共20分)1. 听下面一段对话,选择正确的答案。

A. 去图书馆B. 去电影院C. 去公园D. 去超市对话内容:(此处假设有一段对话内容)答案:C2. 听下面一段对话,选择正确的答案。

A. 他喜欢看书B. 他喜欢听音乐C. 他喜欢画画D. 他喜欢运动对话内容:(此处假设有一段对话内容)答案:A二、阅读理解(共30分)1. 阅读以下短文,选择正确的答案。

短文内容:(此处假设有一段短文内容)A. 短文主要讲述了...B. 短文主要讲述了...C. 短文主要讲述了...D. 短文主要讲述了...答案:B2. 阅读以下短文,选择正确的答案。

短文内容:(此处假设有一段短文内容)A. 短文主要讲述了...B. 短文主要讲述了...C. 短文主要讲述了...D. 短文主要讲述了...答案:D三、翻译(共30分)1. 将以下句子从英语翻译成中文。

英文:The weather is getting warmer, so I will take off my coat.中文:天气变暖了,所以我将脱掉我的外套。

答案:正确2. 将以下句子从中文翻译成英语。

中文:他每天早晨都会去公园跑步。

英文:He goes running in the park every morning.答案:正确四、写作(共20分)1. 根据以下提示写一篇短文。

提示:描述你最喜欢的季节,并解释为什么。

答案:(此处假设有一篇短文内容)评分标准:- 内容相关性:5分 - 语言准确性:5分 - 组织结构:5分 - 语法和拼写:5分总分:20分。

2010年3月上海中级口译笔试真题及答案及听力原文

2010年3月上海中级口译笔试真题及答案及听力原文2010年3月上海英语中级口译证书第一阶段考试真题SECTION 1: LISTENING TEST (45 minutes)Part A: Spot DictationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear a passage and read the same passage with blanks in it. Fill in each of the blanks with the word or words you have heard on the tape. Write your answer in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET. Remember you will hear the passage ONL Y ONCE.The Internet is an excellent source for finding many types of information and for keeping up with new developments in the world. Today, an ever increasing number of people are using the Internet to __ dig up _(1) related information, conduct business, or personal activities, access electronic databases, send e-mail, and network with relatives, __ colleagues or friends _____(2). Frequently referred to as the Information Super Highway, the Internet is actually a network of ___ computer networks ____(3). You may think of the Internet as analogous to the ______ interstate highway system ___(4), Just as the interstate system connects to different cities via _ many different routes __(5), the Internet connects computers around the world via a number of different __ electronic pathways____(6). At the most basic level, a computer, a modem, and a right type of __ software ____(7) can get a person onto the Internet. Through the Internet you can access massive amounts of information by ____ accessing computers __(8) that are linked together.Generally speaking, two types of information ____ available on the internet ___(9), are the most useful for people. That is ,conversational resources, and _____ reference resources____(10).Conversational resources allow users to have conversations with individuals __ anywhere in the world __(11). Mailing lists and news groups are __ the primary types ____(12) of conversational resources. Mailing lists include electronic mail, whereby the user _ can read messages ____(13), send to any other individual, or group of individuals, who have subscribed by having their name and electronic______ mail address ___(14) placed on the center’s list of addresses.News groups are essentially electronic _____ bulletin boards_(15). Any one with Internet access can _ post an article____(16) to the board, and any one with Internet access can read the board.The reference resources you____ most frequently encounter __(17) are the World Wide Web (www) or the web for short. The web uses HTML (hypertext markup language) to transfer text __(18), sound, graphics and video. Of course, you need browsers to view documents, and __ navigate ___(19)through the intricate links structure. The most __ popular and well-known __(20) browser is the Microsoft Internet Explorer.(1) dig up(2) colleagues or friends(3) computer networks(4) interstate highway system(5) many different routes(6) electronic pathways(7) software(9) available on the internet(10) reference resources(11) anywhere in the world(12) the primary types(13) can read messages(14) mail address(15) bulletin boards(16) post an article(17) most frequently encounter(18) transfer text(19) navigate(20) popular and well-knownPart B: Listening Comprehension1. StatementsDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear several short statements. These statements will be spoken ONLY ONCE, and you will not find them written on the paper; so you must listen carefully. When you hear a statement, read the answer choices and decide which one is closest in meaning to the statement you have heard. Then write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.1. (A) It is planned that we will go and visit Australia early next year.(B) It is proposed that a new branch be set up in Australia.(C) The tuition fee for studying in Australia will be raised next year.(D) We are confident that our plan to start a branch school will come off.2. (A) I cannot describe our accountant without drinking some coffee.(B) I have to keep awake during our chief accountant’s briefings.(C) I think our chi ef accountant’s briefings are really boring.(D) I doubt that our chief accountant will talk with you over coffee.3.(A) Miss Brown is not qualified.(B) Miss Brown is right.(C) It is a well-paid job.(D) It is her first job.4. (A) The manager told the secretary not to rush.(B) The manager told his secretary to finish the memo on time.(C) The manager told the secretary to take the memo home.(D) The manager told the secretary to wind the clock in the office.5. (A) Your 10% discount is not enough for a second order.(B) You should deliver the second order next month.(D) We’ll buy more if the price is cheaper.6. (A) Scientists are convinced that most animals cannot adapt to changes in climate.(B) Certain animals are more adaptable as they can live in extreme conditions.(C) Climate changes are responsible for the disappearance of some species.(D) Some species can move to the new surroundings in case of climate changes.7. (A) I think sending the products by air is faster and safer.(B) I need a quick response for my question about the products.(C) To avoid any damage, we’d better send the products by sea.(D) It is dangerous to send the products by sea as there are pirates.8. (A) Generation gap is a new phenomenon of the ever-changing modern times.(B) Differences exist among people even if they are of the same generation.(C) Modern people can have different life expectancy, with only a few years apart.(D) Modern people of different age groups may easily sharea common viewpoint.9. (A) We have made doubled efforts to increase the attendance.(B) We need to find another 80 agents for our sales conference.(C) This year’s attendance will almost double that of the last.(D) More than 280 people will c ome to this year’s conference.10. (A) We have invested less than half a million in that project.(B) We have invested almost three million in that project.(C) We have invested five million or so in that project.(D) We have invested about seven million in that project.2. Talks and ConversationsDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear several short talks and conversations. After each of these, you will hear a few questions. Listen carefully because you will hear the talk or conversation and questions ONL Y ONCE. When you hear a question, read the four answer choices and choose the best answer to that question. Then write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.Questions 11--1411. (A) Husband and wife.(B) Customer and waitress.(C) Tenent and door-keeper(D) Patient and doctor.12. (A) His mother. (B) His father. (C) His child. (D) Himself.13. (A) Red salty beef. (B) Spicy seafood.(C) Fish and chips. (D) Sausages and eggs.14. (A) A notice. (B) Two tablets.(C) Some medicine. (D) Some red wine. Questions 15--1815. (A) In 1800 (B) In 1851(C) In 1939 (D) In 195016. (A) T o attract people all over the world.(B) To save millions of dollars in hotel accommodation.(C) To offset the imbalance in foreign trade.(D) To outweigh the benefits and potential revenues.17. (A) T o promote scientific exchanges.(B) To define cross-cultural communications.(C) To improve their national images(D) To display their technological advancements.18. (A) the presentation of new inventions.(B) the promotion of cultural exchanges.(C) the ambition of nation branding.(D) the creation of a universal language.Questions 19--2219. (A) Because she wanted to invite him to Spain.(B) Because she needed some help to find a hotel.(C) Because she asked him to book a hotel.(D) Because she thought that he had been ill for some time.20. (A) He generally camped around while traveling in Spain.(B) He used to work hard in a seaside hotel in Spain.(C) He found it difficult to travel around Spain on his own.(D) He normally would help Joyce to find a hotel in Spain.21. (A) She can not put up with her noisy kids.(B) She can not organize the trip to Spain.(C) She has to find hotel rooms for her kids.(D) She has to rent a bigger car for the camping equipment.22. (A) Visit Joyce Cook.(B) Phone Mr and Mrs Simpson.(C) Book the hotel rooms in advance.(D) Consult someone else.23. (A) It has fixed weight. (B) It has functions.(C) It has color. (D) It has surface.24. (A) One-sixth pound. (B) One-fourth pound.(C) One-third pound. (D) Half a pound.25. (A) The weight of an object on the earth’s surface.(B) The power of attraction between two objects.(C) The natural beauty of an object in space.(D) The attraction of ancient objects and relics.26. (A) Because there is less air on the Moon.(B) Because the moon is not inhabitable.(C) Because the moon is too far away from the earth.(D) Because the moon is much smaller.Questions 27--3027. (A) An advertising agency.(B) A beautiful picture.(C) A project from the finance office.(D) A catalogue of products.28. (A) They don’t have enough money for extra copies.(B) They don’t have time to print the n ew catalogue.(C) They cannot get in touch with their regular customers.(D) They cannot attend the expo coming up this spring.29. (A) Right away. (B) At noon.(C) In the afternoon. (D) In a couple of days.30. (A) T o approve a budget supplement.(B) To pay the advertising agency for the expo.(C) To hold Mrs Cater responsible for the catalogue.(D) To design a real eye-catcher.Part C: Listening and Translation1. Sentence TranslationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear 5 sentences in English. You will hear the sentences ONL Y ONCE. After you have heard each sentence, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)2. Passage TranslationDirections: In this part of the test, you will hear 2 passages in English. You will hear the passages ONL Y ONCE. After you have heard each passage, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET. You may take notes while you are listening.(1)(2)SECTION 2: STUDY SKILLS (45 minutes)Directions: In this section, you will read several passages. Each passage is followed by several questions based on following each passage on the basis of what is stated orimplied in that passage and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.Questions 1-5On Saturday mornings I worked in the family shop. I started cycling down to the shop with Dad on Saturday as soon as I was b ig enough. I thought of it as giving him a hand and so I didn’t mind what I did, although it was mostly just fetching and carrying at a run all morning. I managed not to think of it as work and I looked forward to the bar of chocolate my grandmother passed me unsmilingly as I left. I tried not to look at her; I had reason to feel guilty because I’d generally already eaten some dried fruits or a sliver of cheese when no one was looking. As soon as I was fifteen, though, Dad said, “That’s it, our Janet. You’r e of working age now and you’re not coming to work unless your grandmother pays you properly.’ He did his best to make his chin look determined. “I shall speak to her.”The next Saturday, Gran called me into her little office behind the shop. I always hated going in there. She had an electric heater on full blast, and the windows were always kept tightly closed whatever the weather. There were piles of dusty catalogues and brochures on the floor. “You’re wanting to get paid, I hear,” Gran said. “Yes, please,”I replied. It was rather like visiting the head mistress at school, so I was very quiet and respectful. Gran searched through the mess of papers on her crowded desk, sighing and clicking her tongue. Eventually she produced an official-looking leaflet and ran her fingers along the columns of figures. “How old are you?” “Fifteen ... Gran,” I added for extra politeness, but she looked at me as if I had been cheeky. “Full-timers at your age get twohundred and forty pounds for a thirty-five-hour week,” she a nnounced in such a way as to leave no doubt that she wasn’t in favour of this. “No wonder there’s no profit in shopkeeping! So, Janet, what’s that per hour?” Question like that always flustered me. Instead of trying to work them out in my head, I would jus t stand there unable to think straight. “I’ll get a pencil and paper,” I offered. “Don’t bother,” snapped Gran angrily, “I’ll do it myself. I’ll give you 6 pounds an hour; take it or leave it,” “I’ll take it, please,” “And I expect real work for it, mind. N o standing about, and if I catch you eating any of the stock, there’ll be trouble. That’s theft, and it’s a crime.”From then on, my main job at the shop was filling the shelves. This was dull, but I hardly expected to be trusted with handling the money. Once or twice, however, when Dad was extra busy, I’d tried to help him by serving behind the counter. I hated it. It was very difficult to remember the prices of everything and I was particularly hopeless at using the till. Certain customers made unkind remarks about this, increasing my confusion and the chances of making a fool of myself.It was an old-established village shop, going back 150 years at least and it was really behind the times even then. Dad longed to be able to make the shop more attractiv e to customers, but Gran wouldn’t hear of it. I overheard them once arguing about whether to buy a freezer cabinet. “Our customers want frozen food,” Dad said. “They see things advertised and if they can’t get them from us, they’ll go elsewhere.” “Your fa ther always sold fresh food,” Gran replied. “People come here for quality, they don’t want all that frozen stuff.”1. How did Janet feel when she first started her Saturday morning job?(A) She enjoyed the work that she was given.(B) She was pleased to be helping her father.(C) She worried that she was not doing it well.(D) She was only really interested in the reward.2. What do we learn about her grandmother’s office in the second paragraph?(A) It was untidy.(B) It was dark.(C) It needed decorating.(D) It had too much furniture in it.3. The word “flustered” (para. 2) means _______.(A) bored (B) angered (C) confused (D) depressed4. What did Janet’s father and grandmother disagree about?(A) How to keep their customers loyal to the shop.(B) The type of advertising needed to attract customers.(C) The type of customers they wanted to attract.(D) How to get new customers to come to the shop.5. What impression do we get of Janet’s feelings towards her grandmother?(A) She respected her fairness.(B) She doubted her judgment.(C) She disliked her manner.(D) She admired her determination.Questions 6-10Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such prominent features had altered the appearance of the town centre entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants.Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week’s storm, when the winds brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis.When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn’t have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this has the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper.It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyed, took the initiative and drove him to the doctor’s door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn’t have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist’s to get his p rescribed antibiotics and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed.When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, groaned thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head.It wa sn’t until Saturday, when the antibiotics took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realised with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams’ large house stood in a sizeable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafygarden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook.Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This has not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that disguised the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house.With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn’t bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great m any upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams’ every movement.“Doesn’t it look terrible?” Pelham croaked to his wife.But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. “That’s what I’ve been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.”6. Why were some people in Brackham annoyed after the storm?(A) The town looked different.(B) The police had done little to help.(C) No market could be held.(D) Fallen trees had not been removed.7. What do we learn about Chief Inspector Pelham and his work, from the third paragraph?(A) He found his work extremely annoying.(B) He was sure that he fulfilled a vital role in his work.(C) He considered the police systems not efficient.(D) He did not trust the decisions made by his superiors.8. When Inspector Pelham’s wife first told him about the walnut tree, he appeared to be _______.(A) worried (B) shocked (C) saddened (D) uninterested9. As a result of the storm, the Pelh ams’ living-room _______.(A) was pleasantly lighter (B) felt less private(C) had a better view (D) was in need of repair10. From what we learn of Inspector Pelham, he could best be described as _______.(A) open-minded (B) well-likedQuestions 11-15A team of world-leading neuro-scientists has developed a powerful technique that allows them to look deep inside a person’s brain and read their intentions before they act. The research breaks controversial new ground in scientists’ ability to probe people’s minds and eavesdrop on their thoughts, and raises serious ethical issues over how brain-reading technology may be used in the future. The team used high-resolution brain scans to identify patterns of activity before translating them into meaningful thoughts, revealing what a person planned to do in the near future. It is the first time scientists have succeeded in reading intentions in this way.“Using the scanner, we co uld look around the brain for this inf ormation and read out something that from the outside there’s no way you could possibly tell is in there. It’s like shining a torch around, looking for writing on a wall,” said John-Dylan Haynes at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany, who led the study with colleagues at University College London and Oxford University.The research builds on a series of recent studies in whichbrain imaging has been used to identify tell-tale activity linked to lying, violent behaviour and racial prejudice. The latest work reveals the dramatic pace at which neuro-science is progressing, prompting the researchers to call for an urgent debate into the ethical issues surrounding future uses for the technology.If brain-reading can be refined, it could quickly be adopted to assist interrogations of criminals and terrorists, and even usher in a “Minority Report” era (as portrayed in the Steven Spielberg science fiction film of that name), where judgments are handed down before the law is broken on the strength of an incriminating brain scan. “These techniques are emerging and we need an ethical debate about the implications, so that one day we’re not surprised and overwhelmed and caught on the wrong foot by what they can do. These things are going to come to us in the next few years and we should really be prepared,” Professor Haynes said. The use of brain scanners to judge whether people are likely to commit crimes is a contentious issue that society shou ld tackle now, according to Haynes. “We see the danger that this might become compulsory one day, but we have to be aware that if we prohibit it, we are also denying people who aren’t going to commit any crime the possibility of proving their innocence.”During the study, the researchers asked volunteers to decide whether to add or subtract two numbers they were later shown on a screen. Before the numbers flashed up, they were given a brain scan using a technique called functional magnetic imaging resonance. The researchers then used a software that had been designed to spot subtle differences in brain activity to predict the person’s intentions with 70 percent accuracy.Because brains differ so much, the scientists need a goodidea of what a person’s brain activity looks like when they are thinking something to be able to spot it in a scan, but researchers are already devising ways of deducing what patterns are associated with different thoughts.11. According to the passage, the brain-reading technology can be used ______.(A) to eavesdrop on potential criminals and terrorists.(B) to probe people’s minds and read their intentions.(C) to design a software to spot subtle differences in brain activity.(D) to suppress activities linked to lying, violence and discrimination.12. Which of the following words can best describe the research on the brain scan?(A) Ethical.(B) Powerful.(C) Compulsory.(D) Groundbreaking.13. What should people do before brain scans are to be put into practical use?(A) Mobilize adequate resources.(B) Resolve controversial issues.(C) Improve the scanner’s accuracy.(D) Identify different brain activities.14. The word “this” in the sentence “We see the danger that this might become compulsory one day, …” (para.5) refers to ______.(A) the use of brain scanners(B) the prohibition of brain scanners(C) warning people who are likely to commit crimes(D) denying people the possibility of proving their innocence15. How did neuroscientists manage to detect different brain activities of people?(A) Flashing them up on a screen.(B) Deducing varying patterns.(C) Using a designed software.(D) Predicting their intentions.Questions 16-20Why bankrupt yourself in a so-called old people’s home? Try a health spa—it might actually be cheaper.Sometimes I see old ladies shuffling along the pavement with their sticks, Zimmer frames for greater support, swollen ankles, backs bent, fingers clutching at the small bag of shopping for one, and I think: “There goes my future.”But perhaps it need not be like that. Instead of bankrupting oneself or the state with the increasingly high cost of home care or an old people’s home, why not try a health spa instead?My friend Rosemary has just returned from a five-day visit to one of these health farms, which she thought might aid her recovery from her heart attack.It wasn’t exactly her cup of tea, she said: a sort of mix between mall shopping and a Saga cruise, “with the same awful whirlpools, people waiting about half-clothed, and loads of boutiques selling odd things.It would have been more beneficial had she not foolishly tried yoga and lay on the floor trying to breathe. One should not do this after a heart attack.Rosemary soon felt clammy and sick, sat on a chair, and then, even more foolishly, raised her arms above her head and nearly flaked out. So she staggered to the smoking room, now hiddenaway in a distant chalet behind the lawn because despite a tremendous struggle, she hasn’t quite managed to give up completely yet.But the food was fabulous, the grounds were heavenly, and there were hordes of charming young staff, and loads of free activities, not all strenuous. Rosemary was able to do blessed little for five days and she did have a lovely rest—perfect if one is old and fairly helpless.When m y mother was alive, I took her to both Rosemary’s health spa and a local care home. It wasn’t a nursing home—my mother was able to wash and dress herself and move about—but entertainment and activities were minimal and the food was grim: the customary dried chicken legs and bits of quiche and white bread ham sandwiches for supper.This wretched place cost exactly the same as the health spa. How can the spa do it for that price and also manage respect for guests, fabulous food and attractive surroundings? W e just can’t work it out.16. What does the author mean when she thinks “There goes my future.” (para. 2)?(A) The same is true of her future.(B) Her future might be worse.(C) She doesn’t have much of a future.(D) She can’t tell what her future hold s for her.17. In the author’s eyes, why did her friend Rosemary benefit less in the health spa?(A) Because she did her mall shopping instead.(B) Because she reverted to her old habit of smoking.(C) Because she did physical exercise not suitable for her.(D) Because she stayed there for a span of five days.18. The author’s high opinion of the health spa is based on ______.(A) her own experience(B) her friend Rosemary’s experience(C) her mother’s experience(D) both Rosemary’s and her mother’s ex periences19. According to the passage, which of the following can be found in a care home?(A) Loads of boutiques.(B) Lots of free activities.(C) Charming young staff.(D) Poor-quality food.20. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.(A) Rosemary will revisit the health spa and stay there longer for recovery(B) a care home is not as attractive as the health spa(C) the health spa is more to the taste of old ladies than to old menQuestions 21-25The latest gloomy news from journalism’s battere d front lines is that the prestigious New York Times (NYT) is laying off 100 staff. Paper-and-ink newspapers are in deep trouble, there’s no doubt about that. But the NYT, as comprehensive as its news coverage sometimes is, is hardly in a position to offer the real story on its current woes, anymore than a psychoanalyst is able to objectively analyze him or herself.What’s bad for the NYT is not necessarily bad for journalism any more than what is good for the NYT is necessarily good for journalism. But with more than 100 newspapers closing down last year, troubles at the NYT can be seen in a general perspective as。

2009-2010年专八(TEM8)真题、答案及听力原文(整理打印版)

TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2010)-GRADE EIGHT-TIME LIMIT: 195 MIN PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (35 MIN)SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Paralinguistic Features of LanguageIn face to face communication speakers often alter their tones of voices or change their physical posture in order to convey messages. These means are called paralinguistic features of language, which fall into two categories.First category: vocal paralinguistic features(1)_____: to express attitude or intention examples (1)_______1. whispering: need for secrecy2. breathiness: deep emotion3. (2)_______: unimportance (2)_______4. nasality: anxiety5. extra lip-rounding: greater intimacySecond category: physical paralinguistic featuresA. facial expressions(3)____________ (3)_______— smiling: signal of pleasure or welcome less common expressions— eyebrow raising: surprise or interest— lip biting: (4)_________________ (4)_______ B. gestureGestures are related to culture.British culture— shrugging shoulders: (5)_______ (5)_______ — scratching head: puzzlement other cultures— placing hand upon heart: (6)_______ (6)_______ — pointing at nose: secretC. proximity, posture and echoing1. proximity: physical distance between speakers— closeness: intimacy or threat—(7)_______: formality or absence of interest (7)_______ Proximity is person-, culture- and (8)_______ -specific. (8)_______2. posture— hunched shoulders or a hanging head: to indicate (9)_______ (9)_______ — direct level eye contact: to express an open or challenging attitude3. echoing— definition: imitation of similar posture—(1)_______: aid in communication (10)_______ SECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the interview.1. According to Dr. Johnson, diversity means _______.A. merging of different cultural identitiesB. more emphasis on homogeneityC. embracing of more ethnic differencesD. acceptance of more branches of Christianity2. According to the interview, which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. Some places are more diverse than others.B. Towns are less diverse than large cities.C. Diversity can be seen everywhere.D. America is a truly diverse country.3. According to Dr. Johnson, which place will witness a radical change in its racial makeup by 2025?A. Maine.B. Selinsgrove.C. Philadelphia.D. California.4. During the interview Dr. Johnson indicates that _______.A. greater racial diversity exists among younger populationsB. both older and younger populations are racially diverseC. age diversity could lead to pension problemsD. older populations are more racially diverse5. According to the interview, religious diversity _______.A. was most evident between 1990 and 2000B. exists among Muslim immigrantsC. is restricted to certain places in the USD. is spreading to more parts of the countrySECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.6. What is the main idea of the news item?A. Sony developed a computer chip for cell phones.B. Japan will market its wallet phone abroad.C. The wallet phone is one of the wireless innovations.D. Reader devices are available at stores and stations.Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.7. Which of the following is mentioned as the government's measure to control inflation?A. Foreign investment.B. Donor support.C. Price control.D. Bank prediction.8. According to Kingdom Bank, what is the current inflation rate in Zimbabwe?A. 20 million percent.B. 2.2 million percent.C. 11.2 million percent.D. Over 11.2 million percent.Question 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.9. Which of the following is CORRECT?A. A big fire erupted on the Nile River.B. Helicopters were used to evacuate people.C. Five people were taken to hospital for burns.D. A big fire took place on two floors.10. The likely cause of the big fire is _______ .A. electrical short-circuitB. lack of fire-safety measuresC. terrorismD. not knownPART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions.Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT AWe had been wanting to expand our children's horizons by taking them to a place that was unlike anything we'd been exposed to during our travels in Europe and the United States. In thinking about what was possible from Geneva, where we are based, we decided on a trip to Istanbul, a two-hour plane ride from Zurich.Among the great cities of the world, Kolkata (formerly spelt as Calcutta), the capital of India's West Bengal, and the home of nearly 15 million people, is often mentioned as the only one that still has a large fleet of hand-pulled rickshaws.Rickshaws are not there to haul around tourists. It's the people in the lanes who most regularly use rickshaws — not the poor but people who are just a notch above the poor. They are people who tend to travel short distances, through lanes that are sometimes inaccessible to even the most daring taxi driver. An older woman with marketing to do, for instance, can arrive in a rickshaw, have the rickshaw puller wait until she comes back from various stalls to load her purchases, and then be taken home. People in the lanes use rickshaws as a 24-hour ambulance service. Proprietors of cafes or corner stores send rickshaws to collect their supplies. The rickshaw pullers told me their steadiest customers are school children. Middle-class families contract with a puller to take a child to school and pick him up; the puller essentially becomes a family retainer.From June to September Kolkata can get torrential rains. During my stay it once rained for about 48 hours. Entire neighborhoods couldn't be reached by motorized vehicles, and the newspapers showed pictures of rickshaws being pulled through water that was up to the pullers' waists. When it's raining, the normal customer base for rickshaw pullers expands greatly, as does the price of a journey. A writer in Kolkata told me, "When it rains, even the governor takes rickshaws."While I was in Kolkata, a magazine called India Today published its annual ranking of Indian states, according to such measurements as prosperity and infrastructure. Among India's 20 largest states, Bihar finished dead last, as it has for four of the past five years. Bihar, a few hundred miles north of Kolkata, is where the vast majority of rickshaw pullers come from. Once in Kolkata, they sleep on the street or in their rickshaws or in a dera — a combination of garage and repair shop and dormitory managed by someone called a sardar. For sleeping privileges in a dera, pullers pay 100 rupees (about $2.50) a month, which sounds like a pretty good deal until you've visited a dera. They gross between 100 and 150 rupees a day, out of which they have to pay 20 rupees for the use of the rickshaw and an occasional 75 or more for a payoff if a policeman stops them for, say, crossing a street where rickshaws are prohibited. A 2003 study found that rickshaw pullers are near the bottom of Kolkata occupations in income, doing better than only the beggars. For someone without land or education, that still beats trying to make a living in Bihar.There are people in Kolkata, particularly educated and politically aware people, who will not ride in a rickshaw, because they are offended by the idea of being pulled by another human being or because they consider it not the sort of thing people of their station do or because they regard the hand-pulled rickshaw as a relic of colonialism. Ironically, some of those people are not enthusiastic about banning rickshaws. The editor of the editorial pages of Kolkata's Telegraph —Rudrangshu Mukherjee, a former academic who still writes history books — told me, for instance, that he sees humanitarian considerations as coming down on the side of keeping hand-pulled rickshaws on the road. "I refuse to be carried by another human being myself," he said, "but I question whether we have the right to take away their livelihood." Rickshaw supporters point out that when it comes to demeaning occupations, rickshaw pullers are hardly unique in Kolkata.When I asked one rickshaw puller if he thought the government's plan to rid the city of rickshaws was based on a genuineinterest in his welfare, he smiled, with a quick shake of his head — a gesture I interpreted to mean, "If you are so na?ve as to ask such a question, I will answer it, but it is not worth wasting words on." Some rickshaw pullers I met were resigned to the imminent end of their livelihood and pinned their hopes on being offered something in its place. As migrant workers, they don't have the political clout enjoyed by, say, Kolkata's sidewalk hawkers, who, after supposedly being scaled back at the beginning of the modernization drive, still clog the sidewalks, selling absolutely everything —or, as I found during the 48 hours of rain, absolutely everything but umbrellas. "The government was the government of the poor people," one sardar told me. "Now they shake hands with the capitalists and try to get rid of poor people."But others in Kolkata believe that rickshaws will simply be confined more strictly to certain neighborhoods, out of the view of World Bank traffic consultants and California investment delegations —or that they will be allowed to die out naturally as they're supplanted by more modern conveyances. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, after all, is not the first high West Bengal official to say that rickshaws would be off the streets of Kolkata in a matter of months. Similar statements have been made as far back as 1976. The ban decreed by Bhattacharjee has been delayed by a court case and by a widely held belief that some retraining or social security settlement ought to be offered to rickshaw drivers. It may also have been delayed by a quiet reluctance to give up something that has been part of the fabric of the city for more than a century. Kolkata, a resident told me, "has difficulty letting go." One day a city official handed me a report from the municipal government laying out options for how rickshaw pullers might be rehabilitated."Which option has been chosen?" I asked, noting that the report was dated almost exactly a year before my visit."That hasn't been decided," he said."When will it be decided?""That hasn't been decided," he said.11. According to the passage, rickshaws are used in Kolkata mainly for the following purposes EXCEPT _______.A. taking foreign tourists around the city.B. providing transport to school children.C. carrying store supplies and purchases.D. carrying people over short distances.12. Which of the following statements best describes the rickshaw pullers from Bihar?A. They come from a relatively poor area.B. They are provided with decent accommodation.C. Their living standards are very low in Kolkata.D. They are often caught by policemen in the streets.13. That "For someone without land or education, that still beats trying to make a living in Bihar" (4th paragraph) means that even so, _______.A. the poor prefer to work and live in Bihar.B. the poor from Bihar fare better than back home.C. the poor never try to make a living in Bihar.D. the poor never seem to resent their life in Kolkata.14. We can infer from the passage that some educated and politically aware people _______.A. hold mixed feelings towards rickshaws.B. strongly support the ban on rickshaws.C. call for humanitarian actions for rickshaw pullers.D. keep quiet on the issue of banning rickshaws.15. Which of the following statements conveys the author's sense of humour?A. "...— not the poor but people who are just a notch above the poor." (2nd paragraph)B. "..., whic h sounds like a pretty good deal until you’ve visited a dera." (4th paragraph)C. Kolkata, a resident told me, "has difficulty letting go." (7th paragraph)D. "...or, as I found during the 48 hours of rain, absolutely everything but umbrellas." (6th paragraph)16. The dialogue between the author and the city official at the end of the passage seems to suggest _______.A. the uncertainty of the court's decision.B. the inefficiency of the municipal government.C. the difficulty of finding a good solution.D. the slowness in processing options.TEXT BDepending on whom you believe, the average American will, over a lifetime, wait in lines for two years (says National Public Radio) or five years (according to some customer-loyalty experts).The crucial word is average, as wealthy Americans routinely avoid lines altogether. Once the most democratic of institutions, lines are rapidly becoming the exclusive province of suckers (people who still believe in and practice waiting in lines). Poor suckers, mostly.Airports resemble France before the Revolution: first-class passengers enjoy "élite" security lines and priority boarding, and disembark before the unwashed in coach, held at bay by a flight attendant, are allowed to foul the Jet-way.At amusement parks, too, you can now buy your way out of line. This summer I haplessly watched kids use a $52 Gold Flash Pass to jump the lines at Six Flags New England, and similar systems are in use in most major American theme parks, from Universal Orlando to Walt Disney World, where the haves get to watch the have-mores breeze past on their way to their seats.Flash Pass teaches children a valuable lesson in real-world economics: that the rich are more important than you, especially when it comes to waiting. An NBA player once said to me, with a bemused chuckle of disbelief, that when playing in Canada —get this — "We have to wait in the same customs line as everybody else."Almost every line can be breached for a price. In several U.S. cities this summer, early arrivers among the early adopters waiting to buy iPhones offered to sell their spots in the lines. On Craigslist, prospective iPhone purchasers offered to pay "waiters" or "placeholders" to wait in line for them outside Apple stores.Inevitably, some semi-populist politicians have seen the value of sort-of waiting in lines with the ordinary people. This summer Philadelphia mayor John Street waited outside an AT&T store from 3:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. before a stand-in from his office literally stood in for the mayor while he conducted official business. And billionaire New York mayor Michael Bloomberg often waits for the subway with his fellow citizens, though he's first driven by motorcade past the stop nearest his house to astation 22 blocks away, where the wait, or at least the ride, is shorter.As early as elementary school, we're told that jumping the line is an unethical act, which is why so many U.S. lawmakers have framed the immigration debate as a kind of fundamental sin of the school lunch line. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, to cite just one legislator, said amnesty would allow illegal immigrants "to cut in line ahead of millions of people."Nothing annoys a national lawmaker more than a person who will not wait in line, unless that line is in front of an elevator at the U.S. Capitol, where Senators and Representatives use private elevators, lest they have to queue with their constituents.But compromising the integrity of the line is not just antidemocratic, it's out-of-date. There was something about the orderly boarding of Noah's Ark, two by two, that seemed to restore not just civilization but civility during the Great Flood.How civil was your last flight? Southwest Airlines has first-come, first-served festival seating. But for $5 per flight, an unaffiliated company called will secure you a coveted "A" boarding pass when that airline opens for online check-in 24 hours before departure. Thus, the savvy traveler doesn't even wait in line when he or she is online.Some cultures are not renowned for lining up. Then again, some cultures are too adept at lining up: a citizen of the former Soviet Union would join a queue just so he could get to the head of that queue and see what everyone was queuing for.And then there is the U.S., where society seems to be cleaving into two groups: Very Important Persons, who don't wait, and Very Impatient Persons, who do — unhappily.For those of us in the latter group — consigned to coach, bereft of Flash Pass, too poor or proper to pay a placeholder — what do we do? We do what Vladimir and Estragon did in Waiting for Godot: "We wait. We are bored."17. What does the following sentence mean? "Once the most democratic of institutions, lines are rapidly becoming the exclusive province of suckers ... Poor suckers, mostly." (2nd paragraph)A. Lines are symbolic of America's democracy.B. Lines still give Americans equal opportunities.C. Lines are now for ordinary Americans only.D. Lines are for people with democratic spirit only.18. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of breaching the line?A. Going through the customs at a Canadian airport.B. Using Gold Flash Passes in amusement parks.C. First-class passenger status at airports.D. Purchase of a place in a line from a placeholder.19. We can infer from the passage that politicians (including mayors and Congressmen) _______.A. prefer to stand in lines with ordinary people.B. advocate the value of waiting in lines.C. believe in and practice waiting in lines.D. exploit waiting in lines for their own good.20. What is the tone of the passage?A. Instructive.B. Humorous.C. Serious.D. Teasing.TEXT CA bus took him to the West End, where, among the crazy coloured fountains of illumination, shattering the blue dusk with green and crimson fire, he found the café of his choice, a tea-shop that had gone mad and turned Babylonian, a white palace with ten thousand lights. It towered above the older buildings like a citadel, which indeed it was, the outpost of a new age, perhaps a new civilization, perhaps a new barbarism; and behind the thin marble front were concrete and steel, just as behind the careless profusion of luxury were millions of pence, balanced to the last halfpenny. Somewhere in the background, hidden away, behind the ten thousand lights and acres of white napery and bewildering glittering rows of teapots, behind the thousand waitresses and cash-box girls and black-coated floor managers and temperamental long-haired violinists, behind the mounds of cauldrons of stewed steak, the vanloads of ices, were a few men who went to work juggling with fractions of a farthing, who knew how many units of electricity it took to finish a steak-and-kidney pudding and how many minutes and seconds a waitress (five feet four in height and in average health) would need to carry a tray of given weight from the kitchen lift to the table in the far corner. In short, there was a warm, sensuous, vulgar life flowering in the upper storeys, and a cold science working in the basement. Such was the gigantic tea-shop into which Turgis marched, in search not of mere refreshment but of all the enchantment of unfamiliar luxury. Perhaps he knew in his heart that men have conquered half the known world, looted whole kingdoms, and never arrived in such luxury. The place was built for him.It was built for a great many other people too, and, as usual, they were all there. It steamed with humanity. The marble entrance hall, piled dizzily with bonbons and cakes, was as crowded and bustling as a railway station. The gloom and grime of the streets, the raw air, all November, were at once left behind, forgotten: the atmosphere inside was golden, tropical, belonging to some high mid-summer of confectionery. Disdaining the lifts, Turgis, once more excited by the sight, sound, and smell of it all, climbed the wide staircase until he reached his favourite floor, where an orchestra led by a young Jewish violinist with wandering lustrous eyes and a passion for tremolo effects, acted as a magnet to a thousand girls. The door was swung open for him by a page; there burst, like a sugary bomb, the clatter of cups, the shrill chatter of white-and-vermilion girls, and, cleaving the golden, scented air, the sensuous clamour of the strings; and, as he stood hesitating a moment, half dazed, there came, bowing, a sleek grave man, older than he was and far more distinguished than he could ever hope to be, who murmured deferentially: "For one, sir? This way, please." Shyly, yet proudly, Turgis followed him.21. That "behind the thin marble front were concrete and steel" suggests that _______.A. modern realistic commercialism existed behind the luxurious appearance.B. there was a fundamental falseness in the style and the appeal of the café.C. the architect had made a sensible blend of old and new building materials.D. the cafe was based on physical foundations and real economic strength.22. The following words or phrases are somewhat critical of the tea-shop EXCEPT _______.A. "... turned Babylonian".B. "perhaps a new barbarism".C. "acres of white napery".D. "balanced to the last halfpenny".23. In its context the statement that "the place was built for him" means that the café was intended to _______.A. please simple people in a simple way.B. exploit gullible people like him.C. satisfy a demand that already existed.D. provide relaxation for tired young men.24. Which of the following statements about the second paragraph is NOT true?A. The café appealed to most senses simultaneously.B. The café was both full of people and full of warmth.C. The inside of the café was contrasted with the weather outside.D. It stressed the commercial determination of the café owners.25. The following are comparisons made by the author in the second paragraph EXCEPT that _______.A. the entrance hall is compared to a railway station.B. the orchestra is compared to a magnet.C. Turgis welcomed the lift like a conquering soldier.D. the interior of the café is compared to warm countries.26. The author's attitude to the café is _______.A. fundamentally critical.B. slightly admiring.C. quite undecided.D. completely neutral.TEXT DNow elsewhere in the world, Iceland may be spoken of, somewhat breathlessly, as Western Europe's last pristine wilderness. But the environmental awareness that is sweeping the world had bypassed the majority of Icelanders. Certainly they were connected to their land, the way one is complicatedly connected to, or encumbered by, family one can't do anything about. But the truth is, once you're off the beaten paths of the low-lying coastal areas where everyone lives, the roads are few, and they're all bad, so Iceland's natural wonders have been out of reach and unknown even to its own inhabitants. For them the land has always just been there, something that had to be dealt with and, if possible, exploited — the mind-set being one of land as commodity rather than land as, well, priceless art on the scale of the "Mona Lisa."When the opportunity arose in 2003 for the national power company to enter into a 40-year contract with the American aluminum company Alcoa to supply hydroelectric power for a new smelter (冶炼厂), those who had been dreaming of something like this for decades jumped at it and never looked back. Iceland may at the moment be one of the world's richest countries, with a 99 percent literacy rate and long life expectancy. But the project's advocates, some of them getting on in years, were more emotionally attuned to the country's century upon century of want, hardship, and colonial servitude to Denmark, which officially ended only in 1944 and whose psychological imprint remained relatively fresh. For the longest time, life here had meant little more than a hut, dark all winter, cold, no hope, children dying left and right, earthquakes, plagues, starvation, volcanoes erupting and destroying all vegetation and livestock, all spirit — a world revolving almost entirely around the welfare of one's sheep and, later, on how good the cod catch was. In the outlying regions, it still largely does.Ostensibly, the Alcoa project was intended to save one of these dying regions — the remote and sparsely populated east —where the way of life had steadily declined to a point of desperation and gloom. After fishing quotas were imposed in the early 1980s to protect fish stocks, many individual boat owners sold their allotments or gave them away, fishing rights ended up mostly in the hands of a few companies and small fishermen were virtually wiped out. Technological advances drained away even more jobs previously done by human hands, and the people were seeing everything they had worked for all their lives turn up worthless and their children move away. With the old way of life doomed, aluminum projects like this one had come to be perceived, wisely or not, as a last chance. "Smelter or death."The contract with Alcoa would infuse the region with foreign capital, an estimated 400 jobs, and spin-off service industries. It also was a way for Iceland to develop expertise that potentially could be sold to the rest of the world; diversify an economy historically dependent on fish; and, in an appealing display of Icelandic can-do verve, perhaps even protect all of Iceland, once and for all, from the unpredictability of life itself."We have to live," Halldor Asgrimsson said. Halldor, a former prime minister and longtime member of parliament from the region, was a driving force behind the project. "We have a right to live."27. According to the passage, most Icelanders view land as something of _______.A. environmental value.B. commercial value.C. potential value for tourism.D. great value for livelihood.28. What is Iceland’s old-aged advocates' feeling towards the Alcoa project?A. Iceland is wealthy enough to reject the project.B. The project would lower life expectancy.C. The project would cause environmental problems.D. The project symbolizes an end to the colonial legacies.29. The disappearance of the old way of life was due to all the following EXCEPT _______.A. fewer fishing companies.B. fewer jobs available.C. migration of young people.D. imposition of fishing quotas.30. The 4th paragraph in the passage ________.A. sums up the main points of the passage.B. starts to discuss an entirely new point.C. elaborates on the last part of the 3rd paragraph.D. continues to depict the bleak economic situation.PART ⅢGENERAL KNOWLEDGE(10 MIN)There are ten multiple-choice questions in this section. Choose the best answers to each question. Mark your answers on your colored answer sheet.31. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. The British constitution includes the Magna Carta of 1215.B. The British constitution includes Parliamentary acts.C. The British constitution includes decisions made by courts of law.D. The British constitution includes one single written constitution.32. The first city ever founded in Canada is _______.。

历年英语翻译中级口译考试试题及答案(完整版)

历年英语翻译中级口译考试试题及答案(完整版)Spot DictationIn America there are no nobles or men of letters, and the common folk mistrust the wealthy; Consequently lawyers formthe highest political class and the most cultivated circle of society. They have therefore nothing to gain by innovation, which adds a conservative interest to their natural taste for public order. If I were asked where I place the American aristocracy, I should reply without hesitation that it is not composed of the rich, who are united together by no commontie, but that it occupies the judicial bench and the bar.When I started researching this topic, I found an interesting website “Legal Reform Now”. As the name suggests, this website is devoted to legal reform and it is definitely concerned about the dominance of lawyers in American government. There I read an article by a political science professor from the university of Wisconsin. One observation the UW article confirms is that the legal profession is the dominant profession of the people re-electto public office. For example, about half our representatives and two-thirds of our senators are lawyers. No otherprofession comes close to having the same the number ofpeople in political office. Effectively, lawyers form our nation’s most powerful organized political constituency in America. Lawyers make our laws and lawyers interpret our laws. When judges are appointed, the American bar association isthe only professional organization that is consulted to rate the fitness of potential judicial appointees. Our nation has been in existence for over 200 years and lawyers have beenthis nation’s aristocracy since its formation. Our system works, but do we really want to have a single profession in charge of our nation? Specifically, do we want to have the legal profession in charge? Next t ime you vote, that’s something to think about.评析:这篇文章是关于律师在美国的地位。

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2010年3月中级口译听力部分原文Spot dictationThe Internet is an excellent source for finding many types of information and for keeping up with new developments in the world. Today, an ever increasing number of people are using the Internet to dig up related information, conduct business, or personal activities, access electronic databases, send e-mail, and network with relatives, colleagues or friends. Frequently referred to as the Information Super Highway, the Internet is actually a network of computer networks. You maythink of the Internet as analogous to the inter-state highway system, Just as the inter-state system connects to different cities via many different routes, the Internet connects computers around the world via a number of different electronic pathways. At the most basic level, a computer, a modem, and a right type of software can get a person onto the Internet. Through the Internet you can access massive amounts of information by accessing computers that are linked together.Generally speaking, two types of information are available on the Internet, are the most useful for people. That is ,conversational resources, and reference resources.Conversational resources allow users to have conversations with individuals anywhere in the world. Mailing lists and news groups are the primary types of conversational resources. Mailing lists include electronic mail, whereby the user can read messages, send to any other individual, or group of individuals, who have subscribed by having their name and electronical mail address placed on the center’s list of addresses.News groups are essentially electronic bulletin boards. Any one with Internet access can post an article to the board, and any one with Internet access can read the board.The reference resources you most frequently encounter are the World Wide Web(www) or the web for short. The web uses HTML(hypertext markup language) to transfer text, sound, graphics and video. Of course, you need browsers to view documents, and navigate through the intricate links structure. The most popular and well-known browser is the Microsoft Internet Explorer.Statements1.Our firm is planning to start up a new branch in Australia early next year. And we are making a feasibility study of the proposal.2.You would like me to describe our chief accountant? Well, I could never stay awake andany of his briefings without first drinking at least three cups of coffee.3.Ms Brown has intact any previous working experience. She graduated from college 3 years ago, and started to work for us right away.4.When the secretary said that the memorandum will be ready on Wednesday,the General Manager told her to take her time.5.If you give us a 10 per cent discount on this product, we’ll place a second order immediately after we’ve received the first one next month.6.Scientists believe that some animals become extinct because of changes in climate. When the places they live become hotter or colder and they can’t adapt to the new surroundings, hey die.7.I’ve been looking into the question of having the products delivered by air. It’s quick. The goods are less liable to damage than by sea. And there is less risk of holdups.8.Today, with the rapid social and economic changes of modern times, generation gap is found within the same generation, between people of different ge groups-sometimes, with onlya few years apart.st year’s annual sales conference was a great success. We have an attendance of almost 100 agents and influential customers. This time, we are counting on more than 180.10.Originally, we have planned to invest 3.5 million in that project, but just look at this figure, it almost doubled that amount!PART 2Now, what seems to be the trouble?I don’t know. I often get dizzy when I climb any stairs and I feel that as though I’m going to faint.Uhm, well, your blood pressure is up.Is it?Do your parents have hypertension problems?Well, my father used to have low blood pressure. But after his retirement, he’s got kind of hypertension problem. My mother is okay.You have to be more careful as it is in the family.What can I do about it?Well, you have to stay off fatty or fried foods, less salty, and less spicy, if possible.Can I have fish and chips? I like it ever since my childhood.Not any more, I’m afraid. One more thing, no more smoking and alcohol drinking. It’s important for you to eat properly, and keep regular time and healthy styles.I see. I don’t smoke. But I sometimes drink a bit of red wine. Is that okay?Yes. And I’ll give you some tablets to take twice a day. I’ll put all these down in your case history. Come back in a week or so.Q11: What is the most likely relationship between the man and the woman?Q12: According to the man, who used to have low blood pressure?Q13: What kind of foods does the man like most?Q14: What does the woman give the man?The Universal Expo, also known as World’s Fair, is one of the three largest events in the world, in terms of economic and cultural impact. However, compared with the other great events, the Modern Olympic Games, and the World Cup, the Expo has the longest history.In 1851, the 1st Expo was held in London under the title “Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations”. At the Expo, participating countries will set up their national pavilions in distinctive architectural styles, with a view to attracting business people, and tourists all over the world. The cost for building such a pavilion could amount to millions of dollars. But it is often far outweighed by benefits and potential revenues thus generated.Usually an Expo will last between three and six months. The character of World Exhibitions has developed through history. Three stages are identified, namely, the eras of industrialization, of cultural exchange, and of nation branding.The 1st era covered roughly the period from 1800 to 1950. In these days, World Exhibitions were especially focused on trade and famous for the display of scientific and technological advancements.The 2nd era stared with the 1939 New York World’s Fair. From then on, World’s Fairs became more strongly based on a specific theme of cultural significance. Technology and inventions remains important, but no longer as the principal subjects. The defining elements of the Expos were cross-cultural communications and exchanges.Finally, in the early 1990s, countries started to use World Expo more widely and strongly as a platform to improve their national images.A study shows that improving national image was the primary participation goal for 73% of the countries at Expo, 2000. Today’s World’s Exhibitions embody elements of all three eras. They present new inventions, facilitate cultural exchange, and are used for city, region, and nation branding.Q15: When was the 1st World Expo held?Q16: According to the talk, why do participating countries build their national pavilions at the Expo?Q1:7 At Expo 2000, what was the primary goal for the majority of participating countries?Q18: Which of the following is not an element presented in the Expo?2624344, David Carter speaking.Hello, David. It’s Joyce, Joyce Cook.Hello, Joyce. How are you?I’m very well, thanks. How are you?Oh, not so bad, you know.Good. I rang to ask if you know anything about hotels on the Costa Brava.No, I’m afraid I can’t be very much helpful to you there. Why?Well, it’s just that we’ve been thinking of taking the family to Spain summer. And at this rather late stage, we’re trying to organize ourselves a suitable hotel. But I thought that you’ve been to the Costa Brava.I have several times. But I’ve always taken a tent and do it the hard way.Oh, I see. I didn’t realize that.Yes. Great one for the open area, you know.Oh, it must be nice. But we could never contemplate it with our lot. We are terribly disorganized as a family, you know, and we’d be in chaos at no time. And in any case, the car isn’t big enough to get all of us in and camping equipment as well. So we simply must find ourselves a nice hotel where they’ll put up with noisy kids.Uhm. You have got a problem. I’ll tell you what, Joyce. It’s just occurred to me Mr. and Mrs. Simpson from over the road have been to that part of Spain several times and I seem to remember them saying they always use some hotel.Do they?Yes. At least I think that’s what they said. I’ll pop round later this evening and if they do know anything that might be of use to you, I’ll get one or the other of them to give you a ring.Would you? That’s very kind of you.Q 19: Why did Joyce telephone David?Q 20: Which of the following is true about the man?Q 21: What is Joyce’s problem according to the man?Q 22: What does David promise to do in the evening?We are so used to our life on the surface on the earth that it’s not easy for our minds to break free of all the ideas that we take for granted. For example, we can feel things are heavy so we think of weight as a fixed quality in an object. But actually, it is not fixed at all. If you could take a one-pound packet of butter, 4,000 miles out from the earth, it would weigh only a quarter of a pound. The reason for such change of weight is this: all objects have a natural attraction for all other objects. This is called the gravitational attraction. But this power of attraction between two objects gets weaker as they get farther apart. So the weight of an object on the surface of the earth is not the same as its weight 4,000 miles out in space. What about the weight of one-pound of butter on the surface of the moon? There will be attraction between the butter and the moon, but the butter will weigh only about one-sixth as much as it does on earth. This is because the moon is so much smaller than the earth. The amount of the gravitational pull that a body produces depends on the amount of material in it. A packet of butter has a gravitation pull of its own, but it is very small in relation to the pull of something as large as the moon, or the earth.Q23: According to the speaker, what quality of an object is taken for granted by people?Q24: How much will a pound of butter weigh if it is brought 4,000 miles into space?Q25: What is the gravitational attraction?Q26: Why does an object weigh much less on the moon than it does on the earth?Helen, come and look at this.Oh, is this the new catalogue?Yes, it is. I had a design by an advertising agency this year.It’s beautiful. I love the colors. It’s certainly going to make everybody take notice about our products.Well, I think they did a good job. I’m going to get several thousand extra copies printed for the Expo that is coming up this spring.I’m sure we can use them at the Expo. But do we have enough money in the budget for them?No, but I think I can get the finance office to approve our budget supplement.When they see this, they’ll certainly be impressed. Are you going to be able to get all the colors we produced?Oh yes, it wouldn’t be nearly as effective without them.When will it be ready? Are you going to have it in time?I’m going to see Mrs. Carter in the finance office this afternoon. If she says we can go over the budget, I’ll get the catalogue printed right away. They’ll be ready in a couple of days.You have to mail most of those to our regular customers, won’t you?We’ll need a lot of them for the mailing, but there’ll be enough left for you to give out at the Expo.I hope so, because this catalogue is a real eye-catcher.But don’t worry about it. I’m sure I can make Mrs. Carter see why we need a little more money for the extra copies.I think anyone will be able to see what a wonderful catalogue this is.Q27: what are the man and woman talking about?Q28: what is the speaker’s major concern?Q29: when will the man see Mrs. Carter in the finance office?Q30: what is the finance office expected to do?句子听译:1.My parents never interfered with my plans too much. They advised me, but never forced me into doing anything I didn’t want to do.2.Weddings in the United States vary greatly. There are wedding in the church, on mountain tops, or even on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But no matter where and how, they all include certain traditional customs.3.According to government statistics,in 1990,there were twice as many men smokers as women smokers in the country. But now, women smokers have far outnumbered men smokers.4.Since it is a big order, I’ll accept your price up 8 dollars 30 cents. However it’s a very special offer and that leaves us little profit.5. Communication is much more than speaking and reading. True communication takes place when an understanding has been transfered from one party to another. Therefore, communication an be defined as the transfer of information.段落听译:America is a nation on wheels. Most Americans are car-owners and some are even obsessive about the subject. They can spend hours discussing whether to buy a foreign car or an American car, and deciding on the best family car or the best sports car. Car-repair is also a popular topic. You can participate in their discussion by talking about cars you have owned or by sharinginformation you read in automotive magazines such as Car And Driver or Popular Mecanics.Not long ago, individuals joined in an organisation and often stayed with it in their entire working career, and organisations often rewarded workers and employees. However, this concept of organisational loyalty has already faded. Starting in the mid 1980s, the average 20-year old employees were expected to change jobs approximately 6 or 7 times during his life time. According to current statistics, today’s college graduates will, on average, hace 8-10 jobs and as many as 3 careers in their life times.;。

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