2011年厦门大学考博英语真题

Part I: Vocabulary and structure (15%)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

1.Which sport has the most expenses_______training equipment, players' personal equipment and uniforms?

A.in place of B. in terms of   C. by means of D. by way of

2.All_______is a steady supply of water to the farmland.

A.which needs   B. that is needed   C. the thing is needed   D. need

3.Living in the central Australian desert has its problems,_______obtaining water is not the least.

A.for which B. to which   C. of which D. in which

4.What he said just now had little to do with the question_______discussion.

A.on   B. in   C. under   D. at

5.Much_______her relief and joy, she heard that her son had come back safe and sound.

A.to   B. for  C. with   D. as

6.By the time you get to New York, I_______for London.

A.would be leaving   B. am leaving  C. have already left   D. shall have left

7.The fire was finally brought under control, but not_______extensive damage had been caused.

A.before B. since  C. after D. as

8.We hadn't met for twenty years, but I recognized her_______I saw her.

A.the moment   B. for the moment  C. the moment when   D. at the moment when

9.The_______of finding gold in California attracted a lot of people to settle down there.

A.prospects B. speculations  C. stakes D. provisions

10. At 7 o'clock tomorrow evening, I_______a walk in the neighbourhood. So you won't find me at home then.

A.shall take B. will take  C. shall be taking D. am taking

11.Helen_______into the river but that I caught her.

A.had fallen B. would fall  C. fell D. would have fallen

12.She ought not_______him about the truth, but she did.

A.to tell B. telling  C. to have told D. having told

13.However, at times this balance in nature is_______, resulting in a number of possibly unforeseen effects.

A.troubled B. disturbed  C. confused   D. puzzled

14.There has been a great increase in retail sales,_______?

A.does there B. isn't there  C. hasn't there D. isn't it

15. He soon received promotion, for his superiors realized that he was a man of considerable_______.

A.ability B. future  C. possibility D. opportunity

16.The neighborhood boys like to play basketball on that_______lot.

A.valid B. vain  C. vacant D. vague

17. Each person's genetic code is unique except_______identical twins.

A. in case of B. in the case of  C. the point in case D. a case of

18. It is useful to be able to predict the extent_______which a price change will affect supply and demand.

A. from B. with C. to D. for

19. He hoped the firm would_______him to the Paris branch.

A. exchange B. transmit  C. transfer D. remove

20. He wrote an article criticizing the Greek poet and won_______and a scholarship.

A. faith B. status  C. fame D. courage

21.The association works to promote the_______of retired people as active and useful members of the community.

A. action B. aspect  C. location D. status

22.Everyone should be_______to a decent standard of living and an opportunity to be educated.

A. attributed B. entitled  C. identified D. justified

23.I wish I_______to the movies with you last night.

A. have gone B. could go  C. could have gone D. went

24.All flights_______because of the storm, they decided to take the train.

A.having canceled B.having been canceled C. were canceled  D. have been canceled

25.The_______action of the policemen saved the people in the house from being burnt.

A. supreme B. significant  C.prompt D. vital

26.There seems to be no alternative but_______the offer.

A. accept B. to accept  C. accepting D. haying accepted

27.John Dewey believed that education should be a preparation for life, that a person learns by doing, and that teaching must_______the curiosity and creativity of children.

A. seek B. stimulate  C. shape D.secure

28.If I had a car of my own, I_______it to your sister yesterday.

A. will lend B. would lend  C. should lend D. would have lent

29.It is sometimes claimed that America is a_______pot of different races.

A. burning B. burnt  C. melting D. melted

30.He had scarcely left the railway station_______it started to rain.

A. than B. then  C. when D. since

Part II: Reading comprehension (40%)

Section A

Directions: There are 3 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A、B、C、and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

Passage 1

Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes into contact with them. Their values—this can't be repeated too often—are not necessarily our values. Physical comfort, cleanness and order are necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms, and an old person lying alone on bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of? Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.

Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car it needs more mechanical maintenance as it gets older. You can carry this comparison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results. And at what point should you cease to treat the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by pursuing the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try on the principle that while there's life, there's hope.

When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.

31.It is implied in Paragraph one that       .

A.very old people enjoy living with their relatives

B.social services have nothing to do with very old people

C.very old people would like to live alone so that they can have more personal freedom

D.very old people are able to keep their rooms very clean

32.Some social workers think that       .

A.health and safety are more important than personal freedom

B.personal freedom is more important than health and safety

C.old people should keep their rooms clean

D.one should not take risks of dealing with old people

33.In the author's opinion,        .

A.the human body can't be compared to a car

B.the older a person, the more care he needs

C.too much emphasis has been put on old people's values

D.it is easy to provide spare parts for old people

34.The word "it" in the last paragraph refers to       .

A.the conclusion you have come to

C.whether age is happy or unpleasant

B.your talk to the old people

D.one's money or one's health

35.The author thinks that       .

A.medical decisions for the old people should be left to the doctors

B.old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very rich

C.the opinion that we should try every means possible to save old people is doubtful

D.it is always morally right to treat old people and push off death

Passage 2

The loudest outcry（呐喊）about poverty seemed to come in the wealthiest country - by far - in the world. According to most calculations, through most of the 1945-1970 period the United States had a standard of living well above Europe's and many times above the world average. Yet protests about grinding poverty, hunger, and dreadful need proceed more from the United States than from countries with one-fortieth of their living standard.（An annual per capita income of eight dollars is typical of much of Africa and Asia and not a little of South America.）It would seem strange to these people（were they only aware of the fact）that American radicals demand a retreat from an American commitment to the far comers of the globe so that the money thus saved can be spent raising the standard of living of underprivileged Americans.

What this last point suggests is not so much that human wants are never to be satisfied though this is doubtless true, and the American living in suburb deprived of his second car and his color TV suffers just as acutely as an African farmer in need of a second cow and a screen door. Rather, it suggests the extent of contemporary breach（违反）of social norms（标准）一 the emancipation（解放）of the individual self. People have learned that their wants are sacred and rights ought to be satisfied. They have learned to consider any obstacle to personal fulfillment and intolerable insult. They have greatly expanded the circle of self awareness. They no longer accept sharp limitations on individual desires in the name of the group. The amount of potential human discontent has always been infinite—misery, failure, misfitting, bitterness, hatred, envy beyond telling. It has usually failed of utterance, and in the past it was accepted passively as being beyond help.

36.According to the passage, most complaints over a poor living standard were made by those who came from      .

A.the United States  B.Asian countries  C.the European Community D.Commonwealth of Nations

37.The average income for each American a year during the 1960s was most likely in the neighborhood of      .

A.1,120 dollars  B.40 dollars  C.320 dollars  D.80 dollars

38.In order to improve the standard of living of poor Americans, the extremists in the States demand      .

A.a full tax relief on citizens Jiving overseas

B.a stop to arms race against nations far away

C.a cut in financial assistance to poor countries

D.a favorable balance of trade with foreign countries

39.The real cause for the most fortunate people to protest about poverty lies in      .

A.added consciousness of self         B.their economic status

C.limitations of human nature         D.conflict in class interests

40.From the last sentence, it can be safely inferred that outcry about poverty in effect involves peoples'      .

A.ability to suffer a hard life

B.understanding of their rights

C.political attitude toward the government

D.whole outlook on different life styles

Passage 3

The more time scientists spend designing computers the more they marvel at the human brain. Tasks that baffle（难住）the most advanced supercomputer — recognizing a face, reading a handwritten note 一 are child's play for the 3-pound organ. Most important, unlike any conventional computer, the brain can learn from its mistakes. Researchers have tried for years to program computers to imitate the brain's abilities, but without success. Now a growing number of designers believe they have the answer: if a computer is to function more like a person and less like an over-grown calculator it must be built more like a brain, which distributes information across a vast interconnected web of nerve cells, or neurons.

Conventional computers function by following a chainlike sequence of detailed instructions. Although very fast, their processors can perform only one task at a time. This approach works best in solving problems that can be broken down into simpler logical pieces. The processors in a neural-network computer, by contrast, form a network much like the nerve cells in the brain. Since these artificial neurons are interconnected, they can share information and perform tasks at the same time. This two-dimensional approach works best at recognizing patterns.

Instead of programming a neural-network computer to make decisions, its maker trains it to recognize patterns in any solution to a problem by repeatedly feeding examples to the machine.

Neural networks come in all shapes and sizes. Until now most existed as software simulations（模拟品）because redesigning computer chips took a lot of time and money. By experimenting with different approaches through software rather than hardware, scientists have been able to avoid costly mistakes.

41.It can be inferred from the first paragraph that the most advanced supercomputer       .

A.can recognize a face and read a handwritten note

B.can learn from its mistakes

C.weighs only 3 pounds

D.cannot distribute information across an interconnected web of nerve cells

42.What is NOT true of a conventional computer?

A.It must be programmed before it works.

B.It can only solve one problem at a time.

C.It is good at solving one problem at a time.

D.It is trained to recognize patterns instead of making decisions.

43.The main feature of a neural-network computer is that       .

A.its processors act as an interconnected web of neurons

B.it is programmed to make decisions

C.its networks are of all shapes and sizes

D.its neurons are artificial

44.The expression "this two-dimensional approach" in the second paragraph refers to       .

A.the conventional computer and the neural computer

B.making decisions and recognizing patterns

C.sharing information and performing tasks

D.the computer and the human brain

45.Scientists use software rather than hardware in their experiments because       .

A.it can avoid redesigning computer chips

B.it can save a lot of time and money

C.it can avoid making mistakes

D.it is more like the human brain

Section B

Directions： In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 46〜50, choose the most suitable one from the list a to e to fit into each of the numbered blank. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.

Barbie Dolls

Flashy clothes, the perfect boyfriend, a Corvette, Ferrari, full size apartment with beautiful furniture and a boat. She's the woman who has everything and every year receives more. Since her introduction in 1959, the Barbie doll may be the most influential icon of American culture in the late twentieth century.

46.          . She attracted little girls because of her adult-like features. Before this, children looked at toys like Yogi Bear, Howdy Doody, and baby dolls for inspiration. With the creation of » Barbie, girls now had a new toy to stimulate their imaginations.

In the 1950s most women stayed at home, cooking, cleaning and caring for their children;  they didn't parade around in tight little skirts and high heels. The Barbie doll represented independence and glamour she could sing solos in the spotlight one minute and pilot an airplane the next. She was exciting and completely different from the clinging Betsy Wcstsys and Chatty Cathys that little girls were used to.

In Forever Barbie: the Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll, M G. Lord tells the story of Barbie's creators. Ruth Handler, the youngest of ten siblings （同胞）, worked as a stenographer for Paramount Pictures as a young woman. Her husband Elliott designed light fixtures and studied art.

47.          . The Handlers began the factory in their garage but quickly expanded until they had hired a hundred workers who made jewelry and decorative items. World War II shortages of labor soon put them out of business.

Despite their first failure, the Handlers didn't give up and, in 1945, they joined with Harold Matson, a former worker, and together the three started "Mattel Creations". Matson's last name along with Elliot's was fused together to form the name Mattel.

In 1946, Matson sold out his share. The Handlers were not discouraged, though, because of their strong belief in futuristic materials such as Plexiglas, Lucite and plastic. They continued, looking for the perfect item to make their company a success. Little did they know that their persistence would lead them to establish a multi-million company initiated by the revolutionary Barbie doll.

Ruth Handler first encountered the model for Barbie in 1955 while vacationing in Switzerland with her family. The Lilli doll, a comic character from Germany, was usually found in tobacco stores as a three dimensional（三维的）pinup（挂在墙上的照片, 玩偶等）. Ruth brought back two dolls, one for her daughter Barbara, and one for herself.

48.          . Handler recalls: "Through their play Barbara imagined their lives as adults. They used the dolls to reflect the adult world around them. They would sit and carry on conversations, making the dolls real people. I thought if only we could take this play pattern and three dimensionalize it, we would have something very special."

Barbie debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City in the winter of 1959. But in her unseasonable black-and-white striped swimsuit, the doll did not impress toy buyers. Even Scars, Matters biggest customer, refused to put the sexy doll on their shelves. Lord says it was Mattel's advertising strategy aimed at the children that finally paved the way for Barbie's success.

The 1950s was a big decade for child culture. Disneyland had opened in July of 1955, and Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club television series was a hit for children under the age of 12. Manufacturers and retailers had aimed toy advertising at parents in the past with the focus during Christmas season. But once children actually saw toys advertised on television, toys became a big business. Television advertisements with the child-as-a-consumer revolutionized the toy industry in the twentieth century.

Barbie was a fantasy. In a border city it was rare to encounter a white, blue-eyed person. "Maybe that's why I was so attracted to her." Most little girls couldn't wait to get their hands on Barbie because they had never encountered a doll with such an enormous wardrobe.

Angela Loya, an engineer and Barbie collector from Houston, idolized Barbie because of her independence. She said in an interview, "Barbie was designed for women by women. It taught us what was expected from us by society. She had it all... the clothes, the boyfriend and whatever career she wanted. She was the symbol of post-war female independence."

49.          . Lord quotes Ruth Handler as saying, "Pregnancy（怀孕）would never be part of Barbie's physique, because Barbie would not compromise her freedom. Just as she did not depend on parents, she would not have offspring dependent on her."

Barbie's sexy image also raised questions among both children and parents. Many parents still did not talk about sex to their children and naked baby dolls usually did not spark great interest Barbie dolls changed this.

Some 700 million Barbie dolls have been sold since 1959 in over 140 countries. Yearly sales exceeded the $1 billion mark in 1993. Retail experts estimate that the typical American girl owns an average of eight Barbie dolls. And the doll has her own Hall of Fame in Palo Alto, California, where a collection of over 20,000 Barbies awaits visitors.

50.          .A child's imagination can take Barbie anywhere. She easily can be a doctor by simply converting her hot pink kitchen into an operating room. Tissue boxes and packing cartons make great furniture and apartment complexes. A child really doesn't need the fancy cars or doll houses to make her dreams come alive: all that is really needed is an imagination.

A.Barbie's biographer reminds us that she was not defined through relationships of responsibility to men or family.

B.Barbie, named after the Handlers' daughter, has become the quintessential（典型的）American doll.

C.Barbie's success may be attributed to the focus on children as consumers for the first time.

D.A second contributing factor to the realization of this doll evolved from Ruth watching her daughter and friends play with paper dolls.

E.In 1937, they had moved from Colorado to California where they gambled their life savings on a plan to build Plexiglas furniture.

Part III: Short Answer Questions (10%)

Directions: Read the following passage and then give short answers to the five questions. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.

Although credit cards are becoming a more acceptable part of the financial scene, they arc still regarded with suspicion by many as being a major part of the "live now pay later" syndrome（综合症）. Along with hire-purchase, rental and leasing schemes, they provide encouragement to spend more money. Of course, it is only the foolhardy who succumb（屈服）to the temptation to the temptation to live, temporarily at least, beyond their means, and such people would no doubt manage to do so even without credit cards.

Advertising campaigns have, however, promoted a growing realization of the advantages of these small pieces of plastic. They obviate the need to carry large amounts of cash and are always useful in emergencies. All the credit card organizations charge interest on a monthly basis which may work out as high as 25 percent a year, yet judicious purchasing using a card can mean that you obtain up to seven weeks interest-free credit. Using the card abroad, where items frequently take a long time to be included on your account, can extend this period even further.

It is worthwhile shopping around before deciding on a particular credit card. It is necessary to consider the amount of credit granted;  interest rates, which may vary slightly;  the number and range of outlets, though most cards cover major garages, hotels, restaurants and department stores, and, of course, what happens if your card is lost or stolen. A credit card thief may be sitting on a potential goldmine particularly if there is a delay in reporting the loss of the card.

However, if used wisely, a credit card can cost nothings or at least help to tide you over a period of financial difficulty.

51. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

52.What can be the title for this passage?

53.What else do you mean by judicious purchasing using a card?

54. What happens if your card is lost or stolen?

55.What docs the phrase "tide over" in the last paragraph mean?

Part IV: English-Chinese translation (15%)

Directions: Read the passage carefully and translate the underlined sentences into Chinese. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.

Scientists are searching for ways to destroy nuclear weapons in space - to make nuclear weapons powerless and no longer useful. This has become known as "Star Wars". (56).Supporters of the Star War defense system hope that this would not only protect a nation against an actual nuclear attack, but would be enough of a threat to keep a nuclear war from ever happening.

(57).Opponents of Star Wars are worried that such a system might introduce nuclear weapons into outer space and might not completely protect the nation against attack. Some missiles might "leak through" the Star Wars defenses. Or the computers that run the system might not work properly. Such a defense system, they say, might also be used to attack others. And it might not stop the buildup of ground-based nuclear weapons.

Hopefully, a nuclear war will never begin. But, in such an event, could people really protect themselves? Supporters of Star Wars believe that laser weapons are the key to defense. (58).But can laser beams be developed in such a way to destroy attacking missiles in space? Lasers arc not new. They have been around for over 25 years. They involve the following process: (59).Atoms of certain substances are stimulated, or excited, by a burst of energy from outside. The excited atoms then produce waves of light. These light waves travel up and down a laser rod and excite, or stimulate, other atoms. When a particular energy level is reached, the laser rod produces a strong, narrow beam of radiation. Most lasers give off visible light, but they can be built to produce heat radiation or even X-ray radiation.

Because of the intensity and narrowness of their beams, lasers can be put to thousands of uses. Laser beams have been bounced off the moon. They can cut through diamond or steel. They are used by doctors for delicate surgery - such as repairing damaged eyes. And lasers are also used as weapons. (60).They can give artillery an accuracy as sharp as the point of a pin. They can also "blind" electronic systems in planes, tanks and ships. This means that those electronic systems can no longer effectively find and destroy their targets.

56.星球大战防御系统的支持者希望这不仅能使一个免受真正的核攻击,  而且还足以形成一种威慑, 使得核战争永远不会发生。

57.星球大战计划的反对者则担心此系统可能会将核武器引进外太空, 而且可 能也不能完全保护该免受核武器的攻击。

58.但是, 能以这种方式把激光束发展到可以摧毁太空中的攻击导弹吗？

59.特定物质的原子受到外界爆发的能量的刺激或激发。然后, 这些被激发的 原子就产生光波。

60.它们可以使大炮的误差精确到大头针针尖的大小。它们也可以使飞机、坦 克和军舰上的电子系统处于"失明"状态。

Part V: Writing (20%)

Directions: You are asked to write an essay on the following topic:

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

You should write at least 250 words.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

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