Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes, 40 points)

Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each of the passages is followed by 5 questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the best one and mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

Passage One

When Columbus reached the New World, corn was the most widely grown plant in the Americas. This plants range extended from what is now southern Canada to lower South America. At that time some tribes cultivated it at sea level, others at elevation of more than 11,000 feet.

"Columbus had no way of knowing that corn was far more valuable than the spices (香料) and gold he had hoped to find." said Frances B. King, a professor at a university of Pittsburgh. Through human intervention, this plant has developed into several hundred races, or varieties. Their heights vary from 2 to 12 feet, and their maturity ranges from little more than 2 months to almost a year. Their ears vary not only in color, but also in size.

Unlike other cereals (谷类), corn bears little resemblance to its wild ancestors. In fact, it differs from the appearance of its immediate ancestors more than any other cultivated plant known. From humble origins as a lowland grass, corn developed into the western worlds important grain. As its high yields allowed communities to grow far beyond what early agriculture could feed, most scientists viewed corn as having largely fueled pre-Columbian growth and civilization.

Now, new findings are greatly altering researchers notions about the time when corn revolution occurred. New dates for its emergence from Mesoamenrica do not support the widely held view. The evidence now suggests that the signs of corn in Americas can date back 5,500 years at least.

31. The first paragraph states that corn _____.

A. was mainly grown at sea level

B. was not grown below the elevation of 11,000 feet

C. was widely grown in Canada only

D. spread throughout Americas

32. The second paragraph implies that _____.

A. the purpose of Columbus exploration was to discover corn

B. corn was one of Columbus discoveries, but more precious than anything else

C. Columbus knew corn so well that he brought back to Europe at once

D. corn was the only Columbus discovery that was remembered

33. According to the passage, some varieties of corn can _____.

A. ripen little more than 2 months

B. last little more than 2 months

C. stay fresh for almost a year

D. stay alive from 2 months to almost a year

34. Corn helped the early communities to grow because _____.

A. it was easy to digest B. it had a lot of varieties

C. it could produce high yields D. it could last long

35. The widely held view was challenged by _____.

A. a new revolution

B. new findings about corn

C. the signs of corn 5,500 years ago

D. new dates for communities emergence

Passage Two

Women on a touring holiday of Britain were injured by an explosion in their motor van in the center of Norwich yesterday.

Shoppers, traders and businessmen in Red Lion Street were shocked by a loud bang, and seconds later the two men jumped over from the vehicle. Several people rushed to give assistance and helped to put out the fire inside the vehicle.

“I heard this explosion. It was pretty loud. I thought it could have been a bomb.” Said Mr. Leslie Webster, manager of the market, who was working in his office in Red Lion Street. “I looked out of the window and saw this lad leap from the van and roll on the ground. Then another lad came out of the van. He seemed to be in a worse state --- parts of his trousers were hanging below his knee.”

“I came downstairs to get a fire extinguisher（灭火器）, but by the time I got outside someone from the bank was in the van with an extinguisher.”

Mr. Webster, who lives at 71, Trinity Street, Norwich, said both victims were shocked. One was taken into the market’s office to await an ambulance. “The second man insisted on going back into the van to see if everything was all right, and five minutes later he came out with a drawer that was blazing.” He added.

The explosion was also heard inside the bank. Staff provided a fire extinguisher and telephoned for an ambulance.

Although a plastic window was blown out, damage inside the vehicle was mainly superficial.

The two men have spent the last six months touring the Continent and has traveled to Norwich from Snetterton. At the time of the incident their wives were shopping in the city.

36. The two men in the van ______.

A. were unhurt B. were slightly hurt

C. were shocked and badly hurt D. needed a long-time treatment

37. The word “leap” most probably means ______.

A. jump over B. step up

C. fall down D. get out

38. In Mr. Webster’s opinion, the explosion ______.

A. was almost a bomb B. wasn’t a bomb

C. was like a bomb D. was a bomb

39. In the accident ______.

A. the windows of the bank were blown out

B. the contents of the van were damaged

C. everything in the van was all right

D. the van was burned

40. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Mr. Webster saw what had happened.

B. Mr. Webster helped to put out the fire.

C. Mr. Webster didn’t take a fire extinguisher to the van.

D. Mr. Webster wanted to help in the accident but he didn’t have a chance.

Passage Three

Everyone experiences fear during major crisis—such as fires, automobile accidents, etc. Some people even feel very nervous when they fly in airplanes. No matter how hard they try, they cannot lower their anxiety. Some people try to hide their nervousness: they try to disguise their anxiety by telling jokes. Others become loud and aggressive, attacking people by making them the butt of cruel jokes. Sometimes making someone else the target of jokes is an attempt to control one’s own fears—to master anxiety.

A number of factors can be mentioned as important in explaining why some people have a fear of flying: early childhood experiences, general sense of security, fear of heights, trust in others, percentage of alcohol in blood, etc. The memory of a bad experience can sometimes trigger the same fear caused by that experience. Thus, a child might be frightened by the sight of a dog even though he is safe, merely because he once had a bad experience with a dog. A bad experience can be the cue that triggers our fears. But the crucial factor seems to be a feeling of no control.

Usually we are able to suppress our feelings so that they do not affect our behavior. But sometimes the tension produced by our fears is so great that we cannot suppress it. At such time we need to discharge the tension by laughing or crying. By smiling foolishly and talking loudly, we are able to repress the rising feeling of fear so that it does not affect the way we behave.

Because it is necessary to recognize a problem before it can be solved, admitting that we are afraid is an integral part of the process of mastering our fears.

36. To make someone the butt of jokes means ______.

A. to make someone become the object of jokes

B. to force someone to enjoy jokes

C. to entitle someone to tell jokes

D. to offend someone by jokes

37. What is the positive purpose of people’s telling jokes?

A. To show one’s sense of humor. B. To control one’s own fears.

C. To disguise their anxiety. D. To attack others.

38. To master anxiety means ______.

A. to be familiar with tension

B. to hold back the feeling of uneasiness

C. to conquer the feeling of nervousness

D. to be good at the subject of anxiety

39. According to the author, which of the following is the most important factor triggering the feeling of fear?

A. The fear of heights. B. Early childhood experience.

C. The general sense of security. D. A feeling of no control.

40. According to the concluding paragraph, what is essential to go through the process of mastering one’s fears?

A. To be conscious of the way of mastering fears.

B. To repress the rising feeling of fear.

C. To admit the feeling of fears.

D. To control one’s feelings.

Passage Four

Any country has good reason to want its citizens to be as healthy as possible, since one of its greatest resources is an active population. No country wants its people to suffer unnecessarily from ill health.

This was the kind of thinking which led to the introduction of a health service in many countries. In Britain this has developed into a “Welfare State” in which all citizens, rich and poor alike, can get most health treatment free. The money for this is partially raised by contributions from employers and employees.

As three decades have shown, such automatic arrangements are not always ideal and there are arguments for and against the Health Service. The number of patients treated every year and the cost of treatment are much greater than was estimated. This means that the people who work for the Health Service—doctors, nurses and other hospital staff—have much more routine work to do and as a result they have little time for preventive medicine. The Health Service does need more staff—a need that can only be met if more money is made available to it.

However, a powerful argument for the Health Service is that many people are able to receive expensive treatment which they could never afford themselves. Sometimes this free treatment is abused and people visit their doctors when they don’t really need to. Because they have so many patients, doctors cannot spend as long with each one as they would like, and some people prefer to pay for private treatment so that their doctors can give them more time. In fact, some wealthy people feel that they should pay, and so free more money for treatment to others.

46. In the author’s view, Britain is a Welfare State in that ______.

A. all citizens are entitled to a free medical treatment in some sense

B. poor, unlike the rich, could enjoy free medical treatment

C. health service is highly developed in Britain

D. Britain doesn’t allow its people to suffer unnecessarily from ill health

47. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A. the Health Service is introduced to many other countries by Britain

B. the Health Service has been introduced and developed for 30 years in Britain

C. an active population is the greatest resource in Britain

D. all citizens in Britain have a good opinion of the Health Service

48. The best title for the passage would be ______.

A. A Welfare State

B. Importance of the Health Service

C. Disadvantages of the Health Service

D. The Health Service

49. The author mentions that some wealthy people prefer to pay for private treatment because ______.

A. their doctors can give them more time leave from work

B. those doctors have better medical instruments

C. they might save some money for the poor

D. their doctors have a stronger sense of responsibility for the patients

50. The word “abused” (Par. 4) means ______.

A. destroyed B. used in wrong way

C. ignored D. wasted

Part IV Cloze Test (15 minutes, 10 points)

Directions: There are 10 blanks in the following passage. For each numbered blank, there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best one and mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

The development of e-commerce may well bring the world into a brand new era of “electronic currency”. At the moment, 51 areas in Europe, the United States and Asia have already started studying the possibility of an electronic currency. Electronic currency is not only about currency. It 52 to an entire finance system on the Net. It includes a virtual numeric currency, an electronic system of withdrawals, transfers and loans, and 53 cards of all shapes and sizes. The 54 of an electronic currency system implies the emergence of “virtual banks” and “virtual enterprises”. Actually, the first virtual bank appeared in the US in 1995. 55 it is a small and insignificant bank, it represents the trend of the future. In time to come, we may even have to 56 the familiar paper currency.

As the Net pushes the economy 57 rapidly, the economy is also bringing the Net market forward, resulting in the Internet itself becoming the world’s largest emerging market. Of course, this is just the beginning. Although there are many companies which made huge profits 58 in the Internet market, they tend to be small companies. To date, most companies are making losses. The competition in the knowledge-based economy will also be more 59 . This will definitely promote 60 and more efficient cooperation.

51. A. developing B. building C. built D. developed

52. A. bridges B. camps C. refers D. casts

53. A. phone B. credit C. personal D. borrowing

54. A. appearance B. disappearance C. campaign D. ceremony

55. A. If B. After C. Until D. Although

56. A. promote B. abandon C. encourage D. celebrate

57. A. ahead B. backward C. front D. behind

58. A. invested B. comparing C. investing D. compared

59. A. competent B. intense C. comparative D. interior

60. A. rougher B. mere C. serious D. greater

2007年在职攻读硕士学位全国联考

英语试卷二

Part V Translation ( 30 minutes, 10 points)

Part VI Writing ( 30 minutes, 15 points)

考生须知

5． 试卷二满分25分，考试时间为60分钟，16：00开始，17：00结束。

6． 试卷二的答案一律用蓝色或黑色墨水笔答在答题纸上，答在试卷上的无效。

7． 宣布考试结束后，请一律停笔，将试卷二和答题纸反扣在自己的桌面上，坐在原位，等待监考人员收试卷二和答题纸。待监考人员全部收齐点清无误，宣布可以离场后，方可离开考场。

4．监考人员收卷过程中，考生须配合监考人员验收，并请监考人员在准考证上签字（作为考生

交卷的凭据）。否则，若发生答卷遗失，责任由考生自负。

Paper Two

Part V Translation (30 minutes, 10 points)

Directions: Translate the following passage into Chinese and put your translation on the ANSWER SHEET.

The great advantage of the railroad has always been its superior carrying capacity. It can carry massive and heavy loads at relatively high speeds for long distances. one engine can pull a load of several hundred tons. Coal and grain are typical commodities for which rail transportation is employed over long distances, when water transportation is not available.

But rail transportation suffers from one serious disadvantage, it is inflexible. it is confined to rails, and obviously there cannot be as close a network of rails as of roads. Road transportation goes from door to door. The lower cost pre mile of rail transportation is more than balanced by the greater cost of loading and unloading at the beginning and end of many journeys. Therefore, road transportation system has developed much faster than the rail system over the past twenty years.

Part VI writing (30 minutes, 15 points)

Directions: You are to write in no less than 120 words about the title “Sports”. You should base your composition on the outline give in Chinese below:

1. 体育运动很重要，几乎每个人都喜欢体育运动；

2. 不同的人喜爱不同的体育运动。

3. 我喜爱的体育运动是___________________。