2008天津大学研究生英语期末考试试题

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY EXAM

FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

TIANJIN UNIVERSITY

Jan. 23rd, 2008

PART 1: Listening Comprehension (10%)

Section A (5%)

Directions: In this section, you will hear 2 long conversations and 1 short passage. The conversations and passage will be read only ONCE. At the end of each conversation or the passage, there will be questions. After each question there will be a pause. You must read the 4 suggested answers marked A, B, C, and D, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation:

1. A. Because she hasn’t got ready yet.

B. Because she is waiting for David.

C. Because she is waiting for a taxi to pick her up.

D. Because it is raining very hard.

2. A. They are going to see film downtown.

B. They are going to call on the Johnsons.

C. They are packing and going on their holiday.

D. They are going to buy an umbrella.

3. A. It was left in David’s office.

B. It was left in Kate’s office.

C. It was lost in the train some day.

D. It was left with the Johnsons.

Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation:

4. A. Doctor and nurse.

B. Librarian and library patron.

C. Forest ranger and hiker.

D. Nurse and patient.

5. A. Saturday.

B. Sunday.

C. Monday.

D. Tuesday.

6. A. An allergy to animals.

B. A reaction to toxic chemicals.

C. An allergy to food.

D. Contact with a noxious plant.

Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following passage:

7. A. They are the highest.

B. They are most challenging and popular.

C. They are covered by snow all the year round.

D. They are like paradise.

8. A. Anxious and worried.

B. bored and unwilling.

C. nervous and confused.

D. amazed and excited.

9. A. Interesting and exciting.

B. He did not mention.

C. They went there by plane.

D. He thought the journey was too long.

10. A. In a large, clean hotel.

B. In a small, tidy hotel.

C. In a small house with a back yard.

D. In a large, cozy house with no back yard.

Section B (5%)

Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage THREE times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from （1） to （5） with the exact words or expressions you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Write your answer on the ANSWER SHEET.

Good evening. I know many of you students are the proud owners of your first motor vehicle and this evening I want to talk to you about some of the things you can do to make sure your car or motorbike isn’t stolen. I’ll (1) ____________ to put you in the picture. Car theft is a widespread problem. In this country alone one car is stolen every 32 seconds. That’s almost a million cars each year. And of those, (2) ____________. And don’t think that just because your car might be a bit old and beaten-up no one will steal it. Any car can be stolen. Anywhere.

Most thefts occur in residential areas, often from the front of the house or even from inside the garage. Some areas that are especially dangerous are shopping centers and (3) ____________.

Most car thieves don’t need to break into the car. They usually gain entry through unlocked doors and many times they find the key in the ignition. In fact, (4) ____________ in the car. Isn’t that amazing? Twenty per cent of drivers left the keys in the ignition of an unlocked car.

Who steals cars? Well, there are basically two kinds of car or bike thieves: joy-riders aged about 15 to 21, and professionals. This last group usually needs less than one minute to break into a locked car and they often steal cars to (5) ____________. You are much less likely to get your car back if it’s stolen by a professional, and if it’s stolen by a joy-rider chances are it’ll be a wreck when you do get it back. Joy-riders have a very high accident rate.

PART II: Vocabulary (5%)

Directions: In this part, there are 20 incomplete sentences. For each sentence there are 4 choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. Mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

11．Traditionally it is a peaceful event, without ______ between police and what they describe as the hippy convoy.

A. connection B. exchange

C. interaction D. confrontation

12. Unlike hackers, who gain unauthorized ______ to computer or telecommunication systems for

the challenge or even the principle of it, crackers do so for malicious purposes.

A. password B. entry

C. access D. approach

13. Compared to voter participation rates of citizens in other democracies, participation in American elections is low; slightly more than 50 percent of those ______ participate in national presidential elections.

A. eligible B. available

C. feasible D. accessible

14. There has been much opposition from some social groups, ______ from the farming community.

A. straightforwardly B. notably

C. virtually D. exceptionally

15. They swore their ______ to the nation and received their naturalization papers.

A. allegiance B. immensity

C. obligation D. responsibility

16. These questions ______ a challenge to the established attitude of superiority toward the outside world.

A. evolved B. aroused

C. tolerated D. constituted

17. With his right-wing views, and close ______ to the military, he’d long been regarded as a sworn enemy of the people.

A. emotion B. communication

C. affiliation D. reaction

18. When she first visited South-West Africa in 1947 as an investigative journalist, she helped reveal the ______ conditions under which blacks were forced to work.

A. exotic B. appalling

C. terrific D. toxic

19. The number of old people is on the rise, and with this fact comes the number of people with ______ disease associated more with old age.

A. cancer B. incurable

C. severe D. chronic

20. To most supervisors, dishonest or ______ employees pose a great problem to computer security, for they may use their skills and knowledge to seek revenge for real or imagined wrongs, such as being passed over for promotion.

A. grudging B. disgruntled

C. disagreeing D. grumble

PART III. Cloze (5%)

Directions: In this part of the test, you’ll read an incomplete passage with 10 blanks. Read the passage carefully, and choose the best answer from choices marked A, B, C and D. Then on your ANSWER SHEET, find the number of the question and mark your answer with a single line through the center.

How are the university awards obtained in the Great Britain? There are those which are given for the __(21)__ completion of course work and examination. The two best known examples of

these awards are the BA (Bachelor of Arts) and the BSc (Bachelor of Science) at undergraduate level. These are sometimes called ―first degree‖, for the obvious reason that they are the __(22)__ award that a student is likely to be given by the university. There are over 5000 degree subjects and combinations of subjects __(23)__ at universities throughout Britain. Bachelor-level degrees are normally given at the end of three or four years course work.

Next, there are those degrees which a university gives for the successful completion of a piece of __(24)__. The MA (Master of Arts), the MSc (Master of Science) and the MBA (Master of Business Administration) are the ones most frequently awarded here at postgraduate level. At one time these degrees were awarded __(25)__ for the completion of research work, but over the past twenty years or so a large number of additional Master degrees have been introduced which combine a quite small piece of research with a __(26)__ amount of course work on which the student is examined. The Ph.D (Doctor of Philosophy), the most prestigious research degree is, __(27)__, awarded for a piece of research which shows great depth and considerable originality. It is expected to make a significant __(28)__ to our knowledge of and understanding of a problem. It usually involves at least four years full-time research.

Thirdly, and the least commonly, there are the honorary degrees. These are, for example, the Doctor of Letter, the Doctor of Science or the Doctor of Laws. These awards may be—in fact often are — awarded to people who have __(29)__ been to university at all. They are very often in fact given to people who have distinguished themselves in some field of non-academic activity outside. Thus the university may wish to __(30)__ a famous writer by giving him a Doctor of Letter or a famous politician by giving him or her a Doctor of Laws.

21. A. satisfactory B. satisfying

C. satisfied D. satisfy

22. A. best B. first

C. good D. easiest

23. A. obtained B. offered

C. presented D. provided

24. A. survey B. investigation

C. research D. work

25. A. only B. but

C. before D. soon

26. A. unthinkable B. possible

C. predictable D. substantial

27. A. on the other hand B. consequently

C. above all D. straightforwardly

28. A. devotion B. prescription

C. subscription D. contribution

29. A. well B. never

C. ever D. once

30. A. honor B. award

C. offer D. afford

Part IV. Reading Comprehension (15%)

Directions: In this part of the test, there are 3 passages. After each passage there are 5 questions or

unfinished statements followed by 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that can best answer the question or complete the statement, and then on your ANSWER SHEET, find the number of the question and mark your answer with a single line through the center.

Passage 1

Finding meaning in work has been the pet phrase of my generation, the generation that included the first Peace Corps workers, the first American soldiers to die without the whole-hearted support of the folks back home, the first Civil Rights workers; and the first computer geeks, the first junk bond traders, the first everyday millionaires.

As an information-based society replaces a manufacturing-based society, workers question how their work matters, much the same as displaced farmhands sought meaning on the assembly line two generations ago. Keystrokes, screen blips, bits and bytes of data do not have the satisfying look and feel of accomplishment. The depersonnelized millennium is here.

My work in the job placement field puts me at the intersection where job seekers meet business’ priorities at cross-purposes. My job is to pave the ramp for my clients, people with disabilities. For most of the people I see, getting to the point of being ready to look for work has been a major journey.

The younger workers have struggled to obtain an education while learning to accommodate to a physical or mental disability. They have encountered discrimination. Some of them are entering professions where they have already been told, ―You can’t do that.‖

Older workers I see are coping with a disability that has developed gradually with age or suddenly in an accident. For many of these, the shift from being able-bodied to being ―one of those disabled people‖ is pretty hard. The stress on them and their families is incredible.

For these workers, today’s robust economy provides a good chance. Employers are often willing to take a moment to consider the benefits of hiring workers with disabilities. When an applicant has an opportunity to display his or her abilities and to demonstrate to an employer how those abilities match the employer’s needs, hiring often occurs. It is not different for applicants with disabilities.

One of the reasons my job is so satisfying is that I have the chance to stand beside my clients while they go through their transformation from dependence to independence. For some, the first steps are tentative, filled with wonder, like Mary, who said, when we had finished her resume, ―You make me sound so special, like someone they would want to hire.‖ For others, that first meeting can be difficult, as we feel each other out and they make the decision to trust.

Most of my clients do succeed in finding employment; some even find meaningful work with the first job. Part of the work we do together is designed to discover, in the pros and cons of the new position, What meaning the position may produce for my client; and to set the client up to expect and to recognize the job’s intrinsic rewards.

The fun part is the celebration, when my client calls to say, ―Guess what?‖ Even when there is no call, when I hear later that the client told someone, ―I got this job all by myself,‖ I am satisfied, because that is the sound of independence.

31. We can infer from this passage that __________ .

A. people engaged in farm work easily find job satisfaction

B. manufacturing workers find it hard to get job satisfaction

C. a sense of accomplishment is essential to job satisfaction.

D. as society changes, people’s view of job satisfaction changes too

32. What do we learn about the author from this passage?

A. He is disabled.

B. He often encounters discrimination.

C. He helps disabled people find jobs.

D. He’s dissatisfied with his employer.

33. For a disabled person to find employment, he has to __________ .

A. demonstrate that his abilities match the needs of the employer

B. prepare a resume that sounds special to the prospective employer

C. meet with a job placement worker to weigh the pros and cons of the position

D. accommodate to his physical or mental disability

34. One of the reasons why the author finds his job satisfying is that __________ .

A. he can help his clients to enter professions where they have already been refused

B. he helps his clients overcome the incredible stress on themselves and their families

C. he can prepare for this clients a resume that attracts prospective employers

D. he sees his clients go through the transformation from dependence to independence

35. What does the client mean when he calls to say ―Guess what‖?

A. He’s found meaning in work.

B. He’s got the job he desired.

C. He’s got a job all by himself.

D. He’s going to hold a celebration.

Passage 2

The century we left behind was a remarkable century, full of triumphs, and full of tragedies. The tragedies included the two most destructive wars in history, as well as a cold war. Indeed, if deterrence had not worked, the Cold War could have led to the supreme tragedy, a nuclear holocaust that would have ended civilization. But the triumph was that deterrence did work, and we did survive the Clod War.

The twentieth century also saw the collapse of many of the great European monarchies and the tragic emergence of fascism and other forms of dictatorships. But by the end of the century, democracy was on the rise, surely a hopeful note on which to begin the new century. The twentieth century also gave the United States the Great Depression, an economic tragedy of unprecedented depth, length, and extent. Indeed, its consequences were so profound that it raised questions about the viability（生存性）of the free market system. But by the end of the century, market economics was in ascendancy everywhere. It is well established and clearly successful in North America, and Southeast Asia, Japan, and the Tiger countries, and is rapidly evolving in China, South America, and South Asia.

And the century saw unprecedented developments in technology: airplanes and helicopters; missiles and space vehicles; radio and television; computers and the Internet; antibiotics and bioengineering; nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. All of these remarkable developments were a product of the twentieth century. The tragedy was that this technology was used to create weapons of unprecedented destructive power. To date we have avoided the widespread use of these weapons, which is a qualified triumph. But the unqualified triumph of technology is that it has

created vast amounts of new wealth, thereby fueling the economic engine that has brought an unprecedented prosperity to much of the world. And there is much more to come; the computer and semiconductor revolutions still have a full head of steam. And the remarkable and explosive growth we have seen these past few years in the Internet is only the tip of an iceberg. Even though the Internet is the subject of extravagant investments and excessive publicity, it is unlikely that we are overestimating the transforming power of the information revolution it is spearheading. Five hundred years after the information revolution brought on by the introduction of the printing press, we truly have started a new information revolution. And no one yet fully grasps just how profound the economic, social, and political consequences of the new information age that we are now entering will be.

36. According to the author, what prevented the destruction of human civilization?

A. Unprecedented development of technology.

B. The triumph of democracy.

C. The defeat of fascism.

D. Nuclear deterrence.

37. When the Great Depression came, many people thought __________ .

A. it was the supreme human tragedy

B. fascism would triumph over democracy

C. the free market system could not survive

D. nothing short of a revolution could end the crisis

38. What does the author mean by ―market economics was in ascendancy‖?

A. Market economics was rapidly developing.

B. Market economics was quite successful.

C. Market economics was predominant.

D. Market economics was swell established.

39. What is the unqualified triumph of the technology of the 20th century?

A. It has led to a remarkable and explosive growth of the Internet.

B. It has helped avoid the widespread use of atomic weapons.

C. It has brought wealth to the greater part of the world.

D. It has brought on a new information revolution.

40. What does the author think of the Internet?

A. It has absorbed too much investment and created too much publicity.

B. Its potential growth still remains hidden to our view.

C. It will lead to a remarkable and explosive growth of the economy.

D. Its power of transformation is overestimated.

Passage 3

There is a theory that human beings are, functionally speaking, viruses preying on their host: Mother Earth.

I thought of that last week when I read a report that human beings, not disease or climate changes, are probably responsible for the disappearance of many species from the globe.

We are a meat-eating virus, and anything meat-like better watch out. We allow some meat-like things to live – indeed, we encourage them to breed even when they don’t want to. But we do them no favors; being a pre-steak cow is not exactly a life of ease and pleasure.

But we destroy more than meat creatures. We tear up the ground looking for items of utility and beauty. We foul the air we breathe and the water we drink because we don’t consider the consequences.

That is the nature of viruses, though – they don’t reason well. They do not appreciate the idea of cause and effect. Imagine how surprised and irritated a virus is when its host dies. ―Ooops, gotta go to Plan B. Ooops, I have no Plan B.‖

Because a successful virus can be transmitted from host to host, the species lives on. However, our host is Earth itself, and there just is no viable metaphorical equivalent of Earth transferring its little people-shaped viruses to another host.

I know: colonies on the moon. Cities on Mars. Yeah, well, good luck. As a Plan B, it doesn’t have a lot to recommend it. It might be nicer to make fine adjustments to Plan A.

I don’t mind being a virus. Sure, they get a bad press from the human-centric press, but viruses are just trying to get along like everything else. They do not kill for sport. They don’t waste any natural resources on silly status-linked devices.

Viruses have been around a lot longer than humans. If we are viruses, we should begin to take lessons from our betters. We should be viruses with a sense of dignity and purpose. We should be viruses in the game for the long haul.

There is a general cultural portrait (描绘) of environmentalists as impractical dreamers who don’t understand that Darwinian necessity of humans to conquer, control, manipulate and destroy. That is how we win the battle, after all. Look at history!

Well, no. That is how we win the battle against other humans. That is how the French humans beat the English humans. But the looming (正在逼近的) challenge is something different. The looming challenge is how to maximize our potential as viruses.

Lesson of the universe: Nothing is immortal. The only choices are long life or short life. We select the former. As viruses, we know that our long life depends on the long life of our host. We work like demons to keep Mother Earth happy; we stay happy too. It’s interdependence.

41. In what ways does the author say we humans are like viruses?

A. We kill other species for sport.

B. We have got no plans about our future.

C. We move from one host to another.

D. We never care about the ease and pleasure of others.

42. In what way are humans different from viruses, according to the author?

A. We are aware that when the host thrives, we thrive.

B. We live with a sense of dignity and purpose.

C. We waste our resources for no practical purposes.

D. We are capable of thinking in terms of cause and effect.

43. What is the looming challenge facing the humans?

A. Finding another host, such as the moon or Mars.

B. Making the best of Mother Earth for our survival.

C. Checking the consequences of our actions every day.

D. Protecting the endangered species.

44. According to the author, the Darwinian theory ________ .

A. is totally misunderstood by idealistic environmentalists

B. is not understood by humans in the present situation

C. teaches us to conquer, control, manipulate and destroy

D. shows that nothing is immortal in the struggle for survival

45. In writing this essay, the author intends to call on us humans ________ .

A. to unite in our struggle against other species

B. to reconsider and revaluate the Darwinian theory

C. to stop eating meat and causing pain to other species

D. to preserve Earth and use what it offers sparingly

Part V. Translation (15%)

Section A (7%)

Directions: Read the following passage in English carefully and translate it into Chinese in the space provided on the ANSWER SHEET.

The Union victories at Gettysburg (葛底斯堡) in July, 1863, marked a definite turning point in the war. Both sides now had equally well-trained, brave soldiers, and Robert E. Lee (罗伯特 . E.李) and Ulysses, S. Grant (尤利西兹. S. 格兰特), superior generals. But the North, with its larger population and comparatively enormous industry, enjoyed a tremendous material advantage and finally won the war.

The long war was over. The Union was saved and slavery was abolished. The Civil War brought death to more Americans than did any other war, including World War II. The war cost untold billions and nourished rather than canceled hatreds, which persisted for decades. Monuments commemorating Civil War figures and events are conspicuous in almost all sizable Northern towns and are even more numerous in the South.

Section B (8%)

Directions: Read the following passage in Chinese carefully and translate it into English in the space provided on the ANSWER SHEET.

科学是一门知识，是解决工业、农业、战争和医疗方面技术问题的非常有用的工具。要了解科学在解决个人和国家面临的物质和精神问题方面可以达到什么广度和深度，就必须理解什么是科学。

科学也称为自然科学，以区别于其它知识门类。科学和自然界有关，也就是说和自然界 中一切存在的事物和发生的现象有关。

科学有许多特性，要了解科学是什么，就得详细地考察一下这些性能和特点。有一些作 者断言说科学实际上只是一种方法。这样的定义过于简单化了。但是科学方法在决定科学知 识的性质方面肯定起着重要作用。

性能 properties 特点peculiarities

Part VI. Writing (10%)

Direction: White a composition of about 200-250 words on one of the following topics.

My Philosophy of Life

1. Different people have different philosophies towards life. Some people…. Others …

2. My philosophy of life is…

3. I will put my philosophy of life into my study and work.

The Relation between Education and Earning Power

1. Whether education is connected with earning power is an issue ...

2. My view point is …

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY EXAM

FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

TIANJIN UNIVERSITY

Jan. 23rd, 2008

ANSWER SHEET

Student No.__________________ Class_______________ Mark ________________

PART 1: Listening Comprehension (10%)

Section B (5%)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Part V. Translation (15%)

Section A (7%)

Section B (8%)

Part VI. Writing (10%)