上海市中级口译第一阶段笔试分类模拟题3及答案解析.doc

1、上海市中级口译第一阶段笔试分类模拟题 3及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、TRANSLATION TEST(总题数：4，分数：100.00)1.America: the Land and the PeopleThe United States is a varied landof forests, deserts, mountains, high flat lands and fertile plains. Almost every kind of climate may be found, but the country lies mostly in the temp

2、erate zone. Including the states of Alaska and Hawaii, the United States covers an area of 9 million square kilometers. The continental United States stretches 4,500 kilometers from the Atlantic ocean on the east to the Pacific ocean on the west. It borders Canada on the north, and reaches south to

3、Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. A jet plane crosses the continental United States from east to west in about five hours. Taking off from an Atlantic coast airport, the plane is soon flying over the gentle slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Then, for hundreds of kilometers it crosses the fertile fie

4、lds of the farm belt of the great Middle West. To the north, on clear days passengers may see the five Great Lakes located between the United States and Canada. Continuing into the West, the plane flies over vast prairies and rough cattle-grazing country. Soon the snow-topped Rocky Mountains appear

5、in the distance. After crossing these high ranges, the plane can almost glide down into the rich valleys of California and, finally, to a landing not far from the beaches of the Pacific ocean. The United States has long been known as a “melting pot“, because many of its people are descended from set

6、tlers who came from all over the world to make their homes in the new land. The first immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands. Attracted by reports of great economic opportunities and religious and political freedom, immigrants from many other countries flocked to the Un

7、ited States in increasing numbers, reaching a peak In the years 1880-1914. Between 1820 and 1980 the United States admitted almost 50 million immigrants. Some 1,360,000 American Indians, descendants of North America“s first inhabitants, now reside in the United States. Most live in the West, but man

8、y are in the south and north central areas. Of the more than 300 separate tribes, the largest is the Navaho in the Southwest. Black people were first brought to America from Africa as slaves. Their descendants now make up nearly 12 percent of the population. They once lived mainly in the agricultura

9、l South but now are scattered throughout the nation. Hispanics are the largest minority in the US. Today, nearly 15 percent of the US population is Hispanic. Hispanic Americans have diverse roots; they come from 22 different countries of origin, including Mexico, Puerto Rico and other Latin American

10、 countries and Spain. They share certain historical backgrounds and cultural traditionsin particular, the Spanish language. In Hawaii, more than a third of the residents are of Japanese descent, a third are Caucasians, about 15 percent are of Polynesian background, and the others are mainly of Pilip

11、ino, Korean and Chinese descent. The American people are always on the movefrom one part of the country to another, from one city to another, from farm to city. from the city to the suburbs. One in five Americans moves to a new home every year seeking new job opportunities, a better climate, or for

12、other reasons. （分数：25.00）_2.Education in AmericaAmerican schools, both public and private, consist of 12 years of gradesbasically 8 years of elementary school and 4 years of secondary or high school, although grades 7 and 8, or 7, 8 and 9 may be housed together in a middle school or junior high scho

13、ol. In addition, the elementary school offers five-year-olds a year of kindergarten, usually half-day sessions, before they have formal instruction in reading and writing in the first grade. In a few states two years of junior college(the first two years of higher education) or a vocational school a

14、re part of the public school system. Schooling is compulsory in most states to the age of 16. The public schools are administered by local school boardsgroups of people elected by the voters. The board appoints the superintendent and sometimes participates in choosing the teachers, decides how schoo

15、l funds are to be allocated, and has some voice in establishing the curriculum. Local funds for the schools come largely from property taxes paid by residents of the local school districts. Thus the people of the entire community, not just the parents of the children who attend, pay for public schoo

16、ls, which are free and open to everyone. In elementary school, all children in a given grade study the same thing. In junior high school the student may have a limited choice of subjects. In high school the choice is wider. While some subjects are required of everyone, some high school students, in

17、addition, take vocational classes, and others study subjects that will prepare them for college. Students from both groups study under the same roof, each selecting courses according to his or her needs and interests. High school students commonly study four to five basic subjects per semester, each

18、 for approximately an hour a day. Additional courses, such as physical education, art, or music, may meet twice a week. After high school a person may prepare for a particular vocation or occupation by attending vocational courses either in a junior college or in a privately supported training schoo

19、l such as secretarial or industrial school. Or a person may attend a college or university. The term “college“ refers to an undergraduate institution that confers a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree after four years of study. A university generally is a group of colleges, each serving

20、 a special purpose. a college of liberal arts, a college of business, a college of education, and the like. In addition, universities offer graduate programs. The Master of Arts degree occasionally may be obtained after one year of additional specialized study, although some institutions require lon

21、ger study. The Doctor of Philosophy is the highest academic degree in the area of the sciences and humanities. Professional degrees in such fields as medicine and law are part of the program of graduate education. Many colleges and universities are privately supported. Many have church affiliations.

22、 In each state, however, there is at least one university and often several colleges that receive support from state funds. Students in these schools, however, as well as those in private colleges, must pay tuition, but the state schools are much less expensive than private ones, particularly for st

23、udents who are residents of the state. （分数：25.00）_3.American DreamThe term “American dream“ is widely used today. But what exactly does this concept mean? Where does the term come from? Has the meaning of the term changed over time? Questions like these can complicate a seemingly simple term and lea

24、d us to an even more important question: is the American dream a myth or a reality today? The term “American dream“ first appeared in a ramous novel written by Horatio Alger in 1867. The novel, Ragged Dick, was a “rags to riches“ story about a little orphan boy who lived in New York. The boy saved a

25、ll his pennies, worked very hard, and eventually became rich. The novel sent the message to the American public that anyone could succeed in America if they were honest, worked hard, and showed determination to succeed. No matter what your background, no matter where you were from, no matter if you

26、had no money or no family, hard work and perseverance would always lead to success. Today, the message from Alger“s novel is still a prevalent one in this country. It is still used to define the American dream. A very basic definition of the American dream is that it is the hope of the American peop

27、le to have a better quality of life and a higher standard of living than their parents. This can mean that each generation hopes for better jobs, or more financial security, or ownership of land or a home. However, new versions and variations of the American dream have surfaced since Alger“s novel w

28、as published. For one thing, the idea that Americans are always seeking to improve their lifestyle also suggests that each generation wants more than the previous generation had. Some people would argue that this ever-increasing desire to improve the quality of one“s life may have started out on a s

29、maller scale, in the past, but today has led to an out-of-control consumerism and materialism. Another, more benign view of the American dream is that it is about the desire to create opportunities for ourselves, usually through hard work. A hallmark of the American dream, some would argue, is the c

30、lassic “self-starter,“ the person who starts out with very little in lifelittle money, few friends, few opportunitiesand works hard to make his or her way in the world. A classic example of this type of American dreamer would be former president Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin, was larg

31、ely self-educated, and yet worked his way up in the world to eventually become a United States president. This view of the American dream has also been associated with immigrants and their quests for a better life in a new country. Americans have long been fascinated by immigrant stories, and many f

32、eel great pride about their own families who may have come from other countries, worked very hard, and created a better life for future generations. A more recent interpretation of the American dream has to do with equality. Civil rights activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., used some of th

33、e rhetoric associated with the American dream to urge people to work for equal opportunities for all Americans, not just some Americans. A harsh reality was becoming clear to some people, especially in the 1960s and 1970s: not everyone had the same opportunities. If people were denied jobs, educatio

34、n, or other opportunities because of their race, ethnic background, or gender, was the American dream only a myth? （分数：25.00）_4.The American Attitude Toward Manual LaborThe term “American dream“ is widely used today. But what exactly does this concept mean? Where does the term come from? Has the mea

35、ning of the term changed over time? Questions like these can complicate a seemingly simple term and lead us to an even more important question: is the American dream a myth or a reality today? The term “American dream“ first appeared in a ramous novel written by Horatio Alger in 1867. The novel, Rag

36、ged Dick, was a “rags to riches“ story about a little orphan boy who lived in New York. The boy saved all his pennies, worked very hard, and eventually became rich. The novel sent the message to the American public that anyone could succeed in America if they were honest, worked hard, and showed det

37、ermination to succeed. No matter what your background, no matter where you were from, no matter if you had no money or no family, hard work and perseverance would always lead to success. Today, the message from Alger“s novel is still a prevalent one in this country. It is still used to define the Am

38、erican dream. A very basic definition of the American dream is that it is the hope of the American people to have a better quality of life and a higher standard of living than their parents. This can mean that each generation hopes for better jobs, or more financial security, or ownership of land or

39、 a home. However, new versions and variations of the American dream have surfaced since Alger“s novel was published. For one thing, the idea that Americans are always seeking to improve their lifestyle also suggests that each generation wants more than the previous generation had. Some people would

40、argue that this ever-increasing desire to improve the quality of one“s life may have started out on a smaller scale, in the past, but today has led to an out-of-control consumerism and materialism. Another, more benign view of the American dream is that it is about the desire to create opportunities

41、 for ourselves, usually through hard work. A hallmark of the American dream, some would argue, is the classic “self-starter,“ the person who starts out with very little in lifelittle money, few friends, few opportunitiesand works hard to make his or her way in the world. A classic example of this ty

42、pe of American dreamer would be former president Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin, was largely self-educated, and yet worked his way up in the world to eventually become a United States president. This view of the American dream has also been associated with immigrants and their quests f

43、or a better life in a new country. Americans have long been fascinated by immigrant stories, and many feel great pride about their own families who may have come from other countries, worked very hard, and created a better life for future generations. A more recent interpretation of the American dre

44、am has to do with equality. Civil rights activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., used some of the rhetoric associated with the American dream to urge people to work for equal opportunities for all Americans, not just some Americans. A harsh reality was becoming clear to some people, especiall

45、y in the 1960s and 1970s: not everyone had the same opportunities. If people were denied jobs, education, or other opportunities because of their race, ethnic background, or gender, was the American dream only a myth? （分数：25.00）_上海市中级口译第一阶段笔试分类模拟题 3答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、TRANSLATION TEST(总题数：4，

46、分数：100.00)1.America: the Land and the PeopleThe United States is a varied landof forests, deserts, mountains, high flat lands and fertile plains. Almost every kind of climate may be found, but the country lies mostly in the temperate zone. Including the states of Alaska and Hawaii, the United States

47、 covers an area of 9 million square kilometers. The continental United States stretches 4,500 kilometers from the Atlantic ocean on the east to the Pacific ocean on the west. It borders Canada on the north, and reaches south to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. A jet plane crosses the continental Unite

48、d States from east to west in about five hours. Taking off from an Atlantic coast airport, the plane is soon flying over the gentle slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Then, for hundreds of kilometers it crosses the fertile fields of the farm belt of the great Middle West. To the north, on clear days passengers may see the five Great Lakes located between the United States and Canada. Continuing into the West, the plane flies over vast prairies and rough cattle-grazing country. Soon the snow-topped Rocky Mountains appear in the