1、北京师范大学 2012 年真题及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Part Listening Com(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、Part Reading Compr(总题数：0，分数：0.00)三、Passage One(总题数：1，分数：10.00)In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residentsNew York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. By 1930, it had ten giant metropolises.
2、The newer ones experienced remarkable growth, which reflected basic changes in the economy. Line The population of Los Angeles (114,000 in 1900) rose spectacularly in the early decades of the twentieth century, increasing a dramatic 1,400 percent from 1900 to 1930. A number of circumstances contribu
3、ted to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The agricultural potential of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found, and the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile aqueduct, completed in 1913, to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had
4、a superb natural harbor, as well as excellent rail connections. The climate made it possible to shoot motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it disseminated an image of the good life in Southern California on screens all across the nation. The most important s
5、ingle industry powering the growth of Los Angeles, however, was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines led to the opening of the Southern California oil fields, and made Los Angeles North America“s greatest refining center. Los Angeles was a product of t
6、he auto age in another sense as well: its distinctive spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los Angeles was a decentralized metropolis, sprawling across the desert landscape over an area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center. The downtown bu
7、siness district did not grow apace with the city as a whole, and the rapid transit system designed to link the center with outlying areas withered away from disuse. Approximately 800,000 cars were registered in Los Angeles County in 1930, one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors from the east coast were
8、 dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city.（分数：10.00）(1).What is the passage mainly about?（分数：2.00）A.The growth of cities in the U
9、nited States in the early 1900“sB.The development of the Southern California oil fieldsC.Factors contributing to the growth of Los AngelesD.Industry and city planning in Los Angeles(2).The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after 1900 as resulting primarily from
10、 _.（分数：2.00）A.new economic conditionsB.images of cities shown in moviesC.new agricultural techniquesD.a large migrant population(3).The word “meteoric“ in Line 6 is closest in meaning to _.（分数：2.00）A.rapidB.famousC.controversialD.methodical(4).According to the passage, the most important factor in t
11、he development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the _.（分数：2.00）A.influx of “new residents to agricultural areas near the city“B.construction of an aqueductC.expansion of transportation facilitiesD.development of new connections to the city“s natural harbor(5).The visitors from the east coast me
12、ntioned in the passage thought that Los Angeles _.（分数：2.00）A.was not accurately portrayed by Hollywood imagesB.lacked good suburban areas in which to liveC.had an excessively large populationD.was not really a single city四、Passage Two(总题数：1，分数：10.00)Imagine eating everything delicious you want with
13、none of the fat. That would be great, wouldn“t it? New “fake fat“ products appeared on store shelves in the United States recently, but not everyone is happy about it. Makers of the products, which contain a compound called olestra, say food manufacturers can now eliminate fat from certain foods, Cr
14、itics, however, say that the new compound can rob the body of essential vitamins and nutrients and can also cause unpleasant side effects in some people. So it is up to consumers to decide whether the new fat-free products taste good enough to keep eating. Chemists discovered olestra in the late 196
15、0s, when they were searching for a fat that could be digested by infants more easily. Instead of finding the desired fat, the researchers created a fat that can“t be digested at all. Normally, special chemicals in the intestines “grab“ molecules of regular fat and break them down so they can be used
16、 by the body. A molecule of regular fat is made up of three molecules of substances called fatty acids. The fatty acids are absorbed by the intestines and bring with them the essential vitamins A, D, E and K. When fat molecules are present in the intestines with any of those vitamins, the vitamins a
17、ttach to the molecules and are carried into the bloodstream. Olestra, which is made from six to eight molecules of fatty acids, is too large for the intestines to absorb. It just slides through the intestines without being broken down. Manufacturers say it“s that ability to slide unchanged through t
18、he intestines that makes olestra so valuable as a fat substitute. It provides consumers with the taste of regular fat without any bad effects on the body. But critics say olestra can prevent vitamins A, D, E, and K from being absorbed. It can also prevent the absorption of carotenoids, compounds tha
19、t may reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, etc. Manufacturers are adding vitamins A, D, E and K as well as carotenoids to their products now. Even so, some nutritionists are still concerned that people might eat unlimited amounts of food made with the fat substitute without worrying about how m
20、any calories they are consuming.（分数：10.00）(1).We learn from the passage that olestra is a substance that _.（分数：2.00）A.contains plenty of nutrientsB.renders foods calorie-free while retaining their vitaminsC.makes foods easily digestibleD.makes foods fat-free while keeping them delicious(2).The resul
21、t of the search for an easily digestible fat turned out to be _.（分数：2.00）A.commercially uselessB.just as anticipatedC.somewhat controversialD.quite unexpected(3).Olestra is different from ordinary fats in that _.（分数：2.00）A.it passes through the intestines without being absorbedB.it facilitates the a
22、bsorption of vitamins by the bodyC.it helps reduce the incidence of heart diseaseD.it prevents excessive intake of vitamins(4).What is a possible effect of olestra according to some critics?（分数：2.00）A.It may impair the digestive systemB.It may affect the overall fat intakeC.It may increase the risk
23、of cancerD.It may spoil the consumers“ appetite(5).Why are nutritionists concerned about adding vitamins to olestra?（分数：2.00）A.It may lead to the over-consumption of vitaminsB.People may be induced to eat more than is necessaryC.The function of the intestines may be weakenedD.It may trigger a new wa
24、ve of fake food production五、Passage Three(总题数：1，分数：10.00)A “scientific“ view of language was dominant among philosophers and linguists who affected to develop a scientific analysis of human thought and behavior in the early part of this century. Under the force of this view, it was perhaps inevitabl
25、e that the art of rhetoric should pass from the status of being regarded as of questionable worth (because although it might be both a source of pleasure and a means to urge people to fight action, it might also be a means to distort truth and a source of misguided action) to the status of being who
26、lly condemned. If people are regarded only as machines guided by logic, as they were by these “scientific“ thinkers, rhetoric is likely to be held in low regard ; for the most obvious truth about rhetoric is that it speaks to the whole person. It presents its arguments first to the person as a ratio
27、nal being, because persuasive discourse, if honestly conceived, always has a basis in reasoning. Logical argument is the plot, as it were, of any speech or essay that is respectfully intended to persuade people. Yet it is a characterizing feature of rhetoric that it goes beyond this and appeals to t
28、he parts of our nature that are involved in feeling, desiring, acting, and suffering. It recalls relevant instances of the emotional reactions of people to circumstancesreal or fictionalthat are similar to our own circumstances. Such is the purpose of both historical accounts and fables in persuasiv
29、e discourse: they indicate literally or symbolically how people may react emotionally, with hope or fear, to particular circumstances. A speech attempting to persuade people can achieve little unless it takes into account the aspect of their being related to such hopes and fears. Rhetoric, then, is
30、addressed to human beings living at particular times and in particular places. From the point of view of rhetoric, we are not merely logical thinking machines, creatures abstracted from time and space. The study of rhetoric should therefore be considered the most humanistic of the humanities, since
31、rhetoric is not directed only to our rational selves. It takes into account what the “scientific“ view leaves out. If it is a weakness to harbor feelings, then rhetoric may be thought of as dealing in weakness. But those who reject the idea of rhetoric because they believe it deals in lies and who a
32、t the same time hope to move people to action, must either be liars themselves or be very naive; pure logic has never been a motivating force unless it has been subordinated to human purposes, feelings, and desires, and thereby ceased to be pure logic.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the passage, to rejec
33、t rhetoric and still hope to persuade people is _.（分数：2.00）A.an aim of most speakers and writersB.an indication either of dishonesty or of credulityC.a way of displaying distrust of the audience“s motivesD.a characteristic of most humanistic discourse(2).It can be inferred from the passage that in t
34、he late nineteenth century rhetoric was regarded as _.（分数：2.00）A.the only necessary element of persuasive discourseB.a dubious art in at least two waysC.an outmoded and tedious amplification of logicD.an open offense to the rational mind(3).The passage suggests that a speech that attempts to persuad
35、e people to act is likely to fail if it does NOT _.（分数：2.00）A.distort the truth a little to make it more acceptable to the audienceB.appeal to the self-interest as well as the humanitarianism of the audienceC.address listeners“ emotions as well as their intellectsD.concede the logic of other points
36、of view(4).Which of the following persuasive devices is NOT used in the passage?（分数：2.00）A.A sample of an actual speech delivered by an oratorB.The contrast of different points of viewC.The repetition of key ideas and expressionsD.An analogy that seeks to explain logical argument(5).Which of the fol
37、lowing best states the author“s main point about logical argument?（分数：2.00）A.It is a sterile, abstract discipline, of little use in real lifeB.It is an essential element of persuasive discourse, but only one such elementC.It is an important means of persuading people to act against their desiresD.It
38、 is the lowest order of discourse because it is the least imaginative六、Passage Four(总题数：1，分数：10.00)Extraordinary creative activity has been characterized as revolutionary, flying in the face of what is established and producing not what is acceptable but what will become accepted. According to this
39、formulation, highly creative activity transcends the limits of an existing form and establishes a new principle of organization. However, the idea that extraordinary creativity transcends established limits is misleading when it is applied to the arts, even though it may be valid for the sciences. D
40、ifferences between highly creative art and highly creative science arise in part from differences in their goals. For the sciences, a new theory is the goal and end result of the creative act. Innovative science produces new propositions in terms of which diverse phenomena can be related to one anot
41、her in more coherent ways. Such phenomena as a brilliant diamond or a nesting bird are relegated to the role of data, serving as the means for formulating or testing a new theory. The goal of highly creative art is very different: the phenomenon itself becomes the direct product of the creative act.
42、 Shakespeare“s Hamlet is not a tract about the behavior of indecisive princes or the uses of political power, nor is Picasso“s painting Guernica primarily a propositional statement about the Spanish Civil War or the evils of fascism. What highly creative artistic activity produces is not a new gener
43、alization that transcends established limits, but rather an aesthetic particular. Aesthetic particulars produced by the highly creative artist extend or exploit, in an innovative way, the limits of an existing form, rather than transcend that form. This is not to deny that a highly creative artist s
44、ometimes establishes a new principle of organization in the history of an artistic field: the composer Monteverdi, who created music of the highest aesthetic value, comes to mind. More generally, however, whether or not a composition establishes a new principle in the history of music has little bea
45、ting on its aesthetic worth. Because they embody a new principle of organization, some musical works, such as the operas of the Florentine Camerata, are of signal historical importance, but few listeners or musicologists would include these among the great works of music. On the other hand, Mozart“s
46、 The Marriage of Figaro is surely among the masterpieces of music even though its modest innovations are confined to extending existing means. It has been said of Beethoven that he toppled the rules and freed music from the stifling confines of convention. But a close study of his compositions revea
47、ls that Beethoven overturned no fundamental rules. Rather, he was an incomparable strategist who exploited limitsthe rules, forms, and conventions that he inherited from predecessors such as Haydn and Mozart, Handel and Bachin strikingly original ways.（分数：10.00）(1).The author considers a new theory
48、that coherently relates diverse phenomena to one another to be the _.（分数：2.00）A.basis for reaffirming a well-established scientific formulationB.byproduct of an aesthetic experienceC.tool used by a scientist to discover a new particularD.result of highly creative scientific activity(2).The passage s
49、upplies information for answering all of the following questions EXCEPT _:（分数：2.00）A.Has unusual creative activity been characterized as revolutionary?B.Did Beethoven work within a musical tradition that also included Handel and Bach?C.Is Mozart“s The Marriage of Figaro an example of a creative work that transcended limits?D.Who besides Monteverdi wrote music that the author would consider to embody new principles of organization and to be of high aesthetic value?(3).The author regards the idea that all highly creative artist
