1、2005年专业英语八级真题试卷及答案与解析 SECTION A MINI-LECTURE Directions: In this section you sill hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture
2、. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking. 1 Writing a Research Paper . Research Paper and Ordinary Essay A. Similarity in 【 1】 . _ e.g. -choosing a
3、topic -asking questions -identifying the audience B. Difference mainly in terms of 【 2】 _ 1. research paper: printed sources 2. ordinary essay: ideas in one s 【 3】 _ . Types and Characteristics of Research Papers A. Number of basic types: two B. Characteristics: 1. survey-type paper: -to gather 【 4】
4、 _ - to quote -to 【 5】 . _ The writer should be 【 6】 _ 2. argumentative (research) paper: a. The writer should do more, e.g. - to interpret -to question, etc. b. 【 7】 . _varies with the topic, e.g. -to recommend an action, etc. .How to Choose a Topic for a Research Paper In choosing a topic,it impor
5、tant to 【 8】 _ Question No.1:your familiarity with the topic Question No.2:availability of relevant information On the chosen topic Question No.3: narrowing the topic down to 【 9】 _ Question No.4: asking questions about 【 10】 _ The questions help us to work our way into the topic and discover its po
6、ssibilities. 1 【 1】 2 【 2】 3 【 3】 4 【 4】 5 【 5】 6 【 6】 7 【 7】 8 【 8】 9 【 9】 10 【 10】 SECTION B INTERVIEW Directions: In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview
7、 you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the interview. 11 What is the purpose of Professor McKays report? （ A） To look into the mental health of old people. （ B） To explain why people have negative views on old age. （ C） To help correct some false
8、beliefs about old age. （ D） To identify the various problems of old age. 12 Which of the following is NOT Professor McKays view? （ A） People change in old age a lot more than at the age of 21. （ B） There are as many sick people in old age as in middle age. （ C） We should not expect more physical ill
9、ness among old people. （ D） We should not expect to find old people unattractive as a group. 13 According to Professor McKays report, _. （ A） family love is gradually disappearing （ B） it is hard to comment on family feeling （ C） more children are indifferent to their parents （ D） family love remain
10、s as strong as ever 14 Professor McKay is _ towards the tendency of more parents living apart from their children. （ A） negative （ B） positive （ C） ambiguous （ D） neutral 15 The only popular belief that Professor McKay is unable to provide evidence against is _. （ A） old-age sickness （ B） loose fami
11、ly ties （ C） poor mental abilities （ D） difficulties in maths SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST Directions: In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. At the end of each news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. 16 Sc
12、ientists in Brazil have used frog skin to _. （ A） eliminate bacteria （ B） treat bums （ C） speed up recovery （ D） reduce treatment cost 17 What is NOT a feature of the new karaoke machine? （ A） It is featured by high technology. （ B） It allows you to imitate famous singers. （ C） It can automatically
13、alter the tempo and tone of a song. （ D） It can be placed in specially designed theme rooms. 18 Chinas internet users had reached _ by the end of June. （ A） 68 million （ B） 8.9 million （ C） 10 million （ D） 1.5 million 19 According to the WTO, Chinese exports rose _year. （ A） 21%. （ B） 10%. （ C） 22%.
14、 （ D） 4.73%. 20 According to the news, which trading nation in the top 10 has reported a 5 percent fall in exports? （ A） The UK. （ B） The US. （ C） Japan. （ D） Germany. 21 I remember meeting him one evening with his pushcart. I had managed to sell all my papers and was coming home in the snow. It was
15、 that strange hour in downtown New York when the workers were pouring homeward in the twilight. I marched among thousands of tired men and women whom the factory whistles had unyoked. They flowed in rivers through the clothing factory districts, then down along the avenues to the East Side. I met my
16、 father near Cooper Union. I recognized him, a hunched, frozen figure in an old overcoat standing by a banana cart. He looked so lonely, the tears came to my eyes. Then he saw me, and his face lit with his sad, beautiful smile-Charlie Chaplins smile. “Arch, its Mikey,“ he said. “So you have sold you
17、r papers! Come and eat a banana.“ He offered me one. I refused it. I felt it crucial that my father sell his bananas, not give them away. He thought I was shy, and coaxed and joked with me, and made me eat the banana. It smelled of wet straw and snow. “You havent sold many bananas today, pop,“ I sai
18、d anxiously. He shrugged his shoulders. “What can I do? No one seems to want them.“ It was true. The work crowds pushed home morosely over the pavements. The rusty sky darkened over New York buildings, the tall street lamps were tit, innumerable trucks, street cars and elevated trains clattered by.
19、Nobody and nothing in the great city stopped for my fathers bananas. “I ought to yell, “said my father dolefully. “I ought to make a big noise like other peddlers, but it makes my throat sore. Anyway, Im ashamed of yelling, it makes me feel like a fool.“ I had eaten one of his bananas. My sick consc
20、ience told me that I ought to pay for it somehow. I must remain here and help my father. “Ill yell for you, pop,“ I volunteered. “Arch, no,“ he said, “go home; you have worked enough today, lust tell momn Ill be late.“ But I yelled and yelled. My father, standing by, spoke occasional words of praise
21、, and said I was a wonderful yeller. Nobody else paid attention. The workers drifted past us wearily, endlessly; a defeated army wrapped in dreams of home. Elevated trains crashed; the Cooper Union clock burned above us; the sky grew black, the wind poured, the slush burned through our shoes. There
22、were thousands of strange, silent figures pouring over the sidewalks in snow. None of them stopped to buy bananas. I yelled and yelled, nobody listened. My father vied to stop me at last. “Nu,“ he said smiling to console me, “that was wonderful yelling, Mikey. But its plain we are unlucky today! Let
23、s go home.“ I was frantic, and almost in tears. I insisted on keeping up my desperate years. But at last my father persuaded me to leave with him. 21 “unyoked“ in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to_. （ A） sent out （ B） released （ C） dispatched （ D） removed 22 Which of the following in the
24、first paragraph does NOT indicate crowds of people? （ A） Thousands of. （ B） Flowed. （ C） Pouring. （ D） Unyoked. 23 Which of the following is intended to be a pair of contrast in the passage? （ A） Huge crowds and lonely individuals. （ B） Weather conditions and street lamps. （ C） Clattering trains and
25、 peddlers yells. （ D） Moving crowds and street traffic. 24 Which of the following words is NOT suitable to describe the character of the son? （ A） Compassionate. （ B） Responsible. （ C） Shy. （ D） Determined. 25 What is the theme of the story? （ A） The misery of the factory workers. （ B） How to surviv
26、e in a harsh environment. （ C） Generation gap between the father and the son. （ D） Love between the father and the son. 26 What is the author s attitude towards the father and the son? （ A） Indifferent. （ B） Sympathetic. （ C） Appreciative. （ D） Difficult to tell. 27 When former President Ronald Reag
27、an fell and broke his hip at the age of 89, he joined a group of more than 350,000 elderly Americans who fracture their hips each year. Suffering from advanced Alzheimer s disease, Reagan was in one of the highest-risk groups for this type of accident. The incidence of hip factures not only increase
28、s after age 50, but doubles every five to six years as the risk of falling increases. Slipping and tumbling are not the only causes of hip fractures; weakened bones sometimes break spontaneously. But falling is the major cause, representing 90% of all hip fractures. These injuries are not to be take
29、n lightly. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, only 25% of those who suffer hip fractures ever fully recover; as many as 20% will die within 12 months. Even when patients do recover, nearly half will need a cane or a walker to get around. When it comes to hip fractures, the mos
30、t dangerous place for elderly Americans, it turns out, is their homes; nearly 60% of these dangerous spills will occur in or around the patient s domicile. This isnt all bad news, however, because a few modifications could prevent a lot of accidents. The first thing to do is to get rid of those thro
31、w rugs that line hallways and entrances. They often fold over or bunch up, turning them into booby traps for anyone shuffling down the hall. Entering and leaving the house is a particularly high-risk activity, which is why some experts suggest removing any doorsills higher than 1/2 in. If the steps
32、are bare wood, you can increase traction by applying non-slip treads. Because many seniors suffer from poor balance (whether from neurological deficits or from the inner-ear problems that increase naturally with aging), it also helps to install grab bars and handrails in bathrooms and along hallways
33、. The bedroom is another major hazard area that can be made much safer with a few adjustments. Avoid satin sheets and comforters, and opt for non-slip material like wool or cotton. Easy access to devices is important, so place a lamp, telephone and flashlight near the bed within arm s reach. Make su
34、re the pathway between the bedroom and bathroom is completely clear, and install a night-light along the route for those emergency late-tight trips. It s a good idea to rearrange the furniture throughout the house, so that the paths between rooms are free of obstructions. Also, make sure telephone a
35、nd appliance cords arent strung across common wall ways, where they can be tripped over. In addition to these physical precautions, there are the health precautions every aging body should take. Physical and eye examinations, with special attention to cardiac and blood-pressure problems, should be p
36、erformed annually to rule out serious medical conditions. Blood pressure thats too low or an irregular heartbeat can put you at risk for fainting and falling. Dont forget to take calcium and vitamin D, two critical factors in developing strong bones. Finally, enrolling in an exercise programme at yo
37、ur local gym can improve agility, strength, balance and coordination -all important skills that can keep you on your feet and off the floor. 27 The following are all specific measures to guard against injuries with the EXCEPTION of （ A） removal of throw rugs （ B） easy access to devices （ C） installa
38、tion of grab bars （ D） re-arrangement of furniture 28 In which paragraph does the author state his purpose of writing? （ A） The third paragraph. （ B） The first paragraph. （ C） The last paragraph. （ D） The last but one paragraph. 29 The main purpose of the passage is to_. （ A） offer advice on how to
39、prevent hip fractures （ B） emphasize the importance of health precautions （ C） discuss the seriousness of hip fractures （ D） identify the causes of hip fractures 30 In his classic novel “The Pioneers“, James Fenimore Cooper bas his hero, a land developer, take his cousin on a tour of the city he is
40、building. He describes the broad streets, rows of houses, a teeming metropolis. But his cousin looks around bewildered. All she sees is a stubby forest. “Where are the beauties and improvements which you were to show me?“ she asks. He s astonished she can t see them. “Where! Why everywhere,“ he repl
41、ies. For though they are not yet built on earth, he has built them in his mind, and they are as concrete to him as if they were already constructed and finished. Cooper was illustrating a distinctly American trait, future-mindedness: the ability to see the present from the vantage point of the futur
42、e; the freedom to feel unencumbered by the past and more emotionally attached to things to come. “America is therefore the land of the future,“ the German philosopher Hegel wrote. “The American lives even more for his goals, for the future, than the European,“ Albert Einstein concurred. “Life for hi
43、m is always becoming, never being.“ In 2012, America will still be the place where the future happens first, for that is the nations oldest tradition. The early Puritans lived in almost Stone Age conditions, but they were inspired by visions of future glories, God s kingdom on earth. The early pione
44、ers would sometimes travel past perfectly good farmland, because they were convinced that even more amazing land could be found over the next ridge. The Founding Fathers took 13 scraggly Colonies and believed they were creating a new nation on earth. The railroad speculators envisioned magnificent f
45、ortunes built on bands of iron. Its now fashionable to ridicule the visions of dot-com entrepreneurs of the 1990s, but they had inherited the urge to leap for the horizon. “The Future is endowed with such a life, that it lives to us even in anticipation,“ Herman Melville wrote. “The Future is the Bi
46、ble of the Free.“ This future-mindedness explains many modem features of American life. It explains workaholism: the average American works 350 hours a year more than the average European. Americans move more, in search of that brighter tomorrow, than people in other lands. They also, sadly, divorce
47、 more, for the same reason. Americans adopt new technologies such as online shopping and credit cards much more quickly than people in other countries. Forty-five percent of world Internet use takes place in the United States. Even today, after the bursting of the stock-market bubble, American ventu
48、re-capital firms-which are in the business of betting on the future - dwarf the firm,s from all other nations. Future-mindedness contributes to the disorder in American life, the obliviousness to history, the high rates of family breakdown, the frenzied waste of natural resources. It also leads to i
49、ncredible innovations. According to the Yale historian Paul Kennedy, 75 percent of the Nobel laureates in economics and the sciences over recent decades have lived or worked in the United States. The country remains a magnet for the future-minded from other nations. One in 12 Americans has enjoyed the thrill and challenge of starting his own business. A study published in the Journal of International Business Studies in 2000 showed th
