1、2006年厦门大学考博英语真题试卷及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 In the course of my reading I had come across a case where, many years ago, some hunters on our Great Plains organized a buffalo hunt for the entertainment of an English earl and to provide some fresh meat for his use. They had charming sport. They
2、killed seventy-two of those great animals; and ate part of one of them and left the seventy-one to rot. In order to determine the difference between an anaconda and an earl, I had seven lambs turned into the anacondas cage. The grateful snake immediately crushed one of them and swallowed it, then la
3、y back satisfied. It showed no further interest in the lambs, and no inclination to harm them. I tried this experiment with other anacondas; always with the same result. The fact stood proven that the difference between an earl and an anaconda is that the earl is cruel and the anaconda isnt; and the
4、 earl wantonly destroys what he has no use for, but the anaconda doesnt. This seemed to suggest that the anaconda was not descended from the earl. It also seemed to suggest that the earl was descended from the anaconda, and had lost a good deal in the transition. I was aware that many men who have a
5、ccumulated more money than they can ever use have shown a hunger for more, and have not hesitated to cheat the ignorant and the helpless out of their poor servings in order to partially satisfy that appetite. I furnished a hundred different kinds of wild and domestic animals the opportunity to accum
6、ulate vast stores of food but none of them would do it. The squirrels and bees and certain birds made accumulations, but stopped when they gathered a winters supply, and could not be persuaded to add to it either honestly or be trickery. These experiments convinced me that there is this difference b
7、etween man and the higher animals: he is greedy, they are not. In the course of my experiments I convinced myself that among the animals man is the only one that harbors insults and injuries, broods over them, waits till a chance offers, then takes revenge. The passion of revenge is unknown to the h
8、igher animals. 1 By describing the buffalo hunting his experiment with the anaconda, the author mainly wants to tell his readers that_. （ A） the anaconda is easily satisfied （ B） the earl is capable of committing wanton cruelty （ C） the earls ancestor turned out to be the anaconda （ D） the anaconda
9、does not harm other animals except when it is hungry 2 According to the author, in human society, the rich_. （ A） tend to accumulate vast stores of food （ B） are inclined to gather more riches （ C） ate ready to help the poor （ D） are mostly cheaters 3 The authors experiments with different kinds of
10、animals seem to prove that_. （ A） man is the highest animal （ B） man is superior to animals （ C） man is the lowest animal （ D） man is inferior to animals in certain respect 4 We learn from the last paragraph that_. （ A） love of revenge is a unique characteristic of man （ B） man is the only animal ca
11、pable of thinking （ C） human beings are capable of insulting and injuring each other （ D） man is better at taking chances than animals 5 In this passage, the anther writes in a(n) _. （ A） serious tone （ B） angry tone （ C） ironic tone （ D） matter-of-fact tone 5 Since the early eighties we have been o
12、nly too aware of the devastating effects of largescale environmental pollution. Such pollution is generally the result of poor government planning in many developing nations or the short-sighted, selfish policies of the already industrialized countries which encourage a minority of the worlds popula
13、tion to squander the majority of its natural resources. While events such as the deforestation of the Amazon jungle or the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl continue to receive high. remembered that not all pollution is on this grand scale. A large proportion of the worlds pollution has its source much
14、close to home. Avoiding pollution can be a full-time job. Try not to inhale traffic fumes, keep away from chemical plants and building-sites, wear a mask when cycling. It is enough to make you want to stay at home. But that, according to a growing body of scientific evidence, would also be a bad ide
15、a. Research shows that levels of pollutants such as hazardous gases, particulate matter and other chemical “nasties“ are usually higher indoors than out, even in the most polluted cities. Since the average American spends 18 hours indoors for every hour outside, it looks as though many environmental
16、ists may be attacking the wrong target. The latest study, conducted by two environmental engineers, Richard Corsi and Cynthia Howard-Reed, of the University of Texas in Austin, and published in Environmental Science and Technology, suggests that it is the process of keeping clean that may be making
17、indoor pollution worse. The researchers found that baths, showers, dishwashers and washing machines can all be significant sources of indoor pollution, because they extract trace amounts of chemicals from the water that they use and transfer them to the air. Nearly all public water Supplies contain
18、very low concentrations of toxic chemicals, most of them left over from the otherwise beneficial process of chlorination. In fact, in many cases, the degree of exposure to toxic chemicals in tap water by inhalation is comparable to the exposure that would result from drinking the stuff. This is sign
19、ificant because many people are so concerned about water-borne pollutants that they drink only bottled water, worldwide sales of which are forecast to reach $ 72 billion by next year. Dr. Corsis results suggest that they are being exposed to such pollutants any way simply by breathing at home. The a
20、im of such research is not, however, to encourage the use of gas masks when unloading the washing. Instead, it is to bring a sense of perspective to the debate about pollution. According to Dr. Corsi, disproportionate effort is wasted campaigning against certain forms of outdoor pollution, when ther
21、e is as much or more cause, for concern indoors, right under peoples noses. Using gas cookers or burning candles, for example, both result in indoor levels of carbon monoxide and particulate matter that are just as high as those to be found outside, amid heavy traffic. Overcrowded classrooms whose v
22、entilation systems were designed for smaller numbers of children frequently contain levels of carbon dioxide that would be regarded as unaccepted on board a submarine. “New car smell“ is the result of high levels of toxic chemicals, not cleanliness. Laser printers, computers, carpets and paints all
23、contribute to the noxious indoor mix. The implications of indoor pollution for health are unclear. But before worrying about the problems caused by large-scale industry, it makes sense to consider the small-scale industry, it makes sense to consider the small-scale pollution at home and welcome inte
24、rnational debate about this. Scientists investigating indoor pollution will gather next month in Edinburgh at the Indoor Air conference to discuss the problem. Perhaps unwisely, the meeting is being held indoors. 6 In the first paragraph, the writer argues that pollution_. （ A） has increase since th
25、e eighties （ B） is at its worst in industrialized countries （ C） results from poor relation between nations （ D） is caused by human self-interest 7 In the 3rd paragraph the writer suggests that_. （ A） people should avoid working in cities （ B） Americans spend too little time outdoors （ C） hazardous
26、gases are concentrated in industrial suburbs （ D） there are several ways to avoid city pollution 8 The Corsi research team hypothesized that_. （ A） toxic chemicals call pass from air to water （ B） pollution is caused by dishwashers and baths （ C） city water contains insufficient chlorine （ D） househ
27、old appliances are poorly designed 9 As a result of their experiments, Dr. Corsis team found that_. （ A） dishwashers are very efficient machines （ B） tap water is as polluted, as bottled water （ C） indoor pollution rivals outdoor pollution （ D） gas mask is a useful protective device 10 Regarding dan
28、gers of pollution, the writer believes that_. （ A） there is a need for rational discussion （ B） indoor pollution is a recent phenomenon （ C） people should worry most about their work environment （ D） industrial pollution causes specific diseases 10 Internet voting happens all the time, but usually i
29、ts confined to topics such as “Who is the cutest cast member of Party of Five?“ Soon, however, people will be able to cast their ballot for President on the Internet. In March, Arizona Democrats will vote online in their states presidential primary, and Florida and Washington are considering online
30、voting. The military plans to allow a small test group of overseas soldiers to vote via the Internet this November. The Internet voting is growing rapidly. There are civic engagement enthusiasts who see it as a way to prevent the drop in voter turnout. Then there are the Internet fans, who think the
31、 Internet is going to change everything, so why not polities? Most important are the people who make the plan for developing software for online voting. Imagine the retail price of that software, then multiply it by every state and city government, and suddenly a lot of Internet capitalists develop
32、a deeply felt concern for increasing voter turnout. Some problems will arise. Hackers and some politicians could break into a voting database and make the secret ballot not so secret. A massive computer failure would have disastrous consequences. Just as serious, online voting could distort particip
33、ation levels, at least, to the wealthy and cyber-connected. In the long run, however, online voting might make little difference. Since the 1960s, the government has made numerous attempts to energize nonvoters by making it easier for them to get to the polls, extending voting hours, lowering the vo
34、ting age, etc. Still, voter turnout has decreased steadily. Political scientists believe the important cause is indifference and dislike to politics, not the inconvenience of voting. Putting a ballot on the Internet might even further depress turnout by cheapening one of the holy ceremonies of democ
35、racy. “The business of democracy,“ says Curtis Gans, an analyst of voting behavior, “shouldnt be the same as getting your e-mail?“ 11 What does the word “ballot“ in the third line in paragraph 1 mean? （ A） Vote. （ B） Ball. （ C） Dance. （ D） Voter. 12 Internet voting is growing rapidly because of all
36、of the following EXCEPT that （ A） there are civic engagement enthusiasts who see it as a way to prevent the drop in voter turnout （ B） there are the Internet fans, who think the Internet is going to change everything, of course including politics （ C） some people make the plan for developing softwar
37、e for online voting （ D） same capitalists are very much concerned about the voter turnout 13 Which of the following is NOT a problem that will arise in Internet voting? （ A） People will gain unauthorized access to a database. （ B） Online voting system may be distorted. （ C） Participants will be main
38、ly wealthy and cyber-connected. （ D） Computer failure. 14 According to political scientists, the important cause for decreased voter turnout is （ A） the lack of interest in politics （ B） the inconvenience of voting （ C） the business of democracy （ D） the limited voting hours 15 What does Curtis Gans
39、 think of Internet voting? （ A） A holy practice is treated with disrespect. （ B） It is a natural behavior just like sending e-mail. （ C） Government should make the polls easier for voters to get. （ D） Less and less people are interested in it. 15 Every morning, Allie wakes up and accompanies her fri
40、end to the washroom. She turns on the light, soaps up a washcloth, and begins cleaning her friends face. Is Allie an extremely devoted companion? Yes! Allie is a capuchin monkey who helps her disabled friend perform everyday tasks. Monkeys like Allie are just one of many kinds of animals that help i
41、mprove or even save human lives. But not all animals are suited to do every job. Certain animals are “hired“ for specific jobs based on their traits, or characteristics. By using different methods of conditioning (training animals to act in a particular way in response to a stimulus, or signal), hum
42、ans can teach animals to perform extraordinary tasks. Throughout history, humans have relied on animals traits to get certain jobs done. For example, compared with humans, dogs are “ far superior at tracking down odors,“ says Marian Bailey, an animal behaviorist at Henderson State University in Arka
43、nsas. Thats because dogs have million of olfactory receptors, or smell nerves, in their noses. For that reason, hunters used dogs to track down prey even in ancient Egypt. Today, dogs my be employed to sniff out illegal substances in school lockers or earthquake victims buried beneath the rubble of
44、the collapsed building or highway. Primates may not be good sniffers, but they can certainly lend a helping hand or two. Monkeys are perfect helpmates for quadriplegics, people paralyzed from the neck down who are unable to use their own hands (and legs). Like humans, explains Bailey, monkeys have o
45、pposable thumbs thumbs that face the hands other fingers so monkeys can pick up objects. Capuchins learn to open doors, clean up spills, and unscrew bottle tops. They can even get a sandwich out of the refrigerator and load your favorite tape into the VCR. And speaking of VCRs, animals are even help
46、ing scientists make a videotape. Jennifer Hurley, an animal researcher at the Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz, California, is training two sea lions to carry video cameras on their backs to record the natural behavior of whales. So how do you get an animal employee to do its job? The answer is career-
47、training. Trainers teach the animals to obey their instructions through a process called conditioning. Most trainers condition animals by using positive reinforcement, rewarding an animal for doing something correctly, says animal behaviorist Bailey. For example, trainers teach their dogs how to sni
48、ff out drugs by hiding a towel with the smell of drugs. “Dogs love to retrieve objects so the towel becomes a reward,“ says Morris Berkowitz, who heads up a canine drug-sniffing program in New York. After repeating this game of hide-and-seek many times, the dog begins to “associate the odor with a r
49、eward,“ says Berkowitz. When he gives the command, or stimulus, the dog seeks out drugs (its like learning to study hard for a test in order to get a good grade as a reward). At “Helping Hands Monkey Helpers for the Disabled,“ capuchin monkeys are trained twice before being teamed with a disabled human. First, monkeys are placed with a foster family to become socialized to people. For five years, families help the monkeys adapt to a human environment, so the monkeys will trust and enjoy being around people. Taking
