1、2008 年 3月国家公共英语（三级）真题试卷及答案与解析 一、 Section II Use of English (15 minutes) Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word or phrase for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. 0 It has always been a problem to decide whether “popular music“ is music which represents the
2、people or is simply music that the people like. The same problem of【 C1】 _exists with jazz. So many different【 C2】 _of music have been called jazz at one time or another that it is hard to say what【 C3】 _it is. Jazz has always been considered tobe black music【 C4】 _when I first【 C5】 _an interest in
3、it twenty years ago, I used to hear white【 C6】 _ playing music that was like Louis Armstrongs in the 1920s. I found out afterwards that they learnt to do this by playing Armstrongs records over and over again until their style was close enough to his【 C7】 _for them to imitate him. Since then white s
4、ingers like Bob Dylan have rediscovered【 C8】 _own folk tradition, instead of【 C9】 _from black roots. But the main【 C10】 _since 1960 have been social and technical. One is that young people have more【 C11】_to spend on records at an earlier age than they used to, so Tin Pan Alley, the pop music indust
5、ry, aims at the teenage audience.【 C12】 _is that electronic equipment has developed to such an【 C13】 _that technicians are now capable of mixing sound to【 C14】 _recordings that are quite different from a live【 C15】 _. But the real【 C16】 _with pop musis is that Tin Pan Alley has always worked against
6、 its being a【 C17】 _music of the people. It takes everything original and natural out of it and【 C18】 _it with cheap commercial imitations.【 C19】_the American folk singer, Woody Guthrie, said: “Theyve always【 C20】_the second-rate songs. Theyve never wanted to play the good ones.“ 1 【 C1】 （ A） defini
7、tion （ B） classification （ C） imitation （ D） discussion 2 【 C2】 （ A） types （ B） forms （ C） ways （ D） branches 3 【 C3】 （ A） principally （ B） concisely （ C） commonly （ D） exactly 4 【 C4】 （ A） for （ B） and （ C） but （ D） so 5 【 C5】 （ A） found （ B） took （ C） got （ D） brought 6 【 C6】 （ A） singers （ B） con
8、ductors （ C） bands （ D） composers 7 【 C7】 （ A） skill （ B） spirit （ C） pace （ D） model 8 【 C8】 （ A） his （ B） their （ C） its （ D） our 9 【 C9】 （ A） borrowing （ B） starting （ C） copying （ D） growing 10 【 C10】 （ A） demands （ B） tides （ C） changes （ D） issues 11 【 C11】 （ A） energy （ B） money （ C） time （ D
9、） effort 12 【 C12】 （ A） Another （ B） One other （ C） Other （ D） Other one 13 【 C13】 （ A） extension （ B） expansion （ C） effect （ D） extent 14 【 C14】 （ A） order （ B） invent （ C） produce （ D） appreciate 15 【 C15】 （ A） display （ B） demonstration （ C） operation （ D） performance 16 【 C16】 （ A） issue （ B） q
10、uestion （ C） task （ D） problem 17 【 C17】 （ A） commercial （ B） traditional （ C） genuine （ D） lively 18 【 C18】 （ A） replaces （ B） substitutes （ C） exchanges （ D） reforms 19 【 C19】 （ A） What （ B） As （ C） Since （ D） So 20 【 C20】 （ A） preferred （ B） disliked （ C） wanted （ D） improved Part A Directions: R
11、ead the following three texts. Answer the questions on each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 20 In recent years scientists have found that the laser has a wide variety of applications, making it one of the most important inventions for improving our quality of life
12、. One important field in which the laser has many applications is communications. Scientists have found that the laser beam can transmit human voices; as a result, telephone companies are now using laser light signals to transmit telephone calls through extremely small cables that are capable of car
13、rying many more transmissions than the standard telephone cables. An additional advantage is that these systems using the laser light signals are also able to transmit video telephone conversations. Another, perhaps less-known, field in which lasers are helping improve the quality of life is metrolo
14、gy the science of measurement. The extremely straight, narrow laser beam can be used to put the parts of a structure being built into the correct position to each other. The laser beam has also been used to measure remote distances, for example, the precise distance from the Earth to the Moon. And f
15、inally, the laser can be used to measure the drifts of the Earths plates. This measurement, along with other data, can help in the pre-diction of the earthquakes. Probably the most vital application of the laser is in the field of medicine. Scientists have developed a laser kniffe that surgeons can
16、use for operations. These knives are now used widely because they cut sharply and because the beam seals off the blood vessels that it cuts, thus reducing blood loss considerably. When Dr. Theodore got the first laser to work in July 1960, what uses it would have were unknown; in fact he called it a
17、 multimillion-dollar “solution in search of a problem“. As we have seen, the uses of the laser are numerous. It is being used in the fields of medicine, communications, and metrology. There are many, many more applications, such as in the areas of defense and space travel. What should be apparent by
18、 now is that there are many problems the laser is helping to solve, and that the laser, if used wisely, can be a life-saving device. 21 According to the text, the laser can_. （ A） standardize telephone cables （ B） remove communications jams （ C） improve the quality of human voices （ D） increase the
19、capacity of communications 22 From the text we learn that the laser can_. （ A） cut a structure from a right position （ B） design parts of a complex structure （ C） measure the distance between planets （ D） predict the movement of earths plates 23 The writer thinks the most important use of the laser
20、is in the field of_. （ A） medical treatment （ B） national defense （ C） space travel （ D） metrology 24 From the last paragraph we can see that the uses of the laser_. （ A） are yet to be simplified （ B） are expanding all the time （ C） remain an ideal in imagination （ D） remain an issue beyond solution
21、 25 The best title of the text might be_. （ A） The Laser: A Scientific and Technological Wonder （ B） The Laser: A Powerful Tool for Communications （ C） The Laser: A Solution to Life-Saving Problems （ D） The Laser: A Multimillion Dollar Invention 25 When his plane touched down at Montreals internatio
22、nal airport, David LaRoche collected his luggage and headed for the airport parking garage, where he left his brand-new car-three weeks earlier. But the car wasnt there. LaRoche found a police officer, who gave him the bad news:his Audi A6 most likely had been absorbed into a vast black car market s
23、ome- where in Eastern Europe of Africa. LaRoche, who flies out of Montreal because it is the closest major airport to his northern Vermont home, is not alone. Countless U. S. travelers use Montreals airport because of its convenient location and competitive prices, which it promotes in radio ads in
24、New Eng-land. Not surprisingly, the ads dont mention that more than 200 cars are stolen every year from the airports parking lots. Professional thieves search the airports long-term parking garages for cars that are relatively free of dust and have U. S. license plates a lack of dust means that a ca
25、r was parked recently, and Americans often travel for weeks on end. Says a Canadian car-theft investigator: “That gives the bad guys a lot of time to do whatever they want with the car.“ What they do, typically, is take the stolen cars to Montreals harbor, wheree they are concealed inside huge conta
26、iners to be taken overseas. In little more than a week, the cars are on the street in Russia or countries in Africa of Asia. Police assert that Canadas most powerful car-theft rings are controlled by Russian crime organizations. Airport officials downplay the problem. “You have to put things in pers
27、pective. when you have so many cars parked at your airport every year,“ says Montreals director of airport protection. “Its not a major problem. “But the Montreal airports car-theft problem police recorded 220 stolen cars last year is far worse than other international airports in North America. Las
28、t year, for example, only 65 cars were stolen from parking lots at Los Angeless airport; Bostons Logan airport had only four reported thefts. So now David La- Roche will head to Logan, his next-closest major airport. Its a longer drive, but thats OK if it saves his new car. 26 Many American traveler
29、s use Montreal international airport because_. （ A） it offers good passenger service （ B） it provides free parking lots （ C） it is near and inexpensive （ D） it is widely advertised 27 Professional car thieves are interested in dust-free American cars because_. （ A） they have enough time to dispose o
30、f the stolen cars （ B） they have a special interest in American cars （ C） American cars are popular among the dealers （ D） American cars are usually new and expensive 28 Car thefts go smoothly because_. （ A） the police have got involved in them （ B） the stolen cars sell well in the world market （ C）
31、 the thieves are familiar with the parking garages （ D） they are promoted by some international cooperation 29 The text indicates that the Canadian airport officials seem to have_. （ A） taken effective measures to solve the car-theft problem （ B） overestimated the seriousness of the car-theft proble
32、m （ C） failed to give proper attention to the car-theft problem （ D） realized the seriousness of the car-theft problem 30 Now Mr. LaRoche chooses to use Logan airport instead of Montreal airport because_. （ A） the former is cheaper in service （ B） the former gives more care to car theft （ C） the for
33、mer is more convenient for parking （ D） the former shows more concern for passengers 30 Like dogs poop on city pavements, rubbish left behind by tourists at natural sites is disgusting. The funny thing is nobody likes seeing such mess in the places they are visiting but it seems only few really care
34、 enough to keep the place tidy. The obvious result is that garbage has become a common sight in forests which attract tourists. We are certain that in many places park rangers despite their small numbers, incomparable to the tremendous tourist troops are already doing the best they can. Sometimes, h
35、owever, we believe things could still be better. Take the Thi-Lor-Su waterfall in Tak province for instance. One of the things about Thi-Lor-Su which we would like to talk about today is the commendable method of rubbish control at the waterfall. There, food and drinks in commercial packaging are pr
36、ohibited. The ban is enforced by requiring that each and every visitor heading from the camping ground to the waterfall has to pass through a checkpoint where their bags are inspected and potential garbage is seized. The results have been amazing. Despite thousands of visitors, the 1. 5-kilometre tr
37、ail to Thi-Lor-Su, as well as the waterfall itself, is almost free of garbage. However, within the same forest, along the 16 kilometers of rough road from the Pha Luead checkpoint to the camping ground, the situation is completely different. Both sides of the road are littered with rubbish, from can
38、dy wrappers to Styrofoam food boxes to plastic water bottles. One contributing factor to the mess is that several tour operators use ordinary pick-up trucks to transport their clients in and out of the forest. The ordinary trucks often get stuck and tourists are forced to walk the rest of the distan
39、ce which can be several kilometers. And, as you would expect, there are more inconsiderate tourists than conscientious ones. Along the way, people eat and throw rubbish. One solution to this problem is to encourage tour operators to use proper vehicles. Either that or put off traveling into the fore
40、st until the road is really dry and passable. 31 How does the writer feel about the fact that people hate to see rubbish but still throw it carelessly? （ A） Their behavior is ridiculous. （ B） Their behavior is immoral. （ C） Their behavior is foolish. （ D） Their behavior is illegal. 32 What is the wr
41、iters comment on park rangers work? （ A） They are slack in their work. （ B） They should make more efforts. （ C） They are devoted to their work. （ D） They need to reorganize their work. 33 We can learn that, while visiting the Thi-Lor-Su waterfall, visitors_. （ A） are rewarded for taking garbage away
42、 （ B） are forbidden to take packaged food and drinks （ C） are punished heavily if they throw garbage carelessly （ D） are prevented from taking a vehicle even if they are tired 34 The contrast of the situations in the two sections of Thi-Lor-Su road to the waterfall implies that we should_. （ A） make
43、 rules and regulations for rubbish control （ B） realize that environmental protection is an ideal （ C） encourage environment-friendly packaging （ D） raise the environmental awareness of tourists 35 As regards putting an end to peoples littering in the forest, the writer feels_. （ A） confused （ B） do
44、ubtful （ C） worried （ D） hopeful Part B Directions: Read the text, match the items (61-65) to one of the statements (A to G) given below. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 35 Paula: There is no safe cigarette and no safe level of consumption. Some smokers think that switching from stronger to mil
45、der cigarettes makes smoking safer, but this isnt true. For smokers usually swallow the smoke deeper, or they often smoke the cigarettes to the shortest length. So even if you do make the switch but dont make these changes, the health benefits are very small when compared to the benefits of quitting
46、. Jenny: Anyone who smokes is at a risk of being harmed physically. As you continue to smoke, your body learns to depend on cigarettes and you can smoke more and more. Just three cigarettes a day can spark potentially fatal heart disease, and women are particularly at risk. It is never too early for
47、 cigarettes to cause damage; it can start with the first cigarette. Joanne: There are many short-term health effects of smoking. A major consequence is decreased lung function. This often leads to shortness of breath, constant cough and tiring easily during exercise. Smoking also reduces the ability
48、 to smell and taste and causes early ageing of skin. Often people dont realize that a smoking-related disease could be developing for years before it is detected. A “smokers cough“ or shortness of breath are early signs of problems which can be fatal. Jocelyn: For women, cigarette smoking increases
49、the risk of a number of sex-specific health problems. Smoking women can experience irregular periods. Smokers that are on the pill have a greater risk or heart attack, stroke and other diseases. Whats more, stroke doesnt only affect elderly people. People in their 20s and 30s also die from strokes caused by smoking. Amanda: Many young women regard their smoking as short term, and do
