1、2008年 9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 A webcam is a digital camera that sends video images to other computer users. Its about the 【
2、C1】 _ of a golf ball and typically 【 C2】 _ on top of your computer monitor. Once the webcam is 【 C3】 _ to the USB port of your computer with the necessary software, 【 C4】 _ images of you can be sent to one or more users over the Internet 【 C5】 _ an instant messaging(IM) service. A webcam costs about
3、 $50. More expensive models come with added 【 C6】_ , such as better picture resolution. Two leading makers, Logitech and Creative, offer a range of models, 【 C7】 _ software is included. There is no extra Internet 【 C8】 _ to send or receive video images, though youll have to 【 C9】 _ for a free instan
4、t messaging service. Everyone can see and hear one another in 【 C10】_ time. Grandparents can see their grandkids more 【 C11】 _ Webcams can work with almost any computer bought in the past five years and can 【 C12】_ long distance phone bills. 【 C13】 _ you have broadband, that is, a high-speed cable-m
5、odem or DSL connection, images may 【 C14】 _ a long time to download, 【 C15】 _ a slide show rather than a movie. While webcams are easy to link to your computer, learning to 【 C16】 _ the software can take time. You have to make. some rearrangement with the configurations. 【 C17】 _ you have a 56k mode
6、m and the people you want to 【 C18】_ wont mind seeing live shots instead of perfect video, a webcam is still fun, 【 C19】 _ before you buy, be sure everyone, 【 C20】 _ for the same IM service. 1 【 C1】 （ A） weight （ B） size （ C） volume （ D） space 2 【 C2】 （ A） rests （ B） remains （ C） stays （ D） sits 3 【
7、 C3】 （ A） joined （ B） attached （ C） connected （ D） fastened 4 【 C4】 （ A） live （ B） living （ C） lively （ D） lovely 5 【 C5】 （ A） via （ B） with （ C） from （ D） in 6 【 C6】 （ A） devices （ B） features （ C） designs （ D） attachments 7 【 C7】 （ A） so （ B） but （ C） for （ D） and 8 【 C8】 （ A） limit （ B） charge （
8、C） registration （ D） rate 9 【 C9】 （ A） check in （ B） log in （ C） sign up （ D） draw up 10 【 C10】 （ A） true （ B） actual （ C） genuine （ D） real 11 【 C11】 （ A） recently （ B） frequently （ C） realistically （ D） immediately 12 【 C12】 （ A） reduce （ B） reform （ C） remove （ D） retain 13 【 C13】 （ A） Although （
9、 B） Because （ C） Unless （ D） Whereas 14 【 C14】 （ A） waste （ B） have （ C） spend （ D） take 15 【 C15】 （ A） resembled （ B） resembling （ C） to resemble （ D） resemble 16 【 C16】 （ A） use （ B） write （ C） download （ D） fix 17 【 C17】 （ A） because （ B） though （ C） if （ D） unless 18 【 C18】 （ A） reach （ B） touch
10、 （ C） know （ D） show 19 【 C19】 （ A） nevertheless （ B） so （ C） besides （ D） but 20 【 C20】 （ A） register （ B） pays （ C） seeks （ D） asks Part A Directions: Read 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 A former town h
11、all worker made legal history last week when she was awarded 67,000 pounds for stress brought on by her work. The ruling made Beverley Lancaster the first person to get their employer to accept legal responsibility for stress-related personal injury in a British court. It is likely to start a flood
12、of other workers claims; Mrs. Lancasters union already has 7,000 stress-related cases on its books. The 44-year-old mother of two started a legal case against Birmingham City Council after falling ill while working as a troubleshooter in a neighborhood housing office. Dealing with rude and abusive m
13、embers of the public pushed her into periods of gloom and she suffered anxiety, Birmingham county court heard. Mrs. Lancaster joined the council at 16, working her way up from junior clerk to senior draughtswoman. Her problems began when she was promoted to housing officer in Sutton Oldfield. “With
14、no continuity, a constant high workload and little clerical support, I found it difficult to switch from one problem or situation to another,“ she said. “My concentration swung and I suffered sleepless nights. It made me feel like I was in a hole with no key to open the door. I would break down in t
15、ears. I was being in paperwork and at times my mind would just go blank.“ In awarding compensation of 67,491 pounds, assistant recorder Frances Kirkham said she understood the position of troubleshooter was very different from Mrs. Lancasters precious job. She rejected claims from the council that M
16、rs. Lancaster would be able to go back to her former profession, saying she accepted that the possibility of future work would be less capacity. After the hearing Mrs. Lancaster said she was relieved and pleased. She added, “I hope this will act as a warning to employers. Everything I did was right.
17、 The council made promises to me and they failed me. I felt isolated, let down, that I was not good enough, not wanted.“ The payout, the first of its kind to be decided in a county court, covers loss of wages and future loss of earnings. A spokesman for Birmingham City Council said action had been t
18、aken by the authority to review its staff and management procedures. 21 Mrs. Beverley Lancaster was awarded 67,000 pounds for _. （ A） illness caused by her job （ B） her successful and good luck （ C） the courage she showed in court （ D） the amount of work she did 22 Mrs. Beverley Lancaster took legal
19、 action against the city council because _. （ A） it refused to award her for her job （ B） she had to deal with rude members of the council （ C） it was responsible for her problems （ D） it denied her any clerical support 23 The Lancaster case shows that employees have the right to get compensation if
20、 they _. （ A） are given work that they are unable to do （ B） suffer mental injury caused by their work （ C） are forced to do work that they dont like （ D） feel isolated, let down and extremely anxious 24 It can be inferred that _. （ A） Mrs. Lancaster will find a better paid job in the future （ B） th
21、e job of draughtswoman is very demanding （ C） the court may hear more stress-related cases （ D） the job of housing officer causes mental injuries 25 If Birmingham City Gouncil plans to move an employee to a new job, it will definitely make sure that _. （ A） there is continuity between the two jobs （
22、 B） no complaints from the employee occur （ C） the amount of work is reduced for the new job （ D） the employee is prepared for any mental problems 25 Life learning (sometimes called un-schooling or self-directed learning) is one of those concepts that are almost easier to explain by saying what it i
23、snt, than what it is. And thats probably because our own schooled backgrounds have convinced us that learning happens only in a dedicated building on certain days, between certain hours, and managed by a specially trained professional. Within that schooling framework, no matter how hard teachers try
24、 and no matter how good their textbooks, many bright students get bored, many slower students struggle and give up or lose their self-respect, and most of them reach the end of the process unprepared to enter into society. They have memorized a certain body of knowledge long enough to rush back the
25、information on tests, but they havent really learnt much, at least of the official curriculum. Life learners, on the other hand, know that learning is not difficult, that people learn things quite easily if theyre not compelled and forced, if they see a need to learn something, and if they are trust
26、ed and respected enough to learn it on their own timetable, at their own speed, in their own way. They know that learning cannot be produced in us and that we cannot produce it in others no matter what age and no matter whether were at school or at home. Life learning is independent of time, locatio
27、n or the presence of teacher. It does not require mom or dad to teach, or kids to work in workbooks at the kitchen table from 9 to noon from September to June. Life learning is learner-driven. It involves living and learning in and from the real world. It is about exploring, questioning, experimenti
28、ng, making messes, taking risks without fear of making mistakes, being laughed at and trying again. Furthermore, life learning is about trusting kids to learn what they need to know and about helping them to learn and grow in their own ways. It is about providing positive experiences that enable chi
29、ldren to understand the world and their culture and to interact with it. 26 It is implied in the text that it is hard to _. （ A） carry life learning though （ B） tell the nature of life learning （ C） learn without going to school （ D） find a specially trained teacher 27 According to the author, the s
30、chooling framework often _. （ A） produces slow students with poor memories （ B） ignores some parts of the official curriculum （ C） fails to provide enough knowledge about life （ D） gives little care to the quality of teaching materials 28 Life learners recognize that learning will not be difficult i
31、f they are _. （ A） clear about why to learn （ B） careful to make a time table （ C） able to respect other people （ D） cautious about any mistakes 29 According to the author, life learning _. （ A） could prevent one from running risks （ B） could be a road full of trials and errors （ C） makes a kid inde
32、pendent of his parents （ D） teaches a kid how to avoid being scorned 30 Through life learning, children _. （ A） will grow without the assistance from parents （ B） will learn to communicate with the real world （ C） will be driven to learn necessary life knowledge （ D） will be isolated from the negati
33、ve side of society 30 To find Kim Hyung Gyoon s office in Samsungs R the others were washed in a machine with the Ag+ Nano System. The next day, I asked everyone to check the odor of their socks after a days wear. One began produce a strong unpleasant smell, and the other was odorless.“ Kim says he
34、came up with the idea five years ago while on a business trip to Japan, where he learned of a brand of socks that retained their freshness even after many days of unwashed wear and tear. Tiny sticks of sliver with germ-killing chemicals were woven into the fabric. When he got back to Seoul, Kim appl
35、ied the principle to washing machines. According to the Korea Testing the revolutionary technology is also being used in Samsungs refrigerators and air conditioners. No wonder: consumers seem to a little sliver in their spin cycles. Since Samsungs nano-armed products were first launched, they have b
36、rought in an estimated $779 million in revenue. Overall, nanotech has been one of sciences fastest-growing fields in recent years, with potential applications in fields as diverse as energy production and toothpaste manufacture. The nanotech market is projected to be worth $1 trillion by 2015. 31 Wh
37、ich of the following best describes the nature of Kim Hyung Gyoons work? （ A） Product development. （ B） Market investigation. （ C） Research designing. （ D） Sales promotion. 32 One advantage of nano-armed washing machines is that _. （ A） one wash-load is much larger than before （ B） the clean-up is d
38、one with an additional benefit （ C） cleaning powder is no longer necessary （ D） a lot of water could be saved 33 In terms of nanotechnology, Kim was the first _. （ A） to use it in washing machines （ B） to come up with the idea （ C） to introduce it to Korea （ D） to apply it to socks 34 The author bel
39、ieves that the future of nanotechnology will be _. （ A） conspicuous （ B） distinctive （ C） foreseeable （ D） promising 35 This text centers on _. （ A） the success of an enterprise （ B） the application of a technology （ C） the market share of Samsungs WCTG （ D） the mass-production of a home appliance P
40、art 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 Heather McCoy Entering a bookstore, one cannot help but notice entire shelves devoted to books boating knowledge of the true path to happiness. Whether this
41、 wave of infomercials and books can actually make people happier is the question. Happiness cannot be found by adhering to a narrow set of steps or rules. Finding happiness is not as simple as following a how-to manual, its something that every person must find in his or her own way. Gary Russell Do
42、es happiness grow proportionally with wealth? Hardly. Experiences teaches us material satisfaction comes only when one finds himself wealthier than those around him; and, in a like manner, one feels of being lowered when confronting a billionaire, while a worker with a monthly salary of several hund
43、red dollars becomes the envy of the villagers in remote mountainous regions. David Niven True happiness is not a result from human action. Results are temporary whereas happiness is everywhere and can neither be created nor destroyed. True happiness is realized by understanding ones own SELF. With t
44、rue happiness there is no place for disappointments! True happiness may mean pain and restraint in the beginning but will lead to eternal joy and freedom. To achieve true happiness, we should isolate and remove the negatives. Joshua Party Happiness is a state of mind. You can be happy in almost any
45、situation. Likewise, you can be unhappy in an equal number of situations. In the end, its your decision. If one can control ones unhappiness, then one must be able to control ones happiness. As far as I know, the Human Genome Project has not been able to identify a single part of any human chromosom
46、e which is responsible for happiness. Laura Johnson So what makes me a happy person? Studying to be a journalist because I loved to write, not because it pays a lot of money. Skiing in the winter snow and swimming in the summer sun. Spending time with my close friends from home that like the real me
47、 just as much as the old me. Being in a stable family. Reading romance novels and watching bizarre movies. Having a boyfriend who knows more about rock and roll history than I do. Note: there are two extra statements. Statements A Happiness lies in persistent pursuit. B Happiness is in your own hand
48、. C Freedom is positively related to happiness. D Happiness is based on comparison. E There does not exist a guide to happiness. F Happiness is a balance between man and nature. G Happiness is all about doing what you want to. 36 Heather McCoy 37 Gary Russell 38 David Niven 39 Joshua Party 40 Laura
49、Johnson Part A 41 Your TV broke down only one week after it was bought. Write a letter of complaint to the store where your TV set was bought, 1. to express what is wrong with your TV set; 2. to make your request (change for a new one, or return the broken one . ); 3. to urge the store to give an early reply. You should write approximately 100 words. Do not sign your own nam
