1、2012年北京大学考博英语真题试卷及答案与解析 一、 Structure and Vocabulary 1 A survey has found that three quarters of men quite enjoy their food shopping experience and are happy to_their way around the aisles searching out products. （ A） drive （ B） steer （ C） navigate （ D） voyage 2 Weve seen a_trend of consumers saying
2、they will spend more, from holiday shopping to 2012 travel plans, and spending plans for Feb 14 are no exception. （ A） consistent （ B） persistent （ C） insistent （ D） resistant 3 Nearly a third of parents say they feel_ into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property, a report reveals
3、 today. （ A） squealed （ B） squeezed （ C） squared （ D） sneezed 4 Going through a tricky divorce would be enough to put anyone off marriage for life. But a new study shows that men are much more likely to_a stressful and complicated break-up than women. （ A） get on （ B） get off （ C） get over （ D） get
4、in 5 Being born in the summer could give you a sunny disposition for life. And a winter birthday might cast a permanent shadow_your happiness, scientists believe. （ A） through （ B） cross （ C） beneath （ D） over 6 Couples blessed with strength and aggression_ looks are better off having boys, as these
5、 characteristics are of more use to males. （ A） other than （ B） rather than （ C） rather too （ D） in spite of 7 Irans morality police are_on the sale of Barbie dolls to protect the public from what they see as pernicious western culture eroding Islamic values. （ A） putting down （ B） breaking down （ C
6、） cracking down （ D） looking down 8 Business and government managers often promote “clean desk“ policies to avoid disorganized offices and messy desks, _boosting work efficiency and productivity. （ A） for the purpose of （ B） for good of （ C） for purpose of （ D） for the fun of 9 New research suggests
7、 gossip could actually lower_and help people overcome the frustration of seeing someone doing something wrong and getting away with it. （ A） press （ B） bless （ C） cress （ D） stress 10 Brides are increasingly shunning summer weddings and getting married during winter _to cut costs amid the economic g
8、loom, figures suggest. （ A） instead of （ B） otherwise （ C） instead （ D） rather than 11 In the age of Google, our minds are adapting_we are experts at knowing where to find information even though we dont recall what it is. （ A） so much （ B） so that （ C） such that （ D） so what 12 _6 million people st
9、arting diets on New Years Day, research suggests that by the end of the week 92 percent of dieters gave up, shunning exercise and gorging on comfort food. （ A） In spite （ B） Although （ C） While （ D） Despite 13 Experiments suggest that season of birth dramatically affects the speed_the body clock tic
10、ks. （ A） at which （ B） for which （ C） on which （ D） in which 14 Scientists on Tuesday pushed the hands of the infamous “Doomsday Clock“ forward one minute from last year, signaling their_ pessimism about the efforts of world leaders to handle global threats. （ A） increase （ B） increased （ C） increas
11、edly （ D） increasing 15 Retirees looking to stretch their pensions might consider spending their golden years in Ecuador, Panama or Mexico, _ cost of living is low and the weather is warm, according to a new index. （ A） which （ B） when （ C） where （ D） whose 二、 Cloze 15 The worlds greatest snow-cappe
12、d peaks, which run in a chain from the Himalayas to Tian Shan【 C1】 _the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, have lost no ice【 C2】_the last decade, new research shows. The discovery has stunned scientists, who【 C3】 _that around 50bn tons of meltwater【 C4】 _each year and not being replaced by new snowfall
13、. The study is the first to survey all the worlds icecaps and glaciers and was made【 C5】 _by the use of satellite data. Overall, the contribution of melting ice outside the two largest caps Greenland and Antarctica is much【 C6】 _than previously estimated, with the lack of ice loss in the Himalayas a
14、nd the other high peaks of Asia【 C7】 _most of the discrepancy. Bristol University glaciologist Prof Jonathan Bamber, who was not part of the research team, said, “The very unexpected result was the negligible mass loss from high mountain Asia which is not【 C8】 _different from zero. “ The melting of
15、Himalayan glaciers caused【 C9】 _in 2009 when a report from the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change mistakenly stated that they would disappear by 2035, instead of 2350. 【 C10】 _, the scientist who led the new work is clear that while greater uncertainty has been discovered in Asias highest
16、 mountains, the melting of ice caps and glaciers around the world【 C11】 _a serious concern. “Our results and those of everyone else show we are losing a huge amount of water into the oceans every year,“ said Prof John Wahr of the University of Colorado. “People should be just as worried about the me
17、lting of the worlds ice as they were before. “ His teams study, published in the journal Nature, concludes that between 443-629bn tons of meltwater overall are added to the worlds oceans each year. This is【 C12】 _sea level by about 1. 5mm a year, the team reports, 【 C13】 _the 2mm a year caused by ex
18、pansion of the warming ocean. The scientists are careful to point out that lower-altitude glaciers in the Asian mountain ranges sometimes dubbed the “third pole“ are【 C14】 _melting. Satellite images and reports confirm this. But over the study period, enough ice was added to the peaks to【 C15】 _. 16
19、 【 C1】 （ A） on （ B） in （ C） across （ D） over 17 【 C2】 （ A） from （ B） as （ C） upon （ D） over 18 【 C3】 （ A） believed （ B） had believed （ C） have believed （ D） were believing 19 【 C4】 （ A） were being shedding （ B） were shedding （ C） were being shed （ D） were shed 20 【 C5】 （ A） impossible （ B） possible
20、（ C） unavailable （ D） available 21 【 C6】 （ A） shorter （ B） smaller （ C） fewer （ D） less 22 【 C7】 （ A） in charge of （ B） responsible for （ C） liable for （ D） caused by 23 【 C8】 （ A） significantly （ B） meaningfully （ C） informatively （ D） expressively 24 【 C9】 （ A） agreement （ B） consensus （ C） contro
21、versy （ D） difference 25 【 C10】 （ A） Besides （ B） Furthermore （ C） Despite （ D） However 26 【 C11】 （ A） resumes （ B） remains （ C） keeps （ D） lasts 27 【 C12】 （ A） rising （ B） arising （ C） raising （ D） rearing 28 【 C13】 （ A） including （ B） adding up to （ C） additionally （ D） in addition to 29 【 C14】 （
22、A） definitely （ B） necessarily （ C） exactly （ D） particularly 30 【 C15】 （ A） replace （ B） refund （ C） compensate （ D） balance 三、 Reading Comprehension 30 The United Nations Population Fund has picked October 31 as the day the world will be home to 7 billion people. For better and worse, its a milest
23、one. And there will be more milestones ahead. Fourteen years from now, there are expected to be 8 billion people on the planet. Most of the growth will occur in the worlds poorer countries. Proportionally, Europes population will decline, while Africas will increase. At around the same time, India w
24、ill overtake China as the most populous nation on Earth. The growing global population is just one side of the coin. A recent report from the World Health Organization signaled the seriousness of the human population explosion; more than 3 billion people about half the worlds population are malnouri
25、shed. Never before have so many, or such a large proportion, of the worlds people been malnourished. And in a growing number of countries, there is a seemingly unstoppable march toward sub-replacement fertility, whereby each new generation is less populous than the previous one, and population aging
26、. As a result of declining fertility and increasing longevity, the populations of more and more countries are aging rapidly. Between 2005 and 2050, a rise in the population aged 60 years or over will be visible, whereas the number of children(persons under age 15)will decline slightly. Population ag
27、ing represents, in one sense, a success story for mankind, but it also poses profound challenges to public institutions that must adapt to a changing age structure. The latest national census in China shows the number of elderly people in the country has jumped to more than 13. 3 percent of the popu
28、lation, an increase of nearly 3 percentage points on the percentage from the previous census in 2000. A quarter of the countrys population will be over 65 by 2050, according to the National Population and Family Planning Commission. The growing number of elderly is a challenge that the government ne
29、eds to tackle, we cant rely on the ever-increasing population to support them or maintain the nations economic growth. Better solutions are needed, such as raising retirement ages to reflect the greater longevity and working capability of todays older adults and making adjustments so pension program
30、s are more accessible. It was heartening to hear the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security spokesperson announced in Beijing on Tuesday that the government will take the retirement policy seriously and proactively. Shanghai began testing a flexible retirement system last October. Eligible
31、employees in the private sector are allowed to postpone retirement until the age of 65 for women. Public servants, however, will continue to retire under the present system age 60 for men and 55 for women. 31 According to the passage, India will_in 14 years. （ A） be a poorer country （ B） be the most
32、 populous country （ C） decline in population （ D） increase investment in Africa 32 What problem will result from the global population explosion? （ A） Population aging （ B） Increasing longevity （ C） Declining fertility （ D） Expanding malnourishment 33 Population aging represents the following EXCEPT
33、_. （ A） rapid economic development （ B） challenge to public institutions （ C） success story of mankind （ D） changing age structure 34 Todays older adults enjoy_. （ A） more working years （ B） more accessible pension programs （ C） greater longevity （ D） greater government support 35 What is the author
34、s attitude toward the spokespersons announcement? （ A） Angered （ B） Delighted （ C） Indifferent （ D） Disappointed. 35 The United Nations declared last Friday that Somalias famine is over. But the official declaration means little to the millions of Somalis who are still hungry and waiting for their c
35、rops to grow. Ken Menkhaus, professor of political science at Davidson College, said it was profoundly disappointing to be discussing another Somali famine, after he worked in the country during the 1991 1992 one. Each famine, he said, has distinct characteristics, and this one unfolded in slow moti
36、on over the past couple of years. Thats at least partly because the Somali diaspora sent money home that delayed the worst effects. Menkhaus was among four experts on Somalia and famine who spoke at the Radcliffe Gym Monday evening, who gathered for the event, “Sound the Horn: Famine in the Horn of
37、Africa. “ Paul Farmer, Kolokotrones University Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, drew on his experience treating malnourished people in Haiti, where he has worked for decades, and said the human and social context of hunger need as much attention as the patients do. A malnourished chil
38、d is typically an indication of poverty at home, and aid to families should be part of treating the child, he said. Similarly, broader agricultural interventions and fair trade policies are needed to boost local agricultural economies. Though famine is often thought of as a natural disaster, Mondays
39、 speakers said that is a false impression. Though Somalia suffered through a severe drought, with todays instant communications, transport systems can move massive amounts of food. Given todays global food markets, famine is too often a failure of local government and international response. “In tod
40、ays 21st-century world, just about everything about famine is man-made. Were no longer in a world of man against nature,“ said Robert Paarlberg, adjunct professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Ethiopia, which was also affected by the recent drought, fared much better this time beca
41、use of reforms implemented after the 2001 one. Likewise, Paarlberg said, northern and central Somalia regions that fall outside of the influence of the Al-Shabaab militia, also fared better. There were several man-made features of this famine, which affected more than 10 million people and killed be
42、tween 50,000 and 100,000, half of them children under age 5. The largest man-made feature was the role of the Al-Shabaab militia that rules the region and that kept food aid from reaching those in need. But the international community isnt blameless. As early as November 2010, an international famin
43、e early warning system was predicting the failure of rains in the region, but the international community didnt respond fully until an official famine was declared in July 2011. On top of that, U. S. anti-terrorism laws cut off food aid because Al-Shabaab, listed as a terrorist group, was taking som
44、e of it. Though the United Nations has declared the famine over, that was based on statistical measures, such as the number of people dying each day and the number of children who are malnourished. Though the official famine may be over, both U. N. officials and Mondays speakers said the crisis cont
45、inues for the people of Somalia. Almost a third of the population remains dependent on humanitarian assistance, crops growing from recent rains will take months to reach maturity, and herds of cows, goats, and other animals were greatly reduced during the crisis. Michael Delaney, director of humanit
46、arian response for Oxfam America, warned that the world will have another chance to get its response right, because the warning signs are pointing to an impending famine in Africas Sahel, the arid, continent-spanning transition zone just below the Sahara Desert. 36 The current Somali famine is diffe
47、rent from the 1991 1992 one in that_. （ A） it received less international aid （ B） worst effects came more slowly （ C） it caught more attention from the world （ D） it lasted longer despite help from the UN 37 In treating the malnourished patients, attention should be paid to the following EXCEPT_. （
48、 A） making fair trade policies （ B） aiding the patients families （ C） ignoring the indication of poverty （ D） exercising agricultural interventions 38 What is implied by “Were no longer in a world of man against nature“? （ A） Natural disaster alone cannot explain famines. （ B） We live in a world of
49、many man-made matters. （ C） The world is made up of conflicting social forces. （ D） Human beings fight with one another for better life. 39 Regarding the current famine in Somalia, whos to blame most? （ A） The United States. （ B） The Al-Shabaab militia. （ C） The United Nations FAO. （ D） The international community. 40 What problem still remains from the current Somal
