1、同济大学考博英语模拟试卷 7及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 Since the lineage of investigative journalism is most directly traceable to the progressive era of the early 1900s, it is not surprising that the President of the United States at the time was among the first to articulate its political dimensions. The
2、odore Roosevelt called investigative reporters “muckrakers“, after a character from John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress who humbly cleaned “the filth off the floor“. Despite the misgivings implied by the comparison, Roosevelt saw the muckrakers as “often indispensable to the well-being of society“. There
3、 are in the body politic, economic and social, many and grave evils, and there is urgent necessity for the sternest war upon them. There should be relentless exposure of and attack upon every evil man, whether politician or businessman. Roosevelt recognized the value-laden character of investigative
4、 journalism. He perceived correctly that investigative reporters are committed to unearthing wrongdoing. For these journalists, disclosures of morally outrageous conduct maximize the opportunity for the forces of “good“ to recognize and do battle with the forces of “evil“. So, the current folklore s
5、urrounding investigative reporting closely resembles the American ideal of popular democracy. Partly a product of its muckraking roots, this idealized perspective is also an outgrowth of the commonly perceived effects of exposes published in the early 1970 s. The most celebrated of these exposes wer
6、e the news stories that linked top White House officials to Watergate crimes. These stories were widely held responsible for the public s loss of confidence in the Nixon administration, ultimately forcing the Presidents resignation. 1 When the author talks about the political dimensions of the inves
7、tigative journalism he refers to_. （ A） John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress and one of its characters “Muckrakers“ （ B） its function of cleaning the dirt off the floor in public places （ C） its relentless exposures of political and social evils （ D） its indispensable status to the well-being of society 2
8、 Roosevelts comparison of investigative reporters to“muckrakers“ shows his view that these reporters_ （ A） were treated lowly in the society （ B） reduced journalism to a humble job （ C） should be praised highly for their contributions to the society （ D） did unpleasant but necessary work 3 By using
9、the word “folklore“, the author suggests that_. （ A） people tend to romanticize what is thought to be American popular democracy （ B） investigative journalism enhances democracy and freedom （ C） people often circulate the stories they read from investigative reports （ D） investigative reports have d
10、ifficulty in convincing people as truth 4 The Watergate incident is mentioned to show_. （ A） journalism has a tangible effect on politics （ B） the Watergate incident is an abuse of the political power （ C） journalism subverts legitimate political power （ D） the victory of American freedom of speech
11、4 Free Advice Is Just Around the Corner When Daniel Franklin, a political science professor from Atlanta, needed career advancement advice, be didnt turn to colleagues, therapists or even his mom. He went to the Advice Ladies. Three thirty something New York women, advertising freelancers by day, ha
12、ve turned themselves into Saturday afternoon street-comer oracles, they pull up lawn chairs and a table on a lower Manhattan street corner and dish out free advice to passersby. Theyve claimed the corner of West Broadway and Broome Street in Soho as their own for the fast several months. Amy Alkon,
13、who, with longtime friends Marlowe Minnick and Carolyn Johnson, becomes a part-time shrink each weekend. “We use creative problem-solving to turn problem into fun,“ she says. On a recent steamy afternoon, a Iine has formed in front of the Advice Ladles table. Obviously, New Yorkers need plenty of he
14、lp. “People feel they have no control in this crazy world. And therapy can take years,“ Minnick says. “We solve problems instantly, its instant answer gratification.“ The three brainstorm before delivering advice on everything from pet discipline, closet-space management, even hair oare. But no lega
15、l advice “By far, most of our questions are love-related. Its amazing the intimate sexual problems that people will divulge to a total stranger,“ Alkon says. But they wont be strangers much longer. The Advice Ladies are putting together a book deal. And Robert De Nitro is creating a talk show around
16、 them, due nationally this fall from his Tribeca Pictures. “De Nitro asked us for advice, but we think hes already perfect,“ purrs Alkon. And their career advice to Franklin? “He s written a book, so we told him to get a manager and go on the touring circuit. Its great money and great publicity for
17、the book.“ “Good advice“, says Franklin. 5 There were_. （ A） about 30 New York women who offered free advice by day （ B） three women freelancers about 30 years old who offered advertising advice on Saturday （ C） about 30 women advertising freelancers offered advice every Saturday afternoon in New Yo
18、rk （ D） three women about 30 years old, who did advertising as a job, offered free advice every Saturday afternoon 6 These advisors_. （ A） changed the New York street comers into oracles （ B） used the New York street comers as their advice office （ C） sat at a street comer to give people free advice
19、 （ D） made a street comer their place to predict the future to passersby . 7 New Yorkers came to the Advice Ladies because_. （ A） the ladiesadvice was quick and effective to solve problems （ B） New Yorkers felt it was difficult to live in tins crazy world （ C） Medical therapy could not solve peoples
20、 problems （ D） New York was a crazy place and its inhabitants need plenty of help 8 In the seventh paragraph we read that the Advice Ladies wont be strangers for long because . （ A） they are dealing with a book together and a TV man is writing a talk show about them （ B） they are going to sell a boo
21、k about themselves and also appear on a TV show （ C） they will buy a book through a deal and appear in a film in the coming fall season （ D） they will get to know each other better by working on a book and appearing in a TV show together 8 In our society the razor of necessity cuts close. You must m
22、ake a buck to survive the day. You must work to make a buck: The job is often a chore, rarely a delight. No matter how demeaning the task, no matter how itdulls the senses or breaks the spirit, one must work. Lately there has been a questioning of this “work ethic“, especially by the young. Strangel
23、y enough, it has touched off profound grievances in others hitherto silent and anonymous. Unexpected precincts are being heard from in a show of discontent by blue collar and white. On the evening bus the tense, pinched faces of young file clerks and elderly secretaries tell us more than we care to
24、know. On the expressways middle-management men pose without grace behind their wheels, as they flee city and job. In all, there is more than a slight ache. And there dangles the impertinent question: Should there not be another increment, earned though not yet received, to one s daily work an acknow
25、ledgment of a mans being? In fact, what all of us are looking for is a calling, not just a job. Jobs atone are not being e-nough for people. 9 “In our society the razor of necessity cuts close“ in the first line means_. （ A） there is a shortage of daily necessities （ B） people fight each other for n
26、ecessities （ C） most people feel the financial pressure （ D） everyone lives a hard life 10 The “work ethic“ referred to in the first paragraph can be interpreted as_. （ A） one works mainly to keep body and soul together （ B） one must work not only for money, but also for delight （ C） one must unders
27、tand that jobs as chores （ D） one should earn as much money a day as possible 11 Middle-management men flee city and job because_. （ A） they have lost their grace （ B） they are tired by the long days work （ C） Mhey dont want to see the tense and pinched faces of their clerks and secretaries （ D） the
28、y are frightened by the profound grievances shown by the young people 12 The phrase “increment, earned though not received“ in the third paragraph means _. （ A） money one has earned and will be paid later （ B） money one has earned, but will not be paid to him/her （ C） something that one earns throug
29、h a job, but is not counted in terms of pay （ D） something that onereams that has nothing to do with his or her job 13 The main idea of this passage is _. （ A） in modern society people are tinder great work pressure （ B） nowadays people want to enjoylife more than do hard work （ C） work should be to
30、 people more than just a means to survive （ D） more jobs of delight should be created for people 13 Viewed from astar in some other corner of the galaxy, Earth would be a speck, a faint blue dot hidden in the blazing light of our sun. While our neighbors Venus and Mars would reflect a fairly even gi
31、ow, Earth would put on a little show; Earths light would brighten and dim as It spins, because oceans, deserts, forests and clouds which are all too small to be seen from such a distance reflect varying amounts of sunlight. The variations, it turns out, are so strong and distinctive that surprising
32、amount of information could be taken from a simple ebb and flow of light. Scientists at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study conducted a detailed study of Earths reflections as a way for human scientists to learn about distant planets that may be like our own. “If you looked at
33、our solar system from far away, and you looked at the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars -One Of the quickest ways to see that Earth is unique is by looking at the light curve,“ said Ed Turner, professor of astrophysics and a co-authOr of the study. “Earth has by far the most complic
34、ated light curve.“ The standard thinking in the field had been that most of the information about an Earth-like planet would come from spectral analysis, a static reading of the relative component of different colors within the light, rather than a reading of changes over time. Spectral analysis wou
35、ld reveal the presence of gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and oxygen, in the planets atmosphere, kooking at the change in light over time does not replace spectral analysis, but it could greatly increase the amount of information scientists could learn, said Turner. It may indicate, for ex
36、ample, the presence of weather, oceans, ice or even plant life. 14 “Earth would put on a little show“ means: as it spins,_. （ A） Earth is a more active planet than Venus and Mars （ B） Earth reflects a brighter light curve than Venus and Mars （ C） Earth shows oceans, deserts, forests and clouds, whil
37、e Venus and Mars dont （ D） Earth reflects sunlight in an ebb-and-flow manner 15 Spectral reading of the light reflected by an Earth-like planet_. （ A） can tell us the components of that planet s atmosphere （ B） can locate oceans and forests on that planet （ C） can show what the weather on that plane
38、t is like （ D） is the quickest way to study its light curve 16 Which of the following statements is TRUE? （ A） Scientists at the Princeton University want to find that distant planets are like our Earth. （ B） Among all the terrestrial planets Earths light curve is the most complicated. （ C） Spectral
39、 study of the light will see no development of itself because it is static. （ D） Spectral reading is used as a supplementary method to the study of the change in light over time. 16 Campaigning on the Indian frontier is an experience by itself. Neither the landscape nor the people find their counter
40、parts in any other portion of the globe. Valley walls rise steeply five or six thousand feet on every side. The columns crawl through a maze of giant corridors down which fierce snow-fed torrents foam under skies of brass. Amid these scenes of savage brilliancy there dwells a race whose qualities se
41、em to harmonize with their environment. Except at harvest-time, when self-preservation requires a temporary truce, the Patan tribes are always engaged in private or public war. Every Man is a warrior, a politician and a theologian. Every large house is a real feudal plete. Every village has its defe
42、nce. Every family cultivates its vendetta; ever clan, its feud. The numerous tribes and combintions of tribes all have their accounts to settle with one another. Nothing is ever forgotten,and very few debts are left unpaid. For the purposes of social life,in addition to the convention about harvest-
43、time,a most elaborate code of honour has been established and is on the whole faithfully observed. A man who knew it and observed it faultlessly might pass unarmed from one end of the frontier to another. The slightest technical slip would,however, be fatal. The life of the Pathan is thus full of in
44、terest;and his valleys,nourished alike by endless sunshine and abundant water, are fertile enough to yield with little labour the modest material requirements of a sparse population. Into this happy world the nineteenth century brought two new facts:the rifle and the British Government. The first wa
45、s an enormous luxury and blessing;the second,an unmitigated nuisance. The convenience of the rifle was nowhere more appreciated than in the Indian highlands. A weapon which would kill with accuracy at fifteen hundred yards opened a whole new vista of delights to every family or clan which could acqu
46、ire it. One could actually remain in ones own house and fire at ones neighbour nearly a mile away. One could lie in wait on some high crag,and at hitherto unheard-of ranges hit a horseman far below. Even villages could fire at each other without the trouble of going far from home. Fabulous prices we
47、re therefore offered for these glorious products of science. Rifle-thieves scoured all India to reinforce the efforts of the honest smuggler. A steady flow of the coveted weapons spread its genial influence throughout the frontier, and the respect which the Pathan tribesmen entertained for Christian
48、 civilization was vastly enhanced. The action of the British Government on the other hand was entirely unsatisfactory. The great organizing, advancing, absorbing power to the southward seemed to be little better than a monstrous spoil-sport. If the Pathan made forays into the plains,not only were th
49、ey driven back(which after all was no more than fair),but a whole series of subsequent interferences took place,followed at intervals by expeditions which toiled laboriously through the valleys,scolding the tribesmen and exacting fines for any damage which they had done. No one would have minded these expeditions if they had simply come,had a fight and then gone away again. In many cases this was their practice under what was called the“butcher and bolt policy“to which the Government of
