1、国家公共英语（五级）笔试模拟试卷 12及答案与解析 Part A Directions: You will hear a talk. As you listen, answer Questions 1-10 by circling TRUE or FALSE. You will hear the talk ONLY ONCE. You now have 1 minute to read Questions 1-10. 1 The golden rules for fire prevention are “awareness“, “precaution“ and “escape“. （ A） R
2、ight （ B） Wrong 2 The major fire hazard is that a lot of people live in old houses. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 3 TV unplugged after switched off can be dangerous. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 4 Sofa in front of curtains can be a good place for putting a TV. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 5 Electric blankets are still as
3、 dangerous as they were in the past. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 6 People should fold electric blankets and put them away after using them. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 7 Sofas and armchairs that contain polyurethane foam fillings are dangerous. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 8 To prevent fire, people should not use open
4、 fire in houses. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 9 A pressurized container can be heated up by sunlight in a short time and lead to a fire. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong 10 This part of the talk is about how to escape from a fire. （ A） Right （ B） Wrong Part B Directions: You will hear 3 conversations or talks and you
5、 must answer the questions by choosing A, B, C or D. You will hear the recording ONLY ONCE. 11 What would happen if you misuse your eyes? （ A） You may feel uncomfortable in various ways. （ B） You may have to wear glasses. （ C） You can let your eyes rest for a while. （ D） You can go and see a doctor.
6、 12 What is said about the best distance between a book and our eyes when reading? （ A） It is 14 inches. （ B） It is hard to figure out. （ C） It varies from person to person. （ D） It depends on lighting conditions. 13 What is the talk mainly about? （ A） Good reading skills. （ B） Diseases related to e
7、yes. （ C） Health guides for students. （ D） Proper eye-use in reading. 14 Why does Mr. Kelly raise the rent by 10%? （ A） Because the CPI has risen by 10%. （ B） Because taxes has increased by 10%. （ C） Because he has to pay more for keeping the house. （ D） Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics allows
8、 him to do that. 15 How much more will Susan have to pay after the rise of rent? （ A） $30. （ B） $60. （ C） $27. （ D） $13. 16 What do you think Mr. Kelly will do at once after the conversation? （ A） Agree that Susan can pay the same rent as before. （ B） Go to fix the light switch for Susan himself. （
9、C） Ask someone else to fix the light switch for Susan. （ D） Put in new smoke alarms for her. 17 Where can the expression “lame duck“ be heard? （ A） Only among hunters. （ B） Among primary school pupils. （ C） Among beautiful ladies. （ D） Among people who are discussing politics. 18 Which of the follow
10、ing can be called as a “lame duck“? （ A） A disabled little child. （ B） A hard-working farmer. （ C） A politician who has to come to the end of his power. （ D） An absent-minded old professor. 19 When did this expression came into the American language? （ A） Some time after the Civil War. （ B） During t
11、he Second World War. （ C） When President George Bush was in office. （ D） During the period of Independence War. 20 According to another explanation, where did this expression probably come from? （ A） Australia. （ B） Japan. （ C） Netherland. （ D） England. Part C Directions: You will hear a talk. As yo
12、u listen, answer the questions or complete the notes in your test booklet for Questions 21-30 by writing NOT MORE THAN THREE words in the space provided on the right. You will hear the talk TWICE. You now have 1 minute to read Questions 21-30. 21 What kind of overview does the book intend to give ab
13、out American society? 22 Most of the articles in the book were written by _. 23 What is said about the points of view of some articles on the same topic? 24 In what form do most articles appear in this book? 25 What is the criteria for choosing an earlier article rather than a later one? 26 What typ
14、e of students is the book mainly compiled for? 27 What English language level are the readers of this book expected to have? 28 What does the speaker say the compilers of the book would welcome from the readers? 29 What do the compilers hope that the readers would do after reading the book? 30 In ge
15、neral, what aspects of America are introduced into this book? 一、 Section II Use of English (15 minutes) Directions: Read the following text and fill each of the numbered spaces with ONE suitable word. Write your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 31 The man walked slowly (31) the deserted beach, his head do
16、wn and his eyes searching the wet sands. Overhead birds (32) in wide circles, screaming continuously. A stiff breeze from the sea made the man (33) and draw his coat closer round his body. It was two days (34) he had eaten and his stomach had settled into a dull ache. It was necessary (35) find some
17、thing soon. (36) he saw a strangely-shaped piece of metal half buried in the (37). He stopped, picked it (38) and rubbed it roughly on his coat. To his surprise a bright, yellowish metal began to appear. He rubbed harder and could (39) out what looked like a head. He pulled a dirty handkerchief (40)
18、 his pocket and, dipping it in the sea, washed the thing as best as he (41). At last he could really see (42) a beautifully made model of (43) animal with one long pointed horn in the (44) of its forehead. A unicorn! The fabulous beast of myth and legend. He began to feel excited. (45) it gold? Valu
19、able treasure washed up from the sea (46) perhaps? This was what he had (47) waiting for; a stroke of luck that would change his whole life. He wrapped the unicorn in his coat and hurried to the little antique shop near the beach. The man behind the counter looked at the shiny animal, smiled politel
20、y and (48) 5. For as he explained, the animal certainly wasnt gold, not (49) brass, just some cheap yellow metal. But as the design was pretty, he was prepared to give 5. The hungry man handed over his treasure, took the money and sadly walked away. Perhaps tomorrow (50) be his lucky day. Part A Dir
21、ections: Read the following texts and answer the questions which accompany them by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 51 Birds that are literally half-asleep with one brain hemisphere alert and the other sleeping control which side of the brain remains awake, according to a
22、new study of sleeping ducks. Earlier studies have documented half-brain sleep in a wide range of birds. The brain hemispheres take turns sinking into the sleep stage characterized by slow brain waves. The eye controlled by the sleeping hemisphere keeps shut, while the wakeful hemispheres eye stays o
23、pen and alert. Birds also can sleep with both hemispheres resting at once. Decades of studies of bird flocks led researchers to predict extra alertness in the more vulnerable, end-of-the-row sleepers. Sure enough, the end birds tended to watch carefully on the side away from their companions. Ducks
24、in the inner spots showed no preference for gaze direction. Also, birds dozing at the end of the line resorted to single-hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, more often than inner ducks did. Rotating 16 birds through the positions in a four-duck row, the researchers found outer birds half
25、-asleep during some 32% of dozing time versus about 12% for birds in internal spots. “We believe this is the first evidence for an animal behaviorally controlling sleep and wakefulness simultaneously in different regions of the brain“, the researchers say. The results provide the best evidence for a
26、 long-standing supposition that single-hemisphere sleep evolved as creatures scanned for enemies. The preference for opening an eye on the lookout side could be widespread, he predicts. Hes seen it in a pair of birds dozing side-by-side in the zoo and in a single pet bird sleeping by a mirror. The m
27、irror-side eye closed as if the reflection were a companion and the other eye stayed open. Useful as half-sleeping might be, its only been found in birds and such water mammals as dolphins, whales, and seals. Perhaps keeping one side of the brain awake allows a sleeping animal to surface occasionall
28、y to avoid drowning. Studies of birds may offer unique insights into sleep. Jerome M. Siegel of the UCLA says he wonders if birds half-brain sleep “is just the tip of the iceberg“. He speculates that more examples may turn up when we take a closer look at other species. 51 A new study on birds sleep
29、 has revealed that _. （ A） half-brain sleep is found in a wide variety of birds （ B） half-brain sleep is characterized by slow brain waves （ C） birds can control their half-brain sleep consciously （ D） birds seldom sleep with the whole of their brain at rest 52 According to the passage, birds often
30、half sleep because _. （ A） they have to watch out for possible attacks （ B） their brain hemispheres take turns to rest （ C） the two halves of their brain are differently structured （ D） they have to constantly keep an eye on their companions 53 The example of a bird sleeping in front of a mirror ind
31、icates that _. （ A） the phenomenon of birds dozing in pairs is widespread （ B） birds prefer to sleep in pairs for the sake of security （ C） even an imagined companion gives the bird a sense of security （ D） a single pet bird enjoys seeing its own reflection in the mirror 54 While sleeping, some wate
32、r mammals tend to keep half awake in order to _. （ A） alert themselves to the approaching enemy （ B） emerge from water now and then to breathe （ C） be sensitive to the ever-changing environment （ D） avoid being swept away by rapid currents 55 By “is just the tip of the iceberg“ in the eighth paragra
33、ph, Siegel suggests that _. （ A） half-brain sleep has something to do with icy weather （ B） the mystery of half-brain sleep is close to being solved （ C） most birds living in cold regions tend to be half sleepers （ D） half-brain sleep is a phenomenon that could exist among other species 56 Professor
34、 Meredith Thring, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Queen Mary College, London showed off his latest invention to the Press yesterday. It is a mechanical coal miner which, he claims, could solve Britains energy problems within ten years. Not that he thinks the National Coal Board will be at all
35、 interested. “I have taken my previous ideas of mechanical mining to previous Chairmen of the Board but each time nothing has happened“, he said. “The Board are not thinking enough about the future. My latest idea would put the cost of coal down and produce twice as much with the same labour force“.
36、 Professor Thring finished making his mechanical coal miner only on Sunday night. He showed the wooden model yesterday at Queen Mary College. It is rather like a giant ant, with a headlight, two TV camera “eyes“, and arms the same size and strength as human arms. This particular coal miner, however,
37、 would only be eighteen inches tall, which would enable it to mine much smaller areas of coal than those that can be mined by human beings. It would open up rich areas of coal in the Durham coal fields which have not been workable since the last century. “I would have thought the unions would be del
38、ighted with the mechanical coal miners“, said Professor Thring. “We would be employing as many miners as at present, with all their skills, but they would all be working on the surface“. The human miner would in fact sit at the controls above ground. He would put his.hands into “gloves“ and work the
39、 metal hands of the coal miner as if they were his own. The mechanical miner could go down as deep as 10,000 feet, and would cost 10,000. “It will put the cost of coal down because the cost of the machines is going to be very low in relation to the present cost of supplying fresh air to mines“, said
40、 Professor Thring. “There need to be no oxygen present, and this would mean there would be no risk of explosions“. The Professor does his economic sums as follows. Britain needs each year as much energy as 350 million tons of coal would provide; and North Sea oil will only provide the same amount of
41、 energy as 150 million tons of coal for fifty years, while the cost of nuclear power is ten times greater than the cost of getting oil. “We can get ten times as much coal as North Sea oil. We could have 250 million tons a year double the present amount for 200 years at least, and solve the energy cr
42、isis. The mechanical coal miner could be developed and active within six or seven years“. Could be, certainly! But Professor Thring knows very well how much luck he will need to succeed, which is why he gave the public display of his latest invention yesterday, to try to get opinion-makers on his si
43、de. 56 Professor Thrings mechanical coal miner _. （ A） has already been seen by the Coal Board （ B） is his first invention （ C） looks like a TV camera （ D） is not yet in production 57 What is Professor Thrings invention? （ A） A kind of machine which miners ride on. （ B） A machine to supply fresh air
44、 to tunnels. （ C） A digging machine operated at a distance. （ D） A form of metal protective clothing. 58 What particular advantage does Professor Thrings coal miner have? （ A） It does not have to go deep underground. （ B） It can work in very narrow spaces. （ C） It can work in the open air. （ D） It i
45、s twice as strong as a human miner. 59 Why does Professor Thring think that the unions should be pleased about the mechanical coal miner? （ A） Because a lot more miners will be needed. （ B） Because miners will earn over 10,000 a year. （ C） Because miners will not have to work underground any more. （
46、 D） Because it will reduce the risk of explosions. 60 Professor Thring expects that the Coal Board will _. （ A） reject his idea （ B） listen to the Press （ C） be unable to develop his invention （ D） reduce coal output 61 Visitors to St Pauls Cathedral are sometimes astonished as they walk round the s
47、pace under the dome to come upon a statue which would appear to be that of a retired gladiator meditating upon a wasted life. They are still more astonished when they see under it an inscription indicating that it represents the English writer, Samuel Johnson. The statue is by Bacon, but it is not o
48、ne of his best works. The figure is, as often in 18th-century sculpture, clothed only in a loose robe which leaves arms, legs and one shoulder bare. But the strangeness for us is not one of costume only. If we know anything of Johnson, we know that he was constantly ill all through his life; and whe
49、ther we know anything of him or not we are apt to think of a literary man as a delicate, weak, nervous sort of person. Nothing can be further from that than the muscular statue. And in this matter the statue is perfectly right. And the fact which it reports is far from being unimportant. The body and the mind are inextricably interwoven in all of us, and certainly on Johnsons case the influence of the body was obvious and conspicuous. His melancholy, his constantly repeated conviction of the general unhappiness of human lif
