1、大学英语六级改革适用（阅读）模拟试卷 215及答案与解析 Section A 0 Bargain book shoppers must have been pleased looking at Amazons bestseller list this weekend: The online bookseller had dropped prices on some of its top-selling hardcovers, as much as 64% off【 C1】 _. While people are used to seeing deals at Amazon, the prese
2、nt【 C2】 _is unusually deep. The booksellers newsletter Shelf Awareness【 C3】 _a rare Saturday issue about them, writing that the discounts were at “levels weve never seen in the history of Amazon.“ And according to Jack Mckeown, president of Books 1,000 firms in the Standard & Poors 1,500-stock compo
3、site index between 1998 and 2008 and found that most companies that spent on politicsincluding lobbying and campaign donations had lower stock market returns. GAnother study published this year by economists at the University of Minnesota and the University of Kansas found that companies that contri
4、buted to political action committees and other outside political groups between 1991 and 2004 grew more slowly than other firms. These companies invested less and spent less on research and development. Notably, the study determined that corporate donations to the winners in presidential or Congress
5、ional races did not lead to better stock performance over the long term. Indeed, the shares of companies that engaged in political spending underperformed those of companies that did not contribute. HAnd the relationship between politics and poor performance seems to go both ways: underperforming co
6、mpanies spend more on politics, but spending on politics may also lead companies to underperform. Campaign spending by politically active concerns and their executives increased sharply after the Supreme Courts decision to remove limits on corporate donations. “These results are inconsistent with a
7、simple theory in which corporate political activity can be presumed to serve the interests of shareholders,“ wrote John Coates of the Harvard Business School. IThese conclusions dont generally apply to companies in heavily regulated sectorswhere political contributions might make sense. Mr. Coates p
8、ointed out that it was difficult to reach conclusions about the effectiveness of spending in these areas, like banking or telecommunications, because the companies all spend so much supporting candidates and lobbying. JBut the recent performance of the financial industry suggests that political spen
9、ding can be harmful even in the most highly regulated industries. A study at the International Monetary Fund found that the banks that lobbied most aggressively to prevent laws lirniting predatory lending(掠夺性贷款 )and mortgage securitization engaged in riskier lending, experienced higher misbehavior r
10、ates and suffered a bigger shock during the financial crisis. KPolitical investments can damage a companys reputation, or anger supporters of the “other side.“ Darcy Burner, a former Microsoft programmer running as a Democrat for Washington States 1st Congressional District, has even proposed an iPh
11、one app that would allow shoppers to scan a bar code to check the political spending of the companies making the products on the shelf and their top executives. LCampaign watchdogs fear that undisclosed contributions to independent groups supporting candidates will allow companies to hide their poli
12、tical activity. Companies worry that nondisclosure will allow independent groups to blackmail them into supporting the candidates they represent. MThe Conference Board, a trade organization grouping the biggest businesses in the nation, has published an analysis of the new landscape of political spe
13、nding. The title is “Dangerous Terrain.“ The Conference Board report suggests that “most companies will continue to play the game because their competitors are staying in.“ This is a reason that political contributions yield so little for individual firms: political spending becomes a meaningless ar
14、ms race between companies trying to buy an edge over their rivals. NBut thats not the only reason. Corporate executives often spend on politics not to improve their companies profitability but to serve their own objectives from supporting a personal ideological agenda to building a future career in
15、politics. This kind of spending does little for their companies. OThink of all the former corporate executives in the last couple of administrations. Goldman Sachs alone gave us Robert E. Rubin, Jon S. Corzine and Henry M. Paulson Jr. More than one in 10 chief executives get political jobs after the
16、y retire. Unsurprisingly perhaps, Mr. Coates found that the biggest political contributions came from firms with weak corporate governing, where shareholders had little control over their top executives actions. Poor governing explains, in part, why political spenders have worse results. But politic
17、al activity itself could lead to poor business decisions. Executives involved in politics might lose strategic focus. And their political contributions might influence investments in a way that does shareholders no good. PRemember AT&Ts attempt to buy rival T-Mobile last year for $39 billion? By the
18、 standard metrics used by antitrust(反垄断 )regulators to assess market concentration, the deal was bound to“ be rejected. It would have taken out one of only three competitors to AT&T in the national market for mobile telecommunications. It would have sharply reduced competition in the nations top cit
19、ies. QAT&T could count on perhaps the strongest network of political connections in corporate America nurtured with $58 million in campaign contributions since 1990, plus $306 million in lobbying expenses, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In the House, 76 Democrats signed a letter to
20、 the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department supporting the deal. Letters supporting it poured in from liberal-leaning beneficiaries of AT&Ts largess-including the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the N.A.A.C.P. and the National Education Association. RPolitical alli
21、ances, however, were not enough to win the day, as the government rejected the deal. AT&T and its shareholders had to pay about $6 billion in breakup fees. Over all, it was a bad deal. 11 It is implied in a report that the reason why most companies keep political spending is that their competitors a
22、re in it too. 12 The executives from a company can donate to the election campaigns through corporate political action committees. 13 Some corporate executives spend on politics only for their own future careers, not for the benefit of the companies. 14 Involvement in politics might distract company
23、 executives from making their business decisions. 15 A study looked into almost one thousand firms for their market performance over a course of a decade. 16 Political alliances were not enough to get what the company wanted. 17 Underperforming companies tend to contribute more to political campaign
24、s. 18 A former Microsoft programmer planned an app that would tell the customers the political spending of the producers. 19 Campaign finance watchdogs are concerned that corporate contributions will create a harmful relationship between those who are elected and those who finance them. 20 Someone s
25、aid it was difficult to say whether political spending is effective in heavily regulated industries. Section C 20 Mercedes estate cars and Fiat runarounds(轻便小汽车 )are being used to test up to 22 different monitors designed to detect if a driver is falling asleep at the wheel and trigger a series of d
26、evices designed to wake them up. The aim of the project, funded by 4 million of European Union money as well as private investment, is to reduce the estimated 30% of fatal accidents which are caused in Europe each year by drivers drifting off at the wheel. The test cars have been fitted with infrare
27、d cameras which monitor eye movement, touch-pad sensors that measure the drivers grip on the steering wheel and chassis(汽车底盘 )monitors which check for veer(转向 ). Should drivers start to doze off they can be quickly woken by a sudden blast of air-conditioned cold air. At the same time a vibrating ala
28、rm will sound and the drivers seat will be made to shake. Daimler Chrysler, owner of Mercedes, as well as Fiat, will own the patent of the awake system, which could be installed in cars as soon as this year. If the trials are successful the EU is considering introducing a directive which would make
29、the system compulsory in long-distance lorries a leading cause of road accidents. According to transport department figures, more than 300 people die each year in Britain in accidents thought to be caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Ten people died in the Selby rail crash last year when
30、a car driver fell asleep on a motor-way, crashed onto a railway line and derailed(使脱轨 )a passenger train. Motoring organizations said the new system might prevent accidents such as Selby but were cautious as to whether it would prove practical. The safety system also monitors braking frequency and c
31、an detect eye movement towards the rear and side mirrors. As no one drives in exactly the same way, the system must “learn“ the individual characteristics of its owner or owners. The researchers had considered systems that squirted(喷射 )a refined version of smelling salts at the dozy motorist, opened
32、 the windows and activated the brakes automatically. However, such ideas have been abandoned as potentially dangerous, startling a driver and leading to sudden changes in steering. 21 According to the passage, if a driver falls asleep in one of the test cars, _. （ A） the car brake will be activated
33、automatically to prevent an accident （ B） a refined version of smelling salt will be sprayed at the driver （ C） the window will be opened to let in fresh air （ D） a vibrating alarm will sound to wake the driver up 22 The second paragraph talks most clearly about _. （ A） the causes of fatal road acci
34、dents （ B） the mechanism of the awake system （ C） the ways to awake the dozing drivers （ D） the schedule of developing the awake system 23 According to the passage, road accidents in Europe are mainly caused by _. （ A） drivers falling asleep at the wheel （ B） long-distance lorry driving （ C） cars wi
35、thout a safety system （ D） drivers sudden changes in steering 24 The author may agree that the Selby crash _. （ A） triggered the development of the awake system （ B） happened because the train driver drifted off at the wheel （ C） highlighted the advantages of installing the awake system （ D） caused
36、researchers concern about the practicality of the awake system 25 The EUs attitude towards the awake system can be best described as “_“. （ A） cautious optimism （ B） insufficient support （ C） sheer confidence （ D） fitful uncertainty 25 A recent case in Australia shows how easily fear can frustrate a
37、n informants good intentions. In December, a woman wrote anonymously to the countrys antitrust watchdog, the ACCC, alleging that her employer was colluding with others in breach of the Trade Practices Act. Her evidence was sufficient to suggest to the ACCC that fines of A$10m could be imposed on “a
38、large company“. But the agency needed more details. So just before Christmas it advertised extensively to try and persuade the woman to come forward again. Some days later her husband rang the ACCC, but he hung up before disclosing vital information. Now the agency is trying to contact the couple ag
39、ain. In America, there is some evidence that the events of September 11th have made people more public-spirited and more inclined to blow the whistle. The Government Accountability Project, a Washington-based group, received 27 reproaches from potential informants in the three months before Septembe
40、r 11th, and 66 in the three months after. Many of these complaints were about security issues. They included a Federal Aviation Adnunistration employee who claimed that the agency had repeatedly failed to respond to known cases of security violations at airports. Legislation to give greater protecti
41、on to people who expose corporate or government misbehavior externally(after having received no satisfaction internally)is being introduced in a number of countries. In America, it focuses on informants among federal employees. According to Billy Garde, a lawyer who was a member of BPs Alaska inquir
42、y team, they “have less rights than prisoners“. A bill introduced last year by Senator Daniel Akaka to improve protection for them is currently stuck in congressional committees. In Britain, the Public Interest Disclosure Act came fully into force last year. Described by one American as “the most fa
43、r-reaching informant protection in the world“, it treats informants as witnesses acting in the public interest. This separates them from people who are merely pursuing a personal grievance. But even in Britain, the protection is limited. Rupert Walker, a fund manager, was fired by Govett Investments
44、 in September 2001 for expressing concerns in the Financial Times about a group of people of investment trusts that invest in each other. 26 What does the author most probably think about what the ACCC did to the woman? （ A） Inconsistent. （ B） Disheartening. （ C） Unreasonable. （ D） Bureaucratic. 27
45、By saying “more inclined to blow the whistle“(Line 2, Para. 2), the author means that people are more _. （ A） eager to disclose secrets （ B） willing to report wrongdoings （ C） alert to hidden dangers to the country （ D） ready to cooperate with the administration 28 It can be inferred that the Federa
46、l Aviation Administration employee _. （ A） had repeatedly complained to his employer （ B） did not get any response from his employer （ C） was concerned about public security （ D） became brave after the 9.11 disaster 29 According to the third paragraph, informants among the American federal employees
47、 _. （ A） disclose misbehavior externally when they are disappointed internally （ B） get more protection than people who disclose misbehavior externally （ C） have less rights than prisoners （ D） get as much protection as before 30 Britains protection to informants is not perfect in that _. （ A） the P
48、ublic Interest Disclosure Act came fully into force only last year （ B） it treats informants as witnesses acting in the public interest （ C） informants are threatened with the possibility of losing their jobs （ D） informants are considered as merely pursuing a personal complaint 大学英语六级改革适用 （阅读）模拟试卷
49、215答案与解析 Section A 【知识模块】 阅读 1 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 介词 off提示空格处应为名词。 as much as用于补充说明亚马逊书籍大减价的程度。词库中只有名词 retail符合此处语境， as much as 64 off retail意为 “价格最低降至零售价的 36%”。 【知识模块】 阅读 2 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 空格前的 present意为 “目前的 ”，为形容词，空格处需填入名词作句子主语。句中 deep提示 ，此处话题仍然围绕图书 “降价 ”，名词库中的 trimming符合句意。 【知识模块】 阅读 3 【正确答案】 J 【试题解析】 句子缺少谓语动词， that从句中的系动词 were提示，空格处填入动词的过去式。空格前是 “书商的时事通讯 ”和空格后为 “罕见的周六特刊 (issue)”，由此推断空格的动词应有 “刊登、发表 ”之意，动词词库中的 delivered符合句意。 【知识模块】 阅读 4 【正确答案】 K 【试题解析】 an表明空格需要一个名词，且被后面的
