1、清华大学考博英语模拟试卷 1及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 Eight times within the past million years, something in the Earths climatic equation has changed, allowing snow in the mountains and the northern latitudes to accumulate from one season to the next instead of melting away. Each time, the enormous ice s
2、heets resulting from this continual buildup lasted tens of thousands of years until the end of each particular glacial cycle brought a warmer climate. Scientists speculated that these glacial cycles were ultimately driven by astronomical factor: slow, cyclic changes in the eccentricity of the Earths
3、 orbit and in the tilt and orientation of its spin axis. But up until around 30 years ago, the lack of an independent record of ice-age timing made the hypothesis untestable. Then in the early 1950s Emiliani produced the first complete record of the waxings and wanings of first glaciations. It came
4、from a seemingly odd place, the seafloor. Single-cell marine organisms called “foraminifera“ house themselves in shells made from calcium carbonate. When the foraminifera die, sink to the bottom, and become part of seafloor sediments, the carbonate of their shells preserves certain characteristics o
5、f the seawater they inhabited. In particular, the ratio of a heavy isotope of oxygen (oxygen-18) to ordinary oxygen (oxygen-16) in the carbonate preserves the ratio of the two oxygens in water molecules. It is now understood that the ratio of oxygen isotopes reflects the proportion of the worlds wat
6、er locked up in glaciers and ice sheets. A kind of meteorological distillation accounts for the link. Water molecules containing the heavier isotope tend to condense and fall as precipitation slightly sooner than molecules containing the lighter isotope. Hence, as water vapor evaporated from warm oc
7、eans moves away from its source, its oxygen- 18 returns more quickly to the oceans than does its oxygen-16. What falls as snow on distant ice sheets and mountain glaciers is relatively depleted of oxygen-18. As the oxygen-18-poor ice builds up, the oceans become relatively enriched in the isotope. T
8、he larger the ice sheets grow, the higher the proportion of oxygen-18 becomes in seawater-and hence in the sediments Analyzing cores drilled from seafloor sediments, Emiliani found that the isotopic ratio rose and fell in rough accord with the Earths astronomical cycles. Since that pioneering observ
9、ation, oxygenisotope measurements have been made on hundreds of cores. The combined record enables scientists to show that the re-cord contains the very periodicities as the orbital processes. Over the past 800, 000 years, the global ice volume peaked every 100,000 years, matching the period of the
10、orbital eccentricity variation. In addition, “wrinkles“ superposed on each cycle-small decreases or surges in ice volume-have come at intervals of roughly 23,000 and 41,000 years, in keeping with the precession and tilt frequencies of the Earths spin axis. 1 In opening paragraph, the author introduc
11、es his topic by _ （ A） unfolding a phenomenon. （ B） posing a contrast. （ C） refuting a speculation. （ D） testifying a hypothesis. 2 The expression “waxings and wanings“ (Paragraph 2) most probably means _ （ A） regularities and eccentricities. （ B） vaporizations and sediments. （ C） variants and const
12、ants. （ D） maximizations an minimizations. 3 As pointed out in the text, the ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 in seafloor sediments and that of these isotopes locked in glaciers and ice-sheets are _ （ A） irrelevant. （ B） correlated. （ C） corresponding. （ D） identical. 4 Single-cell marine organisms r
13、eferred to as “foraminifera“ as mentioned in the text might serve as _ （ A） a proof against the existence of oxygen-16. （ B） a testimony to sediment formation processes. （ C） a valid record justifying glacial periodic cycles. （ D） an indicator of the ratio of the two oxygens. 5 What can we safely in
14、fer from the text? （ A） Many a phenomenon might be caused by astronomical factors. （ B） Any hypothesis should be abandoned unless supported by solid records. （ C） Glaciers are the records keeping Earths astronomical cycles. （ D） Oxygen isotopes are evenly distributed throughout the earth surface. 5
15、If you smoke and you still dont believe that theres a definite between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn
16、t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain, for example, cigarette advertising h
17、as been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death. You dont have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a
18、wonderful commodity to tax. Its almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivably, be harmful, it doesnt
19、do to shout too loudly about it. This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people sufferi
20、ng from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether. of course, we are not ready for such drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of
21、their peoples, youd think theyd conduct aggressive antismoking campaigns. Far from it! Tile tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the mornin
22、g. That would never do. The advertisements always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense! For a start, governments, co
23、uld begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequ
24、ences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning-say, a picture of a deaths head-should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves. 6 The best title of the text
25、 may be _ （ A） give up the habit of smoking immediately. （ B） word governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking. （ C） go on with anti-smoking lobby vigorously. （ D） world governments should allocate more funds on cancer researches. 7 As pointed out in the text, governments are reluct
26、ant to exercise total ban on cigarette and tobacco advertising _ （ A） in the interests of financial rewards. （ B） for the sake of the publics welfare. （ C） without regard to tax collections. （ D） in anticipation of smokers lobbying. 8 The word “hypocrisy“ (Paragraph 2) denotes _ （ A） dishonesty. （ B
27、） predicament. （ C） indecision. （ D） intimidation. 9 It can be concluded that anti-smoking campaigns should be conducted _ （ A） insidiously and discreetly. （ B） vividly and attractively. （ C） aggressively and drastically. （ D） disinterestedly and bravely. 10 The author is most critical of _ （ A） ant
28、i-smoking lobbyists. （ B） tobacco advertisers. （ C） world governments. （ D） tax collectors. 10 It is the staff of dreams and nightmares. Where Tony Blairs attempts to make Britain love the Euro have fallen on deaf ears, its incarnation as notes and coins will succeed. These will be used not just in
29、the Euro area but in Britain. As the British become accustomed to the Euro as a cash currency, they will warm to it-paving the way for a yes note in a referendum. The idea of Euro creep appeals to both sides of the Euro argument. According to the pros, as Britons become familiar with the Euro, membe
30、rship will start to look inevitable, so those in favor are bound to win. According to the antis, as Britons become familiar with the Euro, membership will start to look inevitable, so those opposed must mobilize for the fight. Dream or nightmare, Euro creep envisages the single currency worming its
31、way first into the British economy and then into the affections of voters. British tourists will come back from their European holidays laden with Euros, which they will spend not just at airports but in high street shops. So, too, will foreign visitors. As the Earn becomes a parallel currency, thos
32、e who make up the current two-o-one majority will change their minds. From there, it will be a short step to decide to dispense with the pound. Neil Kinnock, a European commissioner and former leader of the Labor Party, predicts that the Euro will soon become Britains second currency. Hans Eichel, t
33、he German finance minister, also says that it will become a parallel currency in countries like Switzerland and Britain. Peter Hain, the European minister who is acting as a cheerleader for membership, says the Euro will become “a practical day-to-day reality and that will enable people to make a se
34、nsible decision about it“. As many as a third of Britains biggest retailers, such as Marks and Spencer, have said they will take Euros in some of their shops. BP has also announced that it will accept Euros at some of its garages. But there is less to this than meet the eye. British tourists can now
35、 withdraw money from cashpoint from European holiday destinations, so they are less likely than in the past to end up with excess foreign money. Even if they do, they generally get rid of it at the end of their holidays, says David Southwell, a spokesman for the British Retail Consortium (BRC). 11 A
36、ccording to the writer, once the British get used to the Euro, _ （ A） there will be no obstacle for it to be a currency in Britain. （ B） it will take the place of pound in whatever aspects in Britain. （ C） the British will accept it as a cash currency gradually. （ D） it will become a symbol of reuni
37、fication for European countries. 12 The writer seems _ （ A） to be over-enthusiastic about the success of the Euro. （ B） to launch a vigorous campaign against the Euro creep. （ C） to hold a hostile attitude towards Euro expansions. （ D） to take a matter-of-face attitude towards the issue. 13 The word
38、 “cheerleader“ (Paragraph 4) can best be replaced by _ （ A） voter. （ B） advocator. （ C） critic. （ D） prophet. 14 What does the writer intends to illustrate with Marks and Spencer? （ A） A kind of professional service. （ B） Objections to the Euro creep. （ C） A type of subjective brand loyalty. （ D） Ex
39、pansions of the Euro in Britain. 15 Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? （ A） The Prospect of the Euro in Britain. （ B） A New Currency under Attack. （ C） The Popularity of the Euro in Britain. （ D） A Theme of Dreams and Nightmares. 15 Whenever you see an old film, even on
40、e made as little as ten years ago, you cannot help being struck by the appearance of the women taking part. Their hairstyles and make-up look dated; their skirts look either too long or too short; their general appearance is, in fact, slightly ludicrous. The men taking part in the film, on the other
41、 hand, are clearly recognizable. There is nothing about their appearance to suggest that they belong to an entirely different age. This illusion is created by changing fashions. Over the years, the great majority of men have successfully resisted all attempts to make them change their style of dress
42、. The same cannot be said for women. Each year a few so-called top designers in Paris or London lay down the law and women the whole world over rush to obey. The doctrines of the designers are unpredictable and dictatorial. This year, they decide in their arbitrary fashion, skirts will be short and
43、waists will be high; zips are in and buttons are out. Next year the law is reversed and far from taking exception, no one is even mildly surprised. If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they shudder at the thought of being seen in public in c
44、lothes that are out of fashion, they are annually blackmailed by the designers and the big stores, Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be discarded because of the dictates of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed fu
45、ll of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear. Changing fashions are nothing more than the deliberate creation of waste. Many women squander wast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Woman who cannot afford to discard clothing in this way waste hou
46、rs of their time altering the dresses they have. Hem-lines are taken up or let down; waist-lines are taken in or let out; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on. No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned w
47、ith vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort providing they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasnt at some time in his life smiled at the sight of
48、 a woman shivering in a flimsy dress on a wintry day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in dainty shoes. When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of womens clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qua
49、lities of fickleness and instability? Men are too sensible to let themselves be bullied by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide. 16 In the opening paragraph, the writer introduced his topic by _ （ A） introducing an illusion. （ B） making a comparison. （ C） depicting a vivid scene. （ D） posing a sharp contrast. 17 In the eyes of the author, the dictates of fashion probably means a sort of design cha
