1、考博英语模拟试卷 197及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 As Texas begins to recover from two weeks of devastating storms, a generally hidden truth about its economy will come to light again. Most of the builders and electricians who will have to repair the houses, remake the roads and re-establish the electric
2、al power lines will have to take on undocumented workers in order to meet their contracts. In 1996 the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS) conservatively estimated that Texas had over 600,000 undocumented immigrants doing the jobs no one else wants: hauling carcasses in packing plants, pick
3、ing fruit, cleaning hotel rooms, or sorting out the unspeakable damage caused by natural disasters. Mention the issue of these workers to a Texan, and he is liable to fall uncharacteristically silent. Even state legislators avoid the issue. They know that many of their constituents employ undocument
4、ed workers. They also know that the booming Texas economy is driven in part by the ready supply of cheap, diligent, illegal labour. Dallas is one magnet for undocumented workers. The citys politicians oppose INS crackdowns fearing they will damage the local economy and bankrupt small companies. Hous
5、ton is another. There a dawn drive past some of the citys 36 informal day-labour sites shows the size of the undocumented workforce. Young Mexicans wait on the pavement, ready to jump into the back of any pick-up truck that slows down to take them. Houston police estimate that over 150,000 labourers
6、, about 85% of them undocumented, gather every day in search of a job. It is a testament to the vitality of the Texas economy that most of them get hired usually to mix cement and shift bricks. No questions are asked, no papers signed. Most workers do not even know their employers name. They are pai
7、d in cash, around 40 dollars a day while the average American earns more than twice as much. 1 According to the passage, the presence of immigrant workers in Texas _. （ A） is seen as a problem by local authorities （ B） is tolerated given that it helps the local economy （ C） can be considered evidenc
8、e of the failing economy （ D） is a source of racial conflict 2 Some of the jobs that the illegal immigrants do as mentioned in the article include the following _. （ A） harvesting crops, working in hotels, repairing roads and packaging meat （ B） harvesting crops, managing restaurants, cleaning roads
9、 and packaging meat （ C） rebuilding homes, picking apples, cleaning roads and cutting meat （ D） repairing power lines, working in hotels, and working in parks 3 The illegal workers are _. （ A） hard-working but costly （ B） lazy but cheap （ C） hard-working and ambitious （ D） hard-working and cheap 4 W
10、hich of the following was NOT stated in the passage? （ A） Many illegal workers look for work in areas near major cities. （ B） Employers never supply transportation to the place of work. （ C） Illegal workers do not present any documents in order to get the job. （ D） The illegal workers do jobs that o
11、thers would consider undesirable. 5 According to the passage, the relationship between employer and illegal worker is best described as _. （ A） admirable （ B） amicable （ C） difficult （ D） impersonal 5 Experimenting with household objects can often get young people in trouble, but for one intelligent
12、, inquisitive boy, it created the foundation of his future. Young Henry Ford discovered through his curious mind that many objects were useful for much more than their intended purposes. For example, he used to tinker with his fathers fanning tools to see what they could do. He used his mothers darn
13、ing needles to help him repair watches. And once, in an effort to study the power to steam, he sat and watched water boil in his mothers teapot. Little did Ford know that these experiments would lead him to creating a means of transportation that would change the world forever. Henry Ford was born o
14、n July 30, 1863, near Detroit, Michigan. He was the oldest of six children and the grandson of immigrants from Ireland who came to America in 1847. His family were farmers, and he grew up on the family farm where he began to develop mechanical skills. Through his experiences on the farm with his fat
15、her, Henry developed a great curiosity about how things worked. When traveling in his fathers wagon, Henry would often wonder if there were a faster and easier way to travel. A time he remembered for the rest of his life happened when he was only thirteen years old. He was riding in the wagon with h
16、is father, and he spotted a steam engine traveling along the road under its own power. Henry was so excited that he ran toward the engine and asked its driver question after question about the incredible machine. This machine was used for sawing wood and other tasks that required it to remain statio
17、nary, but the engine was mounted on wheels to propel itself from one location to another. Henry was so excited that the driver let him fire the engine and even run it. From that point on, Henry Fords dream of creating a self-propelled vehicle began to materialize. Ford wanted to move to Detroit to w
18、ork in the machine shops, but he stayed on the family farm until he was seventeen. At that time, he started his successful journey by moving to Detroit. He began working at the Michigan Car Company for $1.10 a day, but he was fired because he was faster than anyone else at making repairs. It took hi
19、m only one hour to do what took others five hours to do! From there he took on a variety of different jobs but his dream continued to be the creation of a “horseless carriage.“ No matter where he worked, he continued to read about gas engines and experiment in his own workshop. In 1896 Fords efforts
20、 began to pay off when he was working at the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company. His first self-propelled vehicle was ready for a try-out. As it started to run, it actually frightened the horses and caused many people to protest, but it ran. It was at the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company where F
21、ord met Thomas Edison. Ford had always admired Thomas Edisons work and was excited when he discovered that Edison agreed that it had possibilities and encouraged him to continue. This gave Ford the incentive to invent an operable car that was written up in the Detroit Journal where he was described
22、as a “mechanical engineer.“ Soon his work on automobiles caused him to have to leave the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company. Ford wanted more time to work on automobile building so he was forced to quit his job. Fords dream began to materialize with his invention of automobiles and the development
23、of the assembly line. His dream of creating a “motor car for the great multitude, constructed of the best materials by the best men to be hired, so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one.“ came true with the invention of his ninth car, the Model T. It sold more than
24、any other car for eighteen years between 1908 and 1926. This commonplace, hard working, sturdy car made up over one half of all the cars sold at this time. Today we are reminded of Fords genius whenever we see one of his “horseless carriages“ traveling across the many highways in our world. Who woul
25、d have guessed for the world? The next time you see a child experimenting with different common objects, keep in mind that you may be witnessing the beginning of another great invention. 6 What do the words “remain stationary“ mean in Sentence , Paragraph 4 of the passage? （ A） move from one place t
26、o another （ B） stay in one place and not move （ C） move in two directions （ D） stay in more than one place 7 What conclusion can be drawn from the essay about the United States during the time of Henry Fords youth? （ A） Horse-drawn carriages were used as a popular means of transportation. （ B） Most
27、people were tired of horse-drawn carriages and wanted a better way to travel. （ C） The assembly line made it more difficult for people to invent new products. （ D） Many inventors were trying to invent a fast and comfortable way to travel. 8 Based on the essay, which of the following sentences is the
28、 best conclusion about the characteristics of a successful inventor? （ A） The person must be fascinating and interesting to other people. （ B） The person must be relaxed and able to work long hours. （ C） The person must go to specialized schools to learn the necessary skills. （ D） The person must be
29、 persistent and ambitious about inventing. 9 Which sentence below supports the main idea expressed by the author? （ A） Henry Fords job at the Michigan Car Company taught him how to make automobiles. （ B） People didnt like the first “horseless carriage“ because it was so noisy. （ C） Henry Fords inqui
30、sitive nature and determination are what helped him invent the Model T. （ D） Children can learn a lot by experimenting with objects and asking questions. 10 Based on the passage, which of the following sentences best describes the relation- ship Henry Ford had with Thomas Edison? （ A） They respected
31、 each other for their intelligence and Ford accepted Edisons advice. （ B） They enjoyed working together and helping each other with new inventions. （ C） Thomas Edison taught Henry Ford how to build self-propelled vehicles. （ D） Henry Ford taught Thomas Edison how to build vehicles that ran on steam.
32、 二、 Structure and Vocabulary 11 The headquarters of this textile company is in New York while its 20 _ companies are located in different parts of the world. （ A） parent （ B） subsidiary （ C） inferior （ D） ultimate 12 The little girl is just learning to walk and shes always _ over. （ A） tumbling （ B）
33、 wagging （ C） waving （ D） swaying 13 She wanted desperately to turn the flower-painted china _ on the apple- green door, and go through, but somehow she could not. （ A） frame （ B） pole （ C） pan （ D） knob 14 When I found the light switch, the unshaded bulb only illuminated two small cats, sitting on
34、the table _ round the inside of the empty ham tin. （ A） swallowing （ B） gorging （ C） licking （ D） digesting 15 Every year a number of students graduate from the school which will _ new students the first week in September. （ A） enroll （ B） recruit （ C） collect （ D） reproduce 16 The renaissance was a
35、(n) _ of unparalleled cultural achievement and had a great impact on almost all European countries. （ A） moment （ B） dynasty （ C） instant （ D） epoch 17 That evening roving gangs of white teenagers began to attack blacks in downtown Chicago, and the city erupted in a five-day race _ that ended with 3
36、8 deaths, 537 serious injuries, and widespread destruction. （ A） fuss （ B） maneuver （ C） deterioration （ D） riot 18 They found that an individual tends to conform to a _ group judgment even when that judgment is obviously in error. （ A） unanimous （ B） singular （ C） coherent （ D） versatile 19 The cha
37、racter armor consists of defensive character traits, like arrogance or apprehensiveness, that developed in childhood to _ painful feelings. （ A） turn aside （ B） ward off （ C） bread up （ D） watch over 20 In 844, Charles Stun, a British soldier and colonial administrator, made an expedition _ a suppos
38、ed inland sea; his party penetrated more than ,000 miles northward, almost to the center of Australia. （ A） in quest of （ B） with regard to （ C） in favor of （ D） by way of 21 So far as the food industry is concerned, the processing of sheep and lambs is relatively _ in the United States, accounting
39、for only about 7 percent of meat-packing production. （ A） irrelevant （ B） appropriate （ C） negligible （ D） redundant 22 Could a mechanical device ever _ human intelligence-the ultimate test being whether it could cause a real human to fall in love with it? （ A） destroy （ B） duplicate （ C） forge （ D）
40、 eliminate 23 As the case of Amitar Ray and his family exemplifies, professional immigrants are among the most rapidly _ first because of their occupational success and second be- cause of the absence of strong ethnic networks that reinforce the culture of origin. （ A） assimilated （ B） consumed （ C）
41、 accustomed （ D） fascinated 24 “This park has more than 200 waterfalls that are 5 feet or higher. And 50 of them have never been mapped or photographed,“ says park historian Lee Whittlesey. “Now thats a _ to the size of Yellowstone.“ （ A） proposition （ B） hypothesis （ C） ceremony （ D） testimony 25 W
42、hile researchers may not _ the expansive claims of hard-core vitamin enthusiasts, evidence suggests that the nutrients play a much more complex role in assuring vitality and optimal health than was previously thought. （ A） authorize （ B） license （ C） counteract （ D） endorse 26 Why do teens drink? Re
43、asons vary from _ pressure to family patterns to social conditioning. （ A） spouse （ B） peer （ C） antagonist （ D） competitor 27 Some readers may find it _ that a book arguing for greater literacy and intellectual discipline should lead to a call for less rather than more education. （ A） appealing （ B
44、） controversial （ C） paradoxical （ D） ambiguous 28 The _ of such I. Q. tests full of questions on American culture was not questioned at that time. （ A） significance （ B） validity （ C） efficiency （ D） justification 29 She has _ some brilliant scheme to double her income. （ A） come out （ B） come up w
45、ith （ C） come to （ D） come about 30 Absorbed in her work, she was totally _ her surroundings. （ A） liable for （ B） separated by （ C） oblivious of （ D） concerned about 三、 Cloze 30 A teacher is someone who communicates information or skill so that someone else may learn. Parents are the【 51】 teachers.
46、 Just by living with their child and【 52】 their everyday activities with him, they teach him their language, their values and their manners. Information and skills difficult to teach【 53】 family living are taught in a school by a person【 54】 special occupation is teaching. Before 1900 it【 55】 widely
47、 assumed that a man was qualified to teach if he could read and write and【 56】 qualified if he knew arithmetic. With modest【 57】 like these, it is no【 58】 that teachers had low salaries and little prestige. Literature and history frequently portray teachers【 59】 fools and ignoramuses. By the late 19
48、th century, there were【 60】 that the status of teachers was slowly【 61】 . Great educators such as Mann and Henry Barnard, and innovative thinkers such as Dewey and Parker began to command a【 62】 that in a few decades had to some【 63】 permeated classrooms in the United States. Progress was more glaci
49、al than meteoric, however,【 64】 the last half of the century. In the 20th century the status of teachers rose as the standards【 65】 their education rose. By 1950 the average teacher had an education that greatly exceeded that of the average citizen. 四、 Chinese-English Translation 46 被与自己的思想、信仰及兴趣相仿的人所吸引，那是很自然的事。同样，与体貌特征跟自己相仿的人相处，亦让人感到舒适。 您也许已经注意到生活和工作中紧密相处的人是如何在举止上趋于类同的。我们常常会不自觉地模仿我们所接近、所爱、所仰慕的人。因此，球迷会模仿某个运动员独有的耸肩行走的样子；一对情人连摇头的方式也相同；而雇员则会学他老板的习惯，也在
