1、考研英语模拟试卷 116及答案与解析 一、 Section I Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D. (10 points) 1 More and more of us are (1)_ the TV networks. Thats not news, of course; there have been countless stories on their (2)_ audience.
2、But I didnt realize how far out! had dropped (3)_ I glanced at the Nielsen ratings of the top 71 shows. Of those 71 programs, I had not watched (4)_ one. (5)_, I could count only five that I had ever seen in my entire life. And of those five, there isnt one I watch (6)_. Despite its popularity, I do
3、nt like happy family shows. Theyre (7)_. If I watch a family show, I prefer something lifelike, such as “Death of a Salesman.“ (8)_ the second-rated program, “A Different World,“ Ive never heard of it. If I want to see a different (9)_, Ill drive to the west side of Chicago. I (10)_ watch“ Cheers,“
4、which is still (11)_ the top ten, but gave it up after Diana left and Sam began lusting after a career-crazed yuppie. Am I the only person in America who has never watched a segment of “Dallas“? A while ago, I recall somebody important was killed on the “last (12)_ of the season and almost everybody
5、 in America was caught up in the hype. I watched wrestling that night; Ill bet the acting was (13)_. Its not (14)_ Im snobbish I enjoy TV (15)_ as much as the next slob. But the (16)_ of truly trashy trash has declined. I was one of the first writers in America to recognize the greatness of Robin Le
6、achs “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.“ So, what do I watch? I still turn to the networks, (17)_ I have learned to exploit and cheat them. For example, I like football, but seldom watch it (18)_. In stead, I (19)_ it and later play it back an my VCR, fast-forwarding through all the commercials, th
7、e announcers babble, the half-time drivel and even the huddles. I also watched movies, but only on some cable channels, (20)_ the networks. （ A） turning out （ B） turning into （ C） turning down （ D） turning up （ A） up-showing （ B） growing （ C） impatient （ D） shrinking （ A） by （ B） when （ C） until （ D
8、） as （ A） even （ B） only （ C） almost （ D） more than （ A） However （ B） In fact （ C） Meanwhile （ D） Exactly （ A） seriously （ B） constantly （ C） nightly （ D） regularly （ A） cruel （ B） optimistic （ C） unreal （ D） pessimistic （ A） About （ B） As for （ C） Considering （ D） Watching （ A） show （ B） program （
9、C） world （ D） channel （ A） used to （ B） was used to （ C） would （ D） ought to （ A） on （ B） in （ C） at （ D） among （ A） occurrence （ B） event （ C） episode （ D） incident （ A） better （ B） good （ C） worse （ D） awful （ A） that （ B） why （ C） the way （ D） which （ A） waste （ B） trash （ C） debris （ D） garbage
10、（ A） quality （ B） ratings （ C） production （ D） audience （ A） and （ B） but （ C） therefore （ D） because （ A） alive （ B） live （ C） myself （ D） completely （ A） watch （ B） go over （ C） tape （ D） copy （ A） never （ B） or （ C） nor （ D） and Part A Directions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questio
11、ns below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40 points) 21 Back in July 1965, the Mariner Four Space Probe transmitted the first close-up pictures of Mars and convinced many people that Mars was as dead as our own moon. Two later space probes seemed to confirm this. But then, in 1971, Mariner Nine
12、raise hopes once again that there could be life on the planet or at least that life might once have existed there. The range of experiments to be conducted were designed by mission scientists such as Chuck Klein: “It was like shooting blind, so to speak, to be trying to devise experiments to look fo
13、r evidence of life. And we decide to try to use an instrument which could incorporate many different assumptions about what Martian biology might be like what the bugs might be like or not like. But the fundamental proposition in each portion of our experiment was to look, over a period of time, for
14、 evidence of some process going on which we could attribute to biology.“ The scientists controlled the Viking experiments from a distance of almost 100 million kilometers. Cameras took pictures of the area a round the robot landers in case anything moved into view. No aliens were spotted by the came
15、ras, but other experiments seems to show signs of life. “Almost everything that we planned began to give us data of some kind that is to say, it wasnt like everything was dead. For many weeks, we were goaded by the media, who were terribly excited they were constantly looking for a headline, you kno
16、w. They Found Life! They Found Life! Every bit of information that we came up with was squeezed by them to try to put a positive twist on it. We really had to work very hard to maintain our cool and present the data just the way we saw it.“ But these apparent signs of life were deceptive. By repeati
17、ng the experiments and double checking the results, the scientists eventually came to the conclusion that the whole planet was dead and would, in fact, be deadly to living organisms. Since 1976, there have been no further visits. A probe sent by NASA exploded before reaching the planet last year and
18、 it now doesnt look as if therell be another Mars visit until the end of the decade. When we do get back there, will we find something new? And what about us? Could we ever live on Mars? This isnt as strange an idea as it sounds according to astronomer Patrick Moorer. “Its fair to say that, from a t
19、echnical point of view, we could put men on Mars within the next few decades. Whether we actually do so or not depends very much more upon politics and finance than upon sheer science, but I think it could be done. And Im quite prepared to believe that by this time in the next century, there will be
20、 flourishing colonies upon Mars.“ 21 Which of the following is closest in meaning to the sentence “It was shooting blind, to look for evidence of life.“ （ A） We were carrying on experiments aimlessly. （ B） It was impossible to reach the Mars because of the distance. （ C） We could see nothing in the
21、outer space. （ D） We didnt believe life really existed on Mars. 22 The word “assumption“ probably means _. （ A） the adopting of a manner （ B） something taken for granted: （ C） confidence in oneself （ D） scientific reasoning 23 What do the writer think about the medias report? （ A） They presented the
22、 data in an objective way. （ B） They couldnt always find proper headlines. （ C） They were always hiding the troth from the public. （ D） They were always stretching the information beyond the truth. 24 Patrick Moorer seemed to believe that putting men on Mars within the next few decades was _. （ A） m
23、ission impossible （ B） a matter of technology （ C） beyond mens reach （ D） largely a matter of politics and finance 25 The best title for this passage would be _. （ A） Is There Life on Mars? （ B） They Found Life! （ C） Mars, A Dead Planet in the Space （ D） Future Colonies on Mars 26 Does using a word
24、processor affect a writer s style? The medium usually does do something to the message after all, even if Marshall McLuhans claim that the medium simply is the message has been heard and largely forgotten now. The question matters. Ray Hammond, in his excellent guide The Writer and the Word Processo
25、r, predicts that over half the professional writers in Britain and the USA will be using word processors by the end of 1985. The best known recruit is Leu Deighton, from as long ago as 1968, though most users have only started since the microcomputer boom began in 1980. Ironically word processing is
26、 in some ways psychologically more like writing in rough than typing, since it restores fluidity and provisionality to the text. The typists dread of having to get out the Tippex, the scissors and paste, or of redoing the whole thing if he has any substantial second thoughts, can make him consistent
27、ly choose the safer option in his sentences, or let something stand which he knows to be unsatisfactory or incomplete, out of weariness. In word processing the text is loosened up whilst still retaining the advantage of looking formally finished. This has, I think, two apparently contradictory effec
28、ts. The initial writing can become excessively sloppy and careless, in the expectation that it will be corrected later. That crucial first inspiration is never easy to recapture, though, and therefore, on the other hand, the writing can become over-deliberated, lacking in flow and spontaneity, since
29、 revision becomes a larger part of composition. However, these are faults easier to detect in others than in oneself. My own experience of the sheer difficulty of committing any words at all to the page means Im grateful for all the help I can get. For most writers, word processing quite rapidly com
30、es to feel like the ideal method (and can always be a second step after drafting on paper if you prefer). Most of the writers interviewed by Hammond say it has improved their style (“immensely“, says Deighton). Seeing your own word on a screen helps you to feel cool and detached about them. Thus is
31、not just by freeing you from-the labor of mechanical retyping that a word processor can help you to write. One author (Terence Feely) claims it has increased his output by 400%. Possibly the feeling of having a reactive machine, which appears to do things, rather than just have things done with it,
32、accounts for this your slave works hard and so do you. Are there no drawbacks? It costs a lot and takes time to learn “expect to lose weeks of work“, says Hammond, though days might be nearer the mark. Notoriously it is possible to lose work altogether on a word processor, and this happens to everyb
33、ody at least once. The awareness that what you have written no longer exists anywhere at all, is unbelievably enraging and baffling. Will word processing generally raise the level of professional writing then? Does it make writers better as well as more productive? Though all users insist it has don
34、e so for them individually, this is hard to believe. But reliance happens fast. 26 According to the passage what appears to be changing rapidly in Britain and the USA? （ A） The style writers are employing. （ B） The way new writers are being recruited. （ C） The medium authors are using. （ D） The mess
35、age authors are putting forward. 27 Typing a manuscript in the conventional manner may make a writer _. （ A） have a lot of second thoughts （ B） become overcritical of his or her work （ C） make more mistakes （ D） take few risks 28 One effect of using a word processor may be that the ongoing revision
36、of a text _. （ A） is done with too little attention （ B） produces a sloppy effect （ C） fails to produce a fluent style （ D） does not encourage one to pick up mistakes 29 It is claimed here that word processor create _. （ A） a feeling of distance between a writer and his or her work （ B） the illusion
37、 that you are the servant of the machine （ C） a sensation of power （ D） a reluctance in the author to express himself or herself 30 As large as learning to use a word processor is concerned the writer of the passage feels that Hammond _. （ A） is understating the problem （ B） exaggerates one drawback
38、 （ C） is too skeptical about the advantage, （ D） overestimates the danger of losing text 31 The oceans are the main source of humidity, but plants also pour moisture into the air. In one day, a five-acre forest can release 20,000 gallons of water, enough to fill an average swimming, pool. A dryer ex
39、tracts moisture from wet clothes, adding to humidity. Even breathing contributes to this sticky business. Every time we exhale, we expel nearly one pint of moist air into the atmosphere. Using sophisticated measuring devices, science is learning more and more about the far-reaching and often surpris
40、ing impact humidity has on all of us. Two summers ago angry callers phoned American Television and Communications Corp.s cable-TV operation in northeastern Wisconsin, complaining about fuzzy pictures and poor reception. “What happened,“ said the chief engineer, “was that the humidity was interfering
41、 with our signals.“ When a blast of dry air invaded the state, the number of complaints dropped sharply. Humidity plays hob with our mechanical world as well. Water condensation on the playing beads and tapes of videocassette recorders produces a streaky picture. Humidity shortens the life of flashl
42、ight and smoke-detector batteries. When the weather gets sticky, the rubber belts that power the fan, air conditioner and alternator under the hood of our cars can get wet and squeak. Moisture also causes pianos to go out of tune, often in no time flat. At the Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing
43、Arts in Vienna, where pianos are tuned twice a day during the summer concert season. Often a tuner stands in the wings, ready to make emergency adjustments during performances. Humidity speeds the deterioration of treasured family photos and warps priceless antiques. Your homes wooden support beams,
44、 doors and window framers absorb extra moisture and expand-swelling up to three percent depending on the wood, its grain and the setting. Too much moisture promotes blight that attacks potato and green-bean crops adding to food costs. It also causes rust in wheat, which can affect grain-product pric
45、es. Humidity affects our health, as well. We get more migraine headaches, ulcer attacks, blood clots and skin rashes in hot, humid weather. Since 1987, the Health, Weight and Stress Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has tested over 1700 patients for responses to high humidity. They have
46、reported increased dizziness, stomachaches, chest pains, cramps, and visual disturbances such as double and blurred vision. 31 The main idea of the passage is about _. （ A） the main source of humidity （ B） the impact of humidity on our world and ourselves （ C） how humidity affect our life （ D） the d
47、amage humidity has done to our world 32 Which of the following is NOT included as source of humidity in this passage? （ A） Oceans. （ B） Plants. （ C） Air. （ D） Dryers. 33 Why does a tuner often stand in the wings? （ A） So it can be reached any time. （ B） It is so designed mechanically. （ C） So it can
48、 prevent moisture. （ D） The piano needs to be tuned frequently. 34 What can be inferred from this passage? （ A） Nowadays science is learning more and more about the impact humidity has on all of us by using sophisticated measuring devices. （ B） Humidity could interfere with television signals. （ C）
49、Humidity may warp priceless antiques. （ D） Visual disturbances may decrease in days of low humidity. 35 Why did the number of complaints drop? （ A） Because they got poor reception. （ B） Because the humidity was interfering with the signals. （ C） Because there came a blast of dry air. （ D） Because humidity increased rapidly in the region. 36 Each time you step into those faded old Jeans, you put on a piece of history. The worlds
