1、考研英语模拟试卷 242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 Analysts have their go at humor, and I have read some of this interpretative literature, (1)_ without being greatly instructed. Hum
2、or can be (2)_, (3)_ a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are (4)_ to any but the pure scientific mind. One of the things (5)_ said about humorists is that they are really very sad people-clowns with a breaking heart. There is some truth in it, but it is badly (6)_. It would
3、 be more (7)_, I think, to say that there is a deep vein of melancholy running through everyones life and that the humorist, perhaps more (8)_ of it than some others, compensates for it actively and (9)_. Humorists fatten on troubles. They have always made trouble (10)_. They struggle along with a g
4、ood will and endure pain (11)_, knowing how well it will (12)_ them in the sweet by and by. You find them wrestling with foreign languages, fighting folding ironing boards and swollen drainpipes, suffering the terrible (13)_ of tight boots. They pour out their sorrows profitably, in a (14)_ of what
5、is not quite fiction nor quite fact either. Beneath the sparking surface of these dilemmas flows the strong (15)_ of human woe. Practically everyone is a manic depressive of sorts, with his up moments and his down moments, and you certainly dont have to be a humorist to (16)_ the sadness of situatio
6、n and mood. But there is often a rather fine line between laughing and crying, and if a humorous piece of writing brings a person to the point (17)_ his emotional responses are untrustworthy and seem likely to break over into the opposite realm, it is (18)_ humor, like poetry, has an extra content,
7、it plays (19)_ to the big hot fire which is Truth, and sometimes the reader feels the (20)_. （ A） while （ B） although （ C） but （ D） if （ A） explained （ B） integrated （ C） detected （ D） dissected （ A） as （ B） for （ C） which （ D） though （ A） disgusting （ B） discouraging （ C） discounting （ D） dismissin
8、g （ A） regularly （ B） commonly （ C） roughly （ D） uniquely （ A） consulted （ B） commented （ C） remarked （ D） stated （ A） accurate （ B） normal （ C） immediate （ D） exclusive （ A） consciously （ B） credulous （ C） sensible （ D） absurd （ A） adequately （ B） confusedly （ C） reluctantly （ D） positively （ A） co
9、me across （ B） pay off （ C） hold up （ D） break down （ A） annoyingly （ B） cheerfully （ C） worriedly （ D） hopefully （ A） interest （ B） threaten （ C） benefit （ D） deprive （ A） pleasure （ B） exhibition （ C） prejudice （ D） discomfort （ A） style （ B） pattern （ C） form （ D） mold （ A） tide （ B） drift （ C） f
10、loat （ D） flare （ A） taste （ B） steer （ C） tackle （ D） stir （ A） how （ B） where （ C） how （ D） unless （ A） when （ B） that （ C） whatever （ D） because （ A） open （ B） related （ C） close （ D） devoted （ A） warmth （ B） severity （ C） tension （ D） fever Part A Directions: Read the following four texts. Answe
11、r the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40 points) 21 The discovery of life beyond Earth would transform not only our science but also our religions, our belief systems and our entire world-view. For in a sense, the search for extraterrestrial life is really a search for ourselves
12、 who we are and what our place is in the grand sweep of the cosmos. Contrary to popular belief, speculation that we are not alone in the universe is as old as philosophy itself. The essential steps in the reasoning were based on the atomic theory of the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus. Yet phil
13、osophy is one thing, filling in the physical details is another. Although astronomers increasingly suspect that biofriendly planets may be abundant in the universe, the chemical steps leading to life remain largely mysterious. Traditionally, biologists believed that life is a freak the result of a z
14、illion-to-one accidental concatenation of molecules. It follows that the likelihood of its happening again elsewhere in the cosmos is infinitesimal. This viewpoint derives from the second law of thermodynamics, which predicts that the universe is dying slowly and inexorably degenerating toward a sta
15、te of total chaos. And similar reasoning applies to evolution. According to the orthodox view, Darwinian selection is utterly blind. Any impression that the transition from microbes to man represents progress is pure chauvinism of our part. The path of evolution is merely a random walk through the r
16、ealm of possibilities. If this is right, there can be no directionality, no innate drive forward; in particular, no push toward consciousness and intelligence. Should Earth be struck by an asteroid, destroying all higher life-forms, intelligent beings would almost certainly not arise next time aroun
17、d. There is, however, a contrary view one that is gaining strength and directly challenges orthodox biology. It is that complexity can emerge spontaneously through a process of self-organization. If matter and energy have an inbuilt tendency to amplify and channel organized complexity, the odds agai
18、nst the formation of life and the subsequent evolution of intelligence could be drastically shortened. Historically, Bertrand Russell argued that a universe under a death sentence from the second law of thermodynamics rendered human life ultimately futile. All our achievements, all our struggles, “a
19、ll the noonday brightness of human genius“, as he put it, would, in the final analysis, count for nothing if the very cosmos itself is doomed. But what if, in spite of the second law of thermodynamics, there can be systematic progress alongside decay? For those who hope for a deeper meaning or purpo
20、se beneath physical existence, the presence of extraterrestrial life-forms would provide a spectacular boost, implying that we live in a universe that is in some sense getting better and better rather than worse and worse. 21 The writer organizes his ideas in the text mainly by （ A） justifying popul
21、ar beliefs. （ B） making comparisons. （ C） looking back on history. （ D） posing sharp contrasts. 22 On the possibilities of life beyond Earth astronomers and ancient philosophers views are （ A） opposite. （ B） similar. （ C） divergent. （ D） contrary. 23 It is the belief of orthodox biology that Darwini
22、an evolutionism （ A） is fully based on illusions. （ B） focuses purely on reasoning. （ C） is utterly entitled to worship. （ D） comes to account for nothing. 24 Under the law of thermodynamics, the universe is supposed （ A） to push forward progress. （ B） to give rise to other life forms. （ C） to make
23、for a total chaos. （ D） to improve by wide margins. 25 If there were push to direct organized complexity, chances of intelligence evolution would （ A） be wrecked. （ B） level off. （ C） be shortened. （ D） crop up. 26 “My own feelings went from disbelief to excitement to downright fear“, says Carl Herg
24、enrother, 23, an Arizona undergraduate who verified a large asteroid barreling toward Earth with a 230cm telescope atop nearby Kitt Peak. “It was scary, because there was the possibility that we were confirming the demise of some city somewhere, or some state or small country“. Well, not quite. Earl
25、y last week, his celestial interloper whizzed by Earth, missing the planet by 450,620 km a hairbreadth in astronomical terms. Perhaps half a kilometer across, it was the largest object ever observed to pass that close to Earth. Duncan Steel, an Australian astronomer, has calculated that if the aster
26、oid had struck Earth, it would have hit at some 93460 km/h. The resulting explosion, scientists estimate, would have been in the 3000-to-12000-megaton range. That says astronomer Eugene Shoemaker, a pioneer asteroid and comet hunter, “is like taking all of the U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons, puttin
27、g them in one pile and blowing them all up“. And what if one of them is found to be on a collision course with Earth? Scientists at the national laboratories at Livermore, California, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, have devised a number of ingenious plans that, given enough warning time, could protect
28、Earth from a threatening NEO. Their defensive weapons of choice include long distance missiles with conventional or, more likely, nuclear warheads that could be used either to nudge an asteroid into a safe orbit or blast it to smithereens. Many people including some astronomers are understandably ne
29、rvous about putting a standby squadron of nuclear tipped missiles in place. Hence the latest strategy, which in some cases would obviate the need for a nuclear defense: propelling a fusillade of cannonball-size steel spheres at an approaching asteroid. In a high-velocity encounter with a speeding NE
30、O, explains Gregory Canavan, a senior scientist at Los Alamos, “the kinetic energy of the balls, would change into heat energy and blow the thing apart“. Some astronomers oppose any immediate defensive preparations, citing the high costs and low odds of a large objects striking Earth in the coming d
31、ecades. But at the very least, Shoemaker contends, NEO detection should be accelerated. “Theres this thing called the giggle factor in Congress“, he says. “people in Congress and also at the top level in NASA still dont take it seriously. But we should move ahead. Its a matter of prudence“. The worl
32、d, however, still seems largely unconcerned with the danger posed by large bodies hurtling in from space, despite the spectacle two years ago of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 riddling the planet Jupiter with mammoth explosions. It remains to be seen whether last weeks record near-miss has changed any minds
33、. 26 From the first three paragraphs, we learn that （ A） the earth narrowly escaped a catastrophe. （ B） one asteroid almost destroyed an entire city. （ C） asteroids are comparable to nuclear weapons. （ D） the planet earth is vulnerable to dangers. 27 When mentioning the “the 3000-to-12000-megaton ra
34、nge“ (Para. 3), the writer is talking about （ A） striking spectacles. （ B） conventional weapons. （ C） explosive impact. （ D） defensive strategies. 28 The description of Congresss “giggle factor“ (Para. 6) shows the writers （ A） appreciation. （ B） disbelief. （ C） excitement. （ D） ridicule. 29 Accordi
35、ng to the text, “nuclear tipped missiles“ and “cannonball-size steel spheres“ (Para. 5) （ A） are different in nature. （ B） serve similar functions. （ C） are identical to each other. （ D） pose real challenges. 30 It seems that the writer is （ A） active to fend off invading asteroids. （ B） largely unc
36、oncerned with the danger. （ C） interested in military initiatives. （ D） enthusiastic about spotting asteroids. 31 AMERICAS central bank sent a clear message this week. For the second consecutive meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee, the central banks policy-making committee, left short term in
37、terest rates unchanged at 1.75%. But it said that the risks facing the economy had shifted from economic weakness to a balance between weakness and excessive growth. This shift surprised no one. But it has convinced many people that interest rates are set to rise again and soon. Judging by prices in
38、 futures markets, investors are betting that short-term interest rates could start rising as early as May, and will be 1.25 percentage points higher by the end of the year. That may be excessive. Economists at Goldman Sachs, who long argued that the central bank would do nothing this year, now expec
39、t short-term rates to go up only 0.75% this year, starting in June. But virtually everyone reckons some Fed tightening is in the offing. The reason? After an unprecedented 11 rate-cuts in 2001, short term interest rates are abnormally low. As the signs of robust recovery multiply, analysts expect th
40、e Fed to take back some of the rate-cuts it used as an “insurance policy“ after the September 11th terrorist attack. They think there will be a gradual move from the Feds current “accommodative“ monetary stance to a more neutral policy. And a neutral policy, many argue, ultimately implies short term
41、 interest rates of around 4%. Logical enough. But higher rates could still be further off, particularly if the recovery proves less robust than many hope. Certainly, recent economic indicators have been extraordinarily strong: unemployment fell for the second consecutive month in February and indust
42、rial production rose in both January and February. The manufacturing sector is growing after 18 months of decline. The most optimistic Wall Streeters now expect GDP to have expanded by between 5% and 6% on an annual basis in the first quarter. But one strong quarter does not imply a sustainable reco
43、very. In the short term, the bounce-back is being driven by a dramatic restocking of inventories. But it can be sustained only if corporate investment recovers and consumer spending stays buoyant. With plenty of slack capacity around and many firms stuck with huge debts and lousy profits, it is hard
44、 to see where surging investment will come from. And, despite falling unemployment, Americas consumers could disappoint the bulls. These uncertainties alone suggest the central bank will be cautious about raising interest rates. Indeed, given the huge pressure on corporate profits, the Federal Reser
45、ve might be happy to see consumer prices rise slightly. In short, while Wall Street frets about when and how much interest rates will go up. The answer may well be not soon and not much. 31 The purpose of the author in writing this text is to （ A） interpret the message from the central bank, （ B） ju
46、stify the rise of short term interest rates. （ C） illustrate what is weakness and undue growth. （ D） contrast different views on economic indices. 32 How does everyone feel about the message given by Americas central bank? （ A） Encouraged. （ B） Panicked. （ C） Confused. （ D） Misguided. 33 The phrase
47、“current accommodative monetary stance“ (Para. 3) denotes （ A） optimal. （ B） excessive. （ C） logical. （ D） prudent. 34 Despite signs Of strong economic recovery, American companies are still pressed for （ A） tremendous debts. （ B） considerable profits. （ C） soaring investment. （ D） excessive growth.
48、 35 Which of the following is true according to this text? （ A） Short-term interest rates should be guarded wisely. （ B） Unemployment no longer constitutes a problem. （ C） A sustainable recovery depends on corporate profits. （ D） Too much caution might suspend economic growth. 36 Come on, my fellow
49、white folks, we have something to confess. Out with it, friends, the biggest secret known to whites since the invention of powdered rouge: welfare is a white program. The numbers go like this: 61% of the population receiving welfare, listed as “means-tested cash assistance“ by the Census Bureau, is identified as whit e, while only 33% is identified as black. These numbers notwithstanding, the Republican version of “political correctness“ has given us “welfare cheat“ as a new te
