1、考研英语模拟试卷 254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 Plastic is the panacea of the ages. Nearly every man-made object (1)_ (2)_ of, or at least (3)_ its very structure, to this wonder
2、compound. Rain slickers, computer terminals, automobile engine parts, coffee cups (and the sugar stirrers too), breast implants, toy soldiers they are all made up of plastic, or one of its many (4)_. Since the (5)_ of civilization, humankind has been experimenting (6)_ a multifunctional material one
3、 that had to be equally strong and lightweight to carry, contain and protect valuables. (7)_ it could carry, contain and protect humans too, even Better. Generations of tinkerers and scientists set off (8)_ the challenge, striking gold some 170 years ago. By mixing natural rubber with sulphur they c
4、reated the worlds most utilized material ever. In developing a (9)_, malleable and durable substance, the most important inventions of the industrial age were to follow shortly thereafter. The automobile and airplane industries, to (10)_ just two, owe their very existence to plastic. And, (11)_ cell
5、uloid plastic strips, the Lumiere Brothers would never have brought moving pictures to the big screen. The development of plastic is a story of human (12)_, ingenuity and luck. (13)_ the legend now goes, in 1839, the American inventor Charles Goodyear (the famous tyre company would later use his nam
6、e) was experimenting with the sulphur treatment of natural rubber when he dropped a piece of sulphur treated rubber on a stove; The heat seemed to give rubber (14)_ properties. It was stronger, more (15)_ to abrasion, more elastic, much less (16)_ to temperature, (17)_ to gases, and highly resistant
7、 to chemicals and electric (18)_. Eyeing this as a cheaply and easily reproduced construction material, a whirlwind of work (19)_ and the birth of (20)_ plastic and plastic-derivatives were born from camphor to celluloid to rayon; cellophane, polyvinyl chloride (or PVC); Styrofoam and nylon were soo
8、n to follow. （ A） consists （ B） comprises （ C） constitutes （ D） composes （ A） especially （ B） partially （ C） partly （ D） entirely （ A） owns （ B） owes （ C） thanks （ D） contributes （ A） deviations （ B） derivatives （ C） deprivations （ D） depressions （ A） drown （ B） drawn （ C） dawn （ D） dusk （ A） for （
9、B） on （ C） in （ D） with （ A） If （ B） When （ C） Unless （ D） Until （ A） onto （ B） with （ C） on （ D） to （ A） versatile （ B） various （ C） variant （ D） variable （ A） call （ B） name （ C） take （ D） bring （ A） despite （ B） with （ C） without （ D） for （ A） presentation （ B） preservation （ C） perseverance （ D）
10、 persistence （ A） As （ B） After （ C） Before （ D） While （ A） enlightened （ B） corrected （ C） progressed （ D） improved （ A） insistent （ B） consistent （ C） proof （ D） resistant （ A） sensitive （ B） agile （ C） susceptive （ D） acute （ A） transparent （ B） impermeable （ C） translucent （ D） inaccessible （ A）
11、 stream （ B） torrent （ C） current （ D） flow （ A） pursued （ B） ensued （ C） ensured （ D） insured （ A） numerical （ B） numerable （ C） enormous （ D） numerous Part A Directions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40 points) 21 The study of law ha
12、s been recognized for centuries as a basic intellectual discipline in European universities. However, only in recent years has it become a feature of undergraduate programs in English-Canadian universities. Traditionally, legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of
13、 lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person. Happily, the older and more continental view of legal education is establishing itself in a number of Canadian universities and some have even begun to offer undergraduate degrees in law. If the study of law
14、is beginning to establish itself as part and parcel of a general education, its aims and methods should appeal directly to journalism educators. Law is a discipline which encourages responsible judgment. On the one hand, it provides opportunities to analyze such ideas as justice, democracy and freed
15、om. On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news. For example, notions of evidence and fact, of basic rights and public interest are at work in the process of journalist
16、ic judgment and production just as in courts of law. Sharpening judgment by absorbing and reflecting on law is a desirable component of a journalists intellectual preparation for his or her career. But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen turn
17、s on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media. Politics or, more broadly, the functioning of the state, is a major subject for journalists. The better informed they are about the way the state works, the better their reporting will be. In fact, i
18、t is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories. Furthermore, the legal system and the events which occur within it are primary subjects for journalists. While the quality of legal jour
19、nalism varies greatly, there is an undue reliance amongst many journalists on interpretations supplied to them by lawyers. While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments. These ca
20、n only come from a well-grounded understanding of the legal system. 21 In the first paragraph, the author is mainly concerned with _. （ A） making several contrasts （ B） illustrating his opinion （ C） giving some criticisms （ D） making a few comments 22 It is implied in the second paragraph that _. （
21、A） law education is intended primarily for journalists （ B） journalists will comment on the news from the perspective of justice （ C） journalists have more opportunities to reflect on democracy and freedom （ D） the study of law will encourage journalists to concentrate on the facts 23 According to t
22、he passage, sound journalistic judgment _. （ A） represents good production in courts of law （ B） depends exclusively on evidence and fact （ C） feeds off a profound understanding of law （ D） constitutes an essential part of a professionals career 24 Which of the following is the least desirable to a
23、journalist according to the author? （ A） the study of law, （ B） the conventions of the news media. （ C） the way the state works. （ D） the lawyers interpretations of law. 25 The author writes this article primarily in order to _. （ A） celebrate the establishment of legal education in Canadian univers
24、ities （ B） stress the importance of legal learning to journalists （ C） introduce the aims and methods of law education （ D） explain the components of a journalists intellectual preparation 26 After a shaky start, the Martian flotilla that has arrived over the past few weeks is getting down to busine
25、ss. Two of the five craft in it seem to be working perfectly. Two are lost, and a fifth is sick, but undergoing treatment. The most spectacular pictures so far have been provided by Mars Empress, the European Space Agencys contribution to the fleet. On January 28th this reached its final working orb
26、it (which takes it over both poles, and thus allows it to see the whole of Mars over the course of a few days as the planet revolves beneath it). It has, however, been sending back data since shortly after it arrived, and a few days ago its controllers released a series of beautiful photographs, inc
27、luding a stereo image of Valles Marineris, a huge canyon that may have been formed by flowing water. The most scientifically significant result, though, has come from Opportunity, Americas second Mars rover. One of Opportunitys cameras has photographed evidence of stratification. in nearby rocks. Su
28、ch stratification indicates that the rocks concerned are sedimentary. The layers could be repeated wind-blown deposits, or consist of ash from successive volcanic eruptions. But the terrestrial rocks they most resemble are ones that have formed under water. The reason everyone is getting so excited
29、is because there is a widespread assumption that any form of tire which might dwell on Mars would need liquid water to live or, even if it could now subsist by extracting moisture from ice, would have needed liquid water to evolve to that stage. Mars has seen more probes launched towards it than all
30、 of the other planets put together precisely because of this hope that it might harbor life. So there is a lot riding on the answer not least the funding of future missions. Besides its scientific significance, the success of Opportunity has also helped to distract attention from the sudden refusal
31、of Spirit, the first American rover to arrive on Mars, to talk to its controllers. This craft had tentatively, but successfully, nosed its way off its landing platform, and was about to drill its way into a nearby rock prior to doing a spot of chemical analysis, when it went silent. However, the eng
32、ineers at NASA, Americas space agency, are nothing if not resourceful, and they have a good record of carrying out running repairs on spacecraft that are millions of kilometres away. In the case of Spirit, they think that one of the crafts memory chips has got cluttered up with files created on the
33、journey to Mars. That caused another chip, which manages the first, to throw a wobbly and to keep rebooting the computer. They are currently testing this idea by loading a diagnostic program on to the computer. In addition, as a precaution, they have deleted excess files from the equivalent memory c
34、hip on Opportunity. Spirits spirits may thus revive. As to the failures, the Japanese abandoned their fly-by craft Nozomi in December, and the British team in charge of Beagle 2, which is presumed to have landed on December 25th but from which no signal has been received, also seems to have called i
35、t quits. Still, a 40 60% success rate (depending on whether Spirit is brought back into commission) is not bad by the historical standards of missions to Mars. Now, the real science begins. 26 Mars Express is mentioned because _. （ A） it has been sending data back to the Earth （ B） it illustrates Eu
36、ropes contribution to the project （ C） it is the first craft to have ever landed on the Mars （ D） it can help researchers see the whole of the Mars 27 What does the word “they“ (Para. 3) refer to? （ A） the layers （ B） wind-blowa deposits （ C） volcanic eruptions （ D） the terrestrial rocks 28 We can l
37、earn from the passage that peoples enthusiasm for Mars _. （ A） could subsist despite the discovery of ice （ B） is aroused by the wish to find life there （ C） depends largely on the funding of these projects （ D） might turn out to be a waste of resources 29 Spirit failed to talk to its controllers pr
38、obably because of _. （ A） its failure to move down the platform （ B） its doing too little chemical analysis （ C） the damage done to its components （ D） the excess files in its memory chips 30 The author of this passage is mainly concerned with _. （ A） the significance of discovery of water on the Ma
39、rs （ B） the achievements of U.S. in exploring the Mars （ C） the performance of five craft launched to Mars （ D） the fate of the science of Mars exploration 31 Success, it is often said, has many fathers and one of the many fathers of computing, that most successful of industries, was Charles Babbage
40、, a 19th-century British mathematician. Exasperated by errors in the mathematical tables that were widely used as calculation aids at the time, Babbage dreamed of building a mechanical engine that could produce flawless tables automatically. But his attempts to make such a machine in the 1920s faile
41、d, and the significance of his work was only rediscovered this century. Next year, at last, the first set of printed tables should emerge from a calculating “difference engine“ built to Babbages design. Babbage will have been vindicated. But the realization of his dream will also underscore the exte
42、nt to which he was a man born ahead of his time. The effort to prove that Babbages designs were logically and practically sound began in 1985, when a team of researchers at the Science Museum in London set out to build a difference engine in time for the 200th anniversary of Babbages birth in 1992.
43、The team, led by the museums curator of computing, Doron Swade, constructed a monstrous device of bronze, iron and steel. It was 11 feet long, seven feet tall, weighed three tons, cost around $500,000 and took a year to piece together. And it worked perfectly, cranking out successive values of seven
44、th-order polynomial equations to 31 significant figures. But it was incomplete. To save money, an entire section of the machine, the printer, was omitted. To Babbage, the printer was a vital part of design. Even if the engine produced the correct answers, there was still the risk that a transcriptio
45、n or typesetting error would result in the finished mathematical tables being inaccurate. The only way to guarantee error-free tables was to automate the printing process as well. So his plans included specifications for a printer almost as complicated as the calculating engine itself, with adjustab
46、le margins, two separate fonts, and the ability to print in two, three or four columns. In January, after years of searching for a sponsor for the printer, the Science Museum announced that a backer had been found. Nathan Myhrvold, the chief technology officer at Microsoft, agreed to pay for its con
47、struction (which is expected to cost $373,000 with one Proviso: that the Science Museum team would build him an identical calculating engine and printer to decorate his new home on Lake Washington, near Seattle). Construction of the printer will begin in full view of the public at the Science Museum
48、 later this month. The full machine will be completed next year. It is a nice irony that Babbages plans should be realized only thanks to an infusion of cash from a man who got rich in the computer revolution that Babbage helped to foment. More striking still, even using 20th-century manufacturing t
49、echnology the engine will have cost over $830,000 to build. Allowing for inflation, this is roughly a third of what it might have cost to build in Babbages day, in contrast to the cost of electronic-computer technology, which halves in price every 18 months. That suggests that, even had Babbage succeeded, a Victorian computer revolution based on mechanical technology would not necessarily have followed. 31 Babbage wished to build a mechan
