1、2012 年北京外国语大学英语专业（基础英语）真题试卷及答案与解析一、短文改错0 People and organizations in relationships play certain roles. For example, business organizations in India may play the role of the Morally Superior in negotiations about the United States and Japan. They are an old and.【M1 】_venerable culture with well-estab
2、lished regulations for social behavior and deep-rooted expectations for business behavior. They have not been responsible for atrocities or moral behavior, in their own view.【M2】_They cast both the United States and Japan the role of the Morally【M3 】_Inferior. This means they persuade with great mor
3、al authority, not on the basis of facts but on the basis of what is morally right. This gives in them【M4】_higher status than their Japanese or United States counterparts, and status has priority in India. Here is for an example from recent history.【M5 】_In 1984, a pesticide manufacturing company in
4、the city of Bhopal, India experienced a disastrous leak of toxic gas. Thousands died, with【M6】_thousands more suffered terrible injuries. The episode was viewed as morally wrong by the Indians felt the company had failed to behave【M7】_responsively. The company was a joint venture, 50.9% owned by Uni
5、on【M8】_Carbide, a United States chemical company, and 49. 1% owned by Indian investors and the government. Some Indians called on the【M9】_extradition of the American president of Union Carbide at the time. The morally outraged victims who survived continue more than 20 years later to charge the comp
6、any about not releasing information about【M10 】_the gas and about possible treatment, and to ask for more compensation. 1 【M1】2 【M2】3 【M3】4 【M4】5 【M5】6 【M6】7 【M7】8 【M8】9 【M9】10 【M10】二、阅读理解10 Staffing in a Foreign SubsidiaryIf you travel to another country, you will be struck at how the whole feel of
7、 the place is different. You will therefore not be surprised to learn that in general, the nature of institutions, the structure of commerce and work organization and the behavior of people in the workplace differ from country to country. These national differences form a crucial part of our underst
8、anding of the International Human Resource Management(IHRM).The role of Human Resource(HR)manager of a foreign subsidiary is to develop HR practices that are(1)acceptable within the local culture and(2)acceptable to management at the headquarters of the multinational corporation(MNC). However, the b
9、alancing of these two requirements is a difficult task. Whether subsidiary HR managers are home, host, or third country nationals, they bring their own “ cultural baggage, “ which may affect their ability to accommodate cultural differences in the host work force. Employees in a subsidiary may consi
10、st of a mixture of home, host, and third country nationalsall with their own distinct cultural backgrounds and preferences. The subsidiarys HR manager must help all employees adapt to the HR practices operating in the subsidiary, even though these practices may be derived from the cultures very diff
11、erent from their own. The following text will focus on staffing in describing the difficulties faced by subsidiary HR managers in developing an effective HR system.A subsidiary HR manager ought to use a hiring process that fits the local labor market. For example, an MNC may need the services of a l
12、ocal personnel selection agency to identify the sources of skilled employees. Local employment laws must be adhered to, and premium salaries may have to be offered to lure highly qualified individuals away from local firms. In Japan, the collective nature of Japanese society traditionally has made i
13、t difficult for foreign companies to hire qualified Japanese employees. These individuals tend to “stay in the family“ and work for Japanese, not foreign, employers. Although during the downturn in the Japanese economy during the early 1990s this attitude became less prevalent, it still remains a pr
14、oblem.In some countries, hiring may require using a government-controlled labor bureau. This may be particularly prevalent in hierarchical cultures with high power distance. In Vietnam, for example, local labor bureaus are heavily involved in the hiring process. Sometimes the local bureaus may suppl
15、y a foreign subsidiary with employees who are not adequately skilled for the job, and it may be difficult for the subsidiary to refuse employment. Important staffing issues may have to be approved by very high government officials.The development of a selection system may be complicated by the fact
16、that selection tests used in the home country of the MNC may be culturally biased and inappropriate elsewhere. For example, many personality tests were developed using Western samples. The personality profiles provided by such tests, and certainly their normative data, would be meaningless in trying
17、 to understand the behavior of Japanese or Thai job applicants. Assertive individuals who take initiative and stand out from the crowd may appear well adjusted according to the norms of Western personality tests. However, a Japanese job applicant with a similar score might be a disaster if hired to
18、work in the MNCs subsidiary in Tokyo because “ standing out“ as an individual is inconsistent with the more collectivist Japanese culture. Even if the concepts measured by the tests are applicable, there are difficulties in getting many tests adequately translated into the host country language. Iss
19、ues of race, age and sex discrimination can cause considerable difficulties for the subsidiary HR manager. In Singapore, a fairly hierarchical and masculine culture, it is acceptable and legal to place job advertisements that specifically state the race, age range, and sex of employees being sought.
20、 This would blatantly violate American EEO laws. An American working as HR manager in a Singapore subsidiary could experience a considerable moral dilemma in following practices that are in line with local laws and culture but conflict with home country laws and home country organizational culture.T
21、here also can be unexpected disadvantages associated with hiring particular types of local employees. For example, in a multicultural society, the use of an employee from one ethnic group in a managerial position may not be acceptable to members of other ethnic groups. In India, the caste system, wh
22、ich historically has played a prominent role in Indian society, could make it inappropriate to hire someone from a lower caste to supervise employees of a higher caste. In some countries(Japan, for example), it may be inappropriate to hire a younger person for a job that has supervisory responsibili
23、ties over older employees.11 Balancing the dual role of a subsidiary companys HR manager is difficult because_.（A）local employees are reluctant to accept the subsidiarys corporate culture（B） the HR manager does not understand the host countrys customs（C） employees from different cultures need to acc
24、ept the subsidiarys HR practices（D）important staffing issues may have to be approved by local governments12 In Japan, people tend to “stay in the family“ , which means_.（A）they would work at home, away from the office（B） they prefer to work for a Japanese company（C） they would choose to work for a f
25、amily business（D）they have to care for family due to economic downturn13 According to the passage, job advertisements specifying race, age range, and sex of prospective employees are legal in_.（A）Singapore（B） Japan（C） India（D）Thailand14 The selection tests used in an American MNC may be inappropriat
26、e for hiring employees in Tokyo because_.（A）the Japanese job applicants tend to associate with themselves（B） Japan has developed its own HR management practices（C） the behavior of Japanese job applicants is hard to understand（D）the American personality profiles do not apply in Japanese recruitment15
27、 What is the central idea of this passage?（A）Understanding two cultures is obligatory for a subsidiarys HR management.（B） Cultural differences pose many difficulties to a subsidiarys hiring process.（C） Cultural practices have immense influence on an MNCs HR activities.（D）A subsidiarys hiring process
28、 ought to fit the local labor market. 15 Chinese College Students Flocking to U. S. Campuses Bo Sun knew next to nothing about footballor the state of Nebraska, for that matteruntil he started looking for U. S. colleges and universities on the Internet. Now, as one of a growing number of Chinese stu
29、dents at the states flagship university, he catches every game he can.President Obama announced plans last month to “dramatically expand“ to 100, 000 the number of U. S. students who study in China over the next four years, calling such exchanges “a clear commitment to build ties among our people in
30、 the steady pursuit of cooperation that will serve our nations, and the world. “ But Sun, who grew up in Chinas Jiangxi Province, is part of a surge already taking place in the other direction. In 2008 alone, 98, 510 Chinese graduate and undergraduate students poured into U. S. colleges and universi
31、ties, lured by Chinas emphasis on academic achievement and the prestige of U. S. higher education.China is second only to India when graduate students and undergrads are counted. But undergraduates such as Sun are the newer phenomenon. Nationally, an 11% growth in undergrad enrollments in 2008 was d
32、riven largely by a 60% increase from China, a report by the Institute of International Education(IIE)says. Graduate student enrollments were up 2%.U. S. colleges and universities have long welcomed students from China, where the higher education system cant meet the demand. Two years ago, a record 1
33、0 million students throughout China took the national college entrance test, competing for 5. 7 million university slots. Because foreign undergraduates typically arent eligible for U. S. federal aid, colleges here can provide limited financial help. Now, thanks to Chinas booming economy in recent y
34、ears, more Chinese families can afford to pay.The increase also reflects a “strong dialogue“ between the two countries, says U. S. State Department deputy assistant secretary Alina Romanowski. She says the recent growth cant be pinned to specific changes in visa policy, but some U. S. college offici
35、als say they detect a friendlier attitude among U. S. embassies and consulates, which review visa applications. One key question for any country is whether visa-seeking students can prove they will return to their home country upon graduating from a U. S. college. “Because the Chinese economy has im
36、proved, students feel there are opportunities there waiting for them, “ says Gretchen Olson, director of international programs at Drake University in Des Moines, where there are 28 undergraduates from China this fall, up from one in 2003.In turn, the United States has greatly benefited from hosting
37、 foreign students. They contributed nearly $18 billion last year in tuition and living expenses to the U. S. economy, including about $89 million in Nebraska, according to a November report from the Institute of International Education. Though its costly for colleges to recruit abroad, that populati
38、on “ has the potential to be a significant source of revenue, “ says University of Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman.Nearly half(47%)of Chinese undergraduates, and 29% of all foreign undergraduates, receive some discounts on their tuition based on their academic record. But most international stude
39、nts, including Sun, pay the entire non-resident rate for tuition and feesabout $18, 000 this year. Thats money the school otherwise might not have seen, because Nebraskas high-school-age population is declining.A legislative task force in 2003 encouraged its public institutions to “ more actively re
40、cruit non-Nebraska high school graduates“ but with a caveat: They cant “ diminish the states priority of providing appropriate need-based aid to Nebraskas high school graduates. “ Nebraska, which admits any resident or non-resident who meets basic academic requirements, is largely spared the critici
41、sm sometimes aimed at more selective institutions.Among concerns voiced by USA TODAY readers in response to a story on the topic was whether American students were being denied entrance to more elite universities because slots were being set aside for students overseas. But Paul Thiboutot, admission
42、s dean at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. , which admits about 27% of applicants, says that argument misunderstands one of U. S. higher educations greatest strengths. Although some American students may be displaced by those students, Thiboutot says its true “only if youre looking at a single
43、institution. It isnt true when you look across the entire system of higher education and all the options. Theres no one being denied a good college education. “ Moreover, it works both ways, he says. Carleton, which enrolled 18 Chinese freshmen this year, admitted no more than 10% of the 300 Chinese
44、 who applied.16 Which of the following is a reason for the surge of Chinese students into U. S. campuses?（A）Chinas inability to meet students education demand.（B） Obamas plan to expand education exchange.（C） Chinas determination to raise its education level.（D）U. S. offer of financial aid to foreign
45、 students.17 According to U. S. State Department official Romanowski, the sharp increase of Chinese students in U. S. is a reflection of_.（A）major changes in U. S. visa policy（B） enhanced opportunities in China（C） closer ties between the U. S. and China（D）friendlier attitude of U. S. towards Chinese
46、18 The author uses Bo Suns case to show the surge of Chinese students in the category of_.（A）Graduate students（B） Science students（C） Undergraduate students（D）Government-supported students19 By the word “caveat“(Paragraph 8), the author means _.（A）agreement（B） announcement（C） court order（D）warning20
47、 The passage suggests that USA TODAY readers concern about Chinese students pouring into the U. S. is caused by_.（A）ignorance（B） hostility（C） anxiety（D）misunderstanding三、判断题20 Read the following passage carefully and then decide whether the statements which follow are true(T)or false(F).Do Cell Phon
48、es Cause Cancer?There are safety-warning labels on cigarettes and alcohol. Now some groups are advocating that similar cautions be printed on cell phones. Recently, a bill in the Maine state senate proposed a label warning users, especially children and pregnant women, of the risks of brain cancer f
49、rom electromagnetic radiation emanating from the device. But the Maine legislature voted down the bill in March, stating that the scientific evidence does not indicate a public health risk.Yet, the debate rages on. Can cell phones really cause cancer? Supporters of the Maine legislation argued that uncertainty about the long-term effects of cell phone radiation warranted public safety notices. They also pointed to a handful of European studies that
