1、考研英语（一）模拟试卷 211 及答案与解析一、Section I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D. (10 points) 0 Everyone would like a piece of the next Google or Facebook. But the big venture-capital (VC) firms do not usually 【C1】_ money from
2、 small investors. And some entrepreneurs complain that it is hard to get 【C2】_ the hotshots in the VC industry. 【C3】_ the enthusiasm for crowd-funding, 【C4】_ small investors can buy a stake in startup companies.Seedrs, a British crowd-funding firm, was 【C5】_ in 2012, and has backed 500 firms 【C6】_,
3、raising a total of 210m ($271m) from more than 200,000 users. 【C7】 _ there are two big problems with crowd-funding. First, it is risky: most startups fail. Second, investments tend to be 【C8】_ shareholders have to wait for a takeover or a stockmarket flotation to recoup their investment.Seedrs is tr
4、ying to solve the illiquidity problem 【C9】_ setting up a secondary market, where buyers and sellers can 【C10】_ shares. The new market will start 【C11 】_ this summer, and will allow trading for a week every month, starting on the first Tuesday. The price 【C12】_ which investors can deal will be set by
5、 Seedrs itself, 【C13】_ a valuation mechanism 【C14】_ industry guidelines. But there are some 【C15 】_: only current investors in a firm will be allowed to buy shares. And, 【C16】_ the extent that investors make a profit on a sale, Seedrs takes a 7.5% cut of the gains.Crowd-funding might be even more at
6、tractive 【C17】_ investors could at a click assemble a diversified portfolio of small stakes in 20-30 companies 【C18 】_ just onejust as those who put money into peer-to-peer lending can spread their risk 【C19】_ a range of borrowers. The next 【C20 】_ will be to build on early efforts to offer the same
7、 to investors in shares: i.e., mutual funds for crowd-funded startups.1 【C1 】（A）raise（B） entrust（C） assemble（D）dispose2 【C2 】（A）familiar with（B） noticed by（C） acquainted with（D）supported by3 【C3 】（A）However（B） Although（C） Hence（D）Nonetheless4 【C4 】（A）where（B） which（C） what（D）that5 【C5 】（A）set out（B）
8、 set on（C） set up（D）set off6 【C6 】（A）so far（B） ever since（C） at first（D）at once7 【C7 】（A）So（B） But（C） Since（D）Because8 【C8 】（A）stagnant（B） slack（C） illiquid（D）rigid9 【C9 】（A）for（B） by（C） of（D）with10 【C10 】（A）exchange（B） transfer（C） withdraw（D）deposit11 【C11 】（A）improving（B） operating（C） evolving（D）r
9、unning12 【C12 】（A）on（B） with（C） for（D）at13 【C13 】（A）based on（B） derived from（C） depended on（D）attributed to14 【C14 】（A）in harmony with（B） in line with（C） in conformity with（D）in tune with15 【C15 】（A）defects（B） constraints（C） flaws（D）restrictions16 【C16 】（A）to（B） at（C） with（D）for17 【C17 】（A）when（B） i
10、f（C） as（D）since18 【C18 】（A）rather than（B） except for（C） other than（D）apart from19 【C19 】（A）through（B） on（C） across（D）within20 【C20 】（A）opportunity（B） challenge（C） ambition（D）destinationPart ADirections: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40
11、 points)20 Alexandria, Virginiaparticularly its well-tended Old Town sectionis the sort of upscale suburb that rings most major American cities. From the array of pubs, sushi-restaurant chains and pasta joints that line its streets, you would never guess that within 20 minutes you can find some the
12、best Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Pakistani or Bolivian food in America. Its 18th-century homes have been carefully maintained; now that the nasty, dirty business of living in them is done, they are at last free to house upscale boutiques selling ornate pepper-shakers, local wine, birthday cakes for
13、 dogs and other essentials. Yet this suburb was a city before cars existed, making it especially dense, walkable and charming. It has also turned an instrument of war into an instrument of art.The day after the armistice that ended the First World War in 1918, the United States Navy began building t
14、he US Naval Torpedo station on the waterfront across the Potomac and just downriver from the Naval Research Laboratory in south-west Washington, DG. After a brief period of production, it stored munitions between the wars. When the Second World War broke out, it built torpedoes for submarines and ai
15、rcraft; when that war ended, the building was again used for storage. In 1969 Alexandria bought the site, which had grown to comprise 11 buildings, from the federal government.Five years later, after all the debris was removed and walls erected, the main building was refitted to house artists studio
16、s. A quarter-century (and several extensive renovations) later, the artists are still there: over 160 of them sharing 82 studios, six galleries and two workshops. The Art League School and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum also share the space, bringing in thousands more aspirants and students. All
17、of this makes the Torpedo Factory, as it is now called, a low-key, family-friendly and craft-centred alternative to the many worthy galleries across the river.The building is three-storeys tall; on the first floor the studios and galleries are laid out along a single long hall. The arrangement grows
18、 more warrenlikeand the sense of discovery concomitantly more pleasantas you ascend. Artists work in a variety of media, including painting, fibre, printmaking, ceramics, jewellery, stained glass and photography.Dont anticipate anything game-changing or jaw-dropping here. Expect plenty of cats and c
19、ows in different media, as well as watercolours of beach houses, ersatz Abstract Expressionist paintings, stained glass made for the walls of large suburban houses and knick-knacks. All of it is skillfully done; most of it is pleasant.The photography is an exception: the Multiple Exposures Gallery i
20、s first-rate, displaying not merely beautiful pictures but inventive techniques as well. On a recent visit the gallery showcased landscapes, including an especially arresting wide-angle aerial shot of a field in Fujian after a storm. Crops glinted in the rising sun like rows of wet sapphires, the sc
21、alloped grey clouds echoing the terraced farming beneath.The Torpedo Factorys biggest draw, however (particularly for visitors with children), is not on what is sold but in the demystifying access visitors have to artists. While the galleries function traditionally, the artists work and sell out of
22、the same studio; their raw materials and works in progressthe artistry behind the artare all on display. Many of them are happy and eager to talk; one was soliciting the help of passers-by to complete a work (she wished to know how to say and write a certain phrase in Hebrew vernacular). A metal scu
23、lptor sat on a stool patiently working a piece of metal back and forth in his hands. The centre of his studio was filled with a huge hollow sphere made from hundreds of cylinders of perhaps anodised aluminium. It seemed we were witnessing the first step in a thousand-mile march.21 Alexandria is a su
24、burb that has the following features EXCEPT being_.（A）upmarket（B） crowded（C） modern（D）appealing22 What was the US Naval Torpedo station used for during the Second World War?（A）Storing munitions.（B） Producing torpedoes.（C） Storing other things.（D）Lodging artists studios.23 Which of the following stat
25、ements is INCORRECT about the Torpedo Factory?（A）It is one of the eleven buildings which were bought by Alexandria.（B） It appeals to many young people who love arts to come here.（C） It is more crowded on the second and third floors than on the first floor.（D）It surprises the visitors a lot because o
26、f the strange displays in it.24 By citing the example of the Fujian picture, the author aims to show that the photographs on display are _.（A）attractive（B） creative（C） expensive（D）instructive25 The biggest attraction of the Torpedo Factory lies in the fact that _.（A）it is open not only for adult vis
27、itors but also for children（B） it allows visitors to learn more about the artists production process（C） it is not only a place for displaying but for selling works of art（D）it has a friendly atmosphere in which visitors feel at home25 People find it hard to like businesses once they grow beyond a ce
28、rtain size. Banks that were “too big to fail“ sparked a global economic crisis and burned bundles of taxpayers cash. Big retailers such as Walmart and Tesco squeeze suppliers and crush small rivals. Some big British firms minimise their tax bills so aggressively that they provoke outrage.It is shrew
29、d politics to champion the little guy. But the popular fetish for small business is at odds with economic reality. Big firms are generally more productive, offer higher wages and pay more taxes than small ones. Economies dominated by small firms are often sluggish.Countries such as Greece, Italy and
30、 Portugal have lots of small firms which, thanks to cumbersome regulations, have failed lamentably to grow. Firms with at least 250 workers account for less than half the share of manufacturing jobs in these countries than they do in Germany, the euro zones strongest economy. For all the boosterism
31、around small business, it is economies with lots of biggish companies that have been able to sustain the highest living standards.Big firms can reap economies of scale. A big factory uses far less cash and labour to make each car or steel pipe than a small workshop. Big supermarkets such as the vill
32、ainous Walmart offer a wider range of high-quality goods at lower prices than any corner store. Size allows specialisation, which fosters innovation.Big firms have their flaws, of course. They can be slow to respond to customers needs, changing tastes or disruptive technology. To idolise big firms w
33、ould be as unwise as to idolise small ones.Rather than focusing on size, policymakers should look at growth. One of the reasons why everyone loves small firms is that they create more jobs than big ones. But many small businesses stay small indefinitely. The link between small firms and jobs growth
34、relies entirely on new start-ups, which are usually small, and which by definition create new jobs (as they did not previously exist).Rather than spooning out subsidies and regulatory favours to small firms, governments should concentrate on removing barriers to expansion. In parts of Europe, for ex
35、ample, small firms are exempted from the most burdensome social regulations. This gives them an incentive to stay small. Far better to repeal burdensome rules for all firms. The same goes for differential tax rates, such as Britains, and the separate bureaucracy America maintains to deal with small
36、businesses. In a healthy economy, entrepreneurs with ideas can easily start companies, the best of which grow fast and the worst of which are quickly swept aside. Size doesnt matter. Growth does.26 According to Paragraph 1, the British are angered by _.（A）the banks that were too big to go bankrupt（B
37、） Walmart that presses its suppliers（C） Tesco that oppresses its small competitors（D）big companies that reduce their tax payments sharply27 Why cant the small enterprises expand in Italy?（A）Due to too many rules.（B） Because of less cash.（C） For insufficient employees.（D）Owing to low-quality goods.28
38、 The connection between small companies and jobs growth depends completely on_.（A）their sizes（B） economic growth（C） newly-founded firms（D）supportive policies29 What does the word “This“ (Line 3, Para. 7) most probably refer to?（A）To get allowance offered by governments.（B） To enjoy special preferent
39、ial policies.（C） To be exempted from the most burdensome social rules.（D）To have differential tax rates.30 Whats the authors attitude towards big companies?（A）Negative.（B） Neutral.（C） Positive.（D）Critical.30 Wearable gadgets like smart watches and Google Glass can seem like a fad that has all the du
40、rability of CB radios or Duran Duran, but theyre important early signs of a new era of technology that will drive investment and innovation for years.Tech companies are pushing out waves of wearable technology productsall of them clumsy and none of them yet really catching on. Samsung is excitedly h
41、awking its Galaxy Gear smart watch, and Google, Apple, Qualcomm, and others are expected to come out with competing versions. Google Glass gets lots of gee-whiz attention, and every, other day, someone new introduces a fitness tracker, a GPS kid-monitoring bracelet, oryeah, seriouslyinteractive unde
42、rwear.These are all part of a powerful trend: Over the past 40 years, digital technology has consistently moved from far away to close to us.Go back long enough, and computers the size of Buicks stayed in the back rooms of big companies. Most people never touched them. By the late 1970s, technology
43、started moving to office desksfirst as terminals connected to those hidden computers, and then as early personal computers.The next stage: We wanted digital technology in our homes, so we bought desktop PCs. A “portable“ computer in the mid-1980s, like the first Compaq, was the size of a carry-on su
44、itcase and about as easy to lug as John Goodman. But by the 1990s, laptops got better and smaller, for the first time liberating digital technology from a place and attaching it more to a person.Now we want our technology with us all the time. This era of the smartphone and tablet began with the iPh
45、one in 2007. The “with us“ era is accelerating even now: IBM announced that its making its powerful Watson computingthe technology that beat humans on Jeopardy! available in the cloud, so it can be accessed by consumers on a smart device. In technologys inexorable march from far away to close to us,
46、 and now with us, there are only three places left for it to go; on us, all around us, and then in us.“Wearable is the next paradigm shift,“ says Philippe Kahn, who invented the camera phone and today is developing innards for wearable tech. “We are going to see a lot of innovation in wearable in th
47、e next seven years, by 2020.“Hard to know which products will catch on. Glasses are an obvious way to wear a screen, but most people dont want to look like a tech geek. The masses might get interested if Google Glass can be invisibly built into hot-looking frames. A start-up called Telepathy is deve
48、loping a slim arm that holds a microprojector that shoots images back to your eye. Another concept is to build a device with a tiny projector that suspends text or image out in front of you, like a heads-up display.31 According to the passage, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?（A）Wearab
49、le products are warmly welcomed by customers.（B） Wearable products are signals of a new technology era.（C） Samsung has launched its wearable gadget.（D）Wearable products are clumsy at this stage.32 Compared with the 1980s, what is the biggest development of portable computers in the 1990s?（A）They are easier to carry and closer to their users.（B） Their appearances are more elegant.（C） They are found on desktops instead of back rooms
