1、考研英语（阅读）模拟试卷 4 及答案与解析Part ADirections: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40 points)0 The Four Years System of the United States Synthesizes Sex UniversityThe four-year bachelors degree has been the model in the United States since the firs
2、t universities began operating before the American Revolution. Four-year degrees were designed in large part to provide a broad-based education that teaches young people to analyze and think critically, considered vital preparation to participate in American democracy.In an era when college students
3、 commonly take longer than four years to get a bachelors degree, some U. S. schools are looking anew at an old idea: slicing a year off their undergraduate programs to save families time and money. Advocates of a three-year undergraduate degree say it would work well for ambitious students who know
4、what they want to study. Such a program could provide the course requirements for a major and some general courses that have long been the hallmark of American education.However, to cram four years of study into three, some universities will require summer work, others will shave course lengths and
5、some might cut the number of credit hours required. It will not be easy to produce a low-cost, high-quality three-year curriculum for a college degree, and todays economic crisis and tight budgets are the best time to innovate and change.But critics said they fear that an undergraduates academic and
6、 social experience would be compromised by shortening it to three years. College would tilt more toward job training and away from the broad-based education many U.S. schools have offered.Discussions among educators and students about what constitutes a 21st-century college education in the informat
7、ion age increasingly include talk about how the economic downturn is making it more difficult for families to afford collegeand about how schools must be more creative in assisting them.Many students have extended their undergraduate stays for a variety of reasons, including the need to work to pay
8、high tuitions. A new survey conducted by Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation found that 55 percent of teens had changed their college plans because of the economy.Justin Guiffre, 19, a sophomore at George Washington University, said financial considerations might lead him to graduate in t
9、hree years, an opportunity he has because of credits for Advanced Placement courses he took in high school. A three-year program could be appropriate for students who demonstrate commitment, academic excellence and maturity.1 What can be inferred about the four-year bachelors degree in the passage?（
10、A）The four-year bachelors degree plays a minor role in American education.（B） The four-year bachelors degree only offers a broad and basic education.（C） Nowadays, college students regard the four-year bachelors degree as a waste of time and money.（D）The four-year bachelors degree is more likely to p
11、rovide high-quality education.2 Which of the following statements is NOT true about a three-year degree?（A）In a three-year degree, course lengths are shortened so as to save time.（B） Some traditionally fundamental courses are excluded from a three-year degree.（C） A three-year degree is suitable for
12、students who have a clear picture of what they want to study.（D）Economic depression is one reason to for universities to carry out a three-year degree.3 What does the underlined word “compromised“ mean? (Line 3, Para.4)（A）Weakened.（B） Promised.（C） Given up.（D）Comprised.4 What does the author want to
13、 show by the example of Justin Guiffre?（A）Economic burden may act as an incenfive for students to work harder.（B） It is advisable for high school students to take part in Advanced Placement courses.（C） Students who are committed and excellent should be admitted first.（D）Many students have to alter t
14、heir university education plan owing to bad economy.5 What should universities do at the time of economic crisis according to some educators and students?（A）More three-year degrees should be offered so as to reduce families economic burden.（B） Universities should bring the ever-increasing tuitions u
15、nder control.（C） Universities should be more creative in working out some measures to help students.（D）Financial aids should be granted by universities to help outstanding students.5 The Ocean PollutesA decision by the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) establishes an emissions c
16、ontrol area and requires all oceangoing ships, including oil tankers, cargo vessels and cruise ships, to use cleaner fuel within 200 nautical miles of the U. S. and Canadian coasts. The rule, which was proposed by the two nations a year ago, will become enforceable in August 2012.Up to now, ships th
17、at fall outside the U. S. governments jurisdiction often use heavy, sludge-like fuels with high levels of sulfur. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the rule will force ships to use pricier, more-refined fuel that cuts sulfur levels by 98 percent, thereby slashing by up to 85 percent nitr
18、ogen oxide emissions that are linked to cancer.“ This is a change that will benefit millions of people and set in motion new innovations for the shipping industry,“ EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said in a statement. “The sulfur, particulate emissions and other harm-ful pollutants from large ship
19、s reach from our ports to communities hundreds of miles inland-bringing with them health, environmental and economic burdens,“ she said. “Cleaning up our shipping lanes will be a boon to communities across North America.“California is the only state that mandates ships within 24 nautical miles of th
20、e coast to burn cleaner fuel. The mandate prompted many vessels heading to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to take a shortcut route to save on using the costlier fuel. The different traffic pattern caused safety concerns as some ships entered restricted areas where Navy missile tests are con
21、ducted.Under pressure to clean up emissions contributing to some of the nations worst air quality, officials of the giant Long Beach and Los Angeles port complex had also imposed cargo fees to help pay for cleaner trucks that haul goods in and out, raising worries that ships might go elsewhere.Shipp
22、ers and cruise companies initially opposed the new emissions control area on grounds that it sets arbitrary boundaries using faulty science and the switch to low sulfur fuels would drive up costs. After the IMO decision, though, they appeared to he softening their stance.Environmentalists said winds
23、 off the ocean can blow ship pollution hundreds of miles inland, so the new rule will improve the air for residents in every region of the country.6 What is said about the new rule made by IMO?（A）It is regulated that ships should limit emissions within a certain area.（B） All oceangoing ships but oil
24、 tankers need to use cleaner fuel.（C） The rule was adopted a year ago in the U.S. and Canada.（D）All countries are required to comply with this decision.7 What might NOT be the effect of the IMO rule?（A）Ships with the U.S. governments jurisdiction have to use cleaner fuel.（B） There will he no change
25、in the percentage of people who suffer from cancer.（C） It is time for the shipping industry to set about some reforms.（D）Environmental burdens of North American communities will be reduced.8 Why do many vessels choose to take a shortcut route?（A）Taking a nearer course enables them to save a lot of s
26、ailing time.（B） They are devoted to environmental protection by reducing sulfur emission.（C） Because they intend to spare the expenditure on pricier and more-refined fuels.（D）Because they are eager to visit areas used for Navy missile tests.9 What is the measure taken by Long Beach and Los Angeles p
27、ort complex?（A）They encourage ships to go to other ports to avoid crowdedness.（B） They charge fees in order to buy cleaner trucks that create less pollution.（C） All vessels home and abroad are asked to follow the same regulation.（D）They decide to fine ships that violate the regulation. 10 What can b
28、e inferred from the passage?（A）There has never been any opposition to the IMP decision.（B） Some cruise companies suggest emission control areas should be reset.（C） There is little chance that low-sulfur fuels will he used widely.（D）More cruise companies are ready to accept the IMP decision.10 Video
29、Game and Child the School ExpressResearchers are trying to tell parents something about what kinds of video games children should be playing and how much time they should spend doing it. A new study concludes what youve already suspected: Young boys who play video games do worse on tests than childr
30、en who dont. Researchers who followed 64 boys from the ages of 6 to 9 for four months discovered that those who received a new PlayStation II gaming system earned lower reading and writing test scores than children who did not get the video game player. This comes on the heels of another recently re
31、ported study about video games, which concluded that kids who play violent video games become more aggressive and less caring-regardless of age, sex or culture-than young people who dont play these games.The study on the effects of video games on schoolwork was conducted by Denison University Associ
32、ate Professor Robert Weis and Brittany Cerankosky, who graduated from Denison in 2008. It is called “Effects of Video-Game Ownership on Young Boys Academic and Behavioral Functioning“, and Will be published in Psychological Science.Boys who received the system also showed greater teacher-reported ac
33、ademic problems at follow-up than children in the comparison group. The researchers followed 64 young boys over four months. Parents of the 64 were promised a PlayStation II gaming system in exchange for their participation, plus three E rated games. But half the families were given the video gaming
34、 system immediately and half were promised it after four months. The children underwent a battery of tests before and after the four months and parents and teachers answered questions about how the boys behaved in school and at home.The conclusions show that, boys who were the first to get the PlayS
35、tations spent more time playing video games than the boys who didnt get it immediately39. 3 minutes versus 9. 3 minutes. (The boys who didnt get the gaming system fight away played at a friends house). Boys who were given the PlayStations fight away spent 18.2 minutes a day in after-school academic
36、activities versus 31.6 minutes for the kids who werent. The boys who had the video games immediately achieved lower reading and writing test scores than those who didnt. But the PlayStations seemed to have no effect on the boys math and problem solving skills.Cerankosky said in a statement on the De
37、nison University Web site that there isnt “ necessarily something inherent in video games that negatively affects kids“. Its an activity that detracts from time that could be spent on schoolwork,“ she said. If you are wondering why we needed a study to tell us that, the researchers say that conventi
38、onal wisdom is not always accurate, and it is important to prove such beliefs through experimentation.11 Which of the following is CORRECT according to the first paragraph?（A）The researchers call for a ban on children video games.（B） Video games have less influence on girls performance.（C） Evaluatio
39、n is needed before buying children video games.（D）The new PlayStation II gaming system is too violent to children.12 What can we learn from the follow-up study?（A）All the 64 boys got a PlayStation II gaming system rat start.（B） Parents and teachers participation contributed to the result.（C） Childre
40、n in the study were allowed to play games at class.（D）Parents of the 64 boys were asked to buy their children video games.13 The studys conclusions show that the PlayStations _.（A）are helpful in after-school academic activities（B） have no direct influence on the boys math skills（C） can decrease the
41、participants problem-solving skills（D）have no effect on the boys who didnt get them firstly14 How does Cerankosky think about the video games?（A）They negatively affect the childrens nature.（B） They have no inherent influence on schoolwork.（C） They can cause inaccurate conventional wisdom.（D）They dis
42、order the childrens time arrangement.15 What does this passage mainly talk about?（A）The new PlayStation II gaming system.（B） The academic performance of young boys.（C） The study on video games and schoolwork.（D）The negative effect of violent video games.15 The Governments Aggressive Dealings with U.
43、S. AutomakersIn theory, a government bailout should provide a short-term infusion of cash to give a struggling company the chance to right itself. But in its aggressive dealings with U.S. automakers, most recently General Motors, the Obama administration is coming dangerously close to engaging in fi
44、nancial engineering that ignores basic principles of fairness and economic realities to achieve political goals.It is now clear that there is no real difference between the government and GM. For all intents and purposes, the government, which is set to assume a 50 percent equity stake in the compan
45、y, is GM, and it has been calling the shots in negotiations with creditors. While the Obama administration has been playing hardball with bondholders, it has been more than happy to play nice with the United Auto-Workers (UAW). How else to explain why a retiree health-care fund controlled by the UAW
46、 is going to get a 39 percent equity stake in GM for its remaining $ 10 billion in Claims while bondholders are being pressured to take a 10 percent stake for their $27 billion? its highly unlikely that the auto industry professionals at GM would have reached such a deal if the government had not be
47、en watching them or providing the money needed to keep the factory doors open.GM is widely expected to file for bankruptcy before the end of this month. If this were a typical bankruptcy, the company would be allowed by law to tear up its UAW collective bargaining agreement and negotiate for drastic
48、ally reduced wages and benefits. Surely, the government wont let that happen. Still, the threat of a contract abolition probably played a role in the unions agreement to cost-cutting measures last week, its never easy for unions to make concessions, but the sting of handing back money is being softe
49、ned by the governments desire to give the union a huge ownership stake in GM.The administration argues that it could not risk alienating the union for fear of triggering a strike that could permanently cripple GM. It also assumes that it had to agree to protect suppliers and fund warranties in order to preserve jobs and reassure potential buyers that their cars would be serviced. These are legitimate concerns But its too bad that the Obama administration has not thought more deeply about how its bullying of bondholders
