自考专业英语（英语阅读一）模拟试卷七

(63)Also, because an American is perhaps more likely to admit and laugh at his own mistakes than one who stands more on his dignity a foreigner sometimes does not know how to handle the American's apparent modesty.The American is quite ready to admit certain weaknesses, such as "I never was good at mathematics. “I'm rotten tennis player.” or “I'm the world's' worst bridge player." However, the stranger must not be too quick to agree with him. (64)Americans think it all right, even sporting, to admit a defect in themselves, but they feel that it is almost an insult to have someone else agree.(65)A part of American idea of good sportsmanship is the point of being generous to a loser.(66)This attitude is carried over into matters that have nothing to do with competition.If a man talks about his weak points, the listener says something in the way of encouragement, or points to other qualities in which the speaker excels. An American student reports that when he was in a foreign country he was completely stunned when he said to a native, "I don't speak your language very well. and the native replied, "I should say you don't. "In a similar situation an American would have commented "Well, you have only been here two months. "or "But you're making progress.(67)Although Americans are quite informal, it is best for a foreigner, in case of doubt, to be too formal rather than not formal enough.Consideration for others is the basis of all courtesy.(From American Social Relations)

Passage 4

Pronouncing a language is a skill. Every normal person is expert in the skill of pronouncing his own language; but few people are even moderately proficient at pronouncing foreign languages. Now there are many reasons for this, some obvious, some perhaps not so obvious. But I suggest that the fundamental reason why people in general do not speak foreign languages very much better than they do their own languages is that they fail to grasp the true nature of the problems of learning to pronounce, and consequently never set about tackling it in the right way. Far too many people fail to realize that language is a skill-one that needs careful training of a special kind, and one be acquired by just leaving it to take care of itself

  I think even teachers of language, while recognizing the importance of a good accent, tend to study concerned with speaking in their practical teaching. So, the first point I want to make here is that the teacher should be prepared to devote some of the lesson time to the English pronunciation. There should be occasions when other aspects of English, such as grammar and spelling, are allowed for the moment to take the second place.

 Apart from this question of the time given to pronunciation there are two other requirements for the teacher: the first, knowledge; the second, technique.

 It is important that the teacher should be in possession of the necessary information. This can generally be obtained from books. It is possible to get from books some idea of the mechanics of speech, and of what we call general phonetic theory. But the first and most important part of a language teacher's technique is his own performance, his ability to demonstrate the spoken language, in every detail of articulation(发音) as well as in fluent speaking, so that the student's' talent capacity for imitation is given the fullest scope and encouragement.

According to the author, why do people generally not speak foreign languages very much better than their own languages?

What are the three basic requirements for the foreign language teacher in teaching pronunciation?

(rest) Pastel colours are( ) to the eye.

Immense keep out of  share  with  for  in time 

so long as against account on interfere  by

 In the late nineteenth century Britain(51)( )_foreign politics as much as possible. Europe was divided into two camps: France and Russia in one, Germany, Austria and Italy in the other. Britain favoured the second group(52)( ) France threatened her interests in Africa and the Russians threatened her Indian border. But Germany was growing too strong. The various German states had been united under the King of Prussia after his conquest of France in?1870.He was now Emperor of all Germany. He was Queen Victoria's son-in-law, but his ambitions took no (53)( )of such a tie. Britain watched him with growing mistrust.

 The Germans already had the best army in' Europe. (54)( )1901. when Victoria died, they had begun to build a very large navy, which was not needed to protect their trade. It could only have one purpose, to fight its British rival. Edward VII had never(55)( )_his mother's faith in the Emperor's goodwill and Britain now openly made friends with France. She would not make a defence treaty, but she showed that her sympathy would be(56)( )the French if the Germans attacked them. Plans were made for an army of 150,000 men which would be ready to cross the Channel at a moment's notice When war came in 1914, this force managed to arrive just(57)( )_to save Paris.

 Britain had no quarrel with Germany, and public opinion was divided on the question of supporting France. If the Germans had made a direct attack, they might have taken Paris before anyone (58)( ). But they attacked through Belgium. Their Emperor did not believe that Britain would go to war for" bit of paper", which was his scornful description of Palmerston's treaty. However, when he attacked Belgium, all Britain united(59)( ) _him, and half the nations of the world were soon fighting in the muddy ditches of France. Every part of the Empire immediately joined the British side, and three years later the United States followed their example. When the war was won, both sides had suffered(60)( )losses. The Empire's forces had lost a million men, and Britain had spent all her wealth.

(ingratiating) She tried to( )herself with the director, in the hope of getting promotion.

(mystery) No one knows where he comes from. There is something( ) about his family backgrounD。

(profit) The deal was( ) to all of us.

(strength) This latest development has further( ) my determination to leave.

(danger) Believe it or not, there can be no doubt that smoking( ) your health.

(consistent) His views lack( ) one day he's a conservative, the next he's a liberal.

(imply) Can you figure out the( ) meaning of his statement?

(character) The giraffe is( )by its very long neck.

 Yet in spite of all the informality, America is not completely without customs that show consciousness of social distinction. For example, (31)( )While the informal "Hello" is an acceptable greeting from employee to employer, the employee is more apt to say, "Hello, Mr. Ferguson," whereas the employer may reply, "Hello Jim." Southerners make a point of saying “Yes, sir," ores, ma'am, orno, sir," orno, ma'am," when talking to an older person or a person in position of authority. Although this is a good form. all over the United States, "Yes, Mr. Weston"" No, Mrs. Baker" is somewhat more common in a similar situation in the North or West.

 (32)( )Though people wear hats less now than in the past, women still occasionally wear hats in church and at public social functions(except those that are in the evening.

 (33)( )He opens the door for her and lets her precede him through it. He walks on the side of the walk nearest the street. He takes her arm when crossing a street or descending a stairway.(34)( )by helping the older person in things requiring physical exertion or involving possible accident.

 American surface informality often confuses the foreigner because he interprets it to mean no formality at all. (35)( )A teacher, though friendly, pleasant and informal in class, expects students to study hard, and he grades each student's work critically and carefully. He also expects to be treated with respect. Although students are free to ask questions about statements made by the teacher, and may say that they disagree with what he says, (36) Similarly, in boy-girl relationships a foreign student should not mistake the easy relationship and flattery that are part of the dating pattern in the United States, nor presume that it means more than it does.

 Also, because an American is perhaps more likely to admit and laugh at his own mistakes than one who stands more on his dignity, (37)( )The American is quite ready to admit certain as" I never was good at mathematics. ""I'm a rotten tennis player. "or" I'm the world’s worst bridge player. "However, the stranger must not be too quick to agree with him. Americans think it is all right, even sporting to admit a defect in themselves, (38)( )part of American idea of good sportsmanship is the point of being generous to a loser. This attitude is I over into matters that have nothing to do with competition. If a man talks about his weak points, the listener says something in the way of encouragement, or points to other qualities in which the speaker excels. An American student reports that when he was in foreign country he was completely stunned when he said to a native" I don't speak your language very well. "and the native replied, "I should say you don't. In a similar situation an American would have commented, “Well, you have only been here two months.” or“(39)( )

 Although Americans are quite informal it is best for a foreigner, in case of double, to be too formal rather than not formal enough. (40)( )

A. A younger person also shows respect for an older one in much the same fashion

B. In America there are still customs by which a man may show respect for a woman

C. one is likely to use somewhat more formal language when talking to superiors

D. He does not understand the point at which informality stops

E. But you're making progress

F. but they feel that it is almost an insult to have someone else agree

G. Certain other forms of politeness are observed on social occasions

H. they are not expected to contradict him

I. I'm glad you like it

J. foreigner sometimes does not know how to handle the American's apparent modesty

K. Consideration for others is the basis of all courtesy

(short) The drop in the birth rate 20 years ago has created a severe of workers

According to the passage, the difference between a homing pigeon and an ordinary one lie in?

Bees, ants, toads and turtles are mentioned in the last paragraph in order( )

In actual races, homing pigeons must be guided to enter the loft trap very quickly because( )

According to the passage, what happens to homing pigeons when they are about a month old?

Passage 6

 Homing pigeons are placed in a training program from about the time they are twenty-eight days of age. They are taught to enter the loft鸽房) through trap and to exercise above and around the loft, and gradually they are taken away for short distances in baskets and released. They are then expected to find their way home in the shortest possible time.

 In their training flights or in actual races, the birds are taken to pre-arranged distant points and released to find their way back to their own lofts. Once the birds are liberated, their owners, who are standing by at the home lofts, anxiously watch the sky for their return. Since time is of the essence, the speed with which the birds can be directed to enter the loft trap may make the difference between gaining a win and a second place.

 The head of a homing pigeon is comparatively small, but its brain is one quarter larger than that of the ordinary pigeon. The homing pigeon is very intelligent and some have been known to fly hundred miles off course to avoid a storm.Some homing pigeon experts claim that this bird is gifted with form. of built-in radar that helps it find its own loft after hours of flight, for the birds have two very sensitive ears hidden under the head feathers, while the sharp, prominent eyes can see great distances in daytime.

 Why do homing pigeons fly home? They are not unique in this inherent skill; it is found in most tory birds(候鸟), and in bees, ants, toads and even turtles, which have been known to travel hundreds of miles to return to their homes. But in the animal world, the homing pigeon can be trusted with its freedom and trained to carry out the missions that people demand.

What is the purpose of this passage?

Which of the following statements does the author support?

David Birch claims that he only hires liberal-arts people because( )

According to Scheetz's statement(ParA 4), companies prefer( )

By ssying….. but the impact of a degree washes out after five years."(Line 3, ParA 3),the( )

The author writes this passage to( )

Passage 5

 If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies like the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.

 That's especially true of booming fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of an of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five job offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.

 But in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.

Bowman's experiment reveals that when it comes to politics, attractiveness( )

It can be inferred from the passage that people's views on beauty are often( )

In traditionally female jobs, attractiveness( )

Passage4

 Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and respectable occupations. Personal consultants give better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants(被告) But in the executive circle, beauty can become a liability.

 While attractiveness is a positive factor for man on his way up the executive ladder, it is harmful to a woman.

  Handsome male executives were perceived as having more integrity than plainer men; effort and ability were thought to account for their success.

The author is concerned about the fact that American kids( )

We can infer from the passage that( )

According to the author, the reason given by Sandra Hofferth for the time crunch is( )

According to the author a child develops better if( )

Passage 3

 On average, American kids ages 3 to 12 spent 29 hours a week in school, eight hours more than they did in 1981. They also did more household work and participated in more of such organized activities as soccer and ballet(芭蕾舞). Involvement in sports, in particular, rose almost 50% from 1981 to 1997: boys now spend an average of four hours a week playing sports; girls log half that time. All in all, however, children's leisure time dropped from 40% of the day in 1981 to 25%

 “Children are affected by the same time crunc(危机) that affects their parents,” says Sandra Hofferth, who headed the recent study of children's timetable. A chief reason, she says, is that more mothers are working outside the home.( Nevertheless, children in both double-income- and "male breadwinner" households spent comparable amounts of time interacting with their parents, 19 hours and22 hours respectively. In contrast, children spent only hours with their single mothers.)

According to the passage, those who are the least exposed to media violence are citizensof( )

The phrase "reduce the chances of joining..."(ParA.2)may be replaced by( )

It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the safest country is( )

The author uses Japanese, Columbian and Canadian examples to show that real-life violence and media violence( )

Passage 2

 Blaming the media for violence is misguided. To better understand the issue of violence and society, it is helpful to examine its historical roots. Certainly not all tribal societies were violent. For example, many native tribes in the American southwest were entirely peaceful. However, for most tribal people throughout most of the world war and violence have always been part of life. One of our oldest books, the Old Testament, tells of constant tribal wars among the peoples of the Middle East. Likewise, ancient texts such as the Greek Iliad, the Indian Bhagavad-Gita and the Nordic Beowulf all tell tales of war and violence. Certainly the peoples of ancient Babylonia, Greece, India, and Scandinavia were not influenced by the media yet most of the earliest human records indicate that violence has been an ever-present part of human life. Since violence was with us long before media, it seems unlikely that controlling the media now would have much impact on stopping.

The article provides information about monarchs'( )

Before the Bruggers' discovery, people did not know( )

The monarch butterflies make their winter home in( )

By the time the article was written, people had discovered( )

Passage 1

 On a January day in 1975, Ken and Catalina Brugger wandered through an ancient forest in Mexico on a high mountain slope eighty miles west of Mexico City The air was damp and cool. The sky was cloudy, so little light reached through the trees. As the Bruggers walked along, they realized they were hearing a quiet, constant noise. It was like rain falling on the fir trees. But there was no rain. They looked around for the source of the sound. Suddenly, sunlight broke through the clouds and lit up the forest. The Bruggers gasped in delight. All around them, the trees shimmered with the beating of brilliant orange and black wings. The Bruggers were surrounded by millions of monarch butterflies, resting in their winter home.

 The Bruggers' discovery was important in the world of butterfly study. Butterfly lovers knew that, late every summer, monarchs migrate from Canada into Mexico. More than 300 million of the fragile creatures make the 2, 500-mile flight. But no one knew what became of the butterflies once they reached Mexico. Within the next few years, twelve more monarch roosts were discovered. They were all along the same mountain range where the Bruggers had made their find. Now the mystery was solved.

 The monarch's stay in Mexico is just one part of an amazing life cycle. Every spring, in Mexico, female monarchs lay enormous numbers of eggs. One female may lay more than four hundred a month. She attaches her eggs to milkweed plants. The milkweed provides a perfect first home for the young monarchs. Because milkweed is poisonous to most creatures, birds and other butterfly enemies avoid it. But monarchs love milkweed The eggs hatch in three to twelve days, and outcome worm-like- larva(幼虫) which feed on the milkplant. The poison does not hurt them. But it does have an important effect. It makes the monarch as poisonous as the plant was. A bird that eats a monarch will become very sick-and never eat another one.