1、剑桥商务英语中级考试试题（一）一、中READING（PARTONE）（共7小题,共7.0分） Read these sentences . Which type does each sentence （1-7） describe? For each sentence mark one letter A, B, C or D on your AnswerSheet. 第1题A. Microcomputer A microcomputer is a desktop or notebook size computing device that uses a microprocessor as its
2、 Central Processing Unit, orCPU. Microcomputers are also called Personal Computers （PCs）, home computers, small business computers, andmicros. The smallest, most compact are calledlaptops. When they first appeared, they were considered single user devices, and they were capable of handling only four
3、, eight, or 16 bits of information at onetime. More recently the distinction between microcomputers and large, mainframe computers （as well as the smaller mainframe type systems called minicomputers） has become blurred, as newer microcomputer models have increased the speed and data handling capabil
4、ities of their CPUs into the 256 bit, or even much more bit multi-userrange.B. Minicomputer A minicomputer is a mid-level computer built to perform complex computations while dealing efficiently with a high level of input and output from users connected viaterminals. Minicomputers also frequently co
5、nnect to other minicomputers on a network and distribute processing among all the attachedmachines. Minicomputers are used heavily in transaction processing applications and as interfaces between mainframe computer systems and wide area networks （WAN）.C. Mainframe Computer A mainframe computer is a
6、high level computer designed for the most intensive computationaltasks. Mainframe computers are often shared by multiple users connected to the computer viaterminals. The most powerful mainframes, called supercomputers, perform highly complex and time consuming computations and are used heavily in b
7、oth pure and applied research by scientists, large businesses, and themilitary.D. Supercomputer In computer science, supercomputers are large, extremely fast, and expensive computers used for complex or sophisticated calculations, typically, machines capable of pipelining instruction execution and p
8、roviding vectorinstructions. A supercomputer can, for example, perform the enormous number of calculations required to draw and animate a moving spaceship in a motionpicture. Supercomputers are also used for weather forecasting, large scale scientific modeling, and oil exploration and so on and soli
9、ke.E. Distributed or Grid Computing The power needed for some calculations is more than even a single supercomputer canmanage. In distributed computing using a PC grid many computers of all sizes can work on parts of the problem and their results arepooled. A number of current projects rely on volun
10、teers with computers connected to theInternet. The computers do the work when they are not busyotherwise. The projects that need distributed computing are highlytechnical. For example, the SETI Home project looks for signs of intelligent communication in radio signals coming fromspace. （SETI stands
11、for Search for Extra-TerrestrialIntelligence. ） They are often used for jobs like engineering design and testing, serious decryption, economic forecasting,etc.【正确答案】 ：D 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】段落D是有关巨型计算机的，其主要特点是：perform the enormous number of calculations（进行巨量的计算工作），如天气预报、大型科学模型的计算等这与本题中提到的工程设计与测试（enginee
12、ring design and testing），大型密码解密（serious decryption）和经济预测（economic forecasting）等，这些都需要大量且复杂的计算，故D是正确答案。第2题Many public schools now employ the devices for programmed learning and computer literacycourses.【正确答案】 ：A 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】段落A是有关微型汁算机，从文中可以看出，它就是与我们常说的personal computer（个人电脑）相近，因此，在学校机房和家庭里使用的电脑
13、都是microcomputer。因此，A是正确答案。第3题Computers are designed for use in homes, schools, and officesettings.【正确答案】 ：A 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】参看上文，微型计算机就是为家庭、学校和办公室里设计的，用来满足我们日常工作和学习中的一般应用。第4题 If you devote your computer for this project Entropie （modeling evolution of resistance to drugs and designing better AIDS t
14、reatments）, you might be asked to load a small screen-saver program onto your owncomputer.【正确答案】 ：E 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】段落E是关于光栅电脑的，严格意义上讲，它不是一种电脑类型，但是从此文介绍可知，众多电脑通过网络资源连接在一起做一些公益的或者有兴趣的项目如文中提到的探寻外空间智能生物的研究。如果你希望参与对艾滋病有关项目的研究，那么，你的电脑就成为光栅电脑网络的一分子。故E是正确答案。第5题They are used for jobs that take massive amou
15、nts ofcalculating.【正确答案】 ：D 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】前文提到巨型计算机的主要特点是进行巨量的计算工作，如天气预报、大型科学模型的复杂计算等，因此D是正确答案。第6题They are usually used in transaction processingapplications.【正确答案】 ：B 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】段落B是关于小型计算机的，其主要特点就是：a mid-level computer buill to perform complex computations。也就是说，这类计算机侧重于单项任务的计算工作，如财务统计，销售计
16、算等，因此，商业往来的交易处理应该是小型机的工作。故B是正确答案。第7题They are often shared by many users connected to thecomputer.【正确答案】 ：C 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】段落C是关于主机的。其主要的特点就是通过终端把众多的用户连接起来（often shared by multiple users connected to the computer via terminals），它服务于和管理电子网络，故C是正确答案。二、中READING（PART TWO ）（共5小题,共5.0分） Read thistext. Ch
17、oose the best sentence below to fill in each of thegaps. For each gap 1-5, mark one letter A-G on your AnswerSheet. Do not mark any lettertwice. 第1题IconAcoustics: Bypassing Tradition Like most entrepreneurs, Dave Fokos dreams alot. He imagines customers eagerly phoning Icon Acoustics in Billerica, M
18、assachusetts, to order his latest, custom-made stereo speakers At the age of 28, Dave set out to turn his dreams intoreality. Like most entrepreneurs, Dave has taken a long time to develop hisdream. （1） Dave discovered that he had a strong interest in audioengineering. He took independent-study cour
19、ses in this area and by graduation had designed and built a pair of marketable stereospeakers. Following graduation, Dave pursued his interest in audioengineering. He landed a job as a loudspeaker designer with Conrad-Johnson, a high-end audio-equipment manufacturer headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia
20、 （2） Dave identified a market niche that he felt other speaker firms had overlooked （3） These affluent, well-educated customers are genuinely obsessed with their stereoequipment. Theyd rather buy a new set of speakers than eat,Daveobserves. Dave faced one major problem-how to distribute Iconsproduct
21、s. He had learned from experience at Conrad-Johnson that most manufacturers distribute their equipment primarily through stereodealers. Dave did not hold a high opinion of most such dealers;he felt that they too often played hardball with manufacturers, forcing them to accept thinmargins. （4） This k
22、ept those firms that offered more customized products from gaining access to themarket. Perhaps most disturbing, Dave felt that the established dealers often sold not what was best for customers, but whatever they had in inventory thatmonth. Dave dreamed of offering high-end stereo loudspeakers dire
23、ctly to the audio-obsessed, bypassing the established dealernetwork. （5） My vision for the future is one where all manufacturers sell their products directly to enduser. In this way, even the audiophiles in Dead Horse, Alas- ka, can have access to all that the audio-manufacturing community has tooff
24、er. A. At the age of 28, Dave set out to turn his dreams intoreality.B. Furthermore, the dealers concentrated on only a handful of welt-knownproducers.C. Who provided mass-producedmodels.D. The firms tend to plow their money in to developing their products and have little leftover to marketthem.E. T
25、his niche consisted of audio-addicts-people who love to listen to music and appreciate first-rate stereoequipment.F. To serve the audio-addicts segment, Dave offers only the highest-qualityspeakers.G. It all began while majoring in electrical engineering atCornell. By going directly to the customers
26、, Dave could avoid the dealer markups and offer top-quality products and service at reasonable pric【正确答案】 ：F 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】正如许多企业家一样，Dave花费了很长时间来实现自己的梦想，他要给人们提供最高质量的扬声器（offers only the highest-quality speakers），因此，这里填入F最佳。 第2题【正确答案】 ：D 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】在下一句中提到，Dave找到了一个被许多公司忽视的市场机会，因此，此处应该填入有关没有重
27、视市场营销的情况，即D：大部分公司把挣到的钱再投资到产品研发中，没有多少用来开发市场。第3题【正确答案】 ：E 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】接上题，这是一个什么样的机会呢?这个机会就是由音乐发烧友喜欢听音乐、购买一流的立体声设备构成。选项中只有E有niche这个词，与前一句的niche对应，意思承接。第4题【正确答案】 ：B 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解析】上面几句在讨论Dave对产品分销方面问题的看法，他不赞成通过分销商来销售此种产品，因为他们过分压缩厂家的利润空间，而且，他们仅销售少数的几个知名品牌（B）。因此，B是正确答案。第5题【正确答案】 ：G 【本题分数】：1.0分【答案解
28、析】上句的意思是，“Dave设想越过经销商，直接向音乐发烧友销售高质量产品”，那么，这样有什么好处呢?这样可以“避免经销商的加价，以更好的服务和合理的价格服务市场 （G）”。三、中READING（PART FOUR ）（共15小题,共15.0分） Read the text . Choose the correct word from A, B, O or D on the opposite page to fill in eachgap. For each question 1-15, mark one letter A, B, C or D on your AnswerSheet. 第1题
29、Why the World is Sold on Gold Gold is a measure of wealth C which is recognized all over theworld. For centuries it was the foundation of the international monetary system and, （1） today, it remains one of the most important components of a countrys foreign currencyreserves. What （2） gold attractive
30、 is that it has a value of its own for both industrial and ornamental purposes, （3） paper banknotes, which are worthless （4）themselves. As a result, gold is bought as an （5） in times of financialuncertainty. Until the 1930s, several European currencies were based on the Gold Standard, which meant th
31、at the value of a （6） of currency was fixed in （7） of a stated quantity ofgold. People could freely （8） any banknotes they had forgold. In 1931, worldwide financial problems （9） the Gold Standard to bedropped. Then, in 1935, the USA, France and the UK （10） the price of gold at $ 35 an ounce, which remained the price until1971. Because the
