1、08年学位英语试题2008年4月北京地区成人学位英语试题(A卷)Part I Reading Comprehension Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresp
2、onding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center. Passage 1 Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage. Look back on my childhood. I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandone
3、d their pressed(紧抱的) flowers and insects. Unlike them, I hand no ear for music and languages, I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic. Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. (76)
4、Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal-clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects. I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and m
5、y enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil, reading about other peoples observations and discoveries .then something happens that brings these observa
6、tions together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle(谜) ，because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some might honor with the title of scientific research. But curiosity, a keen eye, a good memory and enjoy
7、ment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist; one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack. A scientist can be made .A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of born worlds. 1. According to the author, a born nat
8、uralist should first of all be _ A. full of enthusiasm B. self-disciplined C. full of ambition D. knowledgeable 2. The first paragraph tells us that the author _ A. lost his hearing when he was a child B. didnt like his brothers and sisters C. was born to a naturalists family D. was interested in fl
9、owers and insects in his childhood 3. The author says that he is a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he _ A. just reads about other peoples observations and discoveries B. comes up with solutions in most natural ways C. has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic
10、D. lacks some of the qualities required of scientist 4. The author cant remember his relatives clearly because_. A. he was fully occupied with observing nature B. he didnt live very long with them C. the family was extremely large D. he was too young when he lived with them 5. Which of the following
11、 statement is true? A. The author believes that a born naturalist cannot be a scientist. B. The authors brothers and sisters were good at music and languages. C. The author read a lot of books about the natural world and the oil industry. D. The author spent a lot of time working on riddles. Passage
12、 2 Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage: If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are. Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You c
13、an go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to, and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety. The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diner
14、s. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration card to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friend
15、s to dine free of charge. The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. (77) They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate. From then on they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly. With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, s
16、urely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers al
17、ways give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real “gentleman”. (78) In a society of such high moral practice, what need is there for people to be on guard against others? 6
18、. While taking a taxi in Finland, _ A. a passenger can go anywhere without having to pay the driver B. a passenger pays two US dollars for a taxi ride C. a passenger can never be turned down by the taxi driver wherever he wants to go D. a passenger needs to provide good faith demonstration before th
19、ey leave without paying 7. We know from the passage that big hotels in Finland_ A. provide meal for only those who live in the hotels B. provide meals for any diners C. provide free wine and charge for food D. are mostly poorly managed 8. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
20、A. The workers in Finland are paid by the hour. B. The bosses in Finland are too busy to check the working hours of their employees. C. The workers are always honest with their working hours. D. The workers and their bosses will make an agreement in advance about the pay. 9. The word “those” in the
21、last paragraph probably refers to _ A. people who often take taxis B. people who often have meals in big hotels C. people who are dishonest D. people who are worthy of trust 10. It can be concluded that _ A. Finnish people are not smart enough in daily life B. Finland has been a good place for cheat
22、s C. the Finnish society is of very high moral level D. all the Finns are rich Passage 3 Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage: There are many factors which may have an influence on adults and children being able to lead a healthy life. Nowadays, people are very busy. Often, both par
23、ents work outside the home. Children are expected to take on more responsibility at home to help their parents. They also have sporting and leisure activities as well as school expectations. The busyness also adds another factor: the need to use cars to get from one place to another quickly. Today,
24、society places a lot of emphasis on technology. Computers, DVDs. CDs, television, PlayStations and Xboxes have become major leisure activities, rather than traditional more active pursuits. This has led to a more sedentary lifestyle. The media provide entertainment and information. (79)Unfortunately
25、, they also promote fast food which fits easily into busy lifestyles. It is much more convenient at times to buy a quick takeaway rather than prepare a meal. The media constantly bombard(轰炸) their audience with perfect body images, the need to buy the most fashionable clothes, the most up-to-date co
26、mputer games, the best places to visit and the best things to do. Environments vary. We may be exposed to pollution, such as cigarette smoke. This can be harmful to people who suffer from breathing difficulties. (80)Environments where passive smoking is unavoidable make it difficult to lead a health
27、y life. It is important factor influencing healthy lifestyles is motivation or the desire to be healthy. Any person who wants to be healthy will find a way to be healthy if he/she is motivated enough! 11. The passage is mainly about _. A. benefits of a healthy life style B. demands of daily life C.
28、factors affecting a healthy lifestyle D. a positive approach to healthy living 12. The word “sedentary” in Paragraph 4 probable means _. A. having a lot of things to do B. involving little exercise or physical activity C. being isolated from the outside world D. experiencing a lot of stress 13. Whic
29、h of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a factor leading to the popularity of fast food? A. Cheap price. B. The media. C. Busy lifestyle. D. Convenience 14. Which is NOT listed as a factor influencing the ability to have a healthy lifestyle? A. Pollution. B. Economic factors. C. Depend
30、ence upon cars. D. Influence of family or friends. 15. According to the author, _ may be the most important factor influencing healthy lifestyles. A. technology B. cultural background C. environment D. the desire to be healthy Part Vocabulary and Structure Directions: In this part, there are 30 inco
31、mplete sentences. For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center. 16. Hearing the gunshot, all the birds flew _ every direction. A. in
32、B. on C. to D. toward 17. The factory had to _ number of employees because of the economic decline in the country. A. lay out B. lay off C. lay aside D. lay down 18. His parents _ his money, so he is in trouble now. A. cut off B. cut through C. gave up D. brought down 19. Can you _ the difference _ the two phrases? A. tell, between B. speak, from C. say, of D. talk, between 20. If anyon
