六级考前模考试卷(一)

六级考前模考试卷（一）
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Chinese Parenting VS Western Parenting.You should write at least 150 words according to the outline given below.
1. 在教育孩子方面，有人认为中式教育（从严）更好
2. 有人则认为西式教育（从宽）更好
3. 我认为……
Chinese Parenting VS Western Parenting
Despite our squeamishness about cultural stereotypes, there are tons of studies out there showing marked and quantifiable differences between Chinese and Westerners when it comes to parenting. In one study of 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, almost 70% of the Western mothers said either that …stressing academic success is not good for childhood‟ or that …parents need to foster the idea that learning is fun.‟ By contrast, roughly 0% of the Chinese mothers felt the same way. Instead, the vast majority of the Chinese mothers said that they believe their children can be …the best‟ students, that …academic achievement reflects successful parenting,‟ and that if children did not excel at school then there was …a problem‟ and parents …were not doing their job.‟ Other studies indicate that compared to Western parents, Chinese parents spend approximately 10 times as long every day drilling academic activities with their children. By contrast, Western kids are more likely to participate in sports teams.”尽管我们对文化的刻板印象squeamishness，有研究显示在那里吨中国之间的差异显着，可量化和西方人当谈到父母。

在一项对50美国西部的母亲和48个中国移民母亲的研究中，几乎70％的母亲说，无论是西方的“重学业成功是不适合儿童好”或“家长需要培养的思想，学习的乐趣。

”通过相比之下，约0％的中国母亲感受到了同样的方式。

相反，绝大多数的中国母亲说，他们相信自己的孩子能“最好”的学生，认为“学业成就，反映成功的父母，”并说，如果孩子没有在学校出类拔萃，然后有“问题”与父母“没有做他们的工作。

”其他的研究表明，相对于西方的父母，中国父母只要花费约10倍，每天与子女钻探学术活动。

相比之下，西方的孩子更有可能参加运动队。

I go along with the theory that practice makes perfect not because I firmly believe that nothing is fun unless you are excel in it, but both drilling academic and extra-curricular activities help me unwind. I didn‟t fully understand what I really want until college. In order to get good at something I need to work hard, but it never occurred to me that working hard was one of those insurmountable challenges. Having realized my potential did help me build confidence and give me a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. Most importantly, the process was worth the most because it made once not-fun activity fun.我走的理论，熟能生巧不是因为我坚信，没有什么乐趣，除非你在它出类拔萃，但两者钻探学术和课外活动，帮我放松。

我没有完全理解，直到大学我真正想要的。

为了获得在东西我需要努力工作不错，但它永远不会发生，我认为这些努力是无法克服的挑战之一。

经意识到自己的潜力并帮助我树立信心，给我一个很大的满足感和成功感。

最重要的是，这个过程是最值得的，因为它使一度不太有趣的活动的乐趣。

Calling people “trash” is something I would never agree with. Suppose it worked incredibly well—by saying that, I mean it didn‟t destroy one‟s self-esteem or damage one‟s individuality. But it is undeniable that children tend to give up themselves due to the strict parenting outweigh those who grow up in a less strict home learning environment. How is someone supposed to know whether scolding or even cursing is an effective motivation? When are you supposed to find out if it works perfectly as a good incentive? It totally depends on what you are, I reckon. Generally speaking, Western parents have done better protecting their kids from hurting their self-esteem than Chinese parents. Cold and strict parenting may have a modestly positive and marginally significant effect on children‟s behavior and way of thinking for children ages 3-9 years old. It is a crucial period of time that kids have no certain criteria to judge what is right from wrong. Hence, they need guidance from their parents.呼吁人们“垃圾”是我永远不会同意。

假设它的工作非常良好，他说，我的意思是没有摧毁一个人的自尊或损害一个人的个性。

但不可否认的是，孩子往往会放弃自己应有的严格教养超过那些谁生长在一个不太严格的家庭学习环境中成长。

如何知道是否应该有人骂，甚至骂是一种有效的动力呢？当你应该看看它的工作原理完全是一个很好的激励？这完全取决于你是什么，我估计。

一般来说，西方的父母做的更好保护他们的伤害比中国父母自尊的孩子。

冷和严格的
父母可能对孩子的行为和3-9岁的儿童岁的思维方式和轻微适度积极显着的效果。

这是一个时间的关键时期，孩子们有没有一定的标准来判断什么是是非。

因此，他们需要从他们的父母指导。

I read another article somewhere, Educational Level of Mothers in Relation to Children. Analysis indicated that maternal education was positively and significantly associated with children‟s cognitive and educational outcomes. Experts also found evidence that incre ases maternal education improved childhood‟s academic outcomes. I could hardly go for it simply because my mother didn‟t pursue further academic studies. My mother was exceptionally good at mathematics, say, calculation, algebra and arithmetic. On the contrary, I never excelled at those subjects (actually I was pretty upset blaming myself why I didn‟t inherit that part from my mother). Fortunately, God opened a window for me. I started to find pure joy in writing and drawing in my schooling which honestly I had no ideas who helped me to tap my reserve (I used to believe I could have become an artist after I enrolled in drawing class which wasn‟t on the syllabus but later I had to drop it because I was spotted out of hundreds of my peers and sent to pursue writing excellence which in a long period of time convinced me that I could be a professional writer). Therefore, allow me to have the doubt if children with more highly educated mothers show higher levels of cognitive development and academic achievement as well as fewer academic problems. However, interactions between mothers and children especially during puberty are very important.我看了另一篇文章的地方，母亲的受教育程度有关的儿童。

分析表明，产妇教育是积极和显着儿童的认知和教育的结果有关。

专家们同时发现，增加产妇改善教育童年的学术成果。

我很难去简单地说，因为我的母亲没有采取进一步的学术研究。

我母亲特别擅长数学，说，计算，代数和算术。

相反，我从来不擅长的科目（其实我是很不高兴责备自己，为什么我没有继承，从我母亲的一部分）。

幸运的是，上帝为我打开了一个窗口。

我开始寻找在写作和绘画在我上学的老实说，我没有思想谁帮助我挖掘我的储备（我曾经认为我可以成为一个艺术家在绘画班后，我参加这是对教学大纲不是纯粹的快乐但后来我不得不放弃，因为我被发现了数以百计的我的同龄人，被送往追求卓越书写这在很长一段时间，我相信我能成为一名专业作家）。

因此，请允许我有疑问，如果有更多受过高等教育的母亲的孩子表现出智力的发展和学术成果以及学术问题较少的更高水平。

不过，在母亲和孩子的互动，特别是在青春期是非常重要的
There are several things Amy Chua was right about Chinese parenting in my opinion. To begin with, many Chinese parents demand perfect grades and most of them ask for high scores simply because they believe their kids can get them as long as they work hard enough. In order to attain the goal, the Chinese parents would like to buy their kids hundreds of practice tests and either work through one section after another with them or just sit there supervising.
有蔡美说得对，我认为中国的父母是几件事情。

首先，许多中国家长的需求完美的成绩，其中大部分为高分数要求仅仅是因为他们相信他们的孩子可以得到他们，只要他们努力不够。

为了实现这个目标，中国的父母想通过购买一个部分后，他们又或只是坐在那里监督他们的孩子数以百计的实践检验，要么工作。

On the other hand, it is well accepted in China that children should try their best to make their parents proud. What is noticeable is that a vast number of Chinese parents believe their kids are permanently indebted to them since parents have done so much for their kids. Indeed we often heard touching stories about how Chinese parents sacrificed everything to raise their children and helped them realize their dreams. Chinese pianist Lang Lang has come a long way since those years of endless practice. It was love of his father particularly who helped him overcome the most severe circumstances. Lang Lang described in an interview that living up to reach his father‟s expectation was much harder than days struggling over bitter winter nights in a slum apartment. “You must play perfect. You must not make a mistake. Not one mistake. Being No. 1 is a realistic goal to be achieved through dedication. You can‟t control a competitor who has more talent than you. But you can control how hard you work.” Lang‟s father once told him. Presumably he gave up following his heart and gained fame by doing something else, would you say he let his talent go to waste on account of lack of effort? Perhaps his father would agree with that.另一方面，它是可接受的在中国，儿童应尽量让他们的父母感到自豪。

尤为引人注目的是，广大的中国家长认为自己的孩子永远感激他们，因为父母为孩子做这么多。

事实上，我们经常听到关于如何接触中国的父母牺牲一切，以提高他们的孩子，帮助他们实现自己的梦想的故事。

中国钢琴家郎朗来了无尽的做法，因为这些年很长的路要走。

这是他父亲的爱，特别是谁帮助他克服最严重的情况。

郎朗在接受采访时介绍辜负达到他父亲的期望远高于在寒冬之夜挣扎在贫民窟公寓天更难。

“你必须发挥完美。

你不能犯了一个错误。

没有一个错误。

作为1号是一个现实的目标是通过奉献实现。

你无法控制的竞争对手谁比你有更多的人才。

但你可以控制你如何努力工作。

“郎的父亲曾经告诉他。

据推测，他放弃了跟随他的心，做别的事情所获得名气，你说他让他的才华去浪费在缺乏努力的帐户？也许他的父亲会同意这一点。

“Western parents try to respect their children’s individuality, encoura ging them to pursue their true passions, supporting their choices, and providing positive reinforcement and a nurturing environment. By contrast, the Chinese believe that the best way to protect their children is by preparing them for the future, letting them see
what they’re capable of, and arming them with skills, work habits and inner connection that no one can ever take away.” —Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua
A storm of debate on Chinese and Western schooling and parenting has never stopped since I could remember. Nevertheless, the debate should not be centered on how to make the rising generations but how to define success. In that sense, Chinese mothers and Western mothers stand on the same line except they have different views on education models. Like other Chinese mothers, my mom had a clear expectation on me since I was a little kid. Students like I used to be did become the top one of the class but still many a out there felt very upset because of the tough parenting.
Having much confusion on my mind, I‟d like to hear what Connie thinks of Chinese and Western parenting. This is what she replied, “As far as the article is concerned, I think the author has done a good job of marketing this for her ability to earn more money but personally I've observed first hand her type of 'parenting' throughout my students in China who, although their parents were just as strict and "cold" as she, they did NOT become the #1 student in anything and they are devastated, some even committing suicide... There's a balance no matter what your nationality is.”
Maybe there’s no best education model but a combination of the essence from both Chinese and Western parenting can do a great deal to raise children successfully.
“西方家长尽量尊重孩子的个性，鼓励他们追求自己的真实感情，支持他们的选择，并提供积极的强化和培育环境。

相比之下，中国人认为最好的方式来保护自己的孩子将来准备通过他们，让他们看看他们是怎么有能力，和武装与技能，工作习惯和内在联系，没有人能拿走他们是“ - 战歌虎的母亲，由蔡美
一个对中国和西方教育和养育子女的辩论风暴就从未停止过，因为我记得。

然而，辩论不应该集中在如何使几代人的上升，但如何界定成功。

在这个意义上说，中国和西方的母亲母亲站在同一条线上，除了他们的教育模式不同的看法。

像其他中国母亲，我的妈妈对我有明确的期望，因为我是一个小孩子。

学生就像我以前是没有成为类的顶部之一，但仍然有很多了，因为觉得很艰难的父母不高兴。

说完我心里非常混乱，我想听听康妮的父母认为中国和西方。

这是她回答说：“至于文章而言，我觉得作者做了她的营销能力，赚更多的钱很好的工作，但我个人已经在我的第一手观察她的”父母“型谁在中国的学生，虽然他们的父母也同样严格，“感冒”，因为她，他们并没有成为什么＃1学生，他们破坏，有的甚至自杀... ...有一个平衡，不管你的国籍。

“
也许就没有最好的教育模式，而是一种本质来自中国和西方父母的结合可以做很多处理，以提高儿童成功。

Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Food Inflation Kept Hidden in Tinier Bags
Chips are disappearing from bags, candy from boxes and vegetables from cans.
As an expected increase in the cost of raw materials looms for late summer, consumers are beginning to encounter shrinking food packages.
With unemployment still high, companies in recent months have tried to hide price increases by selling their products in tiny and tinier packages. So far, the changes are most visible at the grocery store, where shoppers are paying the same amount, but getting less.
For Lisa Stauber, stretching her budget to feed her nine children in Houston often requires careful monitoring at the store. Recently, when she cooked her usual three boxes of pasta for a big family dinner, she was surprised by a smaller yield, and she began to suspect something was up.
“Whole wheat pasta had gone from 16 ounces to 13.25 ounces,” she said. “I bought three boxes and it wasn‟t enough —that was a little embarrassing. I bought the same amount I always buy, I just didn‟t realize it, because who reads the sizes all the time?”
Ms. Stauber, 33, said she began inspecting her other purchases, aisle by aisle. Many canned vegetables dropped to 13 or 14 ounces from 16; boxes of baby wipes went to 72 from 80; and sugar was stacked in 4-pound, not 5-pound, bags, she said.
Five or so years ago, Ms. Stauber bought 16-ounce cans of corn. Then they were 15.5 ounces, then 14.5 ounces, a nd the size is still dropping. “The first time I‟ve ever seen an 11-ounce can of corn at the store was about three weeks ago, and I was just floored,” she said. “It‟s sneaky, because they figure people won‟t know.”
In every economic downturn in the last few decades, companies have reduced the size of some products, disguising price increases and avoiding comparisons on same-size packages, before and after an increase. Each time, the marketing campaigns are coy; this time, the smaller versions are “greener” (packages good for the environment) or more “portable” (little carry bags for the takeout lifestyle) or “healthier” (fewer calories).
Where companies cannot change sizes — as in clothing or appliances — they have warned that prices will be going up, as the costs of cotton, energy, grain and other raw materials are rising.
“Consumers are generally more sensitive to changes in prices than to changes in quantity,” John T. Gourville, a marketing professor at Harvard Business School, said. “And companies try to do it in such a way that you don‟t notice, maybe keeping the height and width the same, but changing the depth so the silhouette (轮廓) of the package on the shelf looks the same. Or sometimes they add more air to the chips bag or a scoop in the bottom of the peanut butter jar so it looks the same size.”
Thomas J. Alexander, a finance professor at Northwood University, said that businesses had little choice these days when faced with increases in the costs of their raw goods. “Companies only have pricing pow er when wages are also increasing, and we‟re not seeing that right now because of the high unemployment,” he said.
Most companies reduce products quietly, hoping consumers are not reading labels too closely.
But the downsizing keeps occurring. A can of Chicken of the Sea albacore tuna is now packed at 5 ounces, instead of the 6-ounce version still on some shelves, and in some cases, the 5-ounce can costs more than the larger one. Bags of Doritos, Tostitos and Fritos now hold 20 percent fewer chips than in 2009, though a spokesman said those extra chips were just a “limited time” offer.
Trying to keep customers from feeling cheated, some companies are introducing new containers that, they say, have terrific advantages — and just happen to contain less product.
Kraft is introducing “Fresh Stacks” packages for its Nabisco Premium saltines and Honey Maid graham crackers. Each has about 15 percent fewer crackers than the standard boxes, but the price has not changed. Kraft says that because the Fresh Stacks in clude more sleeves of crackers, they are more portable and “the packaging format offers the benefit of added freshness,” said Basil T. Maglaris, a Kraft spokesman, in an e-mail.
And Procter & Gamble is expanding its “Future Friendly” products, which it pr omotes as using at least 15 percent less energy, water or packaging than the standard ones.
“They are more environmentally friendly, that‟s true —but they‟re also smaller,” said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner for retail systems research at , an online specialist network. “They announce it as great new packaging, and in fact what it is is smaller packaging, smaller amounts of the product,” she said.
Or marketers design a new shape and size altogether, complicating any effort to comparison shop. The unwrapped Reese‟s Minis, which were introduced in February, are smaller than the foil-wrapped Miniatures. They are also more expensive — $0.57 an ounce at FreshDirect, versus $0.37 an ounce for the individually wrapped.
At H. J. Heinz, prices on ketchup, condiments, sauces and Ore-Ida products have already gone up, and the company is selling smaller-than-usual versions of condiments, like 5-ounce bottles of items like Heinz 57 Sauce sold at places like Dollar General.
“I have never regretted raising prices in the face of significant cost pressures, since we can always course-correct if the outcome is not as we expected,” Heinz‟s chairman and chief executive, William R. Johnson, said last month.
While companies have long adjusted package sizes to appeal to changing tastes, from supersizes to 100-calorie packs, the recession drove a lot of corporations to think small. The standard size for Edy‟s ice cream went from 2 liters to 1.5 in 2008. And Tropicana shifted to a 59-ounce carton rather than a 64-ounce one last year, after the cost of oranges rose.
With prices for energy and for raw materials like corn, cotton and sugar creeping up and expected to surge later this year, companies are barely bothering to cover up the shrinking packs.
“Typically, the product manufacturers are doing this slightly ahead of the perceived inflationary issues,” Ms. Rosenblum said. “Lately, it hasn‟t been subtle —I mean, they‟ve been shrinking by noticeable amounts.”
That can work to a company‟s benefit. In the culture of th inness, smaller may be a selling point. It lets retailers honestly claim, for example, that a snack package contains fewer calories —without having to change the ingredients a smidge.
“For indulgences like ice cream, chocolate and potato chips, consumers may say …I don‟t mind getting a little bit less because I shouldn‟t be consuming so much anyway,‟ ” said Professor Gourville. “That‟s a harder argument to make with something like diapers or orange juice.”
But even while companies blame the recession for smaller packages, they rarely increase sizes in good times, he said.
He traced the shrinking package trends to the late 1980s, when companies like Chock full o‟Nuts downsized the one-pound tin of ground coffee to 13 ounces. That shocked consumers, for whom a pound of coffee had been as standard a purchase unit as a dozen eggs or a six-pack of beer, he said.
Once the economy rebounds, he said, a new “jumbo” size product typically emerges, at an even higher cost per ounce. Then the gradual shrinking process of all package sizes begins anew, he said.
“It‟s a continuous cycle, where at some point the smallest package offered becomes so small that perhaps they‟re phased out and replaced by the medium-size package, which has been shrunk down,” he said.
1. According to the author, why are the food companies beginning to change packages?
A) They would like to help people save more in shopping.
B) They think the prices for raw good are likely to go up very soon.
C) They want to increase the visibility of their products.
D) They expect that the cost of raw materials will plunge this year.
2. After inspecting the things she purchased, Ms. Stauber found that _______.
A) the prices have dropped B) they have shorter shelf life
C) they are of worse quality D) their sizes have decreased
3. What do businesses tend to do in economic downturn?
A) Bring down the prices of some products.
B) Use more healthy materials for the packaging.
C) Hide price rises by downsizing products.
D) Make their products attractively packaged.
4. John T. Gourville suggested that consumers are more likely to notice it if _______.
A) the prices of the goods change B) the quality of the products improves
C) the packages take a different look D) the weights of foods turn lighter
5. What stops companies raising product prices at present according to Thomas J. Alexander?
A) Increasing wages. B) High unemployment.
C) High cost of raw materials. D) The rebounding economy.
6. According to Procter & Gamble, it introduces new packaging because _______.
A) it is good for the environment
B) it helps keep the food fresh
C) it makes the product easier to carry
D) the previous pack is not up to standard
7. Some marketers completely change both the shape and size of the product in order to _______.
A) cater to consumer‟s changing tastes
B) promote the product in a new way
C) make it more difficult for the shoppers to compare prices
D) ensure people get goods for the cheapest possible prices
8. Manufacturers will shrink their packs in a visible way as prices are expected to _______ surge________ later this year.
9. As many people are trying to be thin, shrinking packaging may be __a selling point __ and benefit companies.
10. Consumers were ___shocked_____ when the size of the ground coffe e of Chock full o‟Nuts shrunk
dramatically.
Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)
Section A
Directions:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
11. A) Where the man heard the news. B) How the man feels about the news.
C) If the man is going to lose his job.D) If the man is going to the company.
12. A) The clothes don‟t look clean to him.
B) He doesn’t intend to get the clothes.
C) The woman can pick up her own clothes.
D) The woman should stop staring at his clothes.
13. A) Satisfied with their price.
B) Displeased with their quality.
C) Pleased with their quantities of beautiful patterns.
D) Displeased with their technological complexity.
14. A) The man also wants to get a ticket for the state ballet.
B) The man is selling the ticket for the state ballet.
C) The man‟s sister wil l go to see the state ballet.
D) The man’s sister will give the ticket to the woman.
15. A) Ask Dr. Smith to call the library. B) Ask Dr. Smith to alter his decision.
C) Get Dr. Smith’s written permission. D) Get the book directly from Dr. Smith.
16. A) He is sure they will succeed in the next test.
B) He did no better than the woman in the test.
C) He believes she will pass the test this time.
D) He feels upset because of her failure.
17. A) Prof. Smith doesn‟t hold seminars or discussions in his lectures.
B) Students sometimes fall asleep in Prof. Smith‟s lectures.
C) Prof. Smith’s lectures are always well-attended.
D) The front seats are very hard to get in English lectures.
18. A) She hasn‟t prepared the course outline yet.
B) The man can get the course outline after class.
C) There aren‟t any copies of the course outline left.
D) She‟ll distribute the course outline during the next class.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. A) Narrow down the topic of her article. B) Read and revise her essay.
C) Provide some facts for her opinion. D) Give her some advice on writing a paper.
20. A) Keeping her topic focused and supporting her opinions with facts.
B) Reading extensively and collecting as much reference as possible.
C) Avoiding sensitive political points and seeking more power.
D) Having discussions with employees and giving them more freedom.
21. A) By listing women‟s responses to different parties.
B) By discussing women’s voting rights in dem ocracies.
C) By quoting the percentage of women officers in governments.
D) By calling for women‟s voting rights in her own country.
22. A) By reading her polished essay. B) By proofreading her first draft.
C) By bringing her some reference books. D) By examining her outline.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) The choice of Barings Factory is better.
B) The choice of the hospital is better.
C) There is no need to change the topic.
D) The choice of the university is better.
24. A) The introduction of the draft. B) The first part of the draft.
C) The headings of the draft. D) The middle part of the draft.
25. A) It is not clear and needs to be revised.
B) It provides too little information.
C) It makes the draft appear too simplistic.
D) It is not relevant to the approach the woman has taken.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. A) Describe the place carefully. B) Show him a map of the place.
C) Tell him the names of the streets. D) Refer to recognizable buildings and places.
27. A) Los Angeles. B) New York. C) Kansas. D) Iowa.
28. A) They usually say “I don‟t know” in order to save time.
B) They may give a tourist a wrong answer so as to be polite.
C) They consider it impolite to give tourists wrong answer.
D) They may tell people the directions and distances for fun.
29. A) New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors.
B) People have similar understandings of politeness.
C) It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences.
D) It‟s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.
Passage Two
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. A) To show that too many words are of no use.
B) To show that the English prefer to make long speeches.
C) To show that even talk and silence can be culturally different.
D) To show that people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature.
31. A) By accepting different habits. B) By recognizing different values.
C) By sharing different ways of life. D) By speaking each other‟s languages.
32. A) Cross-cultural Differences B) Multicultural Environment
C) How to Understand Each Other D) How to Build up a Relationship
Passage Three
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. A) He can work wonders on computer.
B) He is the best technician in the world.
C) He has done a hard job in three months.
D) He has united InteliData with another company.
34. A) His blindness. B) His long, thin fingers.
C) His attention on the synthesizer. D) His ability not to be interrupted.
35. A) Computer technicians are more likely to be gifted.
B) One’s disadvantages may prove to be advantages.
C) The disabled can also play an important role in society.
D) Top computer scientists have unusual abilities to form ideas of computers.
Section C
Directions:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.
Things have changed in your life. Most notably, you are no longer employed. Perhaps you‟ve been laid off from your (36) former workplace. Perhaps you are in the (37) process of starting a business. Perhaps you are staying home to care for a child you‟ve recently (38) adopted. You decide to apply for a variety of (39) insurances that will help you manage the risks (40) inherent in life (health, life, disability). A few weeks after filling out your applications, you receive a reply from the insurance company that goes something like, “Dear So-and-so, upon (41) review of your application we are sorry to report that we can‟t insure you at this time.” A rejection? What‟s that all about? You call them up and find that they have rejected your application for certain insurances because of your past history of (42) mental illness.
The chain of events that has led up to your insurance rejection went something like this. All those years ago when you were in therapy, your (43) diagnosis was sent to the insurance company that was paying for your therapy. They, in turn, sent it out to an institution known as MIB (short for “Medical Information Bureau”, not “Men In Black”). MIB is a not-for-profit data warehouse (sponsored by major insurance carriers). (44) MIB’s purpose is to record, retain and share personal medical information collected about you by an insurance company. As part of the standard process of reviewing your application for insurance coverage, the insurance company called up MIB and took a look at your record. (45) Noting the mental illness diagnosis there, they decided that they didn’t offer you insurance because of your previous diagnosis. The reasoning would be something like, “(46) This person may very well get depressed again in the future, so that this person may very well require treatment or become disabled.We‟d have to pay for that treatment. There is, therefore, too much risk involved in insuring this per son.”
Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)
Section A
Directions:In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
Happiness follows a U-shaped curve during a person‟s lifetime, according to research showing that middle-aged people are the unhappiest.
Satisfaction with life starts to drop as early as a person‟s late 20s and does not begin to recover until well past 50, says Bert van Landeghem, an economist at Maastricht University in Belgium. While young adults are carefree and full of hope for the future and the over-50s have come to terms with the trials of life, the research indicates that those in the middle feel weighed down by the demands on them.
The study found “a substantial dip in happiness during the middle of people‟s li ves is the equivalent to becoming unemployed or losing a family member”.。