张剑阅读150篇的网络版第二十三套题

第二十三套题Part ADirections:Read the following four texts.Answer the questions below each text by choosing A,B,C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET1.(40points)Text107.8Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin just relaunched the formal review of media ownership rules.The agency’s“Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,”issued July 25,is vague,but its intent is clear:to let a few giant media corporations swallow up more local television channels,radio stations and newspapers in a single market.Martin’s main target is the ban on“newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership”that prohibits one company from owning the major daily newspaper as well as radio and TV stations in the same area.He’d also like to allow one company to own more than one TV station in smaller markets,and more than two in the largest cities.A few powerful firms in major cities have won waivers to the ban,or at least delays on enforcement,but those are the exceptions.That déjàvu you’re feeling is because the FCC tried to push through the same rule changes in 2003under then-Chairman Michael Powell.In response,millions of people—spurred on by groups as diverse as the National Rifle Assn.and the National Organization for Women—contacted the FCC and Congress to voice their opposition.The FCC approved the rule changes anyway,only to see them nearly overturned by Congress and then rejected by the courts.Despite the overwhelming public opposition,Martin’s latest attempt to eliminate cross-ownership rules is driven by the massive lobbying of a cartel of second-tier big media companies specializing in newspaper and broadcast station ownership,such as Gannett,Media General and Tribune.Their motive is Bigger profits.But what’s good for Big Media’s bottom line isn’t always good for the rest of us.The first casualty of“media company towns”would be journalism.When one firm owns most of a city’s news outlets,who needs a bunch of competing newsrooms?Investigative reporting and extensive local coverage requires a costly staff.It’s far cheaper to syndicate fare from headquarters than to support a diversity of local voices.If your readers and viewers don’t like it, where else are they going to go?Once the big chains start selling and swapping their properties to build up larger fiefdoms,the already declining number of independent and minority owners will be further squeezed out.Today, just one in five daily newspapers are owned by individuals or companies that don’t own any other newspapers.According to the most recent FCC data,fewer than4%of radio stations and2% of TV stations are owned by minorities.Industry and Wall Street propaganda says local media can’t compete without further consolidation.Yet media companies already enjoy higher profit margins than most industries. They say we must deregulate.But radio and TV station ownership is by definition regulated—these are the public airwaves and there are only so many channels available in a community.The only question is on whose behalf will Washington make the rules:major media companies or the public?［500words］1.The rule on“newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership”intends to.［A］prevent companies from owning both television and radio stations［B］limit a company from owning more than one television station［C］replace giant media corporations with media company towns［D］protect local voices,vigorous competition and diverse viewpoints2.Which of the following will probably happen if FCC’s rule changes are approved?［A］The government will completely dominate public discourse.［B］The public will voice their strong opposition to Congress.［C］The number of radios and TV stations will decline sharply.［D］The local media competition will be almost eliminated.3.“Déjàvu”(Line1,Paragraph2)probably means a feeling that.［A］a new situation has occurred before［B］a familiar situation becomes unfamiliar［C］the situation has run out of control［D］the situation is better than expected4.Which of the following is true according to the text?［A］Martin’s predecessor ignored public opinion with a risk.［B］A company is forbidden to own more than one newspaper.［C］The local news outlets are controlled by independent companies.［D］Media industry used to be a not profitable industry.5.The best title for the text may be.［A］Can We Hear More Local Voices?［B］Do We Really Want Big Media to Get Even Bigger?［C］How Will FCC’s Action Affect Consumers?［D］How Will Washington Make Media Ownership Rules?Text206.5BBC‘s Casualty programme on Saturday evening gave viewers a vote as to which of two patients should benefit from a donation.But it failed to tell us that we would not need to make so many life-and-death decisions if we got to grip with the chronic organ shortage.Being pussyfooting around in its approach to dead bodies,the Government is giving a kicking to some of the most vulnerable in our society.One depressing consequence of this is that a significant number of those on the waiting list take off to foreign countries to purchase an organ from a living third-world donor,something that is forbidden in the United Kingdom.The poor have no option but to wait in vain.The Human Tissue Authority’s position on the retention of body parts for medical research after a post-mortem examination is equally flawed.The new consent forms could have been drafted by some evil person seeking to stop the precious flow of human tissue into the pathological laboratory.The forms are so lengthy that doctors rarely have time to complete them and,even if they try,the wording is so graphic that relatives tend to leg it before signing.In consequence,the number of post mortems has fallen quickly.The wider worry is that the moral shortsightedness evident in the Human Tissue Act seems to infect every facet of the contemporary debate on medical ethics.Take the timid approach to embryonic stem cell research.The United States,for example,refuses government funding to scientists who wish to carry out potentially ground-breaking research on the surplus embryos created by IVF treatment.Senators profess to be worried that embryonic research fails to respect the dignity of“potential persons”.Rarely can such a vacuous concept have found its way into a debate claming to provideenlightenment.When is this“potential”supposed to kick in?In case you were wondering,these supposedly precious embryos are at the same stage of development as those that are routinely terminated by the Pill without anyone crying.Thankfully,the British Government has refused the position of the United States and operates one of the most liberal regimes in Europe,in which licences have been awarded to researchers to create embryos for medical research.It is possible that,in years to come,scientists will be able to grow organs in the lab and find cures for a range of debilitating diseases.The fundamental problem with our approach to ethics is our inability to separate emotion from policy.The only factor that should enter our moral and legal deliberations is that of welfare,a concept that is meaningless when applied to entities that lack self-consciousness.Never forget that the research that we are so reluctant to conduct upon embryos and dead bodies is routinely carried out on living,pain-sensitive animals.［482words］6.What has caused the chronic organ shortage?［A］a decrease in donation rates.［B］inefficient governmental policy.［C］illegal trade in human organs.［D］news media’s indifference.7.The expression“pussyfooting around”(Line3,Paragraph1)might mean.［A］unfair［B］hesitant［C］secret［D］strict8.The moral shortsightedness is revealed in the fact that.［A］the government has stopped the experiment on human tissue［B］the donation consent forms are difficult to understand［C］the Human Tissues Act is an obstacle to important medical research［D］embryonic research shows disregard for human life9.To which of the following is the author most likely to agree?［A］the rich and the poor are equal in the face of death.［B］more scientists are needed for the medical advancement.［C］there is a double standard in medical ethics.［D］the dead deserve the same attention as the living.10.The author is most critical of.［A］the media［B］doctors［C］U.S.legislators［D］the British governmentText307.8After nearly a decade of trying,Wal-Mart failed to become the all-in-one shopping destination for Germans that it is for so many millions of Americans.Wal-Mart’s problems are not limited to Germany.The retail giant has struggled in countries like South Korea and Japan as it discovered that its formula for success—low prices,zealous inventory control and a large array of merchandise—did not translate to markets with their own discount chains and shoppers with different habits.Some of Wal-Mart’s problems stem from overbearing pride,a uniquely powerful American enterprise trying to impose its values around the world.At Wal-Mart’s headquarters in Bentonville,Ark.,however,the message from these missteps is now registering loud and clear.In particular,Wal-Mart’s experience in Germany,where it lost hundreds of millions of dollars since 1998,has become a sort of template for how not to expand into a country.Wal-Mart is also trying to integrate acquisitions with more sensitivity—a process that involvesissues like deciding whether to consolidate multiple foreign headquarters and how to aggressively impose Wal-Mart’s corporate culture on non-American employees.In Germany,Wal-Mart scrapped the morning Wal-Mart chant by staff members.Wal-Mart’s changes came too late for Germany,but they could help it crack other markets.Far from being chastened by its setbacks,Wal-Mart is forging ahead with an aggressive program of foreign acquisitions.Starting from scratch14years ago,Wal-Mart International has grown into a$63billion business.It is the fastest-growing part of Wal-Mart.Even subtracting one-time gains from acquisitions,it grew at nearly12percent,about double the rate of Wal-Mart’s American stores.Sustaining that pace is critical for Wal-Mart,because high fuel prices have helped sap the buying power of Americans.In June,store traffic in its home market declined. Wal-Mart estimated that its sales in the United States in stores open at least one year would increase only1percent to3percent in July.Wal-Mart Germany,with85stores and$2.5billion in sales,is almost a footnote for a company focused on Asia and Latin America.But the problems it encountered here have echoes elsewhere. For example,it never established comfortable relations with its German labor unions.In South Korea,Wal-Mart had only16stores—a small presence that contributed to its decision in May to sell out to a Korean discount chain.This lack of scale causes another problem that has afflicted Wal-Mart in several countries:its inability to compete with established discounters,like the Aldi chain in Germany and E-Mart in Korea.Wal-Mart’s German experience also taught it to use local management.The company initially installed American executives,who had little feel for what German consumers wanted.“They tried to sell packaged meat when Germans like to buy meat from the butcher,”Mr.Poschmann said.Beyond the ambience,Wal-Mart’s shoes-to-sausage product line does not suit the shopping habits of many non-American shoppers.They prefer daily outings to a variety of local stores that specialize in groceries,drugs or household goods,rather than shopping once a week at Wal-Mart.［550words］11.Wal-Mart failed to make money in Germany because.［A］it had no good prices and a good variety of products［B］it was unfamiliar with the eating habits of Germans［C］it failed to understand Germany’s political culture［D］it entered the German market with a degree of arrogance12.The reason why Wal-Mart is still aggressively expanding overseas is that.［A］its business model is still likely to succeed in many countries［B］it is facing the challenge of the shrinking home market［C］it is eager to learn to appreciate different consumer habits［D］it is expecting a triumph in markets other than Germany13.According to the author,what Wal-Mart can learn from German experience is it needs to.［A］combine overseas headquarters［B］further publicize its corporate culture［C］train a group of American talented executives［D］own more stores to compete with local rivals14.According to the passage,which of the following is true?［A］Wal-Mart failed to take into account the role of labor unions.［B］Aldi is a good example of a discount store in Korea.［C］Wal-Mart acquired a strong retailer in Germany.［D］Wal-Mart’s most sales come from America.15.The word“shoes-to-sausage”(line4,paragraph7)in the context probably refers to.［A］almost all that you can imagine of something［B］a lot of different things,many of which you do not need［C］a group of small objects which are not very valuable［D］food and daily necessities that are sold at bargain pricesText406.8Timothy Berners-Lee might be giving Bill Gates a run for the money,but he passed up his shot at fabulous wealth—intentionally—in1990.That’s when he decided not to patent the technology used to create the most important software innovation in the final decade of the20th century:the World Wide Web.Berners-Lee wanted to make the world a richer place,not a mass personal wealth.So he gave his brainchild to us all.Berners-Lee regards today’s Web as a rebellious adolescent that can never fulfill his original expectations.By2005,he hopes to begin replacing it with the Semantic Web—a smart network that will finally understand human languages and make computers virtually as easy to work with as other humans.As envisioned by Berners-Lee,the new Web would understand not only the meaning of words and concepts but also the logical relationships among them.That has awesome potential.Most knowledge is built on two pillars:semantics and mathematics.In number-crunching,computers already outclass people.Machines that are equally adroit at dealing with language and reason won’t just help people uncover new insights;they could blaze new trails on their own.Even with a fairly crude version of this future Web,mining online repositories for nuggets of knowledge would no longer force people to wade through screen after screen of extraneous data. Instead,computers would dispatch intelligent agents,or software messengers,to explore Web sites by the thousands and logically sift out just what’s relevant.That alone would provide a major boost in productivity at work and at home.But there’s far more.Software agents could also take on many routine business chores,such as helping manufacturers find and negotiate with lowest-cost parts suppliers and handling help-desk questions.The Semantic Web would also be a bottomless trove of eureka insights.Most inventions and scientific breakthroughs,including today’s Web,spring from novel combinations of existing knowledge. The Semantic Web would make it possible to evaluate more combinations overnight than a person could juggle in a lifetime.Sure scientists and other people can post ideas on the Web today for others to read.But with machines doing the reading and translating technical terms,related ideas from millions of Web pages could be distilled and summarized.That will lift the ability to assess and integrate information to new heights.The Semantic Web,Berners-Lee predicts,will help more people become more intuitive as well as more analytical.It will foster global collaborations among people with diverse cultural perspectives,so we have a better chance of finding the right solutions to the really big issues—like the environment and climate warming.［452words］16.Had he liked,Berners-Lee could have.［A］created the most important innovation in the1990s［B］accumulated as much personal wealth as Bill Gates［C］patented the technology of Microsoft software［D］given his brainchild to us all17.The Semantic Web will be superior to today’s web in that it.［A］surpasses people in processing numbers［B］fulfills user’s original expectations［C］deals with language and reason as well as number［D］responds like a rebellious adult18.To search for any information needed on tomorrow’s Web,one only has to.［A］wade through screen after screen of extraneous data［B］ask the Web to dispatch some messenger to his door［C］use smart software programs called“agents”［D］explore Web sites by the thousands and pick out what’s relevant19.Thanks to the Web of the future,.［A］millions of web pages can be translated overnight［B］one can find most inventions and breakthroughs online［C］software manufacturers can lower the cost of computer parts［D］scientists using different specialty terms can collaborate much better20.The most appropriate title for this text is.［A］Differences Between Two Webs［B］The Humanization of Computer Software［C］A New Solution to World Problems［D］The Creator and His Next CreationPart BDirections:You are going to read a text about the ways you can deal with criticism followed by a list of examples.Choose the best example from the list A-G for each numbered subheading(21-25). There are two extra examples which you do not need to use.Mark your answers on ANSER SHEET1.(10points)There are so many styles of criticism that it’s impossible to catalogue them all.There are common,everyday zaps（“Congratulations!You finally made it!”）and others so hurtful they leave us dizzy and upset(“How do you manage to keep your bosom so small?”or“Oh,I see you are doing what you do best-eating”).It’s easy,when defending yourself from insults,to get caught in a vicious cycle of attack and counterattack.Fortunately there are ways to deflect the barbs—and boost your self-esteem.Next time you are the victim of criticism,try one of these strategies.21.Analyze the remark.The secret is to examine what was said—and unsaid—before you get emotionally involved. Don’t take the bait if you can avoid it.In The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense,Suzette Haden Elgin suggests dividing an attack into its parts and responding to the unspoken assumption-without playing the victim.e humor.Making light of life is one of the best weapons against insults.A quick wit can cope with almost anyone.23.Set up signals.A woman told me about her husband,who criticized her only in public.She began carrying a small towel,and whenever he made a hurtful remark she put it on her head.He was so embarrassed that he stopped.24.Brush it off.Go along with whatever is said.By being agreeable,your powerful remark can immobilize an unpleasant one.25.Decline the insults.Refuse to accept some insults,even when hurled under the guise of love.By ignoring them, you’ll reduce tension,strengthen your relationships and increase your joy.Here is one story.［A］Someone once said to a friend of mine,“A new skirt?That looks like material you’d use to upholster a chair.”The woman replied,“Well,come sit in my lap.”［B］If your wife says,“You’ve gained about20pounds,haven’t you,dear?”respond:“Actually it’s closer to25.”If she persists,“Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”try:“Probably not.Just be fat for a while.”［C］For example,someone who is told,“If you loved me,you’d lose weight”could respond,“How long have you thought I didn’t love you?”［D］Defuse the negative comment with comebacks such as“Is there any reason you would want to hurt my feelings?”or“Are you aware how that remark might sound to other people?”［E］Another family came up with a phrase that serves the same purpose.Once,after Sunday dinner,their guest commented,“Oh,that was wonderful!Chicken is cheap these days,isn’t it?”Now,whenever one of them makes a cutting remark,someone says,“Chicken is cheap,”and they all crack up.［F］After a man had verbally attacked Buddha,he responded,“Son,if someone declined to accept a present,to whom would it belong?”The man answered,“To him who offered it.”“And so,”said Buddha,“I decline to accept your abuse.”［G］Next time someone zaps you,wipe an imaginary spot off your shirt.When the person asks what you are doing,say,“Oh,I thought something hit me,but I must have been mistaken.”Part C07.8Directions:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese.Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET2.(10points)It is true that women today have far more economic independence,which has enabled them to exercise greater choice in every area of life,both at home and at work.This has come about from economic shifts favoring the service sector,the decline of old industries,plus three decades of resurgent feminism asserting women’s rights.(26)Yet,despite feminist demands,and economic upheaval in“men”lives,the forces securing“men”in power have only been depressed,not destroyed.In Britain,for example,men still dominate the boards of all major companies,become senior managers and serve on the judiciary or as senior civil servants.Only moderate inroads have been made by women elsewhere at the very top.Worldwide,90per cent of elected political representatives are men.Meanwhile,many men are indeed further from acknowledged power and authority.(27)When we look more closely at the evidence for the crisis in masculinity today,we can draw a picture in which all the most significant differences are differences between men,rather than between menand women.Unemployed,unskilled and unmarried men have higher mortality and illness rates than other groups of men.Class and“race”,not gender,are the major predictors of educational failure,unemployment and crime.(28)Unemployment,in fact,is the common condition of the overwhelming majority of men who commit serious offences,while boys in caring,non-violent households in non-violent neighborhoods are hardly more likely to be violent than girls from similar backgrounds.But rather than address the destructive consequences of inequalities among men,the media focuses on largely spurious reports of contrasts between men and women.“Are Boys in Terminal Decline?”,The Independent asked in1994,a question echoed by other serious newspapers,radio and TV programmes.Most suggest that the“Clever Girls”,and the attention girls receive from feminist-inclined teachers,create the problem of“Lost Boys”.(29)As one“in-depth”reflection on“the problem of co-education”spelt out:“Success for girls may now be being matched by failure for boys.”These comparisons obscure a reality where most boys are neither“failing”nor “lost”.Furthermore,it is only when gender contrasts seem to question male dominance that media attention is focused upon them.Girls always did better than boys in primary school;the world just kept quiet about it.The new“problem”is that girls don’t fall behind boys as soon as they used to.So who is to blame for men’s problems?All the favorite answers blame women.Working mothers,for instance,who are“abandoning their children to invest themselves whole hog in other pursuits”.(30)Others target single mothers as causing the spread of an“underclass”of male criminals,condemning them for allegedly“removing”fathers from the family.Dismissing other factors that contribute to the problem,they condemn the very existence of welfare for single mothers,suggesting that marriage is an indispensable civilizing force for“young male barbarians”.［506words］答案1.D2.D3.A4.A5.B6.B7.B8.C9.C10.C11.D12.B13.D14.A15.A16.B17.C18.C19.D20.D21.C22.A23.E24.B25.F26.尽管在男人生活中女权主义者呼声高涨，经济瞬息万变，但维系男性权力的种种力量除了受到一点冲击之外，并没有土崩瓦解。