2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊

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2007年英语专业八级真题与答案（4）

Text CRichard, King of England from 1189 to 1199, with all his characteristic virtues and faults cast in a heroic mould, is one of the most fascinating medieval figures. He has been described as the creatureand embodiment of the age of chivalry, In those days the lion was much admired in heraldry, and more than one king sought to link himself with its repute. When Richard's contemporaries called him" Coeur de Lion"(The Lion heart), they paid a lasting compliment to the king of beasts. Little did the English people owe him for his services, and heavily did they pay for his adventures. He was in England only twice for a few short months in his ten years' reign; yet his memory has always English hearts, and seems to present throughout the centuries the pattern of the fighting man. In all deeds of prowess as well as in large schemes of war Richard shone. He was tall and delicately shaped strong in nerve and sinew, and most dexterous in arms. He reioiced in personal combat, and regarded his opponents without malice as necessary agents in his fame He loved war, not so much for the sake of glory or political ends, but as other men love science or poetry, for the excitement of the struggle and the glow of victory. By this his whole temperament was toned; and united with the highest qualities of the military commander, love of war called forth all the powers of his mind and body.Although a man of blood and violence, Richard was too impetuous to be either treacherous on habitually cruel. He was as ready to forgive as he was hasty to offend; he was open-handed and munificent to profusion; in war circumspect in design and skilful in execution; in political a child, lacking in subtlety and experience. His political alliances were formed upon his likes and dislikes; his political schemes had neither unity nor clearness of purpose. The advantages gained for him by military geoids were flung away through diplomatic ineptitude. When, on the jouthey to the East, Messina in Sicily was won by his arms he was easily persuaded to share with his polished, faithless ally, Philip Augustus, fruits of a victory which more wisely used might have foiled the French King's artful schemes. The rich and tenable acquisition of Cyprus was cast away even more easily than it was won. His life was one magnificent parade, which, when ended, left only an empty plain.In 1199, when the difficulties of raising revenue for the endless war were at their height, good news was brought to King Richard. It was said there had been dug up near the castle of Chaluz, on the lands of one of his French vassals, a treasure of wonderful quality; a group of golden images of an emperor, his wife, sons and daughters, seated round a table, also of gold, had been unearthed. The King claimed this treasure as lord paramount. The lord of Chaluz resisted the demand, and the King laid siege to his small, weak castle. On the third day, as he rode daringly, near the wall. confident in his hard-tried luck, a bolt from a crossbow struck him in the left shoulder by the neck. The wound, already deep, was aggravated by the necessary cutting out of the arrow-head. Gangrene set in, and Coeur de Lion knew that he must pay a soldier’s debt. He prepared for death with fortitude and calm, and in accordance with the principles he had followed. He arranged his affairs, he divided his personal belongings among his friends or bequeathed them to charity. He declared John to be his heir, and made all present swear fealty to him. He ordered the archer who had shot the fatal bolt, and who was now a prisoner, to be brought before him. He pardoned him, and made him a gift of money. For seven years he had not confessed for fear of being compelled to be reconiled to Philip, but now he received the offices of the Church with sincere and exemplary piety, and died in the forty-second year of his age on April 6, 1199, worthy, by the consent of all men, to sit with King Arthur and Roland andother heroes of martial romance at some Eternal round Table, which we trust the Creator of the Universe in His comprehension will not have forgotten to provide.The archer was flayed alive.20 “ little did the English people own him for his service” (paragraph one) means that the EnglishA. paid few taxes to him.B gave him little respect.C received little protection from him.D had no real cause to feel grateful to him.√21. To say that his wife was a “ magnificent parade’( paragraph Two) implies that it was to some extent.A . spent chiefly at war.B impressive and admirable.C lived too pompouslyD. an empty show.√22. Richard’s behaviour as death approached showed.A. bravery and self-control.B. Wisdom and correctnessC. Devotion and romanceD. Chivalry and charity√23. The point of the last short paragraph is that Richard wasA. cheated by his own successorsB. determined to take revenge on his enemies.C. more generous to his enemies than his seccesors.D unable to influence the behavior of his successors.√24. Which of the following phrase best describes Richard as seen by the author?A. An aggressive king, too fond of war.B. A brave king with minor faults.√C A competent but cunning soldier.D A kind with great political skills.25. The relationship between the first and second paragraphs is thatA. each presents one side of the picture. √B. the first generalizes the second gives examples.C. the second is the logical result of the first.D. both present Richard’s virtues and faults.。

2007年英语专业八级考试试题原题及答案解析

PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONL Y. while listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but yon will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. when the lecture is over, yon will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.题1 - 10[原文]Good morning, today's lecture, is the very first of a series of lectures on art history, so I'd like to spend some time discussing with you the following topic: Why do we need to study art history? And what can we learn from it?First of all, I'd say, if you study art history, this might be a good way to learn more about a culture, than it's possible to learn in general history classes. You know, most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics and war, but art history focuses on much more than this. Because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also their religious beliefs, emotions etc. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors can be provided by art, like what people did for a living, what kind of dress they wore, what ceremonies they held etc. In short, art can express the essential qualities of a time and a place, and the study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books and enables us to learn more things about human society and civilization.The second point I'd like to make is about the type of information. In history books, information is objective, that is facts about political economic life of a country are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective. It reflects personal emotions and opinions. For example, Francisco Goya was a great Spanish painter and also perhaps the first truly political artist. In his famous painting, The Third of May 1808, he showed soldiers shooting a group of simple people. His description of soldiers and their victims has become a symbol of the enormous power or the misuse of this power that the government can have over its people. Over 100 years later, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Mexican artists depicted their deep anger and sadness about social problems. In summary, through art you can find a personal and emotional view of history.Thirdly, art can reflect a culture's religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that showed people and stories from the Bible. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is), its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic belief that these images are unholy. Thus, on palaces, mosques and other buildings, Islamic artists have created unique decoration of great beauty with images of flowers of geometric forms, for example, circles, squares and triangles. The same is true of other places, like Africa and Pacific Islands. Art also reflects the religious beliefs of traditional cultures in these places. As a matter of fact, religion is the purpose for this art and it's, therefore, absolutely essential to it. Traditional art in Africa and Pacific Islands is different from Christian art. Christian art influences people's religious feelings towards God. But the goal of traditional art in Africa and Pacific Islands is the influence of spiritual powers, that is gods to enter people's lives. Each tribe or village there had special ceremonies with songs and dances to make sure that crops, animals and people are healthy and increasing in number. The dancers in the ceremonies wear masks, head dresses and costumes that they believe are necessary to influence gods. SO these masks, head dresses themselves, are revelry part of the art.As we said, art depends on culture, different forms of art result from different cultures. Similarly, the way that people view art also depends on their cultural background. This is my fourth point. For most Europeans and Americans, art is mainly for decoration. It is something on a museum wall or in a glass case. It makes their homes more attractive. People look at it and admire it: "Oh, what a beautiful painting!" Besides, ideas are expressed in this art. This is a wonderful statue, and admiring it, 1 might say: "It makes such a strong antiwar statement." Butin other places, art is not considered to be separated from everyday existence. It has a function, it has a practical role to play in people's lives. A person in a tribal society might look at a mask and say: "Oh, this is a good mask. It would keep my house safe." In brief, the way in which people enjoy or appreciate art depends on their culture.To conclude my lecture, we can say that art is a reflection of various cultures. But at the same time, we have to remember that art also reflects the changes in society that take place when different cultures influence one another. As people from tribal societies move to urban areas, their values and beliefs change accordingly and their traditional art forms begin to lose their function. At the same time, urban artists begin to learn a lot from traditional art. For example, African masks and figures had a great influence on Picasso's works. And many American and Canadian artists study the simplicity of Japanese painting. The result is that as the world gets smaller, the art of each culture becomes more international.OK, this brings us to the end of our lecture. I hope that after today's lecture, you'll understand better the significance of the study of art history. Art enables us to know more about human history, for example, people's views and opinions about certain historical events, and what's more important, about different cultures, their religious beliefs, perception of art etc.What Can We Learn from Art?Ⅰ.IntroductionA. Differences between general history and art history--Focus :--general history: (1)--art history: political values, emotions, everyday life, etc.B. Significance of studyMore information and better understanding of human society and civilization.Ⅱ.Types of informationA. Information in hi story book is (2)--facts, but no opinionsB. Information in art history is subjective-- (3) and opinionse.g.--Spanish painters' works: misuse of governmental power--Mexican artists' works: attitudes towards social problemsⅢ.Art as a reflection of religious beliefsA. Europe: (4) in pictures in churchesB. Middle East: pictures of flowers and patterns in mosques, palacesReason: human and (5) are not seen as holyC. Africa and the Pacific Islands: Masks, headdresses and costumes in specialceremoniesPurpose: to seek the help of (6) to protect crops, animals and peopleⅣ. Perceptions of ArtHow people see art is related to their cultural backgroundA. Europeans and Americans-- (7)--expression of ideasB. People in other places--part of everyday life-- (8) useⅤ. Art as a reflection of social changesA. Cause of changes: (9) of different culturesB. Changes--tribal people: effects of (10) on art forms--European artists: influence of African traditional art in their works--American and Canadian artists: study of Japanese painting1.economics and war2.objective3.personal emotions4.the Bible5.animal images6.the God7.decoration8.practical9. influence; interaction 10.urbanizationSECTION BIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONL Y. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your ANSWER SHEET.题11 - 15[原文]W: Nigel Linge is editor of Business Travel Weekly. Nigel, thanks for being on the show. Now, what kind of problems do airline passengers face nowadays?M: Well, most of the problems are caused by the heavy volume of traffic. You know, all airports have a limit to the number of take-offs and landings they can handle.W: So what seems to be the problem?M: All flights from a busy airport arrive and leave at more or less the same time. If 60 aircraft are scheduled to take off between 5 p.m. and 5:15, and the airport can only handle 120 an hour, that means some will always be late landing or taking-off. And if the weather is bad, oh, you can imagine what the situation is like. So passengers have to be loaded into each plane, and then the planes have to line up to take off.W: So waiting at the lounge or on the plane is quite common.M: Certainly. And another problem that's very common is over-booking. Quite often you hear an announcement on the airport loudspeakers: "We have over sold on this flight and would like volunteers to go on the next flight out. " If you decide to volunteer, you may get a cash bribe or free-trip voucher, but make sure you get a guaranteed seat on the next flight and a free phone call to whoever is meeting you on the other end. And worse still, you arrive with confirmed reservation and you discover you've been bumped off the flight.W: Presumably, if you choose to travel at off-peak times, there are few problems.M: Well, there are no off-peak times, All flights seem to be full except Saturday. I don't quite understand why this is so. You know, if there is a public holiday, things are likely to be especially busy. The special fare systems on the airline's computers encourage more people to fly on less popular flights and this means that as a result all flights are equally full.W: So, what advice would you give to business travelers?M: rd say "Avoid big airports if you can". The reason is there are too many flights there. Then, remember not to check your baggage if you can help it. Another thing is "Be prepared for delays". Take something to eat and drink in your hand luggage.W: Nigel, what kind of mistakes do inexperienced travelers make?M: The first mistake business travelers make is to take far too much luggage. Remember, take only carry-on luggage, because at most airports, you can get away with two small bags.W: Oh, I see.M: Another mistake people make is to think that you have to pay full price for air tickets. You should find out about the different ticket options. For example, an RTW fare can save up to 40% on normal fare.W: Excuse me, what is RTW?M: Round the World. For example, if you're going to Australia from the USA, you could go out via Singapore,and come back via North America. And another way to save money is to see if the ticket to a destination beyond it's cheaper. For example, a ticket from Amsterdam from London to New York may be cheaper than one straight from London to New York.W: Oh, that's very useful information.M: And another mistake is to go away for too long. Most people's efficiency and energy start to fall off after two weeks away. So my advice is "Keep your trip short", only go for two weeks and never for a longer than three. Another point is "Don't expect everything to go according to plan". You need to learn to expect the unexpected. There may be a typhoon in summer or your taxi may break down on the way to the airport. In other words, don't be optimistic about plans and don't schedule important meetings too closely together. You need to allow time for delays and break-downs.W: Yeah, this is something travelers have to remember when they plan their trips.M: And another thing, get to know a good travel agent and make sure he gives you the best possible service. Take discounts for example, a good travel agent can get first-class ticket for the price of business-class. This is because he does enough volume of business and he can get discounts with airlines on his own behalf. He should pass them on to you. So make sure he indeed does.W: I think the worst part of a trip is having to travel overnight or being stuck for a weekend in some dreadful place. Are there any ways avoiding that?M: Yes. We can break or stop over in a more relaxing or lively place. It's often available at special cheap weekend rate. Various airlines and hotel chains offer these. And it's always more pleasant to stay a night in a hotel than on a plane even if you travel business-class.W: Yes. OK, thank you, Nigel, for all the useful information and advice.M: Pleasure!11.According to Nigel, most problems of air travel are caused by ________.[A] Unfavorable weather conditions. [B] Airports handling capacity. [C] Inadequate ticketing service. [D] Overbooking.[参考答案] B12.which of the following is not mentioned as compensation for volunteers for the next fight out?[A] Free ticket. [B] Free phone call [C] Cash reward [D] Seat reservation[参考答案] C13.Why does Nigel suggest that business travelers avoid big airports?[A] Because all flights in and out of there are full. [B] Because the volume of traffic is heavy. [C] Because there are more popular flights. [D] Because there are more delays and cancellations.[参考答案] B14.According to Nigel, inexperience travelers are likely to make the following mistakes except ________.[A] Booking on less popular flights. [B] buying tickets at full price. [C] carrying excessive luggage. [D] planning long business trips.[参考答案] D15.Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?[A] The possibility of discounts depends on a travel agent's volume of business. [B] Longer flights to the same destination maybe cheaper. [C] It is advisable to plan every detail of a trip in advance. [D] Arranging for stopovers can avoid overnight travel.[参考答案] CSECTION CIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONL Y. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your ANSWER SHEET.题16[原文]The death toll rose to 74 on Tuesday in Japan's deadliest rail crash in decades as crews pulled more victims from the wreckage. Investigators focused on whether excessive speed or the driver's inexperience had caused the train to derail and slam into an apartment building. The 7-car commuter train carrying 580 passengers left the rails Monday morning in Amagasaki, a suburb of Osaka, about 250 miles west of Tokyo, it injured more than 440 people.16.what happened on Monday?[A] A train crash occurred causing minor injuries. [B] Investigator found out the cause of the accident. [C] Crews rescued more passengers from the site. [D] A commuter train crashed into a building.[参考答案] D[原文]20 of the world's top economies promised to help Iraq lower its debt and to help restart global trade talks after a 2-day meeting in Mexico on Monday. Officials from the group of 20, G20 Nations, also discussed the possibility of sanctioning countries that refused to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Possible sanctions were not outlined at the meeting. In a declaration released at the end of the meeting, ministers called on World Trade Organization, WTO members, to restart the trade talks that collapsed in Kankoon last month. Nations must quickly reenergize the negotiation process, recognizing that flexibility and political will from all are urgently needed, it said. G20 ministers also talked about the possibility of creating a V oluntary Code of Conduct to govern negotiations between creditors and countries on the verge of defaulting on debt. The code would outline the steps that should be taken to prevent a financial crisis. Created in 1999 to avoid financial disasters and to keep the global economy stable, the G20 is made up of the European Union and 19 other countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Japan and the US.17.Which of the following was not on the agenda of the G20 meeting?[A] Iraq debts [B] WTO talks [C] Financial disasters [D] Possible sanctions[参考答案] C18.The G20 is a(n)________ organization.[A] International [B] European [C] Regional [D] Asian[参考答案] A题19 - 20[原文]The United Nations celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Charter on Monday, the speakers addressing the UN General Assembly. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the UN had both successes and failures in carrying out the pledges in the Charter. The UN Charter is the constitution of the organization. It was signed in San Francisco on June 26th, 1945 by the 50 original member countries. It took effect on October 24th, 1945 after being improved by the 5 founding members: China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States and the majority of the other countries that signed the Charter. The Charter is a constitution on trading or countries that signed it are bound by its articles. It states that the Charter comes first above all other treaties. Its main purposes include the prevention of new conflict, building peace and protecting human rights and social progress. The most important chapters are these dealing with enforcement powers of UN bodies. They describe, for example, the Security Council's power to investigate and mediate disputes. They also describe its power to authorize economic, diplomatic and military sanctions as well as the use of military force to resolve disputes. The UN, late last year, revealed a proposal to overhaul the organization, including the Security Council. This could be the most comprehensive UN reform since its foundation。

经济差异影响友谊英语作文

The Impact of Economic Differences onFriendshipFriendship, a bond that transcends boundaries and connects people from diverse backgrounds, often faces challenges when economic differences come into play. This essay explores the influence of economic disparities on friendships, discussing both the potential obstacles andthe ways in which true friends can overcome them.Firstly, economic differences can create a divide between friends. People with different economic statuses may have vastly different lifestyles, interests, and values. For instance, one friend might enjoy expensive hobbies or frequent travel, while the other struggles to make ends meet. Such disparities can lead to misunderstandings and feelings of inadequacy, making it difficult for friends to maintain a sense of equality and mutual respect.Additionally, economic differences can affect the dynamics of friendship. Friends from different economic backgrounds may have different expectations and needs from their relationships. The wealthier friend might expect more frequent outings or expensive gifts, while the other mightfeel uncomfortable or unable to keep up. This can lead to tension and resentment, ultimately threatening thestability of the friendship.However, it is important to note that true friendship can transcend economic differences. When built on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding, friendships can weather the storms of economic disparities. Friends can work to bridge the gap by communicating openly about their financial situations, setting realistic expectations, and finding common ground in their shared interests and values. Moreover, friends can support each other in overcoming the challenges posed by economic differences. The wealthier friend might offer financial assistance or career advice, while the other might provide emotional support orpractical help. By working together, friends can build a stronger bond that is resilient to the impact of economic disparities.In conclusion, economic differences can indeed affect friendships, but they are not insurmountable obstacles. By fostering mutual respect and understanding, communicating openly, and supporting each other, friends can overcome thechallenges posed by economic disparities and maintainstrong and meaningful relationships. In the end, it is the depth of the bond and the willingness to work through differences that truly matter in friendships, regardless of economic status.**经济差异对友谊的影响**友谊，这种跨越界限、连接来自不同背景的人们的纽带，常常在经济差异的影响下面临挑战。

专业英语八级(作文)模拟试卷72(题后含答案及解析)

专业英语八级（作文）模拟试卷72(题后含答案及解析)题型有：1. summarize briefly the main opinion of the article; 2. give your comment. How Income Disparities Affect Your Friendships When people with money are friends with people of modest means the disparities don’t typically end with the bank accounts. One person in the friendship often feels less comfortable than the other, and it tends to be the one with less money—the friend who can’t afford to join the group at the restaurant or go on the weekend trip, the one whose share may be paid for by the others. “It doesn’t disturb the rich ones to pay,”says Horst Heidbrink, a psychology lecturer at the distance-learning University of Hagen. “The rich person thinks they’re being caring. But the poorer person feels under pressure to be particularly nice.”But a lack of balance puts pressure on many friendships. Aristotelian ethics would suggest dealing with the imbalance with increased devotion by the friend with less. Friendship expert Horst Heidbrink says he wouldn’t recommend this, but his research has shown him that the give and take between friends has to be balanced. Friendships between rich and poor people are not as unusual as one might think. In a recent study by the Bremen-based Allensbach Institute, 1,624 people of different ages were asked about their friendships. Forty-four percent of respondents said they had friends who were considerably better off than they were. And 41% said they were friends with people who were considerably less well off than they were. And yet that old saying to the effect that money issues can put an end to friendship still holds for many. According to the study, friends helped each other out with moving house and renovation work, offered an ear when needed and doled out advice. But only 10% ever accepted significant loans from their richer friends. “Many people believe that borrowing money would weigh the friendship down,” Heidbrink says. “Most people would rather go to their parents because family relationships don’t depend on symmetry as much as friendships do.” Nevertheless, he says, “A good friendship can also withstand a credit.”Although friendships between men and women are vulnerable because they are defined by different activities. With their male friends, men play sports, for example, while women and their girlfriends often just talk when they get together. “That’s where it gets harder to leave out financial situations, and there’s more comparing,”says Heidbrink. On the other hand, when two guys play soccer together, it’s not an issue if one returns to a villa and the other to a low-rent apartment “What counts is trust,” Heidbrink says. When trust isn’t justified—when a friend refuses to help or betrays confidences—then friendships fall apart. They don’t fall apart because one person has a lot of money in the bank and the other doesn’t. If the less well-off don’t suffer from jealousy or envy, and the better-off don’t take it too much to heart if their best friend can’t join them on that spa trip, there’s a good chance of a successful friendship.正确答案：Money Don’t Make True Friends Go Money makes the mare go, and money also makes friends come and go. According to the passage above, financial disparity, to a certain extent, affects friendship, as the less rich person wouldfeel pressured. However, as mentioned by the friendship expert Heidbrink in the passage, firmness of a friendship depends crucially on trust, rather than financial equality. I share the same idea with Heidbrink that a successful friendship goes along with multi-trust and understanding. It is not incomprehensible at all to say that there can be a sense of insecurity and worthlessness if you associate with someone making more money, and consequently the friendship between the two will be unavoidably undermined, but friendship involves compromise, patience, and support. If the friendship is really worth it to them, people should be willing to make the necessary compromises to keep it alive. When differences in wealth spur tension in a friendship, it’s important for both parties to examine their feelings about money, success, and the root of any negative sentiments. For example, if one is overcome with jealousy over a friend’s wealth, it’s important to get real with oneself. Jealousy should be turned into something positive, which can help one see what one wants for oneself. As for the newly affluent people, they should not feel guilty about the changes in their station in life. Back in ancient times, Aristotle defined three kinds of friendship. The first two are utility and pleasure. But it is the third—based on friends sincerely wanting what’s best for each other—that stands the best chance of longevity. Besides financial disparity, there are many personal circumstances can affect a friendship—death, divorce, business failure, legal trouble—and solid relationships, like friendship, should withstand all the changes and disparities.解析：材料主要针对经济差距对友谊的影响进行论述。

经济差异影响友谊英语作文

经济差异影响友谊英语作文下载温馨提示:该文档是我店铺精心编制而成，希望大家下载以后，能够帮助大家解决实际的问题。

文档下载后可定制随意修改，请根据实际需要进行相应的调整和使用，谢谢!并且，本店铺为大家提供各种各样类型的实用资料，如教育随笔、日记赏析、句子摘抄、古诗大全、经典美文、话题作文、工作总结、词语解析、文案摘录、其他资料等等，如想了解不同资料格式和写法，敬请关注!Download tips: This document is carefully compiled by theeditor. I hope that after you download them,they can help yousolve practical problems. The document can be customized andmodified after downloading,please adjust and use it according toactual needs, thank you!In addition, our shop provides you with various types ofpractical materials,such as educational essays, diaryappreciation,sentence excerpts,ancient poems,classic articles,topic composition,work summary,word parsing,copyexcerpts,other materials and so on,want to know different data formats andwriting methods,please pay attention!Economic differences can have a significant impact on friendships. When people come from different economic backgrounds, it can create a divide that affects the dynamics of their relationship. Money, or the lack thereof, can become a source of tension and lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.In some cases, economic differences can lead to envy and jealousy. When one friend has a higher income or a more luxurious lifestyle, it can make the other friend feel inadequate or resentful. They may start comparing themselves and their achievements, leading to feelings of insecurity. This can strain the friendship and create a sense of competition rather than support and understanding.Furthermore, economic differences can also affect the activities and experiences that friends can share. For example, if one friend comes from a wealthy family and can afford to travel or dine at expensive restaurants, it maycreate a barrier for the other friend who cannot afford such luxuries. This can lead to feelings of exclusion and isolation, as the less privileged friend may not be able to participate in certain social activities.Moreover, economic differences can influence the way friends perceive and treat each other. Those with more financial resources may unintentionally or intentionally flaunt their wealth, which can make the less fortunate friend feel inferior or marginalized. This can lead to a breakdown in communication and a loss of trust between friends.On the other hand, economic differences can also bring friends closer together. It can create opportunities for learning and growth, as friends from different economic backgrounds can share their experiences and perspectives. They can learn to appreciate the value of money and the importance of financial responsibility. This can lead to a deeper understanding and empathy for each other's situations.In conclusion, economic differences can have both positive and negative effects on friendships. While it can create tension and feelings of inadequacy, it can also foster understanding and empathy. It is important for friends to communicate openly and honestly about their financial situations and to support each other regardless of their economic backgrounds. Ultimately, true friendship should be based on mutual respect, trust, and support, regardless of economic differences.。

2007年英语专业八级真题与答案（2）

Part2 Reading Comprehension (30min)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.Text AThe Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx. once widely spoken on the isle of Man but now extinct. Government financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe’s regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the country’s three million people.The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club- Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe- only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means “land of compatriots,” is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nation’s symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere- on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers.“Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,” said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales’s annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands.“There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,” Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. “We used to think. We can’t do anything, we’re only Welsh. Now I think that’s changing.”11. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant toA. maintain the present status among the nations.B. reduce legislative powers of England.C. create a better state of equality among the nations. √D. grant more say to all the nations in the union.12. The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph meansA. separatist.√B. conventional.C. feudal.D. political13. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPTA. people’s desire for devolution.B. locals’ turnout for the voting.C. powers of the legislative body.D. status of the national language.√14. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh national identityA. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.√C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight.15. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed isA. people’s mentality. √B. pop culture.C. town’s appearance.D. possibilities for the people.。

07年专八作文范文经济差异与友谊

Some people think that financial disparity affects friendship. What do you think? Write an essay of about 400 words.In the first part of your essay you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second part you should support your argument with appropriate details. In the last part you should bring what you have written to a natural conclusion or make a summary. You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.Marks will be awarded for content, organization，grammar and appropriateness. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.Some people think that financial disparity affects friendship. What do you think? Write an essay of about 400 words.Financial Disparity and FriendshipPeople have long been dominated by a fixed notion that friendship rests more largely on economic status shared by friends than anything else. They believe that financial disparity will definitely affect friendsh ip. Indeed, “Birds of a feather flock together.”Unfortunately, this notion of friendship cannot always apply. The possible truth is that, in a harmonious universe, birds of different feathers can and should be flying together. Therefore, one is sure to have friends from different economic backgrounds, and true friendship transcends financial differences. It embraces the quality of being genuine, lasting and productive.To begin with, true friendship should be genuine. Genuine friendship does not assume the commonly held view that financial equality can nurture a harmonious relationship between friends. Karl Marx and Engels, two great German thinkers, have provided anundisputable example in this regard. They came from totally different families, the former being financially disadvantaged while the latter being a son of wealthy capitalist. However, unlike table friends who might value various material comforts, they developed genuine friendship that helped refuel the two great minds. Together, they contributed to the treasure of human thoughts that has exerted the greatest impact on the course of history. Their example is educational in that their life-long friendship shows unmistakably that money counts least in true friendship.Additionally, true friendship should be lasting.People say nothing lasts in the world. But as far as I am concerned, true friendship does last forever. With lasting friendship, friends can go far both in life and career. A notable Chinese ancient novel Three Kingdoms renders a typical case in point. Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the three protagonists of the book, who were sworn brothers, notwithstanding they were from totally different socio-economic backgrounds. Liu was penniless despite the fact that he believed he had descended from aristocracy; Guan, a tramp from modern standard of judgment; Zhang, a wealthy landlord. Their friendship was formed long before they were successful. They clung to their friendship no matter what befell them. With permanent friendship the three lived a meaningful life. With abiding friendship they built a prosperous kingdom called Shu. Ever since then, their friendship has become a legend.Last but not least, true friendship should be productive. Of course, no one could deny the fact that in seeking friendship, one has some personal concerns like enjoying the company of friends, wining and dining, etc. But the best way to perpetuate good friendship is certainly to make it productive. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, my uncle met some intellectuals, who suffered from political persecution and lived in sheer poverty. Rather than look down upon or shun them, my uncle treated them as equal and made them his life-long friends. Together they started their own business when China implemented the opening-up policy some 10 years ago. Through fair and foul（在任何情况下）, and above all their joined efforts, they finally turned their concern into one of China 500. And today their relationship is more solid than ever before.As Bacon wrote, “We die as often as we lose a friend.” Few could live a rich, abundant and eager life without friends. Making friends and maintaining lasting friendship are an indispensable part of a successful and happy existence. If we consider what makes a good friend, money is the least concern. While we live, let us make friends.Financial Disparity ：Not a Barrier for FriendshipWith the development of market economy in China arise the income gaps between people working in different fields ; some earn good money ；some make ends meet（收支相抵）；some others live on narrow means. On top of many social problems this financial disparity may cause, there is a claim that it affects friendship. The assumption seems reasonable, but we may find it does not really hold water （站得住脚）by taking a close look into the subject.First of all，true and lasting friendship is built on common values, pursuits, or hobbies rather than similar incomes. Friends are those who agree with your life views and stick to the same principles, those who encourage you when you lack confidence in meeting challenges and pursuing your dream, or those who share your interests and appreciate your tastes. Indeed, what strengthens the emotional bonds between you and your pals is not the same amount of wealth but spiritual commonalities. Of course, with similar financial backgrounds, you will probably know better about each other's life style, but the difference in this aspect will not matter if you are mutually appreciated，needed and trusted. The friendship between Marx and Engels—the two German revolutionists—is a case in point. The former was often in debt while thelatter was well-off；yet the same socialist dream drew them together and made them forever friends.Moreover, financial disparity between friends does not cause trouble because each of them usually lives a self-reliant life. Different from a married couple who have common properties, budget and spend their income together, even very close friends live on their own finances. For instance, though we exchange ideas with and confide secrets to our friends，we will never rely on them for a comfortable life, no matter how rich they are. Admittedly, there are times when we may go out for fun or to dinner together with friends；however, whether they are richer or poorer than us, we can definitely find a place suitable for all rather than one beyond somebody's means.It is claimed that people with different financial backgrounds have different social contacts and accordingly, as friends, will get estranged sooner or later. It is true in some cases, but bosom friends（知心朋友）are not those who you get in touch with every day；instead，they are those who lend their hands to you when you fall into trouble, just as the old saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Hence, despite their distinct material life, the richer and the poorer can retain their friendship as long as they still care about each other, understand and support each other.To sum up，financial disparity will not affect friendship when people have common spiritual pursuits, lead an independent life and stand by each other for better or worse. It might be quite safe to say that money is not the barrier but the touchstone of real friendship.。

到专八阅读真题及答案

第二部分2007年----2012年英语专业八级阅读真题2007年Text AThe Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx. Once widely spoken on the Isle of Man but now extinct. Governments financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe’s regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the country’s three million people.The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club- Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe- only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as CatherineZeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means “land of compatriots,” is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nation’s symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere- on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers.“Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,” said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales’s annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands. “There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,” Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. “We used to think. We can’t do anything, we’re only Welsh. Now I think that’s changing.”11. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant toA. maintain the present status among the nations.B. reduce legislative powers of England.C. create a better state of equality among the nations.D. grant more say to all the nations in the union.12. The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph meansA. separatist.B. conventional.C. feudal.D. political13. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPTA. people's desire for devolution.B. locals' turnout for the voting.C. powers of the legislative body.D. status of the national language.14. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh national identityA. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight.15. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed isA. people's mentality.B. pop culture.C. town's appearance.D. possibilities for the people.Text BGetting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy seems hilariously easy. Armed only with a dog-eared NEWSWEEK ID, I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week. Unscanned, unsearched, my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox. The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig of orange juice from his plastic bottle.Were I a Kuwaiti woman wielding a ballot, I would have been a clearer and more present danger. That very day Parliament blocked a bill giving women the vote; 29 M.P.S voted in favor and 29 against, with two abstentions. Unable to decide whether the bill had passed or not, the government scheduled another vote in two weeks- too late for women to register for June's municipal elections. The next such elections aren't until 2009. Inside the elegant, marbled Parliament itself, a sea of mustachioed men in white robes sat in green seats, debating furiously. The ruling emir has pushed forwomen's political rights for years. Ironically, the democratically elected legislature has thwarted him. Traditionalists and tribal leaders are opposed. Liberals fret, too, that Islamists will let their multiple wives vote, swelling conservative ranks. “When I came to Parliament to day, people who voted yes didn't even shake hands with me,” said one Shia clerc. “Why can't we respect each other and work together?” Why not indeed? By Gulf standards, Kuwait is a democratic superstar. Its citizens enjoy free speech (as long as they don't insult their emir, naturally) and boast a Parliament that can actually pass laws. Unlike their Saudi sisters, Kuwaiti women drive, work and travel freely. They run multibillion-dollar businesses and serve as ambassadors. Their academic success is such that colleges have actually lowered the grades required for make students to get into medical and engineering courses. Even then, 70 percent of university students are females.In Kuwait, the Western obsession with the higab finds its equivalent. At a fancy party for NEWSWEEK's Arabic edition, some Kuwaiti women wore them. Others opted for tight, spangled, sheer little numbers in peacock blue or parrot orange. For the party's entertainment, Nancy Ajram, the Arab world's answer to Britney Spears, sang passionate songs of love in a white mini-dress. She couldn't dance for us, alas, since shaking one's body onstage is illegal in Kuwait. That didn't stop whole tables of men from raising their camera-enabled mobile phones and clicking her picture. You'd think not being able to vote or dance in public would anger Kuwait's younger generation of women. To find out, I headed to the malls-Kuwait's archipelago of civic freedom. Eager to duck strict parents and the social taboos of dating in public. Young Kuwaitis have taken to cafes, beaming flirtatious infrared e-mails to one another on their cell photos. At Starbucks in the glittering Al Sharq Mall, I found only tables of men, puffing cigarettes and grumbling about the service .At Pizza Hut, I thought I'd got an answer after encountering a young woman who looked every inch the modern suffragette—drainpipe jeans,strappy sliver high-heeled sandals and a higab studded with purple rhinestones. But, no, Miriam Al-Enizi, 20, studying business administration at Kuwait University, doesn't think women need the vote.” Men are better at politics than women,” she explained, adding that women in Kuwait already have everything they need. Welcome to democracy, Kuwait style.16. According to the passage, which of the following groups of people might be viewed as being dangerous by the guards?A. Foreign tourists.B. Women protestors.C. Foreign journalists.D. Members of the National Assembly.17. The bill giving women the vote did not manage to pass becauseA. Different interest groups held different concerns.B. Liberals did not reach consensus among themselves.C. Parliament was controlled by traditionalists.D.Parliament members were all conservatives.18. What is the role of the 4th and 5th paragraphs in the development of the topic?A. To show how Kuwaiti women enjoy themselves.B. To describe how women work and study in Kuwait.C. To provide a contrast to the preceding paragraphs.D. To provide a contrast to the preceding paragraphs.19. Which of the following is NOT true about young Kuwaiti women?A. They seem to be quite contented.B. They go in for Western fashions.C. They desire more than modern necessities.D. They favour the use of hi-tech products.Text CRichard, King of England from 1189 to 1199, with all his characteristic virtues and faults cast in a heroic mould is one of the most fascinating medieval figures. He has been described as the creature and embodiment of the age of chivalry, In those days the lion was much admired in heraldry, and more than one king sought to link himself with its repute. WhenRichard's contemporaries called him" Coeur de Lion"(The Lion heart), they paid a lasting compliment to the king of beasts. Little did the English people owe him for his services, and heavily did they pay for his adventures. He was in England only twice for a few short months in his ten years' reign; yet his memory has always English hearts, and seems to present throughout the centuries the pattern of the fighting man. In all deeds of prowess as well as in large schemes of war Richard shone. He was tall and delicately shaped strong in nerve and sinew, and most dexterous in arms. He reioiced in personal combat, and regarded his opponents without malice as necessary agents in his fame He loved war, not so much for the sake of glory or political ends, but as other men love science or poetry, for the excitement of the struggle and the glow of victory. By this his whole temperament was toned; and united with the highest qualities of the military commander, love of war called forth all the powers of his mind and body. Although a man of blood and violence, Richard was too impetuous to be either treacherous on habitually cruel. He was as ready to forgive as he was hasty to offend; he was open-handed and munificent to profusion; in war circumspect in design and skilful in execution; in political a child, lacking in subtlety and experience. His political alliances were formed upon his likes and dislikes; his political schemes had neither unity nor clearness of purpose. The advantages gained for him by military geoids were flung away through diplomatic ineptitude. When, on the journey to the East, Messina in Sicily was won by his arms he was easily persuaded to share with his polished, faithless ally, Philip Augustus, fruits of a victory which more wisely used might have foiled the French King's artful schemes. The rich and tenable acquisition of Cyprus was cast away even more easily than it was won. His life was one magnificent parade, which, when ended, left only an empty plain.In 1199, when the difficulties of raising revenue for the endless war were at their height, good news was brought to King Richard. It was said there had been dug up near the castle of Chaluz, on the lands of one of his French vassals, a treasure of wonderful quality; a group of golden images of an emperor, his wife, sons and daughters, seated round a table, also of gold, had been unearthed. The King claimed this treasure as lord paramount. The lord of Chaluz resisted the demand, and the King laid siege to his small, weak castle. On the third day, as he rode daringly, near the wall. Confident in his hard-tried luck, a bolt from a crossbow struck him in the left shoulder by the neck. The wound, already deep, was aggravated by the necessary cutting out of the arrow-head. Gangrene set in, and Coeur de Lion knew that he mustpay a soldier’s debt. He prepared for death with fortitude and calm, and in accordance with the principles he had followed. He arranged his affairs, he divided his personal belongings among his friends or bequeathed them to charity. He declared John to be his heir, and made all present swear fealty to him. He ordered the archer who had shot the fatal bolt, and who was now a prisoner, to be brought before him. He pardoned him, and made him a gift of money. For seven years he had not confessed for fear of being compelled to be reconciled to Philip, but now he received the offices of the Church with sincere and exemplary piety, and died in the forty-second year of his age on April 6, 1199, worthy, by the consent of all men, to sit with King Arthur and Roland another heroes of martial romance at some Eternal round Table, which we trust the Creator of the Universe in His comprehension will not have forgotten to provide.The archer was flayed alive.20 “little did the English people own him for his service” (paragraph one) means that the EnglishA. paid few taxes to him.B gave him little respect.C received little protection from him.D had no real cause to feel grateful to him.21. To say that his wife was a “ magnificent parade’( paragraph Two) implies that it was to some extent.A .spent chiefly at war.B impressive and admirable.C lived too pompouslyD. an empty show.22. Richard’s behaviour as death approached sh owed.A. bravery and self-control.B. Wisdom and correctnessC. Devotion and romanceD. Chivalry and charity23. The point of the last short paragraph is that Richard wasA. cheated by his own successorsB. determined to take revenge on his enemies.C. more generous to his enemies than his seccesors.D unable to influence the behavior of his successors.24. Which of the following phrase best describes Richard as seen by the author?A. An aggressive king, too fond of war.B. A brave king with minor faults.C A competent but cunning soldier.D A kind with great political skills.25. The relationship between the first and second paragraphs is thatA. each presents one side of the picture.B. the first generalizes the second gives examples.C. the second is the logical result of the first.D. both present Richard’s virtues and faults.TEXT DThe miserable fate of Enron's employees will be a landmark in business history, one of those awful events that everyone agrees must never be allowed to happen again. This urge is understandable and noble: thousandshave lost virtually all their retirement savings with the demise of Enron stock. But making sure it never happens again may not be possible, because the sudden impoverishment of those Enron workers represents something even larger than it seems. It's the latest turn in the unwinding of one of the most audacious promise of the 20th century.The promise was assured economic security-even comfort- for essentially everyone in the developed world. With the explosion of wealth, that beganin the 19th century it became possible to think about a possibility no one had dared to dream before. The fear at the center of daily living since caveman days- lack of food warmth, shelter- would at last lose its power to terrify. That remarkable promise became reality in many ways. Governments created welfare systems for anyone in need and separate programmes for the elderly (Social Security in the U.S.). Labour unions promised not only better pay for workers but also pensions for retirees. Giant corporations came into being and offered the possibility- in some cases the promise- of lifetime employment plus guaranteed pensions. The cumulative effect was a fundamental change in how millions of people approached life itself, a reversal of attitude that most rank as one of the largest in human history. For millennia the average person’s stance toward providing for himself had been. Ultimately I’m on my own. Now it became, ultimately I’ll be taken care of. The early hints that this promise might be broken on a large scale came in the 1980s. U.S. business had become uncompetitive globally and began restructuring massively, with huge Layoffs. The trend accelerated in the 1990s as the bastions of corporate welfare faced reality. IBM ended it’sno-layoff policy. AT&T fired thousands, many of whom found such a thing simply incomprehensible, and a few of whom killed themselves. The other supposed guarantors of our economic security were also in decline.Labour-union membership and power fell to their lowest levels in decades. President Clinton signed a historic bill scaling back welfare. Americans realized that Social Security won’t provide social security for any of us.A less visible but equally significant trend a affected pensions. To make costs easier to control, companies moved away from defined benefit pension plans, which obligate them to pay out specified amounts years in the future, to define contribution plans, which specify only how much goes into the play today. The most common type of defined-contribution plan is the401(k). the significance of the 401(k) is that it puts most of the responsibility for a person's economic fate back on the employee. Within limits the employee must decide how much goes into the plan each year and how itgets invested- the two factors that will determine how much it’s worth when the employee retires. Which brings us back to Enron? Those billions of dollars in vaporized retirement savings went in employees' 401(k) accounts. That is, the employees chose how much money to put into those accounts and then chose how to invest it. Enron matched a certain proportion of each employee's 401(k) contribution with company stock, so everyone was going to end up with some Enron in his or her portfolio; but that could be regarded as a freebie, since nothing compels a company to match employee contributions at all. At least two special features complicate the Enron case. First, some shareholders charge top management with illegally covering up the company's problems, prompting investors to hang on when they should have sold. Second, Enron's 401(k) accounts were locked while the company changed plan administrators in October, when the stock was falling, so employees could not have closed their accounts if they wanted to.But by far the largest cause of this human tragedy is that thousands of employees were heavily overweighed in Enron stock. Many had placed 100% of their 401(k) assets in the stock rather than in the 18 other investment options they were offered. Of course that wasn't prudent, but it's what some of them did.The Enron employees' retirement disaster is part of the larger trend away from guaranteed economic security. That's why preventing such a thing from ever happening again may be impossible. The huge attitudinal shift toI’ll-be-taken-care-of took at least a generation. The shift back may take just as long. It won't be complete until a new generation of employees see assured economic comfort as a 20th- century quirk, and understand not just intellectually but in their bones that, like most people in most times and places, they're on their own26. Why does the author say at the beginning “The miserable fate of Enron's employees will be a landmark in business history...”?A. Because the company has gone bankrupt.B. Because such events would never happen again.C. Because many Enron workers lost their retirement savings.D. Because it signifies a turning point in economic security.27. According to the passage, the combined efforts by governments, layout unions and big corporations to guarantee economic comfort have led to a significant change inA. people's outlook on life.B. people's life styles.C. people's living standardD. people's social values.28. Changes in pension schemes were also part ofA. the corporate lay-offs.B. the government cuts in welfare spending.C. the economic restructuring.D. the warning power of labors unions.29. Thousands of employees chose Enron as their sole investment option mainly becauseA. The 401(k) made them responsible for their own future.B. Enron offered to add company stock to their investment.C. their employers intended to cut back on pension spending.D. Enron's offer was similar to a defined-benefit plan.30. Which is NOT seen as a lesson drawn from the Enron disaster?A. 401(k) assets should be placed in more than one investment option.B. Employees have to take up responsibilities for themselves.C. Such events could happen again as it is not easy to change people's mind.D. Economic security won't be taken for granted by future young workers.阅读理解答案：11-15 CADBA 16-20 BACCD 21-25 DDDBA 26-30 DABBD2008年TEXT AAt the age of 16, Lee Hyuk Joons life is a living hell. The South Korean 10th grader gets up at 6 in the morning to go to school, and studies most of the day until returning home at 6 p.m. After dinner, its time to hit the books again—at one of Seouls many so-called cram schools. Lee gets back home at 1 in the morning, sleeps less than five hours, then repeats the routine—five days a week. Its a grueling schedule, but Lee worries that it may not be good enough to get him into a top university. Some of his classmates study even harder.South Koreas education system has long been highly competitive. But for Lee and the other 700,000 high-school sophomores in the country, high-school studies have gotten even more intense. Thats because South Korea has conceived a new college-entrance system, which will be implemented in 2008. This years 10th graders will be the first group evaluated by the new admissions standard, which places more emphasis on grades in the three years of high school and less on nationwide SAT-style and other selection tests, which have traditionally determined which students go to the elite colleges.The change was made mostly to reduce what the government says is a growing education gap in the country: wealthy students go to the best colleges and get the best jobs, keeping the children of poorer families on the social margins. The aim is to reduce the importance of costly tutors and cram schools, partly to help students enjoy a more normal high-school life. But the new system has had the opposite effect. Before, students didnt worry too much about their grade-point averages; the big challenge was beating he standardized tests as high-school seniors. Now students are competing against one another over a three-year period, and every midterm and final test is crucial. Fretful parents are relying even more heavily on tutors and cram schools to help their children succeed.Parents and kids have sent thousands of angry online letters to the Education Ministry complaining that the new admissions standard is setting students against each other. "One can succeed only when others fail,” as one parent said.Education experts say that South Koreas public secondary-school system is foundering, while private education is thriving. According to critics, the countrys high schools are almost uniformly mediocre—the result of an egalitarian government education policy. With the number of elite schools strictly controlled by the government, even the brightest students typically have to settle for ordinary schools in their neighbourhoods, where the curriculum is centred on average students. To make up for the mediocrity, zealous parents send their kids to the expensive cram schools. Students in affluent southern Seoul neighbourhoods complain that the new system will hurt them the most.Nearly all Korean high schools will be weighted equally in the college-entrance process, and relatively weak students in provincial schools, who may not score well on standardized tests, often compile good grade-point averages.Some universities, particularly prestigious ones, openly complain that they cannot select the best students under the new system because it eliminates differences among high schools. Theyve asked for more discretion in pickingstudents by giving more weight to such screening tools as essay writing or interviews.President Roh Moo Hyun doesnt like how some colleges are trying to circumvent the new system. He recently criticized "greedy" universities that focus more on finding the best students than faying to "nurture good students". But amid the crossfire between the government and universities, the countrys 10th graders are feeling the stress. On online protest sites, some are calling themselves a “cursed generation” and “mice in a lab experiment”. It all seems a touch melodramatic, but thats the South Korean school system.11. According to the passage, the new college-entrance system is designed toA. require students to sit for more college-entrance tests.B. reduce the weight of college-entrance tests.C. select students on their high school grades only.D. reduce the number of prospective college applicants.12. What seems to be the effect of introducing the new system?A. The system has given equal opportunities to students.B. The system has reduced the number of cram schools.C. The system has intensified competition among schools.D. The system has increased students study load.13. According to critics, the popularity of private education is mainly the result ofA. the governments egalitarian policy.B. insufficient number of schools:C. curriculums of average quality.D. low cost of private education.14. According to the passage, there seems to be disagreement over the adoption of the new system between the following groups EXCEPTA. between universities and the government.B. between school experts and the government.C. between parents and schools.D. between parents and the government.15. Which of the following adjectives best describes the authors treatment of the topic?A. Objective.B. Positive.C. Negative.D. Biased.TEXT BWilfred Emmanuel-Jones was a teenager before he saw his first cow in his first field. Born in Jamaica, the 47-year-old grew up in inner-city Birmingham before making a career as a television producer and launching his own marketing agency. But deep down he always nurtured every true Englishmans dream of a rustic life, a dream that his entrepreneurial wealth has allowed him to satisfy. These days hes the owner of a thriving 12-hectare farm in deepest Devon with cattle, sheep and pigs. His latest business venture: pushing his brand of Black Fanner gourmet sausages and barbecue sauces. “My background may be very urban,” says Emmanuel-Jones.“But it has given me a good idea of what other urbanites want.”And of how to sell it. Emmanuel-Jones joins a herd of wealthy fugitives from city life who are bringing a new commercial know-how to British farming. Britains burgeoning farmers markets -numbers have doubled to at least 500 in the last five years—swarm with specialty cheesemakers, beekeepers or organic smallholders who are redeploying the business skills they learned in the city. "Everyone in the。

2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊

2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊第一篇：2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊Some people think that financial disparity affects friendship.They may believe that there can be no friendship between the rich and the poor.Their major evidence might be that a rich person and a poor one have different life styles and different tastes for things.At first sight, this argument seems reasonable.However, a careful inspection at it reveals how flimsy it is.In its true sense, friend is not grounded on money.First, let¡¯s see what true friendship is.True friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality.Friends often share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion.True friendship also involves a shared sense of caring and concern, a desire to see one another grow and develop, and a hope for each other to succeed in all aspects of life.Besides, true friendship involves action: doing something for someone else while expecting nothing in return;sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative st but not least, true friendship demands mutual trust and respect.All these attributes have little or nothing to do with money.Actually, we can find numerous examples of friendship immune to financial disparity.That between Carl Marx and Friedrich Engels is a case in point.Though differing a lot in financial statuses, they formed firm friendship during their common pursuit of communism.While Marx was leading a miserable life due to lack of money, it was Engels who gave him a hand.It was common belief and ideal that bound them together.An equally convincing example is the friendship among the numerous revolutionaries in China before the liberation of the country.Though they came from different families andfinancial backgrounds, they became constant friends and comrades during the fight for the nation¡¯s independence and freedom.Truly, it often occurs that two friends break up because of changes in their financial status.When one of them suddenly makes a fortune or gets a promotion, he or she may cut off traffic with his or her former friend.The same thing might happen when one of them suddenly falls upon dark days.Such people, however, cannot be called friends in its true sense.To sum up, financial disparity does not necessarily affect friendship;much less can it affect true friendship.True friendship can stand the test of time and adversity.第二篇：英语专八改错部分真题及答案So far as we can tell, all human languages are equally complete and perfect as instruments of communication: that is, every language appears to be as well equipped as any other to say the things its speakers want to say.It may or may not be appropriate to talk about primitive peoples or cultures, but that is another matter.Certainly, not all groups of people are equally competent in nuclear physics or psychology or the cultivation of rice or the engraving of Benares brass.But this is not the fault of their language.The Eskimos can speak about snow with a great deal more precision and subtlety than we can in English, but this is not because the Eskimo language(one of those sometimes miscalled ’primitive’)is inherently more precise and subtle than English.This example does not bring to light a defect in English, a show of unexpected ’primitiveness’.The position is simply and obviously that the Eskimos and the English live in different environments.The English language would be just as rich in terms for different kinds of snow, presumably, if the environments in which English was habitually used made suchdistinction important.Similarly, we have no reason to doubt that the Eskimo language could be as precise and subtle on the subject of motor manufacture or cricket if these topics formed part of the Eskimos’ life.For obvious historical r easons, Englishmen in the nineteenth century could not talk about motorcars with the minute discrimination which is possible today: cars were not a part of their culture.But they had a host of terms for horse-drawn vehicles which send us, puzzled, to a historical dictionary when we are reading Scott or Dickens.How many of us could distinguish between a chaise, a landau, a victoria, a brougham, a coupe, a gig, a diligence, a whisky, a calash, a tilbury, a carriole, a phaeton, and a clarence ?be后插入as;their改为its;There改为It;Whereas改为But;further 改为muchcome改为bring;similar改为different;will改为would;as important去掉as;the part去掉the第三篇：2014年英语专四专八真题改错答案2014年英语专八考试已经结束结束，下面小编整理了各网友考生回忆的真题答案，以下是2014年英语专八真题改错答案，供各位考生参考。

英语专八2007年真题作文

英语专八2007年真题作文篇一：2015年专八写作真题及两篇范文TEM 8 2015 WritingThere has been a new trend in economic activity- the sharing economy. The biggest sector of the sharing economy is travel. You find a potential host through a website. If you both get along and they are available during your planned trip, you stand a chance of getting a place for free. In addition, people also use website and apps to rent out their cars, houses, tools, clothes and services to one another. Time magazine has included this trend in a list titled “10 ideas that will change the world.”It said, “In an era when families are scattered and we may not know the people down the street, sharing things-even with strangers we’ve met just online-allow us to make meaningful connections.”What do you think of Time’s comment?Write your essay of about 400 words for the following topic:My Views on the Sharing EconomyIn the first part you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second you should support your argument with appropriate details, in the last part you should bring what you’ve written to anatural conclusion or make a summary.Outline:My views on the sharing economyⅠThesis:The sharing economy plays an important part in modern society ⅡArgumentsA:It helps people make good use of resources.B:The rose's in her hand,the flavor in mine.C:People can make more friends by it.ⅢSummary:We can take an active part in the sharing economy and take good advantage of it.范文一My Views on the Sharing EconomyThe sharing economy has been a new trend in economic activities.Many people benefit a lot through it while different people hold different opinions toward the new topic.On my personal note,with thedevelopment of the modern society and economy,the sharing economy plays an important part nowadays.My reasons are as follows.First of all,it helps people make good use of resources.As we all know,the owners can share their available bargains with people who need for free or rent their unused things to one another.It can make sure that many things can be used for as many times aspossible instead of being abandoned in the corner.Secondly,as the old saying goes:"The rose's in her hand,the flavor in mine."The sharing economy is just like the rose,it is the bridge between owners and recipients and offers a brand new way to help others and the owners will receive happiness at the same time.When one release the notethat he need a place to stay for some time,the one who can offer him will contact him and they both can get what they want.Last but not least,people can make more friends through this.By chatting or negotiating online,two strangers can become familiar with each other and make meaningful connections.For example,if you plan to travel and you find the man who are willing to offer you a place tostay,you will share your journey with him or her,then you may find you two have similar outlooks on life or other similarities.You may even keep in touch with each other for a long time after the bargain.In summary,as the Times magazine comments,the sharing economy is becoming one of 10 ideas that change the world.It brings muchconvenience in our daily life.From my point of view,we can take an active part in the sharing economy and take full advantage of it.（304 words）范文二，My Views on the Sharing EconomyThe sharing economy refers to the economic pattern in which people share access to resources, such as goods, services and data. This newly emerging trend would be impossible without the development oftechnology. It is the Internet that makes the sharing cheaper and easier and helps to strike a balance between supply and demand. Time magazine has listed the sharing economy as one of the “10 ideas that will change the world”. As far as the comment is concerned, I cannot agree with Time more非常同意.As one of the greatest benefits of the digital age, the sharing economy arises from our oldest instinct as human beings. There is always an urge for us to connect with others, especially in an era when families are scattered and we do not really know the people who live nearby. It has been said that “Joys shared with others are more enjoyed.”However, in my eyes, the resources shared with others are more beneficial to our society.On the one hand, sharing economy leads to a more efficient use of resources. Some items are expensive to buy but widely owned by people who do not make the best use of them. Occasional sharing may provide extra income for the owners and can be less costly forthe borrowers. If managed well, a win-win situation is achieved for both parties in the process. Besides, sharing economy contributes to environmental protection. Take accommodation for example. The more hotels are built, the more resources are required, which might in turn result in a decrease in arable land and public green space. On the other hand, the transaction 交易cost is reduced due to the use of Internet and various apps. With asmart phone in your hand, it is not difficult to find a potential host in the neighboring area. People are meeting increasingly on screens, discussing online and purchasing goods domestic and overseas, paying through Internet payment system.To summarize, although the sharing economy is not perfect at present because of concerns in insurance, legal liability, safety and the like, I believe, quite firmly, that it represents the future trend and has the power to change the world for the convenience and flexibility it brings to us. Just as the old Chinese saying goes, the defects cannot obscure掩盖the virtues of a splendid jade瑕不掩瑜, and I assume it also applies to the sharing economy.（400 words）篇二：2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊Some people think that financial disparity affects friendship. They may believe that there can be no friendship between the rich and the poor. Their major evidence might be that a rich person and apoor one have different life styles and different tastes for things. At first sight, this argument seems reasonable. However, a careful inspection at it reveals how flimsy it is. In its true sense, friend is not grounded on money.First, let?ˉs see what true friendship is. True friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality. Friends often share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion. True friendship also involves a shared sense of caring and concern, a desire to see one another grow and develop, and a hope for each other to succeed in all aspects of life. Besides, true friendship involves action: doing something for someone else while expecting nothing in return; sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative criticism. Last but not least, true friendship demands mutual trust and respect. All these attributes have little or nothing to do with money.Actually, we can find numerous examples of friendship immune to financial disparity. That between Carl Marx and Friedrich Engels is a case in point. Though differing a lot in financial statuses, they formed firm friendship during their common pursuit of communism. While Marx was leading a miserable life due to lack of money, it was Engels who gave him a hand. It was common belief and ideal that bound them together. An equally convincing example is thefriendship among the numerous revolutionaries in China before the liberation of the country. Though they came from different families and financial backgrounds, they became constant friends and comrades during the fight for the nation?ˉs independence and freedom.Truly, it often occurs that two friends break up because of changes in their financial status. When one of them suddenly makes a fortune or gets a promotion, he or she may cut off traffic with his or her former friend. The same thing might happen when one of them suddenly falls upon dark days. Such people, however, cannot be called friends in its true sense.To sum up, financial disparity does not necessarily affect friendship; much less can it affect true friendship. True friendship can stand the test of time and adversity.篇三：2011年专八作文真题2011年专八写作真题PARTVI WRITING (45MIN)According to a recent newspaper report, many famous sites of historical interest in China have begun or are considering charging tourists higher entry fees during peek travel seasons. This has aroused a lot of public attention and also public debate. What is your opinion? Should famous Chinese sites of historical interestcharge higher fees during peek travel seasons? Write an essay of about 400 words.In the first part of your essay you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second part you should support your argument with appropriate details. In the last part you should bring what you have written to a natural conclusion or make a summary. You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammar and appropriateness. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.。

07年专业八级考试部分试题及答案(2)

07年专业八级考试部分试题及答案(2)改错题：From what has been said, it must be clear that no one canmake very positive statements about how language originated.There is no material in any language today and in the earliest （1）and→orrecords of ancient languages show us language in a new and （2）show→showingemerging state. It is often said, of course, that the language （3）the 删除originated in cries of anger, fear, pain and pleasure, and the （4）and→butnecessary evidence is entirely lacking: there are no remotetribes, no ancient records, providing evidence ofa language with a large proportion of such cries（5）large→lagerthan we find in English. It is true that the absenceof such evidence does not disprove the theory, but in（6）in→on other grounds too the theory is not very attractive.People of all races and languages make rather similarnoises in return to pain or pleasure. The fact that（7）return→responsesuch noises are similar on the lips of Frenchmenand Malaysians whose languages are utterly different,serves to emphasize on the fundamental difference（8）on 删除between these noises and language proper. We maysay that the cries of pain or chortles of amusementare largely reflex actions, instinctive to∧large extent, （9）∧a whereas language proper does not consist of signsbut of these that have to be learnt and that are（10）these→those。

2007年英语专业八级真题

TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS(2007)-GRADE EIGHT-Time limit:195MIN PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION(35MIN) SECTION A Mini-lectureIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture.You will hear the lecture once only.While listening,take notes on the important points.You notes will not be marked,but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task for after the mini-lecture.When the lecture is over,you will be given two minutes to check your notes,and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on Answer sheet e the blank sheet for note-tanking.What Can We Learn from Art?I.IntroductionA.Differences between general history and art history—Focus:—general history:(1)_____—art history:political values,emotions,everyday life,etc.B.Significance of studyMore information and better understanding of human society and civilizationII.Types of informationrmation in history books is(2)_____—facts,but no opinionsrmation in art history is subjective—(3)_____and opinionse.g.—Spanish painter's works:misuse of governmental power—Mexican artists'works:attitudes towards social problemsIII.Art as a reflection of religious beliefsA.Europe:(4)_____in pictures in churchesB.Middle East:pictures of flowers and patterns in mosques,palacesReason:human and(5)_____are not seen as holyC.Africa and the Pacific Islands:masks,headdresses and costumes in special ceremoniesPurpose:to seek the help of(6)_____to protect crops,animals and people.IV.Perceptions of ArtHow people see art is related to their cultural background.A.Europeans and Americans—(7)_____—expression of ideasB.People in other places—part of everyday life—(8)_____useV.Art as a reflection of social changesA.Cause of changes:(9)_____of different cultures.B.Changes—tribal people:effects of(10)_____on art forms—European artists:influence of African traditional art in their works—American and Canadian artists:study of Japanese paintingSECTION B interviewIn this section you will hear everything once only.Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.Mark the correct answer to each question on your colored answer sheet.Questions1to5are based on an interview.At the end of the interview you will be given10seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the following five questions.Now listen to the interview1.According to Nigel,most problems of air travel are caused by________.A.Unfavorable weather conditions.B.Airports handling capacity.C.Inadequate ticketing service.D.Overbooking.2.Which of the following is not mentioned as compensation for volunteers for thenext fight out?A.Free ticket.B.Free phone call.C.Cash reward.D.Seat reservation.3.Why does Niget suggest that business travelers avoid big airports?A.Because all flights in and out of there are full.B.Because the volume of traffic is heavy.C.Because there are more popular flights.D.Because there are more delays and cancellations.4.According to Nigel,inexperience travelers are likely to make the followingmistakes EXCEPTA.Booking on less popular flights.B.buying tickets at full priceC.carrying excessive luggageD.planning long business trips5.Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A.The possibility of discounts depends on a travel agent's volume of business.B.Longer flights to the same destination maybe cheaper.C.It is advisable to plan every detail of a trip in advance.D.Arranging for stopovers can avoid overnight travel.SECTION C NEWS BROACASTIn this section you will hear everything once only.Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Question6is based on the following news.At the end of the news item,you will be given10seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.6.What happened on Monday?A.A train crash occurred causing minor injuries.B.Investigator found out the cause of the accident.C.Crews rescued more passengers from the site.D.A commuter train crashed into a building.Question7and8are based on the following news.At the end of the news item,you will be given20seconds to answer the questions.6.Which of the following was not on the agenda of the G20meeting?A.Iraq debts.B.WTO talks.C.Financial disasters.D.Possible sanctions.8.The G20is a(n)________organization.A.International.B.European.C.Regional.n.Question9and10are based on the following news.At the end of the news item,you will be given20seconds to answer the questions9.The UN Charter went into effect after________.A.It was signed by the50original member countries.B.It was approved by the founders and other member countries.C.It was approved by the founding members.D.It was signed by the founding members.10.Which of the following best describe the role of the charter?A.The Charter only describes powers of the UN bodies.B.The Charter mainly aims to promote world economy.C.The charter is a treaty above all other treaties.D.The charter authorizes reforms in UN bodies.Part II Reading Comprehension(30min)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of20 multiple-choice questions.Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT AThe Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity,but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx.Once widely spoken on the isle of Man but now ernment financing and central planning, however,have helped reverse the decline of Welsh.Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English,and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages.Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe's regional languages,spoken by more than a half-million of the country's three million people.The revival of the language,particularly among young people,is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small,proud st month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly,the first parliament to be convened here since1404.The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom.With most of the people and wealth,England has always had bragging rights.The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster,implemented by Tony Blair,was designed to give the other members of the club-Scotland,Northern Ireland,and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution.Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament,the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than25percent.Its powers were proportionately limited.The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent.It cannot,unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh,enact laws. But now that it is here,the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly.Many people would like it to have more powers.Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in2003,of a new debating chamber,one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty.Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe-only Spain,Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women,boosting self-esteem.To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and RichardBurton have been added new icons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones,the movie star,and Bryn Terfel,the opera singer.Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue.And Wales now boasts a national airline.Awyr Cymru.Cymru,which means"land of compatriots,"is the Welsh name for Wales.The red dragon,the nation's symbol since the time of King Arthur,is everywhere-on T-shirts,rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers."Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,"said Dyfan Jones,an18-year-old student.It was a warm summer night,and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south,outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod,Wales's annual cultural festival.The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands."There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,"Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe,Dyfan,like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago."We used to think.We can't do anything,we're only Welsh.Now I think that's changing."11.According to the passage,devolution was mainly meant to________.A.maintain the present status among the nationsB.reduce legislative powers of EnglandC.create a better state of equality among the nationsD.grant more say to all the nations in the union12.The word"centrifugal"in the second paragraph means________.A.separatistB.conventionalC.feudalD.political13.Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPTA.people's desire for devolutionB.locals'turnout for the votingC.powers of the legislative bodyD.status of the national language14.Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welshnational identity________.A.Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.B.Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.C.A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.D.The national symbol has become a familiar sight.15.According to Dyfan Jones what has changed is________.A.people's mentalityB.pop cultureC.town's appearanceD.possibilities for the peopleTEXT BGetting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy seems hilariously easy.Armed only with a dog-eared NEWSWEEK ID,I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week.Unscanned,unsearched,my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox.The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig of orange juice from his plastic bottle.Were I a Kuwaiti woman wielding a ballot,I would have been a clearer and more present danger.That very day Parliament blocked a bill giving women the vote;29M. P.s voted in favour and29against,with two abstentions.Unable to decide whether the bill had passed or not,the government scheduled another vote in two weeks-too late for women to register for June's municipal elections.The next such elections aren't until2009.Inside the elegant,marbled Parliament itself,a sea of mustachioed men in white robes sat in green seats,debating furiously.The ruling emir has pushed for women's political rights for years.Ironically,the democratically elected legislature has thwarted him.Traditionalists and tribal leaders are opposed.Liberals fret,too,that Islamists will let their multiple wives vote,swelling conservative ranks."When I came to Parliament today,people who voted yes didn't even shake hands with me," said one Shia clerc."Why can't we respect each other and work together?"Why not indeed?By Gulf standards,Kuwait is a democratic superstar.Its citizens enjoy free speech(as long as they don't insult their emir,naturally)and boast a Parliament that can actually pass laws.Unlike their Saudi sisters,Kuwaiti women drive,work and travel freely.They run multibillion-dollar businesses and serve as ambassadors.Their academic success is such that colleges have actually lowered the grades required for make students to get into medical and engineering courses.Even then,70percent of university students are females.In Kuwait,the Western obsession with the higab finds its equivalent.At a fancy party for NEWSWEEK's Arabic edition,some Kuwaiti women wore them.Others opted for tight,spangled,sheer little numbers in peacock blue or parrot orange.For the party's entertainment,Nancy Ajram,the Arab world's answer to Britney Spears, sang passionate songs of love in a white mini-dress.She couldn't dance for us,alas, since shaking one's body onstage is illegal in Kuwait.That didn't stop whole tables ofmen from raising their camera-enabled mobile phones and clicking her picture.You'd think not being able to vote or dance in public would anger Kuwait's younger generation of women.To find out,I headed to the malls-Kuwait's archipelago of civic freedom.Eager to duckStrict parents and the social taboos of dating in public.young Kuwaitis have taken to cafes,beaming flirtatious infrared e-mails to one another on their cell photos. At Starbucks in the glittering Al Sharq Mall,I found only tables of men,puffing cigarettes and grumbling about the service.At Pizza Hut,I thought I'd got an answer after encountering a young woman who looked every inch the modern suffragette–drainpipe jeans,strappy sliver high-heeled sandals and a higab studded with purple rhinestones.But,no,Miriam Al-Enizi,20,studying business administration at Kuwait University,doesn't think women need the vote."Men are better at politics than women,"she explained,adding that women in Kuwait already have everything they need.Welcome to democracy,Kuwait style.16.According to the passage,which of the following groups of people might beviewed as being dangerous by the guards?A.Foreign tourists.B.Women protestors.C.Foreign journalists.D.Members of the National Assembly.17.The bill giving women the vote did not manage to pass because________.A.Different interest groups held different concerns.B.Liberals did not reach consensus among themselves.C.Parliament was controlled by traditionalists.D.Parliament members were all conservatives.18.What is the role of the4th and5th paragraphs in the development of the topic?A.To show how Kuwaiti women enjoy themselves.B.To describe how women work and study in Kuwait.C.To provide a contrast to the preceding paragraphs.D.To provide a contrast to the preceding paragraphs.19.Which of the following is NOT true about young Kuwaiti women?A.They seem to be quite contented.B.They go in for Western fashions.C.They desire more than modern necessities.D.They favour the use of hi-tech products.TEXT CRichard,King of England from1189to1199,with all his characteristic virtues and faults cast in a heroic mould,is one of the most fascinating medieval figures.He has been described as the creature and embodiment of the age of chivalry,In those days the lion was much admired in heraldry,and more than one king sought to link himself with its repute.When Richard's contemporaries called him"Coeur de Lion" (The Lion heart),they paid a lasting compliment to the king of beasts.Little did the English people owe him for his services,and heavily did they pay for his adventures. He was in England only twice for a few short months in his ten years'reign;yet his memory has always English hearts,and seems to present throughout the centuries the pattern of the fighting man.In all deeds of prowess as well as in large schemes of war Richard shone.He was tall and delicately shaped strong in nerve and sinew,and mostdexterous in arms.He rejoiced in personal combat,and regarded his opponents without malice as necessary agents in his fame He loved war,not so much for the sake of glory or political ends,but as other men love science or poetry,for the excitement of the struggle and the glow of victory.By this his whole temperament was toned;and united with the highest qualities of the military commander,love of war called forth all the powers of his mind and body.Although a man of blood and violence,Richard was too impetuous to be either treacherous on habitually cruel.He was as ready to forgive as he was hasty to offend; he was open-handed and munificent to profusion;in war circumspect in design and skilful in execution;in political a child,lacking in subtlety and experience.His political alliances were formed upon his likes and dislikes;his political schemes had neither unity nor clearness of purpose.The advantages gained for him by military geoids were flung away through diplomatic ineptitude.When,on the journey to the East,Messina in Sicily was won by his arms he was easily persuaded to share with his polished,faithless ally,Philip Augustus,fruits of a victory which more wisely used might have foiled the French King's artful schemes.The rich and tenable acquisition of Cyprus was cast away even more easily than it was won.His life was one magnificent parade,which,when ended,left only an empty plain.In1199,when the difficulties of raising revenue for the endless war were at their height,good news was brought to King Richard.It was said there had been dug up near the castle of Chaluz,on the lands of one of his French vassals,a treasure of wonderful quality;a group of golden images of an emperor,his wife,sons and daughters,seated round a table,also of gold,had been unearthed.The King claimed this treasure as lord paramount.The lord of Chaluz resisted the demand,and the King laid siege to his small,weak castle.On the third day,as he rode daringly,near the wall. confident in his hard-tried luck,a bolt from a crossbow struck him in the left shoulder by the neck.The wound,already deep,was aggravated by the necessary cutting out of the arrow-head.Gangrene set in,and Coeur de Lion knew that he must pay a soldier's debt.He prepared for death with fortitude and calm,and in accordance with the principles he had followed.He arranged his affairs,he divided his personal belongings among his friends or bequeathed them to charity.He declared John to be his heir,and made all present swear fealty to him.He ordered the archer who had shot the fatal bolt,and who was now a prisoner,to be brought before him.He pardoned him,and made him a gift of money.For seven years he had not confessed for fear of being compelled to be reconciled to Philip,but now he received the offices of the Church with sincere and exemplary piety,and died in the forty-second year of his age on April6,1199,worthy,by the consent of all men,to sit with King Arthur and Roland and other heroes of martial romance at some Eternal round Table,which we trust the Creator of the Universe in His comprehension will not have forgotten to provide.The archer was flayed alive.20."little did the English people own him for his service"(paragraph one)meansthat the English________.A.paid few taxes to himB.gave him little respectC.received little protection from himD.had no real cause to feel grateful to him21.To say that his wife was a"magnificent parade"(paragraph Two)implies that itwas to some extent.A.spent chiefly at warB.impressive and admirableC.lived too pompouslyD.an empty show22.Richard's behaviour as death approached showed.\A.bravery and self-controlB.Wisdom and correctness.C.Devotion and romance.D.Chivalry and charity.23.The point of the last short paragraph is that Richard was________.A.cheated by his own successorsB.determined to take revenge on his enemiesC.more generous to his enemies than his successorsD.unable to influence the behavior of his successors24.Which of the following phrase best describes Richard as seen by the author?A.An aggressive king,too fond of war.B.A brave king with minor faults.C.A competent but cunning soldier.D.A kind with great political skills.25.The relationship between the first and second paragraphs is that________.A.each presents one side of the pictureB.the first generalizes the second gives examplesC.the second is the logical result of the firstD.both present Richard's virtues and faultsTEXT DThe miserable fate of Enron's employees will be a landmark in business history, one of those awful events that everyone agrees must never be allowed to happen again. This urge is understandable and noble:thousands have lost virtually all their retirement savings with the demise of Enron stock.But making sure it never happens again may not be possible,because the sudden impoverishment of those Enron workers represents something even larger than it seems.It's the latest turn in the unwinding of one of the most audacious promise of the20th century.The promise was assured economic security-even comfort-for essentially everyone in the developed world.With the explosion of wealth,that began in the19th century it became possible to think about a possibility no one had dared to dream before.The fear at the center of daily living since caveman days-lack of food warmth, shelter-would at last lose its power to terrify.That remarkable promise became reality in many ernments created welfare systems for anyone in need and separate programmes for the elderly(Social Security in the U.S.).Labour unions promised not only better pay for workers but also pensions for retirees.Giant corporations came into being and offered the possibility-in some cases the promise-of lifetime employment plus guaranteed pensions.?The cumulative effect was a fundamental change in how millions of people approached life itself,a reversal of attitude that most rank as one of the largest in human history.For millennia the average person's stance toward providing for himself had been.Ultimately I'm on my own.Now it became,Ultimately I'll be taken care of.The early hints that this promise might be broken on a large scale came in the 1980s.U.S.business had become uncompetitive globally and began restructuring massively,with huge Layoffs.The trend accelerated in the1990s as the bastions of corporate welfare faced reality.IBM ended it's no-layoff policy.AT&T fired thousands,many of whom found such a thing simply incomprehensible,and a few of whom killed themselves.The other supposed guarantors of our economic security were also in bour-union membership and power fell to their lowest levels in decades.President Clinton signed a historic bill scaling back welfare.Americans realized that Social Security won't provide social security for any of us.A less visible but equally significant trend a affected pensions.To make costs easier to control,companies moved away from defined benefit pension plans,which obligate them to pay out specified amounts years in the future,to defined contribution plans,which specify only how much goes into the play today.The most common type of defined-contribution plan is the401(k).the significance of the401(k)is that itputs most of the responsibility for a person's economic fate back on the employee. Within limits the employee must decide how much goes into the plan each year and how it gets invested-the two factors that will determine how much it's worth when the employee retires.Which brings us back to Enron?Those billions of dollars in vaporized retirement savings went in employees'401(k)accounts.That is,the employees chose how much money to put into those accounts and then chose how to invest it.Enron matched a certain proportion of each employee's401(k)contribution with company stock,so everyone was going to end up with some Enron in his or her portfolio;but that could be regarded as a freebie,since nothing compels a company to match employee contributions at all.At least two special features complicate the Enron case.First, some shareholders charge top management with illegally covering up the company's problems,prompting investors to hang on when they should have sold.Second, Enron's401(k)accounts were locked while the company changed plan administrators in October,when the stock was falling,so employees could not have closed their accounts if they wanted to.But by far the largest cause of this human tragedy is that thousands of employees were heavily overweighed in Enron stock.Many had placed100%of their401(k) assets in the stock rather than in the18other investment options they were offered.Of course that wasn't prudent,but it's what some of them did.The Enron employees''retirement disaster is part of the larger trend away from guaranteed economic security.That's why preventing such a thing from ever happening again may be impossible.The huge attitudinal shift to I'll-be-taken-care-of took at least a generation.The shift back may take just as long.It won't be complete until a new generation of employees see assured economic comfort as a20th-century quirk,and understand not just intellectually but in their bones that,like most people in most times and places,they're on their own26.Why does the author say at the beginning"The miserable fate of Enron'semployees will be a landmark in business history…"?A.Because the company has gone bankrupt.B.Because such events would never happen again.C.Because many Enron workers lost their retirement savings.D.Because it signifies a turning point in economic security.27.According to the passage,the combined efforts by governments,layout unionsand big corporations to guarantee economic comfort have led to a significant change in________.A.people's outlook on lifeB.people's life stylesC.people's living standardD.people's social values28.Changes in pension schemes were also part of________.A.the corporate lay-offsB.the government cuts in welfare spendingC.the economic restructuringD.the warning power of labors unions29.Thousands of employees chose Enron as their sole investment option mainlybecause________.A.the401(k)made them responsible for their own futureB.Enron offered to add company stock to their investment.C.their employers intended to cut back on pension spendingD.Enron's offer was similar to a defined-benefit plan.30.Which is NOT seen as a lesson drawn from the Enron disaster?A.401(k)assets should be placed in more than one investment option.B.Employees have to take up responsibilities for themselves.C.Such events could happen again as it is not easy to change people's mind.D.Economic security won't be taken for granted by future young workers. PART III GENERAL KNOWLEDGE(10MIN)31.The majority of the current population in the UK are decedents of all thefollowing tribes respectively EXCEPTA.the AnglosB.the CeltsC.the JutesD.the Saxons32.The Head of State of Canada is represented by________.A.the MonarchB.the PresidentC.the Prime MinisterD.the Governor-general33.The Declaration of Independence was written by________.A.Thomas Jefferson.B.George Washington.C.Alexander Hamilton.D.James Madison.34.The original inhabitants of Australia were________.A.the Red IndiansB.the EskimosC.the AboriginesD.the Maoris35.Which of the following novels was written by Emily Bronte?A.Oliver Twist.B.Middlemarch.C.Jane Eyre.D.Wuthering Heights.36.William Butler Yeats was a(n)________poet and playwright.A.American.B.Canadian.C.Irish.D.Australian.37.Death of a Salesman was written by________.A.Arthur Miller.B.Ernest Hemingway.C.Ralph Ellison.D.James Baldwin.38.________refers to the study of the internal structure of words and the rules ofword formation.A.Phonology.B.Morphology.。

专八口译考试2007年真题

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2007年英语专业八级真题与答案

Section B interview In this section you will hear everything once only. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your colored answer sheet. Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the following five questions. Now listen to the interview 1. According to Nigel, most problems of air travel are caused by A. Unfavorable weather conditions. B. Airports handling capacity.√ C. Inadequate ticketing service. D. Overbooking. 2. which of the following is not mentioned as compensation for volunteers for the next fight out? A. Free ticket. B. Free phone call C. Cash reward√ D. Seat reservation 3. Why does Niget suggest that business travelers avoid big airports? A. Because all flights in and out of there are full. B. Because the volume of traffic is heavy.√ C. Because there are more popular flights. D. Because there are more delays and cancellations. 4. According to Nigel, inexperience travelers are likely to make the following mistakes except. A. Booking on less popular flights. B. buying tickets at full price. C. carrying excessive luggage. D. planning long business trips.√ 5. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT? A. The possibility of discounts depends on a travel agent's volume of business. B. Longer flights to the same destination maybe cheaper. C. It is advisable to plan every detail of a trip in advance.√ D. Arranging for stopovers can avoid overnight travel. SECTION C NEWS BROACAST In this section you will hear everything once only. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet. Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news. 6 what happened on Monday? A. A train crash occurred causing minor injuries. B. Investigator found out the cause of the accident. C. Crews rescued more passengers from the site. D. A commuter train crashed into a building.√ Question 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. 7.Which of the following was not on the agenda of the G20 meeting? A. Iraq debts B. WTO talks C. Financial disasters√ D. Possible sanctions 8. The G20 is a（n）________ organization. A. International√ B. European C. Regional D. Asian Question 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions 9.The UN Charter went into effect after A. It was signed by the 50 original member countries. B. It was approved by the founders and other member countries. C. It was approved by the founding members√ D. It was signed by the founding members. 10. Which of the following best describe the role of the charter? A. The Charter only describes powers of the UN bodies. B. The Charter mainly aims to promote world economy. C. The charter is a treaty above all other treaties.√ D. The charter authorizes reforms in UN bodies. Part2 Reading Comprehension （30min） In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet. Text A The Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx. once widely spoken on the isle of Man but now extinct. Government financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe's regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the country's three million people. The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club- Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union. The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe- only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living. Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means “land of compatriots,” is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nation's symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere- on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers. “Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,” said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales's annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands. “There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,” Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness asin his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. “We used to think. We can't do anything, we're only Welsh. Now I think that's changing.” 11. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant to A. maintain the present status among the nations. B. reduce legislative powers of England. C. create a better state of equality among the nations. √ D. grant more say to all the nations in the union. 12. The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph means A. separatist.√ B. conventional. C. feudal. D. political 13. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPT A. people's desire for devolution. B. locals' turnout for the voting. C. powers of the legislative body. D. status of the national language.√ 14. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh national identity A. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language. B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.√ C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation. D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight. 15. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed is A. people's mentality. √ B. pop culture. C. town's appearance. D. possibilities for the people. Text B Getting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy seems hilariously easy. Armed only with a dog-eared NEWSWEEK ID, I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week. Unscanned, unsearched, my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox. The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig of orange juice from his plastic bottle. Were I a Kuwaiti woman wielding a ballot, I would have been a clearer and more present danger. That very day Parliament blocked a bill giving women the vote; 29 M.P.s voted in favour and 29 against, with two abstentions. Unable to decide whether the bill had passed or not, the government scheduled another vote in two weeks- too late for women to register for June's municipal elections. The next such elections aren't until 2009. Inside the elegant, marbled Parliament itself, a sea of mustachioed men in white robes sat in green seats, debating furiously. The ruling emir has pushed for women's political rights for years. Ironically, the democratically elected legislature has thwarted him. Traditionalists and tribal leaders are opposed. Liberals fret, too, that Islamists will let their multiple wives vote, swelling conservative ranks. “When I came to Parliament today, people who voted yes didn't even shake hands with me,” said one Shia clerc. “Why can't we respect each other and work together?” Why not indeed? By Gulf standards, Kuwait is a democratic superstar. Its citizens enjoy free speech （as long as they don't insult their emir, naturally） and boast a Parliament that can actually pass laws. Unlike their Saudi sisters, Kuwaiti women drive, work and travel freely. They run multibillion-dollar businesses and serve as ambassadors. Their academic success is such that colleges have actually lowered the grades required for make students to get into medical and engineering courses. Even then, 70 percent of university students are females. In Kuwait, the Western obsession with the higab finds its equivalent. At a fancy party for NEWSWEEK's Arabic edition, some Kuwaiti women wore them. Others opted for tight, spangled, sheer little numbers in peacock blue or parrot orange. For the party's entertainment, Nancy Ajram, the Arab world's answer to Britney Spears, sang passionate songs of love in a white mini-dress. She couldn't dance for us, alas, since shaking one's body onstage is illegal in Kuwait. That didn't stop whole tables of men from raising their camera-enabled mobile phones and clicking her picture. You'd think not being able to vote or dance in public would anger Kuwait's younger generation of women. To find out, I headed to the malls-Kuwait's archipelago of civic freedom. Eager to duck Strict parents and the social taboos of dating in public. young Kuwaitis have taken to cafes, beaming flirtatious infrared e-mails to one another on their cell photos. At Starbucks in the glittering Al Sharq Mall, I found only tables of men, puffing cigarettes and grumbling about the service .At Pizza Hut, I thought I'd got an answer after encountering a young woman who looked every inch the modern suffragette—drainpipe jeans,strappy sliver high-heeled sandals and a higab studded with purple rhinestones. But, no, Miriam Al-Enizi, 20,studying business administration at Kuwait University, doesn't think women need the vote.“ Men are better at politics than women,”she explained, adding that women in Kuwait already have everything they need. Welcome to democracy, Kuwait style. 16. According to the passage, which of the following groups of people might be viewed as being dangerous by the guards? A. Foreign tourists. B. Women protestors.√ C. Foreign journalists. D. Members of the National Assembly. 17. The bill giving women the vote did not manage to pass because A. Different interest groups held different concerns.√B . L i b e r a l s d i d n o t r e a c h c o n s e n s u s a m o n g t h e m s e l v e s . b r > 0 0C . P a r l i a m e n t w a s c o n t r o l l e d b y t r a d i t i o n a l i s t s . b r > 0 0D . P a r l i a m e n t m e m b e r s w e r e a l l c o n s e r v a t i v e s . / p > p > 0 0 1 8 . W h a t i s t h e r o l e o f t h e 4 t h a n d 5 t h p a r a g r a p h s i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e t o p i c ? b r > 0 0 A . T o s h o w h o w K u w a i t i w o m e n e n j o y t h e m s e l v e s . b r > 0 0 B . T o d e s c r i b e h o w w o m e n w o r k a n d s t u d y i n K u w a i t . b r > 0 0 C . T o p r o v i d e a c o n t r a s t t o t h e p r e c e d i n g p a r a g r a p h s . " b r > 0 0 D . T o p r o v i d e a c o n t r a s t t o t h e p r e c e d i n g p a r a g r a p h s . / p > p > 0 0 1 9 . W h i c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g i s N O T t r u e a b o u t y o u n g K u w a i t i w o m e n ? b r > 0 0 A . T h e y s e e m t o b e q u i t e c o n t e n t e d . b r > 0 0 B . T h e y g o i n f o r W e s t e r n f a s h i o n s . b r > 0 0 C . T h e y d e s i r e m o r e t h a n m o d e r n n e c e s s i t i e s . " b r > 0 0 D . T h e yf a v o u r t h e u s e o f h i - t e c h p r o d u c t s . / p > p > 0 0 T e x t C / p > p > 0 0 R i c h a r d , K i ng o f E n g l a n d f r o m 11 8 9 t o 1 1 9 9 , w i t h a l l h i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c v i r t u e s a n d f a u l t s c a s t i n a h e r o i c m o u l d , i s o n e o f t he m o s tf a s c i n a t i ng m e d i e v a l f i g u r e s . H eh a s b e e n d e s c ri b e d a s t h e c r e a t u r e / p >。

07年专业八级考试部分试题及答案(3)

07年专业八级考试部分试题及答案(3)阅读理解文章出处：第一篇：（The Welsh language……）《国家地理》杂志The language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx, once widely spoken on the Isle of Man but now extinct. Government financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe’s regional languages, spoken by more than a half million of the country’s three million people.第二篇：（Getting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy……）《新闻周刊》May 23 issue - Getting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy seems hilariously easy. Armed only with a dog-eared NEWSWEEK ID, I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week. Unscanned, unsearched, my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox. The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig of orange juice from his plastic bottle……第四篇：（The miserable fate of Enron’s employees……）02/04/2002Fortune MagazineThe miserable fate of Enron’s employees will be a landmark in business history, one of those awful events that everyone agrees must never be allowed to happen again. This urge is understandable and noble: Thousands have lost virtually all their retirement savings with the demise of Enron stock. But making sure it never happens again may not be possible, because the sudden impoverishment of those Enron workers represents something even larger than it seems. It’s the latest turn in the unwinding of one of the most audacious promises of the 20th century……。

2007年英语专业八级真题与答案（5）

TEXT DThe miserable fate of Enron’s employees will be a landmark in business history, one of those awful events that everyone agrees must never be allowed to happen again. This urge is understandable and noble: thousands have lost virtually all their retirement savings with the demise of Enron stock. But making sure it never happens again may not be possible, because the sudden impoverishment of those Enron workers represents something even larger than it seems. It’s the latest turn in the unwinding of one of the most audacious promise of the 20th century.The promise was assured economic security-even comfort- for essentially everyone in the developed world. With the explosion of wealth, that began in the 19th century it became possible to think about a possibility no one had dared to dream before. The fear at the center of daily living since caveman days- lack of food warmth, shelter- would at last lose its power to terrify. That remarkable promise became reality in many ways. Governments created welfare systems for anyone in need and separate programmes for the elderly (Social Security in the U.S.). Labour unions promised not only better pay for workers but also pensions for retirees. Giant corporations came into being and offered the possibility- in some cases the promise- of lifetime employment plus guaranteed pensions.? The cumulative effect was a fundamental change in how millions of people approached life itself, a reversal of attitude that most rank as one of the largest in human history. For millennia the average person’s stance toward providing for himself had been. Ultimately I’m on my own. Now it became, Ultimately I’ll be taken care of.The early hints that this promise might be broken on a large scale came in the 1980s. U.S. business had become uncompetitive globally and began restructuring massively, with huge Layoffs. The trend accelerated in the 1990s as the bastions of corporate welfare faced reality. IBM ended it’s no-layoff policy. AT&T fired thousands, many of whom found such a thing simply incomprehensible, and a few of whom killed themselves. The other supposed guarantors of our economic security were also in decline. Labour-union membership and power fell to their lowest levels in decades. President Clinton signed a historic bill scaling back welfare. Americans realized that Social Security won’t provide social security for any of us.A less visible but equally significant trend a affected pensions. To make costs easier to control, companies moved away from defined benefit pension plans, which obligate them to pay out specified amounts years in the future, to defined contribution plans, which specify only how much goes into the play today. The most common type of defined-contribution plan is the401(k). the significance ofThe 401(k) is that it puts most of the responsibility for a person’s economic fate back on the employee. Within limits the employee must decide how much goes into the plan each year and how it gets invested- the two factors that will determine how much it’s worth when the employee retires.Which brings us back to Enron? Those billions of dollars in vaporized retirement savings went in employees’ 401(k) accounts. That is, the employees chose how much money to put into those accounts and then chose how to invest it. Enron matched a certain proportion of each employee’s 401(k) contribution with company stock, so everyone was going to end up with some Enron in his or her portfolio; but that could be regarded as a freebie, since nothing compels a company to match employee contributions at all.At least two special features complicate the Enron case. First, some shareholders charge top management with illegally covering up the company’s problems, prompting investors to hang on when they should have sold. Second, Enron’s 401(k) accounts were locked while the company changed plan administrators in October, when the stock was falling, so employees could not have closed their accounts if they wanted to.But by far the largest cause of this human tragedy is that thousands of employees were heavily overweighed in Enron stock. Many had placed 100% of their 401(k) assets in the stock rather than in the 18 other investment options they were offered. Of course that wasn’t prudent, but it’s what some of them did.The Enron employees’’ retirement disaster is part of the larger trend away from guaranteed economic security. That’s why preventing such a thing from ever happening again may be impossible. The huge attitudinal shift to I’ll-be-taken-care-of took at least a generation. The shift back may take just as long. It won’t be complete until a new generation of employees see assured economic comfort as a 20th- century quirk, and understand not just intellectually but in their bones that, like most people in most times and places, they’re on their own26. why does the author say at the beginning “The miserable fate of Enron’s employees will be a landmark in business history…”?A. Because the company has gone bankrupt.B. Because such events would never happen again.C. Because many Enron workers lost their retirement savings.D. Because it signifies a turning point in economic security.√27. According to the passage, the combined efforts by governments, layout unions and big corporations to guarantee economic comfort have led to a significant change inA. people’s outlook on life.√B. people’s life styles.C. people’s living standardD. people’s social values.28. Changes in pension schemes were also part ofA. the corporate lay-offs.B. the government cuts in welfare spending.√C. the economic restructuring.D. the warning power of labors unions.29. Thousands of employees chose Enron as their sole investment option mainly becauseA. The 401(k) made them responsible for their own future.B. Enron offered to add company stock to their investment.√C. their employers intended to cut back on pension spending.D. Enron’s offer was similar to a defined-benefit plan.30. Which is NOT seen as a lesson drawn from the Enron disaster?A. 401(k) assets should be placed in more than one investment option.B. Employees have to take up responsibilities for themselves.C. Such events could happen again as it is not easy to change people’s mind.D. Economic security won’t be taken for granted by future young workers.√PART Ⅲ GENERAL KNOWLEDGE（10 MIN）31. The majority of the current population in the UK are decedents of all the following tribes respectively EXCEPTA. the AnglosB. the CeltsC. the Jutes √D. the Saxons32. The Head of State of Canada is represented byA. the MonarchB. the PresidentC. the Prime MinisterD. the Governor-general √33. The Declaration of Independence was written byA. Thomas Jefferson √B. George WashingtonC. Alexander HamiltonD. James Madison34. The original inhabitants of Australia wereA. the Red IndiansB. the EskimosC. the Aborigines √D. the Maoris35. Which of the following novels was written by Emily Bronte?A. Oliver TwistB. MiddlemarchC. Jane EyreD. Wuthering Heights √36. William Butler Yeats was a(n) ______ poet and playwright.A. AmericanB. CanadianC. Irish √D. Australian37. Death of a Salesman was written byA. Arthur Miller √B. Ernest HemingwayC. Ralph EllisonD. James Baldwin38. _______ refers to the study of the internal structure of words and the rules of word formation.A. PhonologyB. Morphology √C. SemanticsD. Sociolinguistics39. The distinctive features of a speech variety may be all the following EXCEPTA. lexicalB. syntacticC. phonologicalD. psycholinguistic √40. The word tail once referred to “the tail of a horse”, but now it is used to mean “the tail of any animal.” This is an example ofA. widening of meaning √B. narrowing of meaningC. meaning shiftD. loss of meaning。

2007年专八英语作文真题-经济差距影响友谊

Truly, it often occurs that two friends break up because of changes in their financial status. When one of them suddenly makes a fortune or gets a promotion, he or she may cut off traffic with his or her former friend. The same thing might happen when one of them suddenly falls upon dark days. Such people, however, cannot be called friends in its true sense.
To sum up, financial disparity does not necessarily affect friendship; much less can it affect true friendship. True friendship can stand the test of time and adversity.
First, let’s see what true friendship is. True friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality. Friends often share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion. True friendship also involves a shared sense of caring and concern, a desire to see one another grow and develop, and a hope for each other to succeed in all aspects of life. Besides, true friendship involves action: doing something for someone else while expecting nothing in return; sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative criticism. Last but not least, true friendship demands mutual trust and respect. All these attributes have little or nothing to dk that financial disparity affects friendship. They may believe that there can be no friendship between the rich and the poor. Their major evidence might be that a rich person and a poor one have different life styles and different tastes for things. At first sight, this argument seems reasonable. However, a careful inspection at it reveals how flimsy it is. In its true sense, friend is not grounded on money.

07年专八真题及答案,推荐文档

2007年英语专八试卷真题及答案Part2 Reading Comprehension (30min)Text AThe Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation agoit looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx. once widely spoken on the isle of Man but nowextinct. Government financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe’s regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the country’s three million people.The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of nationalidentity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the secondanniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened heresince 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nationsmaking up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always hadbragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented byTony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club- Scotland, Northern Ireland, andWales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly fora parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnoutof less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide howmoney from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly.Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with theopening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transformingCardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant ofnearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of thepoorest regions in Western Europe- only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard ofliving.Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boostingself-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added newicons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenousfoods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru.Cymru, which means “land of compatriots,” is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the ol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere- on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and evennation’s symbcell phone covers.“Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens,” saidDyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grasswith a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock musicvenue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales’s annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front ofus echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands.“There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence,” Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth cultureand the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense ofpossibility unimaginable ten years ago. “We used to think. We can’t do anything, we’re o Welsh. Now I think that’s changing.”11. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant toA. maintain the present status among the nations.B. reduce legislative powers of England.C. create a better state of equality among the nations. √D. grant more say to all the nations in the union.12. The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph meansB. Conventional.C. feudal.D. politicalA. separatist.√13. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPTA. people’s desire for devolution.B. locals’ turnout for the voting.C. powers of the legislative body.D. status of the national language.√14. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh nationalidentityA. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.√C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight.15. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed isA. people’s mentality. √B. pop culture.C. town’s appearance.D. possibilities for the people.Text BGetting to the heart of Kuwaiti democracy seems hilariously easy. Armed only with a dog-earedNEWSWEEK ID, I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week. Unscanned, unsearched, my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox.The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig oforange juice from his plastic bottle.Were I a Kuwaiti woman wielding a ballot, I would have been a clearer and more present danger.That very day Parliament blocked a bill giving women the vote; 29 M.P.s voted in favour and 29against, with two abstentions. Unable to decide whether the bill had passed or not, the governmentscheduled another vote in two weeks- too late for women to register for June’s municipal elections. The next s uch elections aren’t until 2009. Inside the elegant, marbled Parliament itself, a sea of mustachioed men in white robes sat in green seats, debating furiously. The ruling emir has pushedfor women’s p olitical rights for years. Ironically, the democraticall y elected legislature hasthwarted him. Traditionalists and tribal leaders are opposed. Liberals fret, too, that Islamists willlet their multiple wives vote, swelling conservative ranks. “When I came to Parliament today,said one Shia clerc. “Why c an’t wepeople who voted yes didn’t even shake hands with me,”　respect each other and work together?”Why not indeed? By Gulf standards, Kuwait is a democratic superstar. Its citizens enjoy freet a Parliament that can actuallyspeech (as long as they don’t insult their emir, naturally) and boaspass laws. Unlike their Saudi sisters, Kuwaiti women drive, work and travel freely. They runmultibillion-dollar businesses and serve as ambassadors. Their academic success is such thatcolleges have actually lowered the grades required for make students to get into medical and。

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