2014年四川大学博士生英语入学考试真题(附答案)

川大考博英语2014年真题I．Reading Comprehension (30%; one mark each)Directions: Read the following six passages. Answer the questions below each passage by choosing [A], [B], [C], or [D]. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.Passage OneIn general, our society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic management in which man becomes a small,well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, Nell-ventilated factories and piped music, and by psychologists and “huma n-relations” experts; yet all this oiling does not alter the fact that man has become powerless, that he is bored with it. In fact, the blue and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.The worker and employee are anxious, not only because they might find themselves out of a job; they are anxious also because they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction of interesting life. They live and die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again-by the psychologists, for whom testing is a big business, and by their superiors, who judge their behavior, sociability, capacity to get along, etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one’s fellow-competitor creates constant anxiety and stress, the very causes of unhappiness and illness.Am I suggesting that we should return to the preindustrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century “free enterprise” capitalism? Certainly not. Problems the never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming our social system form, a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maxima, production and consumption are ends in themselves, into a humanist industrialism in which man and fulldevelopment of his potentialities-those of all love and of reason-are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve only as means to this end and should be prevented from ruling man.1. By “a well-oiled cog in the machinery” the author intends to deliver the idea that man is ____.[A] a necessary part of the society though each individual’s function is negligible[B] working in complete harmony with the rest of the society[C] an unimportant part in comparison with the rest of the society[D] a humble component of the society, especially when working smoothly2. The real cause of the anxiety of the workers and employees is that ____.[A] they are likely to lose their jobs[B] they have no genuine satisfaction or interest in life[C] they are faced with the fundamental realities of human existence[D] they are deprived of their individuality and independence3. From the passage we can conclude that real happiness of life belongs to those ____.[A] who are at the bottom of the society[B] who are higher up in their social status[C] who prove better than their fellow-competitors[D] who could dip fir away from this competitive world4. To solve the present social problems the author puts forward a suggestion that we should ____.[A] resort to the production mode of our ancestors[B] offer higher wages to the workers and employees[C] enable man to fully develop his potentialities[D] take the fundamental realities for granted5. The author’s attitude towards industrialism might best be summarized as one of ____.[A] approval [B] dissatisfaction[C] suspicion [D] susceptibilityPassage TwoThe government-run command post in Tunis is staffed around the clock by military personnel, meteorologists and civilians. On the wall are maps, crisscrossed with brightly colors arrows that painstakingly track the fearsome path of the enemy.What kind of invader gives rise to such high-level monitoring? Not man, not beast, but the lowly desert locust（蝗虫）. In recent moths, billions of the 3-inch-long winged warriorshave descended on Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, blackening the sky and eating up crops and vegetation. The insect invasion, the worst in 30 years, is already creating great destruction in the Middle East and is now treating southern Europe. The current crisis began in late 1985 near the Red Sea. Unusually rainy weather moistened the sands of the Sudan, making them ideal breeding grounds for the locust, which lays its eggs in the earth. The insect onslaught threatens to create yet another African famine. Each locust can eat its weight (not quite a tenth of an ounce) in vegetation every 24 hours. A good-size swarm of 50 billion insects eats up 100,000 tons of grass, trees and crops in a single night.All $150 million may be needed this year. The U.S. has provided two spraying planes and about 50,000 gal. of pesticide. The European Community has donated $3.8 million in aid and the Soviet Union, Canada, Japan and China have provided chemical-spraying aircraft to help wipe out the pests. But relief efforts are hampered by the relative mildness of approved pesticides, which quickly lose their deadly punch and require frequent replications. The most effective locust killer Dieldrin has been linked to cancer and is banned by many Western countries and some of the affected African nations. More than 5 million acres have been dusted with locust-killing chemicals; another 5 million will be treated by the end of June.On May 30, representatives of Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Mauritania will meet in Algiers to discuss tactics to wipe out the ravenous swarms. The move is an important step, but whatever plan is devised, the locust plague promised to get worse before the insects can be brought under control.6. The main idea of the first sentence in the passage is that ____.[A] the command post is stationed with people all the time.[B] the command post is crowded with people all the time.[C] there are clocks around the command post.[D] the clock in the command post is taken care of by the staff.7. The favorable breeding ground for the locust is ____.[A] rich soil.[B] wet land[C] spaces covered crops and vegetation[D] the Red Sea8. People are alert at the threat of the locust because ____.[A] the insects are likely to create another African famine.[B] the insects may blacken the sky.[C] the number of the insects increases drastically.[D] the insects are gathering and moving in great speed.9. Which of the following is true?[A] Once the pesticides are used, locust will die immediately.[B] Relief efforts are proved most fruitful due to the effectiveness of certain pesticides.[C] Dieldrin, the most effective locust killer, has been widely accepted in many countries.[D] Over 10 million acres of affected area will have been treated with locust-killingchemicals by the end of June.10. The purpose for affected nations to meet in Algiers on May 30 is ____.[A] to devise antilocust plans.[B] to wipe out the swarms in two years.[C] to call out for additional financial aid from other nations.[D] to bring the insects under control before the plague gets worse.Passage ThreeThe London 2012 sustainability watchdog embroiled in a row over the sports ship of the Olympic Stadium by Dow Chemical is to push the International Olympic Committee to appoint an “ethics champion” for future Games.The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 has been bruised by criticism over Dow’s sponsorship of the wrap that will surround the Olympic stadium, particularly since commissioner Meredith Alexander last month resigned in protest.Campaigners believe that Dow has ongoing liabilities relating to the 1984 Bhopal disaster that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 20,000 people and the serious injury of tens of thousands more. Dow, which bought the owner of the plant in 2001, insists that all liabilities have been settled in full.Commission chairman Shaun McCarthy said that its tight sustainability remit did not extend to acting as moral guardian of the Olympic movement but that it would press for such a role to be created when evaluating sponsors for future Games.In addition to sponsoring the 7m pounds wrap that will surround the Olympic Stadium, Dow has a separate 100m dollars sponsorship deal with the IOC that was signed in 2010.But McCarthy also defended t he commission’s role in evaluating the Dow deal, after Amnesty International wrote to London 2012 chairman Lord Coe to raise the issue.“What has been lost in all of this story is that a really excellent, sustainable product has been procured, we looked at Locog’s examination of Dow Chemical’s current corporate responsibility policies and, again, Dow achieved that highest score in that evaluation. We verified that.” said McCarthy.“As far as the history is concerned and issues around Bhopal, there is no dou bt Bhopal was a terrible disaster and snore injustice was done to the victims. Who is responsible for that injustice is a matter for the courts and a matter for others. We have a specific remit and terms of reference that we operate under and we have operated diligently under those terms.”The commission will on Thursday release its annual review. It finds that “good press” has been made to wands many of Locog’s sustainability target, but that “major challenges” remain.In particular, the commission found that there was no coherent strategy to achieve a 20% reduction in carbon emissions after an earlier scheme to use renewable energy feel through when a wind turbine on the site proved impractical.“We had conversations with Locog over a year ago about this and said they had to demonstrate how they were going to achieve at least 20% carbon reductions through energy conservation if they’re not going to do it through renewable energy,” said McCarthy. “There are some good initiatives, but quite frankly they just haven’t done it.”11. Why was Dow’s sponsorship criticized according to the passage?[A] The products are not sustainable.[B] It was related to Bhopal disaster.[C] It bribed the London Olympic committee.[D] It can’t reduce 20% of the carbon e mission.12. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?[A] Commission’s role[B] Commission’s achievements[C] Commission’s complaints[D] Commission’s defense13. Which of the following words can best replace the underlined word “row” (Para. 1)?[A] line [B] argument[C] boating [D] course14. What is one of the challenges of the sustainability target mentioned in the passage?[A] Ethic champion of the games.[B] Reduction in carbon emissions.[C] The wind turbine proved to be impractical.[D] Renewable energy is not available.15. Which of the following can best summarize the passage?[A] Commission defends its own role in evaluating controversial.[B] Dow’s way to the 2012 London Olympic Games.[C] Campaign against Dow’s sponsorship.[D] IOC’s review on the controversy.Passage FourAs Facebook dominates the news with its initial public offering, activists are seizing the moment to pressure the company to add some estrogen and ethnicity to its white-male board.A women’s rights group called Ultraviolet, which has been running an online petition that claims to have attracted more than 50,000 signatures, is escalating its push, posting a new YouTube video called “Do Women Have a Future at Facebook?”. The video shows photos of successful women such as Hillary Clinton getting their heads cropped off the replaced with the smiling face of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.“Facebook has grown off the backs of women, who make up the majority of its users and are responsible for the majority of sharing and fan activity on the site,” the group says in a blurb accompanying the video. An all-male board, the group says, is “not just wrong, it’s bad for business”. A related campaign, called Face It, criticizes the lack of ethnic diversity on the seven-member board. “seven white men: That’s ridiculous,” the group says on its homepage, along side headshots of the men. The campaign, which lists dozens of human-rights groups and corporate executives as supporters, also has its own YouTube video. Called “Face it, Facebook”, the video cites a recent Zuckerberg letter to investors that says:“Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission-to make the world more open and connected.”That message is at odds with the pale-faced board, activists say. Susan Stautberg, co-chairwoman of Women Corporate Directors, an organization for female corporate board members, says Zuckerberg’s thinking is flawed. “If you’re trying to expand a company globally, then you want someone on the board who has built a global brand,” she says. “Most of these guys on Facebook’s board all have the same skills-they’re mostly from Silicon Valley and Washington. You want someone who has worked in China and India and rising markets. You want someone who has marketed to women. When you’re putting together a board, you don’t want your best friends, you want the best people.”Having zero female directors does not appear to be a good business plan, research shows. Companies with women on the board perform substantially better than companies with all-mall boards, according to a 2011 study of Fortune 500 companies conducted by the research group Catalyst. The study showed that over the course of four to five years, companies with three or more female board members, on average, outperformedcompanies with no female board members by 84 percent when it came to return on sales and by 60 percent when it came to return on invested capital.Facebook may secretly be on the lookout for a female board member, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg said Facebook had enlisted the corporate-recruitment firm Spencer Stuart to help seek some diversity. Spencer Stuary says it does not comment on clients due to confidentiality agreements.16. Which of the following descriptions is CORRECT about the Ultraviolet Group?[A] It is a non-government organization.[B] It is appealing for “more female roles in big corporations like Facebook”through the Internet.[C] It has the support of many female celebrities such as Hillary Clinton.[D] It is getting more and more support from the society.17. Which of the following descriptions is INCORRECT about the campaign “Face It”?[A] It pointed out the irrational composition of Facebook’s board of directors.[B] The campaign has plenty of human-rights supporters.[C] It indicated the original objective of Zuckerberg’s establishment of Facebook.[D] It is constantly using other media devices to support Facebook.18. The underlined phrase “at odds with” in the fourth paragraph has the closest meaning of ____.[A] against all odds [B] supported by[C] disagree with [D] waifs and strays19. According to Susan Stauberg, a well-performed business should _____.[A] have a complex system of management.[B] possess the most market globally.[C] have your best and close friends as your board members.[D] have a diverse board member in which everyone has his/her own specialtiesand can contribute different skills into the corporation.20. What will probably happen to Facebook?[A] The corporation will turn to Spencer Stuart for recruiting more female board members.[B] The corporation will dominate the news because its worldwide popularity.[C] The corporation will gradually lose its users because it does not have femaleboard members.[D] None of the above.Passage FiveFor this generation of young people, the future looks bleak. Only one in six is working full time. Three out of five live with their parents or other relatives. A large majority-73 percent-think they need more education to find a successful career, but only half of those say they will definitely enroll in the next few years. No, they are not the idle youth of Greece or Spain or Egypt. They are the youth of America, the world’s richest country, who do not have college degrees and aren’t getting them anytime soon. Whatever the sob stories about recent college graduates spinning their wheels as baristas or clerks, the situation for their less-educated peers is far worse. For this group, finding work that pays a living wage and offers some sense of security has been elusive.Despite the continuing national conversation about whether college is worth it given the debt burden it entails, most high school graduates without college degrees said they believe they would be unable to get good jobs without more education.Getting it is challenging, though, and not only because of formidable debt levels. Ms. McClour and her husband, Andy, have two daughters under 3 and another due next month. She said she tried enrolling in college classes, but the workload became too stressful with such young children. Mr. McClour works at a gas station. He hates his work and wants to study phlebotomy, but the nearest school is an hour and half away.Many of these young people had been expecting to go to college since they started high school, perhaps anticipating that employers would demand skills high schools do not teach. Just one in ten high school graduates without college degrees said they were “extremely well prepared by their high school to succeed in their job after graduation.”These young people worried about getting left behind and were pessimistic about reaching some of the milestones that make up the American dream. More than half-56 percent-of high school graduates without college diplomas said that their generation would have less financial success than their parents. About the same share believed they would find work that offered health insurance within that time frame. Slightly less than half of respondents said the next few years would bring work with good job security or a job with earnings that were high “enough to lead a comfortable life”. They were similarly pessimistic about being able to start a family or buy a home.The online survey was conducted between March 21 and April 2, and covered a nationally representative survey of 544 high school graduates from the classes of 2006-11 who did not have bachelor’s degrees. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.21. What does the underlined phrase “spinning their wheels” mean in Paragraph 1?[A] fastening the pace [B] confusing the situation[C] asking for help [D] scooting out22. What will the high school graduates probably do according to the article?[A] Find jobs right after graduation.[B] Receive further study in college.[C] Go to join the national conversation.[D] Pay for the debt.23. What does the story of “Andy and Ms. McClour” try to inform us?[A] They both prefer making money to education.[B] Colleges do not accept students who are married and have children.[C] Although people are eager to join in the college, life burden may block in the way.[D] None of the above.24. What is the financial outlook for this generation compared with their parents?[A] They have a prosperous outlook compared with the last generation.[B] Their financial situation is not as successful as their parents.[C] It depends on how hard they work and their educational background.[D] Not mentioned in the article.25. What can we infer from the last sentence?[A] The online survey is done nationally.[B] The result of the survey is completely trustworthy.[C] There is more or less inaccuracy of the survey.[D] The survey will have a continuous part coming soon.Passage SixSome 60 years ago, George Orwell wrote an allegorical novel, called Nineteen Eighty-Four, to describe life in a futuristic Britain under a one party police-sate presided over by an all-powerful figure known as Big Brother. One of the fealures of the nasty world described by Orwell was its systematic misuse of language, which went by the name of “Newspeak”. By re-defining words and endlessly repeating them, the Ministry of Truth through the Thought Police was able to control what people thought, and through that, their actions. Language was instrumental in destroying the culture.The same technique is being used by different people today, with similar effects. In all areas of public administration, the words “spouse”, “husband” and “wife” have been replace by the word “partner”, although the words are subtly but substantially different in meaning, and convey different realities. In some schools and university departments, feminist ideologues have dictated that the personal pronoun “he” m ust not be used, and isreplaced by the word “they”, which means something different. The word “homophobic”, which just a few years ago was used to describe a person who supported vigilante action against homosexuals, is now being used to describe anyone who defends the universal definition of marriage.Although the transformation of language is seen most obviously around social issues, it is also being used systematically to shape political debate. So, we are told that the federal government is introducing a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which is newspeak for its new carbon tax. The fact is that the new tax is not remotely concerned with “carbon pollution” at all, but rather with emissions of the gas CO2 which is not a pollutant by any credible definition, but rather, an essential building block in every cell in every living plant and creature. By the government’s own admission, it will not lead to any reduction in CO2 levels, either in Australia or globally. And the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is being introduced in Australia at the same time the government is expanding exports of coal, which is virtually 100 percent carbon, to countries such as China.We live in a society in which the ordinary meaning of words is being systematically manipulated by spin-doctors and ideologues, as a means of changing the way people think, and, more fundamentally, the way they act. Language is an important part of the culture wars. For those of us who see this as a challenge to the foundations of society, it is important that we identify the problem and expose it.It is clearly preferable to avoid using the new debased, transformed language of the politically-correct left, although this can be difficult in situations where constant usage has already normalized it, as has happened with the term “same-sex marriage”. The alternative phrase, “same-sex unions”, has a different meaning. When such terms are used, they should be identified for what they are: a form of linguistic dishonesty, designed to undermine existing institutions and transform them.26. Which of the following descriptions is INCORRECT about George Orwell’s allegorical novel Nineteen Eighty-Four?[A] It describes a story that happens in the future.[B] One of the features in the novel is the misuse of language.[C] It is the most famous detective novel in the world.[D] It was written in the 20th century.27. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of misuse of language?[A] Feminists insist “he” be replaced by “they”.[B] “Partner” has taken the place of “husband” and “wife”.[C] “Homophobic” is now being employed to refer to defend conventionalunderstanding of marriage.[D] The meaning of “literacy” is no longer restricted to the ability to read and write.28. The example of carbon pollution is used to illustrate _______.[A] transformation of language is usually seen in social issues.[B] transformation of language is also tracked in political debate.[C] transformation of language is generated in the age of information.[D] transformation of language is legitimate to a certain extent.29. The underlined word “credible” in Para. 3 means ______.[A] reliable [B] correct[C] beneficial [D] provable30. According to the passage, transformed language serves to _______.[A] make people sound fashionable[B] change the way people think and act[C] eliminate discrimination against minorities[D] None of the aboveII. Vocabulary (10%; 0.5 mark each)31. The town was flooded when the river burst its banks. To make it worse, the storm_____ outside.[A] raided [B]ragged [C] raged [D]reaped32. My new laptop can _____ information much more quickly than my old computer.[A] proceed [B] precede [C] produce [D] process33. The country’s failure to abide by the Kyoto Protocol was _____ in all newspapers.[A] announced [B] denounced [C] renounced [D] trounced34. The company has _____ over three decades into a multi-million dollar organization.[A] evolved [B] revolved [C] involved [D] devolved35. We would like to _____ our customers of the best possible service.[A] assure [B] ensure [C] insure [D] ensue36. The government has promised to offer 10 million of emergency food aid to help______ the famine in this region.[A] release [B] relate [C] reveal [D]relieve37. The course _____ two years’ training into six intensive months.[A] impresses [B] compresses [C] depresses [D] represses38. Make sure you pour the juice into the glass without _____ it.[A] splitting [B] spilling [C] spinning [D] spitting39. The vast majority of people in any culture _____ to the established standard of that culture.[A] confine [B] conform [C] confront [D] confirm40. Tom pointed out that the living standard of urban and _____ people continued to improve.[A] remote [B] municipal [C] rural [D] provincial41. The Egyptians _____ an area almost equal to France and Spain combined.[A] dwell [B] settle [C] reside [D] inhabit42. I’m going to have to take these clothes off, for I’m _____ to the skin![A] dipped [B] soaked [C] immersed [D] submerged43. The WHO has to come up with new and effective measures to _____ his nextmove in the game.[A] limit [B] cut [C] curb [D] keep44. My grandfather sat back in his chair for a few minutes to _____ his next move in the game.[A] think [B] ponder [C] reflect [D] dwell45. At this school we aim to _____ the minds of all the students by reading.[A] cultivate [B] instruct [C] teach [D] coach46. Most doctors _____ on a diet which contains a lot of fat.[A] criticize [B] object [C] oppose [D] frown47. Since you intend to sell your house, how will you _____ of all the furniture?[A] disapprove [B] discard [C] dispose [D] disregard48. The politicians were discussing the best way to _____ democracy and prosperityin their country.[A] hinder [B] foster [C] linger [D] quote49. Only one member of the committee _____ from the final report.[A] dissented [B] crawled [C] whispered [D] redeemed50. We always try to _____ him with financial assistance if necessary.[A] dazzle [B] sanction [C] accommodate [D] terminateIII. Cloze (10%; 0.5 mark each)The term “quality of life” is difficult to define. It (51) a very wide scope such as living environment, health, employment, food, family life, friends, education, material possessions, leisure and recreation, and so on. (52) speaking, the quality of life, especially (53) seen by the individual, is meaningful in terms of the degree (54) which these various areas of life are available or provide (55) for the individual.。