考博英语-353
(总分100, 做题时间90分钟)
Section Ⅰ Use of English
Rend the following text. Choose the best word ( s ) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1.
The fitness movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s centered around aerobic exercise. Millions of individuals became  (1)  in a variety of aerobic activities, and  (2)  thousands of health spas  (3)  around the country to capitalize on this  (4)  interest in fitness, particularly aerobic dancing for females. A number of fitness spas existed  (5)   to this aerobic fitness movement,  even a national chain with spas in most major cities. However, their  (6)  was not on aerobics,  (7)  on weight-training programs de signed to develop muscular mass,  (8)  , and endurance in their primarily male  (9)   These fitness spas did not seem to benefit  (10)  from the aerobic fitness movement to bet ter health, since medical opinion suggested that weight-training programs  (11)  few, if  (12)  , health benefits. In recent years, however, weight training has again become in creasingly  (13)  for males and for females. Many  (14)  programs focus not only on devel oping muscular strength and endurance but on aerobic fitness as well.  (15)  , most physi cal-fitness tests have usually included measures of muscular strength and endurance, not for health-related reasons, but primarily  (16)  such fitness components have been related to  (17)  in athletics.  (18)  , in recent years, evidence has shown that training programs designed primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health  (19)  as well. The American College of Sports Medicine now  (20)  that weight training be part of a total fitness program for healthy Americans.

1. 
A imposed
B engaged
C confined
D illustrated
2. 
A affluently
B eligibly
C gorgeously
D literally
3. 
A enhanced
B manifested
C developed
D established
4. 
A emerging
B hovering
C intriguing
D mingling
5. 
A prior
B entitled
C liable
D subjected
6. 
A action
B focus
C cement
D snap
7. 
A or
B or else
C and
D but rather
8. 
A strength
B nutrition
C tolerance
D ambition
9. 
A practitioners
B enthusiasts
C referees
D recipients
10. 
A financially
B particularly
C legitimately
D excessively
11. 
A presented
B offered
C indicated
D demonstrated
12. 
A something
B some
C anything
D any
13. 
A popular
B vigorous
C intelligible
D formidable
14. 
A current
B primitive
C uneven
D incredible
15. 
A practically
B Eventually
C Essentially
D Historically
16. 
A because
B if only
C although
D now that
17. 
A performance
B harassment
C identification
D portrayal
18. 
A Moreover
B Therefore
C However
D Anyway
19. 
A advantages
B benefits
C interests
D profits
20. 
A recommends
B reassures
C speculates
D mediates
Section Ⅱ Reading  Comprehension
Reading the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.
1

   Gene therapy and gene-based drugs are two ways we could benefit from our growing mastery of genetic science. But there will be others as well. Here is one of the remarkable therapies on the cutting edge of genetic research that could make their way into mainstream medicine in the coming years.
   While it's true that just about every cell in the body has the instructions to make a complete human, most of those instructions are inactivated, and with good reason: the last thing you want for your brain cells is to start churning out stomach acid or your nose to turn into a kidney. The only time cells truly have the potential to turn into any and all body parts is very early in a pregnancy, when so-called stem cells haven't begun to specialize.
   Yet this untapped potential could be a terrific boon to medicine. Most diseases involve the death of healthy cells—brain cells in Alzheimer's, cardiac cells in heart disease, pan creatic cells in diabetes, to name a few. If doctors could isolate stem cells, then direct their growth, they might be able to furnish patients with healthy replacement tissue.
   It was incredibly difficult, but last fall scientists at the University of Wisconsin man aged to isolate stem cells and get them to grow into neural, gut, muscle and bone cells. The process still can't be controlled, and may have unforeseen limitations; but if ef forts to understand and master stem-cell development prove successful, doctors will have a therapeutic tool of incredible power.
   The same applies to cloning, which is really just the other side of the coin; true clo ning, as first shown with the sheep Dolly two years ago, involves taking a developed cell and reactivating the genome within, resetting its developmental instructions to a pristine state. Once that happens, the rejuvenated cell can develop into a full-fledged animal, ge netically identical to its parent.
   For agriculture, in which purely physical characteristics like milk production in a cow or low fat in a hog have real market value, biological carbon copies could become routine within a few years. This past year scientists have done for mice and cows what Ian Wilmut did for Dolly, and other creatures are bound to join the cloned menagerie in the coming year.
   Human cloning, on the other hand, may be technically feasible but legally and emo tionally more difficult. Still, one day it will happen. The ability to reset body cells to a pristine, undeveloped state could give doctors exactly the same advantages they would get from stem cells, the potential to make healthy body tissues of all sorts, and thus to cure disease. That could prove to be a true "miracle cure. \

21. 
The writer holds that the potential to make healthy body tissues will______.
A aggravate moral issues of human cloning
B bring great benefits to human beings
C help scientists decode body instructions
D involve employing surgical instruments
22. 
The word "rejuvenated" ( Par
A 5 ) most probably means______.A. modifiedB. re-collectedC. classifiedD. reactivated
23. 
The research at the University of Wisconsin is mentioned to show______.
A the isolation of stem cells
B the effects of gene therapies
C the advantages of human cloning
D the limitations of tissue replacements
24. 
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A The principle of gene therapy is applicable to that of cloning.
B The isolation of stem cells is too difficult to be feasible.
C It is reasonable for all body instructions to be activated.
D Cloned animals will eventually take control of the worl
25. 
Towards the genetic research, the author's attitude can best be said to be that of______.
A frustration
B indifference
C amazement
D opposition
1

   What our society suffers from most today is the absence of consensus about what it and life in it ought to be; such consensus cannot be gained from society's present stage, or from fantasies about what it ought to be. For that the present is too close and too diversi lied, and the future too uncertain, to make believable claims about it. A consensus in the present hence can be achieved only through a shared understanding of the past,  as Homer's epics informed those who lived centuries later what it meant to be Greek, and by what images and ideals they were to live their lives and organize their societies.
   Most societies derive consensus from a long history, a language all their own, a com mon religion,  common ancestry. The myths by which they live are based on all of these. But the United States is a country of immigrants, coming from a great variety of na tions. Lately, it has been emphasized that an asocial, narcissistic personality has become characteristic of Americans, and that it is this type of personality that makes for the lack of well-being, because it prevents us from achieving consensus that would counteract a tendency to withdraw into private worlds. In this study of narcissism, Christopher Lash says that modern man, "tortured by self-consciousness, turns to new therapies not to free himself of his personal worries but to find meaning and purpose in life, to find something to live for". There is widespread distress because national morale has declined, and we have lost an earlier sense of national vision and purpose.
   Contrary to rigid religions or political beliefs, as are found in totalitarian societies, our culture is one of the great individual differences, at least in principle and in theory; but this leads to disunity, even chaos. Americans believe in the value of diversity, but just because ours is a society based on individual diversity, it needs consensus about some dom- inating ideas more than societies based on uniform origin of their citizens. Hence, if we are to have consensus, it must be based on a myth—a vision about a common experience, a conquest that made us Americans, as the myth about the conquest of Troy formed the Greeks. Only a common myth can offer relief from the fear that life is without meaning or purpose. Myths permit us to examine our place in the world by comparing it to a shared idea. Myths are shared fantasies that form the tie that binds the individual to other mem bers of his group. Such myths help to ward off feelings of isolations, guilt, anxiety, and purposelessness—in short, they combat isolation and the breakdown of social standards and values.

26. 
In the eyes of the author, the greatest trouble with the US society may lie in______.
A the non-existence of consensus on the forms the society should take
B the lack of divergence over the common organizations of social life
C the non-acceptance of a society based on individual diversity
D the pervasive distress caused by national morale decline
27. 
The asocial personality of Americans may stem from______.
A the absence of a common religion and ancestry
B the multiracial constituents of the US society
C the want of a shared myths they possess in life
D the counterbalance to narcissistic personality
28. 
Homer's epics is mentioned in Paragraph 1 in order to______.
A exemplify the contributions made by ancient poets
B illustrate the role of shared fantasies about society
C show an ideal stage of eternal social progress
D make known myths of what a society ought to be
29. 
The author concludes that only shared myths can help Americans______.
A to bring about the uniformity of their culture
B to regain their consensus about a common experience
C to stay away from negative feelings in their life
D to counteract the effects of consensus about society
30. 
It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that Christopher Lash is most probably______.
A a reform advocate
B a senior psychologist
C a reputed poet
D a social historian
3

   The early retirement of experienced workers is seriously harming the U. S. economy, according to  a  new  report  from  the  Hudson Institute,  a public  policy research organization. Currently, many older experienced workers retire at an early age. According to the recently issued statistics, 79 percent of qualified workers begin collecting retirement benefits at age 62; if that trend continues, there will be a labor shortage that will hinder the economic growth in the twenty-first century.
   Older Americans constitute an increasing proportion of the population, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and the population of those over age 65 will grow by 60% be tween 200 and 2020. During the same period, the group aged 18 to 44 will increase by only 4%. Keeping older skilled workers employed,  even part time, would increase U. S. economic output and strengthen the tax base; but without significant policy reforms, massive early retirement among baby boomers seems more likely.
   Retirement at age 62 is an economically rational decision today. Social Security and Medicaid earnings limits and tax penalties subject our most experienced workers to margin al tax rates as high as 67%. Social Security formulas encourage early retirement. Although incomes usually rise with additional years of work, any pay increases after the 35-year mark result in higher social Security taxes but only small increases in benefits.
   Hudson Institute researchers believe that federal tax and benefit policies are at fault and reforms are urgently needed, but they disagree with the popular proposal that much older Americans will have to work because Social Security will not support them and that baby boomers are not saving enough for retirement. According to the increase in 401 (k) and Keogh retirement plans, the ongoing stock market on Wall Street, and the likelihood of large inheritances, there is evidence that baby boomers will reach age 65 with greater fi nancial assets than previous generations.
   The Hudson Institute advocates reforming government policies that now discourage work and savings, especially for older workers. Among the report's recommendations Tax half of all Social Security benefits, regardless of other income; provide 80//oo larger benefits for each year beyond 65; and permit workers nearing retirement to negotiate com pensation packages  that  may  include a  lower  salary  but  with  greater  healthcare benefits. However, it may take real and fruitful planning to find the right solution to the early retirement of older experienced workers; any measures taken must be allowed to pro long the serviceability of older experienced workers.

31. 
According to Hudson Institute researchers, the effect of the early retirement of qualified workers on the U. S. economy is______.
A constructive
B significant
C inconclusive
D detrimental
32. 
The older experienced workers in America tend to retire early because their pro longed service may______.
A do harm to younger generations
B end up with few or no benefits
C give play to their potentials
D shed light on social trends
33. 
The second paragraph is written chiefly to show that______.
A there will be an acute labor shortage in the near future
B baby-boomers contribute much to the US economic output
C government policies concerning older people are out-dated
D older workers are enthusiastic about collecting social benefits
34. 
When mentioning " the ongoing stock market on Wall Street",  the writer______.
A is calling attention to the privileges to which baby-boomers are entitled
B is calling for the government to take countermeasures against labor shortage
C is refuting a notion about experienced workers' early retirement
D is justifying the ineffectiveness of federal tax and benefit policies
35. 
Towards the issue, what the writer is most concerned about will be______.
A to advocate radically reforming government policies
B to take into account the benefits upon retirement
C to put in practice what Hudson researchers believe in
D to prolong the practicability of older experienced employees
4

   The history of responses to the work of the artist Sandro Botticelli (1444—1510) sug gests that widespread appreciation by critics is a relatively recent phenomenon. Writing in 1550, Vasari expressed an unease with Botticelli's work, admitting that the artist fitted awkwardly into his evolutionary scheme of the history of art. Over the next two centuries, academic art historians defamed Botticelli in favor of his fellow Florentine, Michelange lo. Even when anti-academic art historians of the early nineteenth century rejected many of the standards of evaluation adopted by their predecessors, Botticelli's work remained out side of accepted taste, pleasing neither amateur observers nor connoisseurs.  (Many of his best paintings, however, remained hidden away in obscure churches and private homes. )
   The primary reason for Botticelli's unpopularity is not difficult to understand, most observers, up until the mid-nineteenth century, did not consider him to be noteworthy, because his work, for the most part, did not seem to these observers to exhibit the tradi tional characteristics of fifteenth-century Florentine art. For example, Botticelli rarely em ployed the technique of strict perspective and, unlike Michelangelo, never used chiaroscuro.
   Another reason for BotticeiIi's unpopularity may have been that his attitude toward the style of classical art was very different from that of his contemporaries. Although he was thoroughly exposed to classical art, he showed little interest in borrowing from the classi cal style. Indeed, it is paradoxical that a painter of large-scale classical subjects adopted a style that was only slightly similar to that of classical art.
   In any case,  when viewers began to examine more closely the relationship of Botticelli's work to the tradition of fifteenth-century Florentine art, his reputation began to grow. Analyses and assessments of Botticelli made between 1850 and 1870 by the artists of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, as well as by the writer Pater (although he, unfortu nately, based his assessment on an incorrect analysis of Botticelli's personality), inspired a new appreciation of Botticelli throughout the English-speaking world. Yet Botticelli's work, especially the Sistine frescoes, did not generate worldwide attention until it was fi nally subjected to a comprehensive and scrupulous analysis by Home in 1908. Home rightly demonstrated that the frescoes shared important features with paintings by other fifteenth century Florentines—features such as skillful representation of anatomical proportions, and of the human figure in motion. However, Home argued that Botticelli did not treat these qualities as ends in themselves—rather, that he emphasized clear depletion of a sto ry, a unique achievement and one that made the traditional Florentine qualities less cen- tral. Because of Home's emphasis crucial to any study of art, the twentieth century has come to appreciate Botticelli's achievements.

36. 
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A The Role of Standard Art Analyses and Appraisals.
B Sandro Botticelli- From Rejection to Appreciation.
C The History of Critics' Responses to Art Works.
D Botticelli and Florentine. A Comparative Study.
37. 
We can learn from the text that art critics have a history of______.
A suppressing painters' art initiatives
B favoring a Botticelli's best paintings
C rejecting traditional art characteristics
D undervaluing Botticelli's achievements
38. 
The views of Vasari and Home on Botticelli's products are______.
A identical
B complementary
C opposite
D similar
39. 
The word "connoisseurs" (Par
A 1) most probably means______.A. representatives in the Pre-Raphaelite MovementB. people who are in favor of FlorentineC. critics who are likely to make assessmentsD. conservatives clinging to classical art
40. 
What does the author think of Botticelli's representation skills?
A They are to be fully appreciated.
B They evolve from an uncertain source.
C They underlie his personality.
D They conform to the classical styl
Section Ⅲ Short Answer Questions
In this part there is a short passage with .five questions or incomplete state ments. Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions or complete the state ments in the fewer possible English words and then put your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.
The years between 1870 and 1895 brought enormous changes to the theater in the United States as the resident company was undermined by touring groups, as New York became the only major center of production, and as the long run replaced the repertory (库 存) system. By 1870, the resident stock company was at the peak of its development in the United States. The 50 permanent companies of 1870, however, had dwindled to 20 by 1878, to 8 by 1880, to 4 by 1887, and had almost disappeared by 1900.
   While the causes of this change are numerous, probably the most important was the rise of the "combination" company (that is, one that travels with stars and full company). Sending out a complete production was merely a logical extension of touring by stars. By the 1840's many major actors were already taking along a small group of lesser players, for they could not be sure that local companies could supply adequate support in secondary roles.
   There is much disagreement about the origin of the combination company. Bouciault claimed to have initiated it around 1860 when he sent out a troupe with Colleen Bawn, but a book published in 1859 speaks of combination companies as already established. Joseph Jefferson [II also declared that he was a pioneer in the movement. In actuality, the practice probably began tentatively during the 1850's, only to be interrupted by the Civil War. It mushroomed in the 1870's, as the rapid expansion of the railway system made it increas- ingly feasible to transport full productions. In 1872, Lawrence Barrett took his company, but no scenery, on tour; in 1876, Rose Michel was sent out with full company, scenery, and properties. By the season of 1876—1877 there were nearly 100 combination companies on the road, and by 1886 there were 282.

41. 
What was the trend for the resident stock companies at the end of the 19th century?
42. 
According to the passage, the major reason for the decline of the resident stock companies was______.
43. 
Why did many important actors join some minor players in the 1840's?
44. 
According to the passage, the development of full touring companies was aided by
45. 
Why is Lawrence Barrentt mentioned in the passage?
Section Ⅳ Translation
Read the following passage carefully and then translate the underlined sentences into Chinese.
46. 
The onrush of cheap communications, powerful computers and the Internet all ex plain why many people feel that, nowadays, change is happening ever more rapidly as technological progress accelerates. Moore's law, that the power of microchips doubles every 18 months, has been tested and found correct. This is what gives people the sense of a world shifting beneath their feet.

47. 
Yet the implication that rapid change is a new phenomenon is again misleading. If you measure the time it takes for a technology to become widely diffused, today's experi ence does not seem unusual. Take the car. The basic patent for an internal-combustion en gine capable of powering a car was filed in 1877. By the late 1920s—50 years later—over half of all American households owned a car.

48. 
The comparable dates for the computer are harder to tie down, but the first big computer, based on vacuum valves, was built in 1946. The transistor—the first semicon ductor device—was invented at Belt Laboratories in 1948. The first patent for an integrated circuit was filed in 1959. Now, in 1999—50 years after the first one was built—around half of American households own a computer. The pace of introduction has been similar to that of the car.

49. 
You have to cheat, choosing only the date for the personal computer, say (mid 1970s), or the Internet (ditto) to make it seem much more rapid.
   Comparing its diffusion among private users is, you might say, unfair to the comput er, for that machine's main use is in businesses. On that measure, the best historical anal ogy is with electrification, and the spread of the electric dynamo into factories.

50. 
According to Paul David, a historian at Stanford University in California, the first electricity-generating stations had been installed in New York and London in 1881, but it was well into the 1920s before the dynamo became widely used and started to raise productivity. The adoption of the computer in business has also been slow, and failed to have any measurable impact on productivity until very recently.

Secion Ⅴ Writing
Read the following paragraph and then write a response paper of about 200 words. Write it neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.
1. 
Quite a few teachers complain about students reading fewer books than before. In fact, students nowadays spend more time surfing on the Internet and watching movies on DVD's. Naturally they spend less time reading books. Do you think that students today are less knowledgeable because they read fewer books?