全国月高等教育自学考试英语阅读二试题历年试卷
全国2003年10月高等教育自学考试
英语阅读（二）试题
课程代码：00596
Ⅰ. Directions: Match the words in Column A with their definitions in Column B. Write the letter of the answer to each word in Column A on your ANSWER SHEET. (10 points, 1 point for each)
A B
1. accrue A. using force, threats of punishment
2. intensive B. lasting for only a period of time
3. erase C. continuous, without break
4. constant D. to rub or scrape out
5. coercion E. to pass, flow or spread into every part of
6. vulnerable F. that is liable to be damaged
7. permeate G. to speak or argue in support of
8. contemporary H. to become larger or more by addition
9. plead I. the quality of keeping secret
10. confidentiality J. growing too much in a limited piece of land
Ⅱ. Directions: Read each of the following sentences carefully, and choose A, B, C or D that has the closest meaning to the underlined
word or phrase. Write the corresponding letter of the answer on your ANSWER SHEET. (10 points, 1 point for each)
11. What breathtaking impertinence to advertise 1p OFF your soap or washing powder or dog food or whatever.
A. transmission
B. rudeness
C. distraction
D. politeness
12. A few years ago, our group at Saclay, in collaboration with a number of other European Laboratories, orbited a telescope.
A. along with
B. in the light of
C. in agreement with
D. regardless of
13. If they fall behind too far on these obligations, they run the risk of having their houses, cars or other items taken over or repossessed by the lenders.
A. homogeneity
B. appropriateness
C. responsibilities
D. probabilities
14. As a source of power, water is virtually inexhaustible.
A. inaccessible
B. insufficient
C. abundant
D. extinguishable
15. Astrid and I kept talking and the man continued to swing and lurch over us, thanking us profusely.
A. increasingly
B. confidentially
C. attributably
D. repeatedly
16. If the greenhouse effect produces lasting climatic change, national color preferences could radically reorientate.
A. change
B. come to an end
C. renew
D. start again
17. If you are animated, you are more likely to see animated listeners.
A. dull and stupid
B. active and lively
C. annoyed
D. respected
18. These countries fear that their industries will not be able to survive such drastic cuts and that their national economies will suffer as a result.
A. sudden and severe
B. slow and continuous
C. clear and simple
D. far and wide
19. More people report they “feel” on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
A. on top of
B. instead of
C. on the point of
D. on behalf of
20. She was taken aback at the news that her brother had a car accident.
A. overjoyed
B. happy
C. sad
D. greatly surprised
Ⅲ. Directions: Scan Passage 1 and find the words which have roughly the meanings given below. Write the word you choose in the corresponding space on your ANSWER SHEET. (10 points, 1 point for each)
Note: The numbers in the brackets refer to the numbers of paragraphs in the passage.
21. exact; accurate (1)
22. statement explaining the meaning of a word or expression (1)
23. general (1)
24. to provide more details about something in order to make it clearer (1)
25. to have or use something together with someone else (2)
26. being everywhere at the same time (2)
27. information, usually in the from of facts or statistics that one can analyze (2)
28. to join or bring something or people together so that they become one (3)
29. to plan, prepare, decide on all the details of something (3)
30. to change something into a different form (3)
Passage 1
1. Communication networks are arrangements of hardware and software that allow users to exchange information. This very broad definition will help you begin learning about one of the fastest-growing areas in electrical engineering and computer science. Once we examine some common communication networks, we will develop a more precise definition. We will elaborate on the importance of this field.
2. The telephone network is the most familiar and ubiquitous communication network. It is designed for voice transmission. An office computer network is a communication network used by organizations to connect personal computers and workstations so they may share programs and data and to link those computers to printers and, possibly, to some other peripherals(e.g., file servers that provide mass storage or plotters). Computer networks also are used in manufacturing plants to connect machine tools, robots, and sensors. The Internet is a network of computer networks that covers most of the world and allows millions of users to exchange messages and computer files and some limited video and audio signals.
3.Although all these systems are communication networks, they are quite different in the information that they transmit and in
the way they are used. Nevertheless, they operate on similar principles. The unifying characteristics of all networks help us develop a definition of communication networks that describes the arrangements of hardware and software that we study in this text. Each system described is designed to exchange information, which may be voice, sounds, graphics, pictures, video, text, or data, among users. Most often the users are humans, but they also can be computer programs or devices. Before the information is transmitted, it is converted into bits(zeros or ones). Then the bits are sent to a receiver as electrical or optical signals (electromagnetic waves, to be more precise). Finally, the information is reconstructed from the received bits. This transmission method, called digital transmission, reduced the transmission errors.
SECTION 2 READING COMPREHENSION(40 points)
IV. Directions: Skim Passage 2 and read the statements given right after the passage and judge whether they are True or False. Write the corresponding answer you choose on your ANSWER SHEET.(10 points, 1 point for each)
Passage 2
1.Everybody feels pain sometimes: the pain in the head that comes
after eating ice cream or drinking cold water; the sudden muscular pain; the “stitch” that attacks long-distance runners or others whose activities have put great demands on the oxygen supply of the body. These transient pains are not cause for alarm; they usually disappear quickly, return rarely and signify very little.
2.In contrast are the unusual, chronic, or exceptionally severe pains that require attention from a doctor, who can determine whether or not they require special care. Angina pectoris(pain of the chest) is a heart pain that lasts from two or three minutes to ten or fifteen. Identification is extremely important, because special drugs are needed for relief and the doctor’s understanding and advice may prevent recurrence of the condition.
3.Only a doctor can recognize what are called referred pains. These originate at one point, but are felt at another to which they have been carried by the nerves. A person with continuous pain becomes irritated, tired easily, has difficulty in sleeping, loses appetite, and may even become the victim of what has been called an anxiety state or nervous breakdown. Few diseases develop without pain at some state, and many involve so characteristic a pain as to make diagnosis certain. Whenever a pain is so severe, so prolonged, and so unusual as to arouse alarm, a doctor should be
consulted.
31.Transient pains should usually be investigated.
32.All chronic pains require special care.
33.Angina pectoris would probably be classified as unusual.
34.Chronic and referred pains are alike in that both last for a long time.
35.Pains can be useful as a signal of the presence of disease.
36.Transient pains are different from referred pains.
37.Pains can serve as an aid in the diagnosis of disease.
38.A person with continuous pains is usually good-tempered.
39.Chronic pains are felt some distance from their source.
40.All chronic pains can be identified and treated.
V. Directions: Read Passages 3 and 4 and choose the correct answer. Write the corresponding letter of the answer on your ANSWER SHEET.(20 points, 1 point for each)
Passage 3
1.Every year a great number of babies and young children die or are injured in fires. One out of every five fires is caused by careless smoking or by children playing with matches and lighters. Don’t tempt children by leaving matches or lighters around a room.
2.Never leave a child alone in a house. In just a few seconds
they could start a fire. Or a fire could start and trap them. A child will panic in a fire and will not know what to do. Unless a parent is around to help, a child may try to hide under a bed or in a closet. Home fire drills are a sound idea. The best way to stop panic in case of fire is to know what to do before a fire breaks out.
3.Your first thought in a fire should always be escape. Far too many people become victims because they do not know the killing power and speed of fire. If a fire is very small and has just started, you can put it out yourself. Do this if you have the proper tools on hand. In any case always send the children outside first. Smoke, not fire, is the real killer in a blaze. According to studies, as many as eight out of ten deaths in fires are due to inhaling fumes long before the flames ever came near the person.
4.Burns are another hazard to tots. Fireplaces, space heaters, floor furnaces, and radiators have all caused horrible burns to babies. Since you cannot watch your child all the time, you must screen fireplaces. Put guards around heaters and radiators.
5.Some people use a vaporizer or portable heater in a child’s room. If you do, be sure you place it out of reach. Be sure, too, that it is not placed too close to blankets or bedclothes.
https://www.wendangku.net/doc/ef732336.html,e care in the kitchen. It is not safe to let an infant crawl or a small child walk around the kitchen while you are preparing meals. There is danger of your tripping and spilling something hot on the child. There is even danger of a child pulling in a hot pot off the stove on to herself. Also, do not use tablecloths that hang over the table edge. Children can easily pull the cloth and whatever is on the table down. Be aware of these dangers and protect your child.
41. The best title of the passage can be ________.
A. Better Safe Than Sorry
B. How to Protect Children
C. Escape From Fire
D. Be Careful in the Kitchen
42. Careless smoking or children playing with matches and lighters causes ______.
A. most deaths of children
B. one out of five fires
C. eight out of ten deaths in fires
D. five out of ten fires
43. A child will probably do the following in a fire EXCEPT ______.
A. panicking
B. not knowing what to do
C. trying to hide under a bed or in a closet
D. calling for help
44. In paragraph 2, the word “sound” is closest in meaning to
________.
A. healthy
B. safe
C. sensible
D. thorough
45. The best way to stop panic in the case of fire is to ________.
A. call a neighbor
B. be prepared
C. call a policeman
D. run away
46. When caught in a fire, a person’s first thought should always be ________.
A. panic
B. prevention
C. escape
D. putting out the fire
47. The real killer in a fire is _________.
A. smoke
B. flames
C. fuel
D. blaze
48. Burns can be caused by _______.
A. harmful toys
B. bedclothes
C. blankets
D. space heaters
49. Which statement is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Never leave a young child alone at home.
B. Burns can be very dangerous to children.
C. Place heaters out of the reach of children.
D. Do not work in a kitchen when a child is in it.
50. From the passage, we can infer that _______.
A. adults know how to handle fires
B. many children start fires in a house
C. some fire fighters are not well trained
D. adults are always very careful about fire.
Passage 4
1. When Jules Verne wrote Journey to the Center of the Earth in 1864, there were many conflicting theories about the nature of the earth’s interior. Some geologists though that it contained a highly compressed ball of incandescent gas, while others suspected that it consisted of separate graphite shells, each made of a different material. Today well over a century later, there is still little direct evidence of what lies beneath our feet. Most of our knowledge of the earth’s interior comes not from mines or bore holes, but from the study of seismic waves—powerful pulses of energy released by earthquakes.
2. The way that seismic waves travel shows that the earth’s interior is far from uniform. The continents and the seabed are formed by the crust—a thin sphere of relatively light, solid rock. Beneath the crust lies the mantle, a very different layer that ex tends approximately halfway to the earth’s center. There the
rock is the subject of a battle between increasing heat and growing pressure.
3. In its high levels, the mantle is relatively cool; at greater depths, high temperatures make the rock behave more like a liquid than a solid. Deeper still, the pressure is even more intense, preventing the rock from melting in spite of a higher temperature.
4. Beyond a depth of around 2,900 kilometers, a great change takes place and the mantle gives way to the core. Some seismic waves cannot pass through the core and others are bent by it. From this and other evidence, geologists conclude that the outer core is probably liquid, with a solid center. It is almost certainly made of iron, mixed with smaller amount of other elements such as nickel.
5. The conditions in the earth’s core make it a far more alien world than space. Its solid iron heart is subjected to unimaginable pressure and has a temperature of about 9,000° F. Although scientists can speculate about its nature, neither humans nor machines will ever be able to visit it.
51. The word “conflicting” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. controlling
B. outdated
C. important
D. opposing
52. The geologists _________ about the nature of the earth’s interior.
A. agree with each other
B. disagree with each other
C. are sure
D. have found enough evidence
53. Seismic waves are _________ .
A. pulses of energy
B. sound waves
C. electromagnetic waves
D. radio waves
54. The way that seismic waves travel shows that ________.
A. the interior of the earth is rock
B. the interior of the earth is divided into different layers
C. the interior of the earth is metal
D. the crust and the mantle are composed of exactly the same substance
55. T he word “there” at the end of Paragraph 2 refers to the ________.
A. seabed
B. crust
C. mantle
D. earth’s center
56. What is true about the mantle?
A. It is similar to the crust.
B. It is a very thin layer of the earth.
C. It is cooler as it goes deeper.
D. It is a completely different layer from the crust.
57. The phrase “gives way to” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. runs along
B. rubs against
C. turns into
D. floats on
58. The word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to the _________.
A. mantle
B. core
C. change
D. depth
59. The inner core of the earth is NOT __________.
A. liquid
B. made of iron
C. solid
D. mixed with nickel
60. Why does the author state that the earth’s core is “more alien” than space?
A. Because government funds are not interested in the characteristics of the earth’s core.
B. Because scientists are not interested in the characteristics of the earth’s core.
C. Because the pressure and high temperature there prevent scientists from doing research.
D. Because the earth’s core is made of elements that are dangerous
to humans.
Ⅵ. Directions: Passage 5 is taken from the TEXTBOOK. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer. Write the corresponding letter of the answer on your ANSWER SHEET. (10 points, 1 points for each)
Passage 5
1. In spite of the difficulties of predicting future trends in world trade, we can specify factors that will be important. Some of these are: population growth; possible scarcity of commodities, the food and energy situation, relations with the Third World (developing nations), pressures to preserve the environment, and international cooperation on political, social, economic, and monetary problems.
2. If population growth continues at its present pace, the future balance between food demand and supply may become dependent on new dietary patterns. Reduced consumption of meat, increased use of new high protein food made from soybeans, and development of ocean resources for food are some alternatives that must be considered.
3. As the population grows, prices of commodities will fluctuate. As countries endeavor to increase yields on existing
croplands through intensified use of water, energy, and fertilizers, the cost of commodities will rise.
4. Growth of trade will depend greatly on availability of energy sources. There may still be a trillion barrels of recoverable oil in the Middle East. But the oil crisis of 1974 has led to renewed interest in coal and to a search for alternative sources of energy. Solar, geothermal, and nuclear energy will play a large role in the years to come.
5. Solar energy is available in various forms. Buildings can be heated and cooled by direct use of solar radiation, crops and trees, which are the most efficient converters of sunlight into energy, can be grown for their energy potential, wastes can be burned as fuel, sunlight can be converted into DC (direct current) electricity, electric power can be derived from the sun-warmed surface waters of the ocean (ocean thermal power), lastly, solar radiation can be converted to heat that will drive electric power generators (solar thermal power). Serious problems still remain as to transportation and storage of solar energy.
6. Geothermal energy is the energy contained within the earth. Heat is abundantly available deep in the earth’s core and is constantly being produced. However, this heat is usually located
at too deep a level for commercial exploitation. Sometimes heat comes to the surface in the form of lava and geysers. In short, very little is know on the use of geothermal energy, and it has barely been exploited.
7. Nuclear energy is produced in nuclear power plants. At these plants atoms of uranium are split, thus releasing masses of energy. Another source of energy under development is the nuclear fusion of certain atoms of hydrogen. This could eventually replace natural gas as a source of energy.
8. In future trade the key development to watch is the relationship between the industrialized and the developing nations. Third World countries export their mineral deposits and tropical agricultural products, which bring them desired foreign exchange. Tourism has also been greatly responsible for the rapid development of some developing nations. Many Third World nations with high unemployment and low wages have seen an emigration of workers to the developed nations. Western Europe has received millions of such workers from Mediterranean countries.
9. The developing nations profit when these workers bring their savings and their acquired technical skills back home. Many developing nations benefit when Western nations establish
manufacturing in their countries to take advantage of cheap labor.
10. As economies mature, economic growth rates tend to level off. The rate of population growth is leveling off today in Western nations. This leveling-off eventually leads to static non-growth markets. A point of saturation sets in—technology and innovation have seemed to achieve the impossible, but then how much further can it go? Herman Kahn, in his book The Next 200 Years, says that a shift in priorities will have to occur for industrialized nations. No longer is the creation of money and jobs essential, it is rather the improvement of the quality of life that must be our concern. Today pollution is of major concern for industrialized nations. Environmentalists are worried about the relationship between industrial objectives and preserving the environment. In developing nations, however, the problem of pollution is ignored for the sake of development.
11. The Western World will eventually move to a period of relatively low economic growth, coupled with a high rate of unemployment. A so-called welfare society will emerge. The unemployed in the new welfare society will be taken care of by the employed through generous contributions to the social welfare system.
12. Political questions remain as to the world’s future. We can only speculate as to whether organized markets such as the Common Market and COMECON could eventually merge. In the present political climate, this would seem impossible, although some cooperation agreements are already in effect. Obviously a merger between the Western and Eastern European markets would greatly enhance world trade.
13. International monetary cooperation will have a significant impact on future trade. If the IMF countries are not able to agree upon a new international monetary order in the years to come, international trade may become too risky for some companies to get involved in . If the IMF is unable to create sufficient international liquidity reserves in the future, there may not be enough liquidity to sustain growth in trade.
14. However, growing international consultation and cooperation in economic, monetary, and political matters will certainly contribute to the flourishing of world trade for years to come.
61. If population growth continues at its present pace, how can people keep the balance between food demand and supply?
A. People should increase the consumption of meat.