Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)

Directions: There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. Passage 1

In America, the movement of housing away from the high-rise buildings of the inner-cities originated in the 1920s, but was stalled by the Great Depression of the 1930s and by WW II. After the war a tremendous surge occurred in the real estate market with the advent of single-family homes on relatively small lots—typically less than one-tenth of an acre. During the 1950s, many large tract developments encroached on former farmlands near metropolitan areas. The most dramatic instances of this sprawling effect were witnessed in western municipalities such as San Jose and San Diego whose city charters defined their over several hundred square kilometers. These large parcels of land were over-run by standard three bedrooms, two bath“ranch-style”homes in a few short dcades.

By the 1960s construction had subsided significantly and developers began building different kinds of plans to try and accommodate the changes in the market. Those who had taken advantage of the suburbanization trend in the post-war years had seen the value of their real estate increase dramatically and many were anxious to reinvest their assets. In an effort to reap this affluence, certain contractors moved away from the standard models and began designing larger buildings on increasingly spacious pareels even farther from city centers. Other builders began working on homes to meet the needs of young couples starting new families. The townhouse, a two to three-story brick and frame structure containing more than 4 but less than 30 units per structure, was seen as the solution. These apartments were successful in luring many young adult city dwellers out to the suburbs.

In subsequent development, traditional single family ranchstyle designs continued to be embraced, but new forms were also introduced: the condominium (公寓套房)，single-family attached dwelling; the triplex and fourplex, three-and four-family structures; and prefabs, which have become significantly more popular during the last 20 years owing to their low cost and ease of construction. The prefabs have the additional distinction of being mobile. It is not uncommon to see semi-trailers hauling these modular living units along the freeways to remote destinations. In a very real sense, this phenomenon marks the cutting edge of suburbanization: a move out of the traditional suburbs and into areas that were formally considered wilderness.

1. The primary topic of the passage is A. real-estate finance B. suburban housing C. construction techniquesD. population increase

2. According to the passage, suburban housing experienced its greatest increase in America in the .

A. 1940'sB. 1960'sC. 1950'sD. 1970's

3. It can be inferred that large population increases in San Diego and San Jose were due to .

A. increased employment in the area B. excellent year-round weather C. proximity to the coastD. large municipal areas

4. How did suburban construction change in the 1960's?

A. It increased in the cities of San Diego and San Jose. B. It slowed and developed a unified approach. C. It slowed and developed more specific markets. D. It relied more on prefab housing.

5. What does the author imply about future housing development?

A. It will continue to move away from the city centers. B. It will slow down as the economy falters. C. All housing will be mobilized. D. The move towards suburbs has cut to the end.

Passage 2

The range in frequencies of musical sounds is approximately 20—20,000 cycles per second (Hz). Some people can hear higher frequencies than others. Longitudinal (縱向的)waves whose frequencies are higher than those within the hearable range are called ultrasonic frequencies. Ultrasonic frequencies are used in sonar for such purposes as submarine detection and depth finding. Ultrasonic frequencies are also being tried for sterilizing food since these frequencies kill some bacteria. Sound waves of all frequencies in the audible range travel at the same speed in the same medium. In the audible range, the higher the frequency, of the sound the higher is the pitch (音高). The term supersonic refers to speed greater than sound. An airplane traveling at supersonic speed is moving at a speed greater than the speed of sound in air at that temperature. Mach 1 means a speed equal to that of sound; Mach 2 means a speed equal to twice that of sound, etc.

Musical sounds have three basic characteristics: pitch, loudness, and quality or timbre (音色). As was indicated above, pitch is determined largely by the frequency of the wave reaching the ear. The higher the frequency the higher is the pitch. Loudness depends on the amplitude (振幅)of the wave reaching the ear. For a given frequency, the greater the amplitude of the wave the louder the sound. To discuss quality of sound we need to clarify the concept of overtones. Sounds are produced by vibrate at one definite frequency producing a pure tone. This is the way a tuning fork is usually used. When objects vibrate freely after a force is momentarily applied, they are said to produce their natural frequency. Some objects, like strings and air columns, can vibrate naturally at more than one frequency at a time. The lowest frequency which an object can produce when vibrating freely is known as the object's fundamental frequency; other frequencies that the object can produce are known as its overtones. The quality of a sound depends on the number and relative amplitude of the overtones present in the wave reaching the ear.

6. The main purpose of the passage is to .

A. show the impossibility of hearing sounds above 20,000HzB. define the nature and quality of musical sounds C. analyze what gives a work of art its musical quality D. explain the applications of ultrasonic frequencies

7. The style and content of this passage indicates that it is most likely an excerpt from .

A. a proposal by an innovative composer of modern music B. an informal article written for a popular magazine C. a scholarly monograph on aesthetics D. a college textbook on music theory

8. According to the author, the timbre of a musical sound is dependent on .

A. speed B. amplitude C. frequency D. overtones

9. According to the passage ultrasonic frequencies are

A. unhearable B. excessively C. characterized by a great amplitude D. less than 20,000 Hz

10. Which of the following individuals would most likely use terms like Mach 5 or Mach 9?

A. a helicopter pilot. B. a musician C. an astronaut D. a submarine navigator

Passage 3

Both Mercy Warren and Abigail Adams admired Catherine Macaulay, the radical author of A History of England, who supported the cause of the American patriots. Under Macaulay's influence Mercy Warren conceived her plan to write a history of the American Revolution, living to complete it in 1805. Abigail Adams rejected literary ambitions for herself and never lost her sense of inferiority about her poor spelling and ignorance of Latin. Yet her letters, rather than Warren's plays and verse, have become the greater source in documenting signs of a dawning feminist consciousness.

Abigail Adams welcomed every advance for women and foresaw more than could be realized in her life time. She urged her husband, the second President of United States, to“remember the ladies”in the new code of laws, and to give married women protection from tyrannical husbands. As she pointed out, the terrible deficiencies in education for women were felt at all levels, she finally made the significant request to her husband, that the new constitution“be distinguished from Learning and Virtue”, and suggested that“if we mean to have Heroes, Statesmen and Philosophers, we should have learned women.”This awareness of education's value, rooted in the Enlightenment faith in human potentiality, had feminist implications before there was a feminist ideology.

11.The main topic of the passage is .

A. Abigail Adams' life B. women historians C. early sources of feminist thinking D. the literary ambitions of Judith Sargeant Murray

12. What does the author mean by the statement that Abigail Adams“foresaw more than could be realized in her lifetime”(lines 1—2, para. 2)?

A. No progress was made during her life. B. She made predictions that eventually came true. C. Her life was very short. D. She didn't want to become a public figure.

13. Judith Sargeant Murray's position can be best expressed by .

A. women should be well educated in order to support themselves B. women's rights must be protected by new laws C. the accomplishments of women are ignored in most historical documents D. women need to become more active in political affairs

14. What did Mercy Warren, Abigail Adams, and Judith Sargeant Murray have in common?

A. They all wrote books. B. They were all responsible for the financial support of their families. C. They were all interested in women's accomplishments. D. They all had influential families.

15. It can be inferred from the passage that .

A. American women were not treated as equals of their male counterparts in the 18th centuryB. there were many female scholars in America in the 18th century C. Abigail Adams lived to see her dreams come true D. Abigail Adams was not satisfied with her husband because of his tyranny

Passage 4

In an effort to make up for some of the glaring limitations of IQ tests, researchers have begun to develop new ways to measure the kinds of emotional factors and psychological attitudes that lead to success in everyday life. while IQ tests remain excellent predictors of how well one will do in school, they have little or nothing to do with who will earn the money or prestige or have the most satisfying social life or relationships. The new tests are intended to assess the more practical intelligence that underlies these accomplishments. The new approach goes beyond purely mental skills to assess emotional factors and psychological attitudes that can either interfere with or facilitate the use of those skills. It has fostered new theories of what it means to be smart.

The old theories focused on academic skills such as verbal or mathematical quickness. But the new theories describe a spectrum of practical talents such as the ability to pick up the unspoken rules that govern success in a corporate or professional career or the habits of mind that foster productivity.“IQ and success in living have little to do with each other”, says Seymour Epstein, a psychologist at the University of Massachusetts.“Being intellectually gifted does not predict you will earn the most money or achieve the most recognition, even among college professors.”

One factor emerging as crucial for life success is what might be called emotional intelligence.“How well people manage their emotions determines how effectively they can use their intellectual ability,”Dr. Epstein says.“For example, if someone is skilled at solving problems in the quiet of her office, but falls apart in a group, then she will be ineffective in a great many situations.”

16. According to the passage, old IQ tests are to assess .

A. one's emotional factors B. one's practical talents C. one's mental skills, especially academic skills D. one's verbal quickness

17. The assumption that“IQ and success in living have little to do with each other”means .

A. that IQ tests are always not reliable B. that persons of high IQ seldom get great success in life C. that IQ tests and success in living are two different things D. that being intelligently gifted does not predict being surely successful in one's future life and career

18. According to the passage, the crucial factor for life success is .

A. psychological attitudesB. emotional intelligenceC. practical talentsD. academic skills

19. As the author points out, the limitations of IQ test are .

A. very noticeableB. deplorableC. insignificantD. massive

20. The design of new test is intended to test.

A. replaceB. refuteC. compensate the limitations of D. revoke the limitations of

Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Choose the ONE that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

21. Each week there is a meeting at which workers are encouraged to present their to the managers.

A. annoyancesB. disadvantagesC. grievancesD. criticisms

22. The at the football match became violent when their team lost.

A. spectators B. groups C. observersD. customers

23. Many apartments have doors with a security window so that one may outside and observe visitors without being seen.

A. peerB. peekC. peelD. peen

24. The among his sisters was that he ought to marry the girl as sonn as possible to avoid a scandal.

A. consensus B. survey C. statistics D. concentration

25. The teacher was amazed by the students' in handling the computer.

A. verseB. versionC. variabilityD. versatility

26. Her letter was in such a casual scrawl, and in such pale ink, that it was almost .

A. unintelligibleB. vagueC. ambiguousD. illegible

27. When I went into the dining room next morning, the of the dinner were still on the table.

A. remainsB. relicsC. remnantsD. surplus

28. She was a shy woman and took behind a rather forbidding bluntness of manner.

A. appearanceB. refuge C. kindnessD. protection

29. Can man escape a pollution that is now so thoroughly throughout our world?

A. wiseB. scholarlyC. imprudentD. sage

30. The brothers showed great to their older sister, who had acted as sold parent to them for many years.

A. complianceB. devotionC. subjectionD. allegiance

31.Only the of the office manageress, who knew ofAlice's personal difficulties, saved her from being dismissed.

A. interpretationB. inquisitionC. interrelationD. intervention

32. When we have agreed broadly on what should be said, the secretary will produce a preliminary for the committee's approval.

A. project B. designC. draftD. proof

33. French cars are more elegantly styled than their British .

A. counterpartsB. equalsC. onesD. copies

34. The two small independent countries entered into with each other and they felt less afraid of their powerful neighbor.

A. combinationB. allianceC. cooperationD. union

35. He was so in the book that he forgot all about his appointment.

A. distractedB. attractedC. grippedD. engrossed

36. Ask the publishers to send you their latest of English text books.

A. catalogue B. prospectusC. brochureD. pamphlet

37. We are paying for the car in 24 monthly of $55.A. creditsB. partsC. installmentsD. refunds

38. The painter was sent to a fine art school at the age of 10 without taking the entrance examination.

A. imaginaryB. imaginativeC. fictitiousD. insane

39. He has impressed his employers considerably and he is soon to be promoted.

A. simultaneously B. eventually C. virtually D. accordingly

40. Although they usually did their own painting and papering, on this occasion they brought in a firm of decorators.

A. insideB. inward C. interiorD. internal

41. There is often so much traffic on the main road that motorists may be able to travel faster onroads.

A. inferior B. minor C. superficialD. subordinate

42. The police their attention to the events that led up to the accident.

A. confirmed B. containedC. conservedD. confined

43. The police arrested the wrong man mainly because they

A. confused B. perplexedC. puzzledD. bewildered

44. In my opinion standards of workmanship have over the past 20 years.

A. aggravated B. diminishedC. deteriorated D. eroded

45. Since 1945 the rivalry in military strength between the world's great powers has produced a balanced peace.

A. presentlyB. precociouslyC. precariously D. deviously

46. By the end of the day the flood water which had covered most of the town had .

A. reced B. returnedC. replacedD. retired

47. Mildred never dared to question or her husband's judgment.

A. debate B. declineC. disperseD. dispute

48. Armed terrorists are reported to have the Embassy.

A. taken up B. taken toC. taken overD. taken into

49. After his heavy defeat in the local elections, the senator decided to from the campaign for the Presidency.

A. abandonB. renounceC. withdrawD. withhold

50. After failing his driving test four times, he finally trying to pass.

A. gave up B. gave awayC. gave off D. gave in(來源：學(xué)生大)

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