2007北京大学考博英语

北京大学2007年博士研究生入学考试英语试题

Part One: Listening Comprehension略

Part Two: Structure and Written Expression (20%) Part Three: Reading Comprehension

I.Directions: Each of the following three passages is followed by some questions. For each question four answers are given. Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question. Mark your choices on the ANSWER SHEET. (10%) Passage One

In science the meaning of the word ―explain‖ suffers with civilization’s every step in search of reality. Science cannot really explain electricity, magnetism, and gravitation; their effects can be measured and predicted, but of their nature no more is known to the modern scientist than to Thales who first speculated on the electrification of amber. Most contemporary physicists reject the notion that man can ever discover what these mysterious forces ―really‖ are. Electricity, Bertrand Russell says, ―is not a thing, like St. Paul’s Cathedral; it is a way in which things behave. When we have told how things behave when they are electrified, and under what circumstances they are electrified, we have told all there is to tell.‖ Until recently scientists would have disapproved of such an idea. Aristotle, for example, whose natural science dominated Western thought for two thousand years, believed that man could arrive at an understanding of reality by reasoning from self-evident principles. He felt, for example, that it is a self-evident principle that everything in the universe has its proper place, hence one can deduce that objects fall to the ground because that’s where they belong, and smoke goes up because that’s where it belongs. The goal of Aristotelian science was to explain why things happen. Modern science was born when Galileo began trying to explain how things happen and thus originated the method of controlled experiment which now forms the basis of scientific investigation.

41. Bertrand Russell’s notion about electricity is __________. [A] disapproved of by most modern scientists

[B] in agreement with Aristotle’s theory of self-evident principles

[C] in agreement with scientific investigation directed toward ―how‖ things happen [D] in agreement with scientific investigation directed toward ―why‖ things happen

42. The passage says that until recently scientists disagreed with the idea that __________. [A] there are self-evident principles

[B] there are mysterious forces in the universe [C] man cannot discover what forces ―really‖ are [D] we can discover why things behave as they do

43. The expression ―speculated on‖ (line 4) means __________ . [A] considered [B] suspected [C] expected

[D] engaged in buying and selling

Passage Two

The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one. An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge. We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society. The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health. If we so desire, we can smoke, drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts, eat whatever foods we want, and live a completely sedentary life-style without any exercise. The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society, although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned. Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty. As one example, a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do.

A multitude of factors, both inherited and environmental, influence the development of health-related behaviors, and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual. However, the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choice. There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices. In discussing the morals of personal choice, Fries and Crapo draw a comparison. They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide. Thus, for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life, personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with a statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity.

44. The concept of personal choice concerning health is important because __________. [A] it is essential to personal freedom in American society [B] it helps raise the level of our medical knowledge [C] personal health choices help cure most illnesses [D] wrong decisions could lead to poor health

45. Sound personal health choice is often difficult to make because __________. [A] current medical knowledge is still insufficient [B] there are many factors influencing our decisions

[C] people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends

[D] few people are willing to trade the quality of life for the quantity of life

46. According to Fries and Crapo, sound health choice should be based on __________. [A] personal decisions [B] society’s laws [C]friends’ opinions [D] statistical evidence

Passage Three

For gathering data about individuals or groups at different developmental levels, researchers can use two related research designs: longitudinal and cross-sectional.

A longitudinal study is one that measures a behavior or a characteristic of an individual over a period of time, perhaps decades. An example of such a study is the Berkeley

Growth Study begun in 1928 by Nancy Bayley. The study focused on a group of 74 white, middle-class newborns. As they grew older, extensive measures of their intellectual, personality, and motor development were recorded. The subjects were studied for more than thirty years.

The longitudinal research design is a powerful technique for seeking understandings of the effects of early experiences on later development. Also, differences in or stability of behaviors or characteristics at different ages can be determined. Longitudinal studies, however, are expensive to conduct, time-consuming, and heavily contingent on the patience and persistence of the researchers. The findings of a longitudinal study may be jeopardized by relocation of subjects to another part of the country and by boredom or irritation at repeated testing. Another disadvantage is that society changes from one time to another and the subjects participating in the study reflect to some degree such changes. The methods of study or the questions guiding the researchers may also change from one time to another. If properly conducted, however, longitudinal studies can produce useful, direct information about development.

A cross-sectional study is one in which subjects of differing ages are selected and compared on a specific behavior or characteristic. They are alike with respect to socioeconomic status, sex, or educational level. For example, a researcher may be interested in looking at changes in intelligence over a thirty-year period. Three groups of subjects, ages ten, twenty, and thirty, may be selected and tested. Conclusions are drawn from the test data.

The cross-sectional research design has the clear advantage of being less expensive to conduct and certainly less time-consuming. The major disadvantage is that different individuals who make up the study sample have not been observed over time. No information about past influences on development or about age-related changes is secured. Like longitudinal studies, the cross-sectional methods cannot erase the generational influence that exists when subjects studied are born at different time. Psychologists are now beginning to use an approach that combines longitudinal and cross-sectional research methods.

47. Which of the following is NOT one of the disadvantages of a longitudinal research? [A] The subjects may become irritated at repeated testing.

[B] The participants in the study may not stay in one place for many years.

[C] The behavior of a subject in the study may be measured continuously for many years. [D] Social changes may be reflected in the behaviors of the subjects participating in the study.

48. The word ―contingent‖ in the third paragraph probably means __________. [A] dependent [B] consecutive [C] determined [D] continual

49. Which of the following statements is true?

[A] The subjects in a cross-sectional research are not of the same age group. [B] The methods of study in longitudinal research will not change over time.

[C] Longitudinal research is reliable only in seeking understandings of the effects of early

experiences on later development.

[D] Cross-sectional methods are not usually adopted in studying, for example, the changes in intelligence over a thirty-year period.

50.One of the differences between cross-sectional research and longitudinal research is that __________.

[A] the latter usually focuses on only one subject, while the former involves groups of subjects

[B] the former can be free from the influence of social changes [C] the latter can be free from the influence of social changes [D] the former costs less money and takes less time

II.Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then explain in your own English the exact meaning of the numbered and underlined parts. Put your answers on ANSWER SHEET (2). (15%)

(51) It is useful to remember that history is to the nation as memory is to the individual. As persons deprived of memory become disoriented and lost, not knowing where they have been and where they are going, so a nation denied a conception of the past will be disabled in dealing with its present and its future.

History is the best antidote to delusions of omnipotence and omniscience. (52) Self-knowledge is the indispensable prelude to self-control, for the nation as well as for the individual. History should forever remind us of the limits of our passing perspectives. It should strengthen us to resist the pressure to convert momentary impulses into moral absolutes. It should lead us to recognition of the fact, so often and so sadly displayed, that the future outwits all our certitudes and that the possibilities of the future are more various than the human intellect is designed to conceive.

(53) A nation informed by a vivid understanding of the ironies of history is best equipped to manage the tragic temptations of military power. Let us not bully our way through life, but let a sensitivity to history temper and civilize our use of power. In the meantime, let a thousand historical flowers bloom. (54) History is never a closed book or a final verdict. It is forever in the interests of an ideology, a religion, a race, and a nation.

The great strength of history is its capacity for self-correction. This is the endless excitement of historical writing: the search to reconstruct what went before. (55) A nation’s history must be both the guide and the domain not so much of its historians as its citizens.

Part Four: Cloze Test (10%)

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then fill in each numbered blank with ONE suitable word to complete the passage. Put your answers on ANSWER SHEET (2).

In Microsoft’s latest attempt to reach out to bloggers, the company recently gave away expensive laptops loaded (56) __________ its new Windows Vista operating system. But

the gifts generated controversy as well as good (57) __________, with some bloggers accusing Microsoft of bribery and their peers (58) __________ unethical behavior.

Several bloggers reported last week that they had received Acer Ferrari laptops, which can sell (59) __________ more than $2,200, from Microsoft.

A spokeswoman for Microsoft confirmed Friday that the (60) __________ had sent out about 90 computers to bloggers (61) __________ wrote about technology and other subjects that could be (62) __________ by the new operating system, like photography and, oddly, parenting.

But while those on Microsoft’s mailing list initially greeted the machines with enthusiasm, many (63) __________ bloggers soon objected – not because they had been left off the list but, they said, because bloggers are bound by the (64) __________ rules as traditional journalists, who should not accept (65) __________ gifts from companies they cover.

Part Five: Proofreading (10%)

Directions: In the following passage, there are altogether 10 mistakes, ONE in each numbered and underlined part. You may have to change a word, add a word, or just delete a word. If you change a word, cross it with a slash (/) and write the correct word beside it. If you add a word, write the missing word between the words (in brackets) immediately before and after it. If you delete a word, cross it out with a slash (/). Put your answers on ANSWER SHEET (2).

(66) Prosperous alumni helped make 2006 a recorded fund-raising year for colleges and universities, which hauled in $28 billion—a 9.4 percent jump from 2005.

(67) There were increases across the board, but for usual it was the already wealthy who fared best. (68) Stanford's $911 million was the most ever collected by a single university, and rose the possibility of a billion-dollar fund-raising year in the not-too-distant future. (69) \that people wanted to invest,\said Martin Shell, Stanford's vice president for development. (70) \is an unbelievably generous response from unbelievably philanthropic set of alumni, parents, and friends.\

(71) Harvard ranked two in fund-raising last year with $595 million.

(72) National, donations from alumni rose 18.3 percent from 2005, according to figures released yesterday by the Council for Aid to Education. (73) Alumni donations account about 30 percent of giving to higher education.

(74) Giving from other groups, such as corporations and foundations, increased by much small amounts.

(75) Survey director Ann Kaplan said the strong economics played a role, but universities also were asking more aggressively as part of formal fund-raising campaigns.

Part Six: Writing (15%)

Directions: Read the following paragraph and then write a response paper of about 250 to 300

words. Write it neatly on ANSWER SHEET (2).

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a lawful institution in China and is still very popular.

The Chinese government has a department in charge of TCM and there are a lot of TCM hospitals and pharmaceutical factories in the country.

Yet TCM is never short of opponents, including fierce opponents calling for its abolition. Please comment on the controversial status of TCM.

Structure and Written Expression: (1 point each)

21-25 D B A C D 26-30 D C B A C 31-35 A B C C C 36-40 B B D A C Reading: (1 point each)

41-45 C C A D C 46-50 D C A A D Paraphrasing: (3 points each)

51. It is helpful for us to remember that history is very important to a country just as memory is very important to a person. / If we remember that history is just as important to a country as memory is to a person, it will be very helpful to us.

52. To know oneself very well is the necessary first step before one can control oneself. This is true for both the nation and the individual.

53. A nation that is fully aware of the twists and turns of history has the power to resist using military power, which will bring tragic results.

54. History is never final but open to revision. People can always rewrite history.

55. Not only people who study history should take a nation’s history as their guide and field of study, but the ordinary citizens should also do so. Cloze: (1 point each)

56. with 57. will 58. of 59. for 60. company 61. who 62. affected 63. other 64. same 65. expensive Proofreading: (1 point each)

(66) recorded record (67) for as

(68) rose raised (69) invest (in) (70) from (an) unbelievably (71) two second

(72) national(ly) (73) account (for) about (74) small(er) (75) economics economy

The Chinese government has a department in charge of TCM and there are a lot of TCM hospitals and pharmaceutical factories in the country.

Yet TCM is never short of opponents, including fierce opponents calling for its abolition. Please comment on the controversial status of TCM.

Structure and Written Expression: (1 point each)

21-25 D B A C D 26-30 D C B A C 31-35 A B C C C 36-40 B B D A C Reading: (1 point each)

41-45 C C A D C 46-50 D C A A D Paraphrasing: (3 points each)

51. It is helpful for us to remember that history is very important to a country just as memory is very important to a person. / If we remember that history is just as important to a country as memory is to a person, it will be very helpful to us.

52. To know oneself very well is the necessary first step before one can control oneself. This is true for both the nation and the individual.

53. A nation that is fully aware of the twists and turns of history has the power to resist using military power, which will bring tragic results.

54. History is never final but open to revision. People can always rewrite history.

55. Not only people who study history should take a nation’s history as their guide and field of study, but the ordinary citizens should also do so. Cloze: (1 point each)

56. with 57. will 58. of 59. for 60. company 61. who 62. affected 63. other 64. same 65. expensive Proofreading: (1 point each)

(66) recorded record (67) for as

(68) rose raised (69) invest (in) (70) from (an) unbelievably (71) two second

(72) national(ly) (73) account (for) about (74) small(er) (75) economics economy

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