Passage Three
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage:
Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的) Clothes. People have be come conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份) than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible(可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.
Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.
Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.
61. It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality _______.
A) still judge a man by his clothes
B) hold the uniform in such high regard
C) enjoy having a professional identity
D) will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform
62. People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform _______.
A) suggests quality work
B) discards his social identity
C) appears to be more practical
D) looks superior to a person in civilian clothes
63. The chief function of a uniform is to _______.
A) provide practical benefits to the wearer
B) make the wearer catch the public eye
C) inspire the wearer's confidence in himself
D) provide the wearer with a professional identity
64. According to the passage, people wearing uniforms _______.
A) are usually helpful
B) have little or no individual freedom
C) tend to lose their individuality
D) enjoy greater popularity
65. The best title for this passage would be _______.
A) Uniforms and Society
B) The Importance of Wearing a Uniform
C) Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform
D) Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms
Passage Four
Question 66 to 70 are based on the following passage:
Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our tendency to give and receive support from one another under stressful circumstances. Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties.
Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to cope with major life
changes and daily hassles(困难). People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, reveal that the presence of social support helps people fend off(挡开) illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting(转移……注意力)us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support ?a financial aid, material resources, and needed services —— that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.
66. Interpersonal relationships are important because _______.
A) they are indispensable to people's social weal-being
B) they waken people's desire to exchange resources
C) they help people to cope with life in the information era
D) they can cure a range of illnesses such as heart disease, etc.
67. Research shows that people's physical and mental health _______.
A) relies on the social welfare systems which support them
B) has much to do with the amount of support they get from others
C) depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles
D)is closely related to their strength for coping with major changes in their lives
68. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "cushions"(Line 1, Para.2)?
A) Adds up to. B) Does away with.
C) Lessens the effect of. D) Lays the foundation for.
69. Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of _______.
A) instrumental support B) informational support
C) social companionship D) the strengthening of self-respect
70. Social companionship is beneficial in that _______.
A) it helps strengthen our ties with relatives
B) it enables us to eliminate our faults and mistakes
C) it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable
D) it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles
Part IV Translation (15 minutes)
Directions: In this part, there are items, each consisting of one or two sentences for you to translate into Chinese. These sentences are all taken from the Reading Passages you have just read in Part Three of Test Paper One. You should refer back to the passages so as to identify their meaning in the context.
S1. (Lines 1-2, Para.1, Passage 1)
Long after the 1998 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still cursing
the disputed refereeing(裁判) decisions that denied victory to their team.
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S2. (Lines 1-2, Para.6, Passage 2)
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory.
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S3. (Lines 5-6, Para.2, Passage 3)
What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份) than to step out of uniform?
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S4. (Lines 3-4, para.1, Passage 4)
Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties.
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Part V Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic Is A Test of Spoken English Necessary? You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline given in Chinese below:
1.很多人认为有必要举行英语口语考试，理由是……
2.也有人持不同的意见，……
3.我的看法和打算
Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary?
A test of spoken English will be included as an optional component of the College English Test (CET).
