2012年全国大学生英语竞赛C类模拟试题

2012 Mock Test for National English Contest for College Students

A. exchange

B. transmit

C. transfer

D. remove

41. Energy—oil, gas, electricity—is going to be in short supply for a long time, and whatever energy is ________, it will cost a lot more.

A. access A. decent

B. available

C. useful

D. popular D. suspicious

42. Some criminals were printing ________ dollar bills until they were arrested.

B. fake

C. patent

43. He doesn?t feel like playing tennis right now because he is ________.

A. out of colour

B. out of health

C. out of fitness

D. out of condition

44. Kate: I?m going out to the shops now.

Lou: If you?re going past the chemist?s, can you get me some aspirin? Kate: ________

Lou: Any will do. Oh, and would you mind posting this letter for me, if it?s not too much trouble? Kate: Not at all.

A. Pardon?

B. What sort?

C. Anything else?

D. Only that?

45. Lisa: Have you ever had paella? Peter: No, I haven?t. What is it?

Lisa: It?s a rice dish made with seafood, chicken, and spices. It?s cooked slowly in a large pan. Peter: Mmm!________

A. It sounds wonderful. B. It smells delicious. C. I know. Part III Cloze (10 marks)

Read the passage and fill in each blank with one word. Choose the word in one of the following three ways: according to the context, by using the correct form of the given word, or by using the given letters of the word.

Bothered by those interrupting phone rings at cinemas? France might be the right place for you. The French Government just legalized the use of mobile phone blocking devices in cinemas, theatres and concert halls. It wanted to prevent audiences from being (46) dis________ by ring tones and telephone conversations.

The technology means that people can be prevented from receiving and (47) ________ mobile telephone calls within 30 metres of the device. (48) ________ emergency calls will be able to override the block.

French filmmakers have said that mobile phones in cinemas were having a “disastrous” (49) im________ on ticket sales. The change in the law is part of the government?s campaign to make cinemas more attractive.

French industry minister Patrick Devedjian said, “It?s the same for concerts. You know how it is when (50) aw________ people let their phones ring during a concert.”The move was first debated in 2001. However, there was uncertainty over whether blocking devices could (51) ________ telephone signals in cinemas and theatres without (52) ________ (affect) signals on surrounding streets.

Before it was (53) ________ (legal), the use of blocking devices was punishable with a (54) f________ of 20,660 pounds or a six-month prison sentence. Previously, France?s telecoms regulation authority tried (55) ________ (encourage) concert audiences to use the vibrate mode or to switch off their phones entirely. However, it met with no apparent success.

Part IV Reading Comprehension (40 marks)

Read the following passages carefully and respond to the questions given. Section A

Human wants seem endless. When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when an executive gets a new sports car, visions of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view.

The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears.

The first and most basic level of wants involves food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears—clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as automobiles and new houses.

By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then, in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the “like-enriching” level. While the other levels involve physical satisfaction—the feeding, comfort, safety, and transportation of the human body—this level stresses mental needs for recognition, achievement, and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services, many of which could be called “luxury” items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical and dental care, and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing.

On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumer spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?

A fifth level probably would involve wants that can be achieved best by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes to pay for government action against disease, ignorance, crime, and prejudice. After filling our stomachs, our clothes closets, our garages, our teeth, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health, safety, and leisure to enjoy more fully the good things on the first four levels. For questions 56 to 58, mark:

Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO) if the statement contradicts with the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.

56. Man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when he has saved up enough money. 57. The main concern of man on the fourth level is the more mental satisfaction the better. 58. By the end of World War II most Americans did not own automobiles.

Questions 59 and 60: Choose the best answer to each question according to the passage.

D. Let?s go to eat.

17

2012 Mock Test for National English Contest for College Students

59. Which of the following is NOT related to “physical satisfaction”?

A. A successful career.

B. A cozy home.

C. A good service.

D. A family car.

60. The author is inclined to think that a fifth level ________.

A. would be little better than the fourth level C. can be the last and most satisfying level

D. will become attainable provided the government takes actions Section B

Teaching children to read well is the most important task elementary schools have, but relying on educators to approach this task correctly can be a great mistake. Many schools continue to employ instructional methods that have been proven ineffective. The staying power of the “look-say” or “whole-word” method of teaching reading to beginners is perhaps the most flagrant example of this failure to instruct effectively.

The whole-word approach to reading stresses the meaning of words over the meaning of letters, thinking over decoding, and developing a sight vocabulary of familiar words over developing the ability to unlock the pronunciation of unfamiliar words. It fits in with the self-directed, “learning how to learn” activities recommended by advocates （倡导者） of “open” classrooms and with the concept that children have to be developmentally ready to begin reading. Before 1963, no major publisher put out anything but these Run-Spot-Run readers.

However, in 1955, Rudolf Flesch touched off what has been called “the great debate”in teaching reading to beginners. In his best-seller Why Johnny Can?t Read, Flesch indicted（控诉） America?s public schools for miseducating students by using the look-say method. He said — and more scholarly studies by Jeane Chall and Rovert Dykstra later confirmed — that another approach to beginning reading, founded on phonics, is far superior.

Systematic phonics first teaches children to associate letters and letter combinations with sounds; it then teaches them how to blend these sounds together to make words. Rather than building up a relatively limited vocabulary of memorized words, it imparts a code by which the pronunciations of the vast majority of the most common words in the English language can be learned. Phonics does not devalue the importance of thinking about the meaning of words and sentences; it simply recognises that decoding is the logical and necessary first step.

Complete the following sentences in a maximum of three words for each blank.

61. The author feels that counting on educators to teach reading correctly is probably ________. 62. The author indicts the look-say reading approach because it overlooks ________.

For each of the following three questions, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. 63. One major difference between the look-say method of learning to read and the phonics method is ________.

A. look-say is simpler C. look-say is easier to teach

B. phonics takes longer to learn

D. phonics gives readers access to far more words C. compare with D. oppose B. may be a lot more desirable than the first four

64. The phrase “touch off” (Para 3, line 1) most probably means ________.

A. talk about shortly B. start or cause

65. According to the author, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The phonics approach regards whole-word method as unimportant. B. The whole-word approach emphasises decoding.

C. In the phonics approach, decoding is necessary and logical. D. Phonics is superior because it stresses the meanings of words.

Section C

Preterm births is one leading cause of death in newborn babies worldwide. Each year an estimated thirteen million babies are born too soon. More than one million of them die as a result of their prematurity. Yet experts say many early births can be prevented.

The report came from the March of Dimes and the World Health Organization. Christopher Howson is the vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes, a nonprofit group. He says there are a number of simple, low-cost interventions that can improve the chances of a full-term birth.

CHRISTOPHER HOWSON: “We should treat malnutrition in women both before and doing pregnancy. We should treat infections that increase risk. We should monitor pregnancies carefully for signs of trouble. And should that baby be born preterm, we should care for that baby by providing a package of interventions that have been shown to be tried and true and very effective.”

For example, there are programs in Africa that teach the skin-to-skin method, also known as kangaroo care. Mothers learn to carry preterm babies in front instead the traditional African way of carrying a baby, on the mother?s back. Skin-to-skin helps keep a preterm baby warm. The direct contact also makes it easier for the baby to breastfeed. Most preterm births take place in Africa and Asia, but rates in the United States have increased by more than one-third in the last twenty-five years. This is largely the result of more births in older women and more use of fertility treatments.

Alan Fleischman is the medical director of the March of Dimes. He was among a group of medical experts who met in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The group met to develop a quality improvement plan for dealing with the problem in the United States. Doctor Fleischman says there is concern especially about rising numbers of what are known as late preterm births.

ALAN FLEISCHMAN: “Those are the babies who are born between thirty-four and thirty-seven weeks gestation. Those are the fastest increasing numbers of prematures. In fact, they are responsible for 72 percent of all prematures in America.”

The rise of these births may be linked to increased use of drugs to start or speed up labor and more births by Cesarean section. Doctor Fleischman says the group strongly advises against these interventions before 39 weeks unless medically necessary.

The experts also say doctors need to work with pregnant women to do a better job of estimating exactly when a pregnancy began. Questions 66 and 67: Judge the following statements true (T) or false (F) according to the passage. 66. The passage focuses on much concern should be shown for preterm births.

67. Many simple and low-cost interventions can improve the chances of a full-term birth. Questions 68 to 70: Answer the following questions briefly according to the passage.

18

2012 Mock Test for National English Contest for College Students

68. What?s the skin-to-skin method?

69. According to Christopher Howson, what should be done to prevent preterm births in Africa? 70. What is the reason why the rise rate of preterm births increases in the United States? Section D

Can shoes rock your muscles, promote your weight loss, and improve your posture? Companies that sell them say they aid weight loss, tone muscles and relieve stress on the knees and hips. Short-term data show wearing the shoes makes some muscles work harder, but so far there?s no rigorous evidence that they speed weight loss.

Those weird-looking shoes with rocker-like soles popping up everywhere aren?t a fashion statement. Unlike traditional athletic shoes that are built to be stable, rocker-sole shoes are deliberately unstable. The effect, companies that make the shoes say, is similar to using a wobble board or balance board in a gym. To stand or walk in these shoes, you must engage more muscles than you do using regular shoes, the companies say. Manufacturers recommend you wear them during your normal activities, starting with short periods until you get used to them.

Podiatrist John Pagliano, a clinical instructor at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, says the studies on the shoes so far are ?not rigorous enough? to convince him of any benefits. Logically, the shoes seem like a good idea for people standing much of the day, he says, but he recommends they be used with caution for running or other heavy sports activities.

The shoes vary in cost, style and weight. Switzerland?s Masai Group International Ltd., a pioneer in what it calls ‘physiological footwear’, sells the MBT, with a dramatically curved sole. MBTs have been widely available in the U.S. since 2005 and cost from $240 to $390.

Recently a lot of shoes based on similar principles have hit the U.S. market. This spring, Skechers USA Inc., of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Reebok International Ltd., a Canton, Mass. unit of Adidas AG, jumped into the market with shoes starting at $100. Skechers says its curved-sole Shape-Ups are designed to promote weight loss, tone muscles and improve posture.

Reebok?s EasyTone shoes don?t have a visible rocker sole. They are built with air pockets under the ball of the foot and heel, which give the wearer the feeling of stepping on a mini balance ball.

There are 39 studies on Masai shoes, of which nine have been published in peer-reviewed journals, according to company scientist Cordula Stegen. The company has been focusing on showing the shoes represent a healthier way to stand and walk, and in proving they can be used effectively for rehabilitation of pain or injuries.

In a 30-person Masai-supported study presented at a Canadian scientific conference in June, Swiss researchers found that patients given Masai MBT shoes to wear for three months after a course of physical therapy had better long-term results than patients given a home-exercise program without MBT shoes.

“The big advantage of the MBT is that you always have it with you and your training increases as long as you wear it,” says Benno M. Nigg, director of the University of Calgary?s Human Performance Laboratory, which has performed paid studies for Masai.

Dr. Nigg says he has found that wearing MBTs works small muscles around the ankles, improving the wearer?s balance over time. He also found people wearing MBTs consumed three percent more oxygen—roughly equivalent to calorie burn—compared with individuals wearing a control shoe.

However, he believes the extra energy expenditure is largely related to the heavier weight of the shoe. MBTs weigh slightly more than two pounds each.

Reebok?s EasyTone shoes by contrast weigh an average of about 10 ounces each, similar to its traditional walking shoes. Reebok commissioned a study from the University of Delaware, which tested five women on a treadmill with electronic sensors on their muscles. Electrical activity in muscles—was greater for the EasyTone shoes than for a typical Reebok walking shoe.

The test involved only 500 steps, and Reebok acknowledges that the effect may diminish as wearers get used to the shoes.

A dozen women were given Skechers shoes and told to wear them during their normal daily activities and walking programs. After six weeks, it is found that they lost an average weight of 3.25 pounds and their body composition is improved. But the unpublished study didn?t have a control group and wasn?t rigorously designed. Summary:

71. ________ are now popular in the U.S., which are different from traditional athletic shoes in stability. They 72. ________ in cost, style and weight. All the manufacturers say their shoes are designed to 73. ________ weight loss, tone muscles and improve posture. Questions 74 and 75: Answer the following questions briefly according to the passage. 74. What does Podiatrist John Pagliano suggest for wearing the weird-looking shoes? 75. How many brands of weird-looking shoes are mentioned in the passage, and what are they? Part V Translation (20 marks) Section A

Translate the underlined sentences in the following passage into Chinese.

U.S. President Barack Obama said the half-million jobs the U.S. lost in April are “sobering”. But he said it is “somewhat encouraging” that the losses are beginning to shrink. The president used the occasion to promote his education and job training programmes.

(75) President Obama said while the United States is still in the midst of a recession, the gears of the country?s economy are slowly beginning to turn.

“Step by step, we are beginning to make progress. Of course, that is no solace for those who have lost their jobs, or to the small business owners whose hearts break at letting longtime employees go,” he said.

(77) The president spoke shortly after the government announced that the unemployment rate rose to a 25-year high of 8.9 percent in April. Labor Department figures show that 539,000 Americans lost their jobs last month, compared to more than 600,000 in March.

(78) Mr. Obama is seeking support for a programme he calls the “New Foundation”, which he said will help American workers prepare for the economy?s eventual turnaround. “If we want to come out of this recession stronger than before, we need to make sure that our workforce is better prepared than ever before,” he said.

(79) Part of Mr. Obama?s programme is a plan to let jobless people return to college without losing their unemployment benefits. States often require people receiving unemployment to be actively looking for work. Under the president?s plan, jobless people could satisfy that requirement by going to school.

The $787 billion economic stimulus legislation the president signed in February gave states billions of dollars to increase benefits to the unemployed. (80) Mr. Obama intends to encourage colleges to make more financial aid available to people who are out of work. Section B

19

2012 Mock Test for National English Contest for College Students

Translate the following sentences into English, using the words or structures required in the brackets. 81. 我昨天有幸看到他精彩的表演。（be honoured to） 82. 吉姆家承担不起他的教育费用，他不得不辍学。（afford） 83. 他刚到家就下起了雨。（hardly... when）

84. 如果你有过一些工作经历，就容易被录用。（be likely to）

85. 最让人心碎的莫过于看见整个村庄被洪水冲走。（nothing is more heartbreaking than） Part VI IQ Test (5 marks)

There are five IQ Test questions in this part.

86. What is the missing number in the sequence: 1 3 2 4 6 5 7 ( )?

87. A snail is climbing from the bottom up to the top of window, the window is 30 centimetres high, each minute the snail manages to climb three centimetres─but slipped down two centimetres. How long does it take the snail to get the top?

88. Who makes it, has no need of it. Who buys it, has no use for it. Who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it? 89. Which can fill the empty square?

A B

C D

90. PEACH is to HCAEP as 46251 is to ________. Part VII Writing (30 marks) Task I

There will be an English Party in your college at 7:30 p.m., December 24. You must make a poster. You should use no fewer than 80 words. Task II

Write an article of no fewer than 120 words with the topic “It Pays to be Honest ”. 参考答案

Part II Vocabulary and Structure 31—35 BCCAD 36—40 ABDCC 41—45 BBDBA Part III Cloze

46. disturbed 47. making 48. Only 49. impact 50. awful 51. block 52. affecting 53. legalized 54. fine 55. encouraging Part IV Reading Comprehension

56. N 57. Y 58. Y 59. A 60. B 61. a mistake 62. decoding 63—65 DBC 66. T 67. F 68. Carrying preterm babies in front.

69. Treating malnutrition, treating infections, monitoring pregnancies and caring for the early born baby with effective interventions. 70. Increased use of drugs and more births in older women. 71. Weird-looking shoes 72. vary 73. promote 74. He suggests wearing these shoes with caution for running or other heavy sports activities. 75. Three. They are Masai, Skechers and Reebok.. Part V Translation

76. 奥巴马总统说，美国现在仍然处在经济衰退之中，但是国家经济的齿轮正在慢慢地开始恢复运转。 77. 奥巴马发表上述讲话之前，美国劳工部宣布失业率在4月份达到25年来最高的8.9%。

78. 奥巴马正在为他自称为“新基础”的一个新项目寻求支持。他说，这个项目将帮助美国工人为经济的最终好转做好准备。 79. 奥巴马这个项目包括让失业的人重回校园，同时不失去他们的失业补助。 80. 奥巴马总统还打算鼓励大学向那些失去工作的人提供更多的财务帮助。

81. I was honoured to see his excellent performance yesterday.

82. Because his family couldn?t afford his education fee, Jim had to drop out of school. 83. Hardly had he arrived home when it started raining. 20