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People want action on noise, a recent public meeting in Brisbane showed. Some want technical improvements such as quieter air conditioners or better sound barriers around nuyor roads. Others want tougher laws to restrict noise from building sites or to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs. But the highest priority was a noise complaints system that works.
Brisbane City Council receives more complaints about noise than all other problems put together. So it conducted a survey and found that about half its residents are upset by noise in one form or another-traffic,mowers, pool pumps, air conditioners or loud parties. This inspired the Council to bring together more than 100 citizens one evening to talk through a range of options.
The meeting found the present regulatory system bizarre. Depending on the problem, responsibility for noise can lie with the Council, the Environment Protection Authority, one of three government departments or even the police. So complainants often feel they are getting the run-round. When the people at the forum were asked to vote for changes, the strongest response was for a 24-hour, noise hotline to be the first port of call for all complaints.
The forum also favored regulatory measures, such as tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances like air conditioners. This even makes economic sense, as noise is a waste of energy—and money. Other measures the meeting supported were wider buffer (缓冲)zones around noisy activities and controls to keep heavy traffic away from residential areas.
But there are obvious conflicts. Many people like to have a bar within walking distance if they feel like a drink, but they don’t want a noisy pub keeping them awake when they want an early night. Most people want to live near a major road providing good access to other parts of the city, but they don’t want the problem of road noise.
I was most interested by the proposals aimed at behavioral change. There was strong support for measures to reduce traffic: better public transport, cycleways and footpaths, even charges for road use. Many people optimistically thought industry awards for better equipment would stimulate the production of quieter alliances. It was even suggested that noise from building sites could be alleviated if Brisbane adopted daylight saving, thus shifting the working day and providing longer, quieter evenings.
1
In the recent public meeting in Brisbane, people showed greatest dissatisfaction with ___________.
A.
the technical flaws of the air conditioners
B.
the poor noise barriers around major roads
C.
the inefficient system for noise complaints
D.
the late working time of the building sites
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
第1段指出了多个改善噪音问题的做法,其中末句But后的highest priority表明该句中提到的“噪音投诉系统”问题是人们最关注的,也就是感到最不满意和最需要改进的,由此可见,C为本题答案。
2
By saying that the complainants feel that “they are getting the run-round”, the author means ______.
A.
the complainants are unfairly treated by the government departments
B.
the government departments seldom respond to the complaints
C.
it is inexplicit which department is responsible for the complaints
D.
complaints will be treated only after being approved by all three departments
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
本题事实上是考查造成人们getting the run-round的原因。第3段第3句开头的so表明该句与第2句密切相关,从第2句可推断,原因是政府机构对噪音问题的权责不清,使人们不知该往哪个部门投诉,C正确。 该段首句提到的bizarre和第2句的depending on the problem都表明,由多个不同的部门负责处理不同的噪音问题这种做法不合理,由此可见,本段只关注这种不合理性,并未提到A或B;原文提及3个部门分别负责不同的噪音问题,因此不存在D的情况。
3
Which of the following measures is mentioned as not only beneficial environmentally but also economically?
A.
Enforcing stricter noise control on electrical apparatus.
B.
Prohibiting heavy traffic from entering residential areas.?
C.
Launching a 24-hour noise hotline.
D.
Increasing the charges for road use.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
第4段第2句中的this指的是首句提出的“为空调等家用电器制定更严格的最低噪音标准”的做法,句中的even表明这种做法不但可以产生环保效益,还可以产生经济效益,A为本题答案。B在第4段末句提及, C在第3段末句提及,D在末段第2句句尾提及,但原文并未表明它们与经济有关系,因此都不正确。
4
What was the author's attitude towards the industry awards for quieter equipment?
A.
Skeptical
B.
Disappointed
C.
Concerned
D.
Optimistic.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
在末段首句,作者指出对一些旨在改受人们行为的提议感到interested,接着举了一些例子,其中包括题干所说的对改善设施的行业实行奖励,由此可见,作者对industry awards也是感兴趣的,C“关心的”此同义。干扰项D是混淆了作者的态度和其他一些人的态度.属张冠李載
5
The passage points out daylight saving could be adopted in order to ______.
A.
prolong the daytime
B.
advance the working time
C.
shorten the working time
D.
save time and energy
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
thus后的shifting只表明采用夏时制可以改变工作时间,而从采用复时制的另一个结果“Providing longer, quieter evenings”可以推断,其目的是将上班时间提前,这样就可以提早下班而没有改变工作时间的长度,晚上工地不工作,嗓音自然就减少了,由此可见,B是对采用夏时制的作用的正确理解。
Why are so many people unhappy in their jobs? There are two primary reasons. First, some people are convinced that earning a living is wasting time that they could spend enjoying themselves or uncovering their true talents.
If this is the case with you, recall your Iast long vacation. Was it two weeks of complete enjoyment? More likely it was a week and a half of fun in the sun, with another half a week of “Boy, I can't wait to get back to work.” While all work and no play is not good, all play and no work is disastrous. We need to feel we are accomplishing something. We also need some form of order in our lives.
The second and perhaps more prevalent reason for people not to like their work is that they feel trapped. Once you’ve been at a company for five year and have a spouse, a mortgage and a child, you often feel you have very little choice about jumping ship if things aren't turning out as you’d planned. A steady paycheck can be the biggest manacle of ail. People resent having to do something because they have no other choice.
If you find yourself resenting your job because you can’t afford to quit, it may be time to prepare what one career counselor humorously calls a “cyanide capsule”. He recalls spy movies in which the secret agent has such a capsule hidden somewhere on his body. If he’s captured and tortured unbearably, he has an option. And having an option gives him the strength to hold on a little longer in the hope that the situation may change.
Rather than cyanide, your option takes the form of an up-to-date resume. You might also take a weekly glance through the help-wanted section, and make some visits to industry functions where low key networking can take place. You're not giving up your current job. Rather, you are providing yourself with an option. If things get unbearable at work, you could jump ship. Being in this position can do wonders for your attitude. It allows you to enjoy your work since, in reality, you are there only because you want to be.
At the core of adopting a positive attitude to your workplace is, above all, assuming responsibility for your own situation. Most people feel controlled by their environment, but they really aren’t They have to learn to manage that environment so they can get from it what they need
6
What do we most likely want during a long vacation, according to the author?
A.
To extend the vacation as long as possible.
B.
To gain a balance between work and play.
C.
To go back to work as soon as possible.
D.
To relax completely, free from wony.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
第2段最后三句表明作者认为工作和玩乐应该并行,不能光工作,也不能光玩乐,由此可见,选项B为本题答案。其他选项与作者观点相反.因此都不正确。
7
It is indicated in the passage that most people dislike their jobs because __.
A.
going to work is wasting their time
B.
they can’t feel fulfilled in their jobs
C.
they are confined to the jobs tightly
D.
pay seldom corresponds with work
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
原文在首段和第3段分别提到人们不喜欢他们的工作的两个原因,其中第3段提到的第2个原因是more prevalent reason,正是题干所问。由此可见,正确选项应与第2个原因同义,选项C是它的近义替换,为本题答案。选项A是第1个原因,但不符合题干的要求;选项B和D在原文中均未提及。
8
When one considers changing job, the biggest difficulty is .
A.
leaving a company and a good boss
B.
reducing the family burden
C.
giving up a stable income
D.
drawing up a better plan for the future
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
第3段倒数第2句表明最大的阻碍是steady paycheck,即放弃稳定的收人,而由上一句的jumping ship可知此处说的是有关换工作的阻碍因素,正符题干要求,因此本题答案为选项C。其他三个选项均未提及,与“最大的”困难无关。
9
The author suggests that, by having a "cyanide capsule" at work, one will _.?
A.
find a satisfactory job soon
B.
be as brave as the hero in spy movies
C.
be more tolerant with the present job
D.
have the courage to give up the unbearable job
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
作者在第4段首句首先提到“cyanide capsule”,然后在第2|3句对此做出了解释,第4句对cyanide capsule 的作用做了总结,选项C是对第4句中的hold on a little longer的近义改写,因此为本题答案。
10
You will change your attitude towards your job when ______.
A.
you are provided with the chance to choose
B.
you are responsible for your present job
C.
you get ready your up-to-date resume
D.
you get what you need from your job
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
第5段倒数第2句表明being in this position就能改变一个人的态度,而this position指的是上文提到的“为自己提供一种选择”,这样,在无法忍受的时候还可以有另一个选择,由此可见,选项A为本题答案。
German Chancellor (首相)Otto Von Bismarck may be most famous for his military and diplomatic talent, but his legacy (遗产)includes many of today's social insurance programs. During the middle of the 19th century, Germany, along with other European nations, experienced an unprecedented rash of workplace deaths and accidents as a result of growing industrialization. Motivated in part by Christian compassion (怜悯)for the helpless as well as a practical political impulse to undercut the support of the socialist labor movement, Chancellor Bismarck created the world’s first workers’ compensation law in 1884
By 1908, the United States was the only industrial nation in the world that lacked workers’ compensation insurance. America's injured workers could sue for damages in a court of law, but they still faced a number of tough legal barriers. For example, employees had to prove that their injuries directly resulted from employer negligence and that they themselves were ignorant about potential hazards in the workplace. The first state workers’ compensation law in this country passed in 1911, and the program soon spread throughout the nation.
After World War Ⅱ, benefit payments to American workers did not keep up with the cost of living. In fact, real benefit levels were lower in the 1970s than they were in the 1940s, and in most states the maximum benefit was below the poverty level for a family of four. In 1970, President Richard Nixon set up a national commission to study the problems of workers’ compensation. Two years later, the commission issued 19 key recommendations, including one that called for increasing compensation benefit levels to 100 percent of the states’ average weekly wages.
In fact, the average compensation benefit in America has climbed from 55 percent of the states’ average weekly wages in 1972 to 97 percent today. But, as most studies show, every 10 percent increase in compensation benefits results in a 5 percent increase in the numbers of workers who file for claims. And with so much more money floating in the workers’ compensation system, it’s not surprising that doctors and lawyers have helped themselves to a large slice of the growing pie.
11
The world’s first workers’ compensation law was introduced by Bismarck ____.
A.
to make industrial production safer
B.
to speed up the pace of industrialization
C.
out of religious and political considerations
D.
for fear of losing the support of the socialist labor movement
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
文章第1段最后一句提到“一方面是由于对孤立无援的工人出于基督教的怜悯,同时也是为了削弱对社会主义工人运动的支持这一实际的政治目的,德国首相俾斯麦于1884年创立了世界上第一部工人赔偿法”, C概括了这两个目的,即宗教上和政治上的目的,故选C。
12
We learn from the passage that the process of industrialization in Europe ____.
A.
was accompanied by an increased number of workshop accidents
B.
resulted in the development of popular social insurance programs
C.
required workers to be aware of the potential dangers at the workplace
D.
met growing resistance from laborers working at machines
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
文章第1段第2句提到“19世纪中期,德国和其他一些欧洲国家一样,由于工业化的发展而发生了史无前例的一系列的工人伤亡事故”,故选A。
13
One of the problems the American injured workers faced in getting compensation in the early 19th century was that _____.
A.
they had to have the courage to sue for damages in a court of law
B.
different states in the U.S. had totally different compensation prograams
C.
America's average compensation benefit was much lower than the cost of living
D.
they had to produce evidence that their employers were responsible for the accident
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
D
系统解析:
文章第2段第说2、3句提到“美国受伤工人可以向法庭控告要求赔偿损失,但他们仍需面对一系列棘手的法律障碍。例如:雇员必须证明他们的伤是由于雇主的过失而直接造成的,而他们自己对工厂内潜在的危险一无所知”。由此可知D正确。
14
After 1972 workers’ compensation insurance in the U.S. became more favorable to workers so that ______.
A.
the poverty level for a family of four went up drastically
B.
there were fewer legal barriers when they filed for claims
C.
the number of workers suing for damages increased
D.
more money was allocated to their compensation system
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
文章最后一段第2句提到“大多数的研究表明,赔偿金每增加10%,提起赔偿诉讼请求的工人就会增加5%”。C与文章所表达的意思一致。
15
The author end the passage with the implication that _____.
A.
compensation benefits in America are soaring to new heights
B.
the workers are not the only ones to benefit from the compensation system
C.
people from all walks of life can benefit from the compensation system
D.
money floating in the compensation system is a huge drain on the U.S. economy
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
在文章结尾作者提到“由于在工人赔偿体系中所投入的资金越来越多,医生和律师使自己在这不断增大的馅饼中分到一大块也是毫不令人奇怪的”。因此可推断工人并不是唯一能从赔偿体系中受益的人,因此B正确。
People have wondered for a long time how their personalities and behaviors are formed. It’s not easy to explain why one person is intelligent and another is not, or why one is cooperative and another is competitive.
Social scientists are, of course, extremely interested in these types of question. They want to explain why we possess certain characteristics and exhibit certain behaviors. There are no clear answers yet, but two distinct schools of thought on the matter have developed. As one might expect, the two approaches are very different from one another, and there is a great deal of debate between proponents of each theory. The controversy is often conveniently referred to as “nature/nurture”.
Those who support the “nature” side of the conflict believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological and genetic factor. That our environment has little, if anything to do with our abilities, characteristics, and behavior is central to this theory. Taken to an extreme, this theory maintains that our behavior is predetermined to such a great degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts.
Proponents of the “nurture” theory, or, as they are often called, behaviorists, claim that our environment is more important than our biologically based instincts in determining how we will act. Behaviorists see humans as being whose behavior is almost completely shaped by their surroundings. Their view of the human being is quite mechanistic; they maintain that, like machines, humans respond to environmental stimuli as the basis of their behavior.
The social and political implications of these two theories are profound. In the United States, for example, blacks often score below whites on standardized intelligent test. This leads some “nature” proponents to conclude that blacks are genetically interior to whites. Behaviorists, in contrast, say that the differences in scores are due to the fact that blacks are often deprived of many of the educational and other environmental advantages that white enjoy, and that, as a result, they do not develop the same responses that whites do.
Neither of these theories can yet fully explain human behavior. In fact, it is quite likely that the key to our behavior lies somewhere between these two extremes. That the controversy will continue for a long time is certain.
16
The author is mainly concerned about solving the problem________.
A.
why one’s behaviors differ from others’
B.
what makes different stages of intelligence
C.
how social scientists form different theories
D.
what causes the “nature/nurture” controversy
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
原文开头两段指出作者要讨论的问题,第2段末开始从两个方面解释该问题,末段是总结段,从文章的结构可见文章要探讨的是人类行为如何形成。从选项来看,似乎没有一个表达此意,但首段末句和第2段第2句中 的why...从句表明how(怎样形成)和why(为什么不同)其实是对文章关注的问题的两个不同表述,故选A。
17
The word “proponents” (Line 4,Para. 2) can best be replaced by _____.
A.
approaches
B.
advocates
C.
principles
D.
characters
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
从第4段首句可以比较明显看出proponents和该句中的they以及behaviorists所指相同,由此可见,proponents一词指的应该是人;第5段第3句也表明proponents是指人,只有选项B符合。A“方法”、C“原则”和D “特征”,都不适合。
18
Which of the following statements may be supported by the “nature” school?
A.
We are born with certain personalities and behaviors.
B.
Environment has nothing to do with our personalities.
C.
Abilities and characteristics are revealed by behaviors
D.
Only extreme behaviors are determined by instinct
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
第3段首句中的determined by biological and genetic factor和末句中的governed by our instincts都表明。“天性论”派会认同选项A的看法。第3段第2句表明选项B中的has nothing to do with…不正确;原文并未提及选项C中提到的能力、特点和行为之间的关系;选项D只是将第3段末句的某些词语拼凑在一起,原文并
未讨论有关extreme behaviors的内容。
19
What can we learn about the behaviorists?
A.
They believe human beings are mechanical.
B.
They compare our behaviors to the machines.
C.
They suggest that we react to the environment as the machines do.
D.
They uphold that the mechanistic theory can be applied on us as well.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
本题实标上考査对第4段末句的正确理解。原文该句中的like machines, humans respond…表明作者并非单纯把人类比作机器,而是把人类对环境的反应与机械对环境的反应作类比,故选项C正确
20
The “nature” theorists believe that the blacks’ low scores _____.
A.
are the result of the educational disadvantages
B.
are a manifestation of the blacks' poor intelligence
C.
have nothing to do with their true intelligence
D.
have nothing to do with factors other than heredity
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
D
系统解析:
由第5段第3句“这导致一些‘天性论’者断定黑人天生就比白人低下”,可以确定选项D为本题答案。选项A是另一派,即行为主义者的看法;原文该处虽也有intelligent一词,但是“天性论”者关注的并非分数与智力之间的关系,他们关注的是造成黑人在智力测试中分数低下的原因,事实上,原文也没有提到分数和智力之间是否存在某种关系,因此选项B和C都没有原文依据。
Depending on which player you ask, the “Fevernova” ball that sports equipment maker Adidas says provides the ultimate soccer experience is uncontrollable, too big or just simply “stupid”. The ball also has its fans, like England's David Beckham, but so far they seem to have been outnumbered by critics.
Adidas says the ball, splashed with gold coloring, is quite simply the best around—25 percent more accurate than the ball used at France 98 thanks to meticulous testing by scientists in Germany.
The tongue-twisting nature of its contents confirms that the World Cup ball has come a long way from the leather-and-laces variety that was common as recently as the 1960s.
The Fevernova's secret, Adidas says, is its radically improved Syntactic foam and unique knitted Raschel fabric.
Given that this is supposed to make the ball Caster and provide the free-kick specialists like Beckham with more power, it may not be surprising that goalkeepers like Buffon are unhappy. Spain goal-keeper Pedro Contreras said the ball acts “strangely”,while Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen admitted gloomily that it would probably result in more spectacular goals. “As a goalkeeper, you have to live with the fact that the makers create balls for the benefit of strikers,” he said before leaving Copenhagen for South Korea.
But outfield players have also weighed in with criticism, many saying the ball is too light and therefore hard to control. “It's big and it's too light,” Japan's Jiji news agency quoted Brazilian forward Edilson as saying earlier this month, while striker Rivaldo said it soared too far when kicked.
Journalists at the main press centre in Yokohama have been given the chance to try out the Fevernova from the penalty spot, with the aim of hitting special targets in the goal. So far, few have been able to score more than five out of ten, although this may have little to do with the quality of the ball.
Putz admits that the ball is on the light side of FIFA's 420 to 445 gram weight requirement, but says it is no bigger than previous balls.
The controversy over the ball also has an off-pitch dimension. Industry insiders say it may be no coincidence that players from Brazil, sponsored by Adidas rival Nike, have been among the ball's most vociferous critics.
The same might go for the praise dished out for the ball by Beckham, one of the main players used to promote Adidas equipment.
21
How does Adidas describe the “Fevernova” ball?
A.
The experience provided by the ball is the best so far.
B.
The ball is almost impossible to control because of its large size.
C.
The ball has gone through a long way of development.
D.
The experience provided by the ball is most welcome by strikers.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
A
系统解析:
首段首句中的ultimate soccer experience表明Adidas公司认为“飞火流星”是迄今为止最完美的足球,因此选项A为本题答案。
22
What does the author think about the Syntactic foam and unique Raschel fabric that are used to make the ball?
A.
The materials have long been used in history.
B.
The materials do not sound familiar.
C.
The materials are new and advanced.
D.
The materials improve the precision of the ball.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
第3段开头的tongue-twisting表明人们对于制作“飞火流星”的材料及其功能都并不熟悉,因此选项B为本题答案。第3段表明“飞火流星”的材料经过很长时间才研制出来,并非长久以来一直在使用,由此可见,选项A不正确;第4段是Adidas公司的看法,并非作者的看法,因此选项C不符合题意;根据第2段可判断选项D也是Adidas公司的看法,而并非作者的看法。
23
The goalkeepers tend to admit reluctantly that _____.
A.
the ball is too strange to control
B.
the ball is so light that it goes toofast
C.
the ball may make the game more thrilling
D.
the ball may help to enhance the strikers'skills
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
C
系统解析:
本题题干中的reluctantly是关键词,指出本题要求査找的是“飞火流星”具有的优点,而这个优点是守门员们不想面对或承认的。根据第5段第2句中的it would probably result in more spectacular goals和下一句中的the makers create balls for the benefit of strikers(前锋;射手)可知,选项C符合题意,为本题答案。
24
which of the following is true according to putz?
A.
The ball is lighter than but of the same size as the previous ones.
B.
The ball should have been heavier to meet the required weight.
C.
The ball should have been bigger than the previous ones.
D.
The ball is light but still meets the weight requirement.
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
D
系统解析:
本题要求正确理解第8段中的on the light side of FIFA's 420 to 445 gram weight requirement,该句应理解为“飞火流星”重量偏轻,但仍属于要求范围内,选项D是正确的理解,为本题答案。
25
According to industry insiders, Beckham's comment on the ball _____.
A.
is justified in his daily training
B.
is out of commercial purpose
C.
goes as radical as the Brazilian players'
D.
is similar to that by the Brazilian players
本题答案:
A
B
C
D
参考答案:
B
系统解析:
概括最后两段可以得知,业内人士认为对“飞火流星”的批评和称赞都与赞助公司有关,也就是说,这些评价都出于商业目的,由此可推断选项B为本题答案。选项A中的training在原文根本没有提及;末段开头的The same might go表明Beckham和巴西球员对“飞火流星”做出的评价源于相似的目的,并非表明他们的评价内容相似,因此选项C和D都不正确。
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