1、考研英语-481 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Section Use of Eng(总题数：1，分数：10.00)The first man who cooked his food, instead of eating it raw, lived so long ago that we have no idea who he was or where he lived. We do know, however, that (1) thousands of years food was always eaten cold and (2) . Perhaps the
2、cooked food was heated accidentally by a (3) fire or by the melted lava from an erupting (4) . When people first tasted food that had been cooked, they found it tasted better. However, (5) after this discover, cooked food must have remained a rarity (6) man learned how to make and light (7) .Primiti
3、ve men who lived in hot regions could depend on the heat of the sun (8) their food. For example, in the desert (9) of the southwestern. United States, the Indians cooked their food by (10) it on a flat (11) in the hot sun. They cooked piece of meat and thin cakes of com meal in this (12) . We surmis
4、e that the earliest kitchen (13) was stick (14) which a piece of meat could be attached and held over a fire. Later this stick was (15) by an iron rod or spit which could be turned frequently to cook the meat (16) all sides.Cooking food in water was (17) before man learned to make water containers t
5、hat could not be (18) by fire. The (19) cooking pots were reed or grass baskets in which soups, and stews could be cooked. As early as 166 B. C, the Egyptians had learned to make (20) permanent cooking pots out of sand stone. Many years later, the Eskimos learned to make similar pans.（分数：10.00）A.inB
6、.onC.throughD.forA.rawB.crudeC.readyD.freshA.forestB.cookedC.man-madeD.lightingA.volcanoB.caveC.mountainD.valleyA.thoughB.sinceC.soonD.evenA.WhenB.whichC.untilD.asA.foodB.a fireC.himselfD.itA.to cookB.cookingC.cookedD.cookA.placesB.realmsC.areasD.domainsA.beatingB.fryingC.dryingD.placingA.stoneB.boa
7、rdC.tableD.plateA.zoneB.sectorC.methodD.fashionA.utensilB.instrumentC.toolD.equipmentA.byB.overC.onD.toA.supportedB.replacedC.changedD.switchedA.byB.onC.overD.atA.incapableB.unavoidableC.impossibleD.unpopularA.brokenB.destroyedC.spoiledD.piercedA.newestB.latestC.firstD.worstA.strongerB.betterC.moreD
8、.longer二、Section Reading Co(总题数：0，分数：0.00)三、Part A(总题数：0，分数：0.00)四、Text 1(总题数：1，分数：10.00)For my proposed journey, the first priority was clearly to start learning Arabic. I have never been a linguist. Though I had traveled widely as a journalist, I had never managed to pick up more than a smattering
9、 of phrases in any tongue other than French, and even my French, was laborious for want of lengthy practice. The prospect of tackling one of the notoriously difficult languages at the age of forty, and trying to speak it well, both deterred and excited me. It was perhaps expecting a little too much
10、of a curiously unreceptive part of myself, yet the possibility that I might gain access to a completely alien culture and tradition by this means was enormously pleasing.I enrolled as a pupil in a small school in the center of the city. It was run by a Mr Beheit, of dapper appearance and explosive t
11、emperament, who assured me that after three months of his special treatment I would speak Arabic fluently. Whereupon he drew from his desk a postcard which an old pupil had sent him from somewhere in the Middle East, expressing great gratitude and reporting the astonishment of local Arabs that he co
12、uld converse with them like a native. It was written in English. Mr Beheit himself spent most of his time coaching businessmen in French, and through the thin, partitioned walls of his school one could hear him bellowing in exasperation at some confused entrepreneur: “Non, M. Jones. Jane suis pas fr
13、ancais. Pas, Pas, Pas!“ (No Mr. Jones, Im NOT French, Im not, not, NOT!). I was gratified that my own tutor, whose name was Ahmed, was infinitely softer and less public in approach.For a couple of hours every morning we would face each other across a small table, while we discussed in meticulous det
14、ail the colour scheme of the tiny cubicle, the events in the street below and, once a week, the hair-raising progress of a window-cleaner across the wall of the building opposite. In between, hearing in mind the particular interest I had in acquiring Arabic, I would inquire the way to some imaginary
15、 oasis, anxiously demand fodder and water for my camels, wonder politely whether the sheikh was prepared to grant me audience now. It was all hard going. I frequently despaired of ever becoming anything like a fluent speaker, though Ahmed assured me that my pronunciation was above average for a West
16、emer. This, I suspected, was partly flattery, for there are a couple of Arabic sounds which not even a gift for mimicry allowed me to grasp for ages. There were, moreover, vast distinctions of meaning conveyed by subtle sound shifts rarely employed in English. And for me the problem was increased by
17、 the need to assimilate a vocabulary, that would vary from place to place across five essentially Arabic-speaking countries that practiced vernaculars of their own: so that the word for “people“, for instance, might be nais, sah ab or sooken.Each day I was mentally exhausted by the strain of a morni
18、ng in school, followed by an afternoon struggling at home with a tape recorder. Yet there was relief in the most elementary forms of understanding and progress. When merely got the drift of a torrent which Ahmed had just released, I was childishly elated. When I managed to roll a complete sentence o
19、ff my tongue without apparently thinking what I was saying, and it came out right, I beamed like an idiot. And the enjoyment of reading and writing the flowing Arabic script was something that did not leave me once I had mastered it. By the end of June, no-one could have described me as anything lik
20、e a fluent speaker of Arabic. I was approximately in the position of a fifteen-year old who, equipped with a modicum of schoolroom French, nervously awaits his first trip to Paris. But this was something I could reprove upon in my own time. I bade farewell to Mr Beheit, still struggling to drive the
21、 French negative into the still confused mind of Mr Jones.（分数：10.00）(1).Which of the following is not characteristic of Mr Beheit?（分数：2.00）A.He had a neat and clean appearance.B.He was volatile and highly emotionalC.He was very modest about his success in teaching.D.He sometimes lost his temper and
22、shouted loudly when teachin(2).It is known from the passage that the writer_.（分数：2.00）A.had a good command of FrenchB.couldnt make sounds properly when learning ArabicC.spoke highly of Mr Beheits achievements in language teachingD.didnt like Ahmeds style of teaching(3).It can be inferred from the pa
23、ssage that Ahmed was_.（分数：2.00）A.a fast speakerB.a boring speakerC.a laconic speakerD.an interesting speaker(4).The word “modicum“ in the last paragraph can be replaced by_.（分数：2.00）A.competenceB.excellenceC.mimicryD.smattering(5).Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?（
24、分数：2.00）A.The writers intended journey created particular difficulties in his learning of Arabic.B.The reading and writing of the Arabic script gave the writer lasting pleasure.C.The writer found learning Arabic was a grueling experience but rewarding.D.The writer regarded Ahmeds praise of his pronu
25、nciation as tongue-in-cheek五、Text 2(总题数：1，分数：10.00)Americans usually consider themselves a friendly people. Their friendships, however, tend to be shorter and more casual than friendships among people from other cultures. It is not uncommon for Americans to have only one close friend during their li
26、fe-time, and consider other “friends“ to be just social acquaintances. This attitude probably has something to do with American mobility and the fact that Americans do not like to be dependent on other people. They tend to “compartmentalize“ friendships, having “friends at work“ ,“friends on the sof
27、tball team“, “family friends“, etc.Because the United States is a highly active society, full of movement and change, people always seem to be on the go. In this highly charged atmosphere, Americans can sometimes seem brusque or impatient. They want to get to know you as quickly as possible and then
28、 move on to something else. Sometimes, early on, they will ask you questions that you may feel are very personal. No insult is intended; the questions usually grow out of their genuine interest or curiosity, and their impatience to get to the heart of the matter. And the same goes for you. If you do
29、 not understand certain American behavior or you want to know more about them, do not hesitate to ask them questions about themselves. Americans are usually eager to explain all about their country or anything “American“ in which you may be interested. So much so in fact that you may become tired of
30、 listening. It doesnt matter, because Americans tend to be uncomfortable with silence during a conversation. They would rather talk about the weather or the latest sports scores, for example, than deal with silence.On the other hand, dont expect Americans to be knowledgeable about international geog
31、raphy or world affairs, unless those subjects directly involve the United States. Because the United States is not surrounded by many other nations, some Americans tend to ignore the rest of the world.（分数：10.00）(1).The general topic of the passage is_.（分数：2.00）A.American cultureB.American societyC.A
32、mericans activitiesD.Americans personality(2).Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Americans do not like to depend on other people.B.Friendships among Americans tend to be casual.C.Americans know a lot about international affairs.D.Americans always seem t
33、o be on the go.(3).The phrase “highly charged“ (Paragraph 2) most probably means_.（分数：2.00）A.extremely freeB.highly responsibleC.very cheerfulD.full of mobility and change(4).It can be inferred from the passage that_.（分数：2.00）A.Americans want to participate in all kinds of activitiesB.Americans char
34、acter is affected by their social and geographical environmentC.Americans do not know how to deal with silenceD.curiosity is characteristic of Americans(5).According to the passage, Americans tend to ignore the rest of the world because_.（分数：2.00）A.they are not interested in other countriesB.they ar
35、e too proud of themselvesC.their country does not have many neighboring nationsD.they are too busy to learn about other countries六、Text 3(总题数：1，分数：10.00)When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isnt biting her nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isnt cutting, filling or polishing
36、 as many nails as shed like to, either. Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening economy. “Im a good economic indicator,“ she says. “I provide a service that people can do without when theyre concerned
37、about saving some dollars. “ So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillards department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I dont know if other clients are going to abandon me, too“ she says.Even before Alan Greenspans admission that Americas red-hot economy
38、 is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the ca
39、utious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last years pace. But dont sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem only mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economys long-term prospects, even as they do
40、 some modest belt-tightening.Consumers say theyre not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “theres a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, predominantly f
41、ed by Wall Street bonuses,“ says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three,“ says John Tealdi, a Bay Area real-estate broker. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable ab
42、out their ability to find and keep a job.Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldnt mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors no
43、w view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattans hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant used to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan Co. may still be worth toasting.（分数：10.00）(1).By “Ellen Spero isnt biting her nails just yet“
44、(Line 1, Paragraph 1), the author means_.（分数：2.00）A.Spero can hardly maintain her businessB.Spero is too much engaged in her workC.Spero has grown out of her bad habitD.Spero is not in a desperate situation(2).How do the public feel about the current economic situation?（分数：2.00）A.OptimisticB.Confuse
45、dC.CarefreeD.Panicked(3).When mentioning “the $ 4 million to $ 10 million range“ (Lines 3-4, Paragraph 3) the author is talking about_.（分数：2.00）A.gold marketB.real estateC.stock exchangeD.venture investment(4).Why can many people see “silver linings“ to the economic slowdown?（分数：2.00）A.They would be
46、nefit in certain ways.B.The stock market shows signs of recovery.C.Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom.D.The purchasing power would be enhance(5).To which of the following is the author likely to agree?（分数：2.00）A.A new boom, on the horizon.B.Tighten the belt, the single remedy.C.Caution all righ
47、t, panic not.D.The more ventures, the more chances.七、Text 4(总题数：1，分数：10.00)The media can impact current events. As a graduate student at Berkeley in the 1960s,I remember experiencing the events related to the Peoples Park that were occurring on campus. Some of these events were given national media
48、coverage in the press and on TV. I found it interesting to compare my impressions of what was going on with perceptions obtained from the news media. I could begin to see events of that time feed on news coverage. This also provided me with some healthy insights into the distinctions between these r
49、ealities.Electronic media are having a greater impact on the peoples lives every day. People gather more and more of their impressions from representations. Television and telephone communications are linking people to a global village, or what one writer calls the electronic city. Consider the information that television brings into your home every day. Consider also the contract you have with others simply by using telephone. These media extend your consciousness and your contact. For example, the video cove
