1、考研英语-试卷 259及答案解析(总分：142.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Use of English(总题数：2，分数：80.00)1.Section I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D.（分数：40.00）_Energy will be one of the defining issues of this century. One thing is clear: the era
2、 of (1)_ oil is over. What we all do next will determine how well we meet the energy needs of the entire world in this century and (2)_. Demand is soaring like (3)_ before. As populations grow and economies (4)_, millions in the developing world are enjoying the benefits of a lifestyle that (5)_ inc
3、reasing amounts of energy. In fact, some say that in 20 years the world will (6)_ 40% more oil than it does today. At the same time, many of the world“s oil and gas fields are (7)_ And new energy discoveries are mainly occurring in places where resources are difficult to (8)_, physically, economical
4、ly and even politically. When growing demand meets (9)_ supplies, the result is more (10)_ for the same resources. We can wait until a crisis forces us to do something. (11)_ we can (12)_ to working together, and start by asking the (13)_ questions: How do we meet the energy needs of the developing
5、world and those of industrialized nations? What role will renewables and (14)_ energies play？What is the best way to protect our environment? How do we accelerate our conservation efforts? (15)_ actions we take, we must look not just to next year, (16)_ to the next 50 years. At Chevron, we believe t
6、hat innovation, collaboration and conservation are the (17)_ on which to build this new world. We cannot do this alone. Corporations, governments and every citizen of this planet must be part of the solution as (18)_ as they are part of the problem. We (19)_ scientists and educators, politicians and
7、 policy-makers, environmentalists, leaders of industry and each one of you to be part of (20)_ the next era of energy.（分数：40.00）A.fossilB.eternalC.easyD.formidableA.afterB.beyondC.laterD.afterwardA.neverB.longC.everD.sometimeA.take onB.take toC.take offD.take afterA.acquiresB.requiresC.rescueD.inqui
8、resA.consumeB.restrainC.resumeD.compriseA.emergingB.menacingC.eruptingD.maturingA.extractB.constructC.extolD.extemporizeA.amplerB.surplusC.emergentD.tighterA.accommodationB.competitionC.stimulationD.cooperationA.Or elseB.NeverthelessC.OrD.AlbeitA.commitB.striveC.conductD.simulateA.novelB.toxicC.nume
9、rousD.toughA.alternateB.subterraneanC.alternativeD.abundantA.OnceB.HoweverC.AlthoughD.WhateverA.but thenB.butC.but yetD.but forA.milestonesB.milieuC.cornerstonesD.correspondenceA.symbolicallyB.synchronouslyC.swiftlyD.surelyA.call uponB.call offC.call forthD.call overA.revokingB.reshapingC.revertingD
10、.reversing二、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：10，分数：58.00)2.Section II Reading Comprehension_3.Part ADirections: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D._Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said he wanted next week“s summit of 170-plus
11、 heads of state and government in New York to be another “San Francisco moment“a chance to recapture the spirit of renewal and optimism that accompanied the birth of the United Nations in California 60 years ago. He is not likely to get his way. After more than a year of investigation, Paul Volcker,
12、 a former head of America“s Federal Reserve, chose this of all weeks to publish his report on what went wrong with the UN“s oil-for-food programme in Iraq. It does not make pretty reading. The programme achieved its basic aim, which was to allow an Iraq under sanctions to sell some oil so that some
13、of the basic food and medical needs of its people could still be met. But Mr. Volcker“s team confirms that the programme was riddled with waste, inefficiency and corruption, including among UN staff at head quarters as well as in the field. As a result, Saddam Hussein“s regime succeeded in squeezing
14、 a total illicit income of some $10 billion from the scheme, about $8 billion from smuggling and the rest from surcharges and kickbacks. Ever since the Security Council failed to endorse the war against Iraq, Mr. Annan“s critics have been calling for him to resign or be sacked for his part in the oi
15、l-for-food programme. They have had two arguments. One is that he is himself guilty of malfeasance. The other is that even if he isn“t, he was the man at the top and should therefore take the blame for a scandal that unfolded on his watch. On both counts, a case can be made that the Volcker report o
16、ffers him an escape. On the first count, Mr. Volcker has found no evidence at all that the secretary-general himself did anything corrupt, even though several people close to him plainly did. On the second, the report does not say whether Mr. Annan should go for having presided over such chaos and v
17、enality. It does say that corruption down the line reflected the absence of “a strong organizational ethic“ that should have permeated the leadership. But it also argues that Mr. Annan was not responsible for everything that went wrong. Though nominally the UN“s administrative boss, neither he nor h
18、is predecessors were chosen for managerial skills or provided with the toolssuch as the ability to hire and fire without political interferenceto be effective managers. In the case of oil-for-food, the Security Council tried to keep control through a sanctions committee of national diplomats. Having
19、 neither the Security Council nor the secretariat in clear command was a recipe for “the evasion of responsibility at all levels“. If the UN were a company whose boss had made a hash of things, The Economist would call for the top man“s head. Removing a boss is a good way for shareholders to show th
20、at they want change. But since the UN is not a firm, sacking Mr. Annan over the oil-for-food programme would send the wrong signal: that it is his person and notas the Volcker report stressesthe structure of the organization that is at the root of the problem. And because the UN is a political organ
21、ization, ousting Mr. Annan would send a political signal, too. It would be read by many UN members as a punishment inflicted on the UN by America“s more strident Republicans as revenge for the Security Council“s failure to support the British and American invasion of Iraq in 2003.（分数：10.00）(1).Accor
22、ding to the text, the optimistic mood seems to be（分数：2.00）A.always highly thought of.B.lost over the past decades.C.regained by heads of state and government.D.disputed at the coming summit meeting.(2).The word “reading“ in Paragraph 2 denotes _.（分数：2.00）A.interpretation.B.apprehension.C.inducement.
23、D.portability.(3).The phrase “made a hash of things“(Line 1, Paragraph 6) most probably means _.（分数：2.00）A.decided.B.manipulated.C.mismanaged.D.disobeyed.(4).It can be inferred in the last paragraph that（分数：2.00）A.the structure of UN is blamed in Volcker“s report.B.sacking Mr. Annan is essential to
24、the recapture of the spirit of renewal.C.the writer shares exactly same views with Mr. Volcker.D.Mr. Annan can be exempt from being dismissed due to the nature of UN.(5).What is the relationship of paragraph 4 and 5 to paragraph 3?（分数：2.00）A.Evidence is demonstrated in paragraph 4 and 5 so as to ref
25、ute the statement made in paragraph 3.B.In paragraph 3 a generalization is made and then elaborated in paragraph 4 and 5.C.Proofs are rendered in paragraph 4 and 5 in order to negate the twin arguments in paragraph 3.D.In paragraph 3 a conclusion is made and then overruled in paragraph 4 and 5.Those
26、 Europeans who are tempted, in the light of the dismal scenes in New Orleans this fortnight, to downgrade the American challenge should meditate on one world: universities. Five years ago in Lisbon European officials proclaimed their intention to become the world“s premier “knowledge economy“ by 201
27、0. The thinking behind this grand declaration made sense of a sort: Europe“s only chance of preserving its living standards lies in working smarter than its competitors rather than harder or cheaper. But Europe“s failing higher-education system poses a lethal threat to this ambition. Europe created
28、the modern university. Scholars were gathering in Paris and Bologna before America was on the map. Oxford and Cambridge invented the residential university: the idea of a community of scholars living together to pursue higher learning. Germany created the research university. A century ago European
29、universities were a magnet for scholars and a model for academic administrators the world over. But, as our survey of higher education explains, since the second world war Europe has progressively surrendered its lead in higher education to the United States. America boasts 17 of the world“s top 20
30、universities. American universities currently employ 70% of the world“s Nobel prize-winners, 30% of the world“s output of articles on science and engineering, and 44% of the most frequently cited articles. No wonder developing countries now look to America rather than Europe for a model for higher e
31、ducation. Why have European universities declined so precipitously in recent decades? And what can be done to restore them to their former glory.“? The answer to the first question lies in the role of the state. American universities get their funding from a variety of different sources, not just go
32、vernment but also philanthropists, businesses and, of course, the students themselves. European ones are largely state-funded. The constraints on state funding mean that European governments force universities to “process“ more and more students without giving them the necessary cashand respond to t
33、he universities“ complaints by trying to micromanage them. Inevitably, quality has eroded. Yet, as the American model shows, people are prepared to pay for good higher education, because they know they will benefit from it: that“s why America spends twice as much of its GDP on higher education as Eu
34、rope does. The answer to the second question is to set universities free from the state. Free universities to run their internal affairs: how can French universities, for example, compete for talent with their American rivals when professors are civil servants? And free them to charge fees for their
35、 servicesincluding, most importantly, student fees.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the text, the European dream is likely to come true（分数：2.00）A.if the current education deterioration can be curbed.B.when the American challenge no longer causes controversy over campus-culture.C.if public attitudes bring
36、about changes in education.D.when laws and requirement concerning higher-education system are stipulated.(2).The available statistics are employed to illustrate（分数：2.00）A.the academic glory achieved by Americans.B.the loss of European predominance in higher education.C.the delayed effect of knowledg
37、e explosion.D.the present status of plagiarism.(3).Independence from the state is the prerequisite for（分数：2.00）A.academic establishments.B.European rejuvenation.C.American model.D.talent emancipation.(4).The text is mainly（分数：2.00）A.a review of a fading system and the relevant solution.B.about the g
38、lobalization of knowledge economy.C.a survey of news approaches to higher education.D.about merits of the European higher-education system.(5).Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?（分数：2.00）A.To set university free will benefit the fading European higher education.B.Research university
39、 took shape in Germany.C.Developing nations used to follow European higher education.D.The way of fund-raising from diverse channels is not illuminating at all.“When a customer enters my store, forget me. He is king,“ decreed John Wanamaker, who in 1876 turned an abandoned railway depot in Philadelp
40、hia into one of the world“s first department stores. This revolutionary concept changed the face of retailing and led to the development of advertising and marketing as we know it today. But compelling as that slogan was, in truth the shopper was cheated of the crown. Although manufacturing efficien
41、cy boosted the variety of goods and lowered prices, advertising provided most information about products. Through much of the past century, ads spoke to a captive audience confined to just a few radio or television channels or a limited number of publications. Now media choice has exploded too, and
42、consumers select what they want from a far greater variety of sourcesespecially with a few clicks of a computer mouse. Thanks to the internet, the consumer is finally seizing power. As our survey in this issue shows, consumer power has profound implications for companies, because it is changing the
43、way the world shops. Many firms already claim to be “customer-driven“ or “consumer-centric“. Now their claims will be tested as never before. Trading on shoppers“ ignorance will no longer be possible: people will knowand soon tell others, even those without the internetthat prices in the next town a
44、re cheaper or that certain goods are inferior. The internet is working wonders in raising standards. Good and honest firms should benefit most. But it is also intensifying competition. Today, window shopping takes place online. People can compare products, prices and reputations. They can read what
45、companies say about products in far greater detail, but also how that tallies with the opinions of others, andmost importantly of alldiscover what previous buyers have to say. Newsgroups and websites constantly review products and services. This is changing the nature of consumer decision. Until rec
46、ently, consumers usually learned about a product and made their choice at the same time. People would often visit a department store or dealership to seek advice from a salesman, look at his recommendations and then buy. Now, for many, each of these steps is separate. For instance, Ford is finding t
47、hat eight out of ten of its customers have already used the internet to decide what car they want to buyand what they are willing to payeven before they arrive at a show room.（分数：10.00）(1).It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the consumers used to be put at a disadvantage in a large par
48、t due to（分数：2.00）A.inefficient advertising.B.underrated slogan.C.medium handicap.D.rampant dishonesty.(2).It is implied in the third paragraph that（分数：2.00）A.profound implications are hard to decipher.B.commercial conducts can be tax-evasive.C.dishonest firms are most critical of award-winners.D.business transaction was less transparent.(3).What is the text mainly about?（分数：2.00）A.The cause of the public disappointment about business.B.The origin of a commercial concept.C.The consequence of a novel medium.D.The aim of the a
