1、公共英语五级-212 及答案解析(总分：80.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Section Use of Eng(总题数：1，分数：20.00)There are several things about motorcycling that the average citizen dislikes. A cyclist“s 1 has something to do with this dislike. Motorcylists frequently look dirty, in fact, they are dirty. On the road there is little to 2 t
2、hem from mud, crushed insects, and bird droppings. For practical reasons they often 3 in old clothing which looks much less 4 than the clothing of people who ride in cars. For the same reason motorcyclists usually wear 5 colors. Perhaps this helps to explain why they are sometimes 6 of having evil n
3、atures. In old 7 of long ago, evil characters usually wear black. In 8 movies the “bad guys“ usually wear black hats 9 the “good guys“ wear lighter colors. Something else about their appearance makes an 10 impression. In their practical, protective clothing they very much like the men 11 military mo
4、torcycles in the movies of World War Two-cruel enemies who reared into 12 villages 13 people“s hearts with fear. Probably 14 machine itself also produces anger and fear. Motorcycles are noisy, though some big trucks are even noisier. But trucks are big and carry heavy 15 . They are accepted (If not
5、really welcomed) because they perform a 16 service, making America move. Motorcycles, on the 17 hand, make an unpleasant noise just to give their riders 18 . That is what is commonly thought. In the woods motorcycles frighten animals. 19 along quiet streets, they disturb 20 families and make babies
6、cry.（分数：20.00）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：5.00)On the heels of its recent decision to criminalize consumers who rip songs from albums they have purchased to their computers (or iPods), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has now gone o
7、ne step further and declared that “remembering songs“ using your brain is criminal copyright infringement. “The brain is a recording device,“ explained RIAA president Cary Sherman. “The act of listening is an unauthorized act of copying music to that recording device, and the act of recalling or rem
8、embering a song is unauthorized playback.“ The RIAA also said it would begin sending letters to tens of millions of consumers thought to be illegally remembering songs, threatening them with lawsuits if they do not settle with the RIAA by paying monetary damages. In order to avoid engaging in unauth
9、orized copyright infringement, consumers will now be required to immediately forget everything they have just hearda skill already mastered by the former US President George Bush. To aid in these memory wiping efforts, the RIAA is teaming up with Big Pharma to include free psychotropic prescription
10、drugs with the purchase of new music albums. Consumers are advised to swallow the pills before listening to the music. The pills block normal cognitive function, allowing consumers to enjoy the music in a more detached state without the risk of accidentally remembering any songs (and thereby violati
11、ng copyright law). Consumers caught humming their favorite songs will be charged with a more serious crime: The public performance of a copyrighted song, for which the fines can reach over $250,000 per incident. “Humming, singing and whistling songs will not be tolerated,“ said Sherman. Consumers at
12、tempting to circumvent the RIAA“s new memory-wiping technology by actually remembering songs will be charged with felony crimes under provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The Act, passed in 1998, makes it a felony crime to circumvent copyright protection technologies. The RIAA“s posit
13、ion is that consumers who actually use their brains while listening to music are violating the DMCA. With this decision, the RIAA now considers approximately 72% of the adult U.S. population to be criminals. Putting them all in prison for copyright infringement would cost US taxpayers an estimated $
14、683 billion per yearan amount that would have to be shouldered by the remaining 28% who are not imprisoned. The RIAA believes it could cover the $683 billion tab through royalties on music sales. The problem with thatthe 28% remaining adults not in prison do not buy music albums. That means album sa
15、les would plummet to nearly zero, and the US government (which is already deep in debt) would have to borrow money to pay for all the prisons. When asked whether he really wants 72% of the US population to be imprisoned for ripping music CDs to their own brains, Sherman shot back, “You don“t support
16、 criminal behavior, do you? Every person who illegally remembers a song is a criminal. We can“t have criminals running free on the streets of America. It“s an issue of national security.“（分数：5.00）(1).What does the phrase “copying music to that recording device“ (para. 1, line 6) mean?（分数：1.00）A.Ripp
17、ing music to their PCs.B.Recalling or remembering a song.C.Unauthorized playback of a song.D.Criminal copyright violation.(2).Which of the following best summarizes Paragraph 3?（分数：1.00）A.The absurdity of the RIAA“s memory-wiping efforts.B.The possibility of cooperation between the RIAA and Big Phar
18、ma.C.The effectiveness of the new prescription pills.D.The necessity to take measures against the violation of copyright law.(3).The following will be criminal acts EXCEPT（分数：1.00）A.humming a song in public.B.going to the public performance of a song.C.using your brain while listening to a song.D.ac
19、cidentally remembering a copyrighted song.(4).What will the RIAA“s decision lead to?（分数：1.00）A.Crime rates in the US will rise sharply.B.Much will be gained through royalties on music sales.C.The US government will get even deeper in debt.D.Only 28% of the total music albums could be sold out.(5).Wh
20、at category does this essay fall into?（分数：1.00）A.News report.B.Satire.C.Review.D.Humour.五、Text 2(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Throughout history there have been many unusual taxes levied on such things as hats，beds，baths，marriages，and funeralsAt one time England levied a tax on sunlight by collection from every ho
21、usehold with six or more windowsAnd according to legend，there was a Turkish ruler who collected a tax each time he dined with one of his subjectsWhy?To pay for the wear and tear on his teeth! Different kinds of taxes help to spread the tax burdenAnyone who pays a tax is said to“bear the burden”of th
22、e taxThe burden of a tax may fall more heavily on some persons than on othersThat is why the three levels of government in this country use several kinds of taxesThis spreads the burden of taxes among more peopleFrom the standpoint of their use，the most important taxes are income taxes，property taxe
23、s，sales taxes，and estate，inheritance，and gift taxesSome are used by only one level of government；others by two or even all three levelsTogether these different taxes make up what is called our tax system Income taxes are the main source of federal revenuesThe federal government gets more than three-
24、fourths of its revenue from income taxesAs its name indicated，an income tax is a tax on earningsBoth individuals and business corporations pay a federal income tax The oldest tax in the United States today is the property taxIt provides most of the income for local governmentsIt provides at least a
25、part of the income for all but a few statesIt is not used by the federal government A sales tax is a tax levied on purchasesMost people living in the United States know about sales taxes since they are used in all but four statesActually there are several kinds of sales taxes，but only three of them
26、are importantThey are general sales taxes，excise taxes，and import taxes Other three closely related taxes are estate，inheritance，and gift taxesEverything a person owns，including both real and personal property，makes up his or her estateWhen someone dies，ownership of his or her property or estate pas
27、ses on to one or more individuals or organizationsBefore the property is transferred，however，it is subject to an estate tax if its value exceeds a certain amount（分数：5.00）(1).The reason that the Turkish ruler collected a dining tax is to pay for_（分数：1.00）A.the inconvenience for him to put on and take
28、 off clothesB.the damage that eating did to his teethC.his efforts to cut the food into piecesD.the decay of his teeth because of sugar(2).The government levies different kinds of taxes so that_（分数：1.00）A.the rich have to pay more and the poor lessB.a wider range of taxpayers can be includedC.each o
29、f three levels of government could get tax moneyD.the burden of taxes falls evenly on everybody(3).The federal government gets most of their income from_（分数：1.00）A.property taxB.income taxC.sales taxD.estate tax(4).How many states levy import taxes in the U.S.A.?（分数：1.00）A.4B.50C.46D.54(5).Which of
30、the following statements is NOT true?（分数：1.00）A.Any form of property is subject to an estate tax when transferredB.Property tax provides a part of income for local governmentC.There are a few kinds of sales taxesD.Individuals and corporations both pay income taxes六、Text 3(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Steve Courtne
31、y wrote historical novels. Not, he was quick to explain, over-colourful love stories of the kind that made so much money for so many women writers, but novels set, and correctly set, in historical periods. Whatever difference he saw in his own books, his readers did not seem to notice it, and his re
32、aders were nearly all women. He had studied in university, but he had been a particularly good student, and he had never afterwards let any academic knowledge he had achieved interfere with his writing. Helen, his wife, who did not have a very high opinion of her husband“ s ability as a novelist, ha
33、d been careful to say when she married him she was not historically minded. Above all, Helen was doubtful whether her relationship with Steve would work at all in the village of Stretton, to which they had just moved. It was Steve who had wanted to move to the country, and she had been glad of the c
34、hange, in principle, whatever doubts she was now having about Stretton as a choice. But she wondered whether Steve would, before long, want to live in London again, and what she would do if he did. The Stretton house was not a weekend cottage. They had moved into it and given up the London flat alto
35、gether, partly at least, she suspected, because that was Steve“ s idea of what a successful author ought to do. However, she thought he was not going to feel like a successful author half as much in Stretton as he had in London. On the other hand, she supposed he might just start dashing up to Londo
36、n for the day to see his agent or have dinner with his publisher, leaving her behind in Stretton, and she thought on the whole she would like that.（分数：5.00）(1).What was Steve“ s attitude towards women who wrote love stories?（分数：1.00）A.He would have liked to earn as much money as they did.B.He was af
37、raid of being compared unfavourably with them.C.He did not think he could write about the same subjects.D.He had a low opinion of the kind of books they wrote.(2).What did Helen have to be careful to hide?（分数：1.00）A.Her lack of interest in history.B.Her low opinion of her husband“ s writing.C.Her di
38、slike of her husband“ s admirers.D.Her inability to understand his books.(3).What were Helen“s feelings about the move from London to Stretton?（分数：1.00）A.She wanted to remain in the country.B.She had been unwilling to leave London.C.She thought it was time to return to London.D.She would have prefer
39、red a weekend house in the country.(4).Helen thought Steve might not be content of Stretton because _.（分数：1.00）A.he would not be able to write so well in the countryB.he would not feel so important in StrettanC.his relationship with Helen was changingD.he would not be lonely without all his London f
40、riends(5).The passage as a whole suggests that Steve“ s novels were _.（分数：1.00）A.popular but unimportantB.serious literary worksC.admired for their historical truthD.written with women readers in mind七、Part B(总题数：1，分数：10.00)But in preserving the balance we have to be clear where the problem actually
41、 lies. Of the total carbon dioxide emissions caused by burning fossil fuels, only 20 percent comes from transportation. 80 percent comes from static Uses of energy - the energy used in our homes, in industry and in power generation of the total, 43 percent comes from petroleum. 1 On top of that, a f
42、urther one megaton is produced by our chemical operations. If you add to that the carbon produced by the consumption of the products we produce - the total goes up to around 95 megatons. That is just 1 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions which come from all human activity. 2 Only a fractio
43、n of the total emissions come from the transportation sector - so the problem is not just caused by vehicles. Any response which is going to have a real impact has to look at all the sources. That means ensuring our own house is in order. It also means contributing to the wider analysis of the probl
44、em - through research, technology and through engagement in the search for the best public policy mechanisms - the actions which can produce the right solutions for the long term common interest. We have a responsibility to act, and I hope that through our actions we can contribute to the much wider
45、 process which is desirable and necessary. First we will monitor and control our own carbon dioxide emissions. This follows the commitment we“ve made in relation to other environmental issues. Our overall goal is to do no harm or damage to the natural environment. That“s an ambitious goal which we a
46、pproach systematically. 3 Now, as well as continuing our efforts in relation to the other greenhouse gases, it is time to establish a similar process for carbon dioxide. Our carbon dioxide emissions result from burning hydrocarbon fuels to produce heat and power, from flaring feed and product gases,
47、 and directly from the process of separation or transformation. So far our approach to carbon dioxide has been indirect and has mainly come through improvements in the energy efficiency of our production processes. Over the last decade, efficiency in our major manufacturing activities has improved b
48、y 20 percent. 4 It is a learning process - just as it has been with the other emissions we“ve targeted but the learning is cumulative and I think it will have a substantial impact. Other steps will require investment to make existing facilities more energy efficient. For instance, we“re researching
49、ways in which we can remove the carbon dioxide from large compressors and reinject it to improve oil recovery. That would bring a double benefit - a cut in emissions and an improvement in production efficiency. The task is particularly challenging in the refining sector where the production of cleaner products re quires more extensive processing and a higher energy demand for each unit of output. That means that to make gasoline cleaner, with lower sulphur levels, takes more energy at the manufacturing stage. That“s
