1、专业英语八级（阅读）模拟试卷 162及答案与解析 SECTION A MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS In this section there are several passages followed by fourteen multiple-choice questions. For each multiple-choice question, there are four suggested answers marked A , B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. 0 (1) T
2、here is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. This ecstasy, this forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up an
3、d out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad on a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf-cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight. He was sounding the deeps
4、 of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow
5、and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars and over the face of dead matter that did not move. (2) But Spitz, cold and calculating even in his supreme moods, left the pack and cut across a narrow neck of land where the creek made a long bend around. Buck did not kn
6、ow of this, and as he rounded the bend, the frost wraith of a rabbit still flitting before him, he saw another and larger frost wraith leap from the overhanging bank into the immediate path of the rabbit. It was Spitz. The rabbit could not turn, and as the white teeth broke its back in mid air it sh
7、rieked as loudly as a stricken man may shriek. At sound of this, the cry of Life plunging down from Lifes apex in the grip of Death, the fall pack at Bucks heels raised a hells chorus of delight. (3) Buck did not cry out. He did not check himself, but drove in upon Spitz, shoulder to shoulder, so ha
8、rd that he missed the throat. They rolled over and over in the powdery snow. Spitz gained his feet almost as though he had not been overthrown, slashing Buck down the shoulder and leaping clear. Twice his teeth clipped together, like the steel jaws of a trap, as he backed away for better footing, wi
9、th lean and lifting lips that writhed and snarled. (4) In a flash Buck knew it. The time had come. It was to the death. As they circled about, snarling, ears laid back, keenly watchful for the advantage, the scene came to Buck with a sense of familiarity. He seemed to remember it all the white woods
10、, and earth, and moonlight, and the thrill of battle. Over the whiteness and silence brooded a ghostly calm. There was not the faintest whisper of air nothing moved, not a leaf quivered, the visible breaths of the dogs rising slowly and lingering in the frosty air. They had made short work of the sn
11、ow shoe rabbit, these dogs that were ill-tamed wolves; and they were now drawn up in an expectant circle. They, too, were silent, their eyes only gleaming and their breaths drifting slowly upward. To Buck it was nothing new or strange, this scene of old time. It was as though it had always been, the
12、 wonted way of things. (5) Spitz was a practised fighter. From Spitzbergen through the Arctic, and across Canada and the Barrens, he had held his own with all manner of dogs and achieved to mastery over them. Bitter rage was his, but never blind rage. In passion to rend and destroy, he never forgot
13、that his enemy was in like passion to rend and destroy. He never rushed till he was prepared to receive a rush; never attacked till he had first defended that attack. (6) In vain Buck strove to sink his teeth in the neck of the big white dog. Wherever his fangs struck for the softer flesh, they were
14、 countered by the fangs of Spitz. Fang clashed fang, and lips were cut and bleeding, but Buck could not penetrate his enemys guard. Then he warmed up and enveloped Spitz in a whirlwind of rushes. Time and time again he tried for the snow-white throat, where life bubbled near to the surface, and each
15、 time and every time Spitz slashed him and got away. Then Buck took to rushing, as though for the throat, when, suddenly drawing back his head and curving in from the side, he would drive his shoulder at the shoulder of Spitz, as a ram by which to overthrow him. But instead, Bucks shoulder was slash
16、ed down each time as Spitz leaped lightly away. (7) Spitz was untouched, while Buck was streaming with blood and panting hard. The fight was growing desperate. And all the while the silent and wolfish circle waited to finish off whichever dog went down. (8) As Buck grew winded, Spitz took to rushing
17、, and he kept him staggering for footing. Once Buck went over, and the whole circle of sixty dogs started up; but he recovered himself, almost in mid air, and the circle sank down again and waited. (9) But Buck possessed a quality that made for greatness imagination. He fought by instinct, but he co
18、uld fight by head as well. He rushed, as though attempting the old shoulder trick, but at the last instant swept low to the snow and in. His teeth closed on Spitzs left fore leg. There was a crunch of breaking bone, and the white dog faced him on three legs. Thrice he tried to knock him over, then r
19、epeated the trick and broke the right fore leg. Despite the pain and helplessness, Spitz struggled madly to keep up. He saw the silent circle, with gleaming eyes, lolling tongues, and silvery breams drifting upward, closing in upon him as he had seen similar circles close in upon beaten antagonists
20、in me past. Only this time he was me one who was beaten. (10) There was no hope for him. Buck was inexorable. Mercy was a thing reserved for gender climes. He manoeuvred for the final rush. The circle had tightened till he could feel the breaths of the huskies on his flanks. He could see mem, beyond
21、 Spitz and to either side, half crouching for the spring, their eyes fixed upon him. A pause seemed to fall. Every animal was motionless as though turned to stone. Only Spitz quivered and bristled as he staggered back and forth, snarling with horrible menace, as though to frighten off impending deat
22、h. Then Buck sprang in and out; but while he was in, shoulder had at last squarely met shoulder. The dark circle became a dot on me moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view. Buck stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it go
23、od. 1 It can be inferred from Para. 1 that Buck_. （ A） enjoyed the feel of being a leader （ B） was experiencing a paradox of living （ C） had overcome me horror of death （ D） woke up its own nature as a wolf 2 Why did Buck turn to attack Spitz after it killed the rabbit? （ A） Because Spitz seized Buc
24、ks pray without its permission. （ B） Because its time to decide who would gain the mastery. （ C） Because Spitz had become me biggest threat against Buck. （ D） Because Buck enjoyed challenging the power. 3 According to the passage, what may have helped Buck win the fight? （ A） Its ruthlessness. （ B）
25、Its resourcefulness. （ C） Its instinct. （ D） Its enthusiasm. 4 What was the role of the pack towards the fight between Buck and Spitz? （ A） Lookers-on. （ B） Beneficiaries. （ C） Agitators. （ D） Flip-floppers. 5 The underlined sentence in Para. 10 contains a_. （ A） metonymy （ B） personification （ C） c
26、ontrast （ D） metaphor 5 (1) The American Dream, defined as the ability of every U. S. citizen to achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination, has always involved the pursuit of homeownership. Owning your own home has often been viewed as a sign of financial success, and quite
27、a few families use the equity built in a primary residence over time to help fund retirement. (2) But the American Dream isnt the same for millennials as it was for their parents. The pursuit of homeownership in America is waning: Since the first quarter of 2009, homeownership rates for those younge
28、r than 35 have fallen from 39. 8 percent to 34. 2 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to U. S. Census Bureau data via USA Today. And data released a week ago by real estate database company Zillow points to an even more frightening picture that could doom homeownership rates in America.
29、(3) According to Zillows latest report, 86 percent of current renters dont have the income to purchase a home, or a high enough credit score to obtain financing. Almost half of all survey-takers noted that they were already spending at least 30 percent of the pre-tax income on rent, making it nearly
30、 impossible to qualify for financing on a home. (4) This survey comes at a time when homeownership in the United States is down to 63. 4 percent, a 48-year low, and a steady decline from the 69 percent homeownership rate hit 12 years ago. At the same time, were also witnessing a near-40-year low in
31、vacancy rates for rentals. Since 1995, monthly median asking rent for vacant units has doubled from about $ 425 to $ 850. (5) Whats caused this precipitous decline in homeownership among millennials and Americans as a whole? (6) Part of the blame rests with weaker-than-expected wage growth. Nominal
32、wages in the U. S. rose by 727 percent from 1964 to 2014 based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics via the Pew Research Center. However, inflation-adjusted real-wage growth in constant 2014 dollars grew only 7 percent over the same time span. In the meantime, numerous other costs have outpac
33、ed wage growth, such as medical costs, college tuition costs, and even, in some markets, home prices and rental inflation. Without real income growth, individuals and families are struggling to gather the income needed to afford homes. (7) Secondly, as Zillows report points out, there are still quit
34、e a few people with subpar credit scores, which could keep them from getting loans, or even credit cards. Data from ValuePenguin, a website devoted to aiding consumers in making smart consumer spending decisions, shows that the average credit score in the U. S. in 2015 was 695, up modestly from 687
35、in 2009 and 2010. The credit score scale ranges from a low of 300 to a high of 850, with prime candidates being 680 and above, near-prime candidates hovering in the 620 - 680 range, and subprime candidates having a score under 620. As of 2014, just 48. 9 percent of all Americans had prime credit sco
36、res, leaving the remainder of adults questionable when it comes to being able to secure home loans. Its also worth pointing out that people aged 39 and younger had nearly a 40 percent chance of a subprime credit score, compared to just 16 percent and 8 percent for those ages 60 to 69 and 70 + , resp
37、ectively. (8) Lastly, Americans are poor savers, and thats a problem when lenders typically require a sizable down payment in order to purchase a home. The June 2016 personal savings rate was just 5.3 percent, a far cry from what the citizens of other developed countries are socking away in savings.
38、 Furthermore, a GOBankingRates survey from March 2016 showed that 56 percent of Americans have less than $ 10,000 saved for retirement, including 33 percent with $ 0. For millennials, 42.2 percent had nothing in retirement savings, and another 29. 8 percent had less than $10,000. (9) The biggest pro
39、blems for millennials are a lack of wage growth, poor credit scores, and insufficient savings. Thus, the easiest way to homeownership is to tackle these problems head-on. (10) Millennials should strongly consider working in job fields that have strong long-term demand, as well as go to college to ob
40、tain at least a bachelors degree. Millennials between the ages of 25 to 32 with a high school diploma earned a median of $28,000 in 2012 dollars according to Pew. By comparison, same-age millennials with at least a four-year bachelors degree or higher earned a median of $ 45,500 per year in 2012. Th
41、at can be a huge difference over ones lifetime. Also, the individual with a degree would presumably have a better chance at business advancement over an individual without a degree, providing more opportunity for socioeconomic advancement. The key is in finding a college that gives you the best retu
42、rn on investment. College tuition price isnt necessarily indicative of return, so make sure you do your homework on colleges that fit your major of choice. (11) Secondly, millennials (and really all Americans for that matter) need to understand that their credit scores are important, so they should
43、strive to improve them as much as possible. Remember, credit scores dont just affect whether you can obtain a loan or help set your lending rate. They can also affect the ability to rent, as well as get a job, since landlords and employers can check your credit score. The most obvious way to positiv
44、ely impact a credit score is to pay bills on time. Payment history counts as approximately 35 percent of a credit score. Its also necessary to pay close attention to how credit is used, with credit utilization comprising about 30 percent of a FICO score. Maxing out credit cards, or getting anywhere
45、near credit limits, makes you look like a risk to lenders. (12) Lastly, its pretty clear that millennials need to be working with a household budget more often based on their low savings rates. Without a budget, millennials will likely struggle to understand their incoming and outgoing cash flows; a
46、nd without this understanding its impossible to optimally save money for a home, or retirement for that matter. The good news is that budgeting tools can be found in abundance online. In a matter of 30 minutes anyone can have a working budget and plan in place to get financial goals on track. 6 What
47、 can we infer about the American Dream? （ A） The pursuit of homeownership is its marrow. （ B） It has involved pursuits in various aspects. （ C） Its significance is waning among the citizens. （ D） It has been given up by younger people. 7 It can be inferred from Para. 3 and Para. 4 that_. （ A） financ
48、ial burden and loaning terms are major obstacles for homeownership （ B） reduced home-purchasing is mainly caused by insufficient paying ability （ C） surveys reveal a dismal outlook of homeownership and purchasing potency （ D） doubled monthly median asking rent for vacant units has increased the diff
49、iculty of purchasing houses 8 We can infer from the data cited in Para. 7 that_. （ A） the overall credit score has slightly increased in latest years （ B） the disparity of individual credit scores has been widening （ C） only the prime candidates can be qualified for loaning （ D） the older people get, the lower their credit scores are 9 Which of the following describes the authors development of argument? （ A） Citing an example introducing the issue analyzing the reasons emphasizing the urgency. （ B） Introducing the issue describin
