2007年全国硕士研究生入学考试英语试题
Section I Use of English
Directions： Read the following text. Choose the best word（s） for each numbered
blank and mark A， B， C， and D on ANSWER SHEET 1 （10 points）
By 1830 the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies had become independent nations.
The roughly 20 million 1 of these nations looked 2 to the future. Born
in the crisis of the old regime and Iberian Colonialism， many of the leaders of
independence 3 the ideas of representative government， careers 4 to
talent， freedom of commerce and trade， the 5 to private property， and a belief
in the individual as the basis of society， 6 there was a belief that the new
nations should be sovereign and independent states， large enough to be economically
viable and integrated by a 7 set of laws.
On the issue of 8 of religion and the position of the church， 9 ，
there was less agreement 10 the leadership. Roman Catholicism had been the
state religion and the only one 11 by the Spanish crown， 12 most
leaders sought to maintain Catholicism 13 the official religion of the new
states， some sought to end the 14 of other faiths. The defense of the Church
became a rallying 15 for the conservative forces.
The ideals of the early leaders of independence were often egalitarian， valuing
equality of everything. Bolivar had received aid from Haiti and had 16 in return
to abolish slavery in the areas he liberated. By 1854 slavery had been abolished
everywhere except Spain's 17 colonies. Early promises to end Indian tribute and
taxes on people of mixed origin came much 18 because the new nations still
needed the revenue such policies 19 Egalitarian sentiments were often tempered
by fears that the mass of the population was 20 self-rule and democracy.
1. [A] natives [B] inhabitants [C] peoples [D] individuals
2. [A] confusedly [B] cheerfully [C] worriedly [D] hopefully
3. [A] shared [B] forgot [C] attained [D] rejected
4. [A] related [B] close [C] open [D] devoted
5. [A] access [B] succession [C] right [D] return
6. [A] Presumably [B] Incidentally [C] Obviously [D] Generally
7. [A] unique [B] common [C] particular [D] typical
8. [A] freedom [B] origin [C] impact [D] reform
9. [A] therefore [B] however [C] indeed [D] moreover
10. [A] with [B] about [C] among [D] by
11. [A] allowed [B] preached [C] granted [D] funded
12. [A] Since [B] If [C] Unless [D] While
13. [A] as [B] for [C] under [D] against
14. [A] spread [B] interference [C] exclusion [D] influence
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15. [A] support [B] cry [C] plea [D] wish
16. [A] urged [B] intended [C] expected [D] promised
17. [A] controlling [B] former [C] remaining [D] original
18. [A] slower [B] faster [C] easier [D] tougher
19. [A] created [B] produced [C] contributed [D] preferred
20. [A] puzzled by [B] hostile to [C] pessimistic about [D] unprepared for
Section II Reading Comprehension
Part A
Directions：
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A，
B， C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. （40 points）
Text 1
If you were to examine the birth certificates of every soccer player in 2006's World
Cup tournament you would most likely find a noteworthy quirk elite soccer later months.
If you then examined the European national youth teams that feed the World Cup and
professional ranks， you would find this strange phenomenon to be even more pronounced.
What might account for this strange phenomenon？ Here are a few guesses： a） certain
astrological signs confer superior soccer skills. b） winter-born bathes tend to have
higher oxygen capacity which increases soccer stamina. c） soccer mad parents are more
likely to conceive children in springtime at the annual peak of soccer mania. d） none
of the above.
Anders Ericsson， a 58-year-old psychology professor at Florida State University，
says he believes strongly in “none of the above.” Ericsson grew up in Sweden， and
studied nuclear engineering until he realized he realized he would have more opportunity
to conduct his own research if he switched to psychology. His first experiment nearly
years ago， involved memory： training a person to hear and then repeat a random series
of numbers. “With the first subject. after about 20 hours of training his digit span
had risen from 7 to 20，” Ericsson recalls. “He kept improving， and after about 200
hours of training he had risen to over 80 numbers.”
This success coupled with later research showing that memory itself as not
genetically determined， led Ericsson to conclude that the act of memorizing is more
of a cognitive exercise than an intuitive one. In other words， whatever inborn
differences two people may exhibit in their abilities to memorize those differences are
swamped by how well each person “encodes” the information. And the best way to learn
how to encode information meaningfully， Ericsson determined， was a process known as
deliberate practice. Deliberate practice entails more than simply repeating a task.
Rather， it involves setting specific goals， obtaining immediate feedback and
concentrating as much on technique as on outcome.
Ericsson and his colleagues have thus taken to studying expert performers in a wide
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range of pursuits， including soccer. They gather all the data they can， not just
predominance statistics and biographical details but also the results of their own
lavatory experiments with high achievers. Their work makes a rather startling assertion：
the trait we commonly call talent is highly overrated. Or， put another way， expert
performers whether in memory or surgery， ballet or computer programming are nearly
always made， not born.
21. The birthday phenomenon found among soccer players is mentioned to
[A] stress the importance of professional training.
[B] spotlight the soccer superstars in the World Cup.
[C] introduce the topic of what males expert performance.
[D] explain why some soccer teams play better than others.
22. The word “mania” （Line 4， Paragraph 2） most probably means
[A] fun.
[B] craze.
[C] hysteria.
[D] excitement.
23. According to Ericsson good memory
[A] depends on meaningful processing of information.
[B] results from intuitive rather than cognitive exercises.
[C] is determined by genetic rather than psychological factors.
[D] requires immediate feedback and a high degree of concentration.
24. Ericsson and his colleagues believe that
[A] talent is a dominating factor for professional success.
[B] biographical data provide the key to excellent performance.
[C] the role of talent tends to be overlooked.
[D] high achievers owe their success mostly to nurture.
25. Which of the following proverbs is closest to the message the text tries to convey？
[A] “Faith will move mountains.”
[B] “One reaps what one sows.”
[C] “Practice makes perfect.”
[D] “Like father， like son”
Text 2
For the past several years， the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade has featured
a column called “Ask Marilyn.” People are invited to query Marilyn vos Savant， who
at age 10 had tested at a mental level of someone about 23 years old； that gave her
an IQ of 228-the highest score ever recorded. IQ tests ask you to complete verbal and
visual analogies， to envision paper after it has been folded and cut， and to deduce
numerical sequences， among other similar tasks. So it is a bit confusing when vos Savant
fields such queries from the average Joe （Whose IQ is 100） as， What's the difference
between love and fondness？ Or what is the nature of luck and coincidence？ It's not
obvious how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns suits
one to answer questions that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers.
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Clearly， intelligence encompasses more than a score on a test. Just what does it
means to be smart？ How much of intelligence can be specified， and how much can we learn
about it from neurology， genetics， computer science and other fields？
The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ score， even
though IQ tests are not given as often as they used to be. The test comes primarily in
two forms： the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales
（both come in adult and children's version）。 Generally costing several hundred dollars，
they are usually given only by psychologists， although variations of them populate
bookstores and the World Wide Web. Superhigh scores like vos Savant’s are no longer
possible， because scoring is now based on a statistical population distribution among
age pecks， rather tan simply dividing the mental are by the chronological age and
multiplying by 100. Other standardized tests， such as the Scholastic Assessment Test
（SAT） and the Graduate Record Exam （GRE）， capture the main aspects of IQ tests.
Such standardized tests may not assess all the important elements necessary to
succeed in school and in life， argues Robert J. Sternberg. In his article “How
Intelligent Is Intelligence Testing？”。 Sternberg notes that traditional tests best
assess analytical and verbal skills but fail to measure creativity and practical
knowledge， components also critical to problem solving and life success. Moreover，
IQ tests do not necessarily predict so well once populations or situations change.
Research has found that IQ predicted leadership sills when the tests were given under
low-stress conditions， but under high-stress conditions. IQ was negatively correlated
with leadership-that is it predicted the opposite. Anyone who bas toiled through SAT
will testify that test-taking skill also matters， whether it‘s knowing when to guess
or what questions of skip.
26. Which of the following may be required in an intelligence test？
[A] Answering philosophical questions.
[B] Folding or cutting paper into different shapes.
[C] Telling the differences between certain concepts.
[D] Choosing words or graphs similar to the given ones.
27. What can be inferred about intelligence testing from Paragraph 3？
[A] People no longer use IQ scores as an indicator of intelligence.
[B] More versions of IQ tests are now available on the Internet.
[C] The test contents and formats for adults and children may be different.
[D] Scientists have defined the important elements of human intelligence.
28. People nowadays can no longer achieve IQ scores as high as vos Savant's because
[A] the scores are obtained through different computational procedures.
[B] creativity rather than analytical skills is emphasized now.
[C] vos Savant's case is an extreme one that will not repeat.
[D] the defining characteristic of IQ tests has changed.
29. We can conclude from the last paragraph that
[A] test scores may not be reliable indicators of one's ability
[B] IQ scores and SAT results are highly correlated.
[C] testing involves a lot of guesswork.
[D] traditional tests are out of date.
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30. What is the author's attitude towards IQ tests？
[A] Supportive.
[B] Skeptical.
[C] Impartial.
[D] Biased.
Text 3
During the past generation， the American middle-class family that once could count
on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by
economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip， a bad diagnosis. or a disappearing
spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
In just one generation， millions of mothers have gone to work， transforming basic
family economics. Scholars， policymakers， and critics of all stripes have debated the
social implications of these changes， but few have looked at the side effect family
risk has risen as well. Today's families have budgeted to the limits of their new
two-paycheck status. As a result they have lost the parachute they once had in times
of financial setback- a back-up earner （usually Mom） who could go into the workforce
if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This “added-worker effect” could
support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help
families weather bad times. But today， a disruption to family fortunes can not longer
be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
During the same period， families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their
retirement income. Steelworkers， airline employees， and now those in the auto industry
are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates， stock market
fluctuation， and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For
much of the past year. President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a
savings-account model， with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments
for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families， the picture is not
any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families
have risen-and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative
halls to Wal-Mart workers， with much higher deductibles and a large new does of
investment risk for families‘ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against
the middle class family， as the odds of having a weak elderly parent- and all the
attendant need for physical and financial assistance have jumped eightfold in just one
generation.
From the middle-class family perspective， much of this， understandably， looks
far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility， and a good deal
more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their
already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun， and the political
fallout may not be far behind.
31. Today's double-income families are at greater financial risk in that
[A] the safety net they used to enjoy has disappeared.
[B] their chances of being laid off have greatly increased.
[C] they are more vulnerable to changes in family economics.
[D] they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance.
32. As a result of President Bush's reform， retired people may have
[A] a higher sense of security.
[B] less secured payments.
[C] less chance to invest.
[D] a guaranteed future.
33. According go the author， health-savings plans will
[A] help reduce the cost of healthcare.
[B] popularize among the middle class.
[C] compensate for the reduced pensions.
[D] increase the families investment risk.
34. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that
[A] financial risks tend to outweigh political risks.
[B] the middle class may face greater political challenges.
[C] financial problems may bring about political problems.
[D] financial responsibility is an indicator of political status.
35. Which of the following is the best title for this text？
[A] The Middle Class on the Alert
[B] The Middle Class on the Cliff
[C] The Middle Class in Conflict
[D] The Middle Class in Ruins
Text 4
It never rains but it pours. Just as bosses and boards have finally sorted out their
worst accounting and compliance troubles， and improved their feeble corporation
governance， a new problem threatens to earn them- especially in America-the sort of
nasty headlines that inevitably lead to heads rolling in the executive suite： data
insecurity. Left， until now， to odd， low-level IT staff to put right， and seen as
a concern only of data-rich industries such as banking， telecoms and air travel，
information protection is now high on the boss's agenda in businesses of every variety.
Several massive leakages of customer and employee data this year- from organizations
as diverse as Time Warner， the American defense contractor Science Applications
International Corp and even the University of California. Berkeley-have left managers
hurriedly peering into their intricate 11 systems and business processes in search of
potential vulnerabilities.
“Data is becoming an asset which needs no be guarded as much as any other asset.”
says I am Mendelson of Stanford University's business school “The ability guard customer
data is the key to market value， which the board is responsible for on behalf of
shareholders” Indeed， just as there is the concept of Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles （GAAP）。 perhaps it is time for GASP. Generally Accepted Security Practices，
suggested Eli Noam of New York's Columbia Business School. “Setting the proper
investment level for security， redundancy， and recovery is a management issue， not
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