厦门大学2003年阅读及英美文学、语言学考研真题

　　Passage 16

　　There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of injury and death frommotor vehicle accidents. More than 70 percent of all households own passenger cars or lighttrucks and each of these is driven an average of more than 11,000 miles each year. Almostone-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1 percent orhigher. For the average adult, over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumedover a short period of time to attain these levels. A third of drivers, demonstrate these levels.Although less than 1 percent of drivers with BAC of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatalcrashes, the probability of their involvement is 27 times higher than for those withoutalcohol in their blood.

　　There are a number of different approaches to reducing injuries in which intoxication plays arole. Based on the observation that excessive consumption coorelates with the total alcoholconsumption of a countrys population, it has been suggested that higher taxes on alcoholwould reduce both. While the heaviest drinkers would be taxed the most, anyone who drinks atall would be penalized by this approach.

　　To make drinking and driving a criminal offense is an approach directed only at intoxicateddrivers. In some states, the law empowers police to request breath tests of drivers cited forany traffic offense and elevated BAC can be basis for arrest. The national Highway TrafficSafety Administration estimates, however, that even with increased arrests, there are about700 violations for every arrest. At this level there is little evidence that laws serve asdeterrents to drinking while intoxicated. In Britain, motor vehicle fatalities fell 25 percentimmediately following implementation of the Road Safety Act in 1967. As the Britishincreasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped, the effectiveness declined,although in the ensuring three years the fatality rate seldom reached that observed in the sevenyears prior to the Act.

　　Whether penalties for driving with high BAC or excessive taxation on consumption of alcoholicbeverages will deter the excessive drinker responsible for most fatalities is unclear. In part,the answer depends on the extent to which those with high BACs involved in crashed arecapable of controlling their intake in response to economic or penal threat. Therapeuticprograms which range from individual and group counseling and psychotherapy tochemotherapy constitute another approach, but they have not diminished the proportion ofaccidents in which alcohol was a factor. In the few controlled trials that have been reported,there is little evidence that rehabilitation programs for those repeatedly arrested for drunkenbehavior have reduced either the recidivism or crash rates. Thus far, there is no firm evidencethat Alcohol Safety Action Project supported programs, in which rehabilitation measures arerequested by the court, have decreased recidivism or crash involvement for clients exposedto them, although knowledge and attitude have improved. One thing is clear, however, unlesswe deal with automobile and highway safety and reduce accidents in which alcoholic intoxicationplays a role, many will continue to die.

　　41. The author is mainly concentrated with ______.

　　A. interpreting the result of surveys on traffic fatalities

　　B. reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to curb drunk driving

　　C. suggesting reasons for the prevalence of drunk driving in the United States

　　D. making an international comparison of U.S. and Britain

　　42. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain ______.

　　A. changed an existing law to lower the BAC level which defined driving while intoxicated

　　B. made it illegal to drive while intoxicated

　　C. placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks

　　D. required drivers convicted under the law to undergo rehabilitation therapy

　　43. The author implies that a BACs of 0.1 percent _______

　　A. is unreasonably high as a definition of intoxication for purpose of driving

　　B. penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit

　　C. will operate as an effective deterrent to cover 90 percent of the people who might drinkand drive

　　D. proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time

　　44. With which of the following statements about making driving while intoxicated a criminaloffense versus increasing taxes on alcohol consumption would the author most likely agree?

　　A. Making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense is preferable to increased taxes onalcohol because the former is aimed only at those who abuse alcohol by driving whileintoxicated

　　B. Increased taxation on alcohol consumption is likely to be more effective in reducing trafficfatalities because taxation covers all consumers and not just those who drive.

　　C. Since neither increased taxation nor enforcement of criminal laws against drunk drivers Ilikely to have any significant impact, neither measure is warranted.

　　D. Because arrests of intoxicated drivers have proved to be expensive and administrativelycumbersome, increased taxation on alcohol is the most promising means of reducing trafficfatalities.

　　45. The author cites the British example in order to _______

　　A. show the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S.

　　B. prove that stricter enforcement of law against intoxicated drivers would reduce traffic deaths

　　C. prove that a slight increase in the number arrests of intoxicated drivers will not deter drunkdriving

　　D. demonstrate the need to lower BAC levels in State that have laws against drunk driving

　　46. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the author’s statement that the effectivenessof proposals to stop the intoxicated driver depends, in part, on the extent to which of the highBAC driver can control his or her intake?

　　A. Even if the heavy drinker cannot control intake, criminal laws against driving whileintoxicated can deter hi or her from driving while intoxicated.

　　B. Rehabilitation programs aimed at drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated have notsignificantly reduced traffic fatalities.

　　C. Many traffic fatalities are caused by factors unrelated to the excessive consumption ofalcohol by the driver involved.

　　D. Even though severe penalties may not deter the intoxicated driver, these laws will punishhim or her for the harm caused by driving while intoxicated.

　　47. The author’s tone of the end of article can be described as _____

　　A. ironic

　　B. indifferent

　　C. admonitory

　　D. indecisive

　　Passage 17

　　War has escaped the battlefield and now can, with modern guidance systems on missiles,touch virtually every square yard of the earth’s surface. War has also lost most of its utility inachieving the traditional goals of conflict. Control of territory carries with it the obligation toprovide subject peoples certain administrative, health, educations, and other social services;such obligations far outweight the benefits of control. If the ruled population is ethnically ofracially different from the rulers, tensions and chronic unrest often exist which further reducethe benefits and increase the costs of domination. Large populations no longer necessarilyenhance state power and, in the absence of high levels of economic development, can imposesevere burdens on food supply, jobs, and the broad range of services expected of moderngovernments. The benefits of forcing another nation to surrender its wealth are vastlyoutproduced by the benefits of persuading that nation to produce and exchange goods andservices. In brief, imperialism no longer pays.

　　Making war has been one of the most persistent of human activities in the 80 centuries sincemen and women settled in cities and thereby became “civilized,” but the modernization of thepast 80 years has fundamentally changed the role and function of war. In premodernizedsocieties, successful warfare brought significant material rewards, the most obvious of whichwere the stored wealth of the defeated. Equally important was human labor, -- control overpeople as slaves or levies for the victor’s army, and there was the productive capacity –agricultural lands and mines. Successful warfare also produced psychic benefits. The removalor destruction of a threat brought a sense of security, and power gained over other screated pride and national self-esteem.

　　War was accepted in the premodernized society as a part of human condition, a mechanism ofchange, and an unavoidable, even noble, aspect of life. The excitement and drama of warmade it a vital part of literature and legends.

　　48. According to the passage, leaders of premodernized society considered war to be

　　A. a valid tool of national policy

　　B. an immoral act of aggression

　　C. economically wasteful and socially unfeasible

　　D. restricted in scope to military participants

　　49. The author most likely places the word “civilized” in the second paragraph in order to

　　A. show dissatisfaction at not having found a better word

　　B. acknowledge that the word was borrowed from another source

　　C. express irony that war should be a part of civilization

　　D. impress upon the reader the tragedy of war

　　50. The author mentions all of the following as possible reasons for going to war in apremodernized society EXCEPT

　　A. possibility of material gain

　　B. total annihilation of the enemy and destruction of enemy territory

　　C. potential for increasing the security of the nation

　　D. desire to capture productive farming lands

　　51. Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?

　　A. Scientific and detached

　　B. Outraged and indignant

　　C. Humorous and wry

　　D. Fearful and alarmed

　　Passage 18

　　Why should anyone want to set aside a day to honor a lowly little ground-hog?The answer tothat question is not certain, but a group of people get together every February 2 inPunxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch Punxsutawney “Pete” leave his burrow. What "Pete "doesnext, many believe, will show whether spring is just around the corner or a long way off. Yousee, in Pennsylvania on this date there is usually a great deal of snow on the ground, and thelittle animal has been hibernating during the long, cold winter. He filled himself during theautumn months and then went into his burrow for a long sleep, his body fat helping keep himalive. But as he appears on February 2, he looks very thin. If the sun' is shining brightly and hesees his shadow, according to old stories, it frightens him back into his home where he willstay another six weeks. Should it be cloudy and gray, the little animal will supposedly walkaround for food-a sure sign that spring is near. While many believe in the groundhog'sinformation about future happening, it is unwise to accept them as a factual

　　52. According to this passage ,why do people gather every year to watch the groundhog?

　　A. Her s clever and playful, and children love to watch him.

　　B. Hers looking for food and the people want to help him find it in the snow.

　　C. Many people believe him to be a sign of the coming of spring.

　　D. The people want to be sure he is alive after such a long winter.

　　53. How does the groundhog manage to stay alive during the long winter?

　　A. People send out food for him.

　　B. He stores body fat before winter comes.

　　C. He wakes up on nice days and hunts for food.

　　D. It is something unknown to people.

　　54. Which of the following is NOT true?

　　A. Animals have a certain instinct which helps them predict the seasons.

　　B. According to the legend, the grounding leaves his burrow on February 2.

　　C. Groups of people in Pennsylvania wait for the groundhog’s predictions.

　　D. After his long period of hibernation, the groundhog looks very thin.

　　55. What prediction does the groundhog supposedly make?

　　A. If he sees his shadow, it will soon be spring.

　　B. If he sees his shadow, spring will not arrive for another six weeks.

　　C. If he does not see his shadow, spring will arrive in six weeks.

　　D. If he does not see his shadow, all the snow will disappear immediately.

　　Passage 19

　　When buying a house, you must be sure to have it checked for termites.A termite is much likean ant in its communal habits, although physically the two insects are distinct.

　　Like those of ants, termite colonies consist of different classes, with its own particular job. Themost perfectly formed termites, both male and female, make up the reproductive class. Theyhave eyes, hard body walls, and fully developed wings. A pair of reproductive termites foundsthe colony. When new reproductive termites develop, they leave to form another colony. Theyuse their wings only this one time and then break them off.

　　The worker termites are small, blind, and wingless, with soft bodies, they make up the majorityof the colony and do all the work. Soldiers are also wingless and blind but are larger than theworkers and have hard heads and strong jaws and legs. They defend the colony and are caredfor by the workers.

　　The male and female of the reproductive class remain inside a closed-in cell where the femalelays thousands of eggs. The workers place the eggs in cells and care for them.

　　56.How are termites like ants?

　　A.They live in communities, and each class has a specific duty.

　　B.Their bodies are the same shape.

　　C.The king and queen are imprisoned.

　　D.The females’ reproductive capacities are the same.

　　57.Which of the following is NOT true?

　　A.All termites have eyes.

　　B.Some termites cannot fly.

　　C.Workers are smaller than soldiers.

　　D.Termites do not fly often.

　　58.Which of the following statements is probably true?

　　A.Thousands of termites may move together to develop a new colony.

　　B.The male and female reproductives do not go outdoors except to form a new colony.

　　C.There are more soldiers than workers.

　　D.A worker could easily kill a soldier.

　　Passage 20

　　In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the inadequacies of the judicialsystem in the United States. Costs are staggering both for the taxpayers and the litigants--andthe litigants, or parties, have to concerning methods of ameliorating the situation, but as inmost branches of government, changes come slowly. One suggestion that has been made inorder to maximize the efficiency of the system is to allow districts that have anoverabundance of pending cases to borrow judges from other districts that do not have such abacklog. Another suggestion is to use pretrial conferences, in which the judge meets in hischambers with the litigants and their attorneys in order to narrow the issues, limit thewitnesses, and provide for a more orderly trial. The theory behind pretrial conferences is thatjudges will spend less time on each case and parties will more readily settle before trial whenthey realize the adequacy of their claims and their opponents' evidence. Unfortunately, atleast one study has shown that pretrial conferences actually use more judicial time than theysave, rarely result in pretrial settlements, and actually result in higher damage settlements. ?

　　Many states have now established another method, small-claims, in which cases over smallsums of money can be disposed of with considerable dispatch. Such proceedings cost thelitigants almost nothing. In California, for example, the parties must appear before the judgewithout the assistance of counsel. The proceedings are quite informal and there is nopleading-the litigants need to make only a one-sentence statement of their claim. By going tothis type of court, the plaintiff waives any right to a jury trial and the right to appeal thedecision. ?

　　In coming years,we can expect to see more and more innovations in the continuing effort toremedy a situation which must be remedied if the citizens who have valid claims are going to beable to their day in court.

　　59. The pretrial conference, in theory, is supposed to do all of the following EXCEPT?

　　A. narrow the issues.

　　B. cause early settlements.

　　C. save judicial time.

　　D. increase settlement costs.

　　60. What is the main topic of the passage? ?

　　A. All states should follow California's example in using small claims courts in order to freejudges for other work. ?

　　B. The legislature needs to formulate fewer laws so that judiciary can catch up on its oldercases. ?

　　C. Nobody seems to care enough to attempt to find methods for making the judicial systemmore efficient. ?

　　D. While there are many problems with the court system, there are viable suggestions forimprovement.

　　61. The word "litigants" means most nearly

　　A. jury members

　　B. commentators

　　C. parties in a lawsuit

　　D. taxpayers

　　62. Which of the following is true about small claims courts? ?

　　A. It is possible to have one's case heard by a jury if he or she is dissatisfied with the court'sdecision. ?

　　B. The litigants must plead accurately and according to a strict form. ?

　　C. The decision may not be appealed to a higher court. ?

　　D. The parties may not present their cases without an attorney's help.

　　63. What can we assume from the passage? ?

　　A. Most people who feel they have been wronged have a ready remedy in courts of law. ?

　　B. Many people would like to bring a case to court, but are unable to because of the cost andtime required. ?

　　C. The judicial system in the United States is highly acclaimed for its efficiency. ?

　　D. Pretrial conferences will someday probably have replaced trials completely.

　　Passage 21

　　In 1971, the great Persian Empire celebrated the 2500th anniversary of its founding. Itsfounder was Cyrus the Great, who proclaimed himself the King of Kings. His son Cambysessucceeded him, conquering Egypt and expanding the empire. Darius I followed Cambyses andwas probably the most famous of this long line of kings. Under his rule, the empire stretched asfar as India. Governors were placed in charge of the provinces. Extensive systems of roads andwaterways improved communication throughout the realm. He was one of a few ancient rulerswho permitted his subjects to worship as they wished. The magnificent city of Persepolis,founded under his direction in 518 B.C., was a ceremonial center then as well as in the 1970’s.

　　64. Who is considered the founder of the Persian Empire?

　　A. Persepolis

　　B. Cyrus

　　C. Darius I

　　D. Cambyses

　　65. In what year was Persian Empire founded?

　　A. 2500 B.C

　　B. 518 B.C

　　C. 529 B.C

　　D. 971 B.C

　　66. Who was the predecessor of Cambyses?

　　A. Egypt

　　B. Darius I

　　C. Persepolis

　　D. Cyrus

　　67. Which of the following best describes the empire under Darius I?

　　A. ceremonial

　　B. bellicose

　　C. punitive

　　D. progressive

　　Passage 22

　　Historians have only recently begun to note the increase in demand for luxury goods andservices that took place in eighteenth-century England. McKendrick has explored the Wedgwoodfirm’s remarkable success in marketing luxury pottery; Plumb has written about the rapidincrease of provincial theaters, musical festivals, and children’s toys and books. While the factof this consumer revolution is hardly in doubt, three key questions remain: Who were theconsumers? What were their motives? And what were the effects of the new demand forluxuries?

　　An answer to the first of these has been difficult to obtain. Although it has been possible toinfer from the goods and services actually produced what manufacturers and servicing tradesthought their customers wanted, only a study of relevant personal documents written byactual consumers will provide a precise picture of who wanted what. We still need to know howlarge this consumer market was and how far down the social scale the consumer demand forluxury goods penetrated. With regard to this last question, we might note in passing thatThompson, while rightly restoring laboring people to the stage of eighteenth-century Englishhistory, has probably exaggerated the opposition of these people to the sudden attacks ofcapitalist consumerism in general. For example, laboring people in eighteenth-century Englandreadily shifted from home-brewed beer to standardized beer produced by huge, heavilycapitalized urban breweries.

　　To answer the question of why consumers became so eager to buy, some historians havepointed to the ability of manufacturers to advertise in a relatively uncensored press. This,however, hardly seems a sufficient answer. Mckendrick favors a Velen model of conspicuousconsumption stimulated by competition for status. The “middling sort” bought goods andservices because they wanted to follow fashions set by the rich. Again, we may wonder whetherthis explanation is sufficient. Do not people enjoy buying things as a form of self-gratification? If so, consumerism could be seen as a product of the rise of new concepts ofindividualism and materialism, but not necessarily of the frenzy for conspicuouscompetition.

　　Finally, what were the consequences of this consumer demand for luxuries? McKendrick claimsthat it goes a long way toward explaining the coming of the Industrial Revolution. But does it?What, for example, does the production of high-quality pottery and toys have to do with thedevelopment of iron manufacture or textile mills? It is perfectly possible to have thepsychology and reality of a consumer society without a heavy industrial sector.

　　The future exploration of these key questions is undoubtedly necessary. It should not,however, diminish the force of the conclusion of recent studies: the insatiable demand ineighteenth-century England for frivolous as well as useful goods and services foreshadows ourown world.

　　68. In the first paragraph, the author mentions Mckendrick and Plumb most probably in order to

　　A. contrast their views on luxury consumerism in 18th-century England

　　B. confirm key questions about 18th-century England consumerism

　　C. exemplify historians who have proved the growing consumerism in 18th-century England

　　D. compare one historian’s interest in luxury goods to another historian’s interest in luxuryservices

　　69. Concerning the answer to who the consumers are, the writer seems to

　　A. doubt that laboring people were also involved in the consumer revolution.

　　B. exaggerate the extent of the demand for luxury goods

　　C. agree with Thompson on the scale of the market

　　D. prefer home-brewed beer to standardized beer produced by urban breweries.

　　70. According to the Velen model, the “middle sort” of customers bought luxury goods to

　　A. gratify themselves

　　B. show individualism

　　C. keep up with Joneses

　　D. boast of their wealth

　　Part Two Linguistics 30 points (Write down your answers to the questions in this partof the test in separate blank answer sheets provided at your test center.)

　　1.Please list the types of antonymy in language, and then try to account for the sense relationsin each type of antonymy with examples. 10 points

　　2.How many types of morphemes are there in the English language? What are they? 5 points

　　3. What do you think are the basic requirements of a good language test? 5 points

　　4.What are the four maxims in the Cooperative Principle? Please use examples to show thatconversational implicature can arise when the maxims are violated. 10 points

　　Part Three Literature 50 points (Write down your answers to the questions in this part of thetest in separate blank answer sheets provided at your test center.)

　　I. Write down the names of the authors of the following literary works: (9 points)

　　1.Lady Chatterley’s Lover

　　2.The Heart of Darkness

　　3.The Last of Mohicans

　　4.The Sun Also Rises

　　5.I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul.

　　6.Much Madness is divinest Sense -- / To a discerning eye –

　　7.I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.

　　8.The Trumpet of a prophecy! O, Wind, / If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

　　9.Do I dare / Disturb the universe? / In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions whicha minute will reverse.

　　10. Alone, alone, all, all alone, / Alone on a wide, wide sea!

　　II.Answer ONE of the two questions concerning American literature: (7 points)

　　1.How is the spiritual and moral state of the young people after the First World War asreflected in American fiction?

　　2.What do you think of American romantic writers who wrote between 1820 and 1861? Whatare their similarities and differences?

　　III. Answer ONE of the two questions concerning British literature: (7 points)

　　1.Give a brief account of the central theme and the significance of Shakespeare’s tragedyHamlet.

　　2.State briefly the difference between the “Lake Poets” (Wordsworth and Coleridge) and themore socially- and historically- concerned romantic poets such as Byron and Shelly. Proveyour points with specific evidence from their poems.

　　IV.Describe and make a comment on TWO of the following characters from English literature(1-4) and ANOTHER TWO from American literature (5-8): (16 points):

　　1. Beowulf

　　2. Gulliver

　　3. Mrs. Warren

　　4. Mr. Allworthy

　　5. Natty Bumppo

　　6. Daisy Buchanan

　　7. Tom Sawyer

　　8. Ma Joad (Grapes of Wrath)

　　V. Read the poem and answer the questions below: (10 points):

　　the sonnet-ballad

　　Oh mother, mother, where is happiness?

　　They took my lover's tallness off to war,

　　Left me lamenting. Now I cannot guess

　　What I can use an empty heart-cup for.

　　He won't be coming back here any more.

　　Some day the war will end, but, oh, I knew

　　When he went walking grandly out that door

　　That my sweet love would have to be untrue.

　　Would have to be untrue. Would have to court

　　Coquettish death, whose impudent and strange

　　Possessive arms and beauty (of a sort)

　　Can make a hard man hesitate--and change.

　　And he will be the one to stammer, "Yes."

　　Oh mother, mother, where is happiness?

　　Note:

　　1.An empty heart-cup: Her heart, like a cup, has been emptied.

　　2.Coquettish death: a personification of death as a coquette, a vamp, a seductress.

　　Questions:

　　1.What is the situation in the poem?

　　2.Discuss the metaphor used in the poem.

　　3.What kind of feeling is expressed through the poem?