英语综合测试期末试卷

考试日期 阅卷教师 得 分 班 级 姓 名 学 号 Part I Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes)(20 points)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minute to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet.

For questions 1-7, mark Y (for YES ) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO)if statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage. For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

Learning a language

When Do We Learn a Language?

Children begin learning languages at birth (infants pay attention to their parents voices, as opposed to random noises or even other languages), and haven‟t really mastered it subtleties before the age of ten years, Indeed, we never really stop learning our language. This isn‟t exactly the sort of behavior (like foals walking an hour after birth) that we call „instinct‟ in animals. Do We Learn When We Don’t Have to

But at least it‟s effortless, isn‟t it? Well, no, as we can see when children have a choice of language to learn. What‟s found is that, to be frank, children don‟t learn a language if they can get away with not learning it.

Many an immigrant family in the U.S. intends to teach their child their native language; and for the first few years it goes swimmingly so much so that the parents worry that the child won‟t learn English. Then the child goes to school, picks up English, and within a few years the worry is reversed; the child still understands his parents, but responds in English. Eventually the parents may give up, and the home language becomes English. People’s Influence

A child is likely to end up as a fluent speaker of a language only if there are significant people in her life who speak it; a nanny who only speaks Spanish, a relative who doesn‟t speak English. etc. Once a child discovers that his parents understand English perfectly well, he‟s likely to give up on the home language, even in the face of strong disapproval from the parents.

It‟s a myth that children learn to speak mainly from their parents. They don‟t: they learn mostly form their peers. This is most easily seen among children of immigrants, whether they come from differing language backgrounds or merely different dialect areas; the children invariably come to speak the dialect of their neighborhood and school, not that of their parents. (I found a neat example of this in my college‟s alumni magazine: A liberal family in Mississippi sent their daughter to the public schools, which except for her were all black. She grew up speaking fluent African-American Vernacular English.)

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Do We Need Grammar

Supporters of the „language instinct‟ make much of the fact that children learn to speak without formal instruction—indeed, they notoriously ignore explicit corrections.

Very little of what we learn is through formal instruction. Children aren‟t schooled in video games, either, yet they pick them up with the same seeming ease.

The apparent effortlessness is largely an illusion caused by psychological distance. We just don‟t remember how hard it was to learn language. (In fact, there‟s some studies suggesting that memory is tied to language, so that we can‟t remember the language learning process.) The perception of effortlessness should be balanced, anyway, by the universal amusement (which some cartoonists have been mining for nearly half a century) over children‟s language mistakes. Do Children Learn Faster?

One may fall back on the position that languages may be hard for children to learn, but at least they do it better than adults. This, however, turns out to be surprisingly difficult to prove. Singleton examined hundreds of studies, and found them resoundingly ambiguous. Quite a few studies, in fact, find that adult learners progress faster than children. Even in phonetic, sometimes the last stronghold of the kids-learn-free position, there are studies finding that adults are better at recognizing and producing foreign sounds.

Now, I think Singleton misses a key point in understanding this discrepancy; the studies he reviews compare children vs. adults who are learning languages. That‟s quite reasonable, and indeed it‟s hard to imagine an alternative approach; but the two groups are not really comparable! All children have to learn at least one language; but few adults do. So the studies compare the situation of all children with that of the minority of adults motivated to formally learn other languages. Why?

Why do children learn languages well, when even adults who want to learn them have trouble with them? Innate abilities aside, children have a number of powerful advantages:

● They can devote almost their full time to it. Adults consider half an hour‟s

study a day to be onerous.

● Their motivation is intense. Adults rarely have to spend much of their time in

the company of people they need to talk to but can‟t; children can get very little of what they want without learning language(s).

● Their peers are nastier. Embarrassment is a prime motivating factor for

human being (I owe this insight to Marvin Minsky‟s. The society of Mind, but it was most memorably expressed by David Berlinski (in Black Mischief, p.129), who noted that of all emotions, from rage to depression to first love, only embarrassment can recur, decades later, with its full original intensity). Dealing with a French waiter is nothing compared with the vicious reception in store for a child who speaks funny.

If adults could be placed in a similar situation, they might well earn languages as readily as children. The closest such situation is cross-cultural marriage. And indeed,

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this works quite well. My wife, for instance, a native Spanish speaker who came here in her late 20s, has learned exceptional English, since we speak it at home, By contrast, some of her Spanish-speaking friends of the same age, married to other Spanish speaker, speak English haltingly and with a strong accent.

1. The passage gives a general explanation about the benefits of a cross-cultural marriage.

2. According to the author, children don‟t learn another language if they don‟t have to.

3. Unless children have other people in their lives who speak another language, they won‟t become fluent speakers in that language.

4. Children don‟t learn to speak another language from their parents because at times, children don‟t get along with their parents.

5. Nearly everything we learn is through formal instruction.

6. Few studies find that adult language learners progress faster than children. 7. Some studies say that adults are better at learning phonetics than children.

8. Singleton‟s studies compare the situation of all children with that of the of adults motivated to formally learn other languages.

9. Three advantages that children have over adults in language learning include; , and .

10. The closest situation to that of a children‟s environment for adults is .

Part II Reading Comprehension (reading in depth) (25 minutes) (20 points)

Directions:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and write down the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet.

Passage 1 Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any sensible student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But that‟s not what I did.

I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts（文科）university that doesn’t even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice; I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who weren‟t studying science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for such a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them.

I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering “factories” where they didn’t care if you have values or were flexible. I was going to be a complete engineer: technical genius and sensitive

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humanist（人文学者）all in one.

Now I’m not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile（协调）engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.

The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply don’t mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult.

11. The author chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts university because he _______.

A) wanted to be an example of practicality and rationality B) intended to be a combination of engineer and humanist

C) wanted to coordinate engineering with liberal-arts courses in college D) intended to be a sensible student with noble ideals.

12. According to the author, by interacting with people who study liberal arts, engineering students can _______.

A) balance engineering and the liberal arts B) receive guidance in their careers C) become noble idealists D) broaden their horizons

13. In the eyes of the author, a successful engineering student is expected _______

A) to have an excellent academic record B) to be wise and mature

C) to be imaginative with a value system to guide him D) to be a technical genius with a wide vision

14. The author‟s experience shows that he was _______. A) creative B) ambitious C) unrealistic D) irrational

15. The word “they” in “…together they threaten to confuse.” (Line 3, Para.5) refers to _______

A) engineering and the liberal arts. B) reality and noble ideals

C) flexibility and a value system D) practicality and rationality

Passage 2 Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:

People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1993, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their horror, that

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their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliffs on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.

Erosion（侵蚀）of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.

Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents go further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock which will not be eaten as limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.

16. What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?

A) The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens. B) The experts’ lack of knowledge. C) The rising of the sea level.

D) The washing-away of limestone cliffs.

17. The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ___________________.

A) will soon become a problem for people living in central England B) has now become a threat to the local residents C) is quickly changing the map of England D) can be stopped if proper measures are taken

18. The experts‟ study on the problem of erosion can _____________________. A) lead to its eventual solution

B) provide an effective way to slow it down C) help to prevent it from worsening

D) warn people whose homes are in danger

19. It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because _________.

A) it is too costly and will endanger neighboring areas B) the government is too slow in taking action

C) they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents D) house agents along the coast do not support the idea

20. According to the author, when buying a house along the south coast of England, people should ___________.

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A) be aware of the potential danger involved

B) guard against being cheated by the house agent C) take the quality of the house into consideration

D) examine the house carefully before making a decision

Part Ⅲ Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes) (30 points)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked ［A］, ［B］, ［C］and ［D］ . Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then write down the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

21. The medicine is on sale everywhere. You can get it at _______ chemist's. A) each B) some C) certain D) any 22. You cannot be _______ careful when you drive a car.

A) very B) so C) too D) enough 23. In general, the _______ amount that a student spends for housing should be held to one- fifth of the total for living expenses.

A) acceptable B) advisable C) available D) applicable 24. Every man in this country has the right to live where he wants to, _______the color of his skin.

A) with the exception of B) in the light of C) by virtue of D) regardless of 25. Housewives who do not go out to work often feel they are not working to their full _______.

A) capacity B) strength C) length D) possibility 26. I hate people who _______ the end of film that you haven't seen before. A) reveal B) rewrite C) revise D) reverse 27. He's watching TV? He's _______ to be cleaning his room.

A) known B) supposed C) regarded D) considered 28. The old couple decided to ________ a boy and a girl though they had three children of their own.

A) adapt B) bring C) receive D) adopt 29. The government is trying to do something to _______ better understanding between the two countries.

A) raise B) promote C) heighten D) increase 30. The newspaper did not mention the _______ of the damage caused by the fire.

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A) range B) level C) extent D) quantity 31. The soldier was_______ of running away when the enemy attacked.

A) scolded B) charged C) accused D) punished 32. Had he worked harder, he _______ the exams.

A) must have got through B) would have got through C) would get through D) could get through 33. Only under special circumstances _______ to take make-up tests. A) are freshmen permitted B) freshmen are permitted C) permitted are freshmen D) are permitted freshmen

34. I had just started back for the house to change my clothes _______ I heard voices. A) as B) when C) after D) while 35. It seems oil _______ from this pipe for some time. We'll have to take the machine apart to put it right.

A) had leaked B) is leaking C) leaked D) has been leaking 36.Fifty years ago, wealthy people liked hunting wild animals for fun _______ sightseeing.

A) rather than to go B) more than going C) other than going D) than to going 37. By the time he arrives in Beijing, we _______ here for two days.

A) will have stayed B) shall stay C) have been staying D) have stayed 38. Our hopes_______and fell in the same instant.

A). arose B) raised C) rose D) arouse

39. The millions of calculations involved, had they been done by hand, _______all practical value by the time they were finished.

A) had lost B) would have lost C) would lose D) should have lost 40. All the task _______ ahead of time, they decided to go on holiday for a week. A) been fulfilled B) were fulfilled C) having been fulfilled D) had been fulfilled 41. Peter, who had been driving all day, suggested _______ at next town. A) to stop B) stopping C) stop D) having stop 42. Putting in a new window will _______ cutting away part of the roof. A) include B) involve C) contain D) comprise

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43. In the _______ of the project not being a success, the investors stand to lose up to 30 million.

A) face B) time C) event D) course 44. You will see this product _______ wherever you go.

A) to be advertised B) advertised C) advertise D) advertising 45. Not until the game had begun _______ at the sports ground. A) had he arrived B) would he have arrived C) did he arrive D) should he have arrived 46. _______ he works hard, I don‟t mind when he finishes the experiment. A) As soon as B) As well as C) So far as D) So long as 47. You have nothing to _______ by refusing to listen to our advice. A) grasp B) gain C) seize D) earn

48. _______ their difference, the couple were developing an obvious and genuine affection for each other.

A) But for B) Above all C) For all D) Except for 49. Since the matter was extremely _______ , we dealt with it immediately. A) tough B) tense C) urgent D) instant

50. Living in the central Australian desert has its problems, _______ obtaining water is not the least.

A) for which B) to which C) of which D) in which

Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes) (30 points)

1. Translate the following sentences from the passages into Chinese. (10 points) 51) Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool.

52) Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.

2. Translate the following sentences into English. (20 points)

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53) This man received a ticket for speeding, He (不应该开这么快).

) All athletes pursue the spirit of Olympics and (它所代表的一切)

55) The lakeside city, (因其美食而被知晓) , enjoys a great popularity among travelers.

56) The director urged his staff not to (错过这个大好机会).

57) Not until the game had begun (他到达操场的时候).

58) My success (从很大程度上来说) should be attributed to my coworkers.

59) This method can save a lot of time; (相比而言), the other one would waste too much.

60) He was appointed director of this department, (考虑到他工作努力) and cheerful character.

61) Wouldn‟t you rather your child (早上床睡觉)? 62) Between 2000 and 2005, the number of overseas study students ( 增长到5%).

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