Section I Useof English
Directions:
Readthe following text.Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A,B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points)
InCambodia, the choice of a spouse is a complex one for the young male. It mayinvolve not only his parents and his friends, 1 thoseof the young woman, but also a matchmaker. A young man can 2 alikely spouse on his own and then ask his parents to 3 the marriage negotiations, or the young man’sparents may make the choice of a spouse, giving the child little to say in theselection. 4 , a girl may veto the spouse her parentshave chosen. 5 a spouse has been selected, each family investigates theother to make sure its child is marrying 6 a good family.
Thetraditional wedding is a long and colorful affair. Formerly it lasted threedays, 7 bythe 1980s it more commonly lasted a day and a half. Buddhist priests offer ashort sermon and 8 prayers of blessing. Parts of the ceremonyinvolve ritual hair cutting, 9 cotton threads soaked in holy wateraround the bride’s and groom’s wrists, and 10 a candle around a circleof happily married and respected couples to bless the 11 .Newlyweds traditionally move in withthe wife’s parents and may 12 with them up to a year, 13 theycan build a new house nearby.
Divorceis legal and easy to 14 , but notcommon. Divorced persons are 15 with some disapproval. Each spouse retains 16 property he or she 17 into the marriage, and jointly-acquiredproperty is 18 equally. Divorced persons may remarry, but agender prejudice 19 up: The divorced male doesn’t have a waitingperiod before he can remarry 20 the woman must wait ten months.
1.[A]byway of [B]on behalf of [C]as well as [D]with regard to
2.[A]adapt to [B]provide for [C]compete with [D]decide on
3.[A]close [B]renew [C]arrange [D]postpone
4.[A]Above all [B]In theory [C]In time [D]For example
5.[A]Although [B]Lest [C]After [D]Unless
6.[A]into [B]within [C]from [D]through
7.[A]since [B]but [C]or [D]so
8.[A]copy [B]test [C]recite [D]create
9.[A]folding [B]piling [C]wrapping [D]tying
10.[A]passing [B]lighting [C]hiding [D]serving
11.[A]meeting [B]collection [C]association [D]union
12.[A]grow [B]part [C]deal [D]live
13.[A]whereas [B]until [C]if [D]for
14.[A]obtain [B]follow [C]challenge [D]avoid
15.[A]isolated [B]persuaded [C]viewed [D]exposed
16.[A]whatever [B]however [C]whenever [D]wherever
17.[A]changed [B]brought [C]shaped [D]pushed
18.[A]withdrawn [B]invested [C]donated [D]divided
19.[A]breaks [B]warms [C]shows [D]clears
20.[A]so that [B]while [C]once [D]inthat
Section II Reading Comprehension
Part A
Directions: Read thefollowing four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A,B,C orD. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(40 points)
Text 1
France,whichprides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashionindustry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women. Itslawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it acrime to employ ultra-thin models on runways.
Theparliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promotingextreme dieting.
Suchmeasures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not bedefined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. And the banon ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starvingthemselves to death—assome have done. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibilityfor the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the socialtape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth.
Thebans, if fully enforced, would suggest to women (and many men) that they shouldnot let others be arbiters of their beauty. And perhaps faintly, they hint thatpeople should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect ratherthan dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques.
TheFrench measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change aculture that still regards beauty as skin-deep—and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashionmodel that does not meet a government-defined index of body mass could resultin a $85,000 fine and six months in prison.
Thefashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornmentand idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few othercountries, it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashionimages that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement.
Incontrast to France’s actions, Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month onrules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics ofmodels. The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical Charter clearly states: “Weare aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has onbody ideals, especially on young people.” The charter’s main tool of enforcementis to deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen FashionWeek, which is run by the Danish Fashion Institute. But in general it relies ona name-and-shame method of compliance.
Relyingon ethical persuasion rather than law to address the misuse of body ideals maybe the best step. Even better would be to help elevate notions of beauty beyondthe material standards of a particular industry.
21.Accordingto the first paragraph, what would happen in France?
[A]Physical beauty would be redefined.
[B]New runways would be constructed.
[C]Websites about dieting would thrive.
[D]The fashion industry would decline.
22.Thephrase “impinging on” (Line 2,Para 2) is closest in meaning to
[A]heightening the value of.
[B]indicating the state of.
[C]losing faith in.
[D]doing harm to.
23.Whichof the following is true of the fashion industry?
[A]The French measures have already failed.
[B]New standards are being set in Denmark.
[C]Model are no longer under peer pressure.
[D]Its inherent problems are getting worse.
24.A designer is most likely to be rejected by CFW for
[A]setting a high age threshold for models.
[B]caring too much about models’ character.
[C]showing little concern for health factors.
[D]pursuing perfect physical conditions.
25.Whichof the following may be the best title of the text?
[A]The Great Threats to the Fashion Industry.
[B]Just Another Round of Struggle for Beauty.
[C]A Dilemma for the Starving Models in France.
[D]A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals.
Text 2
Forthe first time in history more people live in towns than in the country. InBritain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “thecountryside” alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National HealthService (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limitedpolitical support.
Acentury ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylishhouses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It wasspecifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they couldexperience “a refreshing air.” Hill’s pressure later led to the creation ofnational parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and everyyear concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.
Atthe next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse thissentiment. The Conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives ruraldevelopment priority over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” buildingwhere local people might object. The concept of sustainable development hasbeen defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planningwhere councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip,sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more consideredapproach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struckterror into many local Consecutive parties.
Thesensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are,in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agentsStirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses inthe London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London iseven truer of the provinces.
The ideathat “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issueis not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobbypressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation andrenewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This isnot a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown andwill always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges andrespects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruinrural ones?
Developmentshould be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s mostcrowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it toretain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urbanliving. There is no doubt of the alternative—the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spainor Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left andright of the political spectrum.
26.Britain’spublic sentiment about the countryside
[A]didn’t start till the Shakespearean age.
[B]has brought much benefit to the NHS.
[C]is fully backed by the royal family.
[D]is not well reflected in politics.
27.Accordingto Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now be
[A]gradually destroyed.
[B]effectively reinforced.
[C]largely overshadowed.
[D]properly protected.
28.Whichof the following can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
[A]Labour is under attack for opposing development.
[B]The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.
[C]The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.
[D]Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.
29.Theauthor holds that George Osborne’s preference
[A]highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure.
[B]shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.
[C]stresses the necessity f easing the housing crisis.
[D]reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas.
30.Inthe last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of\
[A]the size of population in Britain.
[B]the political life in today’sBritain.
[C]the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain.
[D]the town-and-country planning in Britain.
Text 3
“Thereis one and only one social responsibility of businesses,” Wrote MiltonFriedman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, “That is,to use its resources andengage in activities designed to increase its profit”. But even if you acceptFiredman’s premise and regard corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies aswaste of shareholders’ money, things may not be absolutely clear-cut. Newresearch suggest the CSR may create monetary value for companies-at least whenthey are prosecuted for corruption.
Thelargest firms in America and Britain together spend more than $15 billion ayear on CSR,according to an estimate by EPG, a consulting firm.This could addvalue to their businesses in three ways. First, consumers may take CSR spendingas a “signal” that a company’s products are of high quality. Second, customersmay be willing to buy a company’s products as an indirect way to donate to thegood causes it helps.And third, through a more diffuse “halo effect,” wherebyits good deeds earn it greater consideration from consumers and others.
Previousstudies on CSR have had trouble differentiating these effects because consumerscan be affected by all three. A recent study attempts to separate them bylooking at bribery prosecutions under America’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act(FCPA). It argues that since prosecutors do not consume a company’s products aspart of their investigations, they could be influenced only by the halo effect.
Thestudy found that, among prosecuted firms, those with the most comprehensive CSRprogrammes tended to get more lenient penalties. Their analysis ruled out thepossibility that it was firms’ political influence, rather than their CSRstand, that accounted for the leniency: Companies that contributed more topolitical campaigns did not receive lower fines.
Inall, the study concludes that whereas prosecutors should only evaluate a casebased on its merits, they do seem to be influenced by a company’s record inCSR. “We estimate that either eliminating a substantial labour-rights concern,such as child labour, or increasing corporate giving by about 20% results infines that generally are 40% lower than the typical punishment for bridingforeign officials,” says one researcher.
Researchersadmit that their study does not answer the question of how much businessesought to spend on CSR. Nor does it reveal how much companies are banking on thehalo effect, rather than the other possible benefits, when they decide theirdo-gooding policies. But at least they have demonstrated that when companiesget into trouble with the law, evidence of good character can win them a lesscostly punishment.
31.The author views Milton Friedman’s statement about CSR with
[A]tolerance
[B]skepticism
[C]uncertainty
[D]approval
32.Accordingto Paragraph 2, CSR helps a company by
[A]winning trust from consumers.
[B]guarding it against malpractices.
[C]protecting it from being defamed.
[D]raising the quality of its products.
33.The expression “more lenient” (Line 2, Para. 4) is closest in meaning to
[A]more effective
[B]less controversial
[C]less severe
[D]more lasting
34.Whenprosecutors evaluate a case, a company’s CSR record
[A]has an impact on their decision.
[B]comes across as reliable evidence.
[C]increases the chance of being penalized.
[D]constitutes part of the investigation.
35.Whichof the following is true of CSR, according to the last paragraph?
[A]Its negative effects on businesses are often overlooked.
[B]The necessary amount of companies’ spending on it is unknown.
[C]Companies’ financial capacity for it has been overestimated.
[D]It has brought much benefit to the banking industry.
Text 4
Therewill eventually come a day when The New York Times ceases to publishstories on newsprint. Exactly when that day will be is a matter of debate. “Sometimein the future，”the paper’spublisher said back in 2010.
Nostalgiafor ink on paper and the rustle of pages aside，there’splenty of incentive to ditch print. The infrastructure required to make aphysical newspaper-printing presses, delivery trucks—isn’t justexpensive; it’s excessive at a time when online-only competitors don’t have thesame set of financial constraints. Readers are migrating away from printanyway. And though print ad sales still dwarf their online and mobilecounterparts, revenue from print is still declining.
Overheadmay be high and circulation lower, but rushing to eliminate its print editionwould be a mistake, says BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti.
Perettisays the Times should’t waste time getting out of the print business, butonly if they go about doing it the right way. “Figuring out a way to acceleratethat transition would make sense for them,” he said, “but if you discontinueit, you’re going to have your most loyal customers really upset with you.”
Sometimesthat’s worth making a change anyway. Peretti gives the example of Netflix discontinuingits DVD-mailing service to focus on streaming. “It was seen as a blunder,” hesaid. The move turned out to be foresighted. And if Peretti were in charge atthe Times? “I wouldn’t pick a year to end print,” he said. “I wouldraise prices and make it into more of a legacy product.”
Themost loyal customers would still get the product they favor, the idea goes, andthey’d feel like they were helping sustain the quality of something theybelieve in. “So if you’re overpaying for print, you could feel like you werehelping,” Peretti said. “Then increase it at a higher rate each year andessentially try to generate additional revenue.” In other words, if you’regoing to make a print product, make it for the people who are already obsessedwith it. Which may be what the Times is doing already. Getting the printedition seven days a week costs nearly $500 a year—more than twiceas mush as a digital-only subscription.
“It’sa really hard thing to do and it’s a tremendous luxury that BuzzFeed doesn’thave a legacy business,” Peretti remarked. “But we’re going to have questionslike that where we have things we’re doing that don’t make sense when themarket changes and the world changes. In those situations, it’s better to bemore aggressive than less aggressive.”
36.TheNew York Times is considering ending its print edition partly due
[A]the high cost of operation.
[B]the pressure from its investors.
[C]the complaints from its readers.
[D]the increasing online ad sales.
37.Peretti suggests that, in face of the present situation, the Times should
[A]seek new sources of readership.
[B]end the print edition for good.
[C]aim for efficient management.
[D]make strategic adjustments.
38.Itcan be inferred from Paragraphs 5 and 6 that a “legacy product”
[A]helps restore the glory of former times.
[B]is meant for the most loyal customers.
[C]will have the cost of printing reduced.
[D]expands the popularity of the paper.
39.Perettibelieves that, in a changing world.
[A]legacy businesses are becoming outdated.
[B]cautiousness facilitates problem-solving.
[C]aggressiveness better meets challenges.
[D]traditional luxuries can stay unaffected.
40.Whichof the following would be the best title of the text?
[A]Shift to Online Newspapers All at Once
[B]Cherish the Newspaper Still in Your Hand
[C]Make Your Print Newspaper a Luxury Good
[D]Keep Your Newspapers Forever in Fashion
Part B
Directions:
Readthe following text and answer the questions by choosing the most suitablesubheading from the A-G for each of the numbered paragraph (41-45). There aretwo extra subheadings. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points)
[A]Create a new image of yourself
[B]Have confidence in yourself
[C]Decide if the time is right
[D]Understood the context
[E]Work with professionals
[F]Make it efficient
[G]Know your goals
Nomatter how formal or informal the work environment, the way you presentyourself has an impact. This is especially true in first impressions. Accordingto research from Princeton University, people assess your competence, trustworthiness,and like ability in just a tenth of a second, solely based on the way you look.
Thedifference between today’s workplace and the “dress for success” era is thatthe range of options is so much broader, Norms have evolved and fragmented. Insome settings, red sneakers or dress T-shirts can convey status; in others notso much. Plus, whatever image we present is magnified by social-media serviceslike decade or two ago. Millennials, it seems, face the paradox of being theleast formal generation yet the most conscious of style and personal branding.It can be confusing.
Sohow do we navigate this? How do we know when to invest in an upgrade? Andwhat’s the best way to pull off one that enhances our goals? Here are sometips:
41
As anexecutive coach, I’ve seen image upgrades be particularly helpful during transitions-- when looking for a new job,stepping into a new or more public role, or changing work environments. Ifyou’re in a period of change or just feeling stuck and in a rut, now may be agood time. If you’re not sure, ask for honest feedback from trusted friends,colleagues, and professionals. Look for cues about how others perceive you. Maybe there’s noneed for an upgrade and that’s OK.
42
Getclear on what impact you’re hoping to have . Are you looking to refresh yourimage or pivot it?For one person, the goal may be to be taken more seriouslyand enhance their professional image. For another, it may be to be perceived asmore approachable, or more modern and stylish. For someone moving from financeto advertising, maybe they want to look more “SoHo.” (It’s OK to usecharacterizations like that.)
43
Lookat your work environment like an anthropologist. What are the norms of your environment? What convey status? Who are your mostimportant audiences? How do the people you respect and look up to presentthemselves? The better you understand the cultural context, the more controlyou can have over your impact.
44
Enlistthe support of professionals and share with them your goals and context. Hire apersonal stylist, or use the free styling service of a store like J.Crew. Try ahair stylist instead of a barber. Work with a professional photographer insteadof your spouse or friend. It’s not as expensive as you might think.
45
Thepoint of a style upgrade isn’t to become more vain or to spend more timefussing over what to wear. Instead, use it as an opportunity to reduce decisionfatigue . Pick a standard work uniform or a few go-to options. Buy all yourclothes at once with a stylist instead of shopping alone, one article ofclothing at a time.
Part C
Directions: Read thefollowing text carefully and then translate the underlined segments intoChinese. Your translation should be written neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.(10points)
Mentalhealth is our birthright. (46)We don’t have to learn how to be mentallyhealthy; it is built into us in the same way that our bodies know how to heal acut or mend a broken bone. Mental health can’t be learned, only reawakened.It is like the immune system of the body, which under stress or through lack ofnutrition of exercise can be weakened, but which never leaves us. When we don’tunderstand the value of mental health and we don’t know how to gain access toit, mental health will remain hidden from us, (47)Our mental health doesn’treally go anywhere; like the sun behind a cloud, it can be temporarily hiddenfrom view, but it is fully capable of being restored in an instant.
Mentalhealth is the seed that contains self-esteem—confidence in ourselves and an ability to trust inour common sense. It allows us to have perspective on our lives—the ability tonot take ourselves too seriously, to laugh at ourselves, to see the biggerpicture, and to see that things will work out. It’s a from of innate or unlearnedoptimism. (48)Mental health allows us to view others with sympathy if theyare having troubles, with kindness of they are in pain, and with unconditionallove no matter who they are. Mental health is the source of creativity forsolving problems, resolving conflict, making our surroundings more beautiful,managing our home life, or coming up with a creative business idea or inventionto make our lives easier. It gives us patience for ourselves and toward othersas well as patience while driving, catching a fish, working on our car, orraising a child. It allows us to see the beauty that surrounds us each momentin nature, in culture, in the flow of our daily lives.
(49)Althoughmental health is the cure-all for living our lives, it is perfectly ordinary asyou will see that it has been there to direct you through all your difficultdecisions. It has been available even in the most mundane of lifesituations to show you right from wrong, good from bad, friend from foe. Mentalhealth has commonly been called conscience, instinct, wisdom, common sense, orthe inner voice. We think of it simply as a healthy and helpful flow ofintelligent thought. (50)As you will come to see, knowing that mental healthis always available and knowing to trust it allow us to slow down to the momentand live life happily.
Section Ш Writing
Directions:
Writean essay of 160~200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, youshould
1)describe the drawing briefly,
2)explain its intended meaning, and then
3)give your comments.
Youshould write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)（文都考研）
