单选题 .  SECTION A MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
    In this section there are several passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. For each question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer.
    PASSAGE ONE
    (1)Do you realize that every time you take a step, the bones in your hip are subjected to forces between four and five times your body weight? When you are running, this force is increased further still. What happens if through disease a hip-joint ceases to be able to resist such forces? For many years hip joints and other body joints have been replaceable either partially or completely. It is after all a simple ball and socket joint; it has certain loads imposed on it; it needs reliability over a defined life; it must contain materials suitable for the working environment. Any engineer will recognize these as characteristic of a typical engineering problem, which doctors and engineers have worked together to solve, in order to bring a fresh lease of life to people who would otherwise be disabled.
    (2)This typifies the way in which engineers work to help people and create a better quality of life. The fact that this country has the most efficient agricultural industry in the world is another good example. Mechanical engineers have worked with farmers and biologists to produce fertilizers, machinery and harvesting systems. This team effort has now produced crops uniformly waist high or less so that they are better suited to mechanical harvesting. Similar advances with other crops have released people from hard and boring jobs for more creative work, whilst machines harvest crops more efficiently with less waste. Providing more food for the rapidly increasing population is yet another role for the mechanical engineer.
    PASSAGE TWO
    (1)Nowadays, a cellphone service is available to everyone, everywhere. Probably thousands of people have already been using it, but I just discovered it, so I'm going to claim it and also name it: Fake Foning.
    (2)The technology has been working well for me at the office, but there are infinite applications. Virtually in any public space.
    (3)Say you work at a big university with lots of talky faculty members buzzing about. Now, say you need to use the restroom. The trip down the hall will take approximately one hour, because a person can't walk into those talky people without getting pulled aside for a question, a bit of gossip, a new read on a certain line of Paradise Lost.
    (4)So, a cellphone. Any cellphone. Just pick it up. Don't dial. Just hold that phone to your face and start talking. Walk confidently down the hall engaged in fake conversation, making sure to tailor both the topic and content to the person standing before you whom you are trying to evade.
    (5)For standard colleague avoidance, I suggest fake chatting about fake business:
    (6)"Yes, I'm glad you called, because we really need to hammer out the details. What's that? Yes, I read Page 12, but if you look at the bottom of 4, I think you can see the problem begins right there."
    (7)Be auimated. Be engaged in your fake lone conversation. Make eye contact with the people passing, nod to them, gesture keen interest in talking to them at a later time, point to your phone, shrug and move on.
    (8)Shoppers should consider fake foning anytime they spot a talky neighbor in the produce department pinching (用手捏) unripe peaches. Without your phone at your face, you'd be in for a 20-minute speech on how terrible the world is.
    (9)One important caution about fake foning. The other day I was fake foning my way past a colleague, and he was actually following me to get my attention. I knew he wanted to ask about a project I had not yet finished. I was trying to buy myself some time, so I continued fake foning with my doctor. "So I don't need the operation? Oh, doctor, that is the best news."
    (10)And then Brrrrrrng! Brrrrrrng! Brrrrrrng! My phone started ringing, right there while it was planted on my face. My colleague looked at me, and I at him, and naturally I gasped. "What is the matter with this thing?" I said, pulling the phone away to look at it, and then putting it back to my ear.
    (11)"Hello? Are you still there?"
    (12)Oops.
    PASSAGE THREE
    (1)It was late in the afternoon, and I was putting the final touch on a piece of writing that I was feeling pretty good about. I wanted to save it, but my cursor had frozen. I tried to shut the computer down, and it seized up altogether. Unsure of what else to do, I yanked (用力猛拉) the battery out.
    (2)Unfortunately, Windows had been in the midst of a delicate and crucial undertaking. The next morning, when I turned my computer back on, it informed me that a file had been corrupted and Windows would not load. Then, it offered to repair itself by using the Windows Setup CD.
    (3)I opened the special drawer where I keep CDs. But no Windows CD in there. I was forced to call the computer company's Global Support Centre. My call was answered by a woman in some unnamed, far-off land. I find it annoying to make small talk with someone when I don't know what continent they're standing on. Suppose I were to comment on the beautiful weather we've been having when there was a monsoon at the other end of the phone? So I got right to the point.
    (4)"My computer is telling me a file is corrupted and it wants to fix itself, but I don't have the Windows Setup CD."
    (5)"So you're having a problem with your Windows Setup CD." She has apparently been dozing and, having come to just as the sentence ended, was attempting to cover for her inattention.
    (6)It quickly became clear that the woman was not a computer technician. Her job was to serve as a gatekeeper, a human shield for the technicians. Her sole duty, as far as I could tell, was to raise global stress levels.
    (7)To make me disappear, the woman gave me the phone number for Windows' creator, Microsoft. This is like giving someone the phone number for, I don't know, North America. Besides, the CD worked; I just didn't have it. No matter how many times I repeated my story, we came back to the same place. She was calm and resolutely polite.
    (8)When my voice hit a certain decibel (分贝), I was passed along like a hot, irritable potato, to a technician.
    (9)"You don't have the Windows Setup CD, ma'am, because you don't need it," he explained cheerfully. "Windows came preinstalled on your computer!"
    (10)"But I do need it."
    (11)"Yes, but you don't have it." We went on like this for a while. Finally, he offered to walk me through the use of a different CD, one that would erase my entire system. "Of course, you'd lose all your e-mail, your documents, your photos." It was like offering to drop a safe on my head to cure my headache. "You might be able to recover them, but it would be expensive." He sounded delighted. "And it's not covered by the warranty (产品保证书)!" The safe began to seem like a good idea, provided it was full.
    (12)I hung up the phone and drove my computer to a small, friendly repair place I'd heard about. A smart, helpful man dug out a Windows CD and told me it wouldn't be a problem. An hour later, he called to let me know it was ready. I thanked him, and we chatted about the weather, which was the same outside my window as it was outside his.
    PASSAGE FOUR
    (1)Not long ago, a mysterious Christmas card dropped through our mail slot. The envelope was addressed to a man named Raoul, who, I was relatively certain, did not live with us. The envelope wasn't sealed, so I opened it. The inside of the card was blank. Ed, my husband, explained that the card was both from and to the newspaper deliveryman. His name was apparently Raoul, and Raoul wanted a holiday tip. We were meant to put a check inside the card and then drop the envelope in the mail. When your services are rendered at 4 a.m., you can't simply hang around, like a hotel bellboy expecting a tip. You have to be direct.
    (2)So I wrote a nice holiday greeting to this man who, in my imagination, fires The New York Times from his bike aimed at our front door, causing more noise with mere newsprint than most people manage with sophisticated black market fireworks.
    (3)With a start, I realized that perhaps the reason for the 4 a.m. wake-up noise was not ordinary rudeness but carefully executed spite: I had not tipped Raoul in Christmases past. I honestly hadn't realized I was supposed to. This was the first time he'd used the card tactic. So I got out my checkbook. Somewhere along the line, holiday tipping went from an optional thank-you for a year of services to a Mafia-style protection racket (收取保护费的黑社会组织).
    (4)Several days later, I was bringing our garbage bins back from the curb when I noticed an envelope taped to one of the lids. The outside of the envelope said MICKEY. It had to be another tip request, this time from our garbage collector. Unlike Raoul, Mickey hadn't enclosed his own Christmas card from me. In a way, I appreciated the directness. "I know you don't care how merry my Christmas is, and that's fine," the gesture said. "I want $30, or I'll 'forget' to empty your garbage bin some hot summer day."
    (5)I put a check in the envelope and taped it back to the bin. The next morning, Ed noticed that the envelope was gone, though the trash hadn't yet been picked up: "Someone stole Mickey's tip!" Ed was quite certain. He made me call the bank and cancel the check.
    (6)But Ed had been wrong. Two weeks later, Mickey left a letter from the bank on our steps. The letter informed Mickey that the check, which he had tried to cash, had been cancelled. The following Tuesday morning, when Ed saw a truck outside, he ran out with his wallet. "Are you Mickey?"
    (7)The man looked at him with scorn. "Mickey is the garbageman. I am the recycling." Not only had Ed insulted this man by hinting that he was a garbageman, but he had obviously neglected to tip him. Ed ran back inside for more funds. Then he noticed that the driver of the truck had been watching the whole transaction. He peeled off another twenty and looked around, waving bills in the air. "Anyone else?"
    (8)Had we consulted the website of the Emily Post Institute, this embarrassing breach of etiquette (礼节) could have been avoided. Under "trash/recycling collectors" in the institute's Holiday Tipping Guidelines, it says: "$10 to $30 each." You may or may not wish to know that your pet groomer, hairdresser, mailman and UPS guy all expect a holiday tip.1.  According to the passage, when would most weight be imposed on hip-joints? (PASSAGE ONE) ______
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】 本题询问髋关节受力最大的情况。第1段第1句指出,人们走路时臀骨受力为体重的四五倍,而跑步时受力还更大。由下文可知,髋关节也同时承受这种力量。所以B项正确。
   细节判断题。C项和D项是静态行为,受力肯定比动态行为(走路)要小;而且本文也没有提到“站立”和“卧躺”的情形,因此可以排除这两项。
[参考译文]
   PASSAGE ONE
   (1)你是否意识到,你每走一步路,你臀部的骨骼都在承受四五倍于你体重的力量?跑步的时候,这种力量还会更大。如果因为疾病导致其中一个髋关节不再能够支撑这么多的力量,将会出现什么情形呢?多年来,人们就已经在部分地或全部地替换掉身上的髋关节和其他关节。毕竟这不过是个简单的球窝接头,它需承受一定的负荷,要求在规定的时间内具有可靠性,而且必须用适合其工作环境的材料来制作。任何工程师都会认为这些是典型工程问题所具有的特点,而这个问题医生和工程师已经合作解决,以便让本来可能残疾的人们获得新生。
   (2)工程师可以帮助人们创造更高质量的生活,上面这一点正是他们工作方法的典型写照。这个国家拥有世界上最高效的农业,这是另一个例证。机械工程师与农民、生物学家一起共事,共同生产制造出化肥、机械和收割系统。现在这个团队合作生产的农作物一律齐腰高(或稍矮些),这样就更适合机器收割。对其他农作物所做的类似改进使得人们可以远离脏活累活,从而转向那些更富有创造性的工作,同时由机器收割庄稼可以提高效率、降低损耗。而为快速增长的人口提供更多的食物则是机械工程师的又一项任务。
   PASSAGE TWO
   (1)如今,有一项手机服务每个人都可以随时随地享用。也许成千上万的人早就已经在享用这项服务了,然而是我刚刚发现它的,所以我打算对此项发现申报享有权,并给它命名为“虚拟通话”。
   (2)这项技术对我来说在办公室一直很管用,但是它有无限的应用潜力,几乎任何公共空间都可以用得上。
   (3)假设你在一所规模较大的大学工作,周围净是一些多嘴多舌的教职员工。现在假如你需要上厕所。光穿过大厅就得花费大约一个小时的时间,这是因为遇上那些嘴上闲不住的人,你都会被拉到一边交谈。他们也许会问你一个问题,也许传播一些流言蜚语,也许是为了谈谈《失乐园》中某句诗行新的解读方式。
   (4)所以,你需要一部手机。不管什么手机都行。把它拿起来。不用拨号,直接把手机贴着脸然后开始说话。沿着大厅一路自信地走下去,同时进行虚拟对话,并确保根据站在你面前那个你极力想回避的人是谁,相应地调整虚拟通话的话题和内容。
   (5)我觉得,标准的回避同事的做法,是假装聊一些并不存在的业务上的话题。
   (6)“是啊,很高兴你打电话给我,因为我们的确需要推敲一下细节。是什么来着?哦,对了,我看了第12页,不过你要看一下倒数第4行,我想你会发现问题就是从那儿开始的。”
   (7)要栩栩如生,装得像真有这回事似的。要全神贯注于你的虚假通话。用眼神和路过的人接触,向他们点头致意,指指你的手机,耸耸肩,表示你很想与他们交谈,只是现在不行,然后继续前行。
   (8)如果购物时在果蔬部看到喜欢嚼舌根的邻居正在掐捏还没有成熟的桃子,那么应考虑随时进行虚拟聊天。如果没有掏出手机假装在通话的话,你恐怕得忍受一个关于这个世界如何如何糟糕的长达20分钟的发言了。
   (9)关于虚拟通话有一点需要特别注意。有一天我假装接听电话,途中正好经过一位同事,实际上他一直跟着我想引起我的注意。我知道他想问我有关一个项目的事,而那个项目我还没有完成。我试图为自己争取时间,所以就一直装作和我的医生聊天。“那我不需要动手术了?哦,医生,那是我听到的最好的消息了。
   (10)就在那时,铃~!铃~!铃~!我的手机响了,而那时手机就贴在我的脸上。我的同事看着我,我也看着他,当然了,我倒抽了一口气。“这是怎么一回事呢?”我说,把手机拿开来看了看,然后再放到耳朵边。
   (11)“喂?你还在吗?”
   (12)啊?
   PASSAGE THREE
   (1)下午晚些时候,我正在对自己的得意之作做最后的润色。我想保存一下,可鼠标的光标突然停住了。我试着关掉电脑,但它却完全失灵。由于不知道还能有什么别的办法,我用力拔掉了电池。
   (2)不巧的是,Windows系统之前就已经处于一种脆弱又关键的工作状态。第二天早上,当我重新打开电脑时,它提醒我有个文件已经损坏,Windows装载失败。然后电脑显示可以运用Windows安装盘自动修复。
   (3)我打开平时专门摆放CD盘的抽屉,可里面没有相关的Windows CD盘。我只好打电话到电脑公司的全球维修中心。电话是一位女士接的,听口音不知道她是哪个遥远的、不知名地方的人。我觉得这样和一位不知道位于哪一个大洲的人套近乎有点烦人。假如我想聊聊我们这里的好天气,而电话的另一头却恰逢雨季的话,怎么办呢?因此我就开门见山。
   (4)“我的电脑告诉我有个文件损坏了,它需要自动修复,不过我没有Windows系统安装盘。”
   (5)“噢,您的Windows系统安装盘有问题是吧。”她显然是在打瞌睡,在我的话快说完时才醒了过来,而且还试图掩饰自己走神了。
   (6)我很快弄明白了,原来这位女士并不是电脑技术员,她的工作就类似门卫,给电脑技术员做防护盾牌用的。据我所知,她的唯一职责是提升全球紧张局势。
   (7)这位女士为了让我早点消失,给了我Windows开发商微软公司的电话号码。这就像是给别人一个北美——不知道是不是——的电话号码一样。况且,一张CD系统安装盘就可解决问题的,只不过我没有盘而已。不管我把我的情况和她说了多少遍,可我们一直在原地打转。她呢,很镇定,而且坚决而礼貌。
   (8)当我的声音到达一定分贝的时候,我就像一个烫手的山芋被转接到了一位技术员那里。
   (9)“太太,您手头没有Windows系统安装盘,因为您用不着它,”技术员热情地解释说,“Windows系统是预装在您的电脑里的。”
   (10)“但是我的确需要它。”
   (11)“是的,不过你没有。”我们俩就像这样说了一会儿。最后,他愿意给我示范如何使用另一张CD盘,那是用来清除整个系统的。“当然了,您会丢失所有的电子邮件、文件和照片。”这就好比拿个保险箱砸到我头上来治疗头痛一样。“您或许也可以将它们恢复,不过费用很高。”听起来他乐呵呵的。“而且这个不在产品保证书保修范围之内。”如果这个保险箱装满了东西的话,那把它砸在头上治头痛还真不失为一个好方法。
   (12)我挂断了电话,开车把电脑送到一个我听说过的友好的小型修理点。一位聪明而且乐于助人的男士找出一张Windows CD盘,告诉我修理这个不是什么问题。一个小时之后,他打电话给我,说电脑已经修好。我对他表示感谢,我们还一起讨论了天气状况,我窗外的天气也正是他窗外的天气。
   PASSAGE FOUR
   (1)不久以前,有人往我们的邮箱里塞进了一张神秘的圣诞贺卡。信封上写的收件人是一个叫拉乌尔的,我比较肯定没有这样一个人和我们住在一起。信封没有密封,因此我把它打开了。贺卡里面一个字也没有。我的丈夫艾德解释说,这是报纸投递员送过来,并要我们寄还给他的。显然这位报纸投递员名叫拉乌尔,他想要假期小费。我们应当在贺卡里放一张支票,然后把信封邮寄出去。如果你是在凌晨4点提供服务的,那么,想要得到小费,你就没办法像酒店服务生那样有意围着你的服务对象转悠。你必须直接一点。
   (2)于是我就好好地写了一封假日问候信给这个人。在我印象中,这个人骑在自行车上把《纽约时报》瞄准我的家门口扔,他用报纸弄出的声响比大多数人燃放从黑市上购置的精巧复杂的烟花还要大。
   (3)我猛然领悟到,凌晨4点发生吵醒人的响声可能不是出自一般的动作粗鲁,而是特意泄愤的表现,因为之前的圣诞节我都没有给过拉乌尔小费。说实话我以前也的确没有意识到我需要给他小费。这次是拉乌尔第一次使用贺卡策略,因此我拿出了支票簿。不知从什么时候开始,本来是用来为一年的服务表示感谢的、可给可不给的假日小费,如今已经演变成为类似于黑手党收取的保护费了。
   (4)几天以后,我正从路边取回我们的垃圾箱,发现有个信封粘在其中一个盖子上。信封上写着“米奇”。这必定又是一个索要小费的要求,不过这次是出自我们的垃圾收集工之手。和拉鸟尔不一样,米奇没有附上一张以他为收件人的圣诞贺卡。从某种程度上说,我比较欣赏这种直截了当的方式。他的意思是说:“我知道你并不介意我圣诞节开心与否,那没关系。我就想要30美元,否则在某个炎热的夏日我可能会忘记给你们倒垃圾。”
   (5)我在信封里放了一张支票,并把它贴回到垃圾箱上。第二天早上,艾德发现虽然垃圾没有被清理,但是那个信封却不见了。“有人偷走了米奇的小费,”艾德十分确定地说。他叫我打电话通知银行注销那张支票。
   (6)不过艾德判断有误。两周以后,米奇在我们的台阶上留下了一封银行发出的信,信中银行通知米奇说,他试图兑现的支票被注销了。接下来的星期二上午,艾德看到外面停着一辆卡车,就忙拿着钱包跑了出去。“你是米奇吗?”
   (7)那个男的不屑地看着他说:“米奇是个收垃圾的,我可是搞回收利用的。”艾德不仅因为把这个人当作是收垃圾的而羞辱了他,而且显然还忘记给这个人小费了。为了多拿一点钱,艾德又跑回屋内。而后他才注意到,卡车司机一直都在关注着事件的整个过程。他另外抽出20美元,看了看四周,把钞票在空中甩了甩问道:“还有其他人要吗?”
   (8)要是我们到埃米莉邮政学院网站咨询过,类似这样违背礼节的尴尬场面就可以避免了。该学院“假日小费原则”中的“垃圾收集工/回收工”条目下写着:“每人10~30美元。”有一点你也许想知道或不希望知道,那就是帮你照料宠物的人、你的理发师以及联合邮包服务公司给你送快递上门的人都希望有假期小费。