单选题{{B}}Text 3{{/B}} Success, it is often said, has many fathers--and one of the many fathers of computing, that most successful of industries, was Charles Babbage, a 19th-century British mathematician. Exasperated by errors in the mathematical tables that were widely used as calculation aids at the time, Babbage dreamed of building a mechanical engine that could produce flawless tables automatically. But his attempts to make such a machine in the 1920s failed, and the significance of his work was only rediscovered this century. Next year, at last, the first set of printed tables should emerge from a calculating "difference engine" built to Babbage's design. Babbage will have been vindicated. But the realization of his dream will also underscore the extent to which he was a man born ahead of his time. The effort to prove that Babbage's designs were logically and practically sound began in 1985, when a team of researchers at the Science Museum in London set out to build a difference engine in time for the 200th anniversary of Babbage's birth in 1992. The team, led by the museum's curator of computing, Doron Swade, constructed a monstrous device of bronze, iron and steel. It was 11 feet long, seven feet tall, weighed three tons, cost around $500 000 and took a year to piece together. And it worked perfectly, cranking out successive values of seventh-order polynomial equations to :31 significant figures. But it was incomplete. To save money, an entire section of the machine, the printer, was omitted. To Babbage, the printer was a vital part of design. Even if the engine produced the correct answers, there was still the risk that a transcription or typesetting error would result in the finished mathematical tables being inaccurate. The only way to guarantee error-free tables was to automate the printing process as well. So his plans included specifications for a printer almost as complicated as the calculating engine itself, with adjustable margins, two separate fonts, and the ability to print in two, three or four columns. In January, after years of searching for a sponsor for the printer, the Science Museum announced that a backer had been found. Nathan Myhrvold, the chief technology officer at Microsoft, agreed to pay for its construction (which is expected to cost $373 000 with one Proviso: that the Science Museum team would build him an identical calculating engine and printer to decorate his new home on Lake Washington, near Seattle). Construction of the printer will begin--in full view of the public--at the Science Museum later this month. The full machine will be completed next year. It is a nice irony that Babbage's plans should be realized only thanks to an infusion of cash from a man who got rich in the computer revolution that Babbage helped to foment. More striking still, even using 20th-century manufacturing technology the engine will have cost over $830 000 to build. Allowing for inflation, this is roughly a third of what it might have cost to build in Babbage's day-in contrast to the cost of electronic-computer technology, which halves in price every 18 months. That suggests that, even had Babbage succeeded, a Victorian computer revolution based on mechanical technology would not necessarily have followed.

单选题The two countries were fighting severely to______every inch of the land. (2009年北京航空航天大学考博试题)

单选题{{B}}Directions:{{/B}}Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. The fact that blind people can "see" things using other parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us to understand our feelings about color. If they can{{U}} (1) {{/U}}color differences, then perhaps we, too, are affected by{{U}} (2) {{/U}}unconsciously. Manufacturers have discovered by{{U}} (3) {{/U}}that sugar sells badly in green wrappings,{{U}} (4) {{/U}}blue foods are considered unpleasant, and the cosmetics should never be packaged{{U}} (5) {{/U}}brown. These discoveries have grown{{U}} (6) {{/U}}a whole discipline of color psychology that now finds{{U}} (7) {{/U}}in everything from fashion to interior decoration. Some of our{{U}} (8) {{/U}}are clearly psychological. Dark blue is the color of the night sky and{{U}} (9) {{/U}}associated with passivity and calm, while yellow is a day color with{{U}} (10) {{/U}}of energy and incentive. For primitive man, activity during the day{{U}} (11) {{/U}}hunting and attacking, while he soon saw as red, the color of blood and rage and the heat that came{{U}} (12) {{/U}}effort. And green is associated with passive{{U}} (13) {{/U}}and self preservation. Experiments have{{U}} (14) {{/U}}that green, partly bemuse of its physiological associations, also has a direct psychological{{U}} (15) {{/U}}, it is a calming color.{{U}} (16) {{/U}}its exciting connotations, red was chosen as the signal for changer,{{U}} (17) {{/U}}closer analysis shows that a vivid yellow can produce a{{U}} (18) {{/U}}basic state of alertness and (19) , so fire engines and ambulances in some advanced communities are now{{U}} (20) {{/U}}around in bright yellow colors that stop the traffic dead.

单选题Mr. Zhang, ______ came to see me yesterday, is an old friend of my father's. A. which B. that C. who D. whom

单选题Your eye is a window on the nerves and blood vessels, revealing vital information about your entire body. An (1) exam starts from the outside and works in. First the ophthalmologist (眼科医生) gauges (2) with the familiar wall chart and checks visual field by moving objects in and out of (3) . A limited visual field could be the (4) of the high inner eye pressure of glaucoma(青光眼)or (5) a tumor pressing on nerves leading from the eye. The physician also checks for infection around the lashes and notes how fast the lids follow the eyes downward. Lid lag sometimes (6) thyroid disease (甲状腺疾病). If one pupil contracts (7) the other doesn't, the physician is (8) to the fact that (9) a tumor or stroke, perhaps, has damaged the nerves between the eye and brain. A tumor as far away (10) the lung can cause capillary problems by hitting a nerve that loops through the neck. The white of the eye, tear ducts, lens and retina (视网膜) are checked for (11) of trouble. Too many white blood cells (12) inflammation, blood means tissue has tom or a vessel has burst, and deposits of (13) material can mean eye disease. The orange-red retina holds many more (14) for disease detection. High blood pressure may announce its (15) by pushing the vessels off track at their intersections. (16) vessel growth is a sign of diabetic retinopathy (糖尿病性视网膜病). Narrowed vessels may indicate (17) of the arteries, and damage to tiny capillaries could be a sign of early diabetes. The doctor even examines the pin-head-size hole in the back of the optic nerve on their way to the brain. (18) the appearance of these nerve fibers is abnormal, nerve tissue may have been damaged because of intraocular pressure, indicating glaucoma or the presence of a tumor. When a physician needs quick, (19) information about the body, the eyes have (20) .

单选题There has been a growing concern______pollution. But those who concern themselves______this problem need government support.

单选题Judging from the context, what does the word "them" (Line 4, Paragraph 4) refer to?

单选题In the decades between 1910 and 1930, over ten percent of the Black population of the United States left the South, where the majority of the Black population had been located, and migrated to northern states, with the largest number moving, it is claimed, between 1916 and 1918. It has been frequently assumed, but not proved, that most of the migrants in what has come to be called the Great Migration came from rural areas and were motivated by two concurrent factors: the collapse of cotton industry following boll-weevil infestation, which began in 1898, and increased demand in the North for labor following the cessation of European immigration caused by the outbreak of the first World War in 1914. This assumption has led to the conclusion that the migrant's subsequent lack of economic mobility in the North is tied to rural background, a background that implies unfamiliarity with urban living and a lack of industrial skills. But the question of who actually left the South has never been investigated in detail. Although numerous investigations document a flight from rural southern areas to southern cities prior to the Great Migration, no one has considered whether the same migrants then moved on to northern cities. In 1910 over 600,000 Black workers, or ten percent of the Black work force reported themselves to be engaged in "manufacturing and mechanical pursuits", the federal census category roughly including the entire industrial sector. The Great Migration could easily have been made up entirely of this group and their families. It is perhaps surprising to argue that an employed population could be tempted to move, but an explanation lies in the labor conditions then prevalent in the South. About thirty-five percent of the urban Black population in the South was engaged in skilled trades. Some were from the old artisan class of slavery—blacksmiths, masons, carpenters—which had a monopoly of certain trades, but they were gradually being pushed out by competition, mechanization, and obsolescence. The remaining sixty-five percent, more recently urbanized, worked in newly developed industries—tobacco, lumber, coal and iron manufacture, and railroads. Wages in the South, however, were low, and Black workers were aware, through labor recruiters and the Black press, that they could earn more even as unskilled workers in the North than they could as artisans in the South. After the boll-weevil infestation, urban Black workers faced competition from the continuing influx of both Black and White rural workers, who were driven to undercut the wages formerly paid for industrial jobs. Thus, a move north would be seen as advantageous to a group that was already urbanized and steadily employed, and the easy conclusion tying their subsequent economic problems in the North to their rural backgrounds comes into question.

单选题I sent invitations to 90 people, ______ have replied.A. of whom only 30 of themB. of whom only 30C. only 30 of those whoD. only 30 who

单选题I1. He is quite sure that it's ______ impossible for him to fulfill the task within two days.

单选题When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isn't cutting, filling or polishing as nails as she'd like to, either. Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening economy. "I'm a good economic indicator," she says, "I provide a service that people can do without when they're concerned about saving some dollars." So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillard's department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus, "I don't know it other clients are going to abandon me, too." She says. Even before Alan Greenspan's admission that America's red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealer-ships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year's pace. But don't sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem only mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy's long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt-tightening. Consumers say they're not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, "there's a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses." Says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. "Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three," says John Tealdi, a Bay Area real-estate broker. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job. Many folks see silver linings to this slow-down. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn't mind a little fewer buddles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattan's hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant used to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan & Co. may still be worth toasting.

单选题It was______ of you to get up to catch the first bus so that you could avoid traffic jam.

单选题The first Muslims to come to Australia were______.

单选题Every community requires a Uwholesome/U, dependable supply of water, and every community generates liquid and solid wastes.

单选题{{B}}Text 4{{/B}} The Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, announced here today that a delegation of Pakistani officials would fly to the Taliban~ s headquarters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar Monday to renew demands that the militia surrender Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden. U.S. officials have named Bin Laden, who has been given shelter by the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan, as the prime suspect in Tuesday's terrorist attacks in Washington and New York. "We are aware of the gravity of the situation and know that in the lives of nations, such situations do arise that require making important decisions," Musharraf said at a meeting with Pakistani newspaper editors. The Taliban's leader, Mohammad Omar, has refused to give up Bin Laden, claiming he is not responsible for the U.S. attacks. "The Pakistan government is leaning on the Taliban government to hand over Osama to save this entire region from catastrophe," said Najam Sethi, editor of the weekly newspaper Friday Times, who participated in the meeting with Musharraf. "I am not sure whether there is much chance of that happening, but the pressure is on from the Pakistan government." Pakistan has been a key supporter of the Taliban, which controls more than 90 percent of Afghanistan and has enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law in the country. Omar, the Taliban leader, today convened an emergency meeting of clerics(圣职人员) in the Afghan capital, Kabul. "As regards the possible attack by America on the sacred soil of Afghanistan, veteran honorable clerics should come to Kabul for a sharia decision," Omar said in a statement broadcast on the Taliban's Radio Shariat today. Sharia is Islamic law. Omar, who reportedly left Ms. Kandahar headquarters several days ago in anticipation of a U. S. attack, asked Afghans to pray and read the Koran to meet what he called a "test", according to the statement. He indicated he would not attend the meeting of clerics, though he reportedly met with a small group of senior clerics today. The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press reported today it had received a statement from Bin Laden, dispatched by an aide from an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, in which he denied involvement in last week's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. "I am residing in Afghanistan," the statement said, "I have taken an oath of allegiance to Omar which does not allow me to do such things from Afghanistan. We have been blamed in the past, but we were not involved."

单选题( ) they will produce cars next year or not hasn't been made clear.

单选题Her skirt had been so ______ in packing that she had to iron it before going out.A. fadedB. tomC. dirtyD. crushed

单选题I think (that) the day (will) finally come (that) air pollution can be put (C) control.

单选题King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted "kings don"t abdicate, they die in their sleep." But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So, does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyles? The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarised, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above "mere" politics and "embody" a spirit of national unity. It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs, continuing popularity as heads of state. And so, the Middle East excepted, Europe is the most monarch-infested region in the world, with 10 kingdoms (not counting Vatican City and Andorra). But unlike their absolutist counterparts in the Gulf and Asia, most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure. Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history—and sometimes the way they behave today—embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomes Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states. The most successful monarchies strive to abandon or hide their old aristocratic ways. Prince and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media intrusiveness makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image. While Europe"s monarchies will no doubt be smart enough to survive for some time to come, it is the British royals who have most to fear from the Spanish example. It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy"s reputation with her rather ordinary (if well-heeled) granny style. The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world. He has failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service—as non-controversial and non-political heads of state. Charles ought to know that as English history shows, it is kings, not republicans, who are the monarchy"s worst enemies.