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全国英语等级考试(PETS)
大学英语考试
全国英语等级考试(PETS)
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填空题 As more and more material from other cultures became available, European scholars came to recognize even greater complexity in mythological traditions. Especially valuable was the evidence provided by ancient Indian and Iranian texts such as the Bhagavad-Gita and the Zend-A-vesta. From these sources it became apparent that the character of myths varied widely, not only by geographical region but also by historical period. 66. ______. He argued that the relatively simple Greek myth of Persephone reflects the concerns of a basic agricultural community, whereas the more involved and complex myths found later in Homer are the product of a more developed society. Scholars also attempted to tie various myths of the world together in some way. From the late 18th century through the early 19th century, the comparative study of languages had led to the reconstruction of a hypothetical parent language to account for striking similarities among the various languages of Europe and the Near East. These languages, scholars concluded, belonged to an Indo-European language family. Experts on mythology likewise searched for a parent mythology that presumably-stood behind the mythologies of all the European peoples. 67. ______. For example, an expression like "maiden dawn" for "sunrise" resulted first in personification of the dawn, and then in myths about her. Later in the 19th century the theory of evolution put forward by English naturalist Charles Darwin heavily influenced the study of mythology. Scholars researched on the history of mythology, much as they would dig fossil-bearing geological formations, for remains from the distant past. 68. ______. Similarly, British anthropologist Sir James George Frazer proposed a three-stage evolutionary scheme in The Golden Bough. According to Frazer's scheme, human beings first attributed natural phenomena to arbitrary supernatural forces ( magic), later explaining them as the will of the gods (religion), and finally subjecting them to rational investigation (science). The research of British scholar William Robertson Smith, published in Lectures on the Religion of the Semites (1889), also influenced Frazer. Through Smith's work, Frazer came to believe that many myths had their origin in the ritual practices of ancient agricultural peoples, for whom the annual cycles of vegetation were of central importance. 69. ______. This approach reached its most extreme form in the so-called functionalism of British anthropologist A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, who held that every myth implies a ritual, and every ritual implies a myth. Most analyses of myths in the 18th and 19th centuries showed a tendency to reduce myths to some essential core-whether the seasonal cycles of nature, historical circumstances, or ritual. That core supposedly remained once the fanciful elements of the narratives had been stripped away. In the 20th century, investigators began to pay closer attention to the content of the narratives themselves. 70. ______. A. German-born British scholar Max Muller concluded that the Rig-Veda of ancient India-- the oldest preserved body of literature written in an Indo-European language--reflected the earliest stages of an Indo-European mythology. Muller attributed all later myths to misunderstandings that arose from the picturesque terms in which early peoples described natural phenomena: B. The myth and ritual theory, as this approach came to be called, was developed most fully by British scholar Jan Ellen Harrison. Using insight gained from the work of French sociologist Emile Durkheim, Harrison argued that ail myths have their origin in collective rituals of a society. C. Austrian psycho-analyst Sigmund Freud held that myths--like dreams--condense the material of experience and represent it in symbols. D. This approach can be seen in the work of British anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor. In Primitive Culture (1871), Tylor organized the religious and philosophical development of humanity into separate and distinct evolutionary stages. E. The studies made in this period were consolidated in the work of German scholar Christian Gottlob Heyne, who was the first scholar to use the Latin term myths ( instead of fabular, meaning "fable" ) to refer to the tales of heroes and gods. F. German scholar Karl Offried Muller followed this line of inquiry in his Prolegomena to a Scientific Mythology, 1825.
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填空题A = Hydro power B = Nuclear power C = Solar power D = Wind power Which power (power"s)... · was developed to provide electricity for satellites at the beginning? 1 · can promote tourism development? 2 · may give off dangerous radioactive pollution into the air? 3 · may affect the downstream water quality and have an impact on plant life? 4 · stations can increase to full power very quickly? 5 · produces small amounts of waste? 6 · is a good method of supplying energy to remote areas? 7 · provides around 20% of the world"s electricity? 8 · can be used to heat your water at home instead of so much gas or electricity? 9 · is not renewable? 10 A Hydro power Introduction We have used running water as an energy source for thousands of years, mainly to grind corn. The first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity was Cragside House, in Northumberland, England, in 1878. In 1882 on the Fox River, in the USA, hydroelectricity produced enough power to light two paper mills and a house. Nowadays there are many hydro-electric power stations, providing around 20% of the world"s electricity. The name comes from "hydro", the Greek word for water. How it works A dam is built to trap water, usually in a valley where there is an existing lake. Water is allowed to flow through tunnels in the dam, to turn turbines and thus drive generators. Advantages Once the dam is built, the energy is virtually free. No waste or pollution produced. Much more reliable than wind, solar or wave power. Water can be stored above the darn ready to cope with peaks in demand. Hydro-electric power stations can increase to full power very quickly, unlike other power stations. Disadvantages The dams are very expensive to build. Building a large dam will flood a very large area upstream, causing problems for animals that used to live there. Finding a suitable site can be difficult—the impact on residents and the environment may be unacceptable. Water quality and quantity downstream can be affected, which can have an impact on plant life. Is it renewable? Hydro-electric power is renewable. The Sun provides the water by evaporation from the sea, and will keep on doing so. B Nuclear power Introduction Nuclear power is generated using Uranium, which is a metal mined in various parts of the world. The first large-scale nuclear power station opened at Calder Hall in Cambria, England, in 1956. Some military ships and submarines have nuclear power plants for engines. How it works Nuclear power stations work in pretty much the same way as fossil fuel-burning stations, except that a "chain reaction" inside a nuclear reactor makes the heat instead. The reactor uses Uranium rods as fuel, and the heat is generated by nuclear fission. Neutrons smash into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which split roughly in half and release energy in the form of heat. Carbon dioxide gas is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away, and the hot gas then heats water to make steam. Advantages Nuclear power costs about the same as coal, so it"s not expensive to make. Does not produce smoke or carbon dioxide, so it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. Produces huge amounts of energy from small amounts of fuel. Produces small amounts of waste. Disadvantages Although not much waste is produced, it is very, very dangerous. It must be sealed up and buried for many years to allow the radioactivity to die away. Nuclear power is reliable, but a lot of money has to be spent on safety. Is it renewable? Nuclear energy from Uranium is not renewable. Once we"ve dug up all the Earth"s uranium and used it, there isn"t any more. C Solar power Introduction We"ve used the Sun for drying clothes and food for thousands of years, but only recently have we been able to use it for generating power. The Sun is 150 million kilometers away, and amazingly powerful. Just the tiny fraction of the Sun"s energy that hits the Earth ( around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. How it works There are three main ways that we use the Sun"s energy : Solar Cells (really called "photovoltaic" or "photoelectric" cells) that convert light directly into electricity. In a sunny climate, you can get enough power to run a 100W light bulb from just one square meter of solar panel. This was originally developed in order to provide electricity for satellites, but these days many of us own calculators powered by solar cells. Solar water heating, where heat from the Sun is used to heat water in glass panels on your roof. This means you don"t need to use so much gas or electricity to heat your water at home. Solar Furnaces use a huge array of mirrors to concentrate the Sun"s energy into a small space and produce very high temperatures. Advantages Solar energy is free—it needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution. In sunny countries, solar power can be used where there is no easy way to get electricity to a remote place. Handy for low-power uses such as solar powered garden lights and battery chargers. Disadvantages Doesn"t work at night. Very expensive to build solar power stations. Solar cells cost a great deal compared to the amount of electricity they"ll produce in their lifetime. Can be unreliable unless you"re in a very sunny climate. Is it renewable? Solar power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining anyway, so it makes sense to use it. D Wind power Introduction We"ve used the wind as an energy source for a long time. The Babylonians and Chinese were using wind power to pump water for irrigating crops 4,000 years ago, and sailing boats were around long before that. Wind power was used in the Middle Ages, in Europe, to grind corn, which is where the term "windmill" comes from. How it works The Sun heats our atmosphere unevenly, so some patches become warmer than others. These warm patches of air rise, other air blows in to replace them—and we feel a wind blowing. We can use the energy in the wind by building a tall tower, with a large propeller on the top. The wind blows the propeller round, which turns a generator to produce electricity. The more towers, the more wind, and the larger the propellers, the more electricity we can make. Advantages Wind is free, wind farms need no fuel. Produces no waste or greenhouse gases. The land beneath can usually still be used for farming. Wind farms can be tourist attractions. A good method of supplying energy to remote areas. Disadvantages The wind is not always predictable—some days have no wind. Suitable areas for wind farms are often near the coast, where land is expensive. Can kill birds—migrating flocks tend to like strong winds. Can affect television reception if you live nearby. Is it renewable? Wind power is renewable. Winds will keep on blowing; it makes sense to use them
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填空题Aging baby boomers are determined to fight the aging process. They spend millions of dollars a year on 1 they perceive as the best anti-aging products 2 can buy. They are being very short-sighted 3 their quest for youth. Just 4 a well-maintained car eventually breaks 5 , our bodies 6 the same. Aging is a chronic and ongoing condition we all face. Successful aging requires planning. The baby boomer generation has made 7 loud and clear that they want to remain in their homes and communities 8 they age. Yet they 9 the most important factor that will help them achieve the goal 10 age successfully at home. The home environment most boomers reside in was built for the young family. A young body 11 run the stairs, stand at the sink and get on a stool to 12 things. These are activities that become difficult or even 13 for some as they age. Falls are the number one robber of independence of the aging body. Yes, all the exercise and good nutrition cannot 14 one from falling and breaking a bone. Eventually the body slows down and 15 mobile can be an issue. It becomes hard to get into the bathroom. Many aging seniors stop taking baths because of a 16 of falling. No matter how hard we want to stay young or our bodies 17 maintain a youthful appearance, eventually we will slow down. So what is the best investment for successful aging at home? It is simple. Adjust your present living environment to meet the needs of your aging body. Many aging seniors 18 up in nursing homes or assisted living 19 their home environment could not 20 their needs.
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填空题The life of Albert Einstein is a model in many ways (31) both natural and political scientists. First of all, he always employed the scientific method of (32) truth from facts. He firmly believed, (33) he put it, that "there is nothing incomprehensible (34) the universe", and through painstaking work explained many of the phenomena thought to be "incomprehensible" in his day. Einstein was also never afraid to (35) mistakes when facts (36) his theories wrong. Second, Einstein's contributions showed the great importance of theoretical work to scientific effort. (37) he himself rarely worked in laboratories, the concepts he developed led (38) many of the scientific advances (39) have shaped modern technology. Third, Einstein believed very deeply that scientists must (40) a moral and social consciousness. (41) this way, he provided inspiration for a whole generation of scientists who became active in the communist movement. Einstein is often portrayed in bourgeois writings (42) a "Genius" whose theories are (43) complicated that no one (44) a few best scientists can understand them. But he (45) rejected the efforts to (46) him in a position far (47) other people. He was well-known for his (48) manner and often stressed to interviews that his accomplishments would certainly have been achieved by others had he never lived. Actually, Einstein's (49) of relativity and his other scientific works are not that hard to understand with a little study. But beyond learning Einstein's theories, his overall attitude (50) science as a tool to liberate humanity is something from which everyone can and should learn.
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填空题 It was a cold day. I sat in my room writing letters. I glanced out of the window. In the window directly opposite me stood Herr Stroh, gazing blatantly upon me. I was annoyed at his interest. I pulled down the blind and switched on the light to continue my writing. But the drawn blind and the artificial light irritated me, and suddenly I didn' t see why I shouldn' t write my letters by daylight without being stared at. I switched off the light and released the blind. Herr Stroh had gone. I concluded that he had taken my action as a signal of disapproval, and I settled back to write. {{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}} I left my room and went down to complain to Frau Lublonitsch. "She's gone to the market," Gertha said. "She' 11 be back in half an hour." {{U}} {{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}} "I shall tell Frau Chef," she said. Something in her manner made me ask, "Has this ever happened before.'?" "Once or twice this year," she said. "I' 11 speak to Frau Chef." And she added, with her music-hall grimace, "He was probably counting your eyelashes." {{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}} For nearly an hour I sat patiently at the window. Herr Stroh rested his arms now and again, but he did not leave his seat. I could see him clearly, although I think I imagined the grin on his face as, from time to time, he raised the glasses to his eyes. There was no doubt that he could see, as if it were within an inch of his face, the fury on mine. It was too late now for one of us to give in, and I kept glancing down at the entrances to the hotel Stroh, expecting to see Frau Lublonitsch or perhaps one of her sons or the yard hands going across to deliver a protest. But no one from our side approached the Stroh premises. I continue to stare, and Herr Stroh continued to goggle through his glasses. Then he dropped them. It was as if they had been jerked out of his hands by an invisible nudge. He approached close to the window and gazed, but now he was gazing at a point above and slightly to the left of my room. After about two minutes, he turned and disappeared. {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}} "Did she telephone to his house?" "No, Frau Chef doesn't use the phone; it mixes her up." "Who protested, then?" "Frau Chef." "But she hasn't been across to see him. I' ve been watching the house." "No, Frau Chef doesn't visit with him. But don't worry, he knows all right that he mustn't annoy our guests." When I looked out of the window again, I saw that the blind of Herr Stroh' s room had been pulled down, and so it remained for the rest of my stay. Meantime, I went out to post my letters in the box opposite our hotel, across the path. The sun had come out more strongly, and Herr Stroh stood in his doorway blinking up at the roof of the Guesthouse Lublonitsch. He was engrossed, he did not notice me at all. {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}} Like most of the roofs in that province, the Lublonitsch roof had a railed ledge running several inches above the eaves, for the purpose of preventing the snow from falling in heavy thumps during the winter. On this ledge, just below an attic window, stood the gold-and-rose ormolu clock that I had seen in Frau Lublonitsch's splendid bedroom. I turned the corner just as Herr Stroh gave up his gazing; he went indoors, sullen and bent. Two car-loads of people who had moved into the hotel that morning were now moving out, shifting their baggage with speed and the signs of a glad departure. I know that his house was nearly empty. A. I didn' t want to draw his attention by following the line of his gaze but I was curious as to what held him staring so trancelike up at our roof. On my way back from the postbox I saw what it was. B. I caught sight of a tiled stove constructed of mosaic tiles that were not a local type. I also noticed, standing upon the cabinet, a large ornamental clock; each curve and twirl in the case of this clock was overlaid with that gildedbronze alloy which is known as ormolu. The clock twinkled in the sunlight which slanted between the window hangings. C. I looked up a few moments later, and this time Herr Stroh was seated on a chair a little way back from the window. He was facing me squarely and holding to his eyes a pair of field-glasses. D. I returned to my room. Herr Stroh still sat in position, the field-glasses in his hands resting on his knees. As soon as I came within view, he raised the glasses to his eyes. I decided to stare him out until such time as Frau Lublonitsch should return and take the matter in hand. E. Just then Gertha knocked at my door. "Frau Chef has protested, and you won't have any more trouble," she said. F. So I lodged my complaint with Gertha.
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填空题·had a song writer Woodie Guthrie?
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填空题Inside a small chamber at a Kent State University laboratory, hamsters sleep, eat, play and rest while fluid flows in and out of tubes threaded through their tiny brains. It took biology professor J. David Glass two years to set up the finicky dialysis system, which measures a key neurotransmitter in the biological clocks of these nocturnal rodents. His payoff came in 1996, when he became the first researcher to measure serotonin levels rising and falling in the biological clock area of the brain during an animal's daily cycle. Serotonin is the "feel good" chemical manipulated by widely prescribed drugs such as Prozac. 66. ______ Glass's research and that of others could have implications for the millions of people who take common anti-depressants and other drugs that affect serotonin in the brain. It has long been known that the substance is a key player in the biological clock, and that the region has an unusually high concentration of receptors for the neurotransmitter. 67. ______ Like other animals and even plants, humans have built-in clocks that regulate internal functions on a 24-hour basis. For most mammals, the clocks trigger sleep and waking, as well as metabolism, hormone levels, body temperature and many other changes. 68. ______ Sitting on top of the optic nerve, the clock is heavily influenced by light. But other factors, too, are involved in resetting the mechanism, most notably physical activity and substances like serotonin. Glass and his students found that, when lights in the hamster chamber were switched off, the serotonin levels in the rodents' clock region shot up: hamsters are nocturnal, meaning they rest during the day and are awake at night. But when hamsters in the midst of their sleep cycle were put onto an activity wheel, a significant rise in serotonin levels was measured in those hamsters that woke up enough to exercise. It has long been known that serotonin is key to body clock function, according to Thomas Wehr, a scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers at the Maryland Institute took cells from the clock region of the brain, sprinkled serotonin on them and, by monitoring electrical impulses, watched the cells "reset" themselves. 69. ______ Studies have found that serotonin affects the clock in different ways, depending on the point in the cell's daily cycle that it is administered. Glass recently completed an experiment using marmosets, small monkeys native to Central and South America. Researchers moved a sleeping marmoset to another cage, then monitored it as it scurried around its new environment. After this burst of activity, the marmoset shifted its cycles forward or backward a few hours, and they remained shifted, apparently indefinitely. Cycles were pushed back when the disruption occurred early in the sleep period; they shifted forward when the disruption occurred late in the cycle. 70. ______ A. According to Glass, the experiment demonstrates what scientists have known anecdotally for a long time: that exercise, when performed at certain times, shifts our clocks. Exercise has long been recommended to speed recovery from jet lag, for example. That may be because exercise boosts serotonin. Glass found he could mimic the effect of the arousal experiment by injecting a serotonin like drug and believes the findings suggest something similar could be expected in people. "We're getting closer and closer to making the link that humans can adjust their circadian clock through natural means such as exercise," Glass says. B. "There are certain drugs used with humans that have also been squirted on these cells in dishes and have been shown to reset the clock in the dish, so it seems quite possible there are similar effects in humans who take these drugs. " Wehr says. Indeed, some people taking anti-depressants do report sleep disorders such as insomnia or daytime drowsiness that could be related to changes in their biological clocks. Human studies have yet to focus on the issue. C. Later scientists wondered about circadian rhythms in humans. They learned that man's biological clock actually keeps time with a day of a little less than 25-hours instead of the 24 hours on a man-made clock. D. Glass's work is part of the fast-growing field of circadian (or daily) rhythm research focused on a region at the base of the brain, the size of a corn kernel, that scientists discovered 25 years ago is the body's timing mechanism. E. Meanwhile, in a larger chamber down the hall, Glass is monitoring tropical monkeys. He has found that exercise and arousal from sleep have major impacts on the biological rhythms of the monkeys, permanently shifting their clocks in the absence of normal daylight and darkness cues. F. This is a particularly exciting time for circadian-rhythm researchers. In recent times, scientists at universities in Illinois, Texas and Japan have found genes involved with the clock, including one that appears to be a basic building block of the mechanism and is common across all species, from fruit flies to humans. Meanwhile, researchers like Glass, whose work has attracted US $1.2 million (9.6 million RMB. in grants from the National Institute of Health, are trying to understand how the clock works.
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填空题·includes some of the oldest states of the U. S. A.?
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填空题One day a group of people walked into a cave and painted handprints all over the walls. Ten thousand years later, archaeologists have no idea why. 1 But this is the kind of challenge now facing a group of scientists, historians and futurists who are trying to send a message to the people of the distant future. In what has been called the first ever attempt at "reverse archaeology", they are designing a sign that will last at least 10,000 years. The message: Don"t dig here, we buried nuclear waste. The repository in question, the Waste Isolation Pilot Project, or WIPP, was constructed in the 970s and 80s in a disused salt mine near Carlsbad, New Mexico. In 1999, it became the first underground repository in the world licensed to house waste from the production of nuclear weapons. Once it reaches full capacity in 2033, it will be monitored by the US Department of Energy for 1000 years before being abandoned. Computer models predict that within 1000 years the mine will collapse in on itself, sealing the chemical sludge, toxic waste and contaminated lab equipment inside. 2 This is a major challenge. In 10,000 years our descendants may have no recollection of our culture, languages or technologies. They may be more technologically advanced than we can imagine, or civilisation as we know it may have long since crashed and burned. Clearly the survival of the WIPP message depends on more than paper or digital records. Maps and technical details will be stored in libraries around the world, but the warning signs on the site itself will need to be big, obvious and permanent. They will need to survive over thousands of years without eroding, being looted or being destroyed by vandals. 3 But making sure the message remains legible is only half the battle. It will also need to be understood, and, equally critically, believed. This is where things get tricky. Chances are the people of the future will no longer use language in the same way that we do. Even if they do use the spoken and written word to communicate, there is no guarantee their language will bear any relation to ours. In the early 1990s, Nelson gathered two teams of historians, anthropologists and semioticians—experts in signs—and challenged them to come up with the perfect warning sign. 4 Anthropologists say there .is no universal symbol that will convey danger to any human past, present or future. Interpretations of colours vary between cultures, and while depiction of animals like spiders and snakes may inspire fear, they don"t tell you what you should be frightened of. 5 So if the symbols no longer mean anything to our descendant, will the two faces be enough to get the message across? "Both are relevant, I suppose," says Robert Aunger, "although we argue that disgust is a response to threat only of infectious disease; radioactivity is not contagious. Fear is more relevant than disgust." Barring extreme genetic modification, chances are faces will look much the same in 10,000 years. A. All things going well it should stay that way for the 250,000 years it will take for most of the waste to become safe. However, according to legislation drawn up in 1985 by the US Department of Energy, a repository must be safeguarded for at least 10,000 years, and that means it must be marked. B. All we know is that nuclear waste is dangerous now and is likely to stay that way for a very long time, and that means we have to try, C. To be fair to the artists in question, they probably didn"t set out to create something that would make sense in 400 generations" time. Even if thoughts of the future had crossed their minds, how could they possibly have imagined what would have become of the human race? Since that day, mankind has invented the wheel, developed hundreds of languages and got through several major civilisations, not to mention remodelled the planet and its climate. D. Facial expressions, though, are universally understood. "Fear is the most basic of emotions, and so would survive any cultural evolution," says Robert Aunger, a biological anthropologist. With this in mind, the WIPP designers came up with two symbols: a human face showing fear and another showing revulsion and disgust. There will also be a description of the site in seven languages, plus the word "Danger" and today"s symbols for biohazards and radioactivity. E. The biggest challenge was choosing an image. Symbols do exist to illustrate radiation and biohazards, but symbols have a habit of changing their meanings over time. The swastika, for example, was first used by European tribes in 4000BC and was a Hindu holy symbol long before the Nazis got hold of it. F. The plan is literally to set the warnings in stone, by carving them onto 8-metre-tall monoliths. A study of ancient rock carvings commissioned by WIPP in 2000 found that deep carvings on basalt survived well, as, surprisingly, did those on sandstone. The team is now testing other rock types against freeze/thaw cracking and wind abrasion, as well as working on cheaper artificial alternatives.
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填空题71. ______ is the headquarter of the Supreme court. 72. ______ was discovered as early as 1524. 73. ______ has served as the capital of the country. 74. ______ is now the largest industrial city in the country. 75. ______ leads the country in the manufacture of aircraft and spare parts. 76. ______ is the largest city. 77. ______ is the second largest city in population in U. S. A.. 78. ______ has become one of the world's busiest ports. 79. ______ covers an area of over 69 square miles. 80. ______ is now considered the center of industry, transportation, commerce and finance in the mid-west area. 1. Washington D. C. Washington, the capital of the United States, is in Washington D. C. and is situated on the Potomac River between the two states of Maryland and Virginia. The population of the city is about 800, 000 and it covers an area of over 69 square miles (including 8 square miles of water surface). The section was named the District of Columbia after Christopher Columbus, who discovered the continent. The city itself was named Washington after George Washington, the first president of U. S. A.. The building of the city was accomplished in 1800 and since that year, it has served as the capital of the country. Thomas Jefferson was the first president inaugurated there. In the War of 1812, the British army seized the city, burning the White House and many other buildings. Washington is the headquarters of all the branches of the American federal system: Congress, the Supreme Court and the Presidency. Apart from the government buildings, there are also some other places of interest such as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Library of Congress and Mr. Vernon, home of George Washington. 2. New York City New York City, located in New York State, is the largest city and the chief port of the United States. The city of New York has a population of over 7 million (1970) and Metropolitan, 12 million. The city has five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queen's Brooklyn and Richmond. The city with its good harbor was discovered as early as 1524, and it was established by the Dutch who named the city New Amsterdam. In 1664, the city was taken by the English and it got the name New York as it bears now. During the American Revolution in 1776, George Washington had his head-quarters for a time in New York City. The Declaration of Independence was first read there on July 4th, 1776. The city remained the nation's capital until 1790. New York became an important port early in the last century. A large portion of the national exports passed through New York Harbor. New York has become one of the world's busiest ports and also the financial, manufacturing, and travel center of the country. Some of the places of interest in the city are: the Statue of Liberty ( 152 meters high) which was given by. the French people to the American people as a gift in 1877. It was erected on Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbor. Broadway, Wall Street and Fifth Avenue are a few of New York's more famous streets. Wall Street, where many famous banks are centered, is the financial center of America and has become a symbol of the American monopoly capitalism. Fifth Avenue is the street with famous stores and shops. Time Square is in the center of New York City, at Broadway and 42nd Street. Greenwich Village is an art center. Many American artists and writers have lived and worked there. The group of the third largest city buildings of the United Nations stand along the East River at the end of the 42nd Street. 3. Chicago Chicago, the second largest city in population in the United States, lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan at a point where the Chicago River enters the lake. The city is now the largest industrial city in the country. Both heavy and light industries are highly developed, particularly the former. Black metallurgical industry and meat processing are assumed to be the head in the U. S.. It is now considered the center of industry, transportation, commerce and finance in the mid-west area. The working class in Chicago has a glorious revolutionary tradition. On May 1st, 1886, thousands upon thousands of workers in the city and the country went on strike for the eight-hour workday and succeeded. Since 1890, May 1st has been observed every year as an International Labor Day. On March 8th 1909, women workers in Chicago held a big strike for freedom and equal rights with men and since 1910, March 8th has been celebrated each year as an International Working Women's Day. 4. Los Angeles Los Angeles is situated near the Pacific coast in California. It is an important center of shipping, industry and communication. The city was first founded by a Spanish explorer in 1542 and turned over to the U. S. in 1846. The city leads the country in the manufacture of aircraft and spare parts and the area has become an aviation center. California is a leading state in the production of electronic products and the area of Los Angeles has grown into an important electronic center. Since the first American movie was made in Los Angeles in 1908, the city has remained the film center of the United States. Hollywood, the base of the film industry in the city, is a world famous film producing center.
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填空题The final act of a controversy over GM crops that sets America against Europe unfolds today in Geneva. The World Trade Organisation will hear the closing arguments in a case where the public authority of both the European commission and the WTO is at stake. 1 Throughout the European Union there has been extensive concern about GM crops. Among the public"s fears is the potential for long-term harm to the environment—for example through the increased use of herbicides and the gene flow to wild species—and to human health, should new allergens appear. In a wider context of uncertainties about the future of agriculture and of a pervasive lack of confidence in official approaches to the handling of technological risk, consumer rejection of GM has been widespread. 2 The EU"s initial submissions to the WTO dispute panel argued that its approach was necessarily "prudent and precautionary". It emphasised that the US, Canada and Argentina were challenging the right of countries to establish levels of protection from the risks of GM appropriate to their circumstances—and that the risks and uncertainties were complex and serious. The outcome of the case would be of enormous significance worldwide. 3 Significantly, the commission has also shifted its defence in the WTO case in a way that suggests a direct link with this new tactic on GM approvals. The commission is unwilling to publish its recent submissions to the dispute panel (despite requests from Friends of the Earth under freedom of information rules), but it is clear from the US"s response, which has been made public, that the commission now wants the dispute to be ruled "moot" because GM approvals have started. In other words, it has caved in to US pressure and is rearranging the pieces. 4 The GM dispute has been unfolding at a time when the future of the EU is a fraught political question in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Here, referendums on the currency and EU constitution are looming. A key Euro-sceptic weapon is to whip up fear of a remote unaccountable bureaucracy. When the commission acts, as in this case, in a fashion so strongly at odds with the EU"s citizens and their political representatives, the result can only be further cynicism and hostility. 5 It is not only Europe"s institutions that are being tested by the GM dispute. The already tattered credibility of the WTO itself is also at stake. On both sides of the Atlantic, the US challenge to Europe"s initial stance has attracted exceptional interest from civil society groups—to the point where several international coalitions have submitted amicus curiae briefs directly to the panel. All these point to the need for the WTO to rely on more enlightened approaches to risk assessment, respecting the different cultural and environmental circumstances of individual countries. A. The commission is playing a dangerous game. Member states and their populations are divided even on whether the two varieties of GM maize recently approved satisfy the EU"s own regulatory criteria. However, the commission appears to have decided that satisfying the US is more important than respecting the continuing concern among the people and governments of member states. It is a course of action that could have reverberations for the European project as a whole. B. Insistence on a one-size-fits-all approach tailored to US norms—to which Europe now risks deferring—is undermining the WTO"s authority. If successive crises of the GM kind are to be avoided, the WTO needs to change—and fast. C. In response to these worries, the EU revised its regulatory framework to include wider issues such as traceability, labelling and impacts on farmland wildlife. This process is still under way, with countries developing national plans on how, if GM crops are grown, to limit contamination of non-GM crops, and how to ascribe liability should harm result. D. In May 2003 the US, Argentina and Canada, urged on by their industry lobbies, complained to the WTO about Europe"s moratorium on GM approvals, imposed in October 1998. As the biggest producers of GM crops, they felt the European position was damaging their trade interests and argued that it could not be scientifically justified. E. Last summer, however, while arguments were still being put, the European commission awarded the first marketing approvals since October 1998. The awards—for importing two varieties of GM maize, for food and feed—ended the de facto Europe-wide moratorium, but the commission had to use provisions designed for when the council of ministers is unable to reach agreement. In effect, the bureaucracy stepped in and forced through a particular outcome, despite continuing political disagreement across the EU. This now looks set to become a growing pattern. F. The new commission, which came into being last November, has a chance to reconsider the matter anew. Beating in mind the broader implications of the case for its own future standing, it should look again at the GM approvals granted by its predecessor.
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填空题Supermarket shoppers have never been more spoilt for choice. But just when we thought traditional systems of selective farming had created the most tempting array of foods money can buy, we are now being presented with the prospect of genetically created strains of cabbages, onion, tomato, potato and apple. It may not tickle the fancy of food purists but it fires the imagination of scientists. Last week they discovered that the classic Parisian mushroom contains just the properties that, when genetically mixed with a wild strain of mushroom from the Sonora desert in California, could help it grow en masse while at the same time providing it with the resilience of the wild strain. 1 "We have found a way of increasing the success rate from one to 90 per cent." This is just one of the many products that, according to skeptics, are creating a generation of "Frankenfoods". The first such food that may be consumed on a wide scale is a tomato which has been genetically manipulated so that it does not soften as it ripens. 2 Critics say that the new tomato--which cost $25 million to research--is designed to stay on supermarket shelves for longer. It has a ten-day life span. Not surprisingly, every-hungry US is leading the search for these forbidden fruit. By changing the genes of a grapefruit, a grower from Texas has created a sweet, red, thin-skinned grapefruit expected to sell at a premium over its California and Florida competitors. For chip fanatics who want to watch their waist-lines, new high-starch, low-moisture potatoes that absorb less fat when fried have been created, thanks to a gene from intestinal bacteria. The scientists behind such new food argue that genetic engineering is simply an extension of animal and plant breeding methods and that by broadening the scope of the genetic changes that can be made, sources of food are increased. Accordingly, they argue, this does not inherently lead to foods that are less safe than those developed by conventional techniques. But if desirable genes are swapped irre- spective of species barriers, could things spiral out of control? "Knowledge is not toxic," said Mark Cantley,head of the biotechnology unit at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Develop- ment, "It has given us a far greater understanding of how living systems work at a molecular level and there is no reason for people to think that scientists and farmers should use that knowledge to do risky things." Clearly, financial incentive lies behind the development of these bigger, more productive foods. But we may have only ourselves to blame. In the early period of mass food commerce, food varieties were developed by traditional methods of selective breeding to suit the local palate. But as suppliers started to select and preserve plant variants that had larger fruit, consumer expectations rose, leading to the development of the desirable clones. Still, traditionalists and gourmets in Europe are fighting their development. 3 Even in the pre-packaged US, where the slow-softening tomato will soon be reaching supermarkets, 1,500 American chefs have lent their support to the Pure Food Campaign which calls for the international boycott of genetically engineered foods until more is known about the consequences of the technology and reliable controls have been introduced. In the short term, much of the technology remains untested and in the long term the conse- quences for human biology are unknown. Questions have arisen over whether new proteins in genetically modified food could cause allergies in some people. 4 Then there are the vegetarians who may be consuming animal non-vegetable proteins in what they think is a common tomato, or the practicing Jew who unknowingly consumes a fruit that has been enhanced with a pig"s gene. As yet, producers are under no obligation to label "transgenetic" products. Environmentalists worry that new, genetically engineered plants may damage natural environment. A genetically engineered pest-resistant strain of plant that contacts with a native strain, for ex- ample, could turn them into virulent weeds beyond chemical control. Animal welfare groups worry about the quality of life of farm animals manipulated so that they produce more meat, milk, and eggs but which may suffer physical damage in the process. 5 Many of these fears spring from ignorance. And although it is hard to separate the paranoia from the benefits, the fact remains that genetic engineering offers ways of solving serious medical and agricultural problems. A. Western farmers have already bred cattle with more muscle than a skeleton can carry. B. Supporters say the tomato, unsurprisingly called Flavr Savr, will taste better because it will be able to mature on the branch longer. C. Consumer opposition means that there are genetically manipulated foods on the German mar- kets ,and the Norwegian government has recently put research into genetically engineered foods on hold. D. For example, if a corn gene is introduced into a wheat gene for pest resistance, will those who are allergic to corn then be allergic to wheat? E. "Mushrooms in the past were almost impossible to cross," says Philippe Callac, one of the three scientists working on the mushroom. F. Genetic engineering will interfere with the balance of nature.
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填空题 Read the following text and fill each of the numbered spaces with ONE suitable word, Write your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. Another early Native American tribe in{{U}} (31) {{/U}}is now the southwestern part of the United States was the Anasazi. By A. D. 800 the Anasazi Indians were constructing multistory pueblos-massive, stone apartment compounds. Each{{U}} (32) {{/U}}was virtually a stone town, {{U}}(33) {{/U}}is why the Spanish would later{{U}} (34) {{/U}}them pueblos, the Spanish word{{U}} (35) {{/U}}towns. These pueblos represent one of the Anasazis' supreme achievements. At least a dozen large stone houses{{U}} (36) {{/U}}shape below the bluffs of Chaco Canyon in northwest New Mexico. They were built with masonry walls more than a meter thick and adjoining apartments to{{U}} (37) {{/U}}dozens, even hundreds, of families. The largest, later named Pueblo Bonito (Pretty Town) {{U}}(38) {{/U}}the Spanish, rose in five terraced stories, contained more than 800 rooms, and could have housed a population of 1,000 or{{U}} (39) {{/U}}Besides living quarters, each{{U}} (40) {{/U}}included one or more kivascircular underground chambers faced with stone. They functioned{{U}} (41) {{/U}}sanctuaries where the elders met to plan festivals, perform ritual dances, settle pueblo affairs, {{U}}(42) {{/U}}impart tribal lore to the younger generation. Some{{U}} (43) {{/U}}were enormous. Of the 30 or so at Pueblo Bonito, two measured 20 meters across. They contained niches for ceremonial objects, a central fire pit, and holes in the floor for communicating{{U}} (44) {{/U}}the spirits of tribal ancestors. Each pueblo represented an astonishing amount of well-organized labor. Using only stone and wood{{U}} (45) {{/U}}, and without benefit of wheels or draft animals, the builders quarried ton upon ton of sandstone{{U}} (46) {{/U}}the canyon walls, cut it into small blocks, hauled the blocks to the construction site, and fitted them together with mud mortar. Roof beams of pine or fir had to be{{U}} (47) {{/U}}from logging areas in the mountain forests many kilometers{{U}} (48) {{/U}}. Then, to connect the pueblos and to give{{U}} (49) {{/U}}to the surrounding tableland, the architects laid out a system of public roads with stone staircases for ascending cliff faces. In time, the roads reached{{U}} (50) {{/U}}to more than 80 satellite villages within a 60 kilometer radius.
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填空题What Does Ageing Bring The press is constantly reminding us that the dramatic increase in the age of our population over the next 30 or so years will cause national healthcare systems to collapse, economies to crumple under the strain of pension demands and disintegrating families to buckle under increasing care commitments. Yet research at Oxford is beginning to expose some of the widespread myths that underlie this rhetoric. Demographic ageing is undoubtedly a reality. Life expectancy in developed countries has risen continuously over the past century, increasing the percentage of those over the age of 60 relative to those under the age of 15. By 2030 half the population of Western Europe will be over the age of 50, with a predicted average life expectancy of a further 40 years. By then, a quarter of the population will be over 65 and by 2050 the UK's current number of 10,000 centenarians are predicted to have reached a quarter of a million. 1. ______ Indeed, if this could be achieved throughout the world, it would surely count as the success of civilisation, for then we would also have conquered the killers of poverty, disease, famine and war. Decreasing mortality rates, increasing longevity and declining fertility mean smaller percentages of young people within populations. Over the past 20 years life expectancy at birth in the UK has risen by four years for men (to 75) and three years for women (to 80). Meanwhile fertility rates across Europe have declined more or less continuously over the past 40 years and remain well below the levels required for European populations to be able to replace themselves without substantive immigration. But again, rather than seeing this as a doom and gloom scenario, we need to explore the positive aspects of these demographics. The next 50 years should provide us with an opportunity to enjoy the many advantages of a society with a mature population structure. 2. ______ The first of these is the current political rhetoric, which claims that health services across the Western world are collapsing under the strain of demographic ageing. 3. ______ The second myth is the view that the ratio of workers to non-workers will become so acute that Western economies will collapse, compounded by a massive growth in pension debt. While there are undoubted concerns over current pension shortfalls, it is also clear that working lives will themselves change over the next few decades, with a predicted increase in flexible and part-time work and the probable extension of working life until the age of 70. Indeed, we have to recognise that we cannot expect to retire at the age of 50 and then be able to support ourselves for another 40 or so years. 4. ______ A further myth is that we will all live in loose, multigenerational families, experiencing increased emotional distancing from our kin. Evidence from a variety of studies across the developed world suggests that, if anything, the modern family is actually becoming more close-knit. Work carried out by the Oxford Institute shows that despite the influence of the welfare state, over the past 10 years, people have come to value family relationships more than previously. 5. ______ In the developed world, therefore, we can see actual benefits from population ageing: a better balance between age groups, mature and less volatile societies, with an emphasis on age integration. The issues will be very different in other parts of the world. Herein lies another myth: that the less developed world will escape from demographic ageing. Instead, the massive increase in the age of populations facing these countries -- predicted to be up to one billion older people within 30 years -- is potentially devastating. The problem is not only that demographic ageing is occurring at a far greater pace than we have seen in Western nations, but also that few if any developing countries have the economic development and infrastructure necessary to provide widespread public pensions and healthcare to these growing elderly populations. As a result, older people are among the poorest in every developing country. They have the lowest levels of income, education and literacy, they lack savings and assets, have only limited access to work, and even in times of crisis are usually the last to be cared for under emergency aid programs. Perhaps of most concern is healthcare, for as we conquer acute diseases, we are going to see a rapid increase in levels of chronic illness and disability, but no long-term care programs or facilities to tackle this. A Since it is likely that a longer active working life will coincide with a predicted labour shortage resulting from a lack of younger workers, we need to provide the opportunities and training to encourage older men and women to remain economically productive. Our studies show that there are benefits from having an age-integrated workforce. It is another myth that older workers are less productive than younger ones. In fact, the combined energy of younger workers with the experience of older ones can lead to increased productivity -- something from which young and old alike will benefit. B In 2001, in recognition of the significance of these demographic changes and the global challenges and opportunities that will accompany them, the Oxford Institute of Ageing was established at the University. It is made up of researchers in demography, sociology, economics, social anthropology, philosophy and psychology, with links to other specialists in medicine, biology, law and policy in research units across the University. This cross-disciplinary approach has made it possible to challenge some of the most pervasive myths about ageing societies. C As Institute healthcare ethicist Kenneth Howse points out, family obligations towards older relatives may change over the next 20 years, but current indications are that families are retaining a strong responsibility to care. Furthermore, as societies age, the contributory role of older people as grandparents becomes more important. Work by Institute researchers on another European Union study on multi-generational families has highlighted the role that grandparents play by freeing up the responsibilities of the younger reproductive population. D It is clear that the changing demographic landscape poses challenges for the future. The necessity now is to develop appropriate economic, social and political structures to take advantage of the opportunities that mature societies will bring, while ensuring that there are appropriate safety nets for those left vulnerable within these populations -- which will include both young and old alike.? E Rather than fearing such a future, however, we should see this trend as a great success. It must undoubtedly be a major achievement of civilisation that most individuals within a society can expect to enjoy a long and healthy lifespan. F George Leeson, a demographer at the Institute, points out that while a number of cross-national studies have considered the determinants of spiralling healthcare costs, only one has found the explanatory factor to be the proportion of the population aged 65 and over. Rather, it is growth in income, lifestyle characteristics and environmental factors such as technology and drugs that are driving up healthcare costs. In addition, the costs are shifting between population groups. The key here, he adds, is to develop sufficiently flexible health service structures to shift not only economic resources but also personnel.
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填空题Howmanyplanetsarethereinthesolarsystemrevolvingaroundthesun?
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