填空题The making of weathervanes (devices fixed on the top of buildings to show directions of the wind) is an ancient skill, going back to early Egyptian times. Today the craft is still very much alive in the workshop that Graham Smith has set up. He is one of the few people in the country who make hand-cut weathervanes. Graham's designs are individually created and tailored to the specific requirements of his customers. "That way I can produce a unique personalized item," he explains, "A lot of my customers are women buying presents for their husbands. They want a distinctive gift that represents the man's business or leisure interests." It's all a far cry from the traditional cock, the most common design for weathervanes. It was not a cock but a witch on a broomstick that featured on the first weathervane Graham ever made. Friends admired his surprise present for his wife and began asking him to make vanes for them. "I realized that when it came to subjects that could be made into them, the possibilities were limitless," he says. (41) ___________________ That was five years ago and he has no regrets about his new direction. "My previous work didn't have an artistic element to it, whereas this is exciting and creative," he says, "I really enjoy the design side." (42) ___________________ Graham also keeps plenty of traditional designs in stock, since they prove as popular as the one-offs. "It seems that people are attracted to handcrafting,' Graham says, "They welcome the opportunity to acquire something a little bit different." (43) ___________________ "I have found my place in the market. People love the individuality and I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing a nondescript shape turn into something almost lifelike,' he says. (44) "And nowadays, with more and more people moving to the country, individuals want to put an exclusive finishing touch to their properties. It has bean a boost to crafts like mines," (45) ___________________ American and Danish huyers in particular are showing interest. "Pricing," he explains, "depends on the intricacy of the design. "His most recent request was for a curly-coated dog. Whatever the occasion, Graham can create a gift with a difference.[A] Graham has become increasingly busy, supplying flat-packed weathervanes to clients worldwide.[B] Graham decided to concentrate his efforts on a weathervane business. He had served an apprenticeship as a precision engineer and had worked in that trade for 15 years when he and his wife, Liz, agreed to swap role--she went out to work as an architectural assistant and he stayed at home to look after the children and build up the business.[C] Last month, a local school was opened with his galleon ship weathervane hoisted above it.[D] "For centuries, weathervanes have kept communities in touch with the elements, signaling those shifts in wind directions that bring about changes in the weather," he explains.[E] Graham has no plans for expansion, as he wants to keep the business as a rural craft.[F] Graham has now perfected over 100 original designs. He works to very fine detail, always seeking approval for the design of the silhouette from the customer before proceeding with the hand-cutting.

填空题[A]Bycontrast,somewhatmorethan25percentoftheearth'spopulationcanbefoundintheindustrializedsocieties.Theyleadmodernlives.Theyareproductsofthefirsthalfofthetwentiethcentury,moldedbymechanizationandmasseducation,broughtupwithlingeringmemoriesoftheirowncountry'sagriculturalpast.Theyare,ineffect,thepeopleofthepresent.[B]Theremaining2or3percentoftheworld'spopulation,however,arenolongerpeopleofeitherthepastorthepresent.Forwithinthemaincentersoftechnologicalandculturalchange,inSantaMonica,CaliforniaandCambridge,Massachusetts,inNewYorkandLondon,andTokyo,aremillionsofmenandwomenwhocanalreadybesaidtobelivingthewayoflifeofthefuture.Trend-makersoftenwithoutbeingawareofit,livetodayasmillionswilllivetomorrow.Andwhiletheyaccountforonlyafewpercentoftheglobalpopulationtoday,theyarealreadyfromaninternationalnationofthefutureinourmidst.Theyaretheadvancedagentsofman,theearliestcitizensoftheworldwidesuper-industrialsocietynowinthethroesofbirth.[C]Itis,infact,nottoomuchtosaythatthepaceoflifedrawsalinethroughhumanity,dividingusintocamps,triggeringbittermisunderstandingbetweenparentandchild,betweenMadisonAvenueandMainStreet,betweenmenandwomen,betweenAmericanandEuropean,betweenEastandWest.[D]Whatmakesthemdifferentfromtherestofmankind?Certainly,theyarericher,bettereducated,moremobilethanthemajorityofthehumanrace.Theyalsolivelonger.Butwhatspecificallymarksthepeopleofthefutureisthefactthattheyarealreadycaughtupinanew,stepped-uppaceoflife.They"livefaster"thanthepeoplearoundthem.[E]Theinhabitantsoftheeartharedividednotonlybyrace,nation,religionorideology,butalso,inasense,bytheirpositionsintime.Examiningthepresentpopulationoftheglobe,wefindatinygroupwhostilllive,huntingandfood-foraging,asmendidmillenniaago.Others,thevastmajorityofmankind,dependnotonbear-huntingorberry-picking,butonagriculture.Theylive,inmanyrespects,astheirancestorsdidcenturiesago.Thesetwogroupstakentogethercomposeperhaps70percentofalllivinghumanbeings.Theyarethepeopleofthepast.[F]Somepeoplearedeeplyattractedtothishighlyacceleratedpaceoflife--goingfaroutoftheirwaytobringitaboutandfeelinganxious,tenseoruncomfortablewhenthepaceslows.Theywantdesperatelytobe"wheretheactionis."JamesA.Wilsonhasfound,forexample,thattheattractionforafastpaceoflifeisoneofthehiddenmotivatingforcesbehindthemuch-publicized"brain-drain"--themassmigrationofEuropeanscientistsandengineerswhomigratedtotheU.S.andCanada.Heconcludedthatitwasnohighersalariesorbetterresearchfacilitiesalone,butalsothequickertempothatlurethem.Themigrants,hewrites,"arenotputoffbywhattheyindicatedasthe'fasterpace~ofNorthAmerica;ifanything,theyappeartopreferthispacetoothers."[G]Thepaceoflifeisfrequentlycommentedonbyordinarypeople.Yet,oddlyenough,ithasreceivedalmostnoattentionfromeitherpsychologistsorsociologists.Thisisagapinginadequacyinthebehavioralsciences,forthepaceoflifeprofoundlyinfluencesbehavior,evokingstrongandcontrastingreactionsfromdifferentpeople.(578words)Notes:gaping是gape的现在分词；gapevi.裂开。nottoomuch一点也不多，一点也不过分。MadisonAvenue麦迪逊街(纽约一条街道的名字。美国主要广告公司、公共关系事务所集中于此。常用以表示此等公司之作风、做法等。)。MainStreet实利主义社会。food-foraging觅食的。millennium千年。trend-maker(=trend-setter)领导新潮的人。inthethroesof为……而苦干、搏斗。becaughtupin陷入。goingfaroutoftheirwaytobringitabout远远没有阻碍它的诞生。brain-drain(高科技)人才流动(从欧洲到美洲)。

填空题While Americans have become ever more dependent upon electricity in their daily lives, a crucial part of the system that supports their way of life has not kept up. Yes, the country has built more power plants-enough to create a glut of power in most parts of the country. (41) __________. California's disastrous partial energy deregulation and the role played by Enron and other energy marketing companies in its power crisis have impeded changes in the national ability to deliver power. (42) __________. Moreover, the deficiency also includes inadequate coordination among the regions in managing the flow of electricity. These interregional weaknesses are so far the most plausible explanation for the blackout on Thursday. (43) __________. The problem is with the system of rules, organization, and oversight that governs the transmission networks. It was set up for a very different era and is now caught in a difficult transition. The transmission networks were built to serve a utility system based on regulated monopolies. In the old days, there was no competition for customers. Today, the mission is to connect buyers and sellers seeking the best deal, irrespective of political boundaries and local jurisdictions. (44) __________. Yet the power industry is probably not even halfway there in its shift from regulation to the marketplace. The California power crisis and the power-trading scandals sent regulators back to the drawing board, slowing the development of new institutions, rules and investment to make competitive markets work. (45) __________.[A] Over all, for more than a decade, the power industry has been struggling with how to move from the old regulation to the new marketplace. This shift was driven by the view that half a century of state regulation had produced power prices that were too high and too varied among states. Factories and jobs were migrating from states with high electric power prices to those with lower prices.[B] But the transmission system is caught in the middle of the stalled deregulation of the American electric power industry.[C] As a result, the development of the regional transmission organizations is erratic. More than one-third of the power transmitted is not under the control of regional transmission organizations. Some states fear that their cheap power would be sucked away to other markets; others do not want to subordinate state authority to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.[D] It was unclear when the waters would recede, never mind when life would return to normal. Power may not be restored for weeks. Looting, too. Began to spiral out of control. Mr Nagin, who said the city might be uninhabitable for three months, was forced to order police to concentrate on stopping crime, not saving people.[E] What's preventing greater connection and coordination between regions? The technology exists, and is available; the economic benefits of relieving the bottlenecks between regions far exceeds the costs by many billions of dollars.[F] Yet, despite claims in the wake of last week's blackout that the nation has a "third world" power grid, the regional networks are first world. But in one critical aspect, the system has become increasingly vulnerable: in the interconnections among the different regions. Both the number and size of the wires on the borders between regions are inadequate for the rising flow of electricity. This missing part creates the worst bottlenecks in the system.[G] Since entering the overseas power market in 1993, KEPCO has established several achievements through its distinguished international business strategies to promote electric power development of the world. Based on its long experience and advanced technology gained over 100 years in Korea, KEPCO continues to build up its outstanding reputation as a leading utility company. Moreover, KEPCO embraces challenges and makes bold steps into wider markets in the world by its flair for dynamic activities, which is favorably received in the Philippines, China, Vietnam and Libya.

填空题A.NoteveryoneinChileishappy.Investorsinthesmallercompanieswhosemineshavebeenclosedinthesafetyclamp-downareparticularlydispleased.Butaswellascomplyingwithsafetystandards,itishelpfulifminingcompanieshavetheresources,technicalandfinancial,tocopewhenaccidentsdohappen,astheyinevitablywill.AsBPhasdemonstrated,beingabig,well-financedbusinessisnoguaranteeofanimpeccablesafetyrecord.ButBPdidhaveonethinggoingforit—deeppockets.Ithasmettheestimated$10billioncostofthecleanupsofar,withoutrecoursetothetaxpayer.B.Likeunhappyfamilies,everycorporatedisasterisunhappyinitsownway.ExcepttheChileanminingdisaster,whichappearstobethatrarephenomenon—acorporatedisasterwithahappyending.C.Ofcourse,somepeoplemaketheirownluck.UnlikeTonyHayward,whosailedhisyachtintheChannelwhileBPspewedoilintheGulfofMexico,PresidentPineradidn'ttakeituponhimselftogopotholinginthemiddleoftheChileanrescueeffort.D.ThesecondhopefulsigninFhileisthatsofarthegovernmentworkedconstructivelywithbusinessduringrescueeffort.Thiswasledbystate-ownedCodelco,theworld'slargestcopperproducer,whichpulledinhelpfromBHPBilliton,FreeportMcMoRanCopperGoldandotherprivatesec-torspecialists,wellasNASA.Contrastthatwiththeblame-shiftingandresponsibility-dodging—bothcorporateandpolitical—afterBPsDeepwaterHorizonoilspill.Itisnotidealthattheestimated$10m-$20mcostoftheChileanminingrescuehasbeenshoulderedbythegovernment,buttheSanEstebanminingcompany'sobvioususelessnessatleastmadeiteasierforeveryoneelsetopulltogether.E.However,themainreasonChilehasagoodchanceoflearningthelessonsfromitsdisasteristhattheyarerelativelystraightforward:miningisariskybusinesssosafetyregulationsmustbeen-forcedTheChileantriumphistobecelebrated,buttheelementofluck,astherescueengineersnoted,shouldnotbeoverlooked.Somedisasters,suchasHungary'schemicalsludgespill,justaren'treversible.F.First,pastmistakeshavebeenacknowledged.TheSanJosemine,ownedbyCompaniaMineraSanEstebanPrimerahadapoorsafetyrecord:byallaccounts,itshouldnothavebeenallowedtoreopenafterapreviousaccident(companyfundsarenowfrozenafterlegalactionbyminers'families).ThedisasterhashighlightedpoorsafetystandardsatmanyofChile'ssmallermines,partlybecauseofin-adequatesupervision.Thechiefminingregulatorhasbeensackedandashake-up,includingmoremoneyformoreinspectors,isunderway.PresidentPinerashouldfinditrelativelyeasytodrawalineunderpreviousinadequacies,becausemostpredatehistermofoffice(althoughconsiderablepushingbyminers'relativeswasrequiredbeforetherescueeffortswungintoaction).G.Thehighdramaofthepast48hours—nottosaythepast69days—isover.Butthatisnottheendofthestoryfortheminers—orfortheChileancopperindustry.Dealingwiththeaftermathofadisastermayturnouttobeasdifficult,initsownway,astherescue.WillPresidentPinera'snextfeatbetoproduceasensibleanddurablereformprogramtoimproveminingsafetyandreinforcehiscountry'spositionastheworld'slargestcopperproducer?Therearesomegroundsforoptimismthatthelessonsofthisparticularcorporatedisasterwillbetakenseriously.Order:

填空题{{B}}Directions:{{/B}}In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. In this latest facet of the ongoing information revolution, millions of personal computers are connected by the Internet and other computer networks and have started a global revolution in business and interpersonal communications. The personal computer today functions as a combination of personal printing press, radio, telephone, post office, and television set. {{U}} 1 {{/U}}______ The stunning possibilities of the Internet for journalism and the news business are somewhat obvious. Publishers, broadcasters and journalists are aware of this explosive information revolution and believe they should be involved. {{U}} 2 {{/U}}______ A newspaper is, of course, a business operation. At a time when some publishers are downsizing staffs and trimming costs to increase profitability, other papers are investing heavily in the new electronic or interactive journalism. {{U}} 3 {{/U}}______ In early 1996 , the National Newspaper Association listed 162 newspapers that had electronic pages on the Web, triple the number in 1994.By early 1997, the number of online newspapers rose to 700.These numbers keep going up to date and include such heavy hitters as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal. For newspapers, two basic uncertainties currently exist about interactive journalism: first, will the public pay for electronic news on a medium where information, after a basic user's fee, is free? Second, will advertising displayed on web pages "sell" on a medium that so far lacks both an effective way to count the number of people who eyeball web pages or to ascertain the demographics of those views? {{U}} 4 {{/U}}______ The fear comes from the threat to the newspapers' advertising base, especially classified advertisements, from the computer's point-and-click technology and the ease of getting answers quickly, complete with pictures and sounds. {{U}} 5 {{/U}}______ So far, the numbers of potential users of interactive newspapers are still small compared with total newspaper readership but the numbers are growing fast. The only certainty, promoters of electronic publishing say, is that the breakthrough to make the Internet economically viable for the newspaper business will come someday. A. A website can be simply a screen or two of information, or it can be an extensive and complex number of offerings, with news items plus advertisements, illustrations, documents, and background stories not included in a printed daily. B. Hence, the press's rush to online services is seen as driven by both fear and greed. C. Although no one seems to know whether they will ever make money on the WWW, the Internet multi-media information retrieval system is on the verge of becoming a mass medium itself. D. However, neither they, nor anyone else, seem to know where this brave new world of communications headed. No consensus exists as to when and how journalism as we know it will get involved and be changed by the Internet, but no one doubts that change is coming-and fast. E. While someone argue that the computer may not replace any of these media, which are, or course, heavily involved in journalism, still the Internet has the potential to transcend them all, providing not just one-to-one communications, or one to many, but the creation of whole new communities of people sharing ideas and interests regardless of where they live. F. The access for this fledgling news source is established, but so far the number of news readers is small and no one in making much money out of providing the news. Online news users tend to be young male adults who log on from office computers. G. Greed is stimulated by the possibility of large sums to be made if a system is developed that counts and categorizes every visitor to a web site. If this happens, Internet publishing could be a profitable marriage of newspapers' advertising bases with franchise strengths. Publishers also hope to attract the younger users who no longer read newspapers.

填空题A."Itisalwaysbettertobuyahouse;payingrentislikepouringmoneydownthedrain."Foryears,suchadvicehasencouragedpeopletoborrowheavilytogetonthepropertyladderassoonaspossible.Butisitstillsoundadvice?Housepricesarecurrentlyatrecordlevelsinrelationtorentsinmanypartsoftheworldanditnowoftenmakesmorefinancialsense—especiallyforfirst-timebuyers—torentinstead.B."IfIdon'tbuynow,I'llnevergetonthepropertyladder"isacommoncryfromfirst-timebuyers.Ifhousepricescontinuetooutpacewages,thatistrue.Butitnowlooksunlikely.Whenpricesgetoutoflinewithwhatfirst-timerscanafford,astheyaretoday,theyalwayseventuallyfallinrealterms.Themyththatbuyingisalwaysbetterthanrentinggrewoutofthehighinflationeraofthe1970sand1950s.First-timebuyersthenalwaysendedupbetteroffthanrenters,becauseinflationerodedtherealvalueofmortgagesevenwhileitpusheduprents.Mortgage-interesttaxreliefwasalsoworthmorewheninflation,andhencenominalinterestrates,washigh.Withinflationnowtamed,homeownershipisfarlessattractive.C.Homebuyerstendtounderestimatetheircosts.Oncemaintenancecosts,insuranceandpropertytaxesareaddedtomortgagepayments,totalannualoutgoingsnoweasilyexceedthecostofrentinganequivalentproperty,evenaftertakingaccountoftaxbreaks.Ah,butcapitalgainswillmorethanmakeupforthat,itispopularlyargued.Overthepastsevenyears,averagehousepricesinAmericahaverisenby65%,thoseinBritain,Spain,AustraliaandIrelandhavemorethandoubled.Butitisunrealistictoexpectsuchgainstocontinue.Makingthe(optimistic)assumptionthathousepricesinsteadriseinlinewithinflation,andincludingbuyingandsellingcosts,thenoveraperiodofsevenyears,—theaveragetimeAmericanownersstayinonehouse—ourcalculationsshowthatyouwouldgenerallybebetteroffrenting.D.Bewarned,ifyoumakesuchaboldclaimatadinnerparty,youwillimmediatelybesetupon.Payingrentisthrowingmoneyaway,itwillbeargued.Muchbettertospendthemoneyonamortgage,andbysodoingbuildupequity.Thesnagisthatthetypicalfirst-timebuyerkeepsahouseforlessthanfiveyears,andduringthattimemostmortgagepaymentsgooninterest,notonrepayingtheloan.Andifpricesfall,itcouldwipeoutyourequity.E.Inanycase,arentercanaccumulatewealthbyputtingthemoneysavedeachyearfromthelowercostofrentingintoshares.Thesehave,historically,yieldedahigherreturnthanhousing.Puttingallyourmoneyintoahousealsobreaksthebasicruleofprudentinvesting:diversify.Andyes,itistruethatamortgageleveragesthegainsonyourinitialdepositonahouse,butitalsoamplifiesyourlossesifhousepricesfall.F.Thedivergencebetweenrentsandhousepricesis,ofcourse,evidenceofahousingbubble.Somedaypriceswillfallrelativetorentsandwages.Aftertheydo,itwillmakesensetobuyahome.Untiltheydo,thesmartmoneyisonrenting.G."Iwanttohaveaplacetocallhome"isapopularretort.Rentingprovideslesslong-termsecurityandyoucannotpaintallthewallsorangeifyouwantto.Homeownershipisanexcellentpersonalgoal,butitmaynotalwaysmakefinancialsense.Theprideof"owning"yourownhomemayquicklyfadeifyouaresaddledwithamortgagethatcostsmuchmorethanrenting.Also,rentingdoeshavesomeadvantages.Rentersfinditeasiertomoveforjoborfamilyreasons.Order:

填空题(41) Conflicts: If you do get a place in the student dormitory, it is likely that you will have to share your living space with one other student. While having an American roommate will help you to learn more about American ways, there will probably be many times that discomfort or conflict will arise due to cultural differences. (42) Sex: With regard to sex in general, American behavior is quite different from the norms found in China. (43) Relationship Between Teachers & Students: On the campus, particularly where classes are small, I found a strange informality that characterized the relationship between students and their professors. (44) Gifts: In my interaction with American friends, I noticed that the concept of a gift is quite different here. Many things we give to each other in China are not called "gifts" but are considered to be a reflection of ordinary duties and mutual obligations. Accustomed as we are to using the word "gift" to refer to something valuable given on special occasions, it comes as a surprise to see how often the word is used in America. In the United States, "gifts", given on many different occasions, are only services. (45) Social Intercourse. When you do enter American homes, you will have an opportunity to observe different ways of greeting people. On the whole, Americans tend to be far more physical than we in their greetings. [A] I was astonished, for example, when a friend told me that he was offering to care for his younger brother and sister so that his father could take a vacation for his birthday--this was a gift to him. For us, this would be considered duty rather than a gift. Even between friends gestures of this sort might be considered "gifts" here. [B] While many students do call their professors, "Professor" so and so or "Dr. " so and so, some professors prefer to be called familiarly by their first names. And in the spirit of informality, many professors may invite students to their homes or can be seen chatting with students over a meal or a cup of coffee in the school cafeteria. A good number of instructors even request that students fill out class evaluation forms which assess the content and presentation of the course. [C] My roommate was very sociable and had many boyfriends who came to visit often very late. One night, after midnight, I had to stay in the bathroom for an extra 40 minutes because I had heard a man's voice in my room. My roommate did not realize how awkward I would feel meeting a man while I was in my nightgown. You see, American students tend to be much more casual about these matters. [D] On many occasions, for instance, close friends or sometimes even casual acquaintances embrace or kiss each other on the cheeks in greeting or bidding farewell. It may even happen that where couples are close friends, the two husbands will kiss the other man's wife! [E] In the United States, for example, if a student wants to invite his teacher to a dinner party, the invitation should be sent a week or so before the party date. If the invitation is extended only three or four days before the party date, the teacher will feel he is not highly regarded. [F] For example, many American students seem to like to listen to popular and sometimes loud music while studying in their rooms. Sometimes they will even leave the music on when they leave the room. For some reason, many will tell you, music helps them to relax and concentrate, an idea which other foreign students and I found very strange and disturbing. We'd like to study quietly without any disturbance.