1996年英语专业八级考试真题（附听力mp3及答案）

　　TEXT D

　　ETIQUETTE

　　In sixteenth-century Italy and eighteenth-centuryFrance, waning prosperity and increasing socialunrest led the ruling families to try to preserve theirsuperiority by withdrawing from the lower andmiddle classes behind barriers of etiquette. In aprosperous community, on the other hand, politesociety soon absorbs the newly rich, and in Englandthere has never been any shortage of books onetiquette for teaching them the manners appropriate to their new way of life.

　　Every code of etiquette has contained three elements; basic moral duties; practical ruleswhich promote efficiency; and artificial, optional graces such as formal compliments to, say.women on their beauty or superiors on their generosity and importance.

　　In the first category are considerations for the weak and respect for age. Among the ancientEgyptians the young always stood in the presence of older people. Among the Mponguwe ofTanzania, the young men bow as they pass the huts of the elders. In England, until about acentury ago, young children did not sit in their parents' presence without asking permission.

　　Practical rules are helpful in such ordinary occurrences of social file as making properintroductions at parties or other functions so that people can be brought to know each other.Before the invention of the fork, etiquette directed that the fingers should be kept as clean aspossible; before the handkerchief came into common use. etiquette suggested that afterspiting, a person should rub the spit inconspicuously underfoot.

　　Extremely refined behavior, however, cultivated as an art of gracious living, has beencharacteristic only of societies with wealth and leisure, which admitted women asthe socialequals of men. After the fall of Rome, the first European society to regulate behavior in privatelife in accordance with a complicated code of etiquette was twelfth-century Provence, inFrance.

　　Provence had become wealthy. The lords had returned to their castle from the crusades, andthere the ideals of chivalry grew up, which emphasized the virtue and gentleness of womenand demanded that a knight should profess a pure and dedicated love to a lady who would behis inspiration, and to whom he would dedicate his valiant deeds, though he would nevercome physically close to her. This was the introduction of the concept of romantic love, whichwas to influence literature for many hundreds of years and which still lives on in a debased formin simple popular songs and cheap novels today.

　　In Renaissance Italy too, in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a wealthy and leisuredsociety developed an extremely complex code of manners, but the rules of behavior offashionable society had little influence on the daily life of the lower classes. Indeed many of therules, such as how to enter a banquet room, or how to use a sword or handkerchief forceremonial purposes, were irrelevant to the way of life of the average working man, who spentmost of his life outdoors or in his own poor hut and most probably did not have a handkerchief,certainly not a sword, to his name.

　　Yet the essential basis of all good manners does not vary. Consideration for the old and weakand the avoidance of harming or giving unnecessary offence to others is a feature of allsocieties everywhere and at all levels from the highest to the lowest.

　　25. One characteristic of the rich classes of declining society is their tendency to ____ .

　　A. take in the recently wealthy B. retreat within themselves

　　C. produce publications on manners D. change the laws of etiquette

　　26. Which of the following is NOT an element of the code of etiquette?

　　A. Respect for age.

　　B. Formal compliments.

　　C. Proper introductions at social functions.

　　D. Eating with a fork rather than fingers.

　　27. According to the writer which of the following is part of chivalry? A knight should ______ .

　　A. inspire his lady to perform valiant deeds

　　B. perform deeds which would inspire romantic songs

　　C. express his love for his lady from a distance

　　D. regard his lady as strong and independent

　　28. Etiquette as an art of gracious living is quoted as a feature of which country?

　　A. Egypt. B. 18th century France.

　　C. Renaissance Italy. D. England.

　　TEXT E

　　CONFLICT AND COMPETITION

　　The question of whether war is inevitable is one which has concerned many of the world'sgreat writers. Before considering the question, it will be useful to introduce some relatedconcepts. Conflict, defined as opposition among social entities directed against one another,is distinguished from competition, defined as opposition among social entitiesindependently striving for something which is in inadequate supply. Competitors may not beaware of one another, while the parties to a conflict are. Conflict and competition are bothcategories of op/x>sition, which has been defined as a process by which social entitiesfunction in the disservice of one another. Opposition is thus contrasted with cooperation ,the process by which social entities function in the service of one another. These definitionsare necessary because it is important to emphasize that competition between individuals orgroups is inevitable in a world of limited resources, but conflict is not. Conflict,nevertheless, is very likely to occur, and is probably an essential and desirable element ofhuman societies.

　　Many authors have argued for the inevitability of war from the premise that in the strugglefor existence among animal species, only the fittest survive. In general, however, this strugglein nature is competition, not conflict. Social animals, such as monkeys and cattle, fight to winor maintain leadership of the group. The struggle for existence occurs not in fights, but in thecompetition for limited feeding areas and for the occupancy of areas free from meat-eatinganimals. Those who fail in this competition starve to death or become victims to otherspecies. The struggle for existence does not resemble human war, but rather thecompetition of individuals for jobs, markets and materials. The essence of the struggle is thecompetition for the necessities of life that are insufficient to satisfy all.

　　Among nations there is competition in developing resources, trades, skills, and a satisfactoryway of life. The successful nations grow and prosper; the unsuccessful decline. While it istrue that this competition may induce efforts to expand territory at the expense of others,and thus lead to conflict, it cannot be said that war-like conflict among other nations isinevitable, although competition is.

　　29. According to the author which of the following is inevitable?

　　A. War. B. Conflict. C. Competition. D. Cooperation.

　　30. In the animal kingdom the struggle for existence .

　　A. is evidence of the inevitability of conflict among the fittest

　　B. arises from a need to live in groups

　　C. is evidence of the need to compete for scarce resources

　　D. arises from a natural desire to fight

　　SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING (10 MIN)

　　In this section there are seven passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. Skim orscan them as required and then mark your answers on your Colored Answer Sheet.

　　TEXT F

　　First read the following question.

　　31. The writer believes the problems of chaos and noise will most probably only be

　　solved by .

　　A. the students themselves B. the students' parents

　　C. the college authorities D. the newspaper

　　Now go through TEXT F quickly and answer question 31.

　　ANGRY RESIDENTS

　　12 Gradge Crescent

　　Rudwick

　　Sir,

　　On two occasions since Rudwick College opened you have given front page reports on thechaotic conditions prevailing there...

　　But whilst chaos and upheaval reigns in the college, what of the chaos and noise that localresidents are subjected to? Cars are parked on the pavement, and, still worse, on thepavements at street corners. The noise from motorcycles is such that at times conversation isimpossible. To add to this, our streets are littered with paper, Coca Cola tins and empty milkbottles. Huge transistor radios are carried by students at all times of the day, blasting outmusic so loudly that babies wake and old people are unable to take their afternoon naps. All inall, we have found students' behavior to be quite intolerable.

　　We appeal to students (whom we support financially via our local authority rates) to havesome consideration for other people. And if the young people themselves won't listen to whatwe say, and we suspect they won't, then perhaps their parents should knock some sense intotheir heads.

　　Yours faithfully,

　　John Smith

　　TEXT G

　　First read the following question.

　　32. In the passage the writer's tone is .

　　A. critical B. apathetic C. sympathetic D. neutral

　　Now go through TEXT G quickly and answer question 32.

　　RACE

　　About one-fifth of the high school students here are boycotting classes to protest thereinstatement of a principal who threatened to ban interracial couples from the prom.

　　The boycott began on Monday as classes resumed after spring break for the 680 students atRandolph County High School.

　　It was also the first day back for the principal, Hulond Humphries, a white man who wasreinstated by a 4-to-2 vote of the school board after being suspended on March 14. Ms.Humphries, 55, who has been principal for 25 years, declined to comment on the boycott.

　　The boycott was organized by the school board's only black member, Charlotte Clark-Freison.Parents who attended a meeting on Monday night decided to keep their children out of schooltoday, said Ms. Clark-Freison.

　　A group of parents traveled today to Montgomery, about 90 miles to the southwest, to meetwith state education officials and ask about setting up an alternative school during theboycott, Ms. Clark-Freison said.

　　School Superintendent Dale McKay said he did not know how many students were absent fromclass either on Monday or today.

　　Tawanna Mize, a white senior, said school attendance sheets showed 157 absent students, 115 of them black. Ms. Clark-Freison said about 200 black students boycotted today. She didnot know how many white students stayed away.

　　Many black students gathered on Monday and today at two churches to discuss multiculturalissues and non-violent protests. Many of the boycotting students wore black-and-whiteribbons.

　　The boycotters included Re Vonda Bowen, who filed a civil rights lawsuit against Mr. Humphriesfor saying at a school assembly on Feb. 24 that she was "a mistake" because her father is whiteand her mother is black. At the same assembly, Mr. Humphries announced that mixed-racecouples would not be allowed at the prom and that the dance would be cancelled if they showedup.

　　The next day, Mr. Humphries withdrew the threat to close the prom if mixed-race couplesshowed up, and he said his comments had been misunderstood.

　　TEXT H

　　First read the following question.

　　33. The writer advises that the problems between Iran and the USA might be best dealt with inthe UN by getting the support of .

　　A. America's NATO allies in the west

　　B. Islamic Third World countries

　　C. Russia

　　D. Britain

　　Now go through TEXT H quickly and answer question 33.

　　USA/IRAN

　　Sir,

　　The present quarrel between the US and Iran seems to be drifting dangerously near to aconfrontation between the West and the Third World. It is understandable that the USshould seek support from her allies within NATO but the result of this could be seen as anattempt by a group of powerful industrial countries to bully the people of a Third World countrywhich, in recent years, had no cause to be grateful for the policies of the US.

　　Surely the appropriate forum in which to search out a settlement to this extremely dangerousquarrel is the UN and the West should do its utmost, within that forum, to gather thegreatest possible support from the Third World, and particularly Islamic countries.

　　I am well aware that the matter has been considered by the Security Council and the GeneralAssembly and that the International Court of Justice has also pronounced in favor of theAmerican case. I myself in no way support the behavior of the Iranians on this issue, which Ibelieve to be dangerous and provocative. Nevertheless, it is my view that it would be wise forthe Western powers to continue to use the quiet diplomacy of the UN and also, if this shouldprove practicable, the good offices of Islamic countries who have no desire to be caught up in amiddle Eastern conflict arising from the present tension between Iran and the US.

　　In addition to exploiting still further the use of the machinery of the UN, I also consider thatEuropean leaders ought to suggest that it would be helpful if a summit meeting could takeplace between the American and Russian leaders to exchange views about the whole situationin the Middle East.

　　Such an exchange of views would be unlikely to produce instant solutions, but it might helpthe Russian and American governments to read each other's minds and seek methods ofbacking away from the perilous trial of strength in that part of the world.

　　Yours sincerely,

　　Frank Hooley, MP

　　House of Commons, London SW1

　　TEXT I

　　First read the following question.

　　34. The purpose of the passage is to .

　　A. describe the mining of gold B. describe man's pursuit of gold

　　C. determine the importance of gold D. discuss the role of gold

　　Now go through TEXT I quickly and answer question 34.

　　GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!

　　Gold has enthralled man since the dawn of civilization. For centuries he braved arctic cold. tropicheat and inhuman privations to wrest gold from the earth. He asked it for religious objects,sculpture, and jewelry and as a symbol of wealth. Paradoxically, he often buried it — for usein the afterlife; as the pharaohs did, or for safekeeping against the uncertainties of this life.

　　Gold's luster and rarity, which implied its owner possessed great power, gave it a musicalquality from the start. Gold was considered divine in ancient Greece and was used to adorntemples and as an offering to the gods. Despite their reverence, the ancients were quick torecognize gold's practical qualities, particularly its malleability, which made it ideal for jewelry.Even Cleopatra used gold ornaments to enhance her charm.

　　However, it has been as a symbol of wealth — of nations as well as individuals — that gold hasplayed its most dramatic role. The quest for gold changed the course of history — shiftingnations' borders and opening wildernesses.

　　The cry "Gold!" probably launched more ships than a hundred Helens of Troy. History books tellus Columbus' expedition was inspired by his scientific curiosity. But it was also backed byQueen Isabella, who may have been motivated to donate her jewels by more than justsympathy for his cause or desire for a trade route to the East. Whatever the original motivemight have been, certainly her royal spouse was moved by more than scientific triumph in1511 when he wrote to his men in South American: "Get gold!" he commented, "humanely ifpossible, but at all hazards get gold."

　　The intrinsic value of gold, perhaps enhanced by its mystique, made it a medium of exchangein many parts of the world. Payments were made in gold hundreds of years before 550 B.C.,when the first known gold coins were cast. King Croesus of Lydia (western Turkey), whoselegendary wealth inspired the phrase " rich as Croesus", is generally credited with that minting.However, gold played a relatively minor monetary role until great 19th century gold rushes inCalifornia. Alaska, Canada and South Africa produced sufficient quantities to make wide-scalemonetary use practical.

　　The artistic, industrial and ornamental uses of gold have changed little since ancient times, butits monetary use has been transformed. Gold ducats, double eagles and sovereigns can'tmeet industrial societies' need for convenient and efficient money. Modern nations use papercurrency, base-metal coins, and checkbook balances to meet the needs of their fast-pacedeconomics.

　　As a rule, nations now keep gold for payments to each other. The "coin" used in thesepayments is a gold bar. often about the size and shape of a common building brick, weighingabout 400 troy ounces (about 27 avoirdupois pounds) and valued at about $17 000 at today'sofficial US Government price. In the "free" market, where the forces of supply and demandconstantly determine gold's value, this same bar was worth about thirteen times as much inearly 1981. When nations trade gold, it is done at the market price rather than at the officialprice.

　　TEXT J

　　First read the following two questions.

　　35. According to the passage. London recorded its coldest day in years when

　　the temperature dropped to— 90 degrees.

　　A. 40 B. 41 C. 42 D. 43

　　36. How many people died in Poland because of the weather in the first half of January 1987?

　　A. 77. B. 29. C. 48. D. 27.

　　Now go through TEXT J quickly and answer questions 35 and 36.

　　WEATHER

　　Severe winter weather during the first three weeks of January caused hundreds of

　　deaths in Europe. A massive dome of cold air became entrenched over northern Scandinaviaand northern USSR in mid-December of 1986. It migrated westward and southward so that byJanuary 12 much of the continent was under its influence. On that day, central England had itscoldest day since 1945, with London recording 160 F ( - 90 C). In Leningrad, USSR,temperatures dipped to — 490 F (— 450 C)! reportedly the coldest in 250 years.

　　Coastal and river ice brought a halt to shipping in northern Europe. The cold was alsoaccompanied by a major snowstorm that snarled rail and road transport in Western Europe onJanuary 11 to 13. Snow fell as far south as the French Rivera. On January 14, East Berlinrecorded an all-time record low of — 130 F (—HOC), while Paris measured a snowfall of 5. 5inches (14 centimeters) — the fourth heaviest on record.

　　During the first two weeks of the month, the cold was blamed for 77 deaths in the USSR,including 48 from heating accidents and 29 from avalanches. In Poland, home fires claimed 27lives. By the time the cold began easing around January 19, the total reported deaths fromsnow and cold across Europe and the USSR neared 350.

　　The interior of North America was experiencing record mildness. Parts of Alberta, Canada,enjoyed the warmest January ever, with temperatures averaging up to 18 F (10 C) abovenormal. The January warmth turned out to be part of a remarkably persistent weatheranomaly. From December 1986 through 1987, monthly average temperatures across a largearea of Canada remained above normal. From December through April, readings averaged 110 F(60 C) above normal in an area extending from eastern Alberta to western Ontario. In Ontario,August was the first month with below-normal temperatures after eight consecutive monthsabove normal. Localized areas had even more persistent warmth. At Vancouver InternationalAirport, November was the 16th consecutive month with above-normal temperatures. Therelative warmth across the continent is a feature often associated with warm ocean waters inthe eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

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