1999年英语专业八级考试真题（附听力mp3及答案）

　　21. Ms. Brenda Stevens suggests that beforeapplying job applicants should ___.?

　　A. go through each other’s CVs

　　B. rehearse their answers to questions?

　　C. understand thoroughly the situations

　　D. go to town to attend training course?

　　22. Is it wise to admit some of your weaknessesrelating to work??

　　A. Yes, but you should have ideas for improvementin the future.?

　　B. Yes, because it is natural to be weak in certainaspects.?

　　C. No, admitting weaknesses may put you at a disadvantage.?

　　D. No, it will only prompt the interviewees to reject you.?

　　23. The best way to deal with odd questions from the interviewers is to ___.?

　　A. remain smiling and kindly point out the inaccuracies?

　　B. keep calm and try to be tactful in your answers

　　C. say frankly what you think about the issues raised?

　　D. suggest something else to get over your nervousness?

　　24. The suggestions offered by the headteacher are ___.?

　　A. original B. ambiguous?C. practical D. controversial??

　　TEXT D

　　Family Matters

　　This month Singapore passed a bill that would give legal teeth to the moral obligation tosupport one’s parents. Called the Maintenance of Parents Bill, it received the backing of theSingapore Government.?

　　That does not mean it hasn’t generated discussion. Several members of the Parliamentopposed the measure as un-Asian. Others who acknowledged the problem of the elderly poorbelieved it a disproportionate response. Still others believe it will subvert relations within thefamily: cynics dubbed it the “Sue Your Son”law.?

　　Those who say that the bill does not promote filial responsibility, of course, are right. It hasnothing to do with filial responsibility. It kicks in where filial responsibility fails. The law cannotlegislate filial responsibility an y more than it can legislate love. All the law can do is to provide asafety net where this morality proves insufficient. Singapore needs this bill not to replacemorality, but to provide incentives to shore it up.?

　　Like many other developed nations, Singapore faces the problems of an increasing proportionof people over 60 years of age. Demography is inexorable. In 19 80, 7.2% of the populationwas in this bracket. By the end of the century that figure will grow to 11%. By 2030, theproportion is projected to be 26%. The problem is not old age per se. It is that the ratio ofeconomically active people to economically inactive people will decline.?

　　But no amount of government exhortation or paternalism will completely eliminate theproblem of old people who have insufficient means to make ends meet. Some people will fallthrough the holes in any safety net.?

　　Traditionally, a person’s insurance against poverty in his old age was his family, lifts is not arevolutionary concept. Nor is it uniquely Asian. Care an d support for one’s parents is auniversal value shared by all civilized societies.?

　　The problem in Singapore is that the moral obligation to look after one’s parents isunenforceable. A father can be compelled by law to maintain his children. A husband can beforced to support his wife. But, until now, a son or daughter had no legal obligation tosupport his or her parents.?

　　In 1989, an Advisory Council was set up to look into the problems of the aged. Its reportstated with a tinge of complacency that 95% of those who did not have their own income werereceiving cash contributions from relations. But what about the 5% who aren’t getting relatives’support? They have several options : (a) get a job and work until they die; (b) apply for publicassistance (you have to be destitute to apply); or (c) starve quietly. None of these options issocially acceptable. And what if this 5% figure grows, as it is likely to do, as society ages??

　　The Maintenance of Parents Bill was put forth to encourage the traditional virtues that haveso far kept Asian nations from some of the breakdowns encountered in other affluentsocieties. This legislation will allow a person to apply to the court for maintenance from any orall of his children. The court would have the discretion to refuse to make an order if it isunjust.?

　　Those who deride the proposal for opening up the courts to family lawsuits miss the point.Only in extreme cases would any parent take his child to court. If it does indeed become law,the bill’s effect would be far more subtle.?

　　First, it will reaffirm the notion that it is each individual’s—not society’s—responsibility to lookafter his parents. Singapore is still conservative enough that most people will not object tothis idea. It reinforces the traditional values and it doesn’t hurt a society now and then toremind itself of its core values.?

　　Second, and more important, it will make those who are inclined to shirk their responsibilitiesthink twice. Until now, if a person asked family elders, clergymen or the Ministry of CommunityDevelopment to help get financial support from his children, the most they could do was tomediate. But mediators have no teeth, and a child could simply ignore their pleas.?

　　But to be sued by one’s parents would be a massive loss of face. It would be a publicdisgrace. Few people would be so thick-skinned as to say, “Sue and be damned”. The hand ofthe conciliator would be immeasurably strengthened. It is far more likely that some sort ofamicable settlement would be reached if the recalcitrant son or daughter knows that thealternative is a public trial.?

　　It would be nice to think Singapore doesn’t need this kind of law. But that belief ignores theclear demographic trends and the effect of affluence itself on traditional bends. Those of uswho pushed for the bill will consider ourselves most successful if it acts as an incentive not tohave it invoked in the firs t place.?

　　25. The Maintenance of Parents Bill ___.?

　　A. received unanimous support in the Singapore Parliament?

　　B. was believed to solve all the problems of the elderly poor?

　　C. was intended to substitute for traditional values in Singapore?

　　D. was passed to make the young more responsible to the old?

　　26. By quoting the growing percentage points of the aged in the population, the author seemsto imply that ___.?

　　A. the country will face mounting problems of the old in future?

　　B. the social welfare system would be under great pressure?

　　C. young people should be given more moral education?

　　D. the old should be provided with means of livelihood?

　　27. Which of the following statements is CORRECT??

　　A. Filial responsibility in Singapore is enforced by law.?

　　B. Fathers have legal obligations to look after their children.?

　　C. It is an acceptable practice for the old to continue working.?

　　D. The Advisory Council was dissatisfied with the problems of the old.

　　28. The author seems to suggest that traditional values ___.?

　　A. play an insignificant role in solving social problems?

　　B. are helpful to the elderly when they sue their children?

　　C. are very important in preserving Asian uniqueness?

　　D. are significant in helping the Bill get approved?

　　29. The author thinks that if the Bill becomes law, its effect would be ___.?

　　A. indirect B. unnoticed C. apparent D. straightforward?

　　30. At the end of the passage, the author seems to imply that success of the Bill dependsupon ___.

　　A. strict enforcement B. public support C. government assurance D. filial awareness

　　SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING (10 min)?

　　In this section there are seven passages with ten multiple-choice questions. Ski m or scanthem as required and then mark your answers on your Colored Answer Sheet.??

　　TEXT E

　　First read the question.?

　　31. The primary purpose of the letter is to ___.?

　　A. illustrate the World Bank’s efforts in poverty-relief programmes?

　　B. call for further efforts by nations in sustainable development?

　　C. provide evidence for the World Bank’s aid to the private sectors?

　　D. clear up some misunderstanding about the World Bank?

　　Now go through TEXT E quickly to answer question 31.?

　　August 18th 1991

　　Dear Sir,?

　　In your July 28th article you noted that the Bank’s own internal analysis rated one third of theprojects completed in 1991 as unsatisfactory. But that statement fails to take account of theBank’s criteria for ‘success’, which are exceptionally strict. For instance, before a project canbe considered successful, it must have at least a 10% rate of return. This rate is far higher thanthe minimum demanded by many bilateral aid donors, many of which require a return of only5% or 6%. Thus, projects rated unsatisfactory under the Bank’s standards still yield manybenefits.?

　　You imply that, because it deals mainly with governments, the Bank does not sufficientlysupport private sector development. Here are the facts. The World Bank has:

　　supported reforms in mere than 80 countries aimed at opening up trade, making prices realisticand dismantling state monopolies which stifle individual enterprise;

　　invested in infrastructure to facilitate business activity;

　　assisted and advised over 200 privatization-related operations involving nearly US $ 25 billionin loans;

　　provided mere than US $ 12 billion through an affiliate, the International Finance Corp. overthe last 30 years to mere than 1,000 private companies in the dev eloping world; and throughanother affiliate, the Multi lateral Investment Guarantee Agency, offered insurance againstnon-commercial risk to encourage foreign investment in poor countries.?

　　The record shows that, over the past generation, more progress has been mad e in reducingpoverty and raising living standards than during any other comparable period in history. Inthe developing countries:

　　life expectancy has been increased from 40 to 63 years;

　　infant mortality has been reduced by 50% ;and

　　per capita income has doubled.?

　　The World Bank consistently stresses that most of the credit for these advances should go tothe countries themselves. Nevertheless, the Bank and organizations with which it collaborates-bilateral and international agencies and non-governmental organizations-have played a valuablerole in this progress. In the future the Bank will continue to do its utmost to support itsmember countries in t heir efforts to achieve sustainable development.?

　　LEANDRO V. CORONEL

　　Public Affairs

　　The Worm Bank

　　Washington

　　TEXT F

　　First read the question.?

　　32. The author’s main argument is that ___.?

　　A. most farmers in developing countries face unemployment?

　　B. developing countries need agricultural aid to boost economy?

　　C. agricultural aid hints the economy in developing countries?

　　D. a well-developed agricultural sector provides a domestic market?

　　Now go through TEXT F quickly to answer question 32.?

　　Ours is an agrarian economy. We must become serf-sufficient in food to feed a rapidlygrowing population at an annual growth rate of more than 3 million people. A well-developedagricultural sector would offset the need for food import and play an important role in thedevelopment process by providing a home market for the products of the industrial sector. Thisimplies that the rate of industrialization itself depends upon how fast agricultural incomes arerising. Development in the agricultural sector in our country means a rise in the income level of70 percent of the population who are related to this sector. Their increase d income in turnwill give us mere voluntary savings and investment and thus a source of revenue throughtaxation and potential capital formation by the government plus reduction in incomeinequalities between the urban population and rural masses. In this sense, aid received in theform of agricultural commodities hurts the developing countries and benefits developedcountries mere than proportio nately. Because most of the farmers in developing countries arealready at a mere subsistence level with a high rate of unemployment, disguised-unemployment and underemployment.?

　　The Chinese experience with rural development has demonstrated that agriculturalmodernization via labour-intensive techniques is a highly promising way t o create extra jobswithout extensive geographic displacement of the farmers. Regarding the impact of transferof agricultural commodities on the long-term growth rate in the recipient country, it can besaid that transfer of agricultural commodities under confessional terms may resuit in anultimate lowering of the recipient countries long-term growth rate.?

　　TEXT G

　　First read the question.?

　　33. The passage is most probably from ___.?

　　A. a review of a book on cowboys?

　　B. a study of cowboy work culture?

　　C. a novel about cowboy life and culture?

　　D. a school textbook on the cowboy history?

　　Now go through TEXT G quickly to answer question 33.?

　　A cowboy is defined by the work that he does. Any man can lay claim to that name if he liveson a ranch and works—— drives, brands, castrates, or murmurs ——a cattleman’s herd. Inaddition, working accounts for ways in which cowboys portray themselves in their art: in19th-century poems that they orally compose d and sang on the ranch, in 20th-centurypoems that they write, in books that they publish, and in art objects that they fashion,cowboys always represent themselves as engaging in some form of labour. This book’s threefold purpose is, first, to look at art that cowboys produce——art, that has never been studiedbefore——and, second, to demonstrate that cowboy art values historically document labourroutines that cowboys have traditionally acted out in their work culture.?

　　I use the term work culture not only to suggest that cowboys are defined b y the work thatthey do, but also to argue that they are serf-represented in culture by poems, prose, and artthat ail reveal cowboys to be men who are culturally unified by engaging in labour routinesthat they think of as cowboy work. Art deals with cowboy work, as well as with concerns abouteconomics, gender, religion, and literature, even though these thoughts sometimes expressthemselves as concerns about cattle branding, livestock castration, and other tasks. The book‘ s third and most important function is, therefore, to show that artistic self-re presentationsof labour also formulate systems of thought which cowboys use as a metaphor for discussingeconomies, gender, religion, and literature, sometimes equating branding with religioussalvation, at other times defining spur making as freedom, and so on.?

　　TEXT H

　　First read the question.?

　　34. The writer of this letter attempts to ___ the views in the editorial.?

　　A. refute B. illustrate C. support D. substantiate?

　　Now go through TEXT H quickly to answer question 34.?

　　October 3rd 199 _

　　Dear Sir,?

　　In your editorial on August 31st, there seems to be some confused thinking in attempting toestablish a direct relationship between the desire of the OAA airlines to negotiate more equitableagreements with the United States for air-traffic rights and the cost of air travel for the public.?

　　It is simply untrue that the Asian carriers are not looking for increased access to the U.S.market, including its domestic market; they are, as part of balanced agreements that provideequality of opportunity. So long as the U. S. takes the inequitable arrangements enshrined incurrent agreements as a starting point for negotiation, however, there is no chance that U.S.carriers will be granted more regional rights which further unbalance the economic opportunitiesavailable to each side. Most importantly from the consumer viewpoint, it has yet to bedemonstrated that in those regional sectors where U.S. carriers currently operate-such asHong Kong/Tokyo-they have added anything in terms of price, quality of service, innovationor seat availability in peak seasons.?

　　Turning to cost, I am not sure to which Merrill Larrych study you are referring, but it would besimplistic to compare seat-mile costs of narrow-body operation over U. S. domestic sectorswith wide-body operation over international sectors; comparative studies of seat-mile costs arevalid only if they compare similar aircraft operating over identical sectors. On this basis,International Civil Aviation Organization figures show that Asian carriers are highly competitive.O f course, given its operating environment Japan Air Lines will have high seat-mi le costs,while a carrier based in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore Airlines, w ill have relatively lowcosts. But it is a fallacy to assume this means ‘higher ticket prices or higher taxes’ for the‘hapless Asian air traveller’ if he travels on JAL.?

　　The Japanese carriers have to compete in the Asian marketplace with others, and costs cannotsimply be passed on to the consumer or taxpayer. The people who really pay the price or reapthe reward of differing cost levels are the share holders.?

　　RICHARD. T. STIRLAND

　　Director General

　　Orient Airlines Association

　　TEXT I

　　First read the questions.?

　　35. Today’s computers can process data ___ times faster than the 1952 model, ILLIAC.?

　　A. 4 B. 100 C. 200 D. 4, 000?

　　36. NCSA aims to develop ___.?

　　A. a new Internet browser

　　B. a more powerful national system?

　　C. human-computer intelligence interaction

　　D. a new global network?

　　Now go through TEXT I quickly to answer questions 35 and 36.?

　　URBANA, Illinois. Welcome to Cyber City, USA, where scientists are developing the next-generation Internet and leading ground-breaking research in artificial intelligence. TheUniversity of Illinois at Urbana, which has a student body of 36,100, has a proud computingtradition. In 1952, it became the first educational institution to build and own its owncomputer.?

　　That computer, ILLIAC, was four metres tall, four metres long and sixty centimetres deep. Itsprocessing speed was about 50 kilohertz compared with 200 megahertz-that’s 200,000kilohertz for today’s computers.?

　　At the state-of-the-art Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, researchersfrom disciplines as far-ranging as psychology, computer science and biochemistry are focusingon biological intelligence and human-computer intelligence interaction.?

　　Beckman also houses the National Centre for Supercomputing Application (NCS A), which playeda key role in the development of the Internet global network. I t was NCSA that developedMosaic, the graphically driven programme that first ma de surfing on the Internet possible.?

　　Mosaic, introduced in 1992, has been replaced by much more powerful Internet browsers suchas its successor Netscape or Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.?

　　NCSA officials say they are now trying to bring more advanced computing and communicationto research scientists, engineers and ultimately the public.?

　　“What we’re looking for is a national system in which the networks are 100 times greater thanthe Internet today, and the supercomputers are 100 times more powerful,” said NCSA DirectorLarry Smart.?

　　A proposed joint project would develop a prototype or demonstration model f or the “21stcentury national information infrastructure” in line with an initiative announced by PresidentBill Clinton last October.?

　　If funded by the National Science Foundation, the new structure would take effect on October1st.?

　　NCSA, one of the four operational federal supercomputer centres in the country, is awaiting adecision from the Foundation’s board late this month on a competition for US $ 16 million incontinued annual federal funding.?

　　NCSA, which employs 200 people and has a yearly budget of US $ 31 million, is expected to beone of two winners along with its counterpart in San Diego.?

　　“The University has put a great deal of effort into this competition. We remain hopeful aboutthe outcome, but we will have no comment until the National Science Foundation Board’sdecision,” Smart said.?

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