中央财经大学考博英语真题,考博英语试题

中央财经大学2008年博士研究生入学考试英语试题

Part I Vocabulary (15%)
Section A
Directions: In this section there are 10 incomplete sentences. For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that completes best the sentence. (5%)
1. He seemed reluctant to send his troops in an effort to discourage the ______ peasants.
A. animated    B. rebellious    C. ceased    D. impassive
2. A magistrate’s court is used for the conduct of ______ inquiries to determine whether or not an accused person shall appear for trial in a higher court.
A. preliminary    B. elementary    C. functional    D. fundamental
3. She was a ______ tennis player and never gave her opponent even the smallest chance.
A. benign    B. spiteful    C. selfish    D. merciless
4. The Pony Express lasted for a ______ of 18 months.
A. term    B. spell    C. span    D. era
5. The restaurant was expensive and the steaks were ______.
A. microscopic    B. dwarf    C. miniscule    D. diminutive
6. After three days with no water his lips were ______.
A. humid    B. parched    C. saturated    D. arid
7. After five hours the storm ______.
A. abated    B. contracted    C. shrank    D. dwindled
8. The sergeant ______ his head round the door and shouted at us to get out of bed.
A. ejected    B. dragged    C. heaved    D. thrust
9. As long as the high pressure remains ______ over our area, the weather will be hot, hot, hot!
A. static    B. agile    C. stagnant    D. dormant
10. With no sugar or raisins, oatmeal is very ______.
A. spicy    B. flavored    C. bland    D. pungent
Section B
Directions: In this section there are 20 sentences. Each sentence has one underlined word or phrase. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should identify one of the four choices which would best keep the meaning of the underlined word or phrase. (10%)
11. Many observers believe that the country will remain in a state of chaos if it fails to solve its chronic food shortage problem.
A. transient    B. disastrous    C. starving    D. serial
12. If that is what he said, his reasoning must be fallacious.
A. faulty    B. fascinating    C. fastidious    D. fantastic
13. I suspect that they would stack the convention to favor their policies.
A. support unconventionally    B. organize unconventionally    C. disrupt violently    D. arrange dishonestly
14. In 1861 seven states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America.
A. developed    B. emerged    C. succeeded    D. withdrew
15. A corn kernel should have at least 14 percent water so that can pop under heat.
A. husk    B. seed    C. rind    D. bloom
16. The largest petrified forest in the world is in northern Arizona.
A. hard    B. ancient    C. fossilized    D. big
17. A government’s economic resources must not be used up.
A. deposited    B. conditioned    C. depleted    D. devoured
18. In the 1980s TV viewers began to hook up videocassette players to their TVs.
A. combine    B. connect    C. fasten    D. blend
19. The work was singled out to receive an award at the exhibition.
A. marked    B. impressed    C. subscribed    D. cautioned
20. Samuel Becket is known for his plays about the overwhelming desire to communicate in the face of human disintegration.
A. breakdown    B. division    C. survival    D. disparity
21. In the 17th century, German astronomer Johannes Kepler disproved Pythagoras’ theory that the earth was the center of the universe.
A. praised    B. denied    C. confirmed    D. misrepresented
22. The sawfish is easily recognized by its prominent sawlike head.
A. spiked    B. promiscuous    C. protruding    D. rugged
23. In the learning situation, exposure to language and motivation are crucial factors in language learning.
A. moderate    B. mere    C. drastic    D. vital
24. The water table has a level called the zone of saturation.
A. soaking    B. freezing    C. humidity    D. dryness
25. Coconuts are often used in desiccated form in baking.
A. chilly    B. dried    C. freezing    D. baked
26. Chloroform was simultaneously invented by the American Samuel Guthrie and the German Justus Liebig in 1830.
A. previously    B. familiarly    C. ultimately    D. meanwhile
27. Young nettle shoots have been used as food for a long time.
A. leaves    B. seeds    C. roots    D. kernels
28. Different kinds of beads are used to ward off evil.
A. conduce    B. anticipate    C. avert    D. restrain
29. The popular story that George Washington admitted to his father that he had cut down a cherry tree is probably an invention.
A. severed    B. felled    C. mowed    D. damaged
30. A brief outline of the course and bibliography were handed out to the students at the first meeting.
A. dispensed    B. dispersed    C. distributed    D. contributed
Part II Cloze (10%)
Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on Answer Sheet.
Breathtaking demonstrations of split-second sky maneuvers at supersonic speed have _31_ the amazing USAF jet precision team, the Thunderbirds, international acclaim and the proud _32_ of American goodwill ambassadors _33_ blue.
The Thunderbirds, organized in 1953, have demonstrated their awe-inspiring feats to more than forty million _34_ in more than forty countries. Their fifteen-ton Super Sabre fighters can fly at more than 700 miles per hour. Four of these _35_ planes — the famed diamond — often move together as one, with only a few feet of air _36_ between them. The diamond is _37_ in the air shows by a solo pilot who _38_ his fighter through equally difficult _39_. The hair-raising “Bomb Burst” is one of the most _40_ of the Thunderbird feats. The solo pilot seems to _41_ death with his own series of rolls and _42_ passes.
As _43_ as they may be, the purpose of the Thunderbirds’ _44_ is not stunting. Their job is to show the _45_ the capabilities of the USAF fighter planes and pilots. The _46_ required in the air _47_ is characteristic of the great importance of _48_ in combat flying. The Thunderbirds are a _49_ personification of American airpower — swift, powerful, and _50_ skillful.
31. A. obtained    B. established    C. formed    D. won
32. A. keepsake    B. title    C. subject    D. offset
33. A. in    B. on    C. at    D. with
34. A. spectators    B. visitors    C. wanderers    D. lookers-on
35. A. perspective    B. accessible    C. splendid    D. watchful
36. A. flow    B. line    C. space    D. area
37. A. protected    B. assisted    C. detected    D. defended
38. A. co-operates    B. induces    C. helps    D. guides
39. A. movements    B. occasions    C. adjustments    D. maneuvers
40. A. exciting    B. agreeable    C. agitating    D. aggressive
41. A. present    B. defy    C. fear    D. face
42. A. depressed    B. chased    C. inverted    D. coincided
43. A. charming    B. internal    C. mysterious    D. acrobatic
44. A. demonstrations    B. protection    C. exhibition    D. practice
45. A. public    B. existence    C. outcome    D. crowd
46. A. co-ordination    B. integration    C. determination    D. transformation
47. A. views    B. shows    C. performances    D. movements
48. A. public work    B. overwork    C. teamwork    D. hardwork
49. A. municipal    B. specific    C. magnificent    D. supersonic
50. A. dangerously    B. essentially    C. limpidly    D. extraordinarily
Part IV Reading Comprehension (50%)
Directions: Read the following four passages. Answer the questions below each passage by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answer on the Answer Sheet.
Passage 1
The fact that superior service can generate a competitive advantage for a company does not mean that every attempt at improving service will create such an advantage. Investments in service, like those in production and distribution, must be balanced against other types of investments on the basis of direct, tangible benefits such as cost reduction and increased revenues. If a company is already effectively on a par with its competitors because it provides service that avoids a damaging reputation and keeps customers from leaving at an unacceptable rate, then investment in higher service may be wasted, since service is a deciding factor for customers only in extreme situations.
This truth was not apparent to managers of one regional bank, which failed to improve its competitive position despite its investment in reducing the time a customer had to wait for a teller. The bank managers did not recognize the level of customer inertia in the consumer banking industry that arises from the inconvenience of switching banks. Nor did they analyze their service improvement to determine whether it would attract new customers by producing a new standard of service that would excite customers or by proving difficult for competitors to copy. The only merit of the improvement was that it could easily be described to customers.
51. The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. contrast possible outcomes of a type of business investment    B. suggest more careful evaluation of a type business investment    C. illustrate various ways in which a type of business investment could fail to enhance revenues    D. trace the general problems of a company to a certain type of business investment
52. According to the passage, investments in service are comparable to investments in production and distribution in terms of the
A. tangibility of the benefits that they tend to confer    B. increased revenues that they ultimately produce    C. basis on which they need to be weighed    D. insufficient analysis that managers devote to them
53. The passage suggests which of the following about service provided by the regional bank prior to its investment in enhancing that service?
A. It enabled the bank to retain customers at an acceptable rate.    B. It threatened to weaken the bank’s competitive position with respect to other regional banks.    C. It had already been improved after having caused damage to the bank’s reputation in the past.    D. It was slightly superior to that of the bank’s regional competitors.
54. The discussion of the regional bank in the 2nd paragraph serves which of the following functions within the passage as a whole?
A. It describes an exceptional case in which investment in service actually failed to produce a competitive advantage.    B. It illustrates the pitfalls of choosing to invest in service at a time when investment is needed more urgently in another area.    C. It demonstrates the kind of analysis that managers apply when they choose one kind of service investment over another    D. It provides an example of the point about investment in service made in the first paragraph.
55. The author uses the word “only” in the last sentence in order to
A. highlight the oddity of the service improvement    B. emphasize the relatively low value of the investment in service improvement    C. single out a certain merit of the service improvement from other merits    D. point out the limited duration of the actual service improvement
Passage 2
Some observers have attributed the dramatic growth in temporary employment that occurred in the United States during the 1980’s to increased participation in the workforce by certain groups, such as first-time or reentering workers, who supposedly prefer such arrangements. However, statistical analyses reveal that demographic changes in the workforce did not correlate with variations in the total number of temporary workers. Instead, these analyses suggest that factors affecting employers account for the rise in temporary employment. One factor is product demand: temporary employment is favored by employers who are adapting to fluctuating demand for products while at the same time seeking to reduce overall labor costs. Another factor is labor’s reduced bargaining strength, which allows employers more control over the terms of employment. Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs, firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions. Government policymakers should consider mandating benefit coverage for temporary employees, promoting any equity between temporary and permanent workers, assisting labor unions in organizing temporary jobs primarily to employees who explicitly indicate that preference.
56. The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. present the results of statistical analyses and propose further studies    B. explain a recent development and predict its eventual consequences    C. identify the reasons for a trend and recommend measures to address it    D. outline several theories about a phenomenon and advocate one of them
57. According to the passage, which of the following is true of the “factors affecting employers” that are mentioned in the 3rd sentence?
A. Most experts cite them as having initiated the growth in temporary employment that occurred during the 1980’s.    B. They may account for the increase in the total number of temporary workers during the 1980’s.    C. They were less important than demographic change in accounting for the increase of temporary employment during the 1980’s.    D. They included a sharp increase in the cost of labor during the 1980’s.
58. The passage suggests which of the following about the use of temporary employment by firms during the 1980’s?
A. It increased as a result of increased participation in the workforce by certain demographic groups.    B. It was discouraged by government-mandated policies.    C. It was a response to preferences indicated by certain employees for more flexible working arrangements.    D. It increased partly as a result of workers’ reduced ability to control the terms of their employment.
59. The passage suggests which of the following about the workers who took temporary jobs during the 1980’s?
A. Their jobs frequently led to permanent positions within firms.    B. They constituted a less demographically diverse group than has been suggested.    C. They were occasionally involved in actions organized by labor unions.    D. They did not necessarily prefer temporary employment to permanent employment.
60. The passage mentions each of the following as an appropriate kind of governmental action EXCEPT
A. getting firms to offer temporary employment primarily to a certain group of people    B. encouraging equitable pay for temporary and permanent employees    C. facilitating the organization of temporary workers by labor unions    D. ensuring that temporary workers benefits from their employers
Passage 3
While there is no blueprint for transforming a largely government-controlled economy into a free one, the experience of the United Kingdom since 1979 clearly shows one approach that works: privatization, in which state-owned industries are sold to private companies. By 1979, the total borrowings and losses of state-owned industries were running at about 3 billion a year. By selling many of these industries, the government has decreased these borrowings and losses, gained over 34 billion from the sales, and now receive tax revenues from the newly privatized companies. Along with a dramatically improved overall economy, the government has been able to repay 12.5 percent of the net national debt over a two-year period.
In fact, privatization has not only rescued individual industries and a whole economy headed for disaster, but has also raised the level of performance in every area. At British Airways and British Gas, for example, productivity per employee has risen by 20 percent. At associated British Ports, labor disruptions common in the 1970’s and early 1980’s have now virtually disappeared. At British Telecom, there is no longer a waiting list — as there always was before privatization — to have a telephone installed.
Part of this improved productivity has come about because the employees of privatized industries were given the opportunity to buy shares in their own companies. They responded enthusiastically to the offer of shares; at British Aerospace, 89 percent of the eligible work force bought shares; at Associated British Ports, 90 percent; and at British Telecom, 92 percent. When people have a personal stake in something, they think about it, care about it, work to make it prosper. At the National Freight Consortium, the new employee-owners grew so concerned about their company’s profits that during wage negotiations they actually pressed their union to lower its wage demands.
Some economists have suggested that giving away free shares would provide a needed acceleration of the privatization process. Yet they miss Thomas Paine’s point that “what we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly.” In order for the far-ranging benefits of individual ownership to be achieved by owners, companies and countries, employees and other individuals must make their own decisions to buy, and they must commit some of their own resources to the choice.
61. According to the passage, all of the following were benefits of privatizing state-owned industries in the United Kingdom EXCEPT:
A. Privatized industries paid taxes to the government.    B. The government gained revenue from selling state-owned industries.    C. The government repaid some of its national debt.    D. Profits from industries that were still state-owned increased.
62. According to the passage, which of the following resulted in increased productivity in companies that have been privatized?
A. A large number of employees chose to purchase shares in their companies.    B. Free shares were widely distributed to individual shareholders.    C. The government ceased to regulate major industries.    D. Unions conducted wage negotiations for employees.
63. The passage supports which of the following statements about employees buying shares in their own companies?
A. At three different companies, approximately nine out of ten of the workers were eligible to buy shares in their companies.    B. Approximately 90% of the eligible workers at three different companies chose to buy shares in their companies.    C. The opportunity to buy shares was discouraged by at least some labor unions.    D. Eligibility to buy shares was contingent on employees’ agreeing to increased work loads.
64. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the privatization process in the United Kingdom?
A. It depends to a potentially dangerous degree on individual ownership of shares.    B. It was originally conceived to include some giving away of free shares.    C. It has been successful, even though privatization has failed in other countries.    D. It is taking place more slowly than some economists suggest is necessary.
65. The quotation in the last paragraph is most probably used to
A. counter a position that the author of the passage believes is incorrect.    B. state a solution to a problem described in the previous sentence    C. show how opponents of the viewpoint of the author of the passage have supported their arguments    D. point out a paradox contained in a controversial viewpoint
Passage 4
The development of new food crops is one of the most important ways that scientists benefit society. With his work on the peanut, American scientist George Washington Carver made an enormous contribution to American agriculture. During the 1800s and into the 1900s, cotton was the chief crop grown in the southern part of the United States. However, cotton robs the soils of nutrients when it is planted in the same field year after year; thus, the yield dwindles yearly. Southern farmers, therefore, especially those who farmed small plots, made little money growing this crop, and their future was precarious.
Their rescue came from a fellow Southerner, George Washington Carver, who wanted to help the Southern farmer. After receiving his master’s degree in agriculture in 1896, Carver became head of the newly formed Agriculture Department at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Carver set up a laboratory and experimental plots for agricultural research. Employing students to help carry out experiments on different crops and on products that could be made from those crops, he sought ways to help these farmers. Carver was especially interested in the peanut and the sweet potato, two crops that harbor bacteria that add nutrients to the soil on their roots. Carver discovered about 300 products that could be made from peanuts and more than 100 products that could be made from sweet potatoes. These products included flour, cheese, milk, cosmetics, dyes, rubber, and peanut butter.
Carver’s impressive list of products established the importance of the peanut and the sweet potato. Southern farmers began to grow these crops, which were especially suited to the warm weather and the sandy soil of that region. In 1921, Carver went to Washington, D.C., to testify before Congress about the importance of the peanut. Because of Carver’s testimony, Congress acted to promote the growth of peanuts in the United States. In time, the soil-enriching peanut became the second-largest crop in the South. By 1950, it had become the sixth-leading crop in the nation.
The peanut is a legume, a plant that bears fruit in the form of pods containing one or more seeds. In fact, this legume is more closely related to peas than to nuts. Peanut seeds consist of almost 50 percent oil, which is commonly used to fry foods because it smokes only at high temperatures and does not absorb odors easily. Low grades of peanuts are used as an ingredient in soaps, cosmetics, shaving creams, shampoos, paints, and even nitroglycerin. Even the shells of peanuts have use, because they can be ground into powder to be used in plastics, cork substitutes, wallboard, and abrasives.
Carver continued his research. He published articles on practical matters such as improved farm techniques and food preservation. His work was especially appreciated during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when many people were out of work and had little money to buy food. Carver was also an influential teacher, inspiring young people to find ways to make science work for the betterment of all.
66. The main idea of this passage can be expressed as follows:
A. Carver wanted to become wealthy because of his agricultural research.    B. Ordinary plants can have a multitude of uses besides food.    C. The peanut can be used in more ways than any other nut or vegetable.    D. Carver helped the South recover from the Civil War.
67. One may infer from this article that
A. the South would have failed agriculturally without Carver’s peanut research.    B. Carver’s research and experimentation were applied all over the world.    C. sweet potatoes are just as useful as peanuts.    D. the most popular use of the peanut is peanut butter.
68. The author’s attitude toward Carver can best be described as
A. ambiguous because he offers both positive and negative qualities.    B. nebulous because there is not sufficient evidence to determine his attitude.    C. positive because he relates the outstanding contributions Carver made through science.    D. negative because Carver focused his research on the South only.
69. The peanut is similar to a pea in which of the following ways?
A. It bears fruit in a shell or pod.    B. It usually has one or two peanut seeds in a pod.    C. It can be used for food.    D. All of the above.
70. According to this passage, perhaps Carver’s most significant contribution to American history is
A. his creation of peanut butter, second only to hamburgers as America’s favorite food.    B. his promotion of the lowly peanut as a source of roughage for maintaining road surfaces.    C. his research involving peanuts and sweet potatoes.    D. his speech before Congress in 1921.
Passage 5
Because carpets, especially floor coverings, are destroyed through use, very few rugs from before the 16th century have survived. There are two basic types of carpet: flat-weaves and pile, or knotted. Both can be made on either vertical or horizontal frames. The best known flat-weaves today are Turkish kilims, which are typically woven in wool with bold, geometric patterns and sometimes embroidered details. Kilim weaving is done in the tapestry technique, which allows free placement of each area of color.
Knotted carpets are an ancient invention. The oldest known example, excavated in Siberia and dating to the fourth or fifth century B.C., has designs evocative of Archaemenid Persian art, and the technique may have originated in ancient Persia. In knotted rugs, the pile — the plush, thickly tufted surface — is made by tying colored strands, usually wool but occasionally silk for deluxe carpets, onto the vertical elements (warp) or a yarn grid. These knotted loops are later sheared, cut, and trimmed to form the plush surface of the carpet. Rows of knots alternate with flat-woven rows (weft) that hold the carpet together. The weft is usually in undyed yarn and is eventually hidden by the colored knots. Two common tying techniques are the symmetrical “Turkish” knot, which works well for straight-line designs, and the asymmetrical “Persian” knot, used for rendering curvilinear patterns. The greater the number of knots, the denser and more durable the pile. The finest carpets have 100 knots per square inch, each one tied separately by hand. Because these rugs are not mass-produced, the size and shape may not be exact and colors may vary slightly; however, these “flaws” are proof of authenticity.
Although royal workshops produced the most luxurious carpets, most knotted rugs have traditionally been made in tents and homes. Carpets were woven by either women or men, depending on the local custom. Today, an older woman generally works with a young girl, who learns the art of carpet weaving at the loom and eventually passes it on to the next generation. Working between September and May, these women may weave five carpets, tying up to 5,000 knots a day. Oriental rugs are considered valuable because they have complex designs and take a long time to produce. Knotted rugs from Persia and Turkey were so highly prized among Westerners that they were often displayed on tables rather than on floors. Persian taste favored intricate, elegant designs that evoked the gardens of paradise. Written accounts indicate that such designs appeared on Persian carpets as early as the 17th century. In one fabled royal carpet, garden paths were rendered in real gold, leaves were modeled with emeralds, and highlights on flowers, fruits, and birds were created with pearls and other jewels. Carpets such as this one were definitely as much status symbols within the Islamic world as they were beyond it.
71. The purpose of this passage is
A. narration.    B. persuasion.    C. description.    D. comparison and contrast.
72. The finest carpets today are characterized by
A. 5,000 knots per carpet.    B. 100 knots per square inch.    C. asymmetrical designs.    D. flat weaves.
73. Elegant Persian carpets, often preferred by collectors,
A. feature ornate, exquisite designs with garden patterns.    B. are usually room-size because of the amount of work required to produce them.    C. contain aniline dyes that provide brilliant colors.    D. are actually made in China today, not Persia.
74. The terms warp and weft refer to
A. two typical kinds of knots used in Turkish rugs.    B. decorative details on elaborate Oriental rugs.    C. two kinds of Persian rugs produced in Iran today.    D. the grid or foundation for the rug on which the knots are tied.
75. An exotic rug with an elaborate design, complete with jewels and gold thread, would most likely
A. be used in a sultan’s palace, probably in public areas where he received guests.    B. be created and used in secret because of its great value.    C. hang on a wall instead of being placed on the floor.    D. be placed on the floor of a great hall.
Part V Translation (10%)
Section A (5%)
Directions: Translate the following paragraph into Chinese. Write your translation on Answer Sheet.
Morrison advocates triple-bottom-line, or sustainability reporting. “Sustainability reporting means expanding the traditional company reporting framework to take into account environmental and social performance as well as financial outcomes,” explains Professor Pratt. “It also provides a tool for maintaining accountability and transparency of company performance, and therefore public legitimacy.” And good environmental business practice need not be difficult — it can start with something as simple as getting staff to separate plastic from other waste, says Morrison. “If you start by taking a couple of small steps you realize it isn’t that hard and the benefits are huge long term.”
Section B (5%)
Directions: Translate the following paragraph into English. Write your translation on the Answer Sheet.
一直到20世纪80年代该国金融市场全面放开前，这种情况还基本保持不变。但是市场放开后，突然间，银行和房屋抵押贷款协会开始竞相发放一般贷款和抵押贷款，而信用卡和借贷公司的加入更使这种竞争趋于白热化；此外，随着互联网的普及，在线供应商也开始在市场上推出大量的金融产品和服务。
Part V Writing (15%)
Directions:
据报道，英国人习惯赊欠消费，对于许多人来说，过一个圣诞的花费高达数千英镑，其中很大一部分是赊欠消费。目前英国全国的个人借贷总额已达到了1.3万亿英镑。英国政府对国民在金融知识方面日渐显现的无知深感担忧，于是启动了一项金融知识普及运动。“我们需要做的事情就是从长远的角度考虑解决问题：教授客户理财技巧和知识，使之能够在未来更好地进行财务管理。”一位社会政策官员如是说。根据这篇报道，用英文写一篇不少于200字的文章，提纲如下：
1. 评论中国人的过去与现在的金钱消费习惯并与英国人比较；
2. 对中国政府在对国民的金融知识教育方面给予建议。