中南大学2013年博士英语真题

中南大学2013年博士英语真题

Paper One

Part I: Use of English (20%)

Section A: Vocabulary and Structure (10%)

Directions: There are 20 it complete sentences in this section. For each sentence there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

1. Often criticism may be more effectively made by ____ than by direct censure.

2. An innovator, ballerina Augusta Maywood was ____ a traveling company.

3. It is regrettable that students do not ____ their student loans and thereby make it more problematic for future generations of students to obtain them.

4. The quantum theory states ____, as light, is given off and absorbed in definite units called quanta or photons.

5. _____ at a music store was one of Armstrong's first professional jobs as a young pianist when she came to Chicago in 1917.

6. The human intelligence that created industrial civilization now has the assignment of making that civilization ____ man's basic prerequisites.

7. Water Leisurewear such as sailing and scuba diving are almost as critical to the island's economy as is ____.

8. In spite of the increasing ____ of their sentiments, the group knew they had to arrive at a consensus so that the award could be presented.

9. The late-summer waters of the northern shore were ____ chilly for the vacationer who adored swimming.

10. The vegetative forms of bacteria are exterminated by ____ in the air, although the different species exhibit pronounced differences in their resistance.

11. Not until the 1850's ____ in New York seek to rescue historic buildings from devastation or alteration.

12. The team should have projected trouble ahead when the road ____ into a gravel path.

13. The trial was conducted in a theatrical manner, full of _____.

14. The attorney was an intelligent debater; he ____ the cross-questioning of the Supreme Court Judge on the case issue inquiry.

15. ____, the factories had not closed, and those who needed work most were given a chance to survive during the economic disaster.

16. Some works of literature hold one's interest in the very last page, but others serves only as a ____ to be kept handily at a bedside fable.

17. The tenacious families feuded for generations, and inimical feelings are still fixed in their _____.

18. Blustery winds knocked off hats and rattled windows, and the adventurous boys were ____.

19. The maglev will actually race along a guideway at almost 500 kilometers per hour, ____ on the magnetic field.

20. The teacher's pride was distraught that half his class had ____ the exam.

Section B: Cloze test (10%)

Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

The ability to recognize faces is so important in humans that the brain appears to have an area solely devoted to the task: the fusiform gyrus.

Brain imaging studies consistently [21] ____ that this region of the temporal lobe becomes active when [22] ____ look at faces. Skeptics have countered, however, that these studies show only a [23] ____, but not proof, that activity in this area is essential for face [24] ____. Now, thanks to the willingness of an intrepid [25] ____, a new study provides the first cause-and-effect [26] ____ that neurons in this area help humans recognize faces — and only [27] ____, not other body parts or objects.

An unusual [28] ____ between researchers and an epilepsy patient led to the [29] ____. Ron Blackwell, an engineer in Santa Clara, California, [30] ____ Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, in 2011 seeking better treatment [31] ____ his epilepsy. He had suffered seizures since he was a teenager, and at age 47, his [32] ____ was becoming less effective. Stanford neurologist Josef Parvizi [33] ____ some tests to locate the source of the seizures — and also suggested that it might be [34] ____ to eliminate the seizures by surgically destroying a tiny [35] ____ of brain tissue where they occurred.

Parvizi used electrodes [36] ____ on Blackwell's scalp to trace the seizures to the temporal lobe, about an inch [37] ____ Blackwell's right ear. Then, surgeons placed more electrodes on the [38] ____ of Blackwell's brain, near the suspect point of origin in the temporal [39] ____. Parvizi stimulated each electrode in turn with a mild current, trying [40] ____ Blackwell's seizure symptoms under safe conditions. "If we get those symptoms, we know that we are tickling the seizure node," he explains.

Part II: Reading Comprehension (40%)

Directions: There are 5 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide which the best choice is and mark the corresponding letter on ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

Passage 1

Public debate around climate change and its effects on agriculture tends to focus on the large-scale industrial farms of the North. Farmers who work on a small scale and use traditional methods have largely been ignored. However, as the world slowly comes to terms with the threat of climate change, Native farming traditions will warrant greater attention.

In the industrial model of agriculture, one or two crop varieties are grown over vast areas. Instead of trying to use local resources of soil and water optimally and sustainably, the natural environment is all but ignored and uniform growing conditions are fabricated through large-scale irrigation and the intensive use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. For example, a handful of basically similar potato varieties, all of which require nearly identical soil conditions, temperature, rainfall, and growing seasons, account for almost all global production. When these global crops are no longer suited to the environment in which they are grown, when their resistance to disease and pests begins to fail, or the climate itself changes, the best way to rejuvenate the breeding stock will be to introduce new genetic material from the vast diversity of crop varieties still maintained by indigenous peoples.

In contrast to the industrial model, Andean potatoes and other Andean crops such as squash and beans grown by Quechuan farmers exhibit extraordinary genetic diversity, driven by the need to adapt crops to the extraordinary climatic diversity of the region. Along the two axes of latitude and altitude, the Andes encompasses fully two-thirds of all possible combinations of climate and geography found on Earth. The Andean potato has been adapted to every environment except the depth of the rainforest or the frozen peaks of the mountains. Today, facing the likelihood of major disruptions to the climatic conditions for agriculture worldwide, indigenous farmers provide a dramatic example of crop adaptation in an increasingly extreme environment. More importantly, Native farmers have also safeguarded the crop diversity essential for the future adaptations.

41. In the second paragraph, the information about potato growing practice in the industrial model of agriculture serves to ________.

A. give an example of a potential problem that Native farming practice could help to alleviate

B. show the likely global consequences of a possible food shortage by industrial farming practices

C. show how pests and disease are less effectively resisted by crops in the industrial farming mode

D. give an example of how public debate has had little effect on agricultural practices of the North

42. The passage states that which of the following is true of the small of potato varieties that account for most of the potatoes Earth currently?

A. They are grown in the Andean region.

B. They all require very similar soil and climate conditions.

C. They make optional use of available soil and water resources.

D. They are based on genetic material from crops developed by indigenous peoples.

43. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A. Attention to Native farming practices will lead to greater awareness of the threat of climate change.

B. Popularity of small-scale farming in the North will lead to greater attention to Native farming practices.

C. Despite potential climate change, public debate will have little effect on industrial farming practices.

D. It will be worthwhile to include a greater focus on Native farming practices in public discussions concerning the threat of climate change.

Passage 2

Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder.

I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archaeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal activities.

You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.

I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as l’melekh handles have been found in abundance — more than 4,000 examples so far.

The basements of museums are simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalog the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes.

It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?

44. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a disadvantage of storing artifacts in museum basements?

A. Museum officials rarely allow scholars access to such artifacts.

B. Space that could be better used for display is taken up for storage.

C. Artifacts discovered in one excavation often become separated from each otehr.

D. Such artifacts often remain uncatalogued and thus cannot be located once they are put in storage

45. The author mentions the excavation in Cyprus to emphasize which of the following points?

A. Ancient lamps and pottery vessels are less valuable, although more rare than royal seal impressions.

B. Artifacts that are very similar to each other present cataloguing difficulties to archaeologists.

C. Artifacts that are not uniquely valuable, and therefore could be sold, are available in large quantities.

D. Cyprus is the most important location for unearthing large quantities of salable artifacts.

46. The author's argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions?

A. Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.

B. The price of illegally excavated artifacts would rise.

C. Money gained from selling authenticated artifacts could be used to investigate and prosecute illegal excavators.

D. Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts.

47. The author anticipates which of the following initial objections.... adoption of his proposal?

A. An oversupply of salable artifacts will result and the demand for clandestine products will fall.

B. Artifacts that would have been displayed in public placed will be... private collectors.

C. Illegal excavators will have an even larger supply of artifacts for resale.

D. Counterfeiting of artifacts will become more commonplace.

48. The author implies that all of the following statements about duplicate artifacts are true EXCEPT ________.

A. A market for such artifacts already exists.

B. Such artifacts seldom have scientific value.

C. Such artifacts frequently exceed in quality those already catalogued in museum collections.

D. Museum are well supplied with example of such artifacts.

Passage 3

In most developed countries, men have higher salaries, on average, than women. Much of the salary differential (difference between comparable individuals or classes) results from the tendency of women to be in lower-paying occupations. The question of whether this occupational employment pattern can be attributed to sex discrimination is a complex one. In fact, wage differentials among occupations are the norm rather than the exception. Successful athletes commonly earn more than Nobel Prize-winning academics; gifted artists often cannot earn enough to survive, while mediocre investment bankers prosper. Given such differences, the question naturally arises: talent and ability being equal, why does anyone — man or woman — enter a low-paying occupation? One obvious answer is personal choice. An individual may prefer, for example, to teach math at a modest salary rather than to become a more highly paid electrical engineer.

Some people argue that personal choice also explains sex-related wage differentials. According to this explanation, many women, because they place a high priority on parenting and performing household services, choose certain careers in which they are free to enter and leave the work force with minimum penalty. They may choose to acquire skills, such as typing and sales clerking, that do not depreciate rapidly with temporary absences from the work force. They may avoid occupational specialties that require extensive training periods, long and unpredictable hours, and willingness to relocate, all of which make specialization in domestic activities problematic. By choosing to invest less in developing their career potential and to expend less effort outside the home, women must, according to this explanation, pay a price in the form of lower salaries. But women cannot be considered the victims of discrimination because they prefer the lower-paying occupations to higher-paying ones.

An alternative explanation for sex-related wage differentials is that women do not voluntarily choose lower-paying occupations but are forced into them by employers and social prejudices. According to proponents of this view, employers who discriminate may refuse to hire qualified women for relatively high-paying occupations. More generally, subtle society-wide prejudices may induce women to avoid certain occupations in favor of others that are considered more suitable. Indeed, the “choice” of women to specialize in parenting and performing household services may itself result from these subtle prejudices. Whether the discrimination is by employers in a particular occupation or by society as a whole is irrelevant; the effect will be the same. Further, if such discrimination does occur, women excluded from certain occupations will flood others, and this increase in supply will have a depressing effect on wages in occupations dominated by women.

49. In stating that “Successful athletes commonly earn more than Nobel Prize-winning academics”, the author’s primary purpose is to ________.

A. demonstrate that education has little to do with making money

B. suggest that people with talent and ability should not enter low-paying occupations

C. show that highly paid occupations generally require long hours and extensive training

D. give an example of how certain occupations are better paid than others regardless of inherent worth or talent required

50. Which one of the following cases is least likely to involve sex discrimination, as it is described in the passage?

A. An employer hires a man rather than an equally qualified woman.

B. A woman chooses to enter a high-paying occupation that uses her talent and ability.

C. A woman chooses an occupation that is already dominated by women.

D. A woman chooses a low-paying job that allows her to devote more time to her family. 

51. Which one of the following statements is the best completion of the last paragraph of the passage?

A. Wage differentials will become more exaggerated and economic parity between men and women less and less possible.

B. Unless society changes its views, women may never escape the confines of the few occupations designated “For Women Only.”

C. The question is: how long will women allow themselves to be excluded from male-dominated occupations?

D. In the last analysis, women may need to ask themselves if they can really afford to allow sex discrimination to continue.

52. The author’s attitude toward sex discrimination as an explanation for wage differentials can best be characterized as ________.

A. skeptical that discrimination is a factor

B. critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination

C. convinced that the problem will get worse

D. neutral with respect to its validity

53. Which one of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Wage Differentials between Men and Women

B. Women in Low-Paying Occupations: Do They Have a Choice?

C. Home VS Office: How Does the Modern Woman Choose?

D. the Role of Social Prejudice in Women’s Careers

Passage 4

The origin of the theory that major geologic events may occur at regular intervals can be traced back not to a study of volcanism or plate tectonics but to an investigation of marine extinctions. In the early 1980’s, scientists began to look closely at the question of how these extinctions occur. Two paleontologists, Raup and Sepkoski, compiled a master list of marine species that died out during the past 268 million years and noted that there were brief periods during which many species disappeared at once. These mass extinctions occurred at surprisingly regular intervals.

Later studies revealed that extinctions of terrestrial reptiles and mammals also occurred periodically. These findings, combined with the research of Raup and Sepkoski, led scientists to hypothesize the existence of some kind of cyclically recurring force powerful enough to affect living things profoundly. Speculation that so powerful a force might affect geologic events as well led geologists to search for evidence of periodicity in episodes of volcanism, seafloor spreading, and plate movement.

54. The author of the passage would most likely describe the findings of Raup and Sepkoski as ________.

A. plausible, because the findings supported the theories of previous researchers

B. significant, because the findings were an impetus for subsequent research

C. controversial, because the findings contradicted the theories of previous researchers

D. questionable, because the authors were not working in their field of expertise

55. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with ________.

A. determining the dates of various geologic events

B. defending the conclusions reached by Raup and Sepkoski

C. establishing a link between the disciplines of paleontology and geology

D. explaining how a theory concerning geologic events was formulated

56. According to the passage, Raup and Sepkoski’s research was concerned with ________.

A. learning more about the habitats of marine species

B. studying plate tectonics and the occurrence of volcanism over the past 268 million years

C. examining extinctions of marine species over the past 268 million years

D. confirming previous evidence suggesting that extinction of terrestrial species occurred regularly

Passage 5

During the 1960's and 1970's, the primary economic development strategy of local governments in the United States was to attract manufacturing industries. Unfortunately, this strategy was usually implemented at another community's expense: many manufacturing facilities were lured away from their moorings elsewhere through tax incentives and slick promotional efforts. Through the transfer of jobs and related revenues that resulted from this practice, one town's triumph could become another town's tragedy.

In the 1980's the strategy shifted from this zero-sum game to one called “high-technology development”, in which local governments competed to attract newly formed high-technology manufacturing firms. Although this approach was preferable to victimizing other geo-graphical areas by taking their jobs, it also had its shortcomings: high-tech manufacturing firms employ only a specially trained fraction of the manufacturing workforce, and there simply are not enough high-tech firms to satisfy all geographic areas.

Recently, local governments have increasingly come to recognize the advantages of yet a third strategy: the promotion of homegrown small businesses. Small indigenous businesses are created by a nearly ubiquitous resource, local entrepreneurs. With roots in their communities, these individuals are less likely to be enticed away by incentives offered by another community. Indigenous industry and talent are kept at home, creating an environment that both provides jobs and fosters further entrepreneurship.

57. The passage suggests which of the following about the majority of United States manufacturing industries before the high-technology development era of the 1980's?

A. They lost many of their most innovative personnel to small entrepreneurial enterprises.

B. They experienced a major decline in profits during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

C. They could provide real economic benefits to the areas in which they were located.

D. They employed workers who had no specialized skills.

58. The tone of the passage suggests that the author is most optimistic about the economic development potential of which of the following groups?

59. The author of the passage mentions which of the following as an advantage of high-technology development?

A. It encourages the modernization of existing manufacturing facilities.

B. It does not advantage one local workforce at the expense of another.

C. It encourages the growth of related industries.

D. It takes full advantage of the existing workforce.

60. The primary purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. advocate more effective strategies for encouraging the development of high- technology enterprises in the United States

B. contrast the incentives for economic development offered by local governments with those offered by the private sector

C. acknowledge and counter adverse criticism of programs being used to stimulate local economic development

D. review and evaluate strategies and programs that have been used to stimulate economic development

Paper Two

Part III: Translation (20%)

Section A: From English to Chinese (10%)

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then translate the underlined sentences into Chinese. Your translation must be written clearly on ANSWER SHEETⅡ.

Once the monologue begins, the Knowledgeable One drones on and on. The Knowledgeable One is a fact person. [61] She may be the history prof who knows the death toll of every Civil War battle, the biology prof who can diagram all the common biological molecules, the accounting prof who enumerates every clause of the federal tax form. Oblivious to students' tired eyes and stifled yawns, the Knowledgeable One delivers her monologue, dispensing one dry fact after another. [62] The only advantage to being on the receiving end of this boring monologue is that students do not have to worry about being called on to question a point or provide an opinion; the Knowledgeable One is not willing to give up one minute of her time by giving students a voice. Assume for one moment that a student actually manages to stay awake during the monologue and is brave enough to ask a question. In such a case, the Knowledgeable One will address the questioning student as "Mr." or "Miss." [63] This formality does not, as some students mistakenly suppose, indicate respect for the student as a fledgling member of the academic community. Not at all. This impersonality represents the Knowledgeable One's desire to keep as wide a distance as possible between her and her students.

The Knowledgeable One's monologue always comes to a close at the precise second the class is scheduled to end. [64] No sooner has she delivered her last forgettable word than the Knowledgeable One packs up her notes and shoots out the door, heading back to the privacy of her office, where she can pursue her specialized academic interest — free of any possible interruption from students. The Knowledgeable One's hasty departure from the lecture hall makes it clear she has no desire to talk with students. [65] In her eyes, she has met her obligations; she has taken time away from her research to transmit to students what she knows. Any closer contact might mean she would risk contagion from students, that great unwashed mass. Such a danger is to be avoided at all costs.

Section B: From Chinese to English (10%)

Directions: Read the following short paragraph carefully and then translate it into English. Your translation must be written clearly on Answer SheetⅡ.

情商（Emotional Quotient, EQ）不是智商（Intellectual Quotient, IQ）的对立面，一些人有幸二者兼具且显得丰盛，一些人则每一样都拥有很少。研究者们一直试图理解的是他们如何互补：比如一个人对付压力的能力如何影响其集中思想和发挥才智的能力。他们大多同意，在成功的要素中智商占有一定比例，其余则取决于其他因素，从人的社会地位到运气甚至是人类进化数百万年在其大脑中形成的神经路径。

Part IV: Writing (20%)

Directions: Write an essay of about 250 to 300 words on the topic "Qualities of Labor and society Development" according to the idea given below in Chinese. Write your essay on ANSWER SHEETⅡclearly and neatly.

人力资源是社会发展的前提保证，劳动者的素质要求是多元化的。在劳动技能和劳动方式上，社会对大家的要求可能不同，但是人的基本社会道德素养和文化修养对于社会而言是共同的一致需求。因此社会的发展要注意人的技能和知识水平的提升的同时也要为人的道德和文化素养的培养提供氛围和支持。