Ⅱ.READING COMPREHENSION
In this part there are 4 reading passages followed by 20 questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked [A], [B],[C] and [D]. You should decide on the best  answer and write it on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points, 2 points each)
Passage 1
Failure is probably the most fatiguing experience a person ever has. There is nothing more exhausting than not succeeding—being blocked, not moving ahead. It is an evil circle. Failure breeds fatigue, and fatigue makes it harder to get to work, which adds to the fatigue.

We experience this tiredness in two main ways, as start-up fatigue and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task that we are forced to take up. Either because it is too tedious or because it is too difficult, we avoid it. And the longer we postpone it, the more tired we feel.

Such start-up fatigue is very real, even not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The remedy is obvious, though perhaps not easy to apply: willpower exercise. The moment I find myself turning away from a job, or putting it under a pile of other things I have to do, I clear my desk of everything else and attack the objectionable item first. To prevent start-up fatigue, always treat the most difficult job first.

Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Here we are willing to get started, but we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear to be insurmountable and however hard we work, we fail again and again. The mounting experience of failure carries with it an ever-increasing burden of mental fatigue. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can－then let the unconscious take over.

21.Which of the following can be called an evil circle?
[A] Success – zeal – success – zeal.
[B] Failure – tiredness – failure – tiredness.
[C] Failure – zeal – failure – tiredness.
[D] Success – exhaustion – success – exhaustion.
22. According to the passage, when keeping putting off a task, we can experience      .
[A] tiredness
[B] performance fatigue
[C] start-up fatigue
[D] unconsciousness
23. To overcome start-up fatigue, we need           .
[A] toughness
[B] prevention
[C] muscles
[D] strong willpower
24.The word insurmountable in the last paragraph probably means     .
[A]unable to be solved            [B] unlikely to be understood
[C] unable to be imagined          [D] unlikely to be rejected
25. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
[A] It is easier to overcome start-up fatigue.
[B] Performance fatigue occurs when the job we are willing to take gets blocked.
[C] One will finally succeed after experiencing the evil circle.
[D] Fatigue often accompanies failure.

Passage 2
On days when there is work , I talk to the other guys. Some of them tell me that the harvest season is coming in northern California, and they say that one can earn good money there. Things haven’t gone so badly in the car wash, but one afternoon I give the manager my thanks for having hired and promoted me, and with a little suitcase that night I board a Greyhound headed north. My ticket is made out for San Francisco, but I don’t plan to go that far. I plan to ride until I find a place where people are harvesting, and to get off the bus there.

I sleep on the bus for a few hours that night, and in the morning, when I awake, I don’t know where we are. I get up from my seat and walk down the bus aisle, looking for a Mexican or Chicano to tell me our location, but oddly enough, I don’t see any among the passengers, who are all white-skinned. I pay attention to the road signs we pass, but they are not of much help. I can read the town names, but I don’t know where the towns lie. A map would help me, and I decide to buy one at our next stop. Lots of things are for sale at the bus stop’s gift shop, but there are no maps. I direct myself to wards the shop’s operator, but I run into the language barrier. The operator is an Anglo, and when I speak to him in Spanish, he says that he doesn’t understand. I try to practice my very precarious (不可靠的)English with him, but it’s of no use. I have a rough idea of the sound of the words that I want to say, but I can’t pronounce them right. I make signs, signaling a big piece of paper and say “form California,” but he turns into a question mark, with eyes wide open, arms raised and hands extended, “Map,” I say, but I don’t pronounce the word very well. “Freeways, streets,” I add, but he still doesn’t understand. He points out chewing gum, candies, pieces of cake, sandwiches, soft drinks, and cigarettes, trying to guess what I’m asking for. But he doesn’t show me any maps. Finally, I back out of the store, and as I leave I hear him say, “I’m sorry.”
A little before the bus leaves, I run into a Mexican-American in a hallway and I immediately ask him to help me find a map off California. We go back to the store. The Chicano asks for a map .“Ahh !Ahaaa!” the operator exclaims. Then he goes to a corner of his shelves and takes out what I’ve been asking for. While I am paying him, he talks to the Chicano in a joyful tone. With the map in my hands, I give the Chicano my thanks, and he explains that the store-keeper thinks that I am asking if he needs anybody to clean the floor or “mop.”
26. The writer decided to leave his job and go to northern California because         .
[A] his boss didn’t like him
[B] things were going badly in the car wash
[C] he thought he could earn more money
[D] there wasn’t always work
27. The writer wanted a map in order to           .
[A] find the way to San Francisco
[B] help him with the road signs
[C] know where he was in relation to the entire trip
[D] find his way back to his workplace
28. Form the passage, we can infer that            .
[A] the owner of the shop did not want to sell the writer a map
[B] the writer was fired from the car wash
[C] the writer was a migrant farm worker
[D] the writer was traveling with a friend who could speak English
29. The writer tries to make himself understood by all the following EXCEPT        .
[A]gestures
[B] words or phrases
[C] pronunciations
[D] spelling the word
30. We can learn from the story that          .
[A] incorrect pronunciations may result in misunderstanding
[B] immigrants usually have a hard time in the foreign countries
[C] a foreign language can be learned through conversations
[D] traveling alone brings unexpected troubles and problems

Passage 3
Exceptional children are different in some significant ways from others of the same age. For these children to develop to their full adult potential, their education must be adapted to those differences.

Although we focus on the needs of exceptional children, we find ourselves describing their environment as well. While the leading actor on the stage captures our attention, we are aware of the importance to the supporting players and the scenery of the play itself. Both the family and the society in which exceptional children live are often the key to their growth and development. And it is in the public schools that we find the full expression of society’s understanding－the knowledge, hopes, and fears that are passed on to the next generation.

Education in any society is a mirror of that society. In that mirror we can see the strengths, the weaknesses, the hopes, the prejudices, and the central values of the culture itself. The great interest in exceptional children shown in public education over the past three decades indicates the strong feeling in our society that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities.

“All men are created equal.” We’ve heard it many times, but it still has important meaning for education in America. Although the phrase was used by this country’s founders to denote equality before the law, it has also been interpreted to mean equality of opportunity. That concept implies educational opportunity for all children－the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capacity, whether that capacity be small or great. Recent court decisions have confirmed the right of all children－disabled or not－to an appropriate education, and have ordered that public schools take the necessary steps to provide that education. In response, schools are modifying their programs, adapting instruction to children who are exceptional, to those who can not profit substantially from regular programs.
31.In Paragraph 2, the author cites the example of the leading actor on the stage to show that    .
[A] the growth of exceptional children has much to do with their families and the society
[B] exceptional children are more influenced by their families than normal children are
[C] exceptional children are the key interest of the family and society
[D] the needs of the society weigh much heavier than the needs of the exceptional children
32.The reason why exceptional children receive so much concern in education is that      .
  [A] they are expected to be leaders of the society
[B] they might become a burden of the society
[C] they should fully develop their potentials
[D] disabled children deserve special consideration
33. This passage mainly deals with         .
[A] the differences of children in their learning capabilities
[B] the definition of exceptional children in modern society
[C] special educational programs for exceptional children
[D] the necessity of adapting education to exceptional children
34.Form this passage we learn that the educational concern for exceptional children        .
[A] is now enjoying legal support
[B] disagrees with the tradition of the country
[C] was clearly stated by the country’s founders
[D] will exert great influence over court decisions
35 .Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
[A] Exceptional children refer to those with mental or physical problems.
[B] The author uses “All men are created equal” to counter the school program for exceptional children.
[C] Recent court decisions confirm the rights of exceptional children to learn with regular children.
[D] Regular school programs fail to meet the requirements to develop the potential of exceptional children.
Passage 4
Life is a series of problems. Do we want to moan about them or solve them? Do we want to teach our children to solve them?

Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life’s problems. Without discipline we can solve nothing. With only some discipline we can solve only some problems. With total discipline we can solve all problems.

What makes life difficult is that the process of confronting and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending upon their nature, evoke in us frustration or grief or sadness or loneliness or guilt or regret or anger or fear or anxiety or anguish or despair. These are uncomfortable feelings, often very uncomfortable, often as painful as any kind of physical pain, sometimes equaling the very worst kind of physical pain. Indeed, it is because of the pain that events or conflicts engender in us all that we call them problems. And since life poses an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.

Yet it is this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually to welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of problems.
I have stated that discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life’s problems. It will become clear that these tools are techniques of suffering, means by which we experience the pain of problems in such a way as to work them through and solve them successfully, learning and growing in the process. When we teach ourselves and our children discipline, we are teaching them and ourselves how to suffer and also how to grow.

What are these tools, these techniques of suffering, these means of experiencing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline? These are four: delaying of gratification (满足)，acceptance of responsibility, dedication to truth, and balancing. As will be evident, these are not complex tools whose application demands extensive training. To the contrary, they are simple tools, and almost all children are adept in their use by the age of ten. Yet presidents and kings will often forget to use them, to their own downfall. The problem lies not in the complexity of these tools but in the will to use them. For they are tools with which pain is confronted rather than avoided, and if one seeks to avoid legitimate suffering, then one will avoid the use of these tools.
36.The main point of this passage is that              .
[A] without discipline we can solve nothing
[B] problems evoke in us frustration or grief
[C] dealing with one’s problems gives life meaning
[D] the tendency to avoid problems results in mental illness
37. People who use a little discipline         .
[A] can solve all of their problems
[B] can solve some of their problems
[C] can solve nothing
[D] have total discipline
38. According to the author, which of the following makes life difficult?
[A] Physical pain.
[B] Frustration and guilt.
[C] Solving problems.
[D] Conflicts.
39.Problems give our life meaning by all of the following means EXCEPT        .
[A] showing us the difference between success and failure
[B] giving us courage
[C] challenging us to grow
[D] teaching us to avoid problems
40.According to the author, which of the following is TRUE?
[A] Successful leaders avoid their problems.
[B] The tools for solving problems are hard to learn.
[C] We need to confront emotional pain.
[D] The tools of discipline are complicated.

Ⅲ.SKIMMING AND SCANNING
In this part there are 3 reading passages followed by 10 questions or unfinished statements.  For each of them there are 4 answers marked[A],[B],[C]and [D].Skim or scan the passages, then decide on the best answer and write it on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points,1 point each)
Passage 1
Dear Sires:                                                         Oct.30,1996
We are pleased to make you an offer regarding our ‘Swinger’ dresses and trouser suits in the sizes you require. All the models can be supplied by the middle of December 1996, subject to our receiving your firm order by 15th November. Our C.I.F. prices are understood to be for sea/land transport to Chicago. If you would prefer the goods to be sent by air freight, this will be charged extra cost.

Trouser Suits: sizes 8 – 16 in white, yellow, red, turquoise, black, pink per 100$2650.00
Swinger Dresses: sizes 8 – 16 in white, yellow, red, turquoise, black per 100$1845.00
Prices: valid until 31 st December, 1996
Delivery: C. I. F. Chicago  
Transport: sea/land freight
Payment: by irrevocable letter of credit, or cheque with order

You will be receiving cuttings of our materials and a colour chart. These were airmailed to you this morning. We hope you agree that our prices are very competitive for these good quality clothes, and look forward to receiving your initial order.
Yours Faithfully
Robert Morgan
41.Judging from the message given in the letter, the writer is a           .
[A] seller
[B] buyer
[C] government official
[D] lawyer
42. The price quoted for each Swinger Dress is 　　　　　　.
[A] $2650
[B] $1845
[C] $26.5
[D] $18.45
43.The goods under discussion can be delivered by             .
[A] Oct. 30, 1996
[B] the middle of Dec.1996
[C] Nov. 15, 1996
[D] Dec. 31, 1996

Passage 2
When the CEO of lotus, manufacturer of computer software, interviews job candidates, he looks for people who can laugh out loud. At the headquarters of ice – cream maker Ben & Jerry’s, the “Minister of Joy” supervises the “Joy Gang”, which has the job of spending $100,100 a year planning and implementing workplace fun. Odetics, maker of video security systems and other recording equipment, considered it an honor when Industry Week called it “the funniest place to work in the U.S.”

In corporate America today, humor is a serious business. Workers have been downsized, re-engineered, restructured, and overworked for so long they have forgotten how to smile and laugh. To remind them, companies are posting amusing notes and cartoons on bulletin boards, building libraries of humorous books for workers to read, sponsoring “fun at work” days, “laughter” committees, and even hiring specialists.

As a result, the corporate humor business has taken off. A “humor services” group, called Humor Project, reports that it receives about twenty requests each day from companies looking for humor consultants. The Laughter Remedy, an organization that teaches the benefits of humor, helps employees build “humor skills” through a program that includes such steps as “developing the ability to play program that includes such steps as “developing the ability to play with language” and “finding humor in everyday life.” Humor consultant Paul McGhee gives audiences “remedial belly laughing” lessons. He tells them to smile, raise their eyebrows, lower their jaws, tighten their stomach muscles, and laugh. Speakers from Lighten Up Limited, a humor consulting firm, urge workers to tell jokes and take humor breaks. In their search for comic relief, organizations are spending thousands of dollars. Humor consultant Matt Weinstein, for example, receives $7500 for a ninety – minute talk.  

Why all the fuss and expense over an activity that seems contrary to the work ethic? One recent study reports that the most productive workplaces have at least the minutes of laughter every hour. And corporations that have added humor to workplace report an increase not only in productivity but also in employee loyalty , creativity, and morale, as well as improved teamwork and employee health.
44.The corporate laughter business is booming because           .
[A] such an activity seems contrary to the work ethic
[B] the humor business has proved profitable
[C] the workers overwork, so much so that they intend to get their work re-engineered and restructured
[D] few corporations consider humor a serious business and an incentive to productivity
45.According to the passage, the Laughter Remedy helps employees         .
[A] take humor breaks and relax themselves
[B] develop their abilities to use language
[C] build “humor skills” through a designed program
[D] free themselves from the overwork
46. It may be inferred from the passage that           .
[A] the character of Americans seems to require that they should be humorous
[B] wherever there is demand, a market will be created
[C] humor is the most popular leisure pursuit in the western world
[D] humor is the only source of revenue for the “laughter” specialists

Passage 3

This Valentine’s Day, 35-year-old Peter Henig had no trouble finding a date.

He had been elected one of the 10 most wanted bachelors of the Internet by Women. com. Since then, Henig gets some 100 emails a day from women all over the word asking him for a date.

Henig is good-looking enough to be considered one of the most suitable bachelors in cyberspace. As a senior editor at Red Herring, the bimonthly magazine of the tech word, he’s certainly smart and successful.

Forget the yuppies of the 1980s, the hottest bachelors these days－dot-com crisis or not－are the Silicon boys.

“I didn’t need a date the badly,” said Henig. But when he was contacted by Women. com to be included in their “Top 10 Men of the Internet” contest, he eagerly accepted.

“I don’t look at it as a dating machine. I just thought it could be fun,” he said.

In Silicon Valley, often dubbed(称之为)as “valley of guys” for its high percentage of unmarried men, the venture capital gold rush may be over, but the dating industry is booming.

According to a recent report, Silicon Valley should be the place for single women looking for love. For every 318 single men in the city of San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley, there are 288 single women.

Known for their lack of social skills, computer geeks are showing that they too can have a life. This is especially true during the economic downturn for tech industries, when there’s no real need to spend all that time in front of their computers.

According to Katherine Winter, who met her husband on Match. Com, an online dating service, the end of gold rush may not be bad news for the Silicon boys. She said, “Silicon Valley is definitely the place to be for single women, because of the quality and the number of men.”
47. According to the passage, Henig has been elected as one of the most wanted single men because he is          .
[A] a handsome young man
[B] a computer expert
[C] one of the hottest bachelors
[D] good-looking, smart and successful
48. According to Katherine Winter, Silicon Valley is the ideal place for single women to find romance because              .
[A] Silicon boys no longer need to spend all their time in front of their computers
[B] Silicon boys look bookish and are inefficient in social life
[C] there is a high percentage of single women in Silicon Valley
[D] there is a high percentage of high quality single men in Silicon Valley
49. The passage is most probably a               .
[A] news report
[B] romance
[C] fiction
[D] book review
50. The contest in which Henig participated was organized by           .
[A] Red Herring                 [B] Match. Com
[C] Women. com                [D] Silicon Valley

PART TWO
Ⅳ.WORD FORMATIONS
Complete each of the following sentences with the proper form of the word given in the brackets. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(10 points,1 point each)
51.(simple)         With their increasing power and versatility, computers        day-to-day life.
52.(publish) On          in 1975, the author’s first book was well-received both in the United States and overseas.
53.(succeed) His business was a           because he was well prepared, worked hard, and acted wisely.
54.(child) She could speak very little Chinese because she spent most of her
         living abroad.
55.(imagine) Computers turn impossibilities into possibilities. By using computer graphics, you can create anything        .
56.(danger) Believe it or not, there can be no doubt whatsoever that smoking          
your health.
57.(deep) When people came to the airport to see him off, he spoke with great      
of feeling about how kind they had been to him.
58.(practice) Ideally, an animal should be studied in its natural habitat, but often this is not          possible.
59.(accurate) Computers are used to perform a wide variety of activities with reliability,  
       , and speed.
60.(universe) Canadians enjoy an advanced, efficient health care system that is          
available to all citizens and landed immigrants (immigrants who are allowed permanent residence in the country)regardless of their location, income, or social standing.
Ⅴ.ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
There are 4 groups of simple questions in this part, which are based on the texts you have
learned. Give a brief answer to each of the questions. Your answers must be to the point
and grammatically correct. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET.(20 points, 5
points each)

61.How did Jane’s Eyre first come to learn anything about her parents? Give a brief account of
both Jane’s father and mother.
(Form Jane Eyre)
62.The three young men came out to kill Death, but were killed by Death in the end. How were they killed? What does the story reveal?
(From The Canterbury Tales)
63.What was the first thing that might have made Rip realize that he had been away from home for a long time? How did he react to the news of his wife’s death? What kind of independence did Rip have upon his return to the village?
(From Rip Van Winkle)
64.How do you define “upbringing” and “education”? What is the difference and relationship between “upbringing” and “education”? How do you understand the old English proverb “Spare the rod and spoil the child”?
(From Bringing up Children)