第1页:Section III Reading Comprehension(题) 第2页:Section III Reading Comprehension(答案)

　　Part A

　　Passage 1

　　When young people who want to be journalists ask me what subject they should study after leaving school, I tell them: "Anything except journalism or media studies." Most veterans of my trade would say the same.It is practical advice. For obvious reasons, newspaper editors like to employ people who can bring something other than a knowledge of the media to the party that we call our work.

　　On The Daily Telegraph, for example, the editor of London Spy is a theologian by academic training. The obituaries editor is a philosopher. The editor of our student magazine, Juice, studied physics. As for myself, I read history, ancient and modern, at the taxpayer's expense.

　　I am not sure what Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary, would make of all this. If I understand him correctly, he would think that the public money spent on teaching this huge range of disciplines to the staff of The Daily Telegraph was pretty much wasted. The only academic course of which he would wholeheartedly approve in the list above would be physics - but then again, he would probably think it a terrible waste that Simon Hogg chose to edit Juice instead of designing aeroplanes or building nuclear reactors. By that, he seems to mean that everything taught at the public expense should have a direct, practical application that will benefit society and the economy.

　　It is extremely alarming that the man in charge of Britain's education system should think in this narrow-minded, half-witted way. The truth, of course, is that all academic disciplines benefit society and the economy, whether in a direct and obvious way or not. They teach students to think - to process information and to distinguish between what is important and unimportant, true and untrue. Above all, a country in which academic research and intelligent ideas are allowed to flourish is clearly a much more interesting, stimulating and enjoyable place than one without "ornaments", in which money and usefulness are all that count.

　　Mr Clarke certainly has a point when he says that much of what is taught in Britain's universities is useless. But it is useless for a far more serious reason than that it lacks any obvious economic utility. As the extraordinarily high drop-out rate testifies, it is useless because it fails the first test of university teaching - that it should stimulate the interest of those being taught. When students themselves think that their courses are a waste of time and money, then a waste they are.

　　The answer is not to cut off state funding for the humanities. It is to offer short, no-nonsense vocational courses to those who want to learn a trade, and reserve university places for those who want to pursue an academic discipline. By this means, a great deal of wasted money could be saved and all students - the academic and the not-so-academic - would benefit. What Mr Clarke seems to be proposing instead is an act of cultural vandalism that would rob Britain of all claim to be called a civilised country.

　　41. The second paragraph is meant to demonstrate that______________________.

　　A. students of other disciplines than journalism are preferred employees of newspapers

　　B. young people should learn other subjects than journalism after leaving school

　　C. veterans of the author’s trade would give the same advice to puzzled youngsters

　　D. young people should diversify their learning subjects to be better employed

　　42. Charles Clarke as described in the passage would probably agree that_______________.

　　A. philosophy as an academic discipline in college should be canceled

　　B. physics should be the topmost choice of disciplines for prospective journalists

　　C. the Daily Telegraph is poorly staffed and needs rearrangement

　　D. there is no reason for the state to pay for subjects of higher education

　　43. Which of the following is true according to the author ?

　　A. The role of state-funded universities is to train students for a job.

　　B. Every academic subject will do good to society and the economy somehow.

　　C. Academic research and intelligent ideas are more important than “ ornaments”.

　　D. Money and usefulness are the criteria to judge the worth of a discipline.

　　44. That many subjects taught at British colleges are useless is mainly owing to ____________.

　　A. their falling short of the demands of economy

　　B. their validity as a discipline being untestified

　　C. their failure to meet the standards of university instruction

　　D. their inability to arouse the interest of students

　　45. The author’s primary purpose in writing this passage is to __________________.

　　A. propose an academic discipline for young people wishing to be journalists

　　B. debate both sides of the proper pattern of Britain’s higher education

　　C. condemn Charles Clarke for his improper statements about higher education

　　D. contrast Charles Clarke’s claim about higher education to that of his own

　　Passage 2

　　Standard & Poor's maintains a cautious stance on cable-TV operators in the wake of Verizon's (VZ ) announcement in early May of aggressive price cuts for its digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet-access service. Our overall outlook for the S&P Cable & Broadcasting index, which also includes shares of over-the-air TV and radio broadcasters, is neutral to modestly positive. Cable operators have so far ruled out an overt price war on broadband services. However, expect to see near-term responses like increased bundling of services, extended free months, more aggressive marketing and promotions, even modest price cuts from cable outfits that offer multiple services such as broadband as they defend their high-growth Internet-access business.

　　Continued rapid growth in digital cable and high-speed data services helped support the industry's ongoing revenue growth. We at S&P are wary of price pressures on the long-term and short-term economics of cable's broadband business. That's especially true as another Baby Bell, SBC Communications (SBC ), is also undercutting cable-service providers in many core markets.

　　In their traditional business segment, U.S. cable operators continue to benefit from a modest rebound in advertising spending, following a significant downturn during the economic slump that started in 2001. The industry has actually increased its share of total U.S. ad spending. The cable sector posted uninterrupted revenue growth during the recent downturn, as its greater reliance on subscriber revenues gives it a more defensive posture than broadcasters. Subscriptions remain the industry's primary revenue source, accounting for roughly 65% of the total, with advertising makes up the rest.

　　Our near-term outlook for cable remains tempered by heightened levels of geopolitical anxieties, though the Iraq war's end has alleviated their impact on advertising demand. Meanwhile, core subscription growth continues to be driven by robust rates of high-speed data sign-ups and by improved prospects for digital-video ancillary offerings like video-on-demand and high-definition TV.

　　We believe that successful media operators will continue to anticipate, rather than react to, the ever-changing dynamics of an increasingly competitive media environment. Even with increased regulatory surveillance, vertically and horizontally integrated media operators should begin to wield increasing competitive advantages as they leverage operating efficiencies and realize synergies across multiple delivery platforms.

　　46. From the first paragraph, we can see that Verizon’s announcement of price cuts ___________.

　　A. has produced a positive effect on S&P Cable and Broadcasting index.

　　B. will intensify the competition among Cable-TV operators in the near future

　　C. render aggressive price cuts from other cable outfits absolutely impossible

　　D. will make other cable operators offer multiple services like broadband

　　47. The author mentions the example of SBC to demonstrate that ___________________.

　　A. people at S&P are watching out for pressures of price cuts

　　B. the revenue of cable industry has been growing steadily

　　C. SBC’s undercutting affects cable broadband providers differently

　　D. price pressures overshadow the growth of cable broadband business

　　48. It can be inferred from the text that the economic slump _______________________.

　　A. dealt a greater blow to broadcasters for their dependence on ad spending

　　B. brought about a considerable downturn of U.S. advertising spending

　　C. slowed the revenue growth of cable operators during the recent downturn

　　D. kept the subscriptions for broadcasters at a lower level than cables

　　49. Which of the following will help create a bright outlook for cable ?

　　A. higher levels of geopolitical anxieties

　　B. prospects of intensive competition

　　C. war’s impact on advertising demand

　　D. vigorous rates of high-speed data sign-ups

　　50. It can be concluded from the passage that __________________.

　　A. media operators should be highly sensitive to intensifying competition

　　B. transaction between NWS and Hughes won’t pose a threat to media industry

　　C. integrated media operators have advantages in the competitive media world

　　D. regulatory surveillance helps operators leverage their operating efficiencies

　　Passage 3

　　This line of inquiry did not begin until earlier this month — more than three months after the accident — because there were “too many emotions, too many egos,” said retired Adm. Harold Gehman, chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

　　Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee, Gehman said this part of his inquiry was in its earliest stages, starting just 10 days ago. But Gehman said he already has concluded it is “inconceivable” that NASA would have been unable or unwilling to attempt a rescue for astronauts in orbit if senior shuttle managers and administrators had known there was fatal damage to Columbia’s left wing.

　　Gehman told reporters after the hearing that answers to these important questions could have enormous impact, since they could place in a different context NASA’s decisions against more aggressively checking possible wing damage in the days before Columbia’s fatal return.

　　Investigators believe breakaway insulating foam damaged part of Columbia’s wing shortly after liftoff, allowing superheated air to penetrate the wing during its fiery re-entry on Feb. 1 and melt it from the inside.

　　Among those decisions was the choice by NASA’s senior shuttle managers and administrators to reject offers of satellite images of possible damage to Columbia’s left wing before the accident. The subject dominated the early part of Wednesday’s hearing.

　　Gehman complained that managers and administrators “missed signals” when they rejected those offers for images, a pointedly harsh assessment of the space agency’s inaction during the 16-day shuttle mission.

　　“We will attempt to pin this issue down in our report, but there were a number of bureaucratic and administrative missed signals here,” Gehman told senators. “We’re not quite so happy with the process.”

　　The investigative board already had recommended that NASA push for better coordination between the space agency and military offices in charge of satellites and telescopes. The U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency in March agreed to regularly capture detailed satellite images of space shuttles in orbit.

　　Still, Gehman said it was unclear whether even images from America’s most sophisticated spy satellites might have detected on Columbia’s wing any damage, which Gehman said could have been as small as two inches square. The precise capabilities of such satellites was a sensitive topic during the Senate hearing.

　　51. Gehman believed that had its administrators known the damage to Columbia, NASA would ________________.

　　A. have managed the rescue of the astronauts orbiting the earth

　　B. still have been unable to conceive of any way to save the astronauts

　　C. have attempted to help the astronauts out of danger unwillingly

　　D. have succeeded in repairing the damaged left wing of the shuttle

　　52. What does the word “ they” ( paragraph 4, line 2) refer to ?

　　A. “questions” ( para. 4, line 1) B. “ answers” ( para. 4, line 1)

　　C. “ reporters” ( para. 4, line 1) D. “ investigators” ( para. 5, line 1)

　　53. Which of the following statements is true ?

　　A. Superheated air damaged the Columbia’s left wing shortly after liftoff.

　　B. NASA’s rejection of satellite images was one of the focuses of Wednesday’s hearing.

　　C. Gehman complained a lot about the harsh assessment of space agency’s inaction.

　　D. The Investigative Board is monitoring the coordination between NASA and NIMA

　　54. Which of the following can best describe Gehman’s attitude towards satellite images as mentioned in the passage ?

　　A. Indifferent B. Approving

　　C. Unclear D. Cautious

　　55. The best title for this passage could be __________________.

　　A. Gehman’s Comment on Columbia Accident

　　B. NASA’s Problems Exposed

　　C. An Inquiry into Columbia Accident

　　D. A Reflection on Shuttle’s Safety

　　Passage 4

　　Although recent years have seen substantial reductions in noxious pollutants from individual motor vehicles, the number of such vehicles has been steadily increasing. Consequently, more than 100 cities in the U.S. still have levels of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and ozone that exceed legally established limits. There is a growing realization that the only effective way to achieve further reduction in vehicle emissions---short of a massive shift away from the private automobile---is to replace conventional diesel fuel and gasoline with cleaner-burning fuel such as compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, ethanol, or methanol.

　　All of these alternatives are carbon-based fuels whose molecules are smaller and simpler than those of gasoline. These molecules burn more cleanly than gasoline, in part because they have fewer, if any, carbon-carbon bonds, and the hydrocarbons they do emit are less likely to generate ozone. The combustion of larger molecules, which have multiple carbon-carbon bonds, involves a more complex series of reactions. These reactions increase the probability of incomplete combustion and are more likely to release uncombusted and photochemically active hydrocarbon compounds into the atmosphere. On the other hand, alternative fuels do have drawbacks. Compressed natural gas would require that vehicles have a set of heavy fuel tanks---a serious liability in terms of performance and fuel efficiency---and liquefied petroleum gas faces fundamental limits on supply.

　　Ethanol and methanol, on the other hand, have important advantages over other carbon-based alternative fuels: they have a higher energy content per volume and would require minimal changes in the existing network for distributing motor fuel. Ethanol is commonly used as a gasoline supplement, but it is currently about twice as expensive as methanol, the low price of which is one of its attractive features. Methanol’s most attractive feature, however, is that it can reduce by about 90 percent the vehicle emissions that form ozone, the most serious urban air pollutant.

　　Like any alternative fuel, methanol has its critics. Yet much of the criticism is based on the use of “gasoline alone” vehicles that do not incorporate even the simplest design improvements that are made possible with the use of methanol. It is true, for example, that a given volume of methanol provides only about one-half of the energy that gasoline and diesel fuel do: other things being equal, the fuel tank would have to be somewhat larger and heavier. However, since methanol-fueled vehicles could be designed to be much more efficient than “ gasoline alone” vehicles fueled with methanol, they would need comparatively less fuel. Vehicles incorporating only the simplest of the engine improvements that methanol makes feasible would still contribute to an immediate lessening of urban air pollution.

　　56. The author is primarily concerned with ________________.

　　A. countering a flawed argument that dismisses a possible solution to a problem

　　B. reconciling contradictory points of view about the nature of a problem

　　C. identifying the strengths of possible solutions to a problem

　　D. discussing a problem and arguing in favor of one solution to it

　　57. The passage suggests which of the following about air pollution ?

　　A. Further attempts to reduce emission from gasoline-fueled vehicles will not help lower urban air-pollution level.

　　B. Attempts to reduce the pollutants that an individual gasoline-fueled vehicle emits have been largely unsuccessful.

　　C. Few serious attempts have been made to reduce the amount of pollutants emitted by gasoline-fueled vehicles.

　　D. Pollutants emitted by gasoline-fueled vehicles are not the most critical source of urban air pollution.

　　58. According to the passage, incomplete combustion is more likely to occur with gasoline because ______________________.

　　A. the combustion of gasoline releases photochemically active hydrocarbons

　　B. the combustion of gasoline involves an intricate series of reactions

　　C. gasoline molecules have fewer carbon-carbon bonds

　　D. gasoline is a carbon-based fuel with smaller molecules

　　59. It can be inferred from the passage that a vehicle specifically designed to use methanol for fuel would ____________________.

　　A. be somewhat lighter in total body weight than a conventional vehicle fueled with gasoline

　　B. have a larger and more powerful engine than a conventional vehicle fueled with gasoline

　　C. average more miles per gallon than a “ gasoline alone” vehicle fueled with methanol

　　D. have a larger and heavier fuel tank than a “ gasoline alone” vehicle fueled with methanol

　　60. The author would most probably regard the criticism of methanol as __________________.

　　A. inaccurate because it ignores consumer’s concerns

　　B. misguided because of its exclusively technological focus

　　C. flawed because of the assumption on which it is based

　　D. invalid because it reflects the personal bias of the critics

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