2009年英語(yǔ)專八真題及答案

1、In this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY Whilelistening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will needthem to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will begiven two minutes to

2、check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-fillingtask on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Writing Experimental ReportsI.Content of an experimental report, e.g.- study subject/ area- study purpose- _1_II.Presentation of an experimental report- providing detail

3、s- regarding readers as _2_III.Structure of an experimental report- feature: highly structured and _3_- sections and their content:INTRODUCTION _4_; why you did itMETHOD how you did itRESULT what you found out_5_ what you think it showsIV. Sense of readership- _6_: reader is the marker- _7_: reader

4、is an idealized, hypothetical, intelligent person with little knowledge of your study- tasks to fulfill in an experimental report:n introduction to relevant area necessary background informationnn development of clear arguments definition of technical termsn precisen description of data _8_V. Demand

5、s and expectations in report writing- early stage:n understanding of study subject/area and its implications basic grasp of then reports format- later stage: _9_ on researchn significance- things to avoid in writing INTRODUCTION: inadequaten material _10_ of research justification for the studynSECT

6、ION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer thequestions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10seconds to

7、answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the interview.1. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. Toastmasters was originally set up to train speaking skills.B. Toastmasters only accepts prospective professional speakers.C. Toastmasters accepts members from the general publi

8、c.D. Toastmasters is an exclusive club for professional speakers.2. The following are job benefits by joining Toastmasters EXCEPTA. becoming familiar with various means of communication.B. learning how to deliver messages in an organized way.C. becoming aware of audience expectations.D. learning how

9、 to get along with friends.3. Toastmasters general approach to training can be summarized asA. practice plus overall training.B. practice plus lectures.C. practice plus voice training.D. practice plus speech writing.4. Toastmasters aims to train people to be all the following EXCEPTA. public speaker

10、s.B. grammar teachers.C. masters of ceremonies.D. evaluators.5. The interview mainly focuses onA. the background information.B. the description of training courses.C. the requirements of public speaking.D. the overall personal growth.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything O

11、NCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer thequestions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 6 and 7 arebased on the foUowing news. At the end of the news item, you will begiven 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.6. Whic

12、h of the following is the main cause of global warming?A. Fossil fuel.B. Greenhouse gases.C. Increased dryness.D. Violent storm patterns.7. The news item implies that _ in the last report.A. there were fewer studies doneB. there were fewer policy proposalsC. there was less agreementD. there were few

13、er objectivesQuestions 8 and 9 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will begiven 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.8. The cause of the Indian train accident wasA. terrorist sabotage.B. yet to be determined.C. lack of communications.D. bad weather.

14、9. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. The accident occurred on a bridge.B. The accident occurred in New Delhi.C. There were about 600 casualties.D. Victims were rescued immediately.Question 10 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10seconds to an

15、swer the question.Now listen to the news.10. What is the main message of the news item?A. Young people should seek careers advice.B. Careers service needs to be improved.C. Businesses are not getting talented people.D. Careers advice is not offered on the Intemet. PART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 M

16、IN)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions.Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.TEXT AWe had been wanting to expand our childrens horizons by taking them to a place that was unlike anything wed been exp

17、osed to during our travels in Europe and the United States. In thinking about what was possible from Geneva, where we are based, we decided on a trip toIstanbul, a two-hour plane ride from Zurich.We envisioned the trip as a prelude to more exotic ones, perhaps to New Delhi or Bangkok later this year

18、, but thought our 11- and 13-year-olds needed a first step away from manicured boulevards and pristine monuments.What we didnt foresee was the reaction of friends, who warned that we were putting our children in danger, referring vaguely, and most incorrectly, to disease, terrorism or just the unkno

19、wn. To help us get acquainted with the peculiarities of Istanbul and to give our children a chance to choose what they were particularly interested in seeing, we bought an excellentguidebook and read it thoroughly before leaving.Friendly warnings didnt change our planning, although we might have mor

20、e prudently checked with the U.S. State Departments list of troublespots. We didnt see a lot of children among the foreign visitors during our six-day stay in Istanbul, but we found the tourist areas quite safe, very interesting and varied enough even to suit our son, whose oft-repeated request is t

21、hat we not see every single church and museum in a given city.Vaccinations werent needed for the city, but we were concemed about adapting to the water for a short stay. So we used bottled water for drinking and brushing our teeth, a precaution that may seem excessive, but we all stayed healthy.Taki

22、ng the advice of a friend, we booked a hotel a 20-minute walk from most of Istanbuls major tourist sites. This not only got us some morning exercise, strolling over the Karakoy Bridge, but took us past a colorful assortment of fishermen, vendors and shoe shiners.From a teenager and pre-teens view, I

23、stanbul street life is fascinating since almost everything can be bought outdoors. They were at a good age to spend time wandering the labyrinth of the Spice Bazaar, where shops display mounds of pungent herbs in sacks. Doing thiswith younger children would be harder simply because the streets are s

24、o packed with people; itwould be easy to get lost.For our two, whose buying experience consisted of department stores and shopping mall boutiques, it was amazing to discover that you could bargain over price and perhaps end up with two of something for the price of one. They also learned to figure o

25、ut the relative value of the Turkish lira, not a small matter with its many zeros.Being exposed to Islam was an important part of our trip. Visiting the mosques, especially the enormous Blue Mosque, was our first glimpse into how this major religion is practiced. Our childrens curiosity already had

26、been piqued by the five daily calls to prayer over loudspeakers in every corner of the city, and the scarves covering the heads of many women.Navigating meals can be troublesome with children, but a kebab, bought on the street or in restaurants, was unfailingly popular. Since we had decided this tri

27、p was not for gourmets, kebabs spared us the agony of trying to find a restaurant each day that would suit the adults desire to try something new amid childrens insistence that the food be served immediately. Gradually, webranched out to try some other Turkish specialties.Although our son had studie

28、d Islam briefly, it is impossible to be prepared for every awkward question that might come up, such as during our visits to the Topkapi Sarayi, the Ottoman Sultans palace. No guides were available so it was do-it-yourself, using our guidebook,which cheated us of a lot of interesting history and ane

29、cdotes that a professional guide could provide. Next time, we resolved to make such arrangements in advance.On this trip, we wandered through the magnificent complex, with its imperial treasures, its courtyards and its harem. The last required a bit of explanation that we would have happily lefto a

30、learned third party.11. The couple chose Istanbul as their holiday destination mainly becauseA. the city is not too far away from where they lived.B. the city is not on the list of the U.S. State Department.C. the city is between the familiar and the exotic.D. the city is more familiar than exotic.1

31、2. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. The family found the city was exactly what they had expected.B. Their friends were opposed to their holiday plan.C. They could have been more cautious about bringing kids along.D. They were a bit cautious about the quality of water in the city.13.

32、 We learn from the couples shopping experience back home thatA. they were used to bargaining over price.B. they preferred to buy things outdoors.C. street markets were their favourite.D. they preferred fashion and brand names.14. The last two paragraphs suggest that to visit places of interest in Is

33、tanbulA. guidebooks are very useful.B. a professional guide is a must.C. one has to be prepared for questions.D. one has to make arrangements in advance.15. The family have seen or visited all the following in Istanbul EXCEPTA. religious prayers.B. historical buildings.C. local-style markets.D. shop

34、ping mall boutiques.TEXT BLast month the first baby-boomers turned 60. The bulky generation born between 1946 and1964 is heading towards retirement. The looming demographic cliff will see vast numbers ofskilled workers dispatched from the labour force.The workforce is ageing across the rich world. W

35、ithin the EU the number of workers agedbetween 50 and 64 will increase by 25% over the next two decades, while those aged 20-29 willdecrease by 20%. In Japan almost 20% of the population is already over 65, the highest share inthe world. And in the United States the number of workers aged 55-64 will

36、 have increased bymore than half in this decade, at the same time as the 35- to 44-year-olds decline by 10%.Given that most societies are geared to retirement at around 65, companies have a loomingproblem of knowledge management, of making sure that the boomers do not leave before theyhave handed ov

37、er their expertise along with the office keys and their e-mail address. A survey ofhuman-resources directors by IBM last year concluded: When the baby-boomer generationretires, many companies will find out too late that a careers worth of experience has walked outthe door, leaving insufficient talen

38、t to fill in the void.Some also face a shortage of expertise. In aerospace and defence, for example, as much as40% of the workforce in some companies will be eligible to retire within the next five years. Atthe same time, the number of engineering graduates in developed countries is in steep decline

39、.A few companies are so squeezed that they are already taking exceptional measures. Earlierthis year the Los Angeles Times interviewed an enterprising Australian who was staying inBeverly Hills while he tried to persuade locals to emigrate to Toowoomba, Queensland, to workfor his engineering company

40、 there. Toowoomba today; the rest of the developed worldtomorrow?If you look hard enough, you can find companies that have begun to adapt the workplace toolder workers. The AARP, an American association for the over-50s, produces an annual list ofthe best employers of its members. Health-care firms

41、invariably come near the top because theyare one of the industries most in need of skilled labour. Other sectors similarly affected, says the Conference Board, include oil, gas, energy and government.Near the top of the AARPs latest list comes Deere & Company, a no-nonsenseindustrial-equipment manuf

42、acturer based in Illinois; about 35% of Deeres 46,000 employees areover 50 and a number of them are in their 70s. The tools it uses to achieve that - flexibleworking, telecommuting, and so forth - also coincidentaUy help older workers to extend theirworking lives. The company spends a lot of time on

43、 the ergonomics of its factories, makingjobs there less tiring, which enables older workers to stay at them for longer.Likewise, for more than a decade, Toyota, arguably the worlds most advancedmanufacturer, has adapted its workstations to older workers. The shortage of skilled labouravailable to th

44、e automotive industry has made it unusually keen to recruit older workers. BMWrecently set up a factory in Leipzig that expressly set out to employ people over the age of 45.Needs must when the devil drives.Other firms are polishing their alumni networks. IBM uses its network to recruit retiredpeopl

45、e for particular projects. Ernst & Young, a professional-services firm, has about 30,000registered alumni, and about 25% of its experienced new recruits are former employees whoreturn after an absence.But such examples are unusual. A survey in America last month by Ernst & Young foundthat although c

46、orporate America foresees a significant workforce shortage as boomers retire, itis not dealing with the issue. Almost three-quarters of the 1,400 global companies questionedby Deloitte last year said they expected a shortage of salaried staff over the next three to fiveyears. Yet few of them are loo

47、king to older workers to fill that shortage; and even fewer arelooking to them to fill another gap that has already appeared. Many firms in Europe and Americacomplain that they struggle to find qualified directors for their boards - this when the pool ofretired talent from those very same firms is g

48、rowing by leaps and bounds.Why are firms not working harder to keep old employees? Part of the reason is that thecrunch has been beyond the horizon of most managers. Nor is hanging on to older workers theonly way to cope with a falling supply of labour. The participation of developing countries in t

49、he world economy has increased the overall supply - whatever the local effect of demographics inthe rich countries. A vast amount of work is being sent offshore to such places as China andIndia and more will go in future. Some countries, such as Australia, are relaxing theirimmigration policies to a

50、llow much needed skills to come in from abroad. Others will avoid theneed for workers by spending money on machinery and automation.16. According to the passage, the most serious consequence of baby-boomers approachingretirement would beA. a loss of knowledge and experience to many companies.B. a de

51、crease in the number of 35- to 44- year-olds.C. a continuous increase in the number of 50-to 64-year-olds.D. its impact on the developed world whose workforce is ageing.17. The following are all the measures that companies have adopted to cope with the ageingworkforce EXCEPTA. making places of work

52、accommodate the needs of older workers.B. using alumni networks to hire retired former employees.C. encouraging former employees to work overseas.D. granting more convenience in working hours to older workers.18. The company spends a lot of time on the ergonomics of its factories (Paragraph Seven)me

53、ans thatA. the company attaches great importance to the layout of its factories.B. the company improves the working conditions in its factories.C. the company attempts to reduce production costs of its factories.D. the company intends to renovate its factories and update equipment.19. In the authors

54、 opinion American firms are not doing anything to deal with the issue of theageing workforce mainly becauseA. they have not been aware of the problem.B. they are reluctant to hire older workers.C. they are not sure of what they should do.D. they have other options to consider.20. Which of the follow

55、ing best describes the authors development of argument?A. introducing the issue-citing ways to deal with the issue-describing the actualstatus-offering reasons.B. describing the actual status- introducing the issue-citing ways to deal with theissue-offering reasons.C. citing ways to deal with the is

56、sue-introducing the issue-describing the actualstatus-offering reasons.D. describing the actual status-offering reasons-introducing the issue-citing ways todeal with the issue. TEXT C (1) The other problem that arises from the employment of women is that of the working wife.It has two aspects: that

57、of the wife who is more of a success than her husband and that of the wife who must rely heavily on her husband for help with domestic tasks. There are various ways in which the impact of the first difficulty can be reduced. Provided that husband and wife are not in the same or directly comparable lines of work, the harsh fact of her greater success can be obscured by a genial conspiracy to reject a purely monetary measure of achievement as intolerably crude. Where there are ranks, it is best if the couple work in different fields so that the husband can find some special reason