英語六級真題含答案

2004.062004.06PassageOneQuestions21to25arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Itwastheworsttragedyinmaritime(航海的)history,sixtimesmoredeadlythantheTitanic.WhentheGermancruiseshipWilhelmGustloffwashitbytorpedoes(魚雷)firedfromaRussiansubmarineinthefinalwinterofWorldWarII,morethan10,000people-mostlywomen,childrenandoldpeoplefleeingthefinalRedArmypushintoNaziGermany-werepackedaboard.Anicestormhadturnedthedecksintofrozensheetsthatsenthundredsoffamiliesslidingintotheseaastheshiptiltedandbegantogodown.Othersdesperatelytriedtoputlifeboatsdown.Somewhosucceededfoughtoffthoseinthewaterwhohadthestrengthtotrytoclawtheirwayaboard.Mostpeoplefrozeimmediately.Tllneverforgetthescreams,"saysChristaNtitzmann,87,oneofthe1,200survivors.Sherecallswatchingtheship,brightlylit,slippingintoitsdarkgrave-andintoseemingnothingness,rarelymentionedformorethanhalfacentury.NowGermany'sNobelPrize-winningauthorGtinterGrasshasrevivedthememoryofthe9,000dead,includingmorethan4,000children-withhislatestnovelCrabWalk,publishedlastmonth.Thebook,whichwillbeoutinEnglishnextyear,doesn'tdwellonthesinking;itsheroineisapregnantyoungwomanwhosurvivesthecatastropheonlytosaylater:"Nobodywantedtohearaboutit,nothereintheWest(ofGermany)andnotatallintheEast."Thereasonwasobvious.AsGrassputitinarecentinterviewwiththeweeklyDieWoche:"BecausethecrimesweGermansareresponsibleforwereandaresodominant,wedidn'thavetheenergylefttotellofourownsufferings.''ThelongsilenceaboutthesinkingoftheWilhelmGustloffwasprobablyunavoidable-andnecessary.Byunreservedlyowninguptotheircountry'smonstrouscrimesintheSecondWorldWar,Germanshavemanagedtowinacceptanceabroad,marginalize(使...不得勢 )theneo-Nazisathomeandmakepeacewiththeirneighbors.Today'sunifiedGermanyismoreprosperousandstablethanatanytimeinitslong,troubledhistory.Forthat,ahalfcenturyofwillfulforgettingaboutpainfulmemoriesliketheGermanTitanicwasperhapsareasonablepricetopay.ButeventhemostpoliticallycorrectGermansbelievethatthey'yenowearnedtherighttodiscussthefullhistoricalrecord.NottoequateGermansufferingwiththatofitsvictims,butsimplytoacknowledgeaterribletragedy.WhydoestheauthorsaythesinkingoftheWilhelmGustloffwastheworsttragedyinmaritimehistory?ItwasattackedbyRussiantorpedoes.Mostofitspassengerswerefrozentodeath.Itsvictimsweremostlywomenandchildren.Itcausedthelargestnumberofcasualties.HundredsoffamiliesdroppedintotheseawhenastrongicestormtiltedtheshipthecruiseshipsankallofasuddenthebadlydamagedshipleanedtowardonesidethefrightenedpassengersfoughtdesperatelyforlifeboatsTheWilhelmGustlofftragedywaslittletalkedaboutformorethanhalfacenturybecauseGermanswereeagertowininternationalacceptancefeltguiltyfortheircrimesinWorldWarIIadbeenpressuredtokeepsilentaboutitwereafraidofoffendingtheirneighborsHowdoesGunterGrassrevivethememoryoftheWilhelmGustlofftragedy?Bypresentingthehorriblesceneofthetorpedoattack.Bydescribingtheship'ssinkingingreatdetail.BygivinganinterviewtotheweeklyDieWoche.Bydepictingthesurvivalofayoungpregnantwoman.ItcanbelearnedfromthepassagethatGermansnolongerthinkthattheywillbemisunderstoodiftheytalkabouttheWilhelmGustlofftragedytheWilhelmGustlofftragedyisareasonablepricetopayforthenation'spastmisdeedsC)GermanyisresponsibleforthehorriblecrimesitcommittedinWorldWarIIitiswrongtoequatetheirsufferingswiththoseofothercountriesPassageTwoQuestions26to30arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Giventhelackoffitbetweengiftedstudentsandtheirschools,itisnotsurprisingthatsuchstudentsoftenhavelittlegoodtosay'abouttheirschoolexperience.Inonestudyof400adulwhohadachieveddistinctioninallareasoflife,researchersfoundthatthree-fifthsoftheseindividualseitherdidbadlyinschoolorwereunhappyinschool.FewMacArthurPrizefellows,winnersoftheMacArthurAwardforcreativeaccomplishment,hadgoodthingstosayabouttheirprecollegiateschoolingiftheyhadnotbeenplacedinadvancedprograms.Anecdotal(名人軼事 )reportssupportthis.PabloPicasso,CharlesDarwin,MarkTwain,OliverGoldsmith,andWilliamButlerYeatsalldislikedschool.SodidWinstonChurchill,whoalmostfailedoutofHarrow,aneliteBritishschool.AboutOliverGoldsmith,oneofhisteachersremarked,"Neverwassodullaboy."Oftenthesechildrenrealizethattheyknowmorethantheirteachers,andtheirteachersoftenfeelthatthesechildrenarearrogant,inattentive,orunmotivated.Someofthesegiftedpeoplemayhavedonepoorlyinschoolbecausetheir,giftswerenotscholastic.MaybewecanaccountforPicassointhisway.Butmostfaredpoorlyinschoolnotbecausetheylackedabilitybutbecausetheyfoundschoolunchallengingandconsequentlylostinterest.Yeatsdescribedthelackoffitbetweenhismindandschool:"BecauseIhadfounditdifficulttoattendtoanythinglessinterestingthanmyownthoughts,Iwasdifficulttoteach."Asnotedearlier,giftedchildrenofallkindstendtobestrong-willednonconformists.Nonconformityandstubbornness(andYeats'slevelofarroganceandself-absorption)arelikelytoleadtoConflictswithteachers.Whenhighlygiftedstudentsinanydomaintalkaboutwhatwasimportanttothedevelopmentoftheirabilities,theyarefarmorelikelytomentiontheirfamiliesthantheirschoolsorteachers.Awritingprodigy(神童)studiedbyDavidFeldmanandLynnGoldsmithwastaughtfarmoreaboutwritingbyhisjournalistfatherthanhisEnglishteacher.High-IQchildren,inAustraliastudiedbyMiracaGrosshadmuchmorepositivefeelingsabouttheirfamiliesthantheirschools.AbouthalfofthemathematiciansstudiedbyBenjaminBloomhadlittlegoodtosayaboutschool.Theyalldidwellinschoolandtookhonorsclasseswhenavailable,andsomeskippedgrades.Themainpointtheauthorismakingaboutschoolsisthattheyshouldsatisfytheneedsofstudentsfromdifferentfamilybackgroundstheyareoftenincapableofcateringtotheneedsoftalentedstudentstheyshouldorganizetheirclassesaccordingtothestudents'abilitytheyshouldenrollasmanygiftedstudentsaspossibleTheauthorquotestheremarksofoneofOliverGoldsmith'steacherstoprovidesupportforhisargumenttoillustratethestrongwillofsomegiftedchildrentoexplainhowdullstudentscanalsobesuccessfultoshowhowpoorOliver'sperformancewasatschoolPabloPicassoislistedamongthemanygiftedchildrenwhopaidnoattentiontotheirteachersinclasscontradictedtheirteachersmuchtoooftencouldnotcopewiththeirstudiesatschoolsuccessfullybehavedarrogantlyandstubbornlyinthepresenceoftheirteachersManygiftedpeopleattributedtheirsuccess.mainlytoparentalhelpandtheireducationathomebothtoschoolinstructionandtotheirparents'coachingmoretotheirparents'encouragementthantoschooltraininglesstotheirsystematiceducationthantotheirtalentTherootcauseofmanygiftedstudentshavingbadmemoriesoftheirschoolyearsisthattheirnonconformitybroughtthemalotoftroubletheywereseldompraisedbytheirteachersschoolcoursesfailedtoinspireormotivatethemteacherswereusuallyfarstricterthantheirparentsPassageThreeQuestions31to35arebasedonthefollowingpassage,Whenweworryaboutwhomightbespyingonourprivatelives,weusuallythinkabouttheFederalagents.Buttheprivatesectoroutdoesthegovernmenteverytime.It'sLindaTripp,nottheFBI,whoisfacingchargesunderMaryland'slawsagainstsecrettelephonetaping.It'sourbanks,nottheInternalRevenueService(IRS),thatpassourprivatefinancialdatatotelemarketingfin'ms.ConsumeractivistsarepressingCongressforbetterprivacylawswithoutmuchresultsofar.Thelegislatorsleantowardlettingbusinesspeopletrackourfinancialhabitsvirtuallyatwill.Asanexampleofwhat'sgoingon,considerU.S.Bancorp,whichwasrecentlysuedfordeceptivepracticesbythestateofMinnesota.Accordingtothelawsuit,thebanksuppliedatelemarketercalledMemberWorkswithsensitivecustomerdatasuchasnames,,ph'onenumbers,bank-accountandcredit-cardnumbers,SocialSecuritynumbers,accountbalancesandcreditlimits.Withthesecustomerlistsinhand,MemberWorksstarteddialingfordollars-sellingdentalplans,videogames,computersoftwareandotherproductsandservices.Customerswhoaccepteda"freetrialoffer"had,30daystocancel.Ifthedeadlinepassed,theywerechargedautomaticallythroughtheirbankorcredit-cardaccounts.U.S.Bancorpcollectedashareoftherevenues.Customersweredoublydeceived,thelawsuitclaims.They.didn'tknowthatthebankwasgivingaccountnumberstoMemberWorks.Andifcustomersasked,theywereledtothinktheanswerwasno.ThestatesuedMemberWorksseparatelyfordeceptiveselling.Thecompanyde'hiesthatitdidanythingwrong.Foritspart,U.S.Bancorpsettledwithoutadmittinganymistakes.Butitagreedtostopexposingitscustomerstononfinancialproductssoldbyoutsidefirms.Afewtopbanksdecidedtodothesame.ManyotherbankswillstilldobusinesswithMemberWorksandsimilarfirms.Andbankswillstillbeminingdatafromyouraccountinordertosellyoufinancialproducts,includingthingsoflittlevalue,suchascreditinsuranceandcredit-cardprotectionplans.Youhavealmostnoprotectionfrombusinessesthatuseyourpersonalaccountsforprofit.Forexample,nofederallawshields"transactionandexperience"information-mainlythedetailsofyourbankandcredit-cardaccounts.SocialSecuritynumbersareforsalebyprivatefa'ms.They'vegenerallyagreednottoselltothepublic.Buttobusinesses,thenumbersareanopenbook.Selfregulationdoesn'twork.Afirmmightpublishaprivacy-protectionpolicy,butwhoenforcesit?TakeU.S.Bancorpagain.Customersweretold,inwriting,that"allpersonalinformationyousupplytouswillbeconsideredconfidential."ThenitsoldyourdatatoMemberWorks.Thebankevenclaimsthatitdoesn't"sell"yourdataatall.Itmerely"shares"itandreapsaprofit.Nowyouknow.Contrarytopopularbelief,theauthorfindsthatspyingonpeople'sprivacyismainlycarriedoutbymeansofsecrettapinghasbeenintensifiedwiththehelpoftheIRSispracticedexclusivelybytheFBIismoreprevalentinbusinesscirclesWeknowfromthepassagethatlegislatorsareactingtopassalawtoprovidebetterprivacyprotectionmoststatesareturningablindeyetothedeceptivepracticesofprivatebusinessesthestateofMinnesotaisconsideringdrawinguplawstoprotectprivateinformationlawmakersareinclinedtogiveafreehandtobusinessestoinquireintocustomers'buyinghabitsWhenthe"freetrial"deadlineisover,you'llbechargedwithoutnoticeforaproductorserviceifyoufailtocancelitwithinthespecifiedperiodyouhappentorevealyourcreditcardnumberyoufindtheproductorserviceunsatisfactoryyoufailtoapplyforextensionofthedeadlineBusinessesdonotregardinformationconcerningpersonalbankaccountsasprivatebecauseitsrevelationwilldonoharmtoconsumersunderthecurrentprotectionpolicyitisconsidered"transactionandexperience"informationunprotectedbylawithasalwaysbeenconsideredanopensecretbythegeneralpublicitssalecanbebroughtundercontrolthroughself-regulationWecaninferfromthepassagethatbankswillhavetochangetheirwaysofdoingbusinessprivacyprotectionlawswillsoonbeenforcedconsumers'privacywillcontinuetobeinvaded"freetrial"practicewilleventuallybebannedPassageFourQuestions36to40arebasedonthefollowingpassage.It'shardlynewsthattheimmigrationsystemisamess.Foreignnationalshavelongbeenslippingacrosstheborderwithfakepapers,andvisitorswhoarriveintheU.S.legitimatelyoftenoverstaytheirlegalwelcomewithoutbeingpunished.ButsinceSept.11,it'sbecomeclearthatterroristshavebeenshrewdlyfactoringtheweaknessesofoursystemintotheirplans.Inadditiontotheirmasteryofforgingpassports,atleastthreeofthe19Sept.11hijackers(劫機者)werehereonexpiredvisas.That'sbeenasafebetuntilnow.TheImmigrationandNaturalizationService(INS)(移民歸化局 )lackstheresources,andapparentlytheinclination,tokeeptrackoftheestimated2millionforeignerswhohaveintentionallyoverstayedtheirwelcome.Butthislaxness(馬虎)towardimmigrationfraudmaybeabouttochange.Congresshasalreadytakensomemodeststeps.TheU.S.A.PatriotAct,passedinthewakeoftheSept.11tragedy,requirestheFBI,theJusticeDepartment,theStateDepartmentandtheINStosharemoredata,whichwillmakeiteasiertostopwatch-listedterroristsattheborder.Butwhat'sreallyneeded,criticssay,iseventougherlawsandmoreresourcesaimedattighteningupbordersecurity.Reformersarecallingforarollbackofrulesthathinderlawenforcement.TheyalsowanttheINStohirehundredsmoreborderpatrolagentsandinvestigatorstokeepillegalimmigrantsoutandtotrackthemdownoncethey'rehere.ReformersalsowanttoseetheINSsetupadatabasetomonitorwhethervisaholdersactuallyleavethecountrywhentheyarerequiredto.Alltheseproposedchangeswerepartofanewborder-securitybillthatpassedtheHouseofRepresentativesbutdiedintheSenatelastweek.BeforeSept.11,legislationofthiskindhadbeenblockedbytwopowerfullobbies:universities,whichrelyontuitionfromforeignstudentswhocouldbekeptoutbythenewlaw,andbusiness,whichreliesonforeignersforcheaplabor.Sincetheattacks,they'vebackedoff.Thebillwouldhavepassedthistimebutforcongressionalmaneuveringsandisexpectedtobereintroducedandtopassnextyear.Alsoontheagendafornextyear:aproposal,backedbysomeinfluentiallaw-makers,tosplittheINSintotwoagencies-agoodcopthatwouldtendtoservicefunctionslikeprocessingcitizenshippapersandabadcopthatwouldconcentrateonborderinspections,deportationandotherfunctions.Onereasonforthedivision,supporterssay,isthattheINShasinrecentyearsbecometoofocusedonservingtouristsandimmigrants.AftertheSept.l1tragedy,theINSshould