Section III Reading Comprehension
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.
4. 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
Section III Reading Comprehension
第一篇：
那些想成为新闻工作者的年轻人问我他们毕业后该学什么专业时，我会和他们说：“什么都行就是别学新闻学和媒体研究。” 大多数干我们这行的资深人士都会这样说。这是个实际的建议：很明显，报纸的编辑们乐于雇佣会给我们称之为工作的这一方带来其他的知识而并不是媒体知识的人。
举例来说，在《每日电讯报》，伦敦观察栏目的编辑是个科班出身的神学家，讣告编辑是个哲学家。我们的学生杂志《汁》的编辑是学物理的，至于我，我是公费读古代史和现代史的。
我不清楚我们的教育部长Charles Clarke是怎么理解这些的。如果我猜得没错，他会想国家花在《每日电讯报》编辑身上的学习各种学科的钱是极大的浪费。在上述谈及的学科中唯一的一个他会全心全意支持的是物理学，即使是这样，他可能又会想，Simon Hogg不去设计飞机或是核反应堆而去编辑《汁》是极大的浪费。他或许是认为任何由政府出资学习的学科都该有造福社会和国家经济的直接实际的功用。
令人震惊的是司掌我国教育的官员会这样狭隘不明智的看问题。事实上，无论是否以直接明显的方式，所有的学科都造福社会和经济。它们教学生思考，处理信息，分清孰轻孰重孰是孰非。一个允许学术研究学术思想繁荣的国家显然要比一个没有任何“装饰物”，钱和实用就是一切的国家更有趣，更令人兴奋，更适合人居。
Clarke先生说英国大学里教的大多没有用当然是有道理的，但是无用的原因不是它缺少经济效用。正如显著的退学率所证实的，没用是因为它没能通过对高校教学的第一个考验 —— 高校教学应当激起学生的兴趣。只有学生自己认为他们的课程是在浪费时间和金钱，那么这些课程才是真的没有用。
解决的方法不是取消对人文学科的资助，而是为愿意学行业知识的学生提供短期而实用的职业课程，为愿意追求学科知识的学生保留大学。这种方式可以节省大量的资金，喜欢学术研究的学生和不太喜欢学术研究的学生都可以从中受益。而Clarke先生所提议的是种文化破坏行为，它会夺走将英国称作是文明国家的所有权利。
第二篇
在Verizon五月初宣布对其数字线路 — 因特网接入服务的用户资费进行大幅降价之后，Standard & Poor对有线电视运营商保持审慎态度。我们对S&P有线和传播指数，这一指数也包括无线电视播出和收音机广播的股票，的总体预测大致持肯定态度。有线运营商目前已不再考虑对宽带服务进行明显的价格战。然而他们希望在保护自己的快速增长的因特网接入业务方面做出一些短期的回应，如增加捆绑服务，延长免费使用月，更加大张旗鼓的营销和促销，甚至是对提供宽带等多种服务的全套有线设备进行小幅降价。
数字有线和高速数据服务方面的持续快速增长有助于保持有线行业收入增长。在S&P我们对价格在有线宽带运营的长短期经济局面上的压力怀有顾虑。有小贝尔之称的SBS电信在很多主要市场降价同有线运营商竞争，这使我们的担心尤甚。
在传统商业领域，经过了2001年显著的经济衰退，美国的有线运营商们仍然可以从广告投入的小幅反弹中受益。实际上它在全美广告业收入中占的比重已经增加了。有线行业在最近的经济滑坡中公布了其收入增长未受影响，同广播行业相比它的收入大多来自于有线用户,这是它可以更好的抵御经济萧条的原因。有线用户费是它的主要收入来源，约占总收入的65%，其余的才来自广告收入。
尽管伊拉克战争的结束减轻了地理国家政治的焦虑对广告业的影响，但是我们对有线行业的近期预测仍然掺进了对地理国家政治的担忧。与此同时，高速信息服务购买的猛增，电影点播之类的数字电影附属服务和高清晰电视的前景的看好使得有线用户大量的增长。
我相信成功的媒体运营商会继续参与而不是应付竞争愈加激烈的媒体环境的未知的发展。即使规范性的监控有所加强，纵横联系着的媒体运营商也应当利用激烈的竞争的优势，改善工作效率，认识到跨越多种服务平台合作的重要。
第三篇
在事故发生后的三个多月也就是本月初，这宗调查才开始，原因是有“太多的情绪和自负”，哥伦比亚事故调查委员会的主席Harold Gehman如是说道。
在参议院商业委员会前作证时，Gehman说他的这部分调查开始的最早，始于十天之前。但是他已经做出了一个结论：如果说宇航局的高级管理官员们知道了哥伦比亚宇宙飞船的左翼有致命的故障存在，而美国航空航天总署却不愿或不能对进入道的宇航员采取营救行动，这是不能令人信服的。
Gehman于听证会后告诉记者，既然他们会把宇航局反对在哥伦比亚宇宙飞船返航前仔细检查可能出现的侧翼故障的决定放在一个不同的情形下考察，那么关于一些重要问题的答案就可能会产生巨大的影响。
调察人员认为飞船起飞后不久隔热泡沫从飞船的破损处流失，这导致了二月一日飞船返航时过热的空气穿过飞船的侧翼引起大火并在内部融化了飞船的事故。
在这些决定中包括宇航局管理官员拒绝接受所给的关于哥伦比亚飞船左翼的隐患的卫星照片的决定，这一主题占据了周三听证会的前期部分。
Gehman抱怨说管理官员在拒绝所给的照片时错失了故障的征兆，这是对宇航局在１６天的飞船航行期间的做事不利的直接尖刻的评价。
Gehman告诉参议员：“我们将把这件事详细的写进我们的报告，但是这里却有些官僚和管理者对此不在意，我们对这事的进程不甚满意。”
调查委员会曾建议航空航天总署促成宇航局和掌管卫星和望远镜的军方部门间更好的合作。美国国家图像和测绘部在三月份已同意定期为轨道上运行的飞船进行详细的拍照。
来自于美国军方最先进的间谍卫星的照片是否能检测出哥伦比亚飞船侧翼上的两英寸大小的破损，Gehman对此仍旧不敢肯定。这样的卫星到底有什么样的能力是听证会上的敏感话题。
第四篇
尽管近几年里私有机动车的有毒污染物的排放已大幅度的减少，但是私家车的数量却在稳步的增加。因此美国有100多个城市的一氧化碳，粉尘和臭氧的浓度超过法定标准。人们逐渐意识到，只要不是大量的减少私车的使用量，那么进一步减少汽车排放的唯一有效办法就是用压缩天然气，液化石油气，乙醇或甲醇等更加干净的燃料来替代传统的柴油和汽油。
这些替代燃料都是含碳的，他们的分子要比汽油类的燃料的分子小并且简单。他们的分子燃烧要比汽油干净的一部分原因是他们所含的碳链少，他们燃烧后释放的碳氢化合物不太可能产生臭氧。含有多条碳链的大分子的燃烧包含着一系列的复杂反应，这些反应增加了不充分燃烧的可能性，更有可能向大气释放未燃烧的碳氢化合物和具有光化学活性的碳氢化合物。另一方面，替代燃料也有不足之处：压缩天然气要求机车有一套很重的燃料箱，这样机车的性能和燃料的效率就会不好；而液化天然气要受到供应的制约。
然而乙醇和甲醇要比其它的含碳替代燃料更有优势：它们每单位体积所含的能量更高，它们只需对机车内现有燃料传输通路进行微小的改变。乙醇通常作为汽油的补充，但它要比甲醇贵近两倍。甲醇的廉价只是它吸引人的一个方面，它最吸引人之处在于它可以减少90%形成城市最严重的污染物——臭氧的汽车尾气。
就像其他的替代燃料一样，甲醇也受到了批评。不过对它的批评是基于使用那些无法为使用甲醇进行最简单的设计改进而只能用汽油的车辆之上的。没错，定量的甲醇所提供的能量大约只是汽油和柴油的一半，这就意味着其他条件相同时，甲醇的燃料箱就该更大更重些。不过，既然以甲醇为燃料的机车能设计得比那些只能使用汽油却以甲醇为燃料的机车更有效率，那么这种机车消耗的甲醇就会相对的减少。能够为使用甲醇进行最少的发动机的改动的机车会在不久的将来为减少空气污染做出贡献。
答案：AABDC BDADC ABBDC DABCC
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