Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 1

Every Saturday morning, at 9 am, more than 50,000 runners set off to run 5km around their local park. The Parkrun phenomenon began with a dozen friends and has inspired 400 events in the UK and more abroad. Events are free, staffed by thousands of volunteers. Runners range from four years old to grandparents; their times range from Andrew Baddeley’s world record 13 minutes 48 seconds up to an hour.

Parkrun is succeeding where London’s Olympic “legacy” is failing. Ten years ago on Monday, it was announced that the Games of the 30th Olympiad would be in London. Planning documents pledged that the great legacy of the Games would be to level a nation of sport lovers away from their couches. The population would be fitter, healthier and produce more winners. It has not happened. The number of adults doing weekly sport did rise, by nearly 2 million in the run—up to 2012—but the general population was growing faster. Worse, the numbers are now falling at an accelerating rate. The opposition claims primary school pupils doing at least two hours of sport a week have nearly halved. Obesity has risen among adults and children. Official retrospections continue as to why London 2012 failed to “inspire a generation.” The success of Parkrun offers answers.

Parkun is not a race but a time trial: Your only competitor is the clock. The ethos welcomes anybody. There is as much joy over a puffed-out first-timer being clapped over the line as there is about top talent shining. The Olympic bidders, by contrast, wanted to get more people doing sports and to produce more elite athletes. The dual aim was mixed up: The stress on success over taking part was intimidating for newcomers.

Indeed, there is something a little absurd in the state getting involved in the planning of such a fundamentally “grassroots”, concept as community sports associations. If there is a role for government, it should really be getting involved in providing common goods—making sure there is space for playing fields and the money to pave tennis and netball courts, and encouraging the provision of all these activities in schools. But successive governments have presided over selling green spaces, squeezing money from local authorities and declining attention on sport in education. Instead of wordy, worthy strategies, future governments need to do more to provide the conditions for sport to thrive. Or at least not make them worse.

21. According to Paragraph1, Parkrun has .

[A] gained great popularity

[B] created many jobs

[C] strengthened community ties

[D] become an official festival

【答案】[A] gained great popularity

22. The author believes that London’s Olympic“legacy” has failed to .

[A] boost population growth

[B] promote sport participation

[C] improve the city’s image

[D] increase sport hours in schools

【答案】[B] promote sport participation

23. Parkrun is different from Olympic games in that it .

[A] aims at discovering talents

[B] focuses on mass competition

[C] does not emphasize elitism

[D] does not attract first-timers

【答案】[C] does not emphasize elitism

24. With regard to mass sport, the author holds that governments should .

[A] organize “grassroots” sports events

[B] supervise local sports associations

[C] increase funds for sports clubs

[D] invest in public sports facilities

【答案】[D] invest in public sports facilities

25. The author’s attitude to what UK governments have done for sports is .

[A] tolerant

[B] critical

[C] uncertain

[D] sympathetic

【答案】[B] critical

Text 2

With so much focus on children’s use of screens, it’s easy for parents to forget about their own screen use. “Tech is designed to really suck on you in,” says Jenny Radesky in her study of digital play, “and digital products are there to promote maximal engagement. It makes it hard to disengage, and leads to a lot of bleed-over into the family routine. ”

Radesky has studied the use of mobile phones and tablets at mealtimes by giving mother-child pairs a food-testing exercise. She found that mothers who sued devices during the exercise started 20 percent fewer verbal and 39 percent fewer nonverbal interactions with their children. During a separate observation, she saw that phones became a source of tension in the family. Parents would be looking at their emails while the children would be making excited bids for their attention.

Infants are wired to look at parents’ faces to try to understand their world, and if those faces are blank and unresponsive—as they often are when absorbed in a device—it can be extremely disconcerting foe the children. Radesky cites the “still face experiment” devised by developmental psychologist Ed Tronick in the 1970s. In it, a mother is asked to interact with her child in a normal way before putting on a blank expression and not giving them any visual social feedback; The child becomes increasingly distressed as she tries to capture her mother’s attention. “Parents don’t have to be exquisitely parents at all times, but there needs to be a balance and parents need to be responsive and sensitive to a child’s verbal or nonverbal expressions of an emotional need,” says Radesky.

On the other hand, Tronick himself is concerned that the worries about kids’ use of screens are born out of an “oppressive ideology that demands that parents should always be interacting” with their children: “It’s based on a somewhat fantasized, very white, very upper-middle-class ideology that says if you’re failing to expose your child to 30,000 words you are neglecting them.” Tronick believes that just because a child isn’t learning from the screen doesn’t mean there’s no value to it—particularly if it gives parents time to have a shower, do housework or simply have a break from their child. Parents, he says, can get a lot out of using their devices to speak to a friend or get some work out of the way. This can make them feel happier, which lets then be more available to their child the rest of the time.

26. According to Jenny Radesky, digital products are designed to ______.

[A] simplify routine matters

[B] absorb user attention

[C] better interpersonal relations

[D] increase work efficiency

【答案】[B] absorb user attention

27. Radesky’s food-testing exercise shows that mothers’ use of devices ______.

[A] takes away babies’ appetite

[B] distracts children’s attention

[C] slows down babies’ verbal development

[D] reduces mother-child communication

【答案】[D] reduces mother-child communication

28. Radesky’s cites the “still face experiment” to show that _______.

[A] it is easy for children to get used to blank expressions

[B] verbal expressions are unnecessary for emotional exchange

[C] children are insensitive to changes in their parents’ mood

[D] parents need to respond to children’s emotional needs

【答案】[D] parents need to respond to children’s emotional needs

29. The oppressive ideology mentioned by Tronick requires parents to_______.

[A] protect kids from exposure to wild fantasies

[B] teach their kids at least 30,000 words a year

[C] ensure constant interaction with their children

[D] remain concerned about kid’s use of screens

【答案】[C] ensure constant interaction with their children

30. According to Tronick, kid’s use of screens may_______.

[A] give their parents some free time

[B] make their parents more creative

[C] help them with their homework

[D] help them become more attentive

【答案】[A] give their parents some free time

Text 3

Robert F. Kennedy once said that a country’s GDP measures “everything except that which makes life worthwhile.” With Britain voting to leave the European Union, and GDP already predicted to slow as a result, it is now a timely moment to assess what he was referring to.

The question of GDP and its usefulness has annoyed policymakers for over half a century. Many argue that it is a flawed concept. It measures things that do not matter and misses things that do. By most recent measures, the UK’s GDP has been the envy of the Western world, with record low unemployment and high growth figures. If everything was going so well, then why did over 17 million people vote for Brexit, despite the warnings about what it could do to their country’s economic prospects?

A recent annual study of countries and their ability to convert growth into well-being sheds some light on that question. Across the 163 countries measured, the UK is one of the poorest performers in ensuring that economic growth is translated into meaningful improvements for its citizens. Rather than just focusing on GDP, over 40 different sets of criteria from health, education and civil society engagement have been measured to get a more rounded assessment of how countries are performing.

While all of these countries face their own challenges , there are a number of consistent themes . Yes , there has been a budding economic recovery since the 2008 global crash , but in key indicators in areas such as health and education , major economies have continued to decline . Yet this isn’t the case with all countries . Some relatively poor European countries have seen huge improvements across measures including civil society , income equality and the environment.

This is a lesson that rich countries can learn : When GDP is no longer regarded as the sole measure of a country’s success, the world looks very different .

So, what Kennedy was referring to was that while GDP has been the most common method for measuring the economic activity of nations , as a measure , it is no longer enough . It does not include important factors such as environmental quality or education outcomes – all things that contribute to a person’s sense of well-being.

The sharp hit to growth predicted around the world and in the UK could lead to a decline in the everyday services we depend on for our well-being and for growth . But policymakers who refocus efforts on improving well-being rather than simply worrying about GDP figures could avoid the forecasted doom and may even see progress .

31.Robert F. Kennedy is cited because he

[A]praised the UK for its GDP.

[B]identified GDP with happiness .

[C]misinterpreted the role of GDP .

[D]had a low opinion of GDP .

【答案】[D] had a low opinion of GDP

32.It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that

[A]the UK is reluctant to remold its economic pattern .

[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .

[C]the UK will contribute less to the world economy .

[D]policymakers in the UK are paying less attention to GDP .

【答案】[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .

33.Which of the following is true about the recent annual study ?

[A]It is sponsored by 163 countries .

[B]It excludes GDP as an indicator.

[C]Its criteria are questionable .

[D]Its results are enlightening .

【答案】[D]Its results are enlightening .

34.In the last two paragraphs , the author suggests that

[A]the UK is preparing for an economic boom .

[B]high GDP foreshadows an economic decline .

[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .

[D]it requires caution to handle economic issues .

【答案】[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .

35.Which of the following is the best title for the text ?

[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson

[B]GDP Figures, a Window on Global Economic Health

[C]Rebort F.Kennedy, a Terminator of GDP

[D]Brexit, the UK’s Gateway to Well-being

【答案】[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson

Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 4

In a rare unanimous ruling, the US Supreme Court has overturned the corruption conviction of a former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell. But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct, which included accepting gifts such as a Rolex watch and a Ferrari automobile from a company seeking access to government.

The high court’s decision said the judge in Mr. McDonnell’s trial failed to tell a jury that it must look only at his “official acts,” or the former governor’s decisions on “specific” and “unsettled” issues related to his duties.

Merely helping a gift-giver gain access to other officials, unless done with clear intent to pressure those officials, is not corruption, the justices found.

The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is “distasteful” and “nasty.” But under anti-bribery laws, proof must be made of concrete benefits, such as approval of a contract or regulation. Simply arranging a meeting, making a phone call, or hosting an event is not an “official act”.

The court’s ruling is legally sound in defining a kind of favoritism that is not criminal. Elected leaders must be allowed to help supporters deal with bureaucratic problems without fear of prosecution for bribery.” The basic compact underlying representative government,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the court,” assumes that public officials will hear from their constituents and act on their concerns.”

But the ruling reinforces the need for citizens and their elected representatives, not the courts, to ensure equality of access to government. Officials must not be allowed to play favorites in providing information or in arranging meetings simply because an individual or group provides a campaign donation or a personal gift. This type of integrity requires well-enforced laws in government transparency, such as records of official meetings, rules on lobbying, and information about each elected leader’s source of wealth.

Favoritism in official access can fan public perceptions of corruption. But it is not always corruption. Rather officials must avoid double standards, or different types of access for average people and the wealthy. If connections can be bought, a basic premise of democratic society—that all are equal in treatment by government—is undermined. Good governance rests on an understanding of the inherent worth of each individual.

The court’s ruling is a step forward in the struggle against both corruption and official favoritism.

36. The undermined sentence (Para.1) most probably shows that the court

[A] avoided defining the extent of McDonnell’s duties.

[B] made no compromise in convicting McDonnell.

[C] was contemptuous of McDonnell’s conduct.

[D] refused to comment on McDonnell’s ethics.

【答案】[C] was contemptuous of McDonnell’s conduct.

37. According to Paragraph 4, an official act is deemed corruptive only if it involves

[A] leaking secrets intentionally.

[B] sizable gains in the form of gifts.

[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.

[D] breaking contracts officially.

【答案】[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.

38. The court’s ruling is based on the assumption that public officials are

[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.

[B] qualified to deal independently with bureaucratic issues.

[C] allowed to focus on the concerns of their supporters.

[D] exempt from conviction on the charge of favoritism.

【答案】[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.

39. Well-enforced laws in government transparency are needed to

[A] awaken the conscience of officials.

[B] guarantee fair play in official access.

[C] allow for certain kinds of lobbying.

[D] inspire hopes in average people.

【答案】[B] guarantee fair play in official access.

40. The author’s attitude toward the court’s ruling is

[A] sarcastic.

[B] tolerant.

[C] skeptical.

[D] supportive

【答案】[D] supportive

Part B

Directions:

The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered box. Paragraphs B and D have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

[A]The first published sketch, “A Dinner at Poplar Walk” brought tears to Dickens’s eyes when he discovered it in the pages of The Monthly Magazine. From then on his sketches ,which appeared under the pen name “Boz” inThe Evening Chronicle, earned him a modest reputation.

[B]The runaway success ofThe Pickwick Papers, as it is generally known today, secured Dickens’s fame. There were Pickwick coats and Pickwick cigars, and the plump, spectacled hero, Samuel Pickwick, became a national figure.

[C]Soon after Sketches by Bozappeared, a publishing firm approached Dickens to write a story in monthly installments, as a backdrop for a series of woodcuts by the ten-famous artist Robert Seymour, who had originated the idea for the story. With characteristic confidence, Dickens successfully insisted that Seymour’s pictures illustrate his own story instead. After the first installment, Dickens wrote to the artist and asked him to correct a drawing Dickens felt was not faithful enough to his prose. Seymour made the change, went into his backyard, and expressed his displeasure by committing suicide. Dickens and his publishers simply pressed on with a new artist. The comic novel, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, appeared serially in 1836 and 1837, and was first published in book form in 1837.

[D]Charles Dickens is probably the best-known and, to many people, the greatest English novelist of the 19th century. A moralist, satirist, and social reformer. Dickens crafted complex plots and striking characters that capture the panorama of English society.

[E]Soon after his father’s release from prison, Dickens got a better job as errand boy in law offices. He taught himself shorthand to get an even better job later as a court stenographer and as a reporter in Parliament. At the same time, Dickens, who had a reporter’s eye for transcribing the life around him especially anything comic or odd, submitted short sketches to obscure magazines.

[F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth, on England’s southern coast. His father was a clerk in the British navy pay office –a respectable position, but wish little social status. His paternal grandparents, a steward and a housekeeper possessed even less status, having been servants, and Dickens later concealed their background. Dicken’s mother supposedly came from a more respectable family. Yet two years before Dicken’s birth, his mother’s father was caught stealing and fled to Europe, never to return. The family’s increasing poverty forced Dickens out of school at age 12 to work in Warren’s Blacking Warehouse, a shoe-polish factory, where the other working boys mocked him as “the young gentleman.” His father was then imprisoned for debt. The humiliations of his father’s imprisonment and his labor in the blacking factory formed Dicken’s greatest wound and became his deepest secret. He could not confide them even to his wife, although they provide the unacknowledged foundation of his fiction.

[G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world. In Oliver Twist, e traces an orphan’s progress from the workhouse to the criminal slums of London. Nicholas Nickleby, his next novel, combines the darkness of Oliver Twist with the sunlight of Pickwick. The popularity of these novels consolidated Dichens’ as a nationally and internationally celebrated man of letters.

D → 41. → 42. → 43. → 44. → B →45.

【答案】

41. [F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth

42. [E] Soon after his father’s release from prison

43. [A]The first published sketch

44. [C]Soon after Sketches by Bozappeared

45. [G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world