2012年4月英語閱讀(一)自考試題

I. CAREFUL READING
 Read the following passages carefully. Decide on the best answer and write the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points, 2 points each)
Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.
    People have thought very differently about children in different historical eras. In ancient Rome and throughout the Middle Ages, for example, childhood was brief: A boy or girl was considered an “infant” until the age of six, but soon afterward worked alongside adults in the fields, in the workshops, or at home. Children were thought to be born in a state of sin and were viewed as the property of their fathers. Such beliefs contributed to strict discipline of children and neglect of their special needs.
    These harsh attitudes softened during the Renaissance and Enlightenment as the humanistic spirit of the times caused a rediscovery of the special qualities of childhood. In paintings, for example, young children were depicted as playing and doing other childish things, rather than being shown as miniature adults. The importance of childhood as a unique period of development was understood more fully in the 17th and 18th centuries, as reflected in the writings of two important European thinkers: the English philosopher John Locke and the French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. John Locke argued that the newborn infant comes into the world with no inherited predispositions (天性), but rather with a mind as a “blank slate” that is gradually filled with ideas, concepts, and knowledge from experiences in the world. He concluded that the quality of early experiences, particularly how children are raised and educated, shapes the direction of a child’s life. Later, Jean Jacques Rousseau claimed that children at birth are innately good rather than evil, and that their natural tendencies should be protected against the corrupting influences of society. Rousseau’s attitude had an important influence on society, and inspired，for example，the novelists Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo，who decried(揭露)the exploitation of child labor and highlighted the need for educational and social reform．
1．It can be inferred that children in the Middle Ages ______．
A．were mistreated and exploited
B．were generally regarded as miniature adults
C．did not observe the institutional disciplines
D．did not start their childhood until the age of six
2．The author cites the example the two European thinkers’ writings to show that ______.
A．children’s behavior was described as adult-like
B．children’s innocence and playfulness were neglected
C．childhood was revealed as a period of independence
D．childhood was revealed as a unique period of development
3．The 2nd paragraph is developed by ______．
A．example B．definition 
C．comparison D．cause and effect
4．The central argument made by John Locke is that ______．
A．children’s future development depends on their genetic background
B．children’s upbringing and early education may shape their future life
C．children’s character formation is largely influenced by their parents
D．the proper way of upbringing is to keep children away from society
5．At the end of the passage，the two novelists are mentioned to emphasize ______.
A．the call for educational and social reform
B．the importance of children’s school education
C．the influence of Rousseau’s attitude toward children
D．the potential negative influences of society on children
Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage．
If ambition is to be well regarded，the rewards of ambition must be worthy of the sacrifices on ambition’s behalf. If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it should be widely shared，and it especially must be highly regarded by such people as the educated．who are themselves admired． However it is the educated who have claimed to have given up ambition as an ideal．What is odd is that they have perhaps benefited most from ambition，though the ambition may be more that of their parents and grandparents than of their own．
     Certainly, people do not seem less interested in success now than formerly．In fact，the signs of success such as summer homes，European travel and BMWs  have never ceased to be sought after．What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams，as easily and openly as once they could，lest they be thought to be aggressive，materialistic or vulgar．Instead，what has often confused us are those fine hypocritical spectacles：the critic of American materialism in possession of a Southampton summer home；the publisher of radical books who takes his meals every day in five-star restaurants；the journalist promoting participatory democracy in all phases of life，who sends his own children to expensive private schools．For such people and many more perhaps not so exceptional，the motto is，“Succeed at all costs but avoid appearing ambitious．’’
    Ambition has been attacked from various angles；its public defenders are few and unimpressive，though they are not extremely unattractive．As a result，the support for ambition as a healthy impulse，a quality to be admired by the young，is probably lower than it has ever been in the United States．This does not mean, however，that people are no longer ambition-driven，but only that，no longer openly honored，ambition has become something smartly concealed．
6．According to the passage，in order to keep the vitality of the tradition of  ambition the successful people themselves must ______．
A．highly value it B．make some sacrifices
C．benefit from it D．make some contributions
7．Such items as summer homes，European travel and BMWs are listed to prove that ______．
A．these items are commonly used to measure success
B．these items are openly honored and admired by the public
C．people are as interested in success as they have ever been
D．people are more motivated to seek after these items than before
8．People tend not to make their ambitions fully known ______．
A．to avoid appearing professionally oriented
B．to avoid appearing snobbish and sophisticated
C．for fear that they might end up in failure or disappointment
D．for fear that they might be considered as distasteful and greedy
9．The critic，the publisher and the journalist are mentioned in the 2nd paragraph to show that they are ______.
A．selfish B．corrupted 
C．hypocritical D．materialistic
10．The author’s attitude towards ambition as all ideal is ______．
A．satirical B．negative 
C．a(chǎn)ppreciative D．unbiased
Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage．
     Postage stamps are labels affixed to letters or parcels to indicate that a specified amount of postage has been prepaid for delivery．Stamps are usually issued by a government or an agency representing a government，suc