2007年考研《英语模拟考场》模拟试题(2)及答案

Text 2

     Let us suppose that you are in the position of a parent. Would you allow your children to read any book they wanted to without first checking its contents? Would you take your children to see any film without first finding out whether it is suitable for them? If your answer to these questions is “yes”， then you are either extremely permissive， or just plain irresponsible. If your answer is “no”， then you are exercising your right as a parent to protect your children from what you consider to be undesirable influences. In other words，by acting as a censor yourself， you are admitting that there is a strong case for censorship. 

Now， of course， you will say that it is one thing to exercise censorship where children   are concerned and quite another to do the same for adults. Children need protection and it is the parents' responsibility to provide it. But what about adults?  Aren't they old enough to decide what is good for them? The answer is that many adults are， but don't make the mistake of thinking that all adults are like yourself. Censorship is for the good of society as a whole. Highly civilized people might find it possible to live amicably together without   laws of any kind: they would just rely on good sense to solve their problems. But imagine what chaos there would be if we lived in a society without laws! Like the law，censorship contributes to the common good. 

Some people think that it is disgraceful that a censor might interfere with works of art. Who is this person， they say，to ban this great book or cut that great film? No one can set himself up as a superior being. But we must remember two things. Firstly，where genuine works of art are concerned，modern censors are extremely liberal in their views—often far more liberal than a large section of the public. Artistic merit is something which censors clearly recognize. And secondly， we must bear in mind that the great proportion of books，plays and films which come before the censor are very far from being “works of art.” 

When discussing censorship，therefore，we should not confine our attention to great   masterpieces， but should consider the vast numbers of publications and films which make up the bulk of the entertainment industry. When censorship laws are relaxed， unscrupulous people are given a license to produce virtually anything in the name of “art”.  There is an increasing tendency to equate “artistic” with “pornographic”. The vast market for pornography would rapidly be exploited. One of the great things that censorship does is to prevent certain people from making fat profits by corrupting the minds of others. To argue in favor of absolute freedom is to argue in favor of anarchy. Society would really be the poorer if it deprived itself of the wise counsel and the restraining influence which a censor provides.  

26. In the first paragraph， some questions are raised to parents  

［A］ to pose an irony on their utter ignorance. 

［B］ to poke a fun at their irresponsibility. 

［C］ to introduce the argument for censorship. 

［D］ to show how children can run wild. 

27. Some people assert that works of arts to be censored  

［A］ might fall victim to prejudices of censors. 

［B］ must subject children to bad influences. 

［C］ will stand up to any liberal censorship. 

［D］ can be an obstacle to making fat profits.

28. The author maintains that a censor can provide the restraining influence  

［A］ in the interests of civilized people.               ［B］ for the benefit of the whole society. 

［C］ in response to widespread chaos.                ［D］ in the name of authentic critics. 

29. According to the last paragraph， “artistic” is to “pornographic” as  

［A］ “absolute” to “relative”.                    ［B］ “prudent” to “foolish”. 

［C］ “graceful” to “awkward”.                 ［D］ “elegant” to “obscene”. 

30. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? 

［A］ Be Strict With Your Children.               ［B］ Different Censor Authorities.

［C］ Censor Art Works Rigorously.                    ［D］ Responsibilities of Parents.   

Text 3

The housing market has been for two years propping up consumers' spirits while the   rest of the economy lies exhausted on the floor， still trying to struggle to its feet.  According to the National Association of Realtors，the national median existing-home price ended the year at ＄164 000，up 7.1 percent from 2001. That's the strongest annual increase since 1980. 

Although residential real estate activity makes up less than 8% of total U.S. GDP，a housing market like this one can make the difference between positive and negative growth.  Most significantly，consumer spending is 66% of GDP， and the purchase of a new home tends to have an “umbrella effect” on the homeowner's spending as he has to stock it with a washer/dryer， a new big-screen TV， and maybe a swing set for the yard. 

The main factor in housing's continued strength is a classic economic example of zero-sum boom: the persistent weakness everywhere else. As the 2003 recovery continues to be more forecast than reality. Falling stock prices raised investor appeal for U.S. Treasury Bonds， which in turn， allowed most interest rates to drift even lower. But there are not many signs that there's a bubble ready to burst. 

December's new record in housing starts，for example，was nicely matched by the new   record in new home sales. If you build it，they will buy and even if an economic pickup starts to reduce housing's relative attractiveness，there's no reason why modest economic growth and improved consumer mood can't help sustaining housing's strength. “The momentum gained from low mortgage interest rates will carry strong home sales into 2003，with an improving economy offsetting modestly higher mortgage interest rates as the year progresses，”said David Lereah， chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. 

Just as housing has taken up much of the economic slack for the past two years， both as a comforting investment for fretting consumers and a driver of consumer spending itself， a big bump elsewhere in the economy in 2003 could be housing's downfall. If stocks roar back this spring，capital inflows could steal from the bond market， pushing up long-term interest rates. Or Alan Greenspan and the Fed could do the same to short-term rates，as a way to hit the brakes on a recovery that is heating up too fast. In other words，if everything possible goes wrong for housing， homeowners should have plenty to   compensate them in terms of job security and income hikes.  

31. The author draws a contrast between the housing market and the rest of the economy   to show  

［A］ the role of real estate activity.                     ［B］ the statistics on home prices. 

［C］ the boom of housing market.                      ［D］ the degree of consumer spirits. 

32. According to the writer， what may be chiefly responsible for the “umbrella effect”   （Paragraph 2）? 

［A］ Sustainable bond markets.                          ［B］ Robust housing market. 

［C］ Bubbly stock markets.                               ［D］Ill-natured consumers. 

33. By the expression “zero-sum boom” （Paragraph 3）， the writer means  

［A］ housing's continued strength and the persistent weakness may cancel each other out. 

［B］ there are signs that improved consumer mood fails to help sustain housing's strength. 

［C］ stock price' negative growth will ultimately offset housing market's positive strength. 

［D］ higher mortgage interest rates are compatible with the recovery of the economy. 

34. It is implied in the passage that the economy in the year 2003 may  

［A］ grow moderately.                                      ［B］ struggle to its feet. 

［C］ heat up too fast.                                        ［D］ continue to boom. 

35. What is the writer's attitude toward future housing market? 

［A］ Carefree.                                                  ［B］ Optimistic. 

［C］ Composed.                                               ［D］ Gloomy.