全国2009年10月自学考试《综合英语（二）》试题

　　ⅳ.阅读理解。阅读短文，根据短文的内容从a、b、c、d四个选项中，选出一个正确答案，并将所选答案的字母填在答题纸相应的位置上。错选、多选或未选均无分。(本大题共10小题，每小题2分，共20分)

　　passage 1

　　astronaut selection is critically important to make a mission successful. it requires individuals who are capable of dealing with isolation from family and friends, crowded living conditions, great pressure to succeed and extreme danger.

　　what are the criteria for an ideal astronaut? generally, a person must be athletic and must possess both technical and interpersonal skills. technical skills are particularly important. astronauts need to be able to competently carry out scientific and technical tasks during the mission. they must be capable of taking accurate measurements and making observations while living in a weightless environment.

　　interpersonal skills are also critically important. studies have shown that ideal astronauts are people who can be either introverts (内向的人) or extroverts. introverts tend to be withdrawn, which helps them put up with isolation from family and respect the privacy of others. on the other hand, extroverts are outgoing and provide social stimulation for a crew. both character types are necessary for different reasons. there are many seemingly contradictory traits that astronauts should possess: introverted yet at times extroverted, leaders yet capable of being led, and so on. an astronaut’s ability to adapt to different situations is most important.

　　as the duration of space missions increases, human factors become even more important. a manned mission to mars would require a compatible crew that would ensure mission success, and of course, mission safety. behavioral studies have been conducted in space analogs, which are environments similar to the confinement and isolation of space. these studies have shown that long periods of isolation can lead to sleep disturbances, emotional instability and depression - all

　　things that would disrupt the work performance of a crew of astronauts. in order to minimize the chances of such conditions developing, the selected crew must get along extremely well. easier said than done.

　　scientists at nasa used the analogy (类比) of a jigsaw puzzle to describe the relationship of a crew of astronauts. the members of space crews bear a certain resemblance to the pieces in jigsaw puzzles: what is important is not so much the shape and color of each individual piece, but the way the different pieces fit together. there has been much debate over how a space crew for a potential mission to mars should be selected, but currently a three-phase system is favored. in this selection process, the first phase is selecting a large group of people who satisfy the needed technical skills. the second phase is to pick out the individuals with the best interpersonal skills. the third phase is to group the individuals into mini-crews and then monitor those crews for compatibility as they undergo training for a mission. finally, the most well-formed, smoothly-functioning crew of astronauts is selected as the best crew for the mission.

　　astronaut selection is a difficult process. many potential candidates nearly perfect for the job are rejected because of minor details. however, if you dream of becoming an astronaut, don’t be discouraged by the odds. if the job description of an astronaut appeals to you, and you feel you have the “right stuff” for the job, then reach for the stars. in this case, the sky is not the limit.

　　41. an ideal astronaut is a person who ________.

　　a. respects others’ privacy

　　b. is sociable and outgoing

　　c. adapts easily to different situations

　　d. is withdrawn from family and friends

　　42. which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “compatible” in the fourth paragraph?

　　a. gentle b. stable

　　c. competitive d. cooperative

　　43. which of the following statements is true?

　　a. astronauts like to play jigsaw puzzles in their spare time.

　　b. jigsaw puzzles are commonly used for astronaut training.

　　c. the shape and color of jigsaw pieces are attractive to astronauts.

　　d. the relationship of an astronaut crew is similar to that of jigsaw pieces.

　　44. the first phase of selecting the best crew for a mission to mars is picking out those ______.

　　a. with good interpersonal skills

　　b. with excellent physical qualities

　　c. who function well together as a group

　　d. who can perform many scientific tasks

　　45. what might be a proper title for the passage?

　　a. the ideal astronaut

　　b. a manned mission to mars

　　c. astronauts and jigsaw puzzles

　　d. interpersonal skills of astronauts

　　passage 2

　　in the states, each fall a new crop of first-year college students, wavering between high hopes for the future and intense anxiety about their new status, scan college maps searching for their classroom. they have been told repeatedly that college is the key to a well-paying job, and they certainly don’t want to support themselves by flipping hamburgers or working at some other dead-end job. so, notebooks at the ready, they await what college has in store. unfortunately many of them will not return after the first year. why do so many students leave? there are several reasons. some find the academic program too hard, others lack the proper study habits or motivation, and a large group leave for personal reasons.

　　not surprisingly, the academic shortcomings of college students have strong links to high school. in the past, a high-school student who lacked the ability or desire to take a college-preparatory course could settle for a diploma in general studies and afterward find a job with decent pay. now that possibility scarcely exists, so many poorly prepared students feel compelled to try college. getting accepted by some schools isn’t difficult. once in, though, the student who has taken nothing beyond general mathematics, english, and science faces serious trouble when confronted with freshman composition, and biological or physical science. most colleges do offer courses and other assistance that may help some weaker students to survive. in spite of everything, however, many others find themselves facing ever-worsening grade-point averages and either fail or just give up.

　　like academic shortcomings, poor study habits have their roots in high school, where even average students can often breeze through with a minimum of effort. in many schools, outside assignments are rare and so easy that they require little time or thought to complete. to accommodate slower students, teachers frequently repeat material so many times that slightly better students can grasp it without opening their books. and when papers are late, teachers often don’t mark them down. this “kindness” produces students who can’t or don’t want to study, students totally unprepared for the rigorous demands of college. there, courses may require several hours of study each week in order to be passed with even a “c.” in many programs, outside assignments are commonplace and demanding. instructors expect students to grasp material after one explanation, and many won’t accept late papers at all. students who don’t quickly develop disciplined study habits face a flood of low grades and failure.

　　poor student motivation worsens faulty study habits. students who thought high school was boring find even less attraction in the more challenging college offerings. lacking any commitment to do well, they shrug off assigned papers, skip classes, and avoid doing required reading. over time, classes gradually shrink as more and more students stay away. with final exams upon them, some return in a last-ditch effort to save a passing grade, but by then it is too late. eventually, repetition of this situation forces the students out.

　　46. which of the following is true of first-year college students?

　　a. they have been forced to go to college.

　　b. they have mixed feelings about their college life.

　　c. few of them are confident about their past achievements.

　　d. they believe college can guarantee them well-paying jobs.

　　47. students’ performance in college ________.

　　a. decides their work habits in the future

　　b. indicates their academic score in the past

　　c. shows their expectations for future career

　　d. reflects what they have experienced in high school

　　48. many college students drop out in their first year because ________.

　　a. they can’t get enough help in college

　　b. their efforts bring them embarrassment

　　c. their study in college is getting no better

　　d. they prefer other ways to acquire knowledge

　　49. in order to prepare their students for college, high school teachers ________.

　　a. should not mark their late papers

　　b. should force them to study long hours

　　c. should help them develop good study habits

　　d. should not explain the course materials in detail

　　50. which of the following can best explain the words “shrug off” in the last paragraph?

　　a. forget b. ignore

　　c. delay d. hate

　　v.词形转换。将括号里提供的词转换成适当的词形填入答题纸上相应的位置。(本大题共10小题，每小题1分，共10分)

　　51. the first element of success is the ________ to succeed. (determine)

　　52. anger is a momentary ________, so control your passion or it will control you. (mad)

　　53. to be a(n) ________, one needs profound knowledge as well as a very vivid imagination. (invent)

　　54. one ________ of a carpenter is to have good tools, which add to his skill, confidence, and pleasure in owning them. (require)

　　55. people who leave home in the morning slamming doors behind them are likely to be less ________ than those who leave home with a smile. (product)

　　56. children may go on the trip only with the permission of their parents or ________. (guard)

　　57. the rescuers succeeded in bringing out all victims ________ in the coalmine accident. (live)

　　58. universities offer fellowship to ________ research in basic theoretical studies. (courage)

　　59. your vacation on this beautiful island will be ________ without a meal of delicious seafood. (complete)

　　60. mobile homes can be moved from place to place, but they are now usually designed for ________ living at one location. (round, year)