2008年考研英语完形填空试题练习
Exercises
Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word（s） for each numbered blank and mark A）, B）, C） or D） on ANSWER SHEET 1. （10 points）
Part 1
Industrial safety does not just happen. Companies __1__ low accident rates plan their safety programs, work hard to organize them, and continue working to keep them __2__ and active. When the work is well done, a __3__ of accident-free operations is established __4__ time lost due to injuries is kept at a minimum.
Successful safety programs may __5__ greatly in the emphasis placed on certain aspects of the program. Some place great emphasis on mechanical guarding. Others stress safe work practices by __6__ rules or regulations. __7__ others depend on an emotional appeal to the worker. But, there are certain basic ideas that must be used in every program if maximum results are to be obtained.
There can be no question about the value of a safety program. From a financial standpoint alone, safety __8__. The fewer the injury __9__, the better the workman’s insurance rate. This may mean the difference between operating at __10__ or at a loss.
1. A） at B） in C） on D） with
2. A） alive B） vivid C） mobile D） diverse
3. A） regulation B） climate C） circumstance D） requirement
4. A） where B） how C） what D） unless
5. A） alter B） differ C） shift D） distinguish
6. A） constituting B） aggravating C） observing D） justifying
7. A） Some B） Many C） Even D） Still
8. A） comes off B） turns up C） pays off D） holds up
9. A） claims B） reports C） declarations D） proclamations
10.A） an advantage B） a benefit C） an interest D） a profit
Part 2 （2001）
The government is to ban payments to witnesses by newspapers seeking to buy up people involved in prominent cases ___31___ the trial of Rosemary West.
In a significant ___32___ of legal controls over the press, Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, will introduce a ___33___ bill that will propose making payments to witnesses ___34___ and will strictly control the amount of ___35___ that can be given to a case ___36___ a trial begins.
In a letter to Gerald Kaufman, chairman of the House of Commons media select committee, Lord Irvine said he ___37___ with a committee report this year which said that self regulation did not ___38___ sufficient control.
___39___ of the letter came two days after Lord Irvine caused a ___40___ of media protest when he said the ___41___ of privacy controls contained in European legislation would be left to judges ___42___ to Parliament.
The Lord Chancellor said introduction of the Human Rights Bill, which ___43___ the European Convention on Human Rights legally ___44___ in Britain, laid down that everybody was ___45___ to privacy and that public figures could go to court to protect themselves and their families.
"Press freedoms will be in safe hands ___46___ our British judges," he said.
Witness payments became an ___47___ after West was sentenced to 10 life sentences in 1995. Up to 19 witnesses were ___48___ to have received payments for telling their stories to newspapers. Concerns were raised ___49___ witnesses might be encouraged to exaggerate their stories in court to ___50___ guilty verdicts.
31. A） as to B） for instance C） in particular D） such as
32. A） tightening B） intensifying C） focusing D） fastening
33. A） sketch B） rough C） preliminary D） draft
34. A） illogical B） illegal C） improbable D） improper
35. A） publicity B） penalty C） popularity D） peculiarity
36. A） since B） if C） before D） as
37. A） sided B） shared C） complied D） agreed
38. A） present B） offer C） manifest D） indicate
39. A） Release B） Publication C） Printing D） Exposure
40. A） storm B） rage C） flare D） flash
41. A） translation B） interpretation C） exhibition D） demonstration
42. A） better than B） other than C） rather than D） sooner than
43. A） changes B） makes C） sets D） turns
44. A） binding B） convincing C） restraining D） sustaining
45. A） authorized B） credited C） entitled D） qualified
46. A） with B） to C） from D） by
47. A） impact B） incident C） inference D） issue
48. A） stated B） remarked C） said D） told
49. A） what B） when C） which D） that
50. A） assure B） confide C） ensure D） guarantee
Part 3 （2002）
Comparisons were drawn between the development of television in the 20th century and the diffusion of printing in the 15th and 16th centuries. Yet much had happened 21 . As was discussed before, it was not 22 the 19th century that the newspaper became the dominant pre-electronic 23 , following in the wake of the pamphlet and the book and in the 24 of the periodical. It was during the same time that the communications revolution 25 up, beginning with transport, the railway, and leading 26 through the telegraph, the telephone, radio, and motion pictures 27 the 20th-century world of the motor car and the airplane. Not everyone sees that process in 28 . It is important to do so.
It is generally recognized, 29 , that the introduction of the computer in the early 20th century, 30 by the invention of the integrated circuit during the 1960s, radically changed the process, 31 its impact on the media was not immediately 32 . As time went by, computers became smaller and more powerful, and they became “personal” too, as well as 33 , with display becoming sharper and storage 34 increasing. They were thought of, like people, 35 generations, with the distance between generations much 36 .
It was within the computer age that the term “information society” began to be widely used to describe the 37 within which we now live. The communications revolution has 38 both work and leisure and how we think and feel both about place and time, but there have been 39 view about its economic, political, social and cultural implications. “Benefits” have been weighed 40 “harmful” outcomes. And generalizations have proved difficult.
21. ［A］ between ［B］ before ［C］ since ［D］ later
22. ［A］ after ［B］ by ［C］ during ［D］ until
23. ［A］ means ［B］ method ［C］ medium ［D］ measure
24. ［A］ process ［B］ company ［C］ light ［D］ form
25. ［A］ gathered ［B］ speeded ［C］ worked ［D］ picked
26. ［A］ on ［B］ out ［C］ over ［D］ off
27. ［A］ of ［B］ for ［C］ beyond ［D］ into
28. ［A］ concept ［B］ dimension ［C］ effect ［D］ perspective
29. ［A］ indeed ［B］ hence ［C］ however ［D］ therefore
30. ［A］ brought ［B］ followed ［C］ stimulated ［D］ characterized
31. ［A］ unless ［B］ since ［C］ lest ［D］ although
32. ［A］ apparent ［B］ desirable ［C］ negative ［D］ plausible
33. ［A］ institutional ［B］ universal ［C］ fundamental ［D］ instrumental
34. ［A］ ability ［B］ capability ［C］ capacity ［D］ faculty
35. ［A］ by means of ［B］ in terms of ［C］ with regard to ［D］ in line with
36. ［A］ deeper ［B］ fewer ［C］ nearer ［D］ smaller
37. ［A］ context ［B］ range ［C］ scope ［D］ territory
38. ［A］ regarded ［B］ impressed ［C］ influenced ［D］ effected
39. ［A］ competitive ［B］ controversial ［C］ distracting ［D］ irrational
40. ［A］ above ［B］ upon ［C］ against ［D］ with
Part 4
What's your earliest childhood memory? Can you remember learning to walk? Or talk? The first time you ___1___ thunder or watched a television program? Adults seldom ___2___ events much earlier than the year or so before entering school, just as children younger than three or four ___3___ retain any specific, personal experiences.
A variety of explanations have been ___4___ by psychologists for this "childhood amnesia" （儿童失忆症）. One argues that the hippocampus, the region of the brain which is responsible for forming memories, does not mature ___5___ about the age of two. But the most popular theory ___6___ that, since adults do not think like children, they cannot ___7___ childhood memories. Adults think in words, and their life memories are like stories or ___8___----one event follows ___9___ as in a novel or film. But when they search through their mental ___10___ for early childhood memories to add to this verbal life story, they don't find any that fit the ___11___. It's like trying to find a Chinese word in an English dictionary.
Now psychologist Annette Simms of the New York State University offers a new ___12___ for childhood amnesia. She argues that there simply ___13___ any early childhood memories to recall. According to Dr. Simms, children need to learn to use ___14___ spoken description of their personal experiences in order to turn their own short-term, quickly ___15___ impressions of them into long-term memories. In other ___16___, children have to talk about their experiences and hear others talk about ___17___----Mother talking about the afternoon ___18___ looking for seashells at the beach or Dad asking them about their day at Ocean Park. Without this ___19___ reinforcement, says Dr. Simms, children cannot form ___20___ memories of their personal experiences.
1. A） touched B） heard C） listened D） felt
2. A） recall B） resolve C） involve D） interpret
3. A） merely B） really C） largely D） rarely
4. A） proposed B） witnessed C） canceled D） figured
5. A） after B） since C） until D） once
6. A） contains B） maintains C） magnifies D） intervenes
7. A） access B） refer C） reflect D） attain
8. A） regulations B） descriptions C） narratives D） forecasts
9. A） the other B） others C） the rest D） another
10. A） flashes B） files C） outputs D） dreams
11. A） frame B） landscape C） footstep D） pattern
12. A） explanation B） factor C） emphasis D） arrangement
13. A） isn't B） wasn't C） aren't D） weren't
14. A） some else B） someone else's C） anyone else D） anyone else's
15. A） forgetting B） remembering C） forgotten D） remembered
16. A） words B） means C） senses D） cases
17. A） it B） them C） him D） theirs
18. A） taken B） spent C） used D） chosen
19. A） petty B） mutual C） habitual D） verbal
20. A） subordinate B） spiritual C） permanent D） conscious
Part 5
The horse and carriage is thing of the past, but love and marriage are still with us, and still closely interrelated. Most American marriages, particularly first marriages ___1___ young couples, are the result of ___2___ attraction and affection ___3___ than practical considerations.
In the United States, parents do not arrange for their children. Teenagers begin ___4___ in high school and usually find mates through their own academic and social ___5___.
Though young people feel ___6___ to choose their friends from ___7___ groups, most choose a mate of similar background.
This is ___8___ in part to parental guidance. Parents cannot select spouses for their children, but they can usually ___9___ choices by ___10___ disapproval of someone they consider unsuitable.
___11___, marriages between members of different groups （interclass, interfaith, and interracial marriages） are increasing, probably because of the greater ___12___ of today's young and the fact that they are restricted by ___13___ prejudices than their parents. Many young people leave their home towns to attend college, __14___ in the armed forces, ___15___ pursue a career in a bigger city.
Once away from home and family, they are more ___16___ to date and marry outside their own social group.
In mobile American society, interclass marriages are neither ___17___ nor shocking. Interfaith marriages are ___18___ the rise particularly between Protestants and Catholics. On the other hand, interracial marriages are still very uncommon. It can be difficult for interracial couples to find a place to live, maintain friendships and ___19___ a family. Marriages between different national ___20___ （but the same race and religion） have been commonplace here since colonial times.
1. A） linking B） involving C） connecting D） correlating
2. A） personal B） emotional C） mutual D） magnetic
3. A） more B） less C） rather D） other
4. A） dating B） appointment C） engagement D） matching
5. A） position B） association C） contacts D） contracts
6. A） certain B） embarrassed C） hesitated D） free
7. A） similar B） identical C） differential D） diverse
8. A） for B） likely C） due D） because
9. A） influence B） give C） make D） offer
10. A） sounding B） avoiding C） expecting D） voicing
11. A） Moreover B） However C） Therefore D） Furthermore
12. A） mobility B） motive C） moral D） mission
13. A） less B） rather C） fewer D） many
14. A） work B） serve C） stay D） remain
15. A） but B） otherwise C） likewise D） or
16. A） probable B） likely C） reluctant D） readily
17. A） rare B） scarce C） scared D） relived
18. A） in B） at C） on D） for
19. A） raise B） obtain C） grow D） unite
20. A） origin B） source C） resource D） base
Part 6
Music comes in many forms: most countries have a style of their own. ___1___ the turn of the century when jazz was born, America had no prominent ___2___ of its own. No one knows exactly when jazz was ___3___, or by whom. But it began to be ___4___ in the early 1890s. Jazz is America's contribution to ___5___ music. In contrast to classical music, which ___6___ formal European traditions, jazz is spontaneous and free-form. It bubbles with energy, ___7___ the moods, interests, and emotions of the people. In the 1920s jazz ___8___ like America. And ___9___ it does today. The ___10___ of this music are as interesting as the music ___11___. American Negroes, or blacks, as they are called today, were the jazz ___12___. They were brought to the Southern states ___13___ slaves. They were sold to plantation owners and forced to work long ___14___. When a Negro died his friends and relatives ___15___ a procession to carry the body to the cemetery. In New Orleans, a band often accompanied the ___16___. On the way to the cemetery the band played slow, solemn music suited to the occasion. ___17___ on the way home the mood changed. Spirits lifted. Death had removed one of their ___18___, but the living were glad to be alive. The band played ___19___ music, improvising （即兴演出） on both the harmony and the melody of the tunes ___20___ at the funeral. This music made everyone want to dance. It was an early form of jazz.
1. A） At B） In C） By D） On
2. A） music B） song C） melody D） style
3. A） discovered B） acted C） designed D） invented
4. A） noticed B） found C） listened D） heard
5. A） classical B） sacred C） light D） popular
6. A） forms B） follows C） approaches D） introduces
7. A） expressing B） explaining C） exposing D） illustrating
8. A） appeared B） felt C） sounded D） seemed
9. A） so B） as C） either D） neither
10. A） originals B） origins C） discoveries D）resources
11. A） concerned B） itself C） available D） oneself
12. A） players B） followers C） pioneers D） fans
13. A） for B） by C） with D） as
14. A） months B） weeks C） hours D） times
15. A） demonstrated B） composed C） formed D） hosted
16. A） demonstration B） procession C） body D） march
17. A） Even B） Therefore C） But D） Further
18. A） number B） member C） body D） relations
19. A） sad B） solemn C） funeral D） happy
20. A） whistled B） sung C） showed D） presented
Part 7
Business and government leaders also consider the inflation rate to be an important general indicator. Inflation is a period of increased __1__ that causes rapid rises in prices. __2__ your money buys fewer goods so that you get __3__ for the same amount of money as before, inflation is the problem. There is a general rise __4__ the price of goods and services. Your money buys less. Sometimes people describe inflation as a（n） __5__ when "a dollar is not worth a dollar anymore".
Inflation is a problem for all consumers. People who live on a fixed income are hurt the __6__. Retired people, for instance, cannot __7__ on an increase in income as prices rise. Elderly people who do not work face serious problems in stretching their incomes to __8__ their needs in time of inflation. Retirement income __9__ any fixed income usually does not rise as fast as prices. Many retired people must cut their spending to__10__ rising prices. In many cases they must stop __11__ some necessary items, such as food and clothing. Even __12__working people whose incomes are going up, inflation can be a problem. The __13__ of living goes up, too. People who work must have even more money to keep up their standard of living. Just buying the things they need costs more. When incomes do not keep __14__ with rising prices, the standard of living goes down. People may be earning the same amount of money, but they are not living __15__ because they are not able to buy as many goods and services.
Government units gather information about prices in our economy and publish it as price indexes __16__ the rate of change can be determined. A price index measures changes in prices using the price for a __17__ year as the base. The base price is set __18__ 100, and the other prices are reported as a __19__ of the base price. A price index makes__20__ possible to compare current prices of typical consumer goods, for example, with prices of the same goods in previous years.
1. A） spending B） demanding C） consuming D） saving
2. A） Because B） While C） Since D） When
3. A） much B） more C） little D） less
4. A） in B） on C） at D） to
5. A） chance B） time C） moment D） occasion
6. A） best B） least C） most D） worst
7. A） rely B） rest C） depend D） count
8. A） meet B） obtain C） care D） acquire
9. A） or B） and C） excluding D） including
10. A） live up to B） catch up on C） put up with D） keep up with
11. A） to buy B） buying C） having bought D） from buying
12. A） for B） to C） of D） if
13. A） price B） level C） cost D） standard
14. A） race B） pace C） speed D） step
15. A） as usual B） as well C） as before D） as such
16. A） in which B） from which C） of which D） by which
17. A） last B） given C） fixed D） definite
18. A） on B） by C） at D） against
19. A） portion B） percentage C） proportion D） fraction
20. A） it B） us C） one D） you
Part 8
We know the kiss as a form of expressing affection. But long before it became __1__, it was the custom in many parts of the world to use the kiss as a（n） __2__of respect.
In many American tribes the natives __3__ the ground over which a chief has walked. Kissing the hand and foot has been a mark of respect from the __4__times.
The early Romans kissed the mouth or eyes __5__ a form of dignified greeting. Once Roman emperor allowed his important nobles to kiss his lips, but the __6__ important ones had to kiss his hands, and the __7__ important ones were __8__ allowed to kiss his feet!
It is quite probable that the kiss as a form of affection can be traced back to primitive times when a mother__9__ fondle （爱抚） her child, just as a mother __10__ today. It only remained for society to __11__this as a custom for expressing affection between adults.
We have evidence that this was already the __12__ by the time of the sixth century, but we can only assume it was __13__ long before that. The first __14__ where the kiss became accepted in courtship and love was in France. When dancing became popular, almost every dance figure ended __15__ a kiss.
From France the kiss spread rapidly all over Europe. Russia, which loved to __16__ the customs of France, adopted the kiss and it spread there through all the upper __17__. A kiss from the Tsar became __18__ of the highest forms of recognition from the Crown.
In time, the kiss became a part of courtship. __19__ marriage customs developed, the kiss became a part of the wedding ceremony. Today, of course, we regard the kiss as an expression of love and tenderness. But there are still many places in the world where the kiss is __20__ of formal ceremonies and is intended to convey respect.
1. A） it B） one C） this D） itself
2. A） custom B） tradition C） affection D） expression
3. A） watch B） kiss C） touch D） greet
4. A） latest B） earliest C） longest D） eldest
5. A） of B） in C） for D） as
6. A） not B） less C） little D） least
7. A） last B） less C） most D） least
8. A） too B） only C） also D） ever
9. A） could B） would C） should D） will
10. A） does B） has C） doing D） would
11. A） accept B） allow C） kiss D） express
12. A） history B） event C） case D） evidence
13. A） expressed B） discovered C） kissed D） practiced
14. A） city B） tribe C） country D） society
15. A） by B） without C） in D） with
16. A） copy B） allow C） spread D） quote
17. A） governments B） countries C） cities D） classes
18. A） it B） one
