2015西南交通大学考博英语真题

2015西南交通大学考博英语真题

Ⅰ. Reading Comprehension (40%; 1 mark per each):

Directions: Read the following passages and then answer the questions below in each passage by choosing A, B, C or D. Write your answers on The Answer Sheet.

Passage 1

Love can’t conquer all. So, before couples tie the knot, they should know what they’re getting into. The taboo against couples living together before marriage is decreasing, and more and more people are saying “I do” after they’ve spent months, or even years, living together.

As much as a person loves another, he or she never really knows what happens behind closed doors unless he or she is standing on the other side. While some people view living together before marriage as immoral, couples are actually expanding the boundaries of their relationship by moving in together. For example, the division of household responsibilities can be a major issue for newlyweds. By living together, couples can solve imbalances in the distribution of those responsibilities before someone realizes he or she has married a lazy bum.

This may seem like a small point, but how many women — and men ---are out there who never thought they would be the only ones cooking, washing dishes, vacuuming, hopping, scrubbing, disinfecting, cleaning laundry, dusting, etc.?

One of the largest problems in marriages is the “in” word: money. If couples live together before marriage, they learn one another’s saving and spending styles. By baring expenses, people learn not only how each person controls the purse strings but how to discuss finance matters with each other. It’s important for couples to figure out budget priorities before they are married, and this is difficult to do unless a person has been sharing expenses with his or her partner. If couples don’t have their financial issues in order, they are bound to surface, causing trouble in the marriage.

It’s also difficult to know someone intimately without living with him or her. A special bond forms between people who share their living space, their personal longings, and their lives together. Some things you just don’t know until you’ve lived with someone.

While some people believe living together before marriage is inappropriate, like most everything else in this country, it is a choice that everyone should respect. Living together can be a positive experience that will later reinforce a marriage, but it can also be something that ends a relationship. But if a relationship is going to end it’s better for people to discover the hard truth before they marry. Even though two people love each other and enjoy spending time together, the real question is, can you live together? People might want to find out before they make the serious decision to marry.

1. “Tie the knot” in the first line of the first paragraph means .

A. getting acquainted with each other

B. dating each other

C. living together before marriage

D. getting married

2. According to the author, through living together .

A. a couple can reinforce their love

B. a couple can learn who is better at doing the housework

C. a couple can save some money for their marriage

D. a couple can know each other intimately

3. To some people living together before marring is unacceptable because .

A. it is immoral and inappropriate

B. it may end a relationship more quickly

C. it is a shame to the couple’s parents

D. it will cause many social problems

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Living together before marriage is now more acceptable than before.

B. Little household chores can cause trouble in one’s marriage.

C. Love is the guarantee of a happy marriage.

D. Newly-weds often has many life imbalances to face.

5. An important point the author made in this passage is .

A. living together before marriage is significant; every couple should try it

B. living together before marriage is a choice that should be respected

C. living together is the best way to bridge the gaps between a couple

D. living together is a symbol of the modem form of civilization

Passage 2

Recent stories in the newspapers and magazines suggest that teaching and research contradict each other, that research plays too prominent a part in academic promotions, and that teaching is badly underemphasized. There is an element of truth in these statements, but they also ignore deeper and more important relationships.

Research experience is an essential element of hiring and promotion at a research university because it is the emphasis on research that distinguishes such a university from an arts college. Some professors, however, neglect teaching for research and that presents a problem.

Most research universities reward outstanding teaching, but the greatest recognition is usually given for achievements in research. Part of the reason is the difficulty of judging teaching. A highly responsible and tough professor is usually appreciated by top students who want to be challenged, but disliked by those whose records are less impressive. The mild professor gets overall ratings that are usually high, but there is a sense of disappointment in the part of the best students, exactly those for whom the system should present the greatest challenges. Thus, a university trying to promote professors primarily on the teaching qualities would have to confront this confusion.

As modem science moves faster, two forces are exerted on professors: one is the tune needed to keep on with the profession; the other is the time needed to teach. The training of new scientists requires outstanding teaching at the research university as well as the arts college. Although scientists are usually “made” in the elementary schools, scientists can be “lost” by poor teaching at the college and graduate school levels. The solution is not to separate teaching and research, but to recognize that the combination is difficult but vital. The title of professor should be given only to those who profess, and it is perhaps time for universities to reserve it for those willing to be an earnest part of the community of scholars. Professor unwilling to teach can be called “distinguished research investigators” or something else.

The pace of modem science makes it increasingly difficult to be a great researcher and a great teacher. Yet many are described in just those terms. Those who say we can separate teaching and research simply do not understand the system but those who say the problem will disappear are not fulfilling their responsibilities.

6. What idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?

A. It is wrong to overestimate the importance of teaching.

B. Teaching and research are contradictory to each other.

C. Research can never be emphasized too much.

D. The relationship between teaching and research should not be simplified.

7. In academic promotions research universities still attach more importance to research partly because .

A. research improves the quality of teaching

B. students who want to be challenged appreciate research professors

C. it is difficult to evaluate teaching quality objectively

D. professor with achievements in research are usually responsible and tough

8. According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following will the author probably agree with?

A. Distinguished professors at research universities should concentrate on research only.

B. The separation of teaching from research can lower the quality of future scientists.

C. It is of utmost importance to improve teaching in elementary schools in order to train new scientists.

D. The rapid developments of modem science make it impossible to combine teaching with research.

9. The title of professor should be given only to those who, first and foremost, do .

A. teaching B. field work

C. scientific research D. investigation

10. The phrase “the problem” (Paragraph 5) refers to .

A. raising the status of teaching

B. the combination of teaching with research

C. the separations of teaching form research

D. improving the status of research

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