翻译训练:
筷子(chopsticks)是中国传统的独具特色的进食工具(diningutensils),至今已有数千年的历史。筷子在古代被称为“箸”,大约从明朝开始才有了“筷子”的称呼。筷子多为竹子制成,也有用木头、象牙(ivory)、金属或其他材料制作而成。它要么上方下圆,要么上下全圆而上粗下细。不管其形状如何,筷子必须是成对使用的,并且两只筷子的大小长短要相同。筷子是中国人日常生活的必备工具,它的发明充分反映了中国人民的智慧。
Chopsticks, with a history of thousands of years, areunique traditionalChinese dining utensils. Theywere called zhu in ancient China and the nameofKuai Zi began to be used in Ming Dynasty.Chopsticks are usually made obamboo. Some aremadeof wood, ivory, metals or other materials. Theirupper parts are square and lower partsround,or they are all round withthicker upper parts and thinner lower parts. Whatever theirshapesare, theyare used in pairs and the pair must be identicalto each other. chopstic arethe necessary dining utensilsin Chinese people's daily life, theinvention of which fully delaysthe intelligence of Chinese people.
暂无解析
Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people’s physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds such as the Mistral, Hamsin or Sharav are blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing made of man-made fibres, or from TV sets, duplicators or computer display screens.
When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and some sensitive people suffer nausea or even mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been observed to come out of hibernation, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California.
Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably accounts for the beneficial effect of a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with tumbling streams or waterfalls.
To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers: small portable machines, which generate negative ions. They claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own minds by observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is debatable whether depending on seismic readings to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching the cat.
1.What effect does exceeding positive ionization have on some people?
A.They think they are insane.
B.They feel rather bad-tempered and short-fussed.
C.They become violently sick.
D.They are too tired to do anything.
2.In accordance with the passage, static electricity can be caused by___.
A.using home-made electrical goods.
B.wearing clothes made of natural materials.
C.walking on artificial floor coverings.
D.copying TV programs on a computer.
3.A high negative ion count is likely to be found___.
A.near a pound with a water pump.
B.close to a slow-flowing river.
C.high in some barren mountains.
D.by a rotating water sprinkler.
4.What kind of machine can generate negative ions indoors?
A.Ionisers.
B.Air-conditioners.
C.Exhaust-fans
D.Vacuum pumps.
5.Some scientists believe that___.
A.watching animals to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than depending on seismography.
B.the unusual behavior of animals cannot be trusted.
C.neither watching nor using seismographs is reliable.
D.earthquake
Thebesttitleforthepassagewouldbe________.
In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million between 1973 and 1985 – that is, by a full one third. The entire growth, however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in farming – at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually a prescription for unemployment…
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few decades ago, we now speak of “robotization “ or “automation.” This is actually more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man – hours required to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of manual workers by machines –that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a country’s production is robotized
B.a reduction in a country’s manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford’s style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue – collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities
4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
Part II Vocabulary and Structure
Directions: In this part there are forty incomplete sentences. Each sentence is followed by four choices. Choose the one that best completes the sentence and then mark your answer on the Answer Sheet.
21. The teacher the students on a tour through the art museum.
A. made B. indicated C. forced D. took
22. Tom’s parents died when he was a child, so he was by his relatives.
A. grown up B. brought up C. raised D. fed up
23. Here is my card. Let’s keep in .
A. touch B. relation C. connection D. friendship
24. So far there is no proof people from other planets do exist.
A. which B. how C. what D. that
25. The newspapers reported yesterday several on the boundaries of these two countries.
A. incidents B. happenings C. events D. accidents
26. We’ve worked out the plan and now we must put it into .
A. fact B. reality C. practice D. deed
27. He didn’t and so he failed the examination.
A. work enough hard B. hard work enough C. hard enough work D. work hard enough
28. Not until Mr. Smith came to China what kind of country she is.
A. he knew B. he didn’t know C. did he know D. he couldn’t know
29. Scientists say it may be ten years this medicine was put to use.
A. since B. before C. after D. when
30. In some countries, is called “equality” does not really mean equal rights for all people.
A. that B. what C. which D. how
31. We didn’t know his telephone number, otherwise we him.
A. would telephone B. would have telephone
C. had telephoned D. must have telephoned
32. We’ve missed the last bus, I’m afraid we have no but to take a taxi.
A. way B. possibility C. choice D. selection
33. Luckily, most sheep the flood last month.
A. endured B. survived C. lived D. passed
34. My parents always let me have my own of living.
A. way B. method C. manner D. fashion
35. Like other language skills, reading requires practice.
A. the most of B. much of the C. most of the D. more of the
36. It is only through practice one will be able to swim skillfully.
A. what B. who C. that D. which
37. The brain is capable of ignoring pain message of to concentrate on other activities.
A. it allowed B. is it allowed C. allowed D. allowed it
38. Don’t worry, I have already them the decision.
A. informed; with B. informed; of C. informed; for D. informed; that
39. The child was sorry his mother when he arrived at the station.
A. to miss B. having missed C. missing D. to have missed
40. I wonder why he to discuss the problem at the meeting.
A. declined B. rejected C. refused D. delayed
41. You can hang up what you like on these walls.
A. bare B. empty C. blank D. vacant
42. According to a , the majority would rather have newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers.
A. election B. campaign C. poll D. vote
43. The population of the village has decreased 150 to 500.
A. in B. at C. by D. with
44. It seems that there is that I can’t do.
A. nothing B. anything C. everything D. none
45. They are often caring more about animals than human beings.
A. accused if B. accused with C. charged of D. charged for
46. a good beginning is made, the word is half done.
A. As soon as B. While C. As D. Once
47. George could not his foolish mistake.
A. account in B. count on C. count for D. account for
48. We came into this field late, so we must work hard to the lost time.
A. make up for B. make out C. keep up with D. put up with
49. The new law will came into on the day it is passed.
A. effect B. use C. service D. existence
50. We can separate the mixture into the pure chemical compounds it is composed.
A. in which B. of what C. of which D. from which
51. Mrs. Lincoln has that she is unable to get a job.
A. such small education B. so little education
C. a such little education D. a so small education
52. She can’t prevent her little boy shooting birds.
A. from; to B. on; at C. with; up D. from; at
53. Many countries are increasing their use of natural gas, wind and other forms of .
A. energy B. source C. power D. material
54. A darkened sky in the daytime is usually and indication that a storm is .
A. possible coming B. about to take place
C. close by D. expected to be severe
55. We all know that speak louder than words.
A. movements B. performance C. operations D. actions
56. , he could not cover the whole distance in fifteen minutes.
A. Fast as he can B. As he can ran fast
C. If he can ran fast D. Since he ran fast
57. Agricultural production in that country has increased in recent years.
A. vastly B. strikingly C. considerably D. extremely
58. Peter has planned to some money every month so that he can buy a used car next year.
A. set aside B. set up C. set in D. set along
59. Although I spoke to him many times, he never took any of what I said.
A. attention B. notice C. warning D. observation
60. They overcame all the difficulties and fulfilled the plan three months ahead of time, is something we had not expected.
A. that B. what C. it D. which
Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:
When aluminum was first produced about a hundred and fifty years ago, it was so difficult to separate form the ores in which it was found that its price was higher than that of gold. The price remained high until a new process was discovered for refining the metal with the aid of electricity approximately three quarters of a century later. The new method was so much cheaper that aluminum because practical for many purposes, one of which was making pots and pans.
Aluminum is lightweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms. By mixing it with other metals, scientists have been able to produce a variety of alloys, some of which have the strength of steel but weigh only one third as much.
Today, the uses of aluminum are innumerable. Perhaps its most important use is in transportation. Aluminum is found in the engine of automobiles, in the hulls of boats. It is also used in many parts of airplanes. In fact, the huge “airbus” planes would probably never have been produced if aluminum did not exist. By making vehicles lighter in weight aluminum has greatly reduced the amount of fuel needed to move them, Aluminum is also being used extensively in the building industry in some countries.
Since aluminum is such a versatile (多用的) metal, it is fortunate that bauxite (铝土矿), which is one of its chief sources, is also one of the earth’s most plentiful substances. As the source of aluminum is almost inexhaustible, we can expect that more and more uses will be found for this versatile metal.
6. The price of aluminum was sharply reduced when people discovered a new refining process with the aid of .
A. wind B. solar energy C. hydraulic power D. electricity
7. Aluminum is .
A. lightweight, rustproof but not easily shaped into different forms
B. heavyweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms
C. lightweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms
D. lightweight and easily shaped into different forms but it is easy to become rusty
8. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Aluminum is widely used in transportation.
B. Aluminum is also used in many parts of airplanes.
C. Aluminum is being used extensively in the building industry.
D. Aluminum is not used in its pure form.
9. Aluminum is found on earth mostly in the form of .
A. pure metal B. bauxite C. gold D. liquid
10. What is the passage talking about?
A. The features of aluminum and its functions. B. The process of aluminum.
C. The discovery of aluminum. D. The promising future of aluminum.