2008年英语专八真题及其答案解析

1TESTFORENGLISHMAJORS（2008）—GRADEEIGHT—TIMELIMIT:195MINPARTILISTENINGCOMPREHENSION(35MIN)SECTIONAMINI-LECTUREInthissectionyouwillhearamini-lecture.YouwillhearthelectureONCEONLY.Whilelistening,takenotesontheimportantpoints.Younoteswillnotbemarket,butyouwillneedthemtocompleteagap-fillingtaskforafterthemini-lecture.Whenthelectureisover,youwillbegiventwominutestocheckyournotes,andanothertenminutestocompletethegap-fillingtaskonANSWERSHEETONE.Usetheblanksheetfornote-tanking.SECTIONBINTERVIEWInthissectionyouwillheareverythingONCEONLY.Listencarefullyandthenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.Markthecorrectanswertoeachquestiononyourcoloredanswersheet.Questions1to5arebasedonaninterview.Attheendoftheinterviewyouwillbegiven10secondstoanswereachofthefollowingfivequestions.Nowlistentotheinterview1.Marydoesn'tseemtofavourtheideaofanewairportbecauseA.theexistingairportsaretobewastedB.morepeoplewillbeencouragedtotravel.C.moreoilwillbeconsumed.D.moreairplaneswillbepurchased.2.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedbyMaryasapotentialdisadvantage?A.Morepeopleinthearea.B.Noiseandmotorways.C.Wasteofland.D.Unnecessarytravel.3.FreddyhascitedthefollowingadvantagesforanewairportEXCEPTA.morejobopportunities.B.vitalitytothelocaleconomy.C.roadconstruction,D.presenceofaircrewinthearea.4.MarythinksthatpeopledontneedtodomuchtravelnowadaysasaresultofA.lessemphasisonpersonalcontact.B.advancesinmoderntelecommunications.C.recentchangesinpeoplesconcepts.D.morepotentialdamagetothearea5.WelearnfromtheconversationthatFreddyisMarysideas,A.stronglyinfavourofB.mildlyinfavourofC.stronglyagainstD.mildlyagainstSECTIONCNEWSBROADCASTInthissectionyouwillheareverythingONCEONLY.Listencarefullyandthenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.Markthecorrectanswertoeachquestiononyourcolouredanswersheet.Question6isbasedonthefollowingnews.Attheendofthenewsitem,youwillbegiven10secondstoanswerthequestion.Nowlistentothenews.6.Whatisthemainideaofthenewsitem?A.AnewgovernmentwasformedafterSundayselections.B.Thenewgovernmentintendstochangethewelfaresystem.C.TheSocialDemocraticPartyfoundedthewelfaresystem.D.TheSocialDemocraticPartywasresponsibleforhighunemployment.Questions7and8arebasedonthefollowingnews.Attheendofthenewsitem,youwillbegiven20seconds2toanswerthequestions.Nowlistentothenews.7.ThetapesoftheApollo-11missionwerefirststoredinA.aU.S.governmentarchiveswarehouse.B.aNASAgroundtrackingstation.C.theGoddardSpaceFlightCentre.D.noneoftheaboveplaces.8.WhatdoesthenewsitemsayaboutRichardNafzger?A.Heisassignedthetasktolookforthetapes.B.Hebelievesthatthetapesareprobablylost.C.HeworksinaNASAgroundreceivingsite.D.Hehadaskedforthetapesinthe1970s.Questions9and10arebasedonthefollowingnews.Attheendofthenewsitem,youwillbegiven20secondstoanswerthequestions.Nowlistentothenews.9.TheexampleinthenewsitemiscitedmainlytoshowA.thatdoctorsaresometimesprofessionallyincompetentB.thatincaseslikethathospitalshavetopayhugecompensations.C.thatlanguagebarriersmightlowerthequalityoftreatment.D.thatlanguagebarrierscanresultinfatalconsequences.10.AccordingtoDr.Flores,hospitalsandclinicsA.haveseentheneedforhiringtrainedinterpreters.B.haverealizedtheproblemsoflanguagebarriers.C.havebeguntrainingtheirstafftobebilinguals.D.havetakenstepstoprovideaccuratediagnosis.PARTIIREADINGCOMPREHENSION(30MIN)Inthissectiontherearefourreadingpassagesfollowedbyatotalof20multiple-choicequestions.Readthepassagesandthenmarkyouranswersonyourcolouredanswersheet。TEXTAAttheageof16,LeeHyukJoonslifeisalivinghell.TheSouthKorean10thgradergetsupat6inthemorningtogotoschool,andstudiesmostofthedayuntilreturninghomeat6p.m.Afterdinner,itstimetohitthebooksagain—atoneofSeoulsmanyso-calledcramschools.Leegetsbackhomeat1inthemorning,sleepslessthanfivehours,thenrepeatstheroutine—fivedaysaweek.Itsagruelingschedule,butLeeworriesthatitmaynotbegoodenoughtogethimintoatopuniversity.Someofhisclassmatesstudyevenharder.SouthKoreaseducationsystemhaslongbeenhighlycompetitive.ButforLeeandtheother700,000high-schoolsophomoresinthecountry,high-schoolstudieshavegottenevenmoreintense.ThatsbecauseSouthKoreahasconceivedanewcollege-entrancesystem,whichwillbeimplementedin2008.Thisyears10thgraderswillbethefirstgroupevaluatedbythenewadmissionsstandard,whichplacesmoreemphasisongradesinthethreeyearsofhighschoolandlessonnationwideSAT-styleandotherselectiontests,whichhavetraditionallydeterminedwhichstudentsgototheelitecolleges.Thechangewasmademostlytoreducewhatthegovernmentsaysisagrowingeducationgapinthecountry:wealthystudentsgotothebestcollegesandgetthebestjobs,keepingthechildrenofpoorerfamiliesonthesocialmargins.Theaimistoreducetheimportanceofcostlytutorsandcramschools,partlytohelpstudentsenjoyamorenormalhigh-schoollife.Butthenewsystemhashadtheoppositeeffect.Before,studentsdidntworrytoomuchabouttheirgrade-pointaverages;thebigchallengewasbeatinghestandardizedtestsashigh-schoolseniors.Nowstudentsarecompetingagainstoneanotheroverathree-yearperiod,andeverymidtermandfinaltestiscrucial.Fretfulparentsarerelyingevenmoreheavilyontutorsandcramschoolstohelptheirchildrensucceed.Parentsandkidshavesentth