culture [5kQltFE]                                n.修养，教养；文化，文明

touchable [`tQtFEbl]              a. 可触的, 可食用的

similarly [5sImIlElI]              ad. 同样地, 类似于

vivid [5vIvId]                                    a.鲜艳的；生动的，栩栩如生的

instrument[5instrumEnt]                    n.工具，仪器，器械；乐器

performance [p[5fR:m[ns]                n.履行，执行；表演，演出；性能，特性

phonograph [5fEunE^rB]          n. 留声机, 电唱机 vi. 灌入留声机

rely [r I5lBI]                                      v. (on)依赖，依靠；信赖，信任

remote [rI5mEJt]                              a.远的,长久的;偏僻的;关系疏远的;远的

preserve [prI5zE:v]                            v.保护，维持；保存，保藏；腌渍

document [5dCkjJmEnt]                    n.文件，文献

explore [ik5splC:]                            v.勘探，探测；探究，探索

outline [5BJtlaIn]                              n.轮廓，略图；大纲，梗慨

                                                        v.概述，略述

influence [5inflJEns]                          n. (on)影响，感化；势力，权势

v.影响，感化

symphony [5sImfEni]                        n.交响乐,交响曲;（色彩等的）和谐,协调

orchestra [5C:kIstrE]                          n.管弦乐队

sheet [Fi:t]                                        n.被单；（一）张，（一）片，薄片；大片

define [di5fBin]                                  v.给…下定义；限定，规定

folk [fEJk]                                        n.人们

                                                        a.民间的

oral [5C:rEl]                                      a.口头的

source [sR:s]                                    n.源，源泉；来源，出处

version  [5vE:V[n]                            n.型，版本；译本，译文；说法，看法

variety [v[5rBI[ti]                              n.种种，多种多样；种类，品种

tend      [tend]                                v.趋向，往往是；照料，看护

standardize [5stAndEdBIz]                  v.使符合标准，使标准化

stimulate [5stImjJleIt]                        v.刺激，使兴奋；鼓励，鼓舞

create [kri5eit]                                          v.创造，创作；引起，造成，建立

notation [nEu5teiFEn]                        n. 符号

far-reaching                              a.深远的, 伸至远处的, 广大的

single out                        挑选

electronic [i9lek5trCnik]                      a.电子的

media [5mijE]                  n. 媒体

video [5vIdIEJ]                                n.电视，视频；录像

                                                        a.电视的，视频的；录像的
cassette [kE5set]                                n.盒子；盒式磁带

globe  [glEJb]                                  n.球体，地球仪；地球，世界

reflect [r I5flekt]                              v.反映，表现；反省，细想；考虑

demonstrate [5demEnstreit]              v.论证，证实；演示，说明

civilization /civilisation [9sivEl-Bi5zeiFEn]n.  文明，文化

attribute to                                        归因于

spread  [spred]                                    v./n.伸开，伸展；散布，传播

mutual [5mju:tFuEl]                          a.相互的，彼此的

popularize [5pCpjulEraiz]          v. 普及

transformation [7trAnsfE5meiFEn]    n. 变化, 转化, 改适, 改革, 转换

inevitable      [i5nevitEbEl]                a.不可避免的，必然发生的

conflict  [5kCnflikt]                          n.战斗，斗争；抵触，冲突v.（with）抵触，冲突

entity [5entiti]                                    n. 实体 

distinguished [dis5tiN^wiFt]          a. 卓著的, 著名的, 高贵的

competition [9kCmpi5tiFEn]                n.比赛；竞争

strive [strBIv]                                    v.奋斗，努力

inadequate  [in5Adikwit]                  a.（for, to）不充足的，不适当的

category [5kAtigEri]                          n.种类，类目

contrast [5kCntrB:st]                        v.（with）使与…对比,使与…对照,和…形成对照

                                                        n.对照，对比，差异

emphasize /emphasise [5emfEsis]        v.强调

individual [9indi5vidVJEl]                    a.个人的，单独的；独特的

nevertheless [9nevETE5les]                conj.      然而，不过

                                                ad.仍然，不过

likely [5lBIkli]                                    a.很可能的，有希望的

                                                        ad.大概，多半

essential [i5senFEl]                            a.（to）必要的，必不可少的；本质的，基本的

desirable [di5zBiErEbEl]                      a.称心的，期望得到的

author  [5C:WE]                                n.作者；创始人

premise [5premis]                              n. [逻][法]前提vt. 提论, 预述, 假定vi. 作出前提

species [5spi:Fi:z]                              n.（物）种，种类

survive [s[5vBIv]                              v.幸免于，幸存；比…长命

cattle [5kAtl]                                      n.牛；牲口，家畜

feeding [5fiiN]                        n. 给食,饲养, 吃a. 给食的, 饲用的, 摄取食物的

starve [stB:v]                                    v.（使）饿死，饿得慌，挨饿

victim [5vIktIm]                              n.牺牲品，受害得

resemble [rI5zembEl]                        v.像，类似

essence [5esEns]                              n.本质，实质

insufficient  [9insE5fiFEnt]                a.（for, of）不足的，不够的

prosper  [5prCspE]                            v.繁荣，使繁荣，使成功

decline [di5klBin]                              v./n. 下倾，下降，下垂，衰落；斜面，倾斜

v.      拒绝，谢绝

induce [in5dju:s]                              vt. 劝诱, 促使, 导致, 引起, 感应

expand [ik5spAnd]                                  v.（使）膨胀，（使）扩张，张开，展开

territory [5ter It[ri]                                  n.领土；版图；领域，范围

at the expense of                      ad.归...付费, 在损害...的情况下

smooth out                            v.消除, 使平滑

summarize /summarise  [5sQmErBIz]  v.概括，总结

characteristic [9kAriktE5ristik]          a.（of）特有的，独特的

                                                        n.特征，特性

feature [5fi:tFE]                                  n.特征，特色；特写

betray  [bi5trei]                                v.背叛，出卖；暴露，流露，泄露

collaborate [kE5lAbEreit]                    v.协作，合作

intend  [in5tend]                            v.想要，打算，企图       

preach    [pri:tF]                            v.宣讲（教义），布道；竭力鼓吹，宣讲；讲道，说教

marvelous /marvellous [5mB:vElEs]    a.惊人的，奇迹般的，妙极的

carry on                            v.继续开展, 坚持, 举止失常

somewhat    [5sQmwCt]                  ad./n.稍微，有点

imitate [5imiteit]                                v.模仿，仿效；仿造，伪造

original [E5r IdVInEl]                          a.最初的,原始的,原文的;新颖的,有独创性的

                                                        n.原物，原作，原文

ridiculous [rI5dIkjJlEs]                      a.荒谬的，可笑的

lack [lAk]                                        n./v. 缺乏，不足

drive [drBiv]                                      v.开（车），驾驶；驱；驱动

                                                    n.驾驶，驱车旅行

crisis ([pl.] crises) [5krBisis]              n.危机，紧要关头

surpass [sE5pB:s]                              v.超过，胜过

evolve [i5vClv]                                    v.（使）发展，（使）进化

pace  [peIs]                                    n.步，步伐

                                                        v.踱步

inherent [in5hiErEnt]                          a.固有的，内在的，天生的

defect [5diekt]                                n.缺点，缺陷

simultaneously [sImEl5teInIEsly]    ad. 同时地

act on                              v.对...起作用, 按...行动, 作用于

freeze up                              v.冻结, 变呆板

fantastic (al) [fAn5tAstik]                  a.奇异的，幻想的，异想天开的，极好的

raw [rC:]                                          a.未煮过的，生的；未加工过的，未经训练的

silicon [5sIlk[n]                                n.硅

arise [E5rBiz]                                v.出现，发生；（from）由…引起，由…产生

predecessor [5priisesE]                  n. 前辈, 前任, (被取代的)原有事物

carbon [5kB:bEn]                              n.碳

enthusiast [in5Wju:ziAst]              n. 热心家, 狂热者

assume [E5sju:m]                              v.假装；假定，设想；采取，承担，呈现

descendant [di5sendEnt]                    n.子孙，后代

disapprove [7disE5pru:v]                v. 不赞成

motivation [7mEuti5veiFEn]          n. 动机

eventually [I5ventFuEli]                      ad.终于，最后

photocopier [5fEJtEJkRpIE(r)]      n. 影印机

video [5vIdIEJ]                                n.电视，视频；录像

                                                        a.电视的，视频的；录像的
cassette [kE5set]                                n.盒子；盒式磁带

survey [s[5veI]                                  v./n. 俯瞰,眺望;全面审视,调查;测量图,勘定

manufacture [9mAnjJ5fAktFE]          v.制造，加工

                                                        n.制造，制造业；产品

timer [5taimE]                        n. 计时员, 记时员, 定时器

awkward [5C:kwEd]                          a.笨拙的,不灵活的；棘手的,尴尬的；使用不便的

appliance [E5plBiEns]                        n.用具，器具

whereas [weEr5Az]                                  conj.      而，却，反之

get away with                        v.侥幸成功, 逃脱处罚

mixture [5mIkstFE]                                  n.混合；混合物，混合剂

specific [spE5sIfIk]                                  a.明确的，具体的；特定的，特有的

procedure  [pr[5si:dV[]                  n.程序，手续，步骤

general [5dVenErEl]                            a.一般的，普通的；总的，大体的

                                                        n.将军

principle [5pr InsIpl]                        n.原理，原则；主义，信念

typical [5t Ip Ik[l]                              a.（of）典型的，有代表性的

laboratory [lE5bCrEtri]                        n.实验室，研究室

reveal [r I5vi:l]                                          v.展现，显示，揭示，揭露，告诉，泄露

set about                              v.开始, 散布  攻击,着手

reluctant [rI5lQktEnt]                          a.不愿的，勉强的

potential [5pEJtEnFEl]                        a.潜在的，可能的；势的，位的

                                                        n.潜能，潜力

in charge of                      负全责, 经管, 照顾

complexity [kEm5pleksiti]                n. 复杂(性), 复杂的事物, 复杂性

ignore [ig5nC:]                                  v.不理，不顾，忽视
Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Question 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
Material culture refers to the touchable, material "things"---physical objects that can be seen, held, felt, used---that a culture produces. Examining a culture's tools and technology can tell us about the group's history and way of life. Similarly, research into the material culture of music can help us to understand the music-culture. The most vivid body of "things" in it, of course, are musical instruments. We cannot hear for ourselves the actual sound of any musical performance before the 1870s when the phonograph was invented, so we rely on instruments for important information about music-cultures it the remote past and their development. Here we have two kinds of evidence: instruments well preserved and instruments pictured in art. Through the study of instruments, as well preserved paintings, written documents, and so on, we can explore the movement of music from the Neat East to China over a thousand years ago, or we can outline the spread of Near Eastern influence to Europe that results in the development of most of the instruments on the symphony orchestra.
Sheet music or printed music, too i——aterial culture. Scholars once defined folk music-cultures as those in which people learn and sing music by ear rather than from print, but research show mutual influence among oral and written sources during the past few centuries in Europe, Britain, and America, printed versions limit variety because they tend to standardize any song, yet they stimulate people to create new and different songs. Besides, the ability to read music notation has a far-reaching effect on musicians and, when it becomes widespread, on the music-culture as a whole.
One more important part of music'——aterial culture should be singled out the influence of the electronic media-radio, record player, tape recorder, television, and videocassette, with the future promising talking and singing computers and other developments. This all part of the "information revolution," a twentieth century phenomenon as important as the industrial revolution was in the nineteenth. These electronic media are not just limited to modern nations; they have affected music-cultures all over the globe.
21. Research into the material culture of a nation's of great importance ______.
A) it helps produce new cultural tools and technology
B) it can reflect the development of the nation
C) it helps understand the nation's past and present
D) it can demonstrate the nation's civilization
22. It can be learned from this passage that ______.
A) the existence of the symphony was attributed to the spread of Near Eastern and Chinese music
B) Near Eastern music had influence on the of the instruments in the symphony orchestra
C) the development of the symphony shows the mutual influence of Eastern and Western music
D) the musical instruments in the symphony basis of Near Eastern music
23. According to the author, music notation is important because______ .
A) it has a great effect on the music-culture a——ore and more people are able to read it
B) it tends to standardize folk sings when it is used by folk musicians ______.
C) it is the printed version of standardized folk music
D) it encourages people to popularize printed versions of songs
24. It can be concluded from the passage that the introduction of electronic media into the world of music ______.
A) has brought about an information revolution
B) has speeded up the arrival of a new generation of computers
C) has given rise to new forms of music culture
D) has given to the transformation of traditional musical instruments
25. Which of the following best summarized the main idea of the passage?
A) Musical instruments developed through the years will sooner later be replaced by computers.
B) cannot be passed on to future generation unless it is recorded.
C) Folk songs cannot spread far unless they are printed on music sheets
D) The development of music culture is highly dependent or it——aterial aspect
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:
The question of whether war is inevitable is one which has concerned many of the world's great writers. Before considering this question, it will useful to introduce some related concepts. Conflict, defined as opposition among social entities directed against one another is distinguished from competition, defined as opposition among social entities independently striving for something that is in inadequate supply. Competitor——ay not be aware of one another, while the parties to a conflict are. Conflict and competition are both categories of opposition, which has been defined as a process by which social entities function in the disservice of one another. Opposition is thus contrasted with cooperation, the process by which social entities function in the service of one another. These definitions are necessary because it is important to emphasize that competition between individuals or groups is inevitable in a world of limited resources, but conflict is not. Conflict, nevertheless, is very likely to occur, and is probably an essential and desirable element of human societies.
Many authors have argued for the inevitability of war from the premise that in the struggle for existence among animal species, only the fittest survive. In general, however this struggle in nature is competition, not conflict. Social animals, such a——onkeys and cattle, fight to win or maintain leadership of the group. The struggle for existence occurs not in such fights but in the competition for limited feeding areas and for the occupancy of areas free from meat-eating animals. Those who fail in competition starve to death or become victims to other species. This struggle for existence does not resemble human war, but rather the competition of individuals for jobs, markets, and materials. The essence of the struggle is the competition for the necessities of life that are insufficient to satisfy all.
Among nations there is competition in developing resources trades, skills, and a satisfactory way of life. The successful nations grow and prosper; the unsuccessful decline While it is true that this competition may induce efforts to expand territory at the expense of others, and thus lead to conflict, it cannot be said that war-like conflict among nations is inevitable, although competition is.
26. In the first paragraph, the author gives the definitions of some terms in order to _______.
A) argue for the similarities between and human societies
B) smooth out the conflicts in human societies
C) distinguish between two kinds of opposition
D) summarize the characteristic features of opposition and cooperation
27. According to the author, competition differs from conflict in that _______.
A) it results in war in most cases
B) it induces efforts to expand territory
C) it is kind of opposition among social entities
D) it is essentially a struggle for existence
28. The phrase "function in the disservice of one another" (Para. 1) most probably means "_______".
A) betray each other    C) help to collaborate with each other
B) harm one another    D) benefit one another
29. The author indicates in the passage that conflict _______.
A) is an inevitable struggle resulting from competition
B) reflects the struggle among social animals
C) is an opposition among individual social animals
D) can be avoided
30. The passage is probably intended to answer the question "_______".
A) Is war inevitable?
B) Why is there conflict and competition?
C) Is conflict desirable?
D) Can competition lead to conflict?
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:
As Dr. Samuel Johnson said in a different era about ladies preaching, the surprising thing about computer is not that they think less well than a man, but that they think at all. The early electronic computer did not have much going for it except a marvelou——emory and some good math skills. But today the best models can be wired up to learn by experience, follow an argument, ask proper questions and write poetry and music. They can also carry on somewhat puzzling conversations.
Computers imitate life. As computer get more complex, the imitation gets better. Finally, the line between the original and the copy becomes unclear. In another 15 years or so, we will see the computer as a new form of life.
The opinion seems ridiculous because, for one thing, computers lack the drives and emotions of living creatures. But drives can be programmed into the computer's brain just as nature programmed them into our human brains as a part of the equipment for survival.
Computer——atch people in some roles, and when fast-decisions are needed in a crisis, they often surpass them. Having evolved when the pace of life was slower, the human brain has an inherent defect that prevents it from absorbing several streams of information simultaneously and acting on them quickly. Throw too many things at the brain one time and it freezes up.
We are still in control, but the capabilities of computer are increasing at a fantastic rate, while raw human intelligence is changing slowly, if at all. Computer power has increased ten times every eight years since 1946. In the 1990s, when the sixth generation appears, the reasoning power of an intelligence built out of silicon will begin to match that of the human brain.
That does not mean the evolution of intelligence has ended on the earth. Judging by the past, we can expect that a new species will arise out of man, surpassing his achievements as he has surpassed those of his predecessor. Only a carbon chemistry enthusiast would assume that the new specie——ust be man's flesh-and-blood descendants. The new kind of intelligent life i——ore likely to be made of silicon.
31. What do you suppose the attitude of Dr. Samuel Johnson towards ladies preaching?
A) He believed that ladies were born worse preachers than men
B) He was pleased that ladies could preach, though not as well a——en.
C) He disapproved of ladies preaching.
D) He encouraged ladies to preach.
32. Today, computers are still inferior to man in terms of ______.
A) decision making    C) growth of reasoning power
B) drives and feelings    D) information absorption
33. In terms of making quick decisions, the human brain cannot be compared with the computer because _____.
A) in the long process of evolution slow pace of life didn't require such ability of the human brain
B) the human brain is influenced by other factors such a——otivation and emotion
C) the human brain may sometimes freeze up in a dangerous situation
D) computers imitate life while the human brain does not imitate computers
34.Though he thinks highly of the development of computer science, the author doesn't mean that __.
A) computers are likely to become a new form of intelligent life
B) human beings have lost control of computers
C) the intelligence of computers will eventually surpass will that of human beings
D) the evolution of intelligence will probably depend on that of electronic brains
35. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A) Future man will be made of silicon instead of flesh and blood
B) Some day it will be difficult to tell a computer from a man.
C) The reasoning power of computers has already surpassed that of man
D) Future intelligent life may not necessarily be made of organic matter.
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
Video recorders and photocopiers, even ticket machines on the railways, often seem unnecessarily difficult to use. Last December I bought myself a videocassette recorder (VCR) described as "simple to use". In the first three weeks I failed repeatedly to program the machine to record from the TV, and after months of practice I still made mistakes. I am not alone. According to a survey last year by Ferguson, the British manufacturer, more than one in four VCR owners never use the timer on their machines to record a program: they don't use it because they've found it far too hard to operate.
So why do manufacturers keep on designing and producing VCRS that are awkward to use if the problems are so obvious?
First, the problems we notice are not obvious to technically-minded designers with years of experience and trained to understand how appliances work. Secondly, designers tend to add one or two features at a time to each model, whereas you or I face all a machine's features at once. Thirdly, although finding problems in a finished product is easy, it is too late by then to do anything about the design. Finally, if manufacturers can get away with selling products that are difficult to use, it is not worth the effort of any one of them to make improvements.
Some manufacturers say they concentrate on providing a wide range of features rather than on making the machines easy to use. But that gives rise to the question, "Why can't you have features that are easy to use?" The answer is you can.
Good design practice is a mixture of specific procedures and general principles. For a start, designers should build an original model of the machine and try it out on typical members of the public---not on colleagues in the development laboratory. Simple pubic trials would quickly reveal many design mistakes. In an ideal world, there would be some ways of controlling quality such as that the VCR must be redesigned repeatedly until, say, 90 percent of users can work 90 per cent of the features correctly 90 per cent of the time.
36. The author had trouble operating his VCR because ______.
A) he had neglected the importance of using the timer
B) the machine had far more technical features than necessary
C) he had set about using it without proper training
D) its operation was far more difficult than the designer intended it to be
31. According to the author, manufacturers ______.
A ) should add more useful features to their machines
B) often fail to make their products easy to use
C) should make their appliances as attractive as possible
D) often fail to provide proper training in the use of their products
38. It seems that manufacturers will remain reluctant to make improvements unless ______.
A) they can do so at a very low cost
B) they find their machines hard to operate
C) they have difficulty selling their products
D) they receive a lot of complaints about their machines
39. According to the passage before a VCR is sold on the market, its original model should be tried out _______.
A) among ordinary consumers who are not technically-minded
B) among people who are technically-minded
C) among experienced technicians and potential users
D) among people who are in charge of public relations
40. One of the reasons why VCRs are so difficult to use is that _______.
A) the designers are often insensitive to the operational complexities of their machines
B) the range of features provided is unlimited
C) there is no ideal way of controlling quality
D) their designers often ignore the complaints of their uses  根据以下文章回答21到25题。
物质文化是指由一个文化产生的、有形的并且可以被看见、拥有、感觉和使用的可接触的物质实体。（21）通过对一个国家或地区的文化工具和技术进行研究，可以使我们了解当地的历史和生活方式。同样的，对音乐方面的物质文化进行考察，可以帮助我们了解音乐文化。当然，在音乐的物质文化中最为明显的体现的要数各种乐器了。19世纪70年代以前，还没有发明留声机，因此我们无法听到音乐会的现场演奏，只能依赖于遗留下来的乐器去获得过去的音乐文化和其发展的重要信息。我们可以有两种观察的途经，一种是保存完好的旧时的乐器，另一种是艺术作品中刻画的乐器。通过对乐器、绘画作品及文献等研究，我们可以获知1000年以前从近东到中国的音乐文化的发展历程，（22）我们也可以勾勒出近东音乐文化的传播对欧洲大陆的影响，这种传播导致了现代交响乐团所使用的多种乐器的产生和发展。
口头民谣和正规的乐谱都是物质文化的一部分。学者们曾一度认为，民间音乐文化是人们通过传唱而学会的，不是通过乐谱流传下来的，但研究表明在过去几个世纪内欧洲、英国和美国的口头民谣和正规乐谱的资料是相互影响的。乐谱的形式限制了它的数量，因为乐谱趋向于将每一首歌曲都标准化，然而乐谱这一形式本身却促使人们去创作新的、不同的曲调。（23）另外，识谱对音乐家的影响是深远的，当乐谱被广泛使用时，识谱对整个音乐文化的影响也是巨大的。
音乐的物质文化的另一个更重要的方面应被单独阐述，那就是电子传媒的影响－－收音机、录音机、唱片机、电视、录像机和未来的多媒体电脑及其他发展。这些全都是“信息革命”的一部分，信息革命与19世纪的工业革命一样，是20世纪的一个重要现象。（24）这些电子传媒不仅仅局限于发达国家，它们已经给全球的音乐文化带来了深远的影响。
21.对一个国家的物质文化的研究是重要的，原因是_________。
  A)它帮助产生新的文化工具和技术
  B)它能反映一个民族的发展状况
  C)它有助于理解一个民族的历史和现状
  D)它能演示一个民族的文化
22.从本文可以推断_________。
  A)交响乐的存在归因于近东和中国音乐的传播
  B)近东音乐对交响乐团乐器的发展有影响
C)交响乐的发展表明了东西方音乐的互相影响
D)交响乐团的乐器是在近东音乐的基础上发展起来的
23.根据作者的意思，乐谱很重要，是因为________。
    A)随着越来越多的人能够读懂它，它对音乐文化产生了极大的影响
B)当其被民间音乐家使用时，它往往使民歌标准化
C)它是标准化民间音乐的印刷形式
D)它促使人们推广乐谱
24.可从本文中得出结论，电子传媒的产生对音乐世界________。
    A)带来了一场信息革命
B)加速了新一代计算机的到来
C)产生了音乐文化的新形式
D)导致传统乐器的形式改变
25.下列哪项可以最好地归纳总结全文？
    A)随着时间的推移，乐器将迟早被电脑取代。
B)除非音乐被记录下来，否则它无法传给下一代。
C)除非民歌被印在乐谱上，否则它无法被广泛流传。
D)音乐文化的发展在很大程度上依赖于其物质方面。
根据以下文章回答26到30题。
战争是否不可避免是一个长久以来一直引起许多伟大作家关注的问题。在讨论这个问题之前，我们有必要介绍几个相关的概念。（26）冲突不同于竞争，前者是指社会实体中对立双方的直接对抗，后者是指社会实体中的对立双方因为独立追求社会短缺物品而产生的相互对抗，竞争者往往不很了解对方，而冲突双方对很了解对方。冲突和竞争都是对抗的一种形式，（28）而对抗被定义为社会实体努力损害对方利益的行为过程。因此对抗与合作相反，合作是社会实体努力使双方获益的行为过程。这些定义十分必要，因为必须强调个人或群体之间的竞争在资源有限时是无法避免的，而冲突则可以避免。但是冲突总是容易发生，而且可能是人类社会中一个必需因素。
许多作家都认为战争不可避免，一个必要的前提是在物种繁衍过程中，适者生存。然而总的来说，自然界的生存斗争是一种竞争，而不是冲突。群居的动物，比如猴子和牛，为了在群体中赢得或保持领导地位而打斗。为生存所进行的斗争不以这种打斗方式出现，争夺有限的栖息地和争夺能躲避食肉动物的追捕的地盘。这种竞争中的失败者要么被饿死，要么成为其它动物的盘中餐。这种生存之战不像人类战争，更像是为了工作、市场和物资而发生的个人竞争。（27）这种斗争的本质是为了获得不能满足所有人的生活必需品而进行的竞争。
对国家而言，这种竞争是为了扩充资源、发展贸易、技术和获得更好的生活方式。竞争中成功的国家经济增长走向繁荣，不成功的国家走向衰落。尽管存在这样一个事实：这种竞争可能导致以他国领土为代价的本国领土扩张，因而引发了冲突。（29）但不能认为这种国家之间的类似战争的冲突是不可避免的，尽管竞争的确存在。
26.在第一段，作者给出了一组术语的定义，目的是________。
    A)论证动物社会与人类社会的相似性
B)缓解人类社会的冲突
C)辨别两种对立方式
D)总结对立与合作的特征
27.根据作者的意思，竞争不同于冲突__________。
  A)在大多数情况下它会导致战争
  B)它引发领土扩张
  C)它是社会实体中存在的一种对立形式
  D)本质上它是一种为生存而进行的斗争
28.第一段第12-13行的短语“损害对方利益的功能”的意思是“________”。
  A)相互背叛
  B)相互伤害
  C)有利于相互合作
  D)相互得益
29.作者在文章中暗示，冲突_________。
  A)是竞争导致的不可避免的纷争
  B)反映了群居性动物之间的争斗
  C)是在单个社会实体内部的一种对立
  D)能够避免
30.本文很可能想回答的问题是“___________”。
  A)战争不可避免吗？
  B)为什么存在冲突和竞争？
  C)冲突是可取的吗？
  D)竞争会导致冲突吗？
根据以下文章回答31到35题。
  （31）就像萨缪尔•约翰逊博士谈到在一个非常不同的时期妇女传教问题一样，电脑的奇特之处不在于它们的思考能力不如人类，而在于它们几乎会思考。早期的电子计算机本身除了一个强大的储存记忆功能和一些良好的数学计算机功能之外，没有更多的吸引人的特点。但现在最好的计算机能够靠经验来学习，接受观点，有时电脑还可进行比较复杂的对话。
  电脑模拟了生命。随着电脑越变越复杂，这种模仿就更加完美。最后，原版和复制品之间的界限就变得不清晰。再过大约15年，我们会将电脑视为生命的一种新形式。
  这种观点似乎很可笑，因为（32）首先电脑缺乏生命物质所具有的生活动力和情感。但可以把动力编成程序植入电脑，就像自然界把动力作为生存设备的一部分植入人类的大脑一样。
在生命的某些角色中，电脑可与人相媲美，而且当在危急时刻需要迅速做出决定时，它们常常比人更出色。（33）由于生命的进化速度缓慢，人脑的一个内在缺陷就是不可能同时接受几条信息流，并迅速向它们作出反应。如果在同一时间向人脑灌输太多东西，大脑就会僵滞不动。
人类仍控制着一切，但电脑的功能却以惊人的速度发展，而纯粹的人类智力却变化缓慢。自从1946年以来，电脑的能力每隔8年就增长10倍。20世纪90年代，当第六代计算机问世之后，电脑硅片上所创造出来的推理智能将能与人类大脑相提并论。
（34）这并不意味着智力发展的步伐将会停止。从过去的情况判断，我们可以期望一个新的物种从人类中兴起，这一物种将超越自己的成就像超越祖辈的成就那样。只有热衷于有机化学的人才会预测这一新物种一定是有血有肉的人类的后代。（35）新一代有智慧的生命更有可能是由芯片组成的。
31. 你认为是下列哪项是萨缪尔•约翰逊博士对妇女传教的态度？
  A)他相信比起男人来，女人天生是资质较差的传教士。
  B)他为女人能够传教感到高兴，虽然传教没有男人好。
  C)他不赞成女人传教。
  D)他鼓励女人传教。
32.今天，就_______而言，电脑还不如人类。
  A)做出决定
B)动力与感觉
C)推理能力的增加
D)吸收信息
33.在迅速做出决定时，人类大脑无法与电脑相比是因为_______。
    A)在长期进化的过程中，生命进化很慢不需要人脑的这种能力
B)人脑受到诸如动力、情感等其它因素的影响
C)人脑有时在危险的情况下可能会僵化
D)电脑模仿生命而人脑不模仿电脑
34.虽然作者高度评价计算机科学的发展，但他并不认为________。
  A)电脑有可能会成为一种新式的有智慧的生命形式
  B)人类对电脑已经失控
  C)电脑的智商最终会超越人类
  D)智力的进化很可能依赖于电脑的进化
35.根据本文，下列哪一项是对的？
  A)未来的人类将由硅片构成，而不是血肉之躯。
  B)总有一天将很难区分人与电脑。
  C)电脑的推理能力已超过人类。
  D)将来的有智慧的生命可能并不需要由有机物质构成
根据以下文章回答36到40题。
    录像机、影印机，甚至火车站的售票机器，看起来一点都不难使用。去年12月份我买了一台录像机（VCR）号称“操作简便”。在头三个星期内，我反复操作，怎么也不能把电视节目录制下来，用了几个月后，我仍然会犯错误。（36）这种例子比比皆是。根据英国制造商Ferguson去年的一项调查，多于四分之一的VCR使用者从来没有在录制节目时使用定时器：没有用它的原因是他们发现定时器操作起来太困难了。
    既然问题如此明显，那么为什么制造商们还继续设计和生产那些难使用的VCR机呢？（40）首先，我们注意到的问题对于那些有技术头脑设计师来说没有那么明显，他们有多年的经验，并且深谙家电运作原理。其次，设计师们喜欢同时在每一型号的机器上加上一两个动能，而我们立即得面对一个机器上的所有功能。第三，尽管在成品上发现问题很容易，但要在设计方案上做改动已经太晚了。（38）最后，如果制造商可以销售这些难以使用的产品，而未因卖不出去受到惩罚，对他们来说就不值得对产品进行改进。
（37）一些厂商声称他们更注重提供多样化的功能，而不是生产那样易用的机器。但是这又引出这样的问题，“为什么你们不可以设计那些易于使用的功能呢？”答案是你们可以。
    好的设计方案是特殊程序和一般原则的结合。（39）从一开始，设计师们应制造出一件机器的最初模形，然后让一些典型的大众用户试用，而不是让设计室里的同事们试用。简单的公众试用会迅速提示出许多设计上的失误。从理想的角度讲，有许多可以控制质量的方法，比如VCR机必须被不断地重复设计直到可以说90％的用户可以在90％的时间里正确使用90％的功能。
36.作者在操作他的VCR机时有困难是因为_______。
  A)他忽略了使用计时器的重要性
  B)机器有太多不必要的功能
  C)他没有经过适当的训练就开始使用它了
  D)它的操作比设计者预想的要难得多
37.根据作者的意思，厂商们________。
  A)应给他们的机器增加更多有用的功能
  B)常常无法使他们的产品易于使用
  C)应使他们的产品尽可能地富有吸引力
  D)常常无法提供适当的培训以便使用他们的产品
38.看起来，除非________，厂商们才会改进生产。
  A)他们能够用很低的成本完成生产
  B)他们发现他们的机器很难操作
  C)他们很难销售他们的产品
  D)他们收到了很多对他们产品的投诉
39.根据本文，VCR机投放市场之前，它的最初模型应试用于_________。
  A)那些不具技术头脑的普通民众
  B)那些有技术头脑的人
  C)那些有经验的技术人员与潜在使用者
  D)那些主管公共关系的人
40.VCR机如此难以使用的原因之一是________。
  A)设计者往往感觉不到他们设计的机器的操作困难
  B)提供的功能范围是无限的
  C)没有理想的方法来控制质量
  D)设计者常常忽略使用者的投诉

以上为1996年1月六级阅读试题

参考答案：CBACD CDBDA BBABD DBCAA