Section Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Part A

Directions:
Read the following three texts. Answer the questions on each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET by drawing a thick line across the corresponding letter in the brackets.

Text I

Much controversy（争论） has been caused by the publication of new report by Professor B. J.Martin. The report claims to have statistical evidence that children who attend a number of differentschools through their parents having to move around the country in search of work are more likely tohave low academic achievement. There are also indications of an unusually high rate of-psychological disturbances (骚动) among such children.

The professor, who has long suspected this negative effect on children, stresses that this is not simply an expression of prejudice. "It's true," he says. "My personal feeling is that children should stay in one school. However, our findings are based on research and not on any personal attitudes that my colleagues or I may have on the subject. "

Captain Thomas James, an Army lecturer and father of two, said: " As far as I'm concerned,
absolutely no harm is done to the education of children who change schools regularly－as long as they keep to the same system, as in our Army schools. Army children are as well-adjusted as any others, if not more so. What the professor does not appear to appreciate is the fact that in such situations children will adapt much better than adults.

When this was put to Professor Martin, he said that at no time had his report suggested that all such children were backward or disturbed in some way, but simply that there was a clear tendency in their experience. While the extremely bright child could cope with regular changes of schools without harming his or her general academic progress, the majority of children suffered from constantly having to enter a new learning environment.

46. The report mentioned in the first paragraph suggests that _________.
[ A ] children who move around the country with their parents are more capable
[ B] it may not be good for children to change schools too often
[ C ] parents are looking for a better school for their children ' s education
[ D ] more and more children are suffering from psychological problems

47. Professor Martin stated that _________.
[A] it was time we gave up our prejudice on the present educational system
[ B ] the report didn ' t show enough evidence to prove his former idea
[C] his findings were based on the evidence rather than on his own feeling
[D] he had an experience of moving around the country with his parents

48. Captain James' words mean that _________.
[A] his children were not affected by changing schools
[ B ] Army schools usually provide better education than other schools
[ C ] Army children are better adjusted than any others
[D] it's harmful to have children living with their parents all the time

49. The phrase "cope with" (Line 3, Para.4) most probably means _________.
[ A ] enjoy                              [ B ] neglect
[ C ] reduce                             [ D ] endure

50. According to Professor Martin, which children suffer most from changing schools constantly?
[A] The brightest.                       [B] The average.
[C] Those of below-average intelligence.   [D] Those from an army background.
Text 2

Books, even in this age of cheap literature, cost money? The shortage of paper, together with the high cost of living, has made books an expensive item in our list of requirements. This would mean that fewer people can afford to have them. Yet there are people who think nothing of spending money on a rich dinner, but don't like to spend the same sum on books. Therefore the time has come for a new public library policy to be introduced, for the higher the price of books the greater the need to give them the widest circulation possible.

The Hong Kong Government has set up Urban (城市的) Council Libraries and study rooms in
various districts. There is no doubt that when books are wisely selected, they have a great educational value, and have done much to encourage the habit of reading among the people.

For setting up libraries, some factors should be taken into consideration. In the first place, it is not enough to have just a building, equip it with shelves and fill them with books. The library building itself must be attractive in structure, desirable in atmosphere, and uncumbered in administration. Then secondly, there is the choice of suitable books to look into. This presents difficulties:

though most of the books are novels and most of the readers are novel-readers, moreover, reading fiction is quite a source of amusement and pleasure. Also, it is a means of broadening one' s mind and learning more about life and human being. Yet, there should always be a good selection of serious books-history, biography, travel, poetry and literature-which are appreciated by many readers.

51 . According to this passage, some people __________.
[ A ] give less consideration to books than food
[ B] can hardly afford time to read books
[ C ] know nothing about the value of education
[ D ] should have spent more money on daily needs

52. In this passage, the writer implies that _________.
[ A ] Urban Council Libraries need more funds for books
[ B ] properly selected books have a good educational value
[ C ] text books are usually more expensive than other books
[D] to be a good learner, one must read widely

53. The need for a wider circulation of books comes from _________.
[A] the educational system               [ B ] the increasing number of the readers
[ C ] the high price of books               [ D ] the new public library policy

54. According to the author, the difficulty in setting up a library lies in the fact that _________.
[ A ] there is a shortage of space and facilities
[ B ] serious books are not always available in book stores
[ C ] most readers take their interests only in novels
[D] it is not easy to select suitable books

55. The word "uncumbered" ( Line 3 , Para. 3 ) here most probably means _________.
[ A ] difficult                            [ B ] incomplete
[ C ] efficient                            [ D ] complicated

Text 3

South Dakota ranks completely the last in average teacher salary and 42nd in the spending per pupil. But its 1989 American College Test scores are among the highest in the nation.

In knowledge and skills South Dakota has a normal teacher combination-good, bad and the
not very good. Nor does the state place enormous emphasis on academic achievements. Many chools
fail to require enough homework and a proposal to require a foreign language for college entrance caused a storm of public anger. But South Dakota' s students have three things going for them: strong families, small schools and old-fashioned values.

South Dakota ' s marriage and birth rates are among the highest in the nation, and its divorce (离婚) rates are among the lowest. South Dakota' s kids are subject to the same troubles that tempt young people elsewhere-drugs, drinking and sex. But because fewer are in pain of emotion from home situations, fewer seek these troublesome escapes.

South Dakota is also fortunate that most of its schools are small. Schools like these are often the focus of community life; there are a lot of school plays, concerts and football games in school. And as much as a fourth of a local newspaper may be school news. It must be difficult for students and teachers not to feel that all eyes are upon them.

And South Dakota enjoy the old values, everyone shares the same pattern of behaviour. A
school's authority is seldom weakened by a parent, or vice versa (反之亦然).
56. Which of the following is mentioned about South Dakota in this passage?
[A]A special combination is required by the state in selecting teachers.
[B] Forty-two students won an award in a national test in 1989.
[C] Teachers are not as well paid as those in other states.
[D] Academic achievements are highly regarded by the state and the public.

57. According to the writer, in South Dakota _________.
[ A ] students don ' t have to spend much spare time on their study
[ B ] teachers are requested to assign enough homework to the students
[ C ] there are no special requirements for entrance to college
[ D ] parents set a high demand of their children ' s education in middle schools

58. It can be known from the passage that _________.
[ A ] some parents think that a foreign language is useless in the states
[ B ] the students are strongly against learning a foreign language as a course requirement
[ C ] the lack of foreign language teaching has led to a storm of public anger
[ D ] students needn ' t know a foreign language to enter a college

59. In this passage, the writer implied that people in South Dakota _________.
[A] like their children studying in & larger college
[ B ] enjoy great comfort of emotion in the family
[ C ] are trying to find out a solution to some social problems
[ D ] rank the lowest in birth rates in the nation

60. In this passage the writer states that people in South Dakota _________.
[ A ] think that students should have spent more time on study
[ B ] take the lead in changing the old values
[ C ] pay little attention to the happenings in the school
[ D ] hold conservative attitudes toward their traditions

Part B

Directions:
Read the following paragraphs in which 5 people talk about what men don ' t understand about women. For questions 61 to 65, match name of each speaker to one of the statements (A to C) given below. Mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.

Margaret Stephens

On the job, we expect equal pay for equal work. Work gives a man identity and status. The same often holds true for a woman. We want our husbands take our jobs as seriously as they take their own. I worked as a nurse, he, a sales-executive. I followed him around the country. Each time he was transferred, I found a new position for myself. It wasn ' t until I received an award from my hospital that he realized how emotionally attached I was to my profession.Barbra Stern

Men and women solve problems in different ways. A man tends to be direct-line up all his options, select one, then proceed. Women can be direct, too, but they may also choose a less obvious path. What women really want is for men to respect the special ways they have of analyzing problems. When men struggle with a problem, they stay right with it, but often getting more and moreupset. Women are more likely to simply let problems solve themselves.

Cindy Rodgers

Men tend to be romantic, often falling in love more quickly than women, who tend to focus on practical considerations in choosing a mate and look for long-term qualities in a partner. Far more than men, they allow their heads to control their hearts. Even though women may ache for love, they carry around an inner evaluator who asks, "Can I count on this man?" So any man who hopes to sweep a woman off her feet had better lengthen his timetable.

Nora Kent

Men are often more uncomfortable than women about being alone and tend to get bored more easily. Some men want to control their wives and they get anxious when their wives are off on their own, beyond reach. Women need "down time "to shop, read, recharge batteries-and a man shouldn' t feel hurt if his spouse doesn' t want to spend every free minute with him. When a womantakes time to be alone, she ' s expressing a need to be autonomous.

Jessica Vicino

A woman wants most everything a man wants: success, power, status, money, love, marriage children, happiness and fulfillment. Few women relish being a mother, secretary or general pickerupper for their husbands. A woman wants the man in her life to be a true equal, someone who respects her strengths, treats her weakness with kindness. In short, she wants a friend, a lover and a partner who understands her.

Now match each of the persons to the appropriate statement.

Note-, there are two extra statements.

Statements

61. Margaret Stephens     [A] Women don't fall in love as easily as men do.
62. Barbra Stern          [ B] Women need sympathy on the job.
63. Cindy Rodgers        [C] Sometimes, a woman has to be alone.
64. Nora Kent            [ D] A woman wants to be friends with her husband.
65. Jessica Vicino         [E] Men are less serious about their work.
[F] Women are good problem-solvers.
[G] Women are serious about work.

Section IV  Writing   (40 minutes)

You should write your responses to both parts on ANSWER SHEET 2.

Part A

66. Write a letter to a publishing house asking for information on a book about American culture. You want to know how much the price is, when it is going to be published, if there is a discount for group order and what is about the postage?

You should write approximately 100 words. Do not sign your own name at the end of your letter.

Use "Li Ping" instead. You do not need to write the address.

Part B

67. Below is a table showing the incomes based on different educational level. Look at the table and write an essay of about 120 words making reference to the following points:

Incomes Based on Different Educational Level in 1997
Benefit Rate from