聽力原文： Another reason for the worldwide use of the English language is its use throughout the Commonwealth,' which includes a quarter of the world's people in one-sixth of the world's land area. All of its forty-nine member states have at some time been under British rule. In some of them English is the first language; others, with several different languages of their own, find English the most convenient means of communication except for small-scale business. Today the Commonwealth is a loose association of independent sovereign states, nearly all of their members of the United Nations, mattered among the continents and their adjacent islands. British rule still continues in a few groups of islands, all but one of them too small in population to be independent states but preferring to continue the British connection rather than to attach themselves to any neighboring states.

The transformation of the British Empire into a "Commonwealth" of independent nations began, in part, in 1867 with the establishment of Canada as a fully self-governing country, still associated with Britain. Australia and New Zealand followed. With all these, full power was transferred, with agreement on both sides, to the representative institutions of people mostly descended from emigrants from Britain, though part of Canada was French.

The new Commonwealth began in 1947, when India and Pakistan became fully independent. India's membership of the Commonwealth was not affected by its decision three years later to become a republic. All the major colonial territories, in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, had become independent within twenty years. In every case power was transferred, with the help and agreement of the British government, to ministries responsible to parliaments elected by universal suffrage, but with guarantees of protection for minorities, such as small tribes.

One country at first declared itself independent without British agreement. In 1965 Rhodesia had already enjoyed internal self--government for forty years, but with a regime that in effect gave power to the white minority, who were mainly settlers of British origin. The arrangement was objectionable to other countries in the Commonwealth, and the British insisted that it must be changed. When the leaders of the white-dominated regime unilaterally declared their independence, the British government considered their regime to be illegitimate, and joined the United Nations in imposing sanctions, while refusing to use military force. Eventually the white leaders agreed to an amended system which would give power to a government elected by equal universal suffrage. An election on this basis gave power to black ministers, and the Republic of Zimbabwe was inaugurated in 1980.

In many independent countries of the Commonwealth the British cultural influence survives, and some of their educational systems still reflect this influence. So too with parliamentary and legal processes. Sonic send military officers to British colleges for training. But British governments, of both parties, have regularly avoided any interference with their relations with other states, or with their internal politics -- although in some cases the original institutions have been fundamentally altered, replaced by military rule or other forms of more or less arbitrary power. In the United Nations, members of the Commonwealth are quite often opposed to one another.

Listen to the following passage. Write a short summary of 150 to 200 words of what you have heard. You may need to take some notes while you're listening. This part of the test carries 30 points. You will hear the passage only once.

聽力原文： For thousands of years man has been busy making tools and machines to make his work easier. Automation is the latest stage in the process of replacing man power with machine. Automation is as up-to-date as space flight, yet some of the ideas behind it are nearly 200 years old. The steam engine invented in 1784 is one of the first examples of the automatic control of machinery. A big step toward automation was taken when the first electronic computer was devised by American scientists during World War Ⅱ.

(57)

聽力原文： Expanded use of computer technology, development of stronger and lighter materials, and research on pollution control will produce better, "smarter" automobiles./In the 1980s the notion that a car would" talk" to its driver was science fiction; by the 1990s it had become reality./Onboard navigation was one of the new automotive technologies in the 1990s./By using the satellite-aided global positioning system (GPS), a computer in the automobile can pinpoint the vehicle’s location within a few feet./The onboard navigation system uses an electronic compass, digitized maps, and a display screen showing where the vehicle is relative to the destination the driver wants to reach./After being told the destination, the computer locates it and directs the driver to it, offering alternative routes if needed./Some cars now come equipped with GPS locator beacons, enabling a GPS system operator to locate the vehicle, map its location/and, if necessary, direct repair or emergency workers to the scene./

(1)

聽力原文： Expanded use of computer technology, development of stronger and lighter materials, and research on pollution control will produce better, "smarter" automobiles./In the 1980s the notion that a car would" talk" to its driver was science fiction; by the 1990s it had become reality./Onboard navigation was one of the new automotive technologies in the 1990s./By using the satellite-aided global positioning system (GPS), a computer in the automobile can pinpoint the vehicle’s location within a few feet./The onboard navigation system uses an electronic compass, digitized maps, and a display screen showing where the vehicle is relative to the destination the driver wants to reach./After being told the destination, the computer locates it and directs the driver to it, offering alternative routes if needed./Some cars now come equipped with GPS locator beacons, enabling a GPS system operator to locate the vehicle, map its location/and, if necessary, direct repair or emergency workers to the scene./

(1)

聽力原文：W: Gosh! Fred. Another cup of coffee? That's your third since lunch.

M: Yeah. Well, I stayed up all night cramming for my history exam. I couldn't keep my eyes open in my last class. I'm having this coffee so I can stay awake this afternoon.

W: Don't you know that drinking too much coffee is harmful?

M: What do you mean harmful?

W: Well, for one thing, it may cause heart disease.

M: Nah. Most of the research about the link between coffee and heart disease is inconclusive.

W: But coffee has caffeine which is addictive.

M: You can't become addicted to caffeine like other drugs.

W: Yes, you can. Don't you know that people who are deprived of caffeine suffered withdraw symptoms especially headaches.

M: One cure for headaches, oddly enough, is caffeine. Haven't you ever noticed that many over-the-counter headache remedies use caffeine as one of their ingredients?

W: Besides, coffee helps me work faster.

M: Studies have shown that coffee makes you work faster, but not necessarily better. You may finish your exam in a shorter period of time but you won't have fewer errors.

M: You know, that soda you're drinking has caffeine in it too.

M: But twelve ounces of soda has only half the caffeine of a five ounces cup of coffee. And a cup of tea has less than that.

M: But I like the taste of coffee.

W: You could drink decaf.

M: Decaffeinated coffee doesn't have as much flavor or body as regular coffee. Besides, I want something that will keep me alert in class.

what is the conversation mainly about?

A．The effects of. caffeine.

B．Some causes of headaches.

C．How to do well on exams.

D．Problems with the student cafeteria.

聽力原文： The non-medical use of certain drugs is forbidden in the United States because they can be dangerous. Many Americans, however, still use drugs illegally without a doctor's permission. In fact, taking drugs has become one of America's most serious social problems.

In America, most people who have become dependent on drugs are young. Why are young people the most frequent users of drugs? The answers are varied. Some young people feel depressed and nervous in a society full of tension and they want to find a means of escape. Others are bored and they think the drug makes their time pass more pleasantly.

Taking drugs can cause only poverty and despair. When a person takes the drug, however, he forgets his misery. The drug takes away the stress and strain of living—until the effect of the drug wears off. Then, the discomfort is very intense and terrible. Because he must. take larger and larger doses, his habit becomes more and more expensive. Such people often turn to crime to get the money they need. They might break in and steal money and other valuable things or rob banks. In this way, taking drugs forces the crime rate up.

In the United States drugs have destroyed many of the young people's minds and ruined their bodies. So it is necessary that a campaign to forbid taking drugs be launched in the United States and other countries.

(33)

A．The housing problem in the U.S.

B．The problem of taking drags in the U.S.

C．The problem of unemployment in China.

D．The problem of the workers' strikes in England.

聽力原文：M: Another piece of cake?

W: No, thanks. I really can' t eat any more,

M: Please do. You' ye hardly eaten anything.

W: It' s so delicious, but I don' t think ! should.

Why doesn't the woman want to eat any more?

A．Because she has eaten a lot.

B．Because she is afraid she will put on weight.

C．Because she thinks the cake is not delicious.

聽力原文： Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Yet health experts say these conditions are often the most preventable. Chronic diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and lung disorders.

The World Health Organization says chronic diseases lead to about seventeen million early deaths each year. The United Nations agency expects more than three hundred eighty million people to die of chronic diseases by two thousand fifteen. It says about eighty percent of the deaths will happen in developing nations.

The W.H.O. says chronic diseases now cause two-thirds of all deaths in the Asia-Pacific area. In ten years it could be almost three-fourths. People are getting sick in their most economically productive years. In fact, experts say chronic diseases are killing more middle-aged people in poorer countries than in wealthier ones.

The W.H.O. estimates that chronic diseases will cost China alone more than five hundred million dollars in the next ten years. That estimate represents the costs of medical treatment and lost productivity. Russia and India are also expected to face huge economic losses.

Kim Hak-Su is the head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Last week in Bangkok he presented a W.H.0. report on the problem. It says deaths from chronic diseases have increased largely as the result of economic gains in many countries.

The report details the latest findings from nine countries. They include Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, India and Nigeria. The others are Pakistan, Russia and Tanzania.

Mister Kim says infectious and parasitic diseases have until recently been the main killers in Asia and the Pacific. But he says they are no longer the major cause of death in most countries.

Health officials say as many as eighty percent of deaths from chronic diseases could be prevented. They say an important tool for governments is to restrict the marketing of alcohol and tobacco to young people. Also, more programs are needed to urge healthy eating and more physical activity.

U.N. officials aim through international action to reduce chronic-disease deaths by two percent each year through two thousand fifteen. They say meeting that target could save thirty-six million lives. That includes twenty-five million in Asia and the Pacific.

Which of the following is not mentioned as a chronic disease?

A．Heart disease.

B．Cancer.

C．Diabete.s

D．Carditis.

聽力原文：M: Another cup of coffee? There's plenty in the pot.

W: I'd be orerdoing it if I had one more.

Q: What does the woman mean?

(14)

A．She is full.

B．The cup is already full.

C．She would be impolite to accept another.

D．She thinks she would be foolish to refuse since it's delicious.

聽力原文： Many people suffer from some form. of extreme anxiety. Some experience occasional attacks of panic for no apparent reason. Others go around in a state of continual uneasiness. The usual way of controlling anxiety is with drugs, which cure none of the conditions described but do help patients manage their anxiety. Patients who take these drugs say that they are able to work, to sleep, and to go to places they had feared to visit. But the effects of the drugs on the human body, especially on the nervous system, have been unknown.

We have started a series of studies to identify the effects of the drugs on the brain and have gained some insight into the cost and benefits of the anti-anxiety drugs. They are valuable because they can reduce the effects of anticipated failure, frustration, and a disappointment. But their value demands a price. Two effects of the drugs are obviously harmful. They reduce a person's ability to react to changes in the environment; and more important, they keep a person from developing persistence in the face of unexpected troubles. Since it is fairly sure that people will meet problems they had not expected, this effect may make the price of anti-anxiety drugs too high.

(30)

A．They help to cure anxiety.

B．They help patients to gain insight into the cause of anxiety.

C．They help to control anxiety.

D．They help patients to work efficiently.