Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)
Section A
Directions:In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C ) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Example:
You will hear:
You will read:
A) 2 hours.
B) 3 hours.
C) 4 hours
D) 5 hours.
From the conversation we know that the two are talking about some work they will start at 9 o'clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in the afternoon. Therefore, D) "5 hours" is the correct answer. You should choose ［D］on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single a sinle line through the centre.
Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]
1.
A) Buy some traveller's checks.
B) Borrow some money from a friend.
C) Check the brakes and tires.
D) Spend some time travelling.
2.
A) He is very forgiving and tolerant.
B) He probably has a poor memory.
C) He is well liked by his customers.
D) He has been introduced to the staff.
3.
A) He thinks the book should include more information.
B) He doesn't think it necessary to proveide the answers.
C) The answers will be added in a later edition.
D) The book does include the answers.
4.
A) Announce appeals for public service.
B) Hold a charity concert to raise money.
C) Ask the school radio station for help.
D) Pool money to fund the radio station.
5.
A) She talked with the consultant about the new program until two.
B) She couldn't talk to the consultant before two.
C) She would talk to the consultant during lunch.
D) She couldn't contact the consultant's secretary.
6.
A) They are equally competent for the job.
B) They both graduated from art schools.
C) They majored in different areas of art.
D) They are both willing to draw the posters.
7.
A) At a book store.
B) At an art museum.
C) At a newspaper office.
D) At a gymnasium.
8.
A) The woman received a phone call from Mark yesterday.
B) The man injured Mark in a traffic accident yesterday.
C) The man met a friend by chance.
D) The woman contacted Mark on business.
9.
A) The man should stay up and watch the program.
B) The man should read something exciting instead.
C) The man should go to bed at eleven.
D) The man should give up watching the movie.
10.
A) Students with a library card can check any book out.
B) Reference books are not allowed to be checked out.
C) Only students with a library card can check out reference books.
D) The number of books a student can check out is unlimited.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding lette r on the Answer Sheet with a sinle line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.
11.
A) To find out whether they take music lessons in their spare time.
B) To find out whether they can name four different musical instruments.
C) To find out whether they enjoy playing musical instruments in school.
D) To find out whether they differ in their preference for musical instruments.
12.
A) They find them too hard to play.
B) They think it silly to play them.
C) They find it not challenging enough to play them.
D) They consider it important to be different from girls.
13.
A) Children who have private music tutors.
B) Children who are 8 or older.
C) Children who are between 5 and 7.
D) Children who are well- educated.
Passage Two
Questions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just heard.
14.
A) Because there weren't any professional teams in the U. S. then.
B) Because Pele hadn't retired from the Brazilian National Team yet.
C) Because this fast-moving sport wasn't familiar to many Americans.
D) Because good professional players received low salaries.
15.
A) When it has a large number of fans.
B) When it plays at home.
C) When it has many international stars playing for it.
D) When the fans cheer enthusiastically for it.
16.
A) It wasn't among the top four teams.
B) It didn't play as well as expected.
C) It won the World Cup.
D) It placed fourth
Passage Three
Questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.
17.
A) Students from America.
B) Students from England.
C) Students from Australia.
D) Students from Japan.
18.
A) Those who know how to program computers.
B) Those who get special aid from their teachers.
C) Those who are very hardworking.
D) Those who have well-educated parents.
19.
A) Japanese students study much harder than Columbian students.
B) Columbian students score higher than Japanese students in maths.
C) Columbian students are more optimistic about their maths skills.
D) Japanese students have better conditions for study.
20.
A) Physics.
B) Mathematics.
C) Environmental science.
D) Life science.
Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions: There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
In the 1920s demand for American farm products fell, as European countries began to recover from World War I and instituted austerity (緊縮) programs to reduce their imports. The result was a sharp drop in farm prices. This period was more disastrous for farmers than earlier times had been, because farmers were no longer self-sufficient. They were paying for machinery, seed, and fertilizer, and they were also buying consumer goods. The prices of the items farmers bought remained constant, while prices they received for their products fell. These developments were made worse by the Great Depression, which began in 1929 and extended throughout the 1939s.
In 1929, under President Herbert Hoover, the Federal Farm Board was organized. It established the principle of direct interference with supply and demand, and it represented the first national commitment to provide greater economic stability for farmers.
President Hoover's successor attached even more importance to this problem. One of the first measures proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he took office in 1933 was the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which was subsequently passed by Congress. This law gave the Secretary of Agriculture the power to reduce production through voluntary agreements with farmers who were paid to take their land out of use. A deliberate scarcity of farm products was planned in an effort to raise prices. This law was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on the grounds that general taxes were being collected to pay one special group of people. However, new laws were passed immediately that achieved the same result of resting soil and providing flood-control measures, but which were based on the principle of soil conservation. The Roosevelt Administration believed that rebuilding the nation's soil was in the national interest and was not simply a plan to help farmers at the expense of other citizens. Later the government guaranteed loans to farmers so that they could buy farm machinery, hybrid (雜交) grain, and fertilizers.
21.What brought about the decline in the demand for American farm products?
A) The impact of the Great Depression.
B) The shrinking of overseas markets.
C) The destruction caused by the First World War.
D) The increased exports of European countries.
22.The chief concern of the American government in the area of agriculture in the 1920s was ______ .
A) to increase farm production
B) to establish agricultural laws
C) to prevent farmers from going bankrupt
D) to promote the mechanization of agriculture
23.The Agricultural Adjustment Act encouraged American farmers to ______.
A) reduce their scale of production
B) make full use of their land
C) adjust the prices of their farm products
D) be self-sufficient in agricultural production
24.The Supreme Court rejected the Agricultural Adjustment Act because it believed that the Act ______.
A) might cause greater scarcity of farm products
B) didn't give the Secretary of Agriculture enough power
C) would benefit neither the government nor the farmers
D) benefited one group of citizens at the expense of others
25.It was claimed that the new laws passed during the Roosevelt Administration were aimed at ______.
A) reducing the cost of farmin
B) conserving soil in the long-term interest of the nation
C) lowering the burden of farmers
D) helping farmers without shifling the burden onto other taxpayers
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:
In the 1950s, the pioneers of artificial intelligence (AI) predicted that, by the end of this century, computers would be conversing with us at work and robots would be performing our housework. But as useful as computers are, they're nowhere close to achieving anything remotely resembling these early aspirations f or humanlike behavior. Never mind something as complex as conversation: the most powerful computers struggle to reliably recognize the shape of an object, the most elementary of tasks for a ten-month-old kid.
A growing group of AI researchers think they know where the field went wrong . The problem, the scientists say, is that AI has been trying to separate the highest, most abstract levels of thought, like language and mathematics, and to duplicate them with logical, step-by-step programs. A new movement in AI, on the other hand, takes a closer look at the more roundabout way in which nature came up with intelligence. Many of these researchers study evolution and natural adaptation instead of formal logic and conventional computer programs. Rather than digital computers and transistors, some want to work with brain cells and proteins . The results of these early efforts are as promising as they are peculiar, and the new nature-based AI movement is slowly but surely moving to the forefront of the field.
Imitating the brain's neural (神經的） network is a huge step in the right direction, says computer scientist and biophysicist Michael Conrad, but it still misses an important aspect of natural intelligence. "People tend to treat the brain as if it were made up of color-coded transistors", he explains, "but it's not simply a clever network of switches. There are lots of important things going on inside the brain cells themselves." Specifically, Conrad believes that many of the brain's capabilities stem from the patternrecognition proficiency of the individual molecules that make up each brain cell. The best way to build and artificially intelligent device, he claims, would be to build it around the same sort of molecular skills.
Right now, the option that conventional computers and software are fundamentally incapable of matching the processes that take place in the brain remains controversial. But if it proves true, then the efforts of Conrad and his fellow AI rebels could turn out to be the only game in town.
26.The author says that the powerful computers of today ______.
A) are capable of reliably recognizing the shape of an object
B) are close to exhibiting humanlike behavior
C) are not very different in their performance from those of the 50's
D) still cannot communicate with people in a human language
27.The new trend in artificial intelligence research stems from ______.
A) the shift of the focus of study on to the recognition of the shapes of objects
B) the belief that human intelligence cannot be duplicated with logical, step-by-step programs
C) the aspirations of scientists to duplicate the intelligence of a ten-month-old child
D) the efforts made by scientists in the study of the similarities between transistors and brain cells
28.Conrad and his group of AI researchers have been making enormous efforts to ______.
A) find a roundabout way to design powerful computers
B) build a computer using a clever network of switches
C) find out how intelligence developed in nature
D) separate the highest and most abstract levels of thought
29.What's the author's opinion about the new AI movement?
A) It has created a sensation among artificial intelligence researchers but will soon die out.
B) It's a breakthrough in duplicating human thought processes.
C) It's more like a peculiar game rather than a real scientific effort.
D) It may prove to be in the right direction though nobody is sure of its future prospects.
30.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the phrase "the only game in town" (Line 3, Para. 4)?
A) The only approach to building an artificially intelligent computer.
B) The only way for them to win a prize in artificial intelligence research.
C) The only area worth studying in computer science.
D) The only game they would like to play in town.
Passage Three
Question 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:
Cars account for half the oil consumed in the U.S., about half the urban pollution and one fourth the greenhouse (溫室) gases. They take a similar oll of (損耗) resources in other industrial nations and in the cities of the developing world . As vehicle use continues to increase in the coming decade, the U.S. and other countries will have to deal with these issues or else face unacceptable economic , health-related and political costs. It is unlikely that oil prices will remain at their current low level or that other nations will accept a large and growing U.S. contribution to global climatic change.
Policymakers and industry have four options: reduce vehicle use, increase the efficiency and reduce the emissions of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, switch to less harmful fuels, or find less polluting driving systems. The last of these-in particular the introduction of vehicles powered by electricity — is ultimately the only sustainable option. The other alternatives are attractive in theory but in practice are either impractical or offer only marginal improvements. For example, reduced vehicle use could solve traffic problems and a host of social and environmental problems, but evidence from around the world suggests that it is very difficult to make people give up their cars to any significant ex tent. In the U.S., mass-transit ridership and carpooling (合伙用車） have decline d since World War II. Even in western Europe, with fuel prices averaging more than $ 1 a liter (about $ 4 a gallon) and with easily accessible mass transit and dense populations, cars still account for 80 percent of all passenger travel.
Improved energy efficiency is also appealing, but automotive fuel economy has barely made any progress in 10 years. Alternative fuels such as natural gas, burned in internal-combustion engines, could be introduced at relatively low cost, but they would lead to only marginal reductions in pollution and greenhouse emissions (especially because oil companies are already spending billions of dollars every year to develop less polluting types of gasoline).
31.From the passage we know that the increased use of cars will ______.
A) consume half of the oil produced in the world
B) have serious consequences for the well-being of all nations
C) widen the gap between the developed and developing countries
D) impose an intolerable economic burden on residents of large cities
32.The U.S. has to deal with the problems arising from vehicle use because ______.
A. most Americans are reluctant to switch to public transportation systems
B) the present level of oil prices is considered unacceptable
C) other countries will protest its increasing greenhouse emissions
D) it should take a lead in conserving natural resources
33.Which of the following is the best solution to the problems mentioned in the passage?
A) The designing of highly efficient car engines.
B) A reduction of vehicle use in cities.
C) The development of electric cars.
D) The use of less polluting fuels.
34.Which of the following is practical but only makes a marginal contribution to solving the problem of greenhouse emissions?
A) The use of fuels other than gasoline.
B) Improved energy efficiency.
C) The introduction of less polluting driving systems.
D) Reducing car use by carpooling
35.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A) The decline of public transportation accounts for increased car use in western Europe.
B) Cars are popular in western Europe even though fuel prices are fairly high.
C) The reduction of vehicle use is the only sustainable option in densely populated western Europe.
D) Western European oil companies cannot sustain the cost of developing new-type fuels.
Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
Reebok executives do not like to hear their stylish athletic shoes called “ footwear for yuppies (雅皮士，少壯高薪職業人士)”. They contend that Reebok shoes appeal to diverse market segments, especially now that the company offers basketball and children's shoes for the under-18 set and walking shoes for older customers not interested in aerobics （健身操）or running. The executives also point out that through recent acquisitions they have added hiking boots, dress and casual shoes, and high-performance athletic footwear to their product lines, all of which should attract new and varied groups of customers.
Still, despite its emphasis on new markets, Reebok plans few changes in the upmarket (高檔消費人群的)retailing network that helped push sales to $ 1 billion annually, ahead of all other sports shoe marketers. Reebok shoes, which are priced from $ 27 to $85, will continue to be sold only in better specialty, sporting goods, and department stores, in accordance with the company's view that consumers judge the quality of the brand by the quality of its distribution.
In the past few years, the Massachusetts-based company has imposed limits on the number of its distributors (and the number of shoes supplied to stores), partly out of necessity. At times the unexpected demand for Reebok's exceeded supply, and the company could barely keep up with orders from the dealers it already had. These fulfillment problems seem to be under control now, but the company is still selective about its distributors. At present, Reebok shoes are available in about five thousand retail stores in the United States.
Reebok has already anticipated that walking shoes will be the next fitness-related craze, replacing aerobics shoes the same way its brightly colored, soft leather exercise footwear replaced conventional running shoes. Through product diversification and careful market research, Reebok hopes to avoid the distribution problems Nike came across several years ago, when Nike misjudged the strength of the aerobics shoe craze and was forced to unload huge inventories of running shoes through discount stores.
36.One reason why Reebok's managerial personnel don't like their shoes to be called "footwear for yuppies" is that _______.
A) they believe that their shoes are popular with people of different age groups
B) new production lines have been added to produce inexpensive shoes
C) "yuppies" usually evokes a negative image
D) the term makes people think of prohibitive prices
37.Reebok's view that "consumers judge the quality of the brand by the quality of its distribution" (Line 5, Para. 2)implies that ______.
A) the quality of a brand is measured by the service quality of the store selling it
B) the quality of a product determines the quality of its distributors
C) the popularity of a brand is determined by the stores that sell it
D) consumers believe that first-rate products are only sold by high-quality stores
38.Reebok once had to limit the number of its distributors because ______.
A) its supply of products fell short of demand
B) too many distributors would cut into its profits
C) the reduction of distributors could increase its share of the market
D) it wanted to enhance consumer confidence in its products
39.Although the Reebok Company has solved the problem of fulfilling its orders, it ______.
A) does not want to further expand its retailing network
B) still limits the number of shoes supplied to stores
C) is still particular about who sells its products
D) still carefully chooses the manufacturers of its products
40.What lesson has Reebok learned from Nike's distribution problems?
A) A company should not sell its high quality shoes in discount stores.
B) A company should not limit its distribution network.
C) A company should do follow-up surveys of its products.
D) A company should correctly evaluate the impact of a new craze on the market.
Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)
Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
41.For many patients, institutional care is the most ______ and beneficial form of care.
A) pertinent
B) appropriate
C) acute
D) persistent
42.Among all the changes resulting from the ______ entry of women into the work force, the transformation that has occurred in the women themselves is not the least important.
A) massive
B) quantitative
C) surplus
D) formidable
43.Mr. Smith became very ______ when it was suggested that he had made a mistake.
A) ingenious
B) empirical
C) objective
D) indignant
44.Rumours are everywhere, spreading fear, damaging reputations, and turning calm situations into ______ ones.
A) turbulent
B) tragic
C) vulnerable
D) suspicious
45.The ______ cycle of life and death is a subject of interest to scientists and philosophers alike.
A) incompatible
B) exceeding
C) instantaneous
D) eternal
46.She remains confident and ______ untroubled by our present problems.
A) indefinitely
B) infinitely
C) optimistically
D) seemingly
47.Fiber-optic cables can carry hundreds of telephone conversations ______.
A. simultaneously
B) spontaneously
C) homogeneously
D) contemporarily
48.The police were alerted that the escaped criminal might be in the ______.
A) vain
B) vicinity
C) court
D) jail
49.Whether you live to eat or eat to live, food is a major ______ in every family's budget.
A) nutrition
B) expenditure
C) routine
D) provision
50.Now a paper in Science argues that organic chemicals in the rock come mostly from ______ on earth rather than bacteria on Mars.
A) configuration
B) constitution
C) condemnation
D) contamination
51.There is much I enjoy about the changing seasons, but my favorite time is the ______ from fall to winter.
A) transmission
B) transformation
C) transition
D) transfer
52.I think we need to see an investment ______ before we make an expensive mistake.
A) guide
B) entrepreneur
C) consultant
D) assessor
53.The ______ on this apartment expires in a year's time.
A) treaty
B) lease
C) engagement
D) subsidy
54.The elderly Russians find it hard to live on their state ______.
A) pensions
B) earnings
C) salaries
D) donations
55.There is supposed to be a safety ______ which makes it impossible for trains to collide.
A) appliance
B) accessory
C) machine
D) mechanism
56.After four years in the same job his enthusiasm finally ______.
A) deteriorated
B) dispersed
C) dissipated
D) drained
57.No one can function properly if they are _______ of adequate sleep.
A) deprived
B) ripped
C) stripped
D) contrived
58.For years now, the people of that faraway country have been cruelly ______ by a dictator.
A) depressed
B) immersed
C) oppressed
D) cursed
59.Ever since the rise of industrialism, education has been ______ towards producing workers.
A) harnessed
B) hatched
C) motivated
D) geared
60.The prospect of increased prices has already ______ worries.
A) provoked
B) irritated
C) inspired
D) hoisted
61.The suspect ______ that he had not been in the neighbourhood at the time of the crime.
A) advocated
B) alleged
C) addressed
D) announced
62.Although the colonists ______ to some extent with the native Americans , the Indians' influence on American culture and language was not extensive.
A) migrated
B) matched
C) mingled
D) melted
63.E-mail is a convenient, highly democratic informal medium for conveying messages that _______ well to human needs.
A) adheres
B) reflects
C) conforms
D) satisfies
64.The wings of the bird still ______ after it had been shot down.
A) slapped
B) scratched
C) flapped
D) fluctuated
65.The disagreement over trade restrictions could seriously ?______ relations between the two countries.
A) tumble
B) jeopardize
C) manipulate
D) intimidate
66.When you put up wallpaper, should you ______ the edges or put them next to each other?
A) coincide
B) extend
C) overlap
D) collide
67.Under the present system, state enterprises must ______ all profits to the government.
A) turn down
B) turn up
C) turn out
D) turn in
68.Oil companies in the U.S. are already beginning to feel the pressure. Refinery workers and petroleum-equipment-manufacturing employees are being _______.
A) laid out
B) laid off
C) laid down
D) laid aside
69.We'll ______ you for any damage done to your house while we are in it.
A) compensate
B) remedy
C) supplement
D) retrieve
70.She cut her hair short and tried to ______ herself as a man.
A) decorate
B) disguise
C) fabricate
D) fake
Part IV Error Correction (15 minutes)
Directions: This part consists of a short passage. In this passage, there are altogether 10 mistakes, one in each numbered line. You may have to change a word, add a word or delete a word. Mark out the mistakes and put the corrections in the blanks provided. If you change a word, cross it out and write the correct word in the corresponding blank. If you add a word, put an insertion mark (∧) in the right place and write the missing word in the blank. If you delete a word, cross it out and put a slash (/) in the blank.
When you start talking about good and bad manners you
immediately start meeting difficulties. Many people just cannot
agree what they mean. We asked a lady, who replied that she
thought you could tell a well-mannered person on the way they 71._______
occupied the space around them—for example, when such a
person walks down a street he or she is constantly unaware of 72._______
others. Such people never bump into other people.
However, a second person thought that this was more a
question of civilized behavior as good manners. Instead, this 73._______
other person told us a story, it he said was quite well known, 74._______
about an American who had been invited to an Arab meal at 75._______
one of the countries of the Middle East. The American hasn't 76._______
been told very much about the kind of food he might expect.If
he had known about American food, he might have behaved 77._______
better.
Immediately before him was a very flat piece of bread that
looked, to him, very much as a napkin (餐巾） Picking it 78._______
up, he put it into his collar, so that it falls across his shirt. 79._______
His Arab host, who had been watching, said of nothing, but 80._______
immediately copied the action of his guest.
And that, said this second person, was a fine example of
good manners.
Part V Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary? The first sentence has already been written for you. You should write at least 120 words, and base your composition on the outline given in Chinese below:
1. 很多人認為有必要舉行口語考試，理由是 ······
2.也有人持不同的意見，······
3.我的看法和打算
Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary?
A test of spoken English will be included as an optional component of the College English Test (CET).
2000年6月大學英語六級考試詳解
Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension
Section A
1. 答案為D 本題測試點:要點歸納及句意推論。“check brakes and tires”，“enough money”及“I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful trip”等都與“trip”有關。
2.答案為B 本題測試點:同義轉換:a little forgetful = a poor momery。
3.答案為D 本題測試點:省略句“But it does”在上下文中的完整意義是“But the book does include answers to the questions.”,需對對話雙方話語理解，概括。
4.答案為C 本題測試點:特殊省略問句How about...的功能意念:通常是一種建議。
5.答案為B 本題測試點:until 句型及要點是歸納:I contacted this office, but. ..
6.答案為A 本題測試點:短語make difference 及修辭問句“What difference does it make?”的功能意念:= I makes no difference = There is no difference。
7.答案為C 本題測試點:（工作）地點判斷，關鍵詞:“sports page”，“editorials”等
8.答案為C 本題測試點:信息歸納:①“The man ran into (= met by chance) a friend (make) yesterday in the streets.”②“Mark hasn't got any phones or letters from the woman.”③“The woman has been busy in the past 2 months.”選①為本題答案所需的信息。
9.答案為D 本題測試點:虛擬語氣的功能意念:題中If I were you, I'd. ..表示一種婉轉的建議。—skip the movie,因為①“we both have to get up early tomorrow”②“the movie isn't necessarily exciting”
10.答案為B 本題測試點:關鍵要點辨認:We can check out as many books as we need but can't check out any reference books.
Section B
11-20 D A B C B A A D C A
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension
Passage One 本文是一篇論述20世紀二、三十年代美國農業所面臨的困境及美國政府采取的種種措施幫助農業擺脫困境的說明文，全文三段，第一段為背景輔墊:美國農業面臨的困境及其原因和對農民的災難性后果；第二、三段為主體，美國政府振興農業的措施，尤以第三段為重點，三十年代羅斯福總統執政后采取的通過立法手段恢復農業經濟的兩個階段的措施，前一階段通過AAA法案直接減少耕地面積，并給農民有償補助；第二階段在AAA被最高法院認定為違憲后通過一系列殊途同歸的基于耕地保養原則的削減耕地、洪澇挽救措施。
21.答案為B 本題屬要點歸納題，問及引起美國農產品需求量走下坡路的原因，答案當在第一段第一句:句中“as”即是這因果關系的關鍵詞。A只是使這一現象加重的原因，C、D則明顯與短文內容相悖。
22.答案為C 要點定位理解題。根據題意，本題答案必須從第二段確定政府采取直接干預農業供求矛盾，原則以為農民提供更大的經濟穩定性，也即預防農民破產。選項B屬第三段內容，A和D明顯有悖文章內容。
23.答案為D 本題也屬要點歸納題。答案在短文第三段第三、四句，選項B、C均屬政府行為，而非鼓勵農民自己運河做的事。D與短文要點相運河甚遠，self-sufficient 只在第一段提到。
24.答案為D 本題也屬要點歸納題。根據題意，確定答案在第三段第五句（no the grounds that. ..）部分，再可結合該段倒數第二句，從另一角度論證答案D的合理性。A中scarcity of farm products 在上一句，不屬本題要點范圍，B、C明顯不合理。
25.答案為D 要點歸納定位題。根據newlaws,可確定本題問題指向第三段第二個層次。歸納該層次要點再結合24題答案，即可明確答案為D。選項B雖也似乎正確，但與本文主題關系較疏遠，故不選。
Passage Two 本文為一篇關于人工智能研究開發的說明文。第一段通過五十年代人工智能先驅們的預言與當今現實脫節這一事實提出人工智能研究開發所面臨的問題，第二段前2句論及這一問題的癥結:try to separate the most abstract levels of thought and duplicate them with logical programs。從第三句開始進入全文的核心:嶄新的人工智能研究設想:把人工智能的研究與天然智能的進化、人腦生物細胞蛋白質、人腦的神經系統研究結合起來。第三段論述了電腦—生物物理學家Conrad對自己這方面研究的評論、發現、啟示和設想。最后一段為對這一全新的人工智能研究開發方法的評論與總結，其中自然隱含著作者的觀點與態度。
26.答案為D 要點歸納題。根據題意確定答案在第一段第二、三句。注意選項A中“are capable of reliably recognizing ...”與短文中“struggle to reliably recognize...”（努力、竭力、試圖）是不一致的，故不能選；更多的考生可能會誤選C，但①在效能（performance）上，當天電腦與50年代的電腦相距是非常大的；②本文探討的是人工智能，而非電腦的一般效能，故選題時要緊扣短文主題。
27.答案為B 要點推論題。人工智能研究開發為什么會開辟一條全新的途徑，一定是研究中碰到了難以逾越的障礙，這就是傳統研究方法上的誤區，也即第二段之第一、二句。
28.答案為C 要點推論題。根據題意確定答案在第三段根據Conrad對自己研究的評述（says），研究中的發現（examples），假設（believe）與斷言（claim），可歸納推斷他們是在天然智能如何發展這一方面的研究中做了巨大的努力。
29.答案為B 作者觀點態度推論題。如前所述，文章最后一段為作者對人工智能研究新方法的總結，其中隱含著作者的觀點，另外短文第二段最后一句中“promising”、“surely”、第三段第一句中“a huge step in the right direction...”等都流露了作者的態度一作者對新的人工智能研究運動是非常肯定的。選項A中的“will soon die out”，C中的“like a game rather than”及D中“nobody is sure”等均含否定意念，不能作為答案。
30.答案為D 詞語理解題。閱讀中詞語的理解也不能脫離短文主題:game 一詞有游戲、競賽方法規則、策略、計謀、方針對行動步驟等多種釋義，D是短語的簡單改寫，不可能作為答案，B重點在獲獎也與短文內容相運河甚遠，也應排除。容易混淆的是選項C，只是C側重研究領域，即范圍，而本文主題討論研究方法即途徑。
Passage Three 本文為一篇論及（美國）私人轎車環境影響的說明文，第一段提出了問題的嚴懲性與迫切性——尤其對于美國；第二、三段論及決策者及汽車工業面臨的四大選擇及對它們可行性的評價，作者基本肯定了其中的第四個方案，即引入電氣汽車（尋找污染較短的綠色驅動系統）。
31.答案為B 要點歸納題—第一段落主題。選項A、C和D均僅涉及問題的某個方面，只有B代表了私人轎車繼續增長的真正后果。
32.答案為C 要點推論題。根據第一段最后一句“It is unlikely...that other nations will accept a large and growing U.S. contribution to global climatic change”，再結合上文論及轎車問題和“face...political cost”等細節，可推知答案。
33.答案為C 要點定位題。根據題干中的“solution”可確定答案在第二段，又根據“best”可進一步確定答案在該段第二句“...is the only sustainable(可持續) option”。
34.答案為B 要點正誤判斷題。要點判斷各選項涉及內容可能在短文的任何地方，但正確答案通常仍應與主題一致。A之因果關系與短文內容（第二段倒數第二句）不一致；C與短文內容（第二段最后一句及第一、二句）相矛盾；D也非短文最后一句之本意。
Passage Four 本文是關于Reebok鞋業公司營銷策略的一篇說明文。第一段概述（通過管理層之口）其公司產品的目標市場；第二段論及其對高檔消費人群這一塊零售市場的營銷策略；第三段論及營銷策略的另一方面—精選批發商；最后一段談市場預測及營銷決策。
36.答案為A 要點推論題。題干中的“managerial personnel”即為第一段的executives，因此可知本題答案在第一段且為該段之主題:目標市為多大，高層領導們當然不希望自己的產品僅供應一些雅皮士，再由下文之“children's shoes for the under-18 set and walking for older customers”更可知其目標消費是多高層次的。容易錯選的選項B側重公司的生產策略，故不妥。
37.答案為D 句意理解及要點暗示題。題干引號中那部分在第二段，答案當然應在第二段，而該段主要論及高檔消費群體的零售網——只在精品專賣屋、體育用品專賣店及大百貨商場銷售。
38.答案為A 要點歸納題。根據題干中“limit the number of distributions”確定答案在第三段該段論及即使產品供不應求時，也要對批發商有所選擇，而過運河一段時間對批發商數量的限制主要是“out of necessity”(迫不得已)，因為需求量出乎意料地超過了供應能力。
39.答案為C 要點理解定位題。題干中的“although”與短文第三段倒數第二句之“but”相呼應，答案即為該句的復述。
40.答案為D 要點推論題。Nike (耐克)一詞確定答案位置在最后一段，市場預測與決策。Nike 公司正是由于當時錯誤地判斷了健身鞋流行的強度而導致了老產品（running shoes）的積壓而不得不打折銷售一這是市場預測不準確所導致的。
Part Ⅱ Vocabulary
41. ［譯文］對許多病人來說，醫院的正規護理是一種最合適、最有益的護理方式。答案為B 本題測試形容詞語義理解，其中A和C又有近形干擾。A） pestinent 相關的（=relevant）；B）oppropriate 合適的，恰當的；C）persistant 堅持不懈的，作用持久的；D）acute尖銳的、敏銳的；劇烈的（疼痛）。
42.［譯文］在婦女大規模進入勞動大軍所引起的變化中，發生在婦女自己身上的變化絕不是不重要的。答案為A 本題測試，形容詞與名詞的語義搭配。A）大規模的，大量的；B）量方面的（與qualitative 相對）；C）surplus過剩的；D) formidable可怕的，令人生畏的。
43.［譯文］ 史密斯先生在有人暗示他犯了錯誤時變得非常生氣。答案為D 本題測試:形容詞語義理解。A） ingenious 機靈的；B）empirical經驗主義的，憑經驗辦事的；C）objective客觀的（與subject 相對）；D）indignant生氣的，憤怒的。
44.［譯文］遙言四起，它傳播恐懼、破壞聲譽、把平靜的環境攪得雞犬不寧。答案為A 本題測試:形容詞上下文語義理解，答案與句中calm一詞呼應。A）turbulant動蕩的，混亂的；B）tragic悲劇的，悲慘的；C）vulnerable脆弱的，易受影響的；D）suspicious疑神疑鬼的。
45.［譯文］生與死這一永恒的周期循環是科學家和哲學都感舉的課題。答案為D 本題測試:形容詞語義及與名詞的語義搭配。A）incompatible不兼容的，不共戴天的；B）exceeding超越的，極度的（←exceed）;C) instantaneous瞬間的，即刻的；D） eternal永恒的，無休止的。
46.［譯文］他們仍充滿著信心，樂觀而不為目前的麻煩所煩惱。答案為C 本題測試:副詞語義及語義搭配干擾。本題中的D） seemingly(表面上，看來)也可與untrouble搭配，易選錯，但決定本題答案的是上文的“remains confident”；A） indefinitely不確定的，不明確的，無定期地；B）infinitely無限地，無窮地；C）optimistically樂觀地，抱樂觀態度地。
47.［譯文］光導纖維電纜可同時傳輸數百門電話的交談信號。答案為A 本題測試:副詞語義理解及詞義相關干擾。A）simultaneously同時地；B）spontaneously自發地，自然地；C）homogeneously同類地，同質地；D）contemporarily同時代地，當代地。
48.［譯文］ 警察得到報警:逃犯可能就在附近。答案為B 本題測試:名詞上下文理解衣六級短評in the vacinity (= in the neighborhood 在附近)。A） in vain徒勞地；C）in the court 在法庭上；D） in the jail在監獲。
49.［譯文］ 不管你是為了吃而活，還是為了活而吃，食物都是每一家庭瞀中的一筆主要開支。答案為B 本題測試:名詞語義上下文理解。A）nutrition營養；B）expenditure開支；C）routine慣常程序、做法；D）provision條款、給養。
50.［譯文］ 最近《科學》雜志上有一篇論文提出巖石中的有機物來自于地球本身的結構成分而非火星細菌。答案為B 本題測試:名詞近形干擾及近義辨別。除了四個選項均以con-開頭、-tion結尾這一近形特點外，A與B的詞義比較接近，容易混淆:A）configuration表示構成的方式，即“構造、配置、地形”等；B）constitution表示結構、構成、組成，側重“組成成分”，當是本題中可與“bacteria...Mars”對應的一個選項。C）condemnation遣責、判刑；D）contamination污染、弄臟。
51.［譯文］ 在季節變化中有許多令我欣賞的東西，而我最喜歡的時節是秋冬過渡時期。答案為C 本題測試:名詞近形（“trans-”）及語義相關（“轉變”）的干擾。A）transmission傳播，發射；B）transformation變化，改造；C）transition過渡，轉變；D）transfer 轉移，調動，轉變，轉讓。
52.［譯文］我覺得我們在可能犯下代價沉重的大錯之前應及時找一下投資顧問。答案為C 本題測試:名詞語義理解搭配——（investment）consultant投資顧問。A）guide導游，向導；B）enterpreneur企業家；D）assessor評估者，評價者。
53.［譯文］ 這一公寓的租契將于一年內到期。答案為B 本題測試:史詞語義（主謂搭配）及介詞搭配。A）treaty條約；B）lease租契、租約，常與介詞on 連用；C）engagement婚約、約請，約會；D）subsidy津貼|補助金，常與介詞for 連用，如a ～ for education教育津貼。
54.［譯文］ 上了年紀的俄羅斯公民覺得僅靠國家支付給他們的養老金生活很艱難。答案為A 本題測試:名詞語義上下文理解及相關詞義干擾。根據主語the elderly Russians，可確定是以pension（政府養老金）為生了。B)earnings收益，工資；C）salaries薪水；D）donations捐贈，捐款。
55.［譯文］ 應該有一種使火車不可能相撞的安全裝置。答案為D 本題測試:名詞語義上下文理解搭配及語義相關干擾。A）appliance 器具，電器，（獨立而能單獨使用的）小裝置；B）accessory附件，配件，飾品；C）machince機器；D）machanism（復雜的、作為大機器上一部分的）裝置，機械裝置，如:the braek～ 剎車裝置。
56.［譯文］ 在同一個崗位上干了四年后，他的熱情最終慢慢枯竭了。答案為D 本題測試:動詞詞義動詞與名詞的語義搭配及近義干擾。本題除A）deteriorate(使)惡化、變壞外，其余三個選項詞義相近，易混淆；B）disperse(使人群、云等)向四周消散，散開，消失；C）dissipate揮霍浪費，驅散（烏云等）；D）drain(使)干涸，（使熱情、勇氣、資源等）漸漸枯竭，減少，消失。
57.［譯文］ 如果被剝奪了充足的睡眠，誰的身體都無法正常運轉。答案為A 本題測試:動詞近形近義干擾。選項A與D、B與C組成兩對近形干擾；A與C為近義干擾，A）deprive 和C）strip均有“剝奪”之意，A)deprive表示對“人之基本需求”的剝奪，C）strip則側重“強行、徹底”，且作為“懲罰”的一種剝奪，本題假設對人之基本睡眠的剝奪，故選A較妥。B）rip扯破，撕壞；D）contrive設法做到，謀劃。
58.［譯文］ 多少年來，那個遙遠國家的人民一直遭受著一個獨裁者的壓迫。答案為C 本題測試；動詞語義及近形干擾。A）depress(精神上)壓抑，使沮喪，使（經濟）不景氣；C）oppress(政治上)壓迫；B) immerse使沉浸（在），使專心（于）；D）curse詛咒。
59.［譯文］從工業興起以來，教育就一直以培養生產勞動者為方向。答案為D 本題測試:動詞語義理解及動詞與介詞的搭配。A）harness 治理，利用；B）hatch 孵化，策劃；C）motivate 驅使，動:～ sb. to do sth.; D)gear調整（安排，組織）以適應/合:～ sb. / sth. to / towards。
60.［譯文］ 物價上漲的預期早已引起了人們的擔憂。答案為A 本題測試:動詞詞義及動賓語義搭配。A）provoke引起，激起；B）iritate 激怒，使生氣:～ sb.; C) inspire鼓舞，賦予靈感:～ sb.; D) hoist舉起、升起、吊起（具體物品）。
61.［譯文］ 那個犯罪嫌疑人聲稱，案發當時他不在附近。答案為B 本題測試:動詞詞義及動詞名型。本題中能后接that 從句的動詞有B)allege聲稱和D）announce 通知，根據主語suspect(嫌犯)即可知B為答案。A）advocate倡導、支持:～ sth.;C）address向…致詞:～ a meeting/a group of people, etc. 在…上講話。 62.［譯文］ 雖說在一定程度上殖民者已與土著美洲人混在一起，印第安人對美國文化及語言的影響還是很有限的。答案為C 本題測試:動詞詞義及動詞與介詞的搭配。A）migrate移徙，移居:～ to a place; B）match 與…相匹配:～ sb./sth. for ...;C)mingle混合，溶入:～ with/in;D) melt溶化，溶解。
63.［譯文］ 電子郵件是一種非常適合人類需求的、方便、隨意而高度民主的信息傳遞媒介。答案為C 本題測試:動詞詞義及動詞與介詞的搭配。A）adhere (to) 堅持，遵守；B）reflect反映，反射；C）conform (to) 遵守、符合、適應；D）satisfy滿足。
64.［譯文］ 鳥的翅膀在它被擊落后仍在拍動。答案為C 本題測試:動詞詞義及近形干擾。A）slap摑，拍涂抹；B）scratch抓，抓傷；C）flap （翅翼）拍打，擺動（同 flutter）;D)fluctuate(使)波動，起伏。
65.［譯文］ 就貿易限制的分歧可能會嚴懲危及兩國間的關系。答案為B 本題測試:動詞語義上下文理解。A）tumble跌倒，暴跌，不由自主地卷入；B）jeopardize危及，損害（jeopard危險+ize = endanger）；C）操作，操縱，控制；D）intimidate恐嚇，（對人）威脅（←timid）。
66.［譯文］ 貼墻紙時，是將邊相互搭疊呢還是縫對縫挨著？答案為C 本題測試:動詞詞義上下文理解及近義干擾、近形干擾。決定本題答案為C）over lap“（部分）互相搭疊，交接、重疊”的是后面與之對應的put the next toeach sther不定式短語。A）coincide(事件等)巧合，位置重合，(幾乎全部地)重疊，與overlap之區別在于“重疊”部分的多少；B)展開，使延伸，擴展；D)collide與A)構成近形干擾，指車輛等的“相撞”。
67、［譯文］在現行體制中，國有企業必須將所有利潤上繳政府。答案為C）本題測試:短語動詞辨異。A)turen down拒絕，(聲音等)關小，(經濟)蕭條；B)turn up出現，露面，開大(聲音等)；C)turn out生產，關掉(聲音等)，結果證明是，趕走，解雇；D)turn in上繳，交出，出賣，告發，拐人。
68、［譯文］美國的石油公司早已感受到這種壓力，有些煉油工人及制造石油設備的工作開始下崗。答案為B）本題測試:短語動詞辨異。A)lay out陳列，布置，設計布局；B)lay off使下崗，(暫時)解聘，擱在一邊；C)lay down放下，放棄，鋪設，制訂；D)lay aside擱置(一邊)，積攢。69、［譯文］我們會對居住期間對你房子所遭到的破壞進行補償的。答案為A）本題測試:動詞句型及相關詞義干擾。A)compensate補償，賠償:～ sb. for damage/losses, etc.; B)remedy補救，糾正(錯誤、欠缺等)；C)supplement補充(數量之不足)，增補；D)retrieve檢索，挽回(損失， ～ one's losses)，補救。
70、［譯文］她剪成短發，試圖把自己偽裝成一個男子。答案為B）本題測試:動詞相關語義相擾及動詞句型。A)decorate裝飾；B)disguise偽裝，假扮成 ～ sb. as sb.else；C)fabricate捏造，偽造(故事、借口等)；D)fake仿造，偽造(筆跡，假幣等)。
Part Ⅳ Error Correction
本文論述人們就good and bad manners的觀點分岐，并通過兩個實例來闡述以上主題。
71、on→by本題考點:介詞搭配，根據人們如何占用周圍空間的方式來判斷。本題易錯改well-mannered為good-mannered，但well-mannered為正確的復合詞，有禮貌的、行為端莊的。72、unaware→aware本題考點:上下文理解→反義詞。such a person指上文的well-mannered person，當然在街上 走時不會“目中無人”。
73、as→than本題考點:比較連詞的關鍵搭配。根據上一行中之more即可確定改as為than。
74、it→which本題考點:句子結構，代詞及定語從句。逗號后，人稱代詞he前的代詞it顯然不可能出現在正常的英語語句中，根據本句主從句的結構分析，即可確定兩逗號間為一非限制定語從句。
75、at→n本題考點:介詞基本用法。country前一段用介詞in。
76、hasn't→hadn't本題考點:時態。綜觀進過第二實例的二、三、四段，短文全部倩了過去時間的時態。77、American→Arab本題考點:上下文理解→相關詞(反義)。第二例講述的是一位赴阿拉伯傳統餐宴的美國人不了解阿拉伯食品，鬧出笑話，而主人順水推舟，以自己的行為挽回美國人面子這樣的一個故事。77題所在句子為虛擬語氣:如果他了解阿拉伯食品，他也許不至于如此舉止。
78、as→like本題考點:易淆介詞as意為“作為”，like意為“象”，根據本行意思，這里當是:擺在他(美國人)面前一大片很薄的面包，在他眼里看上去非常像一塊餐巾。因此，他就把那塊面包拿起，塞到衣領里，讓它掛在襯衫前。
79、falls→fell本題考點:時態，闡述見76題。本句意思為:因此，他就把那塊面包拿起，塞到衣領里，讓它掛在襯衫前。
80、of→刪，本題考點:動詞句型。say后換something等復合代詞時為及物動詞，不用介詞，本句中said nothing為與后面copied并列的兩個主句謂語動詞。
Part Ⅴ Writing
Is a Test of spoken English Necessary?
A test of spoken English will be included as an optional component of the College English Test (CET). We have all taken, and are thus familiar with, English tests of many kinds, but so far most of them are written ones. Have you any idea of what a spoken English test will be like, and is it necessary to go to all the trouble to hold or take such a test? People differ in their answers.
Many people will think it necessary. They know that although they have taken dozens, even hundreds, of English tests ever since they started learning it and many even have got surprisingly high marks, few of them can express themselves freely in spoken English. and if people can't speak a word of it, what's the sense of learning it and what do those high marks mean? — They're none but deaf-and-mutes before the native speakers. Furthermore, with so many college graduates and undergraduates having mutes before the native speakers. Furthermore, with so many college graduates and undergraduates having passed CET4 and CET6, a test of spoken English is a further way to tell the excellent from the not so excellent. Finally, it is viewed as a new challenge to those who “live and learn".
There are, however, also people who think differently. Besides the pains in preparation for such a new kind of test, there is also the uncertainty about the reliability and objectivity of the marking system, which may depend mainly on human (and thus subjective) scoring instead of on machine scoring, as in the case of a standardized objective test such as CET4 and CET6.
At the prospect of this optional test, I feel encouraged and regard it as a welcome challenge and another opportunity to improve my language ability and career potentials. I am determined to practice my oral English more often, and if I am qualified for such a test, I will not hesitate a moment to apply for it.
2000年6月大學英語六級考試聽力材料
Section A
1. M: Have you had the brakes and tires checked? And do you have enough money?
W: I've taken care of everything and I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful trip.
Q: What is the woman going to do?
2. M: The new sales manager says he have never met you before.
W: We've been introduced about three times. He seems a little forgetful.
Q: What do we learn about the new sales manager?
3. W: I don't understand why this book for self study doesn't have answers to the questions.
M: But it does. You can find them alt the back of the book.
Q: What does the man say about the self-study book?
4. W: We mean to let everyone know about the charity concert, but we don't have enough money
for advertising.
M: How about using the school radio station? They broadcast free public-service
announcement.
Q: What does the man suggest they do?
5. M: By the way, Jane, did you talk to the consultant about our health program?
W: I contacted his office, but his secretary said he would be out for lunch until two.
Q: What does the woman mean?
6. M: I don't know whether to ask Joe or Cora to draw the posters.
W: What difference does it make? They're both excellent artists.
Q: What does the woman imply about Joe and Core?
7. M: Mary is in charge of the art and music section; and Charles, the ports page. What about
you?
W: I'm responsible for the editorials.
Q: Where does the woman work?
8. M: I ran into our friend Mark yesterday on the street, and he said he hadn't heard from you
for two months.
W: Yes, I know, but I've been too busy to phone him.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
9. M: I'm really exhausted. but I don't want to miss the film that comes on at 11.
W: If I were you, I'd skip it. We both have to get up early tomorrow. and anyway, I've
heard it isn't that exciting.
Q: What does the woman mean?
10. M: I thought the librarian said we could check out as many books as we need without
our library cards.
W: That's right, but not those reference books.
Q: What does the woman mean?
Section B
Passage One
The piano and violin are girls' instruments. Drums and trumpets are for boys. According to psychologists Susan Onco and Michael Balton, children have very clear ideas about which musical instruments they should play. They find that despite the best efforts of teachers these ideas have changed very little over the past decade. They interviewed 153 children aged between 9 and 11 from schools in northwest England. They asked them to identify 4 musical instruments and then to say which they would like to play most and which they would least lie to play.They also asked the children for their views on whether boys or girls should not play any of the 4 instruments. The piano and the violin were both ranked more favorably by girls than by boys, while boys prefer the drums and trumpets. There was broad agreement between boys and girls on which instruments each sex should play and the reasons vary. And while almost half of all boys said they avoid certain instruments because they were too difficult to play, only 15% of girls gave that as a reason. Earlier studies indicated that very young school children aged between 5 and 7 showed no bias in choosing musical instruments, but their tastes become more clear between the ages of 8 and 10. One survey of 78 teachers suggested that after that age both boys and girls.
11. Why did Susan and Michael interview children aged between 9 and 11?
12. Why do many of the boys avoid certain instruments?
13. Which group of children have a bias when choosing musical instruments?
Passage Two
In the 1970s, the famous Brazilian football player Pele retired from the national team of Brazil and became a professional player for a team in New York. Football, or soccer, wasn't very popular in the United States at that time. Few North Americans knew anything about this fast-moving sport. There was no money to pay professional players and there was little interest in football in high schools and colleges. When Pele and other international stars began playing in various US cities, people saw how interesting the game was and began to go to the matches. It is now common for important games to have fifty to sixty thousand fans. Support from the fans is important to the football. The fans cheer enthusiastically for their favorite players and teams, who respond by playing better than before. In most World Cups, the home team, or the team from the host country usually plays better than most people expect. In 1966, 1974 and 1978, the home teams of England, West Germany and Argentina all won the World Cup. The World Cup is called that because teams from every continent have played in it. However, since the Cup began, all of the winning teams have been from Europe or South America. Teams from Asia or Africa always do well but they haven't yet won. Mexico played surprisingly well in the 1970 Cup, which it hosted, but it wasn't among the 4 final teams.
14. Why wasn't football a popular sport in the U.S. in the 1970s?
15. When does a football team have the best chance to win the World Cup?
16. How did Mexico do in the 1970 World Cup?
Passage Three
The world's smartest adolescence in mathematics and science are in Singapore, according to a global survey of educational achievement. In the 3rd International Mathematics and Science Study, 13-year-olds from Singapore achieved the best scores in standardized tests of maths and science that were administered to 287, 896 students in 41 countries in 1994 and 1995. The survey suggests that science and maths education is especially strong in the Far East. While well behind those top scores, students from Australia earned higher marks in maths than their counterparts in England, who in turn did better than American students. The study collected information on the students' teachers and homes. Not surprisingly, the highest-scoring students had well-educated parents or came from homes containing study-aids such as computers, dictionaries or even such elemental facilities as desks. The study shows that boys generally did better than girls in science, but there was little difference between them in maths. Boys scored better than girls in physics and chemistry. There were no sex differences in the life and environmental sciences. In addition to being tested, students in the project were asked how proficient they thought they were in maths and science. Students in some countries, such as Columbia and Kuwait, had an overly optimistic view of their skills. Meanwhile, some of the best students from Japan and Korea for example were needlessly pessimistic even though they did far better in maths than almost all of other students.
17. Of the 4 groups of students, who scored the lowest in maths according to the survey?
18. What kind of students are most likely to become top scorers?
19. In what way do Columbian students differ from Japanese students?
20. In which subjects did boys score higher than girls?
|
[
