Section B

　　Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. 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 Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage One

　　Examinations have a longer history in China than in any other country, yet it is today an issue around in which controversy flourishes. At each stage of their school lives children are faced with exams: exams to enter junior middle school, senior middle school, vocational school, colleges and universities. As a result of having constantly to think of these hurdles facing them children find themselves under constant pressure, unable to take time off from studying exam-oriented subjects to relax with friends or to develop other interests. Within school the concentration on exam success leads to the neglect of courses which are not central to the examinations and a method of teaching and learning which emphasizes training the ability to do well in tests but neglects developing the ability to think creatively.

　　Despite such criticisms the examination system still has its defenders. Without it, they argue, how can we test students' abilities and evaluate the effectiveness of teachers and schools? They believe that they provide the only objective way of selecting students and reduce the exercise of unfair back-door practices to gain advantage for children on the basis of influence or corruption. Examinations are also felt to offer the impetus to students to master their subject in a way in which they otherwise might not. "While too much anxiety can be a bad thing, a little anxiety can stimulate students to learn better than if left without any test to pass," says Li Jie, a leading advocate of the value of testing. "I can remember things now which give me great pleasure which I doubt I would have learned at the time if I had not had to do so for the examinations."

　　57. Which of the following statements about examinations in China is correct?

　　[A] People can make money out of examinations.

　　[B] Only students of today have to take examinations.

　　[C] Students have to learn more about history than about any other subjects.

　　[D] People have different opinions concerning the value of examinations.

　　58. What is a possible result if students pay too much attention to examinations?

　　[A] Students neglect those exam-oriented subjects.

　　[B] Students are unable to relax with friends or to develop other interests.

　　[C] Teachers neglect the training of the students' ability to do well in tests.

　　[D] Students only pay attention to the development of their ability to think creatively.

　　59. Which of the following has NOT been mentioned as the advantage of examinations?

　　[A] Examinations are the only objective way of selecting students.

　　[B] Examinations are the only objective way to eliminate the problem of corruption.

　　[C] Examinations can tell us that too much anxiety can be a bad thing.

　　[D] Examinations can better stimulate students to study.

　　60. According to the passage, why are some people against exams?

　　[A] They are meaningless. [B] They will make students learn something useless.

　　[C] They are believed to cause stress for the students. [D] They are not related to the reality of life.

　　61. Which of the following is an acceptable summary of the organization of this passage?

　　[A] Discussing a problem in education. [B] Refuting a long held opinion.

　　[C] Persuading people to believe an idea. [D] Presenting a controversial issue and arguments from both sides.

　　Passage Two

　　An opinion poll was conducted in the early 1990's to ascertain the cultural attitudes of residents of five countries in Western Europe (Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany). One thousand people, forming a representative sample of the adult population, from each of the five participating countries were interviewed. The results of the poll suggest that though there is general agreement that culture can be defined as a distinct part of life, there are clear differences in the views of various European nations.

　　The poll assumed that literature, history, science, the arts, law, economics and so on would be regarded as significant components of culture by all participants but it set out to examine the areas which they deemed the most important forms of cultural expression. In addition, the poll required interviewees to indicate in a questionnaire the type of education they considered most appropriate for the modem world, the best channels of knowledge and the arts they most valued. The interviewees were also asked which European countries they found most attractive from a cultural point of view.

　　The results of the poll show interesting differences between the participating nations in terms of which components of culture they regard as most important forms of cultural expression. For the French and Italians, literature comes well at the top of the list. In contrast, mathematics is given priority by the British and economics/politics by the Germans. History occupies second place for the French, the Italians and Germans but is given very low priority by the British. For the Spanish these four areas are more or less equal, with mathematics having a slight edge.

　　It seems that members of each country in the survey have a common definition of culture but that definition varies from country to country. The variations tend to support the national stereotypes we have of one another. The French and Italians are literary peoples, the British scientific and the Germans practical and hard-working.

　　France has the distinction, according to the results of the poll, of being the country which provokes most interest from its British, Italian and German neighbors. Spanish interviewees indicated more interest in Italy than in France. The French also placed Italy first. Italy occupies second place for both the British and the Germans. It would seem, then, that the "literary" nations of France and Italy are more culturally exciting than the scientific British or the practical Germans!

　　The view of education in the five countries is particularly illuminating in view of the high cultural priority given to literature by both Italy and France because there is general agreement among the majority of the 5,000 interviewees that schooling should provide scientific and technical education rather than attempt to inculcate literary and artistic culture.

　　The residents of the five countries of the survey share the view that books are the best way of broadening knowledge. The French, Germans, and Italians identify radio and television as the second best means of improving knowledge but for the British and Spanish travel is in second place and conversation and discussion in third place. The poll confirms that, though there are broad similarities among the nations surveyed, the British, French,Italians, Spanish and Germans do not share identical cultural preferences and classifications. There are, it would seem, specific national characteristics.

　　62. What is the passage mainly about?

　　[A] It is about people's preference in spare time.

　　[B] It is about a poll interviewing people's cultural attitudes.

　　[C] It is about a poll investigating people's view toward their neighboring countries.

　　[D] It is about editorial criticizing cultures in different countries.

　　63. Which of the following is NOT included in the questions directed to the interviewees?

　　[A] Do you think literature, history, science, the arts, law, economics and so on should be regarded as significant components of culture?

　　[B] What kind of education is most appropriate for the modem world?

　　[C] What are the best channels of knowledge and the arts you most value?

　　[D] Which European countries are most attractive from a cultural point of view?

　　64. Which of the following statements about "the most important forms of cultural expression" is NOT correct?

　　[A] The French and Italians consider literature more important than other forms of cultural expression.

　　[B] Mathematics is considered most important by the British and the Germans.

　　[C] In the eyes of the French, the Italians and Germans, history is more important than that in the eyes of the British.

　　[D] For the Spanish, mathematics is somewhat more important than literature, history and economics/ politics.

　　65. Which country are British, Italian, Spanish and German interviewees most interested in?

　　[A] France. [B] Italy. [C] They do not share interests. [D] Neither of the two mentioned above.

　　66. Which of the following is regarded as the best way of broadening knowledge by most people in this interview?

　　[A] Conversation. [B] Books. [C] Travel. [D] Radio and television.

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