Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
Laziness is a sin, everyone knows that. We have probably all had lectures pointing out that laziness is immoral, that it is wasteful, and that lazy people will never amount to anything in life. But laziness can be more harmful than that, and it is often caused by more complex reasons than simple wish to avoid work. Some people who appear to be lazy are suffering from much more serious problems. They may be so distrustful of their fellow workers that they are unable to join in any group task for fear of ridicule or fear of having their ideas stolen. These people who seem lazy may be paralyzed by a fear of failure that prevents fruitful work. Or other sorts of fantasies may prevent work: some people are so busy planning, sometimes planning great deals of fantastic achievements that they are unable to deal with; strictly speaking, they are merely procrastinating--rescheduling their day.
Laziness can actually be helpful. Like procrastinators, some people may look lazy when they are really thinking, planning, contemplating, researching. We should remember that some great scientific discoveries occurred by chance or while someone was "goofing off." Newton wasn't working in the orchard when the apple hit him and he devised the theory of gravity. All of us would like to have some "lazy" build the car or stove we buy, particularly if that "laziness" were caused by the worker's taking time to check each step of his work and to do his job right. And sometimes, being "lazy"—that is, taking time off for a rest—is good for the overworked student or executive. Taking a rest can be particularly helpful to the athlete who is trying too hard, to doctor who's simply working himself overtime too many evenings, at the clinic. So be careful when you're tempted to call someone lazy. That person may be thinking, resting, or planning his or her next book.
47. What is the main idea of this passage?
48. According to the first paragraph, some people appear lazy because ___________________ _ .
49. What do you think of laziness according to the second paragraph?
50. According to the author, we cannot call the people lazy who are not at work because _______________________.
51. The word "fantasies" probably means _______________________.
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
Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on the advertising calendar, as companies vie to produce the most memorable and innovative ads. The battle for the National Football League's ultimate prize attracts more viewers than anything else on American television and provides a "symbolic pulsetaking" for the advertising industry every February, says John Frelinghuysen, an analyst at Bain and Company, a consultancy. But this year the patient is in poor health. All the advertising slots(广告摊位) for the 2008 Super Bowl had been sold by the end of November 2007, despite the $ 2.6 million price of each. For 2009 the price has risen to $ 3 million, but at least, ten slots (out of 67) are still looking for a buyer.
General Motors, which ran 11 ads on Super Bowl Sunday in February 2008, has already said that it will not run any in 2009. America's two other big carmakers, Ford and Chrysler, are likely to follow suit. Tellingly, Monster com, an online job-search company, said recently that it was buying a slot. Instead of the usual parade of expensive ads paying tribute to American consumerism, 2009's Super Bowl will reflect a country in recession and indicate a hard year for the advertising industry.
Most forecasts for next year say that ad spending in America will decline by 5% or more. Much depends on the fate of the automotive industry: carmakers and dealers normally spend around $ 20 billion a year on advertising, but Chrysler and Ford scaled back their expenditure by more than 30% in the first nine months of 2008, and are expected to make further cuts in 2009 as they struggle for survival.
The car industry's situation will hurt all media, but especially television. Analysts at BMO Capital Markets predict that total spending on television ads will fall by almost 9% next year. Only newspapers, where a decline of 12% is expected, are forecast to fare worse. Carmakers have already shifted some of their advertising spending to the Internet, and are likely to go further in 2009. Car ads make up 25% of advertising revenues for local television channels, and carmakers have been among the most consistent buyers of high-priced ads on national television.
So far local stations have been most affected by falling spending on advertising. National stations have been safer, because they operate on longer-term contracts with advertisers. But in the New Year they will also feel the chill, as companies fail to renew their contracts. Television, which has remained strong as print media have lost advertising dollars and readers to the Internet, could enter a decline of its own. "Next on the list is TV stations," says Anthony Diclemente, a media analyst at Barclays Capital.
52. Why does the author give the example of Super Bowl?
A) Because it is the most popular football games in America.
B) Because it shows advertisers' enthusiasm in running slots has dropped.
C) Because it is an event that attracts the attention of advertisers.
D) Because it will be right on in America in 2009.
53. Why can't at least ten slots find a buyer (Last sentence, Para. 1 ) according to the passage?
A) The price for running the advertising slots has risen to $ 3 million.
B) It is not attractive any more for the advertising industry.
C) The advertising industry is suffering a hard year.
D) The advertising slots have been on the rise since 2007.
54. What may the carmakers resort to for promoting their automobiles and cutting down expenditure?
A) Buying low-priced ads on national television.
B) Renewing new contracts with national stations.
C) Shifting their advertising spending to the Internet.
D) Relying on such print media as newspaper.
55. What does the sentence "Next on the list is TV stations" ( last paragraph) said by Anthony Diclemente mean?
A) What he is going to analyze next is TV stations.
B) What advertisers prefer to use is TV stations.
C) TV station is the next to be defeated by Internet.
D) He would choose TV station as a second choice.
56. We can learn from the passage that ______.
A) Ford and Chrysler will run the advertising slots in 2009
B) 2009's Super Bowl will still be an expensive ads parade
C) America's ad spending this year will decline by 5% or more
D) Carmakers' fate determines to certain extent the ad spending in America
Passage Two
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
According to some individuals, if your house is built in the right position, this may affect your success in life, which seems strange to many people. However, to believers in Feng-Shui, or the art of geomancy, not only the position but also the choice of decorations and even the color of your home can mean the difference between good fortune and disaster. This art has been practiced for centuries in China and is still used all over South East Asia. Even the huge Hong Kong banks call in a geomant if they are planning to build new offices. They have such faith in his knowledge that if he advises them to move, they will alter their plans for even their biggest buildings.
Like many Oriental beliefs the geomant's skill depends on the idea of harmony in nature. If there is no imbalance between the opposing forces of Yin and Yang, the building will bring luck to its inhabitants. This means that the house must be built on the right spot as well as facing the right direction, and also be painted an auspicious color. For instance, if there are mountains to the north, this will protect them from evil influences. If the house is painted red, this will bring happiness to the occupants while green symbolizes youth and will bring long life. Other factors, such as the owner's time and date of birth, are taken into account, too. The geomant believes that unless all these are considered when choosing a site for construction, the fortune of the people using it will be at risk.
Indeed, to ignore the geomant's advice can have fatal results. The death of the internationally famous Kung-Fu star, Brucee Lee, has been used as an example. It is said that when Lee found out that the house he was living in was an unlucky one, he followed a geomant's advice and installed an eight-sided mirror outside his front door to bring him luck. Unfortunately, a storm damaged the mirror and the house was left unprotected from harmful influences. Soon afterwards Lee died in mysterious circumstances.
Not only is Feng-Shui still used in South East Asia, but it has also spread right across the world. Even in modern New York a successful commercial artist called Milton Glaser has found it useful. He was so desperate after his office was broken into six times that he consulted a geomant. He was told to install a fish tank with six black fish and fix a red clock to the ceiling. Since then he has not been burglarized once. It may seem an incredible story, but no other suitable explanation has been offered.
57. From the passage we can infer that Feng-Shui is NOT used in ______.
A) Hong Kong
B) the United States
C) Japan
D) Thailand
58. Geomants believe that ______.