北京地区成人本科学士学位英语统一考试模拟试题( 1)

Part Ⅰ Reading Comprehension (30%)

Directions: There are three 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 center.

Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:

Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.

A scientist who wants to predict the way in which consumers (消费者) will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain data both on the resources of consumers and on the motives that tend to encourage or discourage money spending.

If an economist were asked which of three groups borrow most —people with rising incomes, Stable incomes, or decreasing incomes —he would probably answer, those with decreasing incomes. Actually years 1947— 1950, the answer was: people with rising incomes.

People with decreasing incomes were next and people with stable incomes borrowed the least. This shows us that traditional assumptions(假设) about earning and spending are not always reliable. Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up they will hasten to buy. If they expect prices to go down, they will postpone buying. But research surveys have shown that this is not always true. The expectations of price increases may not stimulate buying.

One typical attitude was expresser by the wife of a mechanic in an interview at a time of rising prices. “In a few months,” she said, “we’ll have pay more for meat and milk; we’ll have less to spend on other things. “Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. Furthermore, the rise in prices that has already taken place may be disliked and buyer’s resistance may be produced. This is shown by the following typical comment: “I just don’t pay these prices; they are too high.”

The investigations mentioned above were carried out in America; condition most helpful to spending appears to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are reasonable, they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common business policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of consumer psychology(心理学).

1. According to the passage, if one wants to predict the way spend their money, he should _______

A. rely on traditional assumptions about earning and spending

B. try to encourage or discourage consumers to spend money

C. carry out investigations on consumer behavior and get data on consumers incomes and money spending motives

D. do researches in consumer psychology in a laboratory.

2. According to paragraph 2, one traditional assumption is that people with ________ incomes borrow most.

A. average B. stable C. decreasing D. rising

3.According to paragraph 2, research surveys have proved that _________
A. price increases always stimulate people to hasten to buy things

B. rising prices may make people put off their purchase of certain things

C. women are more sensitive to the rising in prices than men

D. the expectations of price increases often make buyers feel angry.

4. From the results of the surveys, the writer of this article _________

A. concludes that the saving and spending patterns in Great Britain are better than those in America

B. concludes that the consumers always expect prices to remain stable

C. concludes that maintaining stable prices is a correct business policy

D. does not draw any conclusion

5. Which of the following statements is always TRUE according to the surveys mentioned in the passage?

A. Consumers will put off buying things if they expect prices to decrease.

B. Consumers will spend their money quickly if they expect prices to increase

C. The price condition has an influence on consumer behavior

D. Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are reliable.

Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:

The young people who talk of the village as being “dead” are talking nothing but nonsense, as in their hearts they must surely know.

No, the village is not dead. There is more life in it now than there ever was. But it seems that “Village life” is dead. Gone for ever. It began to decline (衰落) about a hundred years ago, when many girls left home to go into service in town many miles away, and men also left home in increasing number in search of a work, and home was where work was.

There are still a number of people alive today who can remember. What “village life” meant the early years of the present century? It meant knowing and being known by everybody else in the village. It meant finding your entertainment in the village of within walking distance of it. It meant housewives tied to the home all day and every day. It meant going to bed early to save lamp —oil and coal.