Part I Reading Comprehension(30%)

　　Passage 1

　　It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has the effect on people in different countries. (76)For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others a catastrophe(災(zāi)害)or even a wonder.

　　But there are countries between two kinds that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one of them, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfalls, however light, roads are blocked; trains and buses have to stop in the middle of the way. Normal communications are affected as well:telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. And almost within hours there are also certain shortages---bread, vegetables and other things---not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened and go out and store up with food and so on...just for fear that something bad should happen.

　　But why does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, the Austrians and the Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough planning and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow-ploughs(掃雪機(jī))and machines to spread salt. (77)The reason why a country like Britain does not buy snow-ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospitals, education, helping the old, and so on.

　　1. According to the writer, Britain is a country ___.

　　A. which has regular snow

　　B. which is not well prepared for snow

　　C. for which snow is a catastrophe

　　D. for which snow is a wonder

　　2. The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following EXCEPT ___.

　　A. food supplies

　　B. communications

　　C. traffic

　　D. service quality

　　3. After a few hours’ snowing there are often some shortages of food because ___.

　　A. shops have closed down

　　B. people buy as much as they can

　　C. farmers can produce no more

　　D. people eat more vegetables

　　4. The first reason that the British do not buy snow-ploughs is that ___.

　　A. spreading salt is good enough

　　B. old people need more money

　　C. snow-ploughs are not used often

　　D. the hospital is more important

　　5. The words “two kinds” in Line 4 mean the countries___.

　　A. which have snow either as yearly happening to celebrate or as rare weather

　　B. which either have heavy snow or light snow

　　C. to which snow either causes problems or no problems

　　D. which either have snow-ploughs or no snow-ploughs

　　Passage 2

　　Telecommuting---substituting the computer for the trip to the job---has been hailed as a solution to all kinds of problems related to office work. (78)For workers it promises freedom from the office, less time wasted in traffic, and help with childcare conflicts. For management, telecommuting helps keep high performers on board, minimizes lateness and absenteeism by eliminating commuters(經(jīng)常乘火車往返者)，allows periods of solitude(獨(dú)處)for high concentration tasks, and provides scheduling flexibility. In some areas, such as Southern California, Seattle, and Washington, local governments are encouraging companies to start telecommuting programs in order to reduce rush-hour traffic and improve air quality.

　　But these benefits do not come easily. Making a telecommuting program work requires careful planning and an understanding of the differences between telecommuting realities and popular images. Many workers are seduced by rosy illusions of life as a telecommuter. A computer programmer from New York City moves to the quiet Adirondack Mountains and stays in contact with her office via computer. A manager comes in to his office three days a week and works at home the other two. An accountant stays home to care for her sick child; she hooks up her telephone modern connections and does office work between calls to the doctor.

　　These are powerful images, but they are a limited reflection of reality. (79)Telecommuting workers soon learn that it is almost impossible to concentrate on work and care for a young child at the same time. Before a certain age, young children cannot recognize, much less respect, the necessary boundaries between work and family. Additional child support is necessary if the parent is to get any work done.

　　Management, too, must separate the myth from the reality. Although the media has paid a great deal of attention to telecommuting, in most cases it is the employee’s situation, not the availability of technology, that precipitates(加速...來臨)a telecommuting arrangement.

　　That is partly why, despite the widespread press coverage, the number of companies with work-at-home programs or policy guideliness remains small.

　　6. What is the main subject of the passage? ___.

　　A. Business management policies

　　B. Driving to work

　　C. Extending the work place by means of computers

　　D. Computers for child-care purposes

　　7. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a problem for employers that is potentially solved by telecommuting? ___.

　　A. Employees’ lateness for work

　　B. Employees’ absence from work

　　C. Employees’ need for time alone to work intensively

　　D. Employees’ conflicts with second jobs

　　8. In which area does the local government encourage telecommuting programs according to the passage?

　　A. New York City

　　B. Adirondack Mountains

　　C. Washington

　　D. New York State

　　9. Which of the following does the author mention as a possible disadvantage of telecommuting?

　　A. Small children cannot understand the boundaries of work and play

　　B. Computer technology is never advanced enough to accommodate the needs of every situation

　　C. Electrical malfunctions can destroy a project

　　D. The worker often does not have all the needed resources at home

　　10. Which of the following is example of telecommuting as described in the passage?

　　A. A scientist in a laboratory developing plans for a space station

　　B. A technical writer sending via computer documents created at home

　　C. A computer technician repairing an office computer network

　　D. A teacher directing computer-assisted learning in a private school