99.9a上海英语高级口译资格证书第一阶段考试

SECTION 1: LISTENING TEST (30 minutes)
Part A: spot Direction
Directions: In this part of the test, you will hear a passage and read the same passage with
blanks in it. Fill in each of the blanks with the words you have heard on the tape. Write your
answer in the corresponding space in you ANSWER BOOKLET. Remember you will hear the
passage only once.
Um ... if I could just take this opportunity to briefly summarize the company's attitude to
the question of providing information for our employees. Well … er ... we know that
________(1) would like more opportunity to let the company know how they feel on things
___________(2). And certainly from the surveys that we've done, they seem to emphasize the
value of _________(3) ... er ... especially at a time of change and uncertainty __________(4) and
in the outside world. Anyway, action has been ___________(5) to increase face-to-face
communication ____________(6) and to improve the flow of upward communication.
Um ... you also know how much we ____________(7) and so we continue to provide
training facilities to enable employees who are elected to consultative committees
____________(8) in their new role.
Now, when it comes to informing the workforce. Um ... well, employees, we believe,
have a right to (9) about the company, whether or not the information makes them
___________(10).
And ... um ... and “In formation Programme” makes this possible. Well, let me just
___________(11). Er ... supervisors, for instance, may need informing about
______________(12) before they go into production.
And supervisors should also be given _____________(13) and marketing objectives, and
about its performance related to ____________(14). At the same time, of course, we are
naturally aware of the problems of giving too much information on ____________(15). Well,
er ... the competition may get to _____________(16) too soon!
But ... um ... but in the end we shouldn't ___________(17) that even if the management
does not ____________(18), that they and even the workers themselves will know a great deal
about _____________(19), even, you know, even if they haven't been ______________(20).
Part B: Listening Comprehension
Directions: In this part of the test there will be some short talks and conversations. After each
one, you will be asked some questions. The talks, conversations and questions will be spoken
only once. Now listen care fully and choose the right answer to each question you have heard
and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER
BOOKLET.
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following conversation.
1. A. Faulty goods. B. Late deliveries.
C. Inadequate after-staffing. D. Over-pricing.
2. A. A union strike. B. Inconvenient transportation.
C. Under-staffing. D. Excessive demand.
3. A. Toy cars. B. Cassette recorders.
C. Radio sets. D. Sports bicycles.
4. A. Having a new factory equipped. B. Expanding the present factory.
C. Making extra workers redundant. D. Adopting new technology.
5. A. The buyers were not informed about the problem.
B. The company can't solve the problem by getting extra workers.
C. The company is offering a 10% discount on all future orders.
D. The discount will mean a bigger profit for Mr. Olsen's retailers.
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following news.
6. A. The inflation rate has been rising in the past few months.
B. The inflation rate is expected to drop in May.
C. The inflation rate fell to 8.0% in April.
D. The inflation rate could rise to 8.7% in the next few months.
7. A. 3.9%. B. 4.2%.
C. 4.3%. D. 4.5%.
8. A. Fewer than Five. B. Around fifty.
C. At least 100. D. Over 1,000.
9. A. To prevent possible looting. B. To help the rescue work.
C. To look for anything to salvage. D. To restrict electricity supply.
10. A. Taking bribes. B. Offering bribes.
C. Providing secret documents. D. Resigning from his post.
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following interview.
11. A. Lack of a clear marketing strategy.
B. Failure to maintain quality control.
C. Loss of market share due to over-pricing.
D. No new products being pushed onto the market.
12. A. Aiming solely at the middle range of the market.
B. Competing with cheap foreign imports.
C. Concentrating on lower-priced goods.
D. Selling products to the Japanese.
13. A. To promote sales. B. To increase production.
C. To save on materials. D. To improve quality.
14. A. About two years ago.
B. Three years after he finished college.
C. Last year.
D. Six months ago.
15. A. Heavy losses will be slightly reduced.
B. Share prices will rise sharply.
C. A dividend will be paid to shareholders.
D. Income from sales will equal costs.
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following talk.
16. A. People in different parts of North America speak English differently.
B. Canadians and Americans are mutually intelligible despite differences in spoken English.
C. Of all three types of differences in spoken English, differences in accent are the most
obvious.
D. Written English is the same everywhere in North America.
17. A. Bostonians. B. New Yorkers.
C. The British. D. Canadians.
18. A. There is less variation in vocabulary than in grammar.
B. Differences in grammar are more obvious that those in pronunciation.
C. People are more concerned with spoken grammar than with written grammar.
D. Some variation in spoken grammar is more acceptable in certain areas.
19. A. Economic class. B. Social class.
C. Geography. D. History.
20. A. Written English.
B. Educated English.
C. English spoken by the social elite.
D. English adopted by the Government.
SECTION 2: READING TEST (30 minutes)
Directions: In this section you will read several passages. Each one is followed by several
questions about it. You are to choose ONE best answer, (A), (B), (C) or (D), to each question.
Answer all the questions following each passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that
passage and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your
ANSWER BOOKLET.
Questions 1～5
The horror story closest to Alfred Hitchcock's heart was never told. A Hollywood studio
brutally killed off the film the director had nurtured for years because it feared he was becoming
too controversial.
Hitchcock planned the film, Provisionally entitled Kaleidoscope, as the most provocative
and daring in his glittering career. If made, it would have featured a style, content and level of
violence not attempted before in mainstream cinema.
It followed successes with films such as North by Northwest, made in 1959, which starred
Cary Grant in a prototype 007 role, and Psycho, made the following year, which became famous
for its spine chilling shower murder. Now notes and other documents left by “the master of
suspense” have shown that Hitchcock was not content to rest on the reputation earned by such
classics and was planning to reinvent himself at the age of 68.
Kaleidoscope would have featured a handsome psycho path and his female pursuer. The
plot was based on the true-life story of Neville Heath, a sadistic 28-year-old RAF officer hanged
in 1946 for the sexual assault and savage murder of two young women.
Film experts who have seen the detailed notes and preliminary footage say they show
“Hitch” was thinking of ideas that were years ahead of their time, and anticipating the
approach of movies made in the late 1960s and 1970s such as Easy Rider and Mean Streets.
Four reels of film were shot in a feasibility study but then the entire project was scuppered
by executives as Universal Studios who said it was too drastic a change in direction.
The reels, along with Hitchcock's written descriptions of the film, were found by Dan
Auiler, a film historian who was sifting through the huge collection of papers that Hitchcock's
daughter Patricia donated to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angles.
“If Kaleidoscope had been released it could have been one of Hitch's greatest movies,” He
said.
The preliminary reels were shot in New York in 1967. After editing, there was about 10
minutes of screen time. The first scene shows a nude model in her apartment and the second, in
an artist's studio, shows the young killer meeting the model. In a break with tradition, Hitchcock,
who turned Cary Grant and Grace Kelly into screen heart throbs, proposed using unknown
actors.
Auiler has included a description of the film—and Hitchcock's hopes for its impact on his
career—in his new book, Hitchcock's Secret Diaries. The film director died in 1980 at the age of
80.
“Hitchcock was enormously impressed by the new wave of European film-makers and
wanted to reinvent the Hitchcock film at an age when most people are content to enjoy a quiet
retirement,” said Auiler. “He never quite forgave Universal and when he was filming the
Seventies film Frenzy he shot it entirely in London to lessen the studio's control.”
The discoveries are likely to generate more interest in Hitchcock at events planned to
celebrate his birth in London a hundred years ago.
1. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the beginning sentence “The horror
story closest to Alfred Hitchcock's heart was never told”?
A. Hitchcock did not succeed in telling his last and most daring horror story.
B. Hitchcock's best horror film was never shown to the public.
C. Hitchcock was not able to complete his last horror story.
D. Hitchcock left his favorite pioneering horror film unfinished.
2. Which of the following is true about Kaleidoscope?
A. It was based on a fiction by Neville Heath.
B. It was produced in 1970s.
C. It was not accepted by the audience.
D. It was not approved by the film producer.
3. According to the passage, are all the films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
A. Easy Rider, North by Northwest and Psycho
B. North by northwest, Frenzy and Psycho
C. Mean streets, Easy Rider and Frenzy
D. Kaleidoscope, Easy Rider and Mean Streets
4. The word “scuppered” in the clause “the entire project was scuppered by executives at
Universal Studios”(para. 6) can best be replaced by.
A. recommended B. reviewed
C. negated D. encouraged
5. It can be concluded from the passage that.
A. Hitchcock's daughter first discovered kaleidoscope with the help from film experts
B. Film experts and historians find great significance in Kaleidoscope in their research of
Hitchcock
C. Hitchcock won the title of “the master of suspense” because of Kaleidoscope
D. Kaleidoscope will be shown to the public soon to celebrate Hitchcock's birthday
Questions 6～10
The Police Federation launched an aggressive anti racism poster campaign yesterday,
saying it was determined to restore the reputation of the service in the wake of the Stephen
Lawrence inquiry. Fred Broughton, chairman, said it was time for the federation, which has been
criticised for not addressing black issues, to “put up or shut up”.
But the Black Police Association boycotted the lunch and said the (30,000 campaign
“lacked credibility”. A spokesman said: “It has never been supportive to black issues, never
acted as a platform for black issues, it lacks credibility with black officers and it has a poor
image in the black community. We would say get your own house in order before you embark on
such a campaign.”“We don't have a problem with the message. We have a problem with the
messenger.”
The federation, Which represents rank and file officers in England and Wales, has sent
20,000 posters and leaflets to the country's 43 police forces. The campaign, similar to a
Commission for Racial Equality antiracism drive, is designed to tackle public perceptions about
black people and the police. It aims to tackle passive racism in the service and promote black
and Asian role models, Mr. Broughton said.
One poster says: “What do you call a black man in a BMW? —A police sergeant on
patrol.” Another shows the face of a black man with the message: “Been mugged? Tell him—
he's a police officer.”
Mr. Broughton said the posters would “encourage and stimulate debate about racism.”
“The service must show itself to be anti racist and must actively campaign on that basis to
restore the reputation of the service.”
Mr. Broughton said he was disappointed the BPA had boycotted the event. “We have had
close contact with the BPA for over six months at every stage of this campaign.”
The campaign followed the damning Macpherson report on the murder of black teenager
Stephen Lawrence and subsequent orders by the home secretary, Jack Straw, that forces should
recruit 8,000 officers from ethnic minorities within 10 years.
About 7% of the population in England and Wales is black or Asian, but they form only 2%
of police officers.
The BPA was set up in 1994, supported by Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Paul
Condon, to represent black officers despite opposition from within the federation.
Bob Purkiss, of the Commission for Racial Equality, called on white police officers to back
the federation's campaign against racism. but admitted the service had been badly damaged by
the Lawrence report.
6. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
A. The murder of Stephen Lawrence under inquiry
B. Posters upset black police
C. Anti-racism poster campaign
D. Police service damaged by Lawrence report
7. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the expression “put up or shut up” (para. 1)?
A. defend oneself or admit errors
B. assume responsibility or show indifference
C. continue as before or take a new course
D. take action or keep silence
8. The poster with the image of a black man and the message “Been mugged? Tell him—he's a
police officer.” shows people.
A. how to recognize black police
B. that they can trust black police when in danger
C. how to behave when being attacked
D. that only black police can beetsted
9. All of the following express the attitude of the BPA towards the anti-racism poster campaign
EXCEPT.
A. “... the (30.000 campaign ‘lacked credibility’”
B. “We would say get your own house in order ...”
C. “The service must show itself to be anti－racist.”
D. “We have a problem with the messenger.”
10. It can be inferred from the passage that.
A. the major problem in the restoration of police image is racism within the police force
B. the BPA is a sub-division under the Police Federation
C. the Commission for Racial Equality started the anti racism poster campaign
D. the BPA opposes the poster campaign
Questions 11～15
If ever there was a mouse that roared, it's Mickey. Universal's Islands of Adventure may
have stolen Walt Disney's thunder, But when it comes to theme parks, Mickey Mouse is sill king.
Disney's Florida theme park at Orlando covers 32,000 acres—the size of Manchester—and
attracted 40m visitors last year. The more sophisticated may feel its blend of wholesomeness and
kitsch is outdated, but there is little arguing with the numbers.
In contrast, Rank and Seagram pulled 8m visitors into their Universal Studios park last year.
But with the launch of Islands of Adventure they hope to give The Mouse—as insiders call
Disney—a run for its money.
The 110-acre site at Orlando is based on five islands and aimed squarely at a more thrill
seeking, slightly older market. Three of the rides are so fast they induce zero gravity—and
vomiting. The Incredible Hulk rollercoaster—themed on Marvel Comics' superhero-accelerates
from 0 to 42mph in two seconds, then reaches 60mph, before flipping through seven loops.
The cost of building the rides is just as eye popping. The Hulk is said to have cost more
than ま50m while The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man, the park's sensational 3D ride,
cost more. The exact figures are secret, but one thing is certain: when Disney hits back it will
spend even more.
Rank and Seagram's decision to build three hotels on the site will be the key to taking the
fight to Disney. Portofino Bay, a 750-room hotel based on the famous Italian fishing village, is
almost complete. Work has begun on a 650-room Hard Rock hotel and the 1,000-room Royal
Pacific is due to open in .
The expanded complex has now been re-christened Universal Studios Escape and the
partners have signed up a number of sponsors, including Coca-Cola and Daimler-Chrysler's
Dodge division, to run joint marketing campaigns as well as launching a 31m advertising
campaign.
Edgar Bronfman, the chief executive of Seagram, sees Universal's more sophisticated
image as a key to its success: “This is a quantum leap away from Disney. The newness of the
park means we can deliver an experience they cannot rival,” he says.
The competition will intensify as Universal Studios Escape Moves into Japan and eyes
Europe. Bronfman compares the two companies to MCI and AT&T, but Bronfman believes there
is room for both Universal and Disney and that one day they will compete on more level terms.
Disney says it is not concerned—never one to sell itself short, the company says it
considers New York and Europe as its rivals. But Disney has started building on its first true
rollercoaster: the Rock and Roller Coaster. The ride will be outside and will not have its
workings hidden, as all other Disney rides do.
Walt Disney was firmly against rollercoasters and this move is seen as showing just how
seriously The Mouse is listening to its small but noisy neighbour.
11. The expression “to give The Mouse ... a run for its money”(para. 3) can be paraphrased
as_____.
A. to give The Mouse a chance to gain more profits
B. to provide The Mouse more advantages for competition
C. to press The Mouse to spend more in its competition
D. to help The Mouse with its financial planning
12. The fact that Disney has started to build its first rollercoaster shows that________.
A. it is consistent with its policies
B. it is planning to merge with Universal Studios Escape
C. it is pioneering in introducing new entertainments
D. it is under the strong pressure from its competitors
13. Why does Bronfman compare Universal and Disney to the two telecoms companies MCI and
AT&T?
A. Because MCI and AT&T are competing on level terms.
B. Because one is smaller than the other but dares to compete with its rival.
C. Because both are facing the opportunities for development.
D. Because MCT has defeated AT&T and set an example for Universal.
14. All of the following contribute to the strengthening of Universal's competitiveness EXCEPT.
A. the building of the Rock and Roller Coaster
B. the construction of Portofino Bay, Hard Rock and Royal Pacific
C. the completion of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
D. the launch of Islands of Adventure
15. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A. Islands of Adventure is the key to success of Universal Studios Escape.
B. Rank and Seagram is seeking development in Japan and Europe.
C. Disney is responding quickly to Universal's challenge.
D. Universal's theme park is seriously rivalling Disney.
Questions 16～20
A radio ad for a bedding company makes an impressive offer. “Mattresses delivered in two
hours!” the announcer crows, calling this no waiting service “bedding for busy people.”
Once upon a less-hurried time, mattresses, like other long-term purchases, arrived at a more
deliberate pace. But that was before “wait” turned into a four-letter word, and before “Now!”
became the imperial command of a nation of impatient consumers. Today waiting is increasingly
viewed as an outmoded concept, an insult to a busy customer's time. Immediate service offers
instant gratification—it's the new formula for business success.
Thanks to technology, faxes and e-mail make waiting for post-office “snail mail”
unnecessary. Call-waiting spares a caller the indignity of hearing a busy signal and waiting to
redial. And credit cards eliminate the need to postpone shopping until cash is available. Just say,
“Charge it,” and spend freely. In a 24-hour society, eager shoppers, plastic in hand, can fulfill
their consumer desires around the clock. No waiting required.
Already the demand for immediacy has become so urgent that one express photo company
in Boston offers a “panic rush service.”
Further evidence of an increasingly wait free society appears in two current books. In
“Doing Business ＠ the Speed of Thought,” Bill Gates predicts that “velocity” will be the
buzzword of the 2000s.
In “Blur: The Speed of Change in the Connected Economy,”authors Stan Davis and
Christopher Meyer take a similar approach. “Make speed your mind-set,” they advise. “Your
customer should not have to wait for service, your supplier for needed information, your partner
for sing-offs, and so on.”
So much speed! It's enough to make a weary reader want to order a mattress and take a nap
when it arrives in two hours.
The prospect of greater efficiency can be encouraging. But what happens when a whole
generation grows up never having to wait for much of anything? When delayed gratification is
perceived as a problem to be overcome? When children—all the rest of us—approach everything
with finger tapping impatience?
In an age of increasing impatience, what happens even to the biblical injunction to “wait
patiently on the Lord”? There's more that a little truth behind the joking prayer, “God grant me
patience, and give it to me right now.”
Even pregnancy, once the ultimate test of patience as parents waited nine months to learn
whether their child is a girl or boy, is no longer a sweet mystery. Diagnostic tests can reveal the
sex of a fetus in the early months.
At its worst, waiting simply wastes time. A few years ago a lifestyle management expert,
Michael Fortino, estimated that an average American will spend five years during a lifetime
waiting in line and six months sitting at red lights. He didn't mention waiting on hold. As any
frequent flier knows, airline reservation phone lines specialize in soothing recorded voices that
urge callers—again and again, while long minutes tick by to “please hold for the next
available agent.” Hold--what a clever euphemism for wait.
Yet at its best, waiting can serve as a period of quiet preparation and expectation. As the
speed of the world increases, so will the need for people with the capacity to maintain an
unhurried pace—who know how to wait, serenely and expectantly.
Certain things, of course, can never be rushed, among them paydays, holidays, and seasons.
Still, given the advances of technology, even an otherwise patient waiter can be forgiven for
wishing that scientists could shorten winter and speed the arrival of spring. In such a fantasy, the
last snow would melt by late February. Tulips and daffodils would bloom on March 1, and trees
would begin leafing out the same week. Temperatures would remain balmy all month. No more
lions in March.
Scientists, are you listening? Some of us can't wait.
16. The tone of the passage can be described as one of_________.
A. matter-of-factness B. despair and hopelessness
C. reproach and criticism D. satire and irony
17. Which of the following expresses the organization of the passage?
A. generalization—illustration—conclusion
B. examples—comparative analysis—counterevidence
C. questions—answers—conclusion
D. comments—comparison—generalization
18. In the passage the writer introduced two books__________.
A. to establish the basis of argument
B. to illustrate the relationship between technology and human civilization
C. to provide evidence for the theme of the passage
D. to show the prominence of these authors
19. The expression “waiting simply wastes time”(para. 12) implies that_______.
A. waiting has more advantages than disadvantages
B. waiting has more disadvantages than advantages
C. waiting has only limited disadvantages
D. waiting has numerous disadvantages
20. According to the author, the advances of technology___________.
A. will satisfy all of our wishes
B. cannot change the law of nature
C. will make no-waiting service possible
D. should not be over-exaggerated
SECTION 3: TRANSLATION TEST (30 minutes)
Directions: Translate the following passage into Chinese and write your version in the
corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.
Japan's once enviable jobless rate will soar to double-digit levels if—and the warning is a
big one—firms opt for drastic Western-style layoffs to boost profits. While Japan's life-time
employment system is visibly unravelling, many economists still doubt whether a scenario of
soaring joblessness will occur, given that economic incentives to slash payrolls clash with social
and political pressures to save jobs. A kinder, gentler approach to restructuring would soften the
social instability many fear would result from doubling the jobless rate, already at a record high.
Critics believe it would also cap gains in profit margins and stifle economic vitality,
especially in the absence of bold steps to open the door to new growth industries. Some
economists believe different methods of counting mean Japan's jobless rate is already close to 7
per cent by United States standards, not that far from the 7.8 per cent peak hit in the US in 1992
when it began to emerge from a two-year slump.