全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试指南(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)


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作者:全国翻译硕士专业学位教育指导委员会编

出版社:外语教学与研究出版社

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全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试指南

全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试指南试读:

前言

为了适应我国改革开放和社会主义现代化建设事业发展的需要,促进中外交流,培养高层次、应用型翻译专门人才,国务院学位委员会于2007年1月23日第23次会议审议通过设置翻译硕士专业学位(即Master of Translat on and Interpret ng,简称MTI)。MTI是我国目前19个专业硕士学位之一。

MTI教育打破了现行外语教学以学历教育为主、主要培养学术型或研究型人才的研究生教育模式,采用以培养实践型和应用型人才为主的教育培养模式。根据教研[2009]1号文件《教育部关于做好全日制硕士专业学位研究生培养工作的若干意见》,硕士阶段的研究生教育要加快结构调整,加大应用型人才培养的力度。MTI研究生培养翻译领域的高层次人才,要求教育过程中注重培养实干精神,即培养高水平专业技能、高度的职业道德以及忘我的职业奉献精神,具有独立承担专业领域实际工作和管理工作的能力。因此MTI教育的目标是培养德、智、体全面发展,能适应全球经济一体化及提高国家国际竞争力的需要,适应国家经济、文化、社会建设需要的,具有熟练翻译技能和宽广知识面的能够胜任不同专业领域所需要的高层次、应用型、专业性口笔译人才。

2007年,国务院学位委员会批准了首批15所MTI试点教学单位。2009年,又有25所高校成为新增MTI试点教学单位。目前MTI语种已涵盖英、法、日、俄、德、韩等六个语种,不仅包括春季入学的在职MTI研究生,也包括秋季入学的全日制MTI研究生,而且招生对象也扩大到“具有国民教育序列大学本科学历(或本科同等学力)人员”。外语教学与研究出版社于2008年7月出版的《翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)入学考试全国联考指南》针对的是春季入学的在职MTI考生;与之相匹配,本考试大纲和样题针对后者,即参加全日制MTI研究生入学考试的考生。

根据国务院学位办[2009]23号文件《关于转发全日制硕士专业学位研究生指导性培养方案的通知》,MTI教育课程设置以“职业能力”为本进行设计,教学大纲总体上体现:理论联系实际;课程少而精;教学内容体现宽、新、实的精神;加强案例教学,并实行校内外双导师模式。另外,毕业论文的设计不限于学术性的研究论文,而采用更加灵活的方式,如翻译项目、研究报告和实验报告等。

根据上述文件精神,全国翻译硕士专业学位教育指导委员会(简称MTI教指委)委托秘书处开始酝酿和设计全日制MTI研究生入学考试大纲,并提供样题,旨在帮助考生对入学水平的要求和难度有一定了解,同时也为各校自主命题提供一个参考基准。受MTI教指委的委托,由仲伟合、许钧、何其莘等教授牵头,穆雷、赵军峰、柴明熲等教授主笔,广泛邀请各试点院校相关语种的专家、教授起草大纲和样题,提交教指委成员讨论,尔后数易其稿,最终形成现在这套样题指南。

本考试大纲是根据《全日制翻译硕士专业学位研究生指导性培养方案》以及教学司[2009]22号文件精神制订的,旨在全面考察考生的双语(外语、母语)综合能力及双语翻译能力,招生院校根据考生参加本考试的成绩和政治理论考试的成绩总分(满分共计500分),参考全国统一录取分数线来选拔参加复试的考生。

本考试是全国翻译硕士专业学位研究生的入学资格考试,除全国统考分值为100分的第一单元的政治理论考试之外,专业考试分为三门,分别是第二单元的外国语考试——翻译硕士X语(含英语、法语、日语、俄语、德语、韩语等语种),第三单元的基础课考试——X语翻译基础(含英汉、法汉、日汉、俄汉、德汉、韩汉等语对)以及第四单元的专业基础课考试——汉语写作与百科知识。翻译硕士X语考试重点考查考生的外语水平,总分100分;X语翻译基础考试重点考查考生的外汉互译专业技能和潜质,总分150分;汉语写作和百科知识考试重点考查考生的现代汉语写作水平和百科知识,总分150分。参加入学考试的考生应具有良好的外语基本功,掌握6,000个以上的选考外语积极词汇;具有较好的双语表达和转换能力及潜质;具备一定的中外文化以及政治、经济、法律等方面的背景知识;对于作为母语(A语言)的现代汉语,具备较强的写作能力。

随心所欲不逾矩。本指南在某种意义上可以说提供了一种“矩”。在一定“矩”的前提下,各培养单位可以参考指南的题型与难度命题。全国翻译硕士专业学位教育指导委员会2009年10月31日

全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试大纲总则

全国翻译硕士专业学位教育指导委员会在《全日制翻译硕士专业学位研究生指导性培养方案》(见学位办[2009]23号文)中指出,MTI教育的目标是培养高层次、应用型、专业性口笔译人才。MTI教育重视实践环节,强调翻译实践能力的培养。全日制MTI的招生对象为具有国民教育序列大学本科学历(或本科同等学力)的人员,具有良好的双语基础。

根据《全日制翻译硕士专业学位研究生指导性培养方案》以及教学司[2009]22号文件精神,现制定全日制翻译硕士专业学位研究生入学考试大纲。

一、考试目的

本考试旨在全面考查考生的双语(外语、母语)综合能力及双语翻译能力,招生院校根据考生参加本考试的成绩和政治理论考试的成绩总分(满分共计100分),参考全国统一录取分数线来选择参加复试的考生。

二、考试性质与范围

本考试是全国翻译硕士专业学位研究生的入学资格考试,除全国统考分值100分的第一单元政治理论考试之外,专业考试分为三门,分别是第二单元外国语考试——翻译硕士X语(含英语、法语、日语、俄语、德语、韩语等语种),第三单元基础课考试——X语翻译基础(含英汉、法汉、日汉、俄汉、德汉、韩汉等语对)以及第四单元专业基础课考试——汉语写作与百科知识。翻译硕士X语考试重点考查考生的外语水平,总分100分;X语翻译基础考试重点考查考生的外汉互译专业技能和潜质,总分150分;汉语写作与百科知识考试重点考查考生的现代汉语写作水平和百科知识,总分150分。(考试科目名称及代码参见教学司[2009]22号文件)

三、考试基本要求

1.具有良好的外语基本功,掌握6,000个以上的选考外语积极词汇。

2.具有较好的双语表达和转换能力及潜质。

3.具备一定的中外文化以及政治、经济、法律等方面的背景知识。具备较强的现代汉语写作能力。

四、考试时间与命题

每年1月份与全国硕士研究生入学考试同步进行。由各招生院校MTI资格考试命题小组根据本考试大纲,分别参照翻译硕士外语考试——翻译硕X语、基础课考试——X语翻译基础及专业基础课考试——汉语写作与百科知识的考试大纲及样题的要求,自主命题与实施。

五、考试形式

本考试采取客观试题与主观试题相结合的方法,各项试题的分布见各门“考试内容一览表”。

六、考试内容

见下文。

翻译硕士X语考试大纲

一、考试目的

翻译硕士X语考试作为全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试的外国语考试,其目的是考查考生是否具备进行MTI学习所要求的外语水平。

二、考试性质与范围

本考试是一种测试应试者单项和综合语言能力的尺度参照性水平考试。考试范围包括MTI考生入学应具备的外语词汇量、外语语法知识以及外语阅读与写作等方面的技能。

三、考试基本要求

1.具有良好的外语基本功,认知词汇量在10,000以上,掌握6,000个以上(以英语为例)的积极词汇,即能正确而熟练地运用常用词汇及其常用搭配。

2.能熟练掌握正确的外语语法、结构、修辞等语言规范知识。

3.具有较强的外语阅读理解能力和外语写作能力。

四、考试形式

本考试采取客观试题与主观试题相结合,单项技能测试与综合技能测试相结合的方法。各项试题的分布情况见“考试内容一览表”。

五、考试内容

本考试包括以下部分:词汇语法、阅读理解、外语写作等。总分100分。

I.词汇语法

1.考试要求

1)词汇量要求

考生的认知词汇量应在10,000以上,其中积极词汇量为6,000以上,即能正确而熟练地运用常用词汇及其常用搭配。

2)语法要求

考生能正确运用外语语法、结构、修辞等语言规范知识。

2.题型

选择题或改错题。总分30分。考试时间为60分钟。

II.阅读理解

1.考试要求

1)能读懂常见外刊上的专题报道、历史传记及文学作品等各种文体的文章,既能理解其主旨和大意,又能分辨出其中的事实与细节,并能理解其中的观点和隐含意义。

2)能根据阅读时间要求调整自己的阅读速度。

2.题型

1)选择题(包括信息事实性阅读题和观点评判性阅读题)

2)简答题(要求根据所阅读的文章,用3-5行字数的有限篇幅扼要回答问题,重点考查阅读综述能力)

本部分试题题材广泛,体裁多样,选材体现时代性、实用性;重点考查通过阅读获取信息和理解观点的能力;对阅读速度有一定要求。总分40分。考试时间为60分钟。

III.外语写作

1.考试要求

考生能根据所给题目及要求撰写一篇400词左右的记叙文、说明文或议论文。该作文要求语言通顺,用词得体,结构合理,文体恰当。

2.题型

命题作文。总分30分。考试时间为60分钟。翻译硕士X语考试内容一览表

X语翻译基础考试大纲

一、考试目的

X语翻译基础考试是全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试的基础课考试科目,其目的是考查考生的外汉互译实践能力是否达到进入MTI学习的水平。

二、考试性质与范围

本考试是测试考生是否具备基础翻译能力的尺度参照性水平考试。考试范围包括MTI考生入学应具备的外语词汇量、语法知识以及外汉两种语言转换的基本技能。

三、考试基本要求

1.具备一定中外文化,以及政治、经济、法律等方面的背景知识。

2.具备扎实的外汉两种语言的基本功。

3.具备较强的外汉/汉外转换能力。

四、考试形式

本考试采取客观试题与主观试题相结合,单项技能测试与综合技能测试相结合的方法,强调考生的外汉/汉外转换能力。各项试题的分布情况见“考试内容一览表”。

五、考试内容

本考试包括两个部分:词语翻译和外汉互译。总分150分。

I.词语翻译

1.考试要求

要求考生准确翻译中外文术语或专有名词。

2.题型

要求考生较为准确地写出题中的30个外/汉术语、缩略语或专有名词的对应目的语。汉/外文各15个,每个1分,总分30分。考试时间为0分钟。

II.外汉互译

1.考试要求

要求应试者具备外汉互译的基本技巧和能力;初步了解中国和目的语国家的社会、文化等背景知识;译文忠实于原文,无明显误译、漏译;译文通顺,用词正确,表达基本无误;译文无明显语法错误;外译汉速度为每小时250-350个外语单词,汉译外速度为每小时150-250个汉字。

2.题型

要求考生较为准确地翻译出所给的文章,外译汉为250-350个单词,汉译外为150-250个汉字,各占60分,总分120分。考试时间为120分钟。X语翻译基础考试内容一览表

汉语写作与百科知识考试大纲

一、考试目的

汉语写作与百科知识考试是全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试的专业基础课考试科目,其目的是考查学生是否具备进行MTI学习所要求的汉语水平。

二、考试性质与范围

本考试是测试考生百科知识和汉语写作水平的尺度参照性水平考试。考试范围包括本大纲规定的百科知识和汉语写作水平。

三、考试基本要求

1.具备一定中外文化,以及政治、经济、法律等方面的背景知识。

2.具备较强的现代汉语基本功。

3.具备较强的现代汉语写作能力。

四、考试形式

本考试采取客观试题与主观试题相结合,单项技能测试与综合技能测试相结合的方法,强调考生的百科知识和汉语写作能力。各语种考生统一用汉语答题。试题分类参见“考试内容一览表”。

五、考试内容

本考试包括三个部分:百科知识、应用文写作、命题作文。总分150分。

I.百科知识

1.考试要求

要求考生对中外文化,国内国际政治、经济、法律以及中外人文、历史、地理等方面有一定的了解。

2.题型

要求考生解释出现在不同主题的短文中涉及上述内容的20个名词。每个名词2.5分,总分50分。考试时间为60分钟。

II.应用文写作

1.考试要求

该部分要求考生根据所提供的信息和场景写一篇450字左右的应用文,体裁包括说明书、会议通知、商务信函、备忘录、广告等,要求言简意赅,凸显专业性、技术性和实用性。

2.题型

试卷提供应用文写作的信息、场景及写作要求,由考生根据提示写作。总分40分。考试时间为60分钟。

III.命题作文

1.考试要求

考生应能根据所给题目及要求写出一篇不少于800字的现代汉语短文。体裁可以是说明文、议论文或应用文。要求文字通顺,用词得体,结构合理,文体恰当,文笔优美。

2.题型

试卷给出情景和题目,由考生根据提示写作。总分60分。考试时间为60分钟。

答题和计分

要求考生用钢笔或圆珠笔在答题卷上作答。汉语写作与百科知识考试内容一览表

汉语写作与百科知识考试样题

第一部分 百科知识(50分)

请简要解释以下段落中划线部分的知识点。

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2.端午原是个防病防灾的日子,却因大诗人屈原增添了纪念层面的意义,增添了爱国忧国但报国无门的悲情和齐心协力救助生命的悲壮;因了陶渊明酷爱重阳,因了他酷爱的菊的勾连,重阳节衍生了“颂陶”的文化意蕴,歌颂他“人淡如菊”的精神境界,“重阳无酒”也成了知识分子安贫乐道的形象写真。

3.1994年起,比尔·盖茨开始了他的收藏爱好。作为拥有600亿美元财富的收藏者,盖茨想买什么就可以买什么,而他购买艺术品似乎也完全凭个人的兴趣,没有明确的学术或商业性目标。还有很多不知名的微软富翁也有收藏艺术品的爱好,这些微软人囊中的巨额财富和近乎疯狂的收藏行为对美国艺术市场产生了巨大的推动作用,证明了微软公司在文化市场中有多重要。一个软件公司创造的巨额财富使大量重要艺术作品流向微软人手中,流向西雅图。

4.2009年3月的全国“两会”上,吴邦国提出,今年要着力加强社会领域立法,继续完善经济、政治、文化领域立法。社会领域的公平正义,变化并没有那么快,我们只需要翻找出过去的研究和报道,就可以看到今天的问题所在。例如,上文提到的新华社2006年那篇文章中,对社会领域立法促进公平正义列举了五个方面:一是保障公民权利,尊重和保障人权;二是发展社会事业,提高公共服务的能力和水平;三是健全社会保障,发展慈善事业;四是规范社会组织,使各类具有公益或互益性质的社会组织纳入规范化、法制化管理的轨道;五是重视社会管理,包括加强公共安全、应对突发事件等。社会领域立法以促进公平正义,也许更加直接地体现了孟德斯鸠在《法的精神》中强调的重点:限权。也就是保障私权利,限制公权力。从新华社列举的五项内容可以看出,每前进一步的关键都是公私权界。显然,在这方面还有相当漫长的路要走。

第二部分 应用文写作(40分)

中国×进出口商会于×月×日至×月×日派人去××,了解××汽车索赔案的谈判结果。根据中国××办公室和商务部××司的指示,现要给其上级部门即中国××办公室提交《关于××汽车索赔案谈判结果的报告》,要求介绍谈判过程及结果,并指出产生“索赔案”的原因等。请以中国×进出口商会的名义起草一份说明情况的答复性报告,注意要写明标题、发文字号、主送机关、正文、结尾语、落款等公文要素。

第三部分 现代汉语写作(60分)

根据下面的文字要求写一篇现代文,体裁不限(诗歌、戏剧除外)。

生活当中,有许多事情当你亲临其境之后,往往思想受到启迪,身心感到愉悦。偶然忆起,就如品香茗,如含青榄,清香久远,令人难忘……

请以“值得品味”为题,写一篇不少于800字的文章。

翻译硕士英语考试大纲

一、考试目的

翻译硕士英语考试作为全日制翻译硕士专业学位(MTI)研究生入学考试的外国语考试,其目的是考查考生是否具备进行MTI学习所要求的英语水平。

二、考试性质与范围

本考试是一种测试应试者单项和综合语言能力的尺度参照性水平考试。考试范围包括MTI考生入学应具备的英语词汇量、语法知识以及英语阅读与写作等方面的技能。

三、考试基本要求

1.具有良好的英语基本功,认知词汇量在10,000以上,掌握6,000个以上的积极词汇,即能正确而熟练地运用常用词汇及其常用搭配。

2.能熟练掌握正确的英语语法、结构、修辞等语言规范知识。

3.具有较强的阅读理解能力和英语写作能力。

四、考试形式

本考试采取客观试题与主观试题相结合,单项技能测试与综合技能测试相结合的方法。各项试题的分布情况见“考试内容一览表”。

五、考试内容

本考试包括三个部分:词汇语法、阅读理解、英语写作。总分100分。

I.词汇语法

1.考试要求

1)词汇量要求

考生的认知词汇量应在10,000以上,其中积极词汇量为6,000以上,即能正确而熟练地运用常用词汇及其常用搭配。

2)语法要求

考生能正确运用英语语法、结构、修辞等语言规范知识。

2.题型

选择题或改错题。总分30分。考试时间为60分钟。

II.阅读理解

1.考试要求

1)能读懂常见外刊上的专题报道、历史传记及文学作品等各种文体的文章,既能理解其主旨和大意,又能分辨出其中的事实与细节,并能理解其中的观点和隐含意义。

2)能根据阅读时间要求调整自己的阅读速度。

2.题型

1)选择题(包括信息事实性阅读题和观点评判性阅读题)

2)简答题(要求根据所阅读的文章,用3-5行字数的有限篇幅扼要回答问题,重点考查阅读综述能力)

本部分题材广泛,体裁多样,选材体现时代性、实用性;重点考查通过阅读获取信息和理解观点的能力;对阅读速度有一定要求。总分40分。考试时间为60分钟。

III.英语写作

1.考试要求

考生能根据所给题目及要求撰写一篇400词左右的记叙文、说明文或议论文。该作文要求语言通顺,用词得体,结构合理,文体恰当。

2.题型

命题作文。总分30分。考试时间为60分钟。翻译硕士英语考试内容一览表

翻译硕士英语考试样题

I. Vocabulary and grammar (30')

Multiple choice

Directions: Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Mark your answers on the answer sheet.

1. Thousands of people turned out into the streets to _________ against the local authorities' decision to build a highway across the field.

A. contradict

B. reform

C. counter

D. protest

2. The majority of nurses are women, but in the higher ranks of the medical profession women are in a _________.

A. minority

B. scarcity

C. rarity

D. minimum

3. Professor Johnson's retirement _________ from next January.

A. carries into effect

B. takes effect

C. has effect

D. puts into effect

4. The president explained that the purpose of taxation was to _________ government spending.

A. finance

B. expand

C. enlarge

D. budget.

5. The heat in summer is no less _________ here in this mountain region.

A. concentrated

B. extensive

C. intense

D. intensive

6. Taking photographs is strictly _________ here, as it may damage the precious cave paintings.

A. forbidden

B. rejected

C. excluded

D. denied

7. Mr. Brown's condition looks very serious and it is doubtful if he will_________.

A. pull back

B. pull up

C. pull through

D. pull out

8. Since the early nineties, the trend in most businesses has been toward on-demand, always-available products and services that suit the customer's_________ rather than the company's.

A. benefit

B. availability

C. suitability

D. convenience

9. The priest made the _________ of the cross when he entered the church.

A. mark

B. signal

C. sign

D. gesture

10. This spacious room is _________ furnished with just a few articles in it.

A. lightly

B. sparsely

C. hardly

D. rarely

11. If you explained the situation to your solicitor, he _________ able to advise you much better than I can.

A. would be

B. will have been

C. was

D. were

12. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, black and white, gay and _________ Americans, who send a message to the world that we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

A. straight

B. homosexual

C. beautiful

D. sad.

13. His remarks were _________ annoy everybody at the meeting.

A. so as to

B. such as to

C. such to

D. as much as to

14. James has just arrived, but I didn't know he _________ until yesterday.

A. will come

B. was coming

C. had been coming

D. came

15. _________ conscious of my moral obligations as a citizen.

A. I was and always will be

B. I have to be and always will be

C. I had been and always will be

D. I have been and always will be

16. Because fuel supplies are finite and many people are wasteful, we will have to install _________ solar heating device in our home.

A. some type of

B. some types of a

C. some type of a

D. some types of

17. I went there in 1984, and that was the only occasion when I _________ the journey in exactly two days.

A. must make

B. must have made

C. was able to make

D. could make

18. I know he failed his last test, but really he's _________ stupid.

A. something but

B. anything but

C. nothing but

D. not but

19. Do you know Tim's brother? He is _________ than Tim.

A. much more sportsman

B. more of a sportsman

C. more of sportsman

D. more a sportsman

20. That was not the first time he _________ us. I think it's high time we_________ strong actions against him.

A. betrayed… take

B. had betrayed… took

C. has betrayed… took

D. has betrayed… take

II. Reading comprehension (40')

Section 1 Multiple choice (20')

Directions: In this section there are two passages followed by multiplechoice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on the answer sheet.

Passage A

The Welsh language has always been the ultimate marker of Welsh identity, but a generation ago it looked as if Welsh would go the way of Manx, once widely spoken on the Isle of Man but now extinct. Government financing and central planning, however, have helped reverse the decline of Welsh. Road signs and official public documents are written in both Welsh and English, and schoolchildren are required to learn both languages. Welsh is now one of the most successful of Europe's regional languages, spoken by more than a half-million of the country's three million people.

The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club—Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales—a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.

The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe—only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.

Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as Catherine ZetaJones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline, Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means "land of compatriots", is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nation's symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere—on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers.

"Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens," said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales' annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands.

"There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence," Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. "We used to think we can't do anything; we're only Welsh. Now I think that's changing."

1. According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant to _________.

A. maintain the present status among the nations

B. reduce legislative powers of England

C. create a better state of equality among the nations

D. grant more say to all the nations in the union

2. The word "centrifugal" in the second paragraph means _________.

A. separatist

B. conventional

C. feudal

D. political

3. Wales is different from Scotland in all the following aspects EXCEPT_________.

A. people's desire for devolution

B. locals' turnout for the voting

C. powers of the legislative body

D. status of the national language

4. Which of the following is NOT cited as an example of the resurgence of Welsh national identity?

A. Welsh has witnessed a revival as a national language.

B. Poverty-relief funds have come from the European Union.

C. A Welsh national airline is currently in operation.

D. The national symbol has become a familiar sight.

5. According to Dyfan Jones what has changed is _________.

A. people's mentality

B. pop culture

C. town's appearance

D. possibilities for the people

Passage B

The miserable fate of Enron's employees will be a landmark in business history, one of those awful events that everyone agrees must never be allowed to happen again. This urge is understandable and noble: Thousands have lost virtually all their retirement savings with the demise of Enron stock. But making sure it never happens again may not be possible, because the sudden impoverishment of those Enron workers represents something even larger than it seems. It's the latest turn in the unwinding of one of the most audacious promises of the 20th century.

The promise was assured economic security—even comfort—for essentially everyone in the developed world. With the explosion of wealth that began in the 19th century it became possible to think about a possibility no one had dared to dream before. The fear at the center of daily living since caveman days—lack of food, warmth, shelter—would at last lose its power to terrify. That remarkable promise became reality in many ways. Governments created welfare systems for anyone in need and separate programs for the elderly (Social Security in the U.S.). Labor unions promised not only better pay for workers but also pensions for retirees. Giant corporations came into being and offered the possibility—in some cases the promise—of lifetime employment plus guaranteed pensions. The cumulative effect was a fundamental change in how millions of people approached life itself, a reversal of attitude that most rank as one of the largest in human history. For millennia the average person's stance toward providing for himself had been, ultimately I'm on my own. Now it became, ultimately I'll be taken care of.

The early hints that this promise might be broken on a large scale came in the 1980s. U.S. business had become uncompetitive globally and began restructuring massively, with huge layoffs. The trend accelerated in the 1990s as the bastions of corporate welfare faced reality. IBM ended its nolayoff policy. AT&T fired thousands, many of whom found such a thing simply incomprehensible, and a few of whom killed themselves. The other supposed guarantors of our economic security were also in decline. Laborunion membership and power fell to their lowest levels in decades. President Clinton signed a historic bill scaling back welfare. Americans realized that Social Security won't provide social security for any of us.

A less visible but equally significant trend affected pensions. To make costs easier to control, companies moved away from defined benefit pension plans, which obligate them to pay out specified amounts years in the future, to defined contribution plans, which specify only how much goes into the play today. The most common type of defined-contribution plan is the 401 (k). the significance of the 401 (k) is that it puts most of the responsibility for a person's economic fate back on the employee. Within limits the employee must decide how much goes into the plan each year and how it gets invested—the two factors that will determine how much it's worth when the employee retires.

Which brings us back to Enron? Those billions of dollars in vaporized retirement savings went in employees' 401 (k) accounts. That is, the employees chose how much money to put into those accounts and then chose how to invest it. Enron matched a certain proportion of each employee's 401 (k) contribution with company stock, so everyone was going to end up with some Enron in his or her portfolio; but that could be regarded as a freebie, since nothing compels a company to match employee contributions at all. At least two special features complicate the Enron case. First, some shareholders charge top management with illegally covering up the company's problems, prompting investors to hang on when they should have sold. Second, Enron's 401 (k) accounts were locked while the company changed plan administrators in October, when the stock was falling, so employees could not have closed their accounts if they wanted to.

But by far the largest cause of this human tragedy is that thousands of employees were heavily overweighed in Enron stock. Many had placed 100% of their 401 (k) assets in the stock rather than in the 18 other investment options they were offered. Of course that wasn't prudent, but it's what some of them did.

The Enron employees' retirement disaster is part of the larger trend away from guaranteed economic security. That's why preventing such a thing from ever happening again may be impossible. The huge attitudinal shift to I'll-be-taken-care-of took at least a generation. The shift back may take just as long. It won't be complete until a new generation of employees see assured economic comfort as a 20th-century quirk, and understand not just intellectually but in their bones that, like most people in most times and places, they're on their own.

6. Why does the author say at the beginning "The miserable fate of Enron's employees will be a landmark in business history…"?

A. Because the company has gone bankrupt.

B. Because such events would never happen again.

C. Because many Enron workers lost their retirement savings.

D. Because it signifies a turning point in economic security.

试读结束[说明:试读内容隐藏了图片]

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