2014年英语专八考试阅读练习题(9)

第一篇：2014年英语专八考试阅读练习题(9)

Passage Nine(The Program-Federal Government Helps Minority Business)

Federal efforts to aid minority businesses began in the 1960’s when the Small Business Administration(SBA)began making federally guaranteed loans and government-sponsored management and technical assistance available to minority business enterprises.While this program enabled many minority entrepreneurs to form new businesses, the results were disappointing, since managerial inexperience, unfavorable locations, and capital shortages led to high failure rates.Even 15 years after the program was implemented, minority business receipts were not quite two percent of the national economy’s total receipts.Recently federal policymakers have adopted an approach intended to accelerate development of the minority business sector by moving away from directly aiding small minority enterprises and toward supporting large, growth-oriented minority firms through intermediary companies.In this approach, large corporations participate in the development of successful and stable minority businesses by making use of government-sponsored venture capital.The capital is used by a participating company to establish a Minority Enterprise Small Businesses that have potential to become future suppliers of customers of the sponsoring company.MESBIC’s are the result of the belief that providing established firms with easier access to relevant management techniques and more job-specific experience, as well as substantial amounts of capital, gives those firms a greater opportunity to develop sound business foundations than does simply making general management experience and small amounts of capital available.Further, since potential markets for the minority businesses already exist through the sponsoring companies, the minority businesses face considerably less risk in terms of location and market fluctuation.Following early financial and operating problems, sponsoring corporations began to capitalize MESBIC’s far above the legal minimum of $500,000 in order to generate sufficient income and to sustain the quality of management needed.MESBIC’s are now emerging as increasingly important financing sources for minority enterprises.Ironically, MESBIC staffs, which usually consist of Hispanic and Black professionals, tend to approach investments in minority firms more pragmatically than do many MESBIC directors, who are usually senior managers from sponsoring corporations.The latter often still think mainly in terms of the ‘social responsibility approach’ and thus seem to prefer deals that are riskier and less attractive than normal investment criteria would warrant.Such differences in viewpoint have produced uneasiness among many minority staff members, who feel that minority entrepreneurs and businesses should be judged by established business considerations.These staff members believe their point of view is closer to the original philosophy of MESBIC’s and they are concerned that, unless a more prudent course if followed, MESBIC directors may revert to policies likely to re-create the disappointing results of the original SBA approach.1.Which of the following best states the central idea of the passage?

[A] The use of MESBIC’s for aiding minority entrepreneurs seems to have greater potential for success than does the original SBA approach.[B] There is a crucial difference in point of view between the staff and directors of some MESBIC’s.[C] After initial problems with management and marketing, minority businesses have begun to expand at a steady rate.[D] Minority entrepreneurs wishing to form new businesses now have several equally successful federal programs on which to rely.2.According to the passage, the MESBIC approach differ s from the SBA approach in that MESBIC’s ___________

[A] seek federal contracts to provide market for minority businesses.[B] Encourage minority businesses to provide markets for other minority businesses.[C] Attempt to maintain a specified rate of growth in the minority business sector.[D] Rely on the participation of large corporations to finance minority businesses.3.Which of the following statements about the SBA program can be inferred from the passage?

[A] The maximum term for loans made to recipient businesses was 15 years.[B] Business loans were considered to be more useful to recipient businesses than was management and technical assistance.[C] The anticipated failure rate for recipient businesses was significantly lower than the rate that actually resulted.[D] Recipient businesses were encouraged to relocate to areas more favorable for business development.4.The author refers to the ‘financial and operating problems’ encountered by MESBIC’s primarily in order to ___________

[A] broaden the scope of the discussion to include the legal considerations of funding MESBIC’s through sponsoring companies.[B] call attention to the fact that MESBIC’s must receive adequate funding in order to function effectively.[C] show that sponsoring companies were willing to invest only $500,000 of government-sponsored venture capital in the original MESBIC’s.[D] Compare SBA and MESBIC limits on minimum funding.5.It can be inferred from the passage that the attitude of some MESBIC staff member toward the investments preferred by some MESBIC directors can be best described as ___________

[A] disappointing.[B] Indifferent.[C] Shocked.[D] Defensive.Vocabulary

1.implement 执行，履行

2.growth-oriented 增长潜力的，有发展性的3.intermediary company 中介公司，中间公司

4.venture capital 风险资本

5.entrepreneur 企业家，创业者

6.fluctuation 波动，涨落，起伏

7.pragmatically 实用地

难句译注

1.Even 15 years after the program was implemented minority business receipts were not quite two percent of the national economy’s total receipts.【参考译文】甚至在这个计划执行后15年，少数民族工业的收入还不到全国总收入的2%。

2.Recently federal policy makers have adopted an approach intended to accelerate

development of the supporting large, growth oriented minority firms through intermediary companies.【参考译文】最近，联邦决策者采取一项措施，旨在加速少数民族工商业的发展，他们不再直接帮助小型的少数民族企业，而是转向通过中间公司来支持规模较大、有发展潜力的少数民族公司。

3.By making use of government-sponsored venture capital.利用政府资助的风险资本。

4.The MESBIC then provides capital and guidance to minority businesses that have potential to become future suppliers or customers of the sponsoring company.【参考译文】然后再由MESBIC向那些少数民族企业提供资金、进行指导。这些企业是有成为赞助公司的未来供应商或客户的潜力的。

5.MESBIC – minority enterprise small business investment company

少数民族小型企业投资公司。

6.MESBIC’s are the result of the belief that providing established firms with easier access to relevant management techniques and more job-specific experience, as well as substantial amounts of capital, gives those firms a greater opportunity to develop sound business foundations than does simply making general management experience and small amounts of capital available.【参考译文】MESBIC的建立基于这种信念：为已建公司提供方便，使它更容易获得相关的管理技术更具体的工作经验以及大笔资金要比简单地给予一般管理经验和小笔资金更能使它们获得机会去建立稳固的商业基础。

7.The latter often still think mainly in terms of the ‘social responsibility approach’ and thus seem to prefer deals that are riskier and less attractive than normal investment criteria would warrant.【参考译文】后者――高级经理们――在有大多数情况下，仍然常常从“社会责任的角度”来考虑问题，因此，他们似乎更倾向于选择那些比正常投资标准更具风险性，而不太引人注目的项目。

写作方法与文章大意

文章主要采用因果以及对比的写作方法。先点出SBA计划――联邦政府对少数民族去也的赞助()的失败及其原因。

为此，联邦决策者改变方法，通过中介公司，建立MESBIC。由它来帮助少数民族企业――使其获得相应的管理技术、具体工作经验和大量资金，甚至潜在的市场――取得了成功。

可内部存在问题，MESBIC的职工和领导者之间的意见分歧，职工的投资观点更切实际，而领导者仍从“社会责任的角度”来考虑问题，若不改变，有可能重蹈SBA之覆辙。

答案详解

1.A 运用MESBIC来帮助少数民族企业似乎比原来SBA的方法更具成功的可能性。文章一开始就点名SBA(小型企业管理局)向少数民族企业提供联邦保证贷款，政府资助管理和技术方面的帮助，结果令人失望。组建成的少数民族新企业由于管理上缺乏经验、地点不佳、资金短缺而导致失败的情况很多。其他见难句译注1、2、3。总之在MESBIC支持下：为它的潜在市场提供大量资金等，使它们在地点和市场流通方面风险小的多，从而带来足够的收入和保持所需的管理质量。这一切都说明MESBIC比SBA的成功可能性大。

B.MESBIC中的领导者和职工方面在观点上有着至关重要的分歧。C.经历了早期管理和市场问题后，少数民族企业已开始稳步发展。D.希望组建新公司的少数民族企业家已有好几个成功的联邦计划可依靠。

2.D 依靠打工四向少数民族企业投资。见第二段第二句：大公司利用政府资助的风险资本参与成功而又稳固的少数民族企业的发展。参与的大公司用这笔资金建立了“少数民族小型企业投资公司”(MESBIC)

A.寻求为少数民族企业提供市场联邦合同。B.鼓励少数民族企业为其他少数民族企业提供市场。C.试图在少数民族部门保持特定的增长率。

3.C 预期加入SBA项目中的公司的失败率比实际失败率低得多。文内没有直接点出，而是从(见第一题注释)SBA帮助的企业失败率很高――令人失望，从而推断C项结论。

A.给企业贷款最高期限为15年。B.商业贷款对企业来说远笔管理和技术帮助重要。

D.鼓励接受贷款企业重新寻找利于企业发展的地区。

4.B 为的是引人注意这一实际情况：MESBIC必须取得足够的资金才能有效地运转。这在第三段最后一句：在经历了早期财政和运行问题后，赞助公司给MESBIC注入的资金远远超过了50万美元的法定最低限额，以获得足够的收入并保持所需的管理质量。MESBIC现在正成为日益重要的少数民族企业的资金来源。这说明没有足够的资金是难以有效运转的。

A.扩大讨论范围以包括通过赞助公司投资MESBIC的合理性。C.表明赞助公司愿意在原来的MESBIC只投资50万政府资助的风险资本。D.对比SBA和MESBIC最低投资限额。

5.A 失望。文章最后一段MESBIC的职工――一般是拉美和黑人专业人员在少数民族公司的投资上比MEBSIC的领导者更切实际。这些高级经理从社会责任角度看问题，会选择更具风险性，不太吸引人的项目。观点分歧使许多少数民族职工感到不安，他们认为应以公司的业务爆出来评价少数民族企业家及其企业。者充分说明MEBSIC的职工对领导所青睐的投资项目不满意和失望。

B.漠不关心。C.震惊。D.持保留态度。

第二篇：2014年英语专八翻译练习题及答案

It seems as if a great deal were attainable in a world where there are so many marriages and decisive battles, and where we all, at certain hours of the day, and with great gusto and despatch, stow a portion of victuals finally and irretrievably into the bag which contains us.And it would seem also, on a hasty view, that the attainment of as much as possible was the one goal of man's contentious life.And yet, as regards the spirit, this is but a semblance.参考译文：

在这充满联姻婚嫁、决战厮杀的世界里，每天特定时刻，我们都欣然而又迅速地把一份食物一去不返地吞入包裹我们的皮囊。这个世界看上去似乎有很多东西都是可以得到的。猛然看来，尽可能地获取也成为纷繁人生的唯一目标。然而，对于精神世界来说，这只不过是表面现象。

第三篇：2014年英语专八翻译练习题及答案

The old gentleman, however, seemed cheerful enough;and it was plain that he took an interest in the strangers, and wished to make their acquaintance.This was soon effected by the friendly waiter;and after a little talk the old man invited them to visit his villa and garden which were just outside the walls of the town.So the next afternoon, when the sun began to descend, and they saw in glimpses through door-ways and windows, blue shadows beginning to spread over the brown mountains, they went to pay their visit.It was not much of a place, a small, modernized, stucco villa, with a hot pebbly garden, and in it a stone basin with torpid gold-fish, and a statue of Diana and her hounds against the wall.But what gave a glory to it was a gigantic rose-tree which clambered over the house, almost smothering the windows, and filling the air with the perfume of its sweetness.Yes, it was a fine rose, the Conte said proudly when they praised it, and he would tell the Signora about it.And as they sat there, drinking the wine he offered them, he alluded with the cheerful indifference of old age to his love-affair, as though he took for granted that they had heard of it already.译文：

然而,这位老先生看起来心情非常愉快;显然他对这两位陌生人很感兴趣，并愿意与他们结交.在热心的服务生的帮助下,他们很快相识了;短暂的交谈之后，老人便邀请他们去他城墙外不远的别墅与花园做客.于是次日下午，夕阳西落,从开启的门窗轻轻瞥去,他们看到,兰色暗影已渐渐笼罩棕褐的山峦，他们便欣然动身。那里很平常,矗立着一座现代化小型别墅座，表面粉刷了一层灰泥。还有一座铺满鹅卵石的花园，园里石砌水池中有几尾金鱼慵懒地游动。靠墙的地方有一尊守猎女神及其猎犬的雕像。但是使这小园生辉的是一颗巨大的玫瑰树。树已长过屋顶，几乎完全遮住了窗户。空气中满是玫瑰的芳香。这株玫瑰的确不错，听了客人夸奖，伯爵得意地说。他还表示非常乐意把树的来历讲给夫人听。于是他们坐在那里，一边饮酒，一边听他以老年人满不在乎神情，愉快地提及他的那一段往日爱情，仿佛他相信他们对此一定早有耳闻

第四篇：2014年英语专八翻译练习题及答案

It takes a while, as I watch the surf blowing up in fountains at the end of the field, but the moment comes when the world falls away, and the self emerges again from the deep unconscious, bringing back all I have recently experienced to be explored and slowly understood, when I can converse again with my hidden powers, and so grow, and so be renewed, till death do us part.参考译文：

田野的尽头泉水喷涌翻腾，我注视良久。现实世界逐渐模糊起来，自我再次从内心深处浮现。最近的种种经历都随之而来，待我可以再次同内心潜在力量交流时，慢慢地探究和领会。这些力量便这样慢慢增强，不断获得新生，直至死神将我们分开。

第五篇：2013年英语专八考试作文

2013年英语专八考试作文范文

Is a sound social environment necessary for people to be good to others Helping others has always been a virtue in traditional Chinese culture, but nowadays many people dare not offer help to those in need, for fear of getting into trouble.The issue has aroused public debate over the climate of morality and credibility, and many people sigh over the moral degeneration.In my opinion, while social environment is necessary zk.hushine.comfor people to be good to others, each individual should try his or her best to do good deeds and be sympathetic with others, instead of waiting for the environment to improve.There is no denying that some tragic events turn out to be traps by people with evil intentions, so people are becoming more risk-conscious and are more wary of traps and deceits.some people even wonder, „Is our society hostile to good people?‟ The question may sound ridiculous but many people apparently think so.They believe that our currentwww.xiexiebang.com society provides a bad environment for good people doing good things, and good people pay a high price for being compassionate.In fact, such kind of things only accounts for a pretty small percentage, but massive media coverage makes the situation seem serious.Actually, most people around me are kind, warm-hearted and helpful, and I am quite delighted in their company.So I believe media should pay more attention to publicizing good people and exemplary deeds to enhance our confidence, rather than exposing disgusting behaviors.At the same time, as John Donne puts it, “No man is an island, entire of itself.Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Since everyone of us is a component of the society, it is each individual‟s conducts that form social morality.Just imagine it is you who need help, what would you feel if everyone watches indifferently or suspiciously? www.xiexiebang.comSo, put yourself in other‟s position and be sympathetic.If we do nothing but wait for the environment to improve, nothing will happen.Only by removing the fence around our kind consciousness can we reverse the regress of social ethics, and make our world full of warmth and happiness.Therefore, if help is needed, never hesitate to lend a helping hand.It will make you happy and feel better about life.In sum, I contend the idea that while social environment is necessary for people to be good to others, it is each individual‟s responsibility to offer help to those in need, and together we build up a more harmonious society.Corporate executives, undoubtedly, play a crucial part in a company‟s management and operation.Some people argue that the only responsibility of corporate executives, provided they stay www.xiexiebang.comwithin the law, is to make as much money as possible for their companies.Do you agree to their opinion? Write an essay of about 400 words.You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.In the first part of your essay you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second part you should support your argument with appropriate details.In the last part you should bring what you have written to a natural conclusion or make a summary.Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammar and appropriateness.Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.写作思路

当今社会，公司的发展越来越正规化，而公司掌舵人的作用也显得尤为重要，这也是众多公 司不惜重金竞相聘用得力高管的重要原因。那么，公司高管究竟要起到哪些作用呢？是不是只要想方设法为公司盈利就可以了呢？我们认为不是这样的，公司高管还应担负起许多其他责任，包括为全球环境和人民造福、塑造良好公司形象、保障公司长足发展等。Multiple Responsibilities of Corporate Executives Corporate executives do have a responsibility to make money for their companies.For publicly owned companies, this means that they must find a way to maximize shareholder value.But it would be wrong to say that, without qualifi cation, making as much money as possible is an executive‟s only responsibility.First of all, corporate executives havexueli.woryi.com a duty to protect our natural environmentwww.xiexiebang.com and to not exploit human resources, particularly in lesser-developed countries.These poorer countries sometimes have poorly developed legal systems and laws that can be used unfairly by companies, even though the companies are actually operating within the limits of the law in that country.As an example, a pharmaceutical company should not be allowed to test new drugs on people in a poor country even though it is perfectly legal under that country‟s laws.Corporate executives must take it upon themselves to ensure that it operates ethically in all countries and that the corporation does not exploit lax operating laws in underdeveloped parts of the world.Secondly, a related responsibility of corporate executives is to make sure that the company reflects a positive image to the rest of the world, thus giving stockholders and owners a sense of pride in being a part of that company.Most people do not want to be associated with a company that is seen as greedy or exploitive.If corporate executives focus solely on making as much money as possible, there can be a backlash against that company for appearing too materialistic and uncaring.Executives www.xiexiebang.comat multinational companies such as McDonald‟s and Wal-Mart have recognized this problem in the past and have now become heavily involved in the communities in which their stores are located through charitable programs.A third and also related responsibility of corporate executives is to ensure the long-term viability of their companies.Employees, as well as other stakeholders, need to know that the company executives are interested in building an enduring institution.A good example of this responsibility not being honored is that of the Enron Energy Company and Arthur Andersen bankruptcy and accounting scandal.In this case, corporate executives abdicated their responsibilities to both companies in order to maximize short-term profit and possibly their own bonuses and stock options.Corporate executives do have a responsibility to make as much money as possible.But they also have the responsibility to do so in a manner that helps to protect the world‟s environment and people, that reflects a positive corporate image, and that will guarantee the long-term survival of the company.亮点回放 ★用词亮点

lesser-developed ：欠发达的，同下文 中的underdeveloped。take something upon somebody ：承担起 ……职责。exploitive ：剥削的。

backlash ：后坐力，强烈反对。viability ：生存能力，可行性。abdicate ：正式放弃，退出。

★句式亮点

Corporate executives must take it upon themselves to ensure that it operates ethically in all countries and that the corporation does not exploit lax operating laws in underdeveloped parts of the world.lax operating laws意为“现行法律中的漏洞”；两个that均作为ensure一词 的宾语从句。全句句意为：“公司高管必须承担起责任，确保公司在任何国家的运作都不会有违道德规范，同时在世界欠发达地区，也不钻现行法律的空子”。

A good example of this responsibility not being honored is that of the Enron Energy Company and Arthur Andersen bankruptcy and accounting scandal.a good example of this responsibility not being honored在此处表示 “一个不那么光彩的例子，反面教材”。此处作者以安然公司（Enron）和安达信会计师事务所（Arthur Andersen）为例，充分证明了只图眼前利益而忽略公司长足发展的下场。★篇章亮点

文章采用的是开门见山的开头方式，直接提出作者观点——为公司多赚钱不应是公司高管的惟一职责。紧接着，作者采用了分总的行文结构，在主体部分层次分明地论述了公司高管应当承担的其他责任。逻辑信号词first of all，secondly，a third清晰地对文章做出了划分，使读者一目了然。结尾部分概括全文，同时采用了与正文不一样 的表达方式，显示出作者扎实的文字功底。