II. Grammar and Vocabulary
Section A
Directions: Beneath each of the following sentences there are four choices marked A, B. C andD.
Choose the one answer that best completes the sentence.

25. This kind of mistake, strange as it appears, is quite common ______ young English beginners.
A. within B. about C. among D. beyond

26. – May I smoke here?
– If you _____, that’s the smoking section over there.
A. should B. must C. may D. could

27. The temperature will fall sharply the day after tomorrow, when a snowstorm ______ to strike this area.
A. expects B. is expected C. has expected D. will be expected

28. Several measures had been tried out to improve the traffic situation, yet ______ of them
seemed to work well.
A. none B. both C. all D. either

29. If there were no such serious pollutions, people would live ________ life in the world.
A. the most healthy B. more healthy a
C. much a healthy D. a more healthy

30. We firmly believe that the project, if ______ according to the plan, will definitely work out well.
A. carrying out B. being carried out C. carried out D. to be carried out

31. Don’t answer any e-mails ______ your private information, however official they look.
A. requesting B. to request C. requested D. having requested

32. The man denied ______ anything at the supermarket when questioned by the police.
A. to have stolen B. to be stealing C. having stolen D. to steal

33. What people learned from China Got Talented was that there were so many talented people out there waiting ______
A. to discover B. to be discovered C. discovered D. being discovered

34. Can you think of some cases ______ drivers obviously knew the traffic rules but didn’t obey them?
A. why B. as C. where D. which
35. The school rules state that no child shall be allowed out of the school dating the day,
______ accompanied by an adult.
A. once B. when C. if D. unless
36. The manager seems never to be satisfied with ______the company has achieved.
A. what B. which C. that D. how

37. When it comes to mental health, the fact is sometimes neglected ______ more and more teachers are under great pressure.
A. which B. since C. whether D. that

38. I’m puzzled why he ______ back to me. He should have heard from me.
A. hasn’t written B. didn’t write C. doesn’t write D. hasn’t been writing

39. You’d like to have an annual vacation after the project is completed, ______?
A. had you B. hadn’t you C. would you D. wouldn’t you

40. What we have to admit is that never before ______ experienced such great changes.
A. had the city B. has the city C. the city has D. the city had

Section B
Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can
only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. employed B. possessions C. unprotected D. particularly E. admit
F. identify G. limited H. non-existent I. consequently J. opportunities

Historically, the traditional role of women of all classes in Britain had been confined (限制) to that of mother in the home. Single and childless women __41___ had an uncomfortable and difficult time. The majority of women had no voting or political rights until 1928, and for centuries wives and their property had been the legal ___42___ of their husbands. Formal education for women was thought to be unnecessary for their role in life, and was ___43___ for the majority.

The female position in society became a little better in some respects towards the end of the nineteenth century, but was still very ___44___. However, elementary education for all was established and a few institutions of higher education began to ___45___ women in restricted numbers.

Since the 1960’s, women in Britain have been fighting for greater equality with men in job ___46___ and rates of pay. Various laws from the 1970’s to the present have been made. In spite of all these, men remain better paid than women in many occupations, ___47___ in industry. Women constitute (构成) nearly half the national workforce, there are more employed married women in Britain than in any other European Community country, and some 60 percent of wives are now ___48___ compared with 22 percent in 1951. But their average weekly wage is still only 70 percent of the average paid to men. This is true of both the manufacturing trades and the service industries. As a result, the majority of female workers are badly paid and often ___49___ by the trade unions or the law.

III. Reading comprehension:
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

In business, there is a speed difference: It’s the difference between how important a firm’s leaders say speed is to their competitive strategy (策略) and how fast the company actually moves. The difference is important ___50___ industry and company size. Companies fearful of losing their competitive advantage spend much time and money looking for ways to pick up the ___51___. 

In our study of 343 businesses, the companies that chose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended with lower sales and operating income than those that ___52___ at key moments to make sure they were on the right ___53___ . What’s more, the firms that “slowed down to ___54___ ” improved their top and bottom lines, averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating income over a three-year period.

How did they ___55___ the laws of business, taking more time than competitors yet performing better? They thought ___56___ about what “slower” and “faster” mean. Firms
sometimes ___57___ to understand the difference between operation speed (moving quickly) and strategic speed (reducing the time it takes to deliver value). Simply increasing the speed of production, for example, may be one way to try to reduce the speed difference. But that often leads to reduced value over time, in the form of lower quality products and services.

In our study, higher performing companies with strategic speed always made changes when it is ___58___ . They became more ___59___ to idea and discussion. They encouraged new ways of thinking. And they allowed time to look and learn. ___60___, performance suffered at firms that moved fast all the time, paid too much attention to improving ___61___, stuck to tested methods, didn’t develop team spirit among their employees, and had little time thinking about ___62___ .

Strategic speed ___63___ a kind of leadership. Teams that ___64___ take time to get things right are more successful in meeting their business goals. That kind of strategy must come from the top.

50. A. according to B. regardless of C. due to D. instead of

51. A. profit B. product C. speed D. method

52. A. paused B. developed C. persevered D. engaged

53. A. situation B. track C. occasion D. duty

54. A. look on B. keep up C. hold back D. speed up

55. A. learn B. discover C. disobey D. prefer

56. A. strangely B. abstractly C. entirely D. differently

57. A. fait B. attempt C. pretend D. desire

58. A. convenient B. necessary C. emergent D. incredible

59. A. alert B. restless C. open D. specific

60. A. In short B. By contrast C. Above all D. All in all

61. A. welfare B. technology C. efficiency D. condition

62. A. qualities B. standards C. competitors D. changes

63. A. serves as B. stands for C. refers to D. deals with

64. A. temporarily B. extensively C. naturally D. regularly