2000年6月大学英语六级考试详解

Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension

Section A
1. 答案为D   本题测试点:要点归纳及句意推论。“check brakes and tires”，“enough money”及“I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful trip”等都与“trip”有关。
2.答案为B   本题测试点:同义转换:a little forgetful = a poor momery。
3.答案为D   本题测试点:省略句“But it does”在上下文中的完整意义是“But the book does include answers to the questions.”,需对对话双方话语理解，概括。
4.答案为C   本题测试点:特殊省略问句How about...的功能意念:通常是一种建议。
5.答案为B   本题测试点:until 句型及要点是归纳:I contacted this office, but. ..
6.答案为A   本题测试点:短语make difference 及修辞问句“What difference does it make?”的功能意念:= I makes no difference = There is no difference。
7.答案为C   本题测试点:（工作）地点判断，关键词:“sports page”，“editorials”等
8.答案为C   本题测试点:信息归纳:①“The man ran into (= met by chance) a friend (make) yesterday in the streets.”②“Mark hasn't got any phones or letters from the woman.”③“The woman has been busy in the past 2 months.”选①为本题答案所需的信息。
9.答案为D   本题测试点:虚拟语气的功能意念:题中If I were you, I'd. ..表示一种婉转的建议。—skip the movie,因为①“we both have to get up early tomorrow”②“the movie isn't necessarily exciting”
10.答案为B   本题测试点:关键要点辨认:We can check out as many books as we need but can't check out any reference books.

Section B
11-20 D A B C B A A D C A

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension
Passage One  本文是一篇论述20世纪二、三十年代美国农业所面临的困境及美国政府采取的种种措施帮助农业摆脱困境的说明文，全文三段，第一段为背景辅垫:美国农业面临的困境及其原因和对农民的灾难性后果；第二、三段为主体，美国政府振兴农业的措施，尤以第三段为重点，三十年代罗斯福总统执政后采取的通过立法手段恢复农业经济的两个阶段的措施，前一阶段通过AAA法案直接减少耕地面积，并给农民有偿补助；第二阶段在AAA被最高法院认定为违宪后通过一系列殊途同归的基于耕地保养原则的削减耕地、洪涝挽救措施。
21.答案为B     本题属要点归纳题，问及引起美国农产品需求量走下坡路的原因，答案当在第一段第一句:句中“as”即是这因果关系的关键词。A只是使这一现象加重的原因，C、D则明显与短文内容相悖。
22.答案为C     要点定位理解题。根据题意，本题答案必须从第二段确定政府采取直接干预农业供求矛盾，原则以为农民提供更大的经济稳定性，也即预防农民破产。选项B属第三段内容，A和D明显有悖文章内容。
23.答案为D     本题也属要点归纳题。答案在短文第三段第三、四句，选项B、C均属政府行为，而非鼓励农民自己运河做的事。D与短文要点相运河甚远，self-sufficient 只在第一段提到。
24.答案为D     本题也属要点归纳题。根据题意，确定答案在第三段第五句（no the grounds that. ..）部分，再可结合该段倒数第二句，从另一角度论证答案D的合理性。A中scarcity of farm products 在上一句，不属本题要点范围，B、C明显不合理。
25.答案为D     要点归纳定位题。根据newlaws,可确定本题问题指向第三段第二个层次。归纳该层次要点再结合24题答案，即可明确答案为D。选项B虽也似乎正确，但与本文主题关系较疏远，故不选。

Passage Two  本文为一篇关于人工智能研究开发的说明文。第一段通过五十年代人工智能先驱们的预言与当今现实脱节这一事实提出人工智能研究开发所面临的问题，第二段前2句论及这一问题的症结:try to separate the most abstract levels of thought and duplicate them with logical programs。从第三句开始进入全文的核心:崭新的人工智能研究设想:把人工智能的研究与天然智能的进化、人脑生物细胞蛋白质、人脑的神经系统研究结合起来。第三段论述了电脑—生物物理学家Conrad对自己这方面研究的评论、发现、启示和设想。最后一段为对这一全新的人工智能研究开发方法的评论与总结，其中自然隐含着作者的观点与态度。
26.答案为D    要点归纳题。根据题意确定答案在第一段第二、三句。注意选项A中“are capable of reliably recognizing ...”与短文中“struggle to reliably recognize...”（努力、竭力、试图）是不一致的，故不能选；更多的考生可能会误选C，但①在效能（performance）上，当天电脑与50年代的电脑相距是非常大的；②本文探讨的是人工智能，而非电脑的一般效能，故选题时要紧扣短文主题。
27.答案为B    要点推论题。人工智能研究开发为什么会开辟一条全新的途径，一定是研究中碰到了难以逾越的障碍，这就是传统研究方法上的误区，也即第二段之第一、二句。
28.答案为C    要点推论题。根据题意确定答案在第三段根据Conrad对自己研究的评述（says），研究中的发现（examples），假设（believe）与断言（claim），可归纳推断他们是在天然智能如何发展这一方面的研究中做了巨大的努力。
29.答案为B    作者观点态度推论题。如前所述，文章最后一段为作者对人工智能研究新方法的总结，其中隐含着作者的观点，另外短文第二段最后一句中“promising”、“surely”、第三段第一句中“a huge step in the right direction...”等都流露了作者的态度一作者对新的人工智能研究运动是非常肯定的。选项A中的“will soon die out”，C中的“like a game rather than”及D中“nobody is sure”等均含否定意念，不能作为答案。
30.答案为D    词语理解题。阅读中词语的理解也不能脱离短文主题:game 一词有游戏、竞赛方法规则、策略、计谋、方针对行动步骤等多种释义，D是短语的简单改写，不可能作为答案，B重点在获奖也与短文内容相运河甚远，也应排除。容易混淆的是选项C，只是C侧重研究领域，即范围，而本文主题讨论研究方法即途径。

Passage Three  本文为一篇论及（美国）私人轿车环境影响的说明文，第一段提出了问题的严惩性与迫切性——尤其对于美国；第二、三段论及决策者及汽车工业面临的四大选择及对它们可行性的评价，作者基本肯定了其中的第四个方案，即引入电气汽车（寻找污染较短的绿色驱动系统）。
31.答案为B      要点归纳题—第一段落主题。选项A、C和D均仅涉及问题的某个方面，只有B代表了私人轿车继续增长的真正后果。
32.答案为C     要点推论题。根据第一段最后一句“It is unlikely...that other nations will accept a large and growing U.S. contribution to global climatic change”，再结合上文论及轿车问题和“face...political cost”等细节，可推知答案。
33.答案为C     要点定位题。根据题干中的“solution”可确定答案在第二段，又根据“best”可进一步确定答案在该段第二句“...is the only sustainable(可持续) option”。
34.答案为B     要点正误判断题。要点判断各选项涉及内容可能在短文的任何地方，但正确答案通常仍应与主题一致。A之因果关系与短文内容（第二段倒数第二句）不一致；C与短文内容（第二段最后一句及第一、二句）相矛盾；D也非短文最后一句之本意。


Passage Four   本文是关于Reebok鞋业公司营销策略的一篇说明文。第一段概述（通过管理层之口）其公司产品的目标市场；第二段论及其对高档消费人群这一块零售市场的营销策略；第三段论及营销策略的另一方面—精选批发商；最后一段谈市场预测及营销决策。
36.答案为A        要点推论题。题干中的“managerial personnel”即为第一段的executives，因此可知本题答案在第一段且为该段之主题:目标市为多大，高层领导们当然不希望自己的产品仅供应一些雅皮士，再由下文之“children's shoes for the under-18 set and walking for older customers”更可知其目标消费是多高层次的。容易错选的选项B侧重公司的生产策略，故不妥。
37.答案为D      句意理解及要点暗示题。题干引号中那部分在第二段，答案当然应在第二段，而该段主要论及高档消费群体的零售网——只在精品专卖屋、体育用品专卖店及大百货商场销售。
38.答案为A 要点归纳题。根据题干中“limit the number of distributions”确定答案在第三段该段论及即使产品供不应求时，也要对批发商有所选择，而过运河一段时间对批发商数量的限制主要是“out of necessity”(迫不得已)，因为需求量出乎意料地超过了供应能力。
39.答案为C       要点理解定位题。题干中的“although”与短文第三段倒数第二句之“but”相呼应，答案即为该句的复述。
40.答案为D       要点推论题。Nike (耐克)一词确定答案位置在最后一段，市场预测与决策。Nike 公司正是由于当时错误地判断了健身鞋流行的强度而导致了老产品（running shoes）的积压而不得不打折销售一这是市场预测不准确所导致的。

Part Ⅱ   Vocabulary
41. ［译文］对许多病人来说，医院的正规护理是一种最合适、最有益的护理方式。答案为B 本题测试形容词语义理解，其中A和C又有近形干扰。A） pestinent 相关的（=relevant）；B）oppropriate 合适的，恰当的；C）persistant 坚持不懈的，作用持久的；D）acute尖锐的、敏锐的；剧烈的（疼痛）。
42.［译文］在妇女大规模进入劳动大军所引起的变化中，发生在妇女自己身上的变化绝不是不重要的。答案为A 本题测试，形容词与名词的语义搭配。A）大规模的，大量的；B）量方面的（与qualitative 相对）；C）surplus过剩的；D) formidable可怕的，令人生畏的。
43.［译文］ 史密斯先生在有人暗示他犯了错误时变得非常生气。答案为D 本题测试:形容词语义理解。A） ingenious 机灵的；B）empirical经验主义的，凭经验办事的；C）objective客观的（与subject 相对）；D）indignant生气的，愤怒的。
44.［译文］遥言四起，它传播恐惧、破坏声誉、把平静的环境搅得鸡犬不宁。答案为A 本题测试:形容词上下文语义理解，答案与句中calm一词呼应。A）turbulant动荡的，混乱的；B）tragic悲剧的，悲惨的；C）vulnerable脆弱的，易受影响的；D）suspicious疑神疑鬼的。
45.［译文］生与死这一永恒的周期循环是科学家和哲学都感举的课题。答案为D 本题测试:形容词语义及与名词的语义搭配。A）incompatible不兼容的，不共戴天的；B）exceeding超越的，极度的（←exceed）;C) instantaneous瞬间的，即刻的；D） eternal永恒的，无休止的。
46.［译文］他们仍充满着信心，乐观而不为目前的麻烦所烦恼。答案为C 本题测试:副词语义及语义搭配干扰。本题中的D） seemingly(表面上，看来)也可与untrouble搭配，易选错，但决定本题答案的是上文的“remains confident”；A） indefinitely不确定的，不明确的，无定期地；B）infinitely无限地，无穷地；C）optimistically乐观地，抱乐观态度地。
47.［译文］光导纤维电缆可同时传输数百门电话的交谈信号。答案为A 本题测试:副词语义理解及词义相关干扰。A）simultaneously同时地；B）spontaneously自发地，自然地；C）homogeneously同类地，同质地；D）contemporarily同时代地，当代地。
48.［译文］ 警察得到报警:逃犯可能就在附近。答案为B 本题测试:名词上下文理解衣六级短评in the vacinity (= in the neighborhood 在附近)。A） in vain徒劳地；C）in the court 在法庭上；D） in the jail在监获。
49.［译文］ 不管你是为了吃而活，还是为了活而吃，食物都是每一家庭瞀中的一笔主要开支。答案为B 本题测试:名词语义上下文理解。A）nutrition营养；B）expenditure开支；C）routine惯常程序、做法；D）provision条款、给养。
50.［译文］ 最近《科学》杂志上有一篇论文提出岩石中的有机物来自于地球本身的结构成分而非火星细菌。答案为B 本题测试:名词近形干扰及近义辨别。除了四个选项均以con-开头、-tion结尾这一近形特点外，A与B的词义比较接近，容易混淆:A）configuration表示构成的方式，即“构造、配置、地形”等；B）constitution表示结构、构成、组成，侧重“组成成分”，当是本题中可与“bacteria...Mars”对应的一个选项。C）condemnation遣责、判刑；D）contamination污染、弄脏。
51.［译文］ 在季节变化中有许多令我欣赏的东西，而我最喜欢的时节是秋冬过渡时期。答案为C 本题测试:名词近形（“trans-”）及语义相关（“转变”）的干扰。A）transmission传播，发射；B）transformation变化，改造；C）transition过渡，转变；D）transfer 转移，调动，转变，转让。
52.［译文］我觉得我们在可能犯下代价沉重的大错之前应及时找一下投资顾问。答案为C 本题测试:名词语义理解搭配——（investment）consultant投资顾问。A）guide导游，向导；B）enterpreneur企业家；D）assessor评估者，评价者。
53.［译文］ 这一公寓的租契将于一年内到期。答案为B 本题测试:史词语义（主谓搭配）及介词搭配。A）treaty条约；B）lease租契、租约，常与介词on 连用；C）engagement婚约、约请，约会；D）subsidy津贴|补助金，常与介词for 连用，如a ～ for education教育津贴。
54.［译文］ 上了年纪的俄罗斯公民觉得仅靠国家支付给他们的养老金生活很艰难。答案为A 本题测试:名词语义上下文理解及相关词义干扰。根据主语the elderly Russians，可确定是以pension（政府养老金）为生了。B)earnings收益，工资；C）salaries薪水；D）donations捐赠，捐款。
55.［译文］ 应该有一种使火车不可能相撞的安全装置。答案为D 本题测试:名词语义上下文理解搭配及语义相关干扰。A）appliance 器具，电器，（独立而能单独使用的）小装置；B）accessory附件，配件，饰品；C）machince机器；D）machanism（复杂的、作为大机器上一部分的）装置，机械装置，如:the braek～ 刹车装置。
56.［译文］ 在同一个岗位上干了四年后，他的热情最终慢慢枯竭了。答案为D 本题测试:动词词义动词与名词的语义搭配及近义干扰。本题除A）deteriorate(使)恶化、变坏外，其余三个选项词义相近，易混淆；B）disperse(使人群、云等)向四周消散，散开，消失；C）dissipate挥霍浪费，驱散（乌云等）；D）drain(使)干涸，（使热情、勇气、资源等）渐渐枯竭，减少，消失。
57.［译文］ 如果被剥夺了充足的睡眠，谁的身体都无法正常运转。答案为A 本题测试:动词近形近义干扰。选项A与D、B与C组成两对近形干扰；A与C为近义干扰，A）deprive 和C）strip均有“剥夺”之意，A)deprive表示对“人之基本需求”的剥夺，C）strip则侧重“强行、彻底”，且作为“惩罚”的一种剥夺，本题假设对人之基本睡眠的剥夺，故选A较妥。B）rip扯破，撕坏；D）contrive设法做到，谋划。
58.［译文］ 多少年来，那个遥远国家的人民一直遭受着一个独裁者的压迫。答案为C 本题测试；动词语义及近形干扰。A）depress(精神上)压抑，使沮丧，使（经济）不景气；C）oppress(政治上)压迫；B) immerse使沉浸（在），使专心（于）；D）curse诅咒。
59.［译文］从工业兴起以来，教育就一直以培养生产劳动者为方向。答案为D 本题测试:动词语义理解及动词与介词的搭配。A）harness 治理，利用；B）hatch 孵化，策划；C）motivate 驱使，动:～ sb. to do sth.; D)gear调整（安排，组织）以适应/合:～ sb. / sth. to / towards。
60.［译文］ 物价上涨的预期早已引起了人们的担忧。答案为A 本题测试:动词词义及动宾语义搭配。A）provoke引起，激起；B）iritate 激怒，使生气:～ sb.; C) inspire鼓舞，赋予灵感:～ sb.; D) hoist举起、升起、吊起（具体物品）。
61.［译文］ 那个犯罪嫌疑人声称，案发当时他不在附近。答案为B 本题测试:动词词义及动词名型。本题中能后接that 从句的动词有B)allege声称和D）announce 通知，根据主语suspect(嫌犯)即可知B为答案。A）advocate倡导、支持:～ sth.;C）address向…致词:～ a meeting/a group of people, etc. 在…上讲话。 62.［译文］ 虽说在一定程度上殖民者已与土著美洲人混在一起，印第安人对美国文化及语言的影响还是很有限的。答案为C 本题测试:动词词义及动词与介词的搭配。A）migrate移徙，移居:～ to a place; B）match 与…相匹配:～ sb./sth. for ...;C)mingle混合，溶入:～ with/in;D) melt溶化，溶解。
63.［译文］ 电子邮件是一种非常适合人类需求的、方便、随意而高度民主的信息传递媒介。答案为C 本题测试:动词词义及动词与介词的搭配。A）adhere (to) 坚持，遵守；B）reflect反映，反射；C）conform (to) 遵守、符合、适应；D）satisfy满足。
64.［译文］ 鸟的翅膀在它被击落后仍在拍动。答案为C 本题测试:动词词义及近形干扰。A）slap掴，拍涂抹；B）scratch抓，抓伤；C）flap （翅翼）拍打，摆动（同 flutter）;D)fluctuate(使)波动，起伏。
65.［译文］ 就贸易限制的分歧可能会严惩危及两国间的关系。答案为B 本题测试:动词语义上下文理解。A）tumble跌倒，暴跌，不由自主地卷入；B）jeopardize危及，损害（jeopard危险+ize = endanger）；C）操作，操纵，控制；D）intimidate恐吓，（对人）威胁（←timid）。
66.［译文］ 贴墙纸时，是将边相互搭叠呢还是缝对缝挨着？答案为C 本题测试:动词词义上下文理解及近义干扰、近形干扰。决定本题答案为C）over lap“（部分）互相搭叠，交接、重叠”的是后面与之对应的put the next toeach sther不定式短语。A）coincide(事件等)巧合，位置重合，(几乎全部地)重叠，与overlap之区别在于“重叠”部分的多少；B)展开，使延伸，扩展；D)collide与A)构成近形干扰，指车辆等的“相撞”。
67、［译文］在现行体制中，国有企业必须将所有利润上缴政府。答案为C）本题测试:短语动词辨异。A)turen down拒绝，(声音等)关小，(经济)萧条；B)turn up出现，露面，开大(声音等)；C)turn out生产，关掉(声音等)，结果证明是，赶走，解雇；D)turn in上缴，交出，出卖，告发，拐人。
68、［译文］美国的石油公司早已感受到这种压力，有些炼油工人及制造石油设备的工作开始下岗。答案为B）本题测试:短语动词辨异。A)lay out陈列，布置，设计布局；B)lay off使下岗，(暂时)解聘，搁在一边；C)lay down放下，放弃，铺设，制订；D)lay aside搁置(一边)，积攒。69、［译文］我们会对居住期间对你房子所遭到的破坏进行补偿的。答案为A）本题测试:动词句型及相关词义干扰。A)compensate补偿，赔偿:～ sb. for damage/losses, etc.; B)remedy补救，纠正(错误、欠缺等)；C)supplement补充(数量之不足)，增补；D)retrieve检索，挽回(损失， ～ one's losses)，补救。
70、［译文］她剪成短发，试图把自己伪装成一个男子。答案为B）本题测试:动词相关语义相扰及动词句型。A)decorate装饰；B)disguise伪装，假扮成 ～ sb. as ；C)fabricate捏造，伪造(故事、借口等)；D)fake仿造，伪造(笔迹，假币等)。

Part Ⅳ       Error Correction
本文论述人们就good and bad manners的观点分岐，并通过两个实例来阐述以上主题。
71、on→by本题考点:介词搭配，根据人们如何占用周围空间的方式来判断。本题易错改well-mannered为good-mannered，但well-mannered为正确的复合词，有礼貌的、行为端庄的。72、unaware→aware本题考点:上下文理解→反义词。such a person指上文的well-mannered person，当然在街上 走时不会“目中无人”。
73、as→than本题考点:比较连词的关键搭配。根据上一行中之more即可确定改as为than。
74、it→which本题考点:句子结构，代词及定语从句。逗号后，人称代词he前的代词it显然不可能出现在正常的英语语句中，根据本句主从句的结构分析，即可确定两逗号间为一非限制定语从句。
75、at→n本题考点:介词基本用法。country前一段用介词in。
76、hasn't→hadn't本题考点:时态。综观进过第二实例的二、三、四段，短文全部倩了过去时间的时态。77、American→Arab本题考点:上下文理解→相关词(反义)。第二例讲述的是一位赴阿拉伯传统餐宴的美国人不了解阿拉伯食品，闹出笑话，而主人顺水推舟，以自己的行为挽回美国人面子这样的一个故事。77题所在句子为虚拟语气:如果他了解阿拉伯食品，他也许不至于如此举止。
78、as→like本题考点:易淆介词as意为“作为”，like意为“象”，根据本行意思，这里当是:摆在他(美国人)面前一大片很薄的面包，在他眼里看上去非常像一块餐巾。因此，他就把那块面包拿起，塞到衣领里，让它挂在衬衫前。
79、falls→fell本题考点:时态，阐述见76题。本句意思为:因此，他就把那块面包拿起，塞到衣领里，让它挂在衬衫前。
80、of→删，本题考点:动词句型。say后换something等复合代词时为及物动词，不用介词，本句中said nothing为与后面copied并列的两个主句谓语动词。

Part Ⅴ Writing

Is a Test of spoken English Necessary?
A test of spoken English will be included as an optional component of the College English Test (CET). We have all taken, and are thus familiar with, English tests of many kinds, but so far most of them are written ones. Have you any idea of what a spoken English test will be like, and is it necessary to go to all the trouble to hold or take such a test? People differ in their answers.
Many people will think it necessary. They know that although they have taken dozens, even hundreds, of English tests ever since they started learning it and many even have got surprisingly high marks, few of them can express themselves freely in spoken English. and if people can't speak a word of it, what's the sense of learning it and what do those high marks mean? — They're none but deaf-and-mutes before the native speakers. Furthermore, with so many college graduates and undergraduates having mutes before the native speakers. Furthermore, with so many college graduates and undergraduates having passed CET4 and CET6, a test of spoken English is a further way to tell the excellent from the not so excellent. Finally, it is viewed as a new challenge to those who “live and learn".
There are, however, also people who think differently. Besides the pains in preparation for such a new kind of test, there is also the uncertainty about the reliability and objectivity of the marking system, which may depend mainly on human (and thus subjective) scoring instead of on machine scoring, as in the case of a standardized objective test such as CET4 and CET6.
At the prospect of this optional test, I feel encouraged and regard it as a welcome challenge and another opportunity to improve my language ability and career potentials. I am determined to practice my oral English more often, and if I am qualified for such a test, I will not hesitate a moment to apply for it.

2000年6月大学英语六级考试听力材料

Section A

1. M: Have you had the brakes and tires checked? And do you have enough money?
W: I've taken care of everything and I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful trip.
Q: What is the woman going to do?

2. M: The new sales manager says he have never met you before.
W: We've been introduced about three times. He seems a little forgetful.
Q: What do we learn about the new sales manager?

3. W: I don't understand why this book for self study doesn't have answers to the questions.
M: But it does. You can find them alt the back of the book.
Q: What does the man say about the self-study book?

4. W: We mean to let everyone know about the charity concert, but we don't have enough money
for advertising.
M: How about using the school radio station? They broadcast free public-service
announcement.
Q: What does the man suggest they do?

5. M: By the way, Jane, did you talk to the consultant about our health program?
W: I contacted his office, but his secretary said he would be out for lunch until two.
Q: What does the woman mean?

6. M: I don't know whether to ask Joe or Cora to draw the posters.
W: What difference does it make? They're both excellent artists.
Q: What does the woman imply about Joe and Core?

7. M: Mary is in charge of the art and music section; and Charles, the ports page. What about
you?
W: I'm responsible for the editorials.
Q: Where does the woman work?

8. M: I ran into our friend Mark yesterday on the street, and he said he hadn't heard from you
for two months.
W: Yes, I know, but I've been too busy to phone him.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

9. M: I'm really exhausted. but I don't want to miss the film that comes on at 11.
W: If I were you, I'd skip it. We both have to get up early tomorrow. and anyway, I've
heard it isn't that exciting.
Q: What does the woman mean?

10. M: I thought the librarian said we could check out as many books as we need without
our library cards.
W: That's right, but not those reference books.
Q: What does the woman mean?

Section B

Passage One

The piano and violin are girls' instruments. Drums and trumpets are for boys. According to psychologists Susan Onco and Michael Balton, children have very clear ideas about which musical instruments they should play. They find that despite the best efforts of teachers these ideas have changed very little over the past decade. They interviewed 153 children aged between 9 and 11 from schools in northwest England. They asked them to identify 4 musical instruments and then to say which they would like to play most and which they would least lie to play.They also asked the children for their views on whether boys or girls should not play any of the 4 instruments. The piano and the violin were both ranked more favorably by girls than by boys, while boys prefer the drums and trumpets. There was broad agreement between boys and girls on which instruments each sex should play and the reasons vary. And while almost half of all boys said they avoid certain instruments because they were too difficult to play, only 15% of girls gave that as a reason. Earlier studies indicated that very young school children aged between 5 and 7 showed no bias in choosing musical instruments, but their tastes become more clear between the ages of 8 and 10. One survey of 78 teachers suggested that after that age both boys and girls.

11. Why did Susan and Michael interview children aged between 9 and 11?
12. Why do many of the boys avoid certain instruments?
13. Which group of children have a bias when choosing musical instruments?

Passage Two

In the 1970s, the famous Brazilian football player Pele retired from the national team of Brazil and became a professional player for a team in New York. Football, or soccer, wasn't very popular in the United States at that time. Few North Americans knew anything about this fast-moving sport. There was no money to pay professional players and there was little interest in football in high schools and colleges. When Pele and other international stars began playing in various US cities, people saw how interesting the game was and began to go to the matches. It is now common for important games to have fifty to sixty thousand fans. Support from the fans is important to the football. The fans cheer enthusiastically for their favorite players and teams, who respond by playing better than before. In most World Cups, the home team, or the team from the host country usually plays better than most people expect. In 1966, 1974 and 1978, the home teams of England, West Germany and Argentina all won the World Cup. The World Cup is called that because teams from every continent have played in it. However, since the Cup began, all of the winning teams have been from Europe or South America. Teams from Asia or Africa always do well but they haven't yet won. Mexico played surprisingly well in the 1970 Cup, which it hosted, but it wasn't among the 4 final teams.

14. Why wasn't football a popular sport in the U.S. in the 1970s?
15. When does a football team have the best chance to win the World Cup?
16. How did Mexico do in the 1970 World Cup?

Passage Three

The world's smartest adolescence in mathematics and science are in Singapore, according to a global survey of educational achievement. In the 3rd International Mathematics and Science Study, 13-year-olds from Singapore achieved the best scores in standardized tests of maths and science that were administered to 287, 896 students in 41 countries in 1994 and 1995. The survey suggests that science and maths education is especially strong in the Far East. While well behind those top scores, students from Australia earned higher marks in maths than their counterparts in England, who in turn did better than American students. The study collected information on the students' teachers and homes. Not surprisingly, the highest-scoring students had well-educated parents or came from homes containing study-aids such as computers, dictionaries or even such elemental facilities as desks. The study shows that boys generally did better than girls in science, but there was little difference between them in maths. Boys scored better than girls in physics and chemistry. There were no sex differences in the life and environmental sciences. In addition to being tested, students in the project were asked how proficient they thought they were in maths and science. Students in some countries, such as Columbia and Kuwait, had an overly optimistic view of their skills. Meanwhile, some of the best students from Japan and Korea for example were needlessly pessimistic even though they did far better in maths than almost all of other students.

17. Of the 4 groups of students, who scored the lowest in maths according to the survey?
18. What kind of students are most likely to become top scorers?
19. In what way do Columbian students differ from Japanese students?
20. In which subjects did boys score higher than girls?