Passage Two

　　Questions 41to 45 are based on the following passage.

　　Noise, commonly defined as unpleasant sound, is a kind of environmental pollution. Particularly in crowded urban areas, the noise produced as a by-product of our advancing technology causes physical and psychological harm, and seriously affects the quality of the those who are suffering from it.

　　Unlike the eye, the ear has no lid; therefore noise penetrates it easily. Loud noises signal a big danger to human beings. In response, the heart would beat faster, the skin would become pale, and the muscles would get tense. As a matter of fact, some of these responses persist even longer than the noise, occasionally as long as thirty minutes after the sound has ceased.

　　Because noise is unavoidable in a complex, industrial society, we are constantly responding in the same ways that we would respond to danger. Recently, researchers have concluded that noise and our response may be much more than an annoyance. It may be a serious threat to physical and psychological health and well-being (安樂) ，causing damage not only to the ear and brain but also to the heart and stomach. We have long known that hearing loss is a number one nonfatal (非致命的) health problem, but now we are learning that some of us with heart disease and cancers may be affected by noise pollution as well.

　　41. What is the author’s main point?

　　A) Loud noises signal a big danger.

　　B) Noise may be a serious threat to our health.

　　C) Hearing loss is a number one nonfatal health problem.

　　D) Noise is unavoidable in daily life.

　　42. What does the word “noise” mean in this passage?

　　A) A by-product of technology.

　　B) Unpleasant sound.

　　C) Physical and psychology harm.

　　D) A danger to people’s life.

　　43. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

　　A) Noise is our number one problem.

　　B) Our response might last longer than the noise itself.

　　C) Our body could resist the noise quite effectively.

　　D) Noise is limited to urban areas.

　　44. According to the passage, the human being’s immediate response to noise may be the following EXCEPT that .

　　A) the heart would beat faster.

　　B) The skin would become pale

　　C) The muscles would get tense

　　D) The hands would cover up the ears

　　45. The word “it” (Line 4, Paragraph 1) refers to .

　　A) harm B) life C) technology D) noise

　　Passage Three

　　Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

　　Anyone who doubts that global (全球性的)financial markets control national economies need only look at the crisis facing the“tigers”of the Far East。The situation in Asia shows how power has shifted from individual governments to the markets。

　　The trend towards globalisation began in the early 1970s when the system of fixed exchange rates, set up after World War II, stopped functioning. This meant that the value of currencies(貨幣)would now be determined by the markets instead of individual governments. By 1990, nearly all world’s major economies had got rid of restrictions on how much money could be moved in and out of their countries.

　　Other factors contributing to the rise of globalisation are new communications technologies, and better transportation systems. These have enabled companies to grow into multinationals—producing goods on one side of the planet and selling them on the other.

　　As we approach the century, the trend of globalisation seems unstoppable. However, a look at history suggests that things may not go that smoothly. The last time the world tried to create a global economy, its efforts were spoiled by a world war and the worst depression(經(jīng)濟(jì)大蕭條)in history. How successful it will be this time depends on how much we have learnt from the past.

　　46. What would happen along with the global economy?

　　A) Free movement of goods and capital between countries.

　　B) Firm control of national economies by the governments.

　　C) The great depressions in many countries.

　　D) Economic crises in developing countries.

　　47. The word “multinationals”most probably means .

　　A) companies producing many kinds of goods

　　B) companies controlling economies of several countries

　　C) companies having branches in several countries

　　D) companies operating many factories within a district

　　48. According to this passage, national economies in most countries are now controlled by

　　A) global markets B) individual governments

　　C) large companies D) several multinationals

　　49) Which of the following does NOT appear in the process of globalization?

　　A) New communications technologies.

　　B) Better transportation systems.

　　C) Global financial markets.

　　D) Fixed exchange rates.

　　50. To create a global economy, it is very important for us .

　　A) to keep world peace

　　B) to develop multinationals

　　C) to promote transportation

　　D) to control national economies