Passage Four

　　Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

　　EL Nino(厄爾尼諾)has existed for a long time. It was first observed by Peruvian fishermen, who noticed that the sea warmed up every few years around Christmas time. They named the phenomenon EL Nino, which is Spanish for “the child”, and refers to the young Christ.

　　In more recent years, scientists have established that EL Nino appears every two to seven years. Its cause is still unknown, but it’s clear that when it does appear, it can disrupt(擾亂)weather patterns over three quarters of the earth, in affects the world’s weather system more than any other phenomenon except the seasons. That EL Nino killed over 2,000 people in floods and droughts(旱災)and caused $13 billion worth of damage.

　　Plenty is now known about EL Nino’s destructive potential, but the phenomenon itself remains mysterious. Despite years of research, scientists are still unable to predict how destructive an EL Nino will be when it arrives. However, progress is being made on forecasting when one will occur. This is very important because, if enough warning is given, steps can be taken to limit the destruction and suffering that following a bad EL Nino. At the very least, farmers would know whether to plant dry-or wet-weather crops.

　　51. Peruvian fishermen named the phenomenon EL Nino probably because .

　　A) it appeared every few years

　　B) they observed it first

　　C) it appeared around Christmas time

　　D) the sea noticeably warmed up

　　52. Which of the following affects the world’s weather system most powerfully?

　　A) EL Ninos. B) The seasons. C) Floods. D) Droughts.

　　53. Despite the efforts made by scientists, they are still unable .

　　A) to predict EL Nino’s destructive potential

　　B) to forecast when an EL Nino will occur

　　C) to warn people of an WL Nino’s arrival

　　D) to determine the cause of EL Nino

　　54. El Nino affects the world’s weather system by .

　　A) disrupting weather patterns

　　B) causing floods and droughts

　　C) changing the seasons

　　D) destroying the crops

　　55. Forecasting an EL Nino helps .

　　A) to plant dry-weather crops

　　B) to understand the phenomenon better

　　C) to decrease its destructive effects

　　D) to prevent its possible destruction

　　Part IV Translation from English into Chinese

　　(10%) (15 minutes)

　　Directions: In this part, there are four sentences which you should translate into Chinese. These are all taken from the Reading Passages you have just read in Part Three of the Test Paper. You are allowed 15 minutes to do the translation. You can refer back to the passages so as to identify the meaning in the context. Write your translation on the Translation Sheet.

　　1. (Lines 2 –3,Paragraph 3, Passage 1)

　　Finally, aw method was discovered of producing artificial rubber which is in many ways superior and in some ways inferior (劣的)to natural rubber. Artificial rubber is produced in factories by a complicated chemical process. It is usually cheaper than natural rubber.

　　2. (Lines 1 –2,Paragraph 3, Passage 2)

　　Because noise is unavoidable in a complex, industrial society, we are constantly responding in the same ways that we would respond to danger.

　　3. (Lines 2 –4,Paragraph 2, Passage 3)

　　This meant that the value of currencies(貨幣)would now be determined by the markets instead of individual governments.

　　4. (Lines 4 –6,Paragraph 3, Passage 4)

　　…if enough warning is given, steps can be taken to limit the destruction and suffering that following a bad EL Nino.

　　Part V Writing (15%)

　　(30 minutes)

　　Directions: For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition of no less than 80 words on Family Cars in China. Remember your composition must be written according to the following outline. Write your composition on the Composition Sheet.

　　Outline:

　　1. 小汽車正在進入中國家庭。

　　2. 家用汽車的利和弊。

　　Words for reference:

　　Convenience, travel, cost, traffic jam, pollution, fuel