Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by
some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices
marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the
corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the
centre.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
For years, doctors advised their patients that the only thing taking
multivitamins does is give them expensive urine (尿). After all, true vitamin
deficiencies are practically unheard of in industrialized countries. Now it
seems those doctors may have been wrong. The results of a growing number of
studies suggest that even a modest vitamin shortfall can be harmful to your
health. Although proof of the benefits of multivitamins is still far from
certain, the few dollars you spend on them is probably a good investment.
Or at least that's the argument put forward in the New England Journal of
Medicine. Ideally, say Dr. Walter Willett and Dr. Meir Stampfer of Harvard, all
vitamin supplements would be evaluated in scientifically rigorous clinical
trials. But those studies can take a long time and often raise more questions
than they answer. At some point, while researchers work on figuring out where
the truth lies, it just makes sense to say the potential benefit outweighs the
cost.
The best evidence to date concerns folate, one of the B vitamins. It's been
proved to limit the number of defects in embryos ( 胚胎 ), and a recent trial
found that folate in combination with vitamin B 12 and a form of B6 also
decreases the re-blockage of arteries after surgical repair.
The news on vitamin E has been more mixed. Healthy folks who take 400
international units daily for at least two years appear somewhat less likely to
develop heart disease. But when doctors give vitamin E to patients who already
have heart disease, the vitamin doesn't seem to help. It may turn out that
vitamin E plays a role in prevention but cannot undo serious damage.
Despite vitamin C's great popularity, consuming large amounts of it still
has not been positively linked to any great benefit. The body quickly becomes
saturated with C and simply excretes ( 排泄 ) any excess.
The multivitamins question boils down to this: Do you need to wait until
all the evidence is in before you take them, or are you willing to accept that
there's enough evidence that they don't hurt and could help?
If the latter, there's no need to go to extremes and buy the biggest 'horse
pills or the most expensive bottles. Large doses can cause trouble, including
excessive bleeding and nervous system problems.
Multivitamins are no substitute for exercise and a balanced diet, of
course. As long as you understand that any potential benefit is modest and
subject to further refinement, taking a daily multivitamin makes a lot of
sense.
21. At one time doctors discouraged taking multivitamins because they
believed that multivitamins____.
A) could not easily be absorbed by the human body
B) were potentially harmful to people's health
C) were too expensive for daily consumption
D) could not provide any cure for vitamin deficiencies
22. According to the author, clinical trials of vitamin
supplements____.
A) often result in misleading conclusions
B) take time and will not produce conclusive results
C) should be conducted by scientists on a larger scale
D) appear to be a sheer waste of time and resources
23. It has been found that vitamin E_____.
A) should be taken by patients regularly and persistently
B) can effectively reduce the recurrence of heart disease
C) has a preventive but not curative effect on heart disease
D) should be given to patients with heart disease as early as possible
24. It can be seen that large doses of multivitamins_____.
A) may bring about serious side effects
B) may help prevent excessive bleeding
C) are likely to induce the blockage of arteries
D) are advisable for those with vitamin deficiencies
25. The author concludes the passage with the advice that_____.
A) the benefit of daily multivitamin intake outweighs that of exercise and
a balanced diet
B) it's risky to take multivitamins without knowing their specific
function
C) the potential benefit of multivitamins can never be overestimated
D) it's reasonable to take a rational dose of multivitamins daily
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge ( 剧增 ) of women in
the workforce may portend a rejection of marriage. Many women, according to this
hypothesis, would rather work than marry. The converse ( 反面 ) of this concern is
that the prospects of becoming a multi-paycheck household could encourage
marriages. In the past, only the earnings and financial prospects of the man
counted in the marriage decision. Now, however, the earning ability of a woman
can make her more attractive as a marriage partner. Data show that economic
downturns tend to postpone marriage because the parties cannot afford to
establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead. As the economy
rebounds, the number of marriages also rises.
Coincident with the increase in women working outside the home is the
increase in divorce rates. Yet, it may be wrong to jump to any simple
cause-and-effect conclusions. The impact of a wife's work on divorce is no less
cloudy than its impact on marriage decisions. The realization that she can be a
good provider may increase the chances that a working wife will choose divorce
over an unsatisfactory marriage. But the reverse is equally plausible. Tensions
grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage. Given
high unemployment, inflationary problems, and slow growth in real earnings, a
working wife can increase household income and relieve some of these pressing
financial burdens. By raising a family's standard of living, a working wife may
strengthen her family's financial and emotional stability.
Psychological factors also should be considered. For example, a wife
blocked from a career outside the home may feel caged in the house. She may view
her only choice as seeking a divorce. On the other hand, if she can find
fulfillment through work outside the home, work and marriage can go together to
create a stronger and more stable union.
Also, a major part of women's inequality in marriage has been due to the
fact that, in most cases, men have remained the main breadwinners. With higher
earning capacity and status occupations outside of the home comes the capacity
to exercise power within file family. A working wife may rob a husband of being
the master of the house. Depending upon how the couple reacts to these new
conditions, it could create a stronger equal partnership or it could create new
insecurities.
26. The word "portend" (Line 2, Para. 1) is closest in meaning to “ _____”
.
A) defy
B) signal
C) suffer from
D) result from
27. It is said in the passage that when the economy slides,_____.
A) men would choose working women as their marriage partners
B) more women would get married to seek financial security
C) even working women would worry about their marriages
D) more people would prefer to remain single for the time being
28. If women find fulfillment through work outside the home,_____.
A) they are more likely to dominate their marriage partners
B) their husbands are expected to do more housework
C) their marriage ties can be strengthened
D)they tend to put their career before marriage
29. One reason why women with no career may seek a divorce is
that_____.
A) they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom
B) they are afraid of being bossed around by their husbands
C) they feel that their partners fail to live up to their expectations
D) they tend to suspect their husbands' loyalty to their marriage
30. Which of the following statements can best summarize the author's view
in the passage?
A) The stability of marriage and the divorce rate may reflect the economic
situation of the country.
B) Even when economically independent, most women have to struggle for real
equality in marriage.
C) In order to secure their marriage women should work outside the home and
remain independent
D) The impact of the growing female workforce on marriage varies from case
to case.
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