2014年湖北成人学位英语考试真题及答案（文字版）
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
Washington Irving wasAmeriea's first man of letters to be known internationally. His works were received enthusiastically both in England and in the United States. He was, in fact, one of the most successful writers of his time in the country, and at the same time winning the admiration of fellow writers like Scott in Britain arid Poe and Hawthorne in he United States. The respect in which he was held partly owing to the man himself, with his warm friendliness, his good sense, his urbanity, his gay spirits, his artistic integrity, his love of both the Old World and the New. Thackeray described Irving as "a gentleman, who, though himself born in no very high sphere, was most finished, polished, witty ; socially the equal of the most refined Europeans." In England he was granted an honorary degree from Oxford--an unusual honor for a citizen of a young, uncultured nation--and he received the medal of the Royal Society of Literature.America made him ambassador to Spain.
Irving's background provides little to explain his literary aehievements.A gifted but delicate child, he had little schooling.He studied law, but without zeal, and never did practice seriously.He was immune to his strict Presbyterian home environment, frequenting both social gatherings and the theater.
36.The main point of the first paragraph is that Washington Irving was ( ).
A.America's first man of letters
B.a writer who had great success both in and outside his own country
C.a man who was able to move from literature to polities
D.a man whose personal charm enabled him to get by with basically inferior work
37.What is implied by the mention of Scott, Poe and Hawthorne?
A.Irving enjoyed great popular admiration
B.Seott, Poe and Hawthorne were primarily responsible forIrving's success
C.Irving's work was not only popular, but also of high literary quality
D.More Americans than Britons admiredIrving
38.Which of the following best describes the effect of Irving's Presbyterian background on his life?
A.It fostered his love for the theater
B.It developed his skill in business
C.It prompted his interest in law
D.It had almost no effect on his life
39.Which of the following best describes the effect of Irving's personal qualities on his literary Success ?
A.His personal qualities were entirely responsible for his literary success
B.His personal qualities were primarily responsible for hisliterary success
C.His personal qualities had some effects on his literary success
D.His personal qualities had no effects on his literary success
40.Why might Irving's literary ability have been surprising to the English?
A.They feared competition from American writers
B.They did not expect the United States to produce good writers
C.They disapproved of the language American writers used
D.They thought of theUnited States as a purely commercial power
Part III Cloze( 10 points)
Directions: There are 10 blanks in the following passage, For each blank there are 4 choices markedA, B, C and D. You should choose the ONE answer that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet One with a single line through the center.
Do you know insurance (保险)? Buying insurance is a 41 by which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay 42 sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only 43 will lose their homes by fire.The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the sums of money it has collected.
The first modem fire insurance company was 44 in London, England, in 1666.A great fire had just destroyed most of the city, and people wanted to protect against 45 losses.The fire company grew rapidly.Soon, other companies were founded in other areas.
Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company inAmerica in 1752.He also 46 a new kind of insurance for farmers. The new insurance would offer protection against the loss of crops 47 storm.
In 1759, Benjamin Franklin helped startanother new insurance.This company, which offered 48 insurance, collected some money regularly from different men.Although a man died, his family was given a large sum of money.Today, this company is 49 in business.
Over the years, people havebenefited from many new kinds of insurance when they have suffered from 50 accidents as car, plane crashes.Tomorrow, almost everyone has some kind of insurance.
41. A. idea
B. sole
C. thought
D. means
42.A.small
B.large
C.little
D.a lot of
43.A.few
B.quite a few
C.a few
D.many
44.A.reeognized
B.found
C.eome into being
D.formed
45. A.longer
B. farther
C. further
D. deeper