2018年学位英语考试自测习题及答案（9）_第3页

　　Passage Three

　　Small talk is like having loose change in your pocket. Like quarters for a pay phone, loose change comes in handy when you least expect it. But when it comes to small talk, you must know when to spend it or save it.

　　All small talk is not the same. With some people, you walk away having killed a few moments. With others, you feel a connection and want to get to know them better. The difference is the effort one or both of you made at making a connection. It helps to call the person by name, mention things you have in common (mutual acquaintances, places you've been, experiences you've shared, career or personal goals), show interest in that person's views or hobbies, and match the other person's speaking style, voice, emotion and body language as you talk.

　　People feel being related to others who like them, appreciate them, enjoy the same things they do and are helpful to them. Time and attention make connections that last.

　　When you're considering small talk, be sensitive to the other person's mood and circumstances. When your airplane seatmate is obviously preoccupied, leave him or her alone. Neither would you approach someone when the person is dashing down a hallway to a meeting. On other occasions, small talk is inappropriate because of the person involved. If the CEO has unexpectedly called you in for "a little chat," this is not the time to take the lead. Let him or her dictate the topic and pace. The same is true with customers. Develop a sixth sense about those who appreciate small talk and those who don't.

　　26. What is the meaning of the underlined phrase comes in handy in the first paragraph?

　　A. becomes very useful

　　B. becomes very special

　　C. becomes very important

　　D. becomes very inconvenient

　　27. According to the second paragraph, how can you make a connection with others?

　　A. mention your unique experiences

　　B. describe others’ dressing styles

　　C. talk about others’ hobbies

　　D. discuss others’ names

　　28. If you want to make others’ feel related to you, you may need to__________.

　　A. spend time chatting with them

　　B. show how excellent you are

　　C. give presents to them

　　D. be helpful to them

　　29. According to the fourth paragraph, on what occasion should you avoid making small talk with others?

　　A. when others are strolling on the street

　　B. when your airplane seatmate asks you for a favor

　　C. when your airplane seatmate is absorbed in thought

　　D. when others are walking down the hallway after a meeting

　　30. According to the last paragraph, what should you do when your CEO has unexpectedly called you in for “a little chat”?

　　A. let the CEO dictate the topic and pace

　　B. talk about the difficulties in your work

　　C. take the lead to make small talk

　　D. decide on the topic of talk

　　Passage Four

　　A biological clock is what tells plants, animals, and other organisms how to organize their time. This ‘clock’ helps plants and animals change their routine when they move to places with different climates and environments. Most biological clocks are based on the movement of the sun and follow a twenty-four hour cycle called a circadian rhythm. Some animals sleep only at night, making them diurnal. Animals that sleep during daytime are nocturnal. Flowers are diurnal because they close their petals at night but they open again in the morning. Bats sleep in the daytime so they are nocturnal.

　　Some biological clocks also follow an annual cycle, especially in animals that have annual migrations. Animals that have annual cycles do different things at different times of year. Their actions are determined by the seasons.

　　Different animals can live in the same area when their biological clocks make them look for food at different times of day. This process also keeps them out of each other's way. Biological clocks help plants and animals prepare for changes in the seasons. Animals need to know what time of year to reproduce so their offspring will be born when the conditions for survival are good.

　　Human beings' sleep cycle is a circadian rhythm, a system based on the twenty-four hour day. In the circadian rhythm most humans sleep at night. When people travel to different time zones their biological clocks have to adjust. In humans, the biological clock is in a group of cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN.) The SCN is located near the bottom middle part of the brain.

　　Scientists are continuing to research the biological clock and circadian rhythms. Scientists discovered the first circadian gene in a mammal (a mouse) in 1997. It is only a matter of time before your own biological clock will tell YOU the time!

　　31. Which of the following type of animal or plant is nocturnal?

　　A. human beings B. flowers C. bats D. cows

　　32. What is a circadian rhythm?

　　A. a twenty-four hour cycle of most biological blocks

　　B. the closure and opening of the petals of flowers

　　C. a cycle of some animals’ annual migration

　　D. the movement rhythm of the sun

　　33. According to the third paragraph, why can different animals live in the same area peacefully?

　　A. Because they look for different types of food.

　　B. Because their conditions for survival are good.

　　C. Because they do different things at different times of year.

　　D. Because their biological clocks keep them out of each other’s way.

　　34. Where is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) located?

　　A. the bottom middle part of the brain

　　B. the bottom left part of the brain

　　C. the top right part of the brain

　　D. the top left part of the brain

　　35. From the last sentence of the passage we can infer that __________.

　　A. We still lack a full understanding of our own biological clock.

　　B. Our own biological clock is a lot different from that of a mouse.

　　C. We have already known much about the circadian rhythms of mammals.

　　D. There is still a lot to be done before your own biological clock will tell you the time.