2008武汉大学博士英语试题.pdf

2008年 武汉大学 博士研究生入学 英语试题及详解 PartIReadingComprehension(40%,1=2points) Directions:Thereare5readingpassagesinthispart Eachpassageisfollowedby somequestions or unfinished statements For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D You shoulddecideonthebest choiceandmarkyour answerontheANSWER SHEETbyblackening thecorrespondingletterinthebrackets Questions1to4arebasedonthefollowingpassage: Auctions arepublic sales of goods, conductedby an officially approved auctioneer He asksthe crowdassembledinthe auction-roomtomake offers,or bids,forthevarious itemsonsale He encouragesbuyers to bid higher figures and finallynames the highestbidder asthe buyer ofthe goods Thisiscalled knockingdownthegoods,for thebiddingendswhentheauctioneerbangs a small hammer on a table at which he stands. This is often set on a raised platform called a rostrum （definition）what The ancient Romans probably invented salesby auction, and the English word comes from the Latin Autcio, meaning increase TheRomansusually soldinthis way thespoils taken inwar; thesesaleswerecalledsubhasta,meaning underthe spear,aspearbeing stuckinthegroundas a signalforacrowdto gather InEnglandinthe eighteenthandnineteenth centuries,goodswere oftensoldbythecandle:ashortcandlewaslitbytheauctioneer,andbidscouldbemadewhile itstayedalight. （history）how Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction Among these are coffee, hides, skins,wool, tea, cocoa, furs, spices, fruit andvegetables andwines Auction salesare alsousual forland andproperty, antique furniture,pictures, rare books, old china and similarworks of art The auction-rooms as Christies and Sothebys in London and New York are world-famous （goods/items）how An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold and where andwhenthey canbeviewedbyprospective buyers Ifthe advertisementcannotgivefull details, catalogues are printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called