Section A Directions:In this
section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select
one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following
the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each
choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding
letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
You may not use any of the words in the bank more than
once. Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following
passage. China is casting such a huge shadow on the
United States that many Americans are trying hard to learn the Chinese language
with an effort to keep their competitive edge. "Interest in
learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown (47)
in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the
Asia Society, a US group trying to bridge the (48) between
Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific. China’s rapid
progress is driving the interest to (49) the language,
experts say. "The Chinese rich cultural traditions and (50)
economy mean that it is now essential for all of our students to be better
prepared to engage them and seize opportunities together," said Michael Levine,
Asia Society’s executive director of education. A 2004 College
Board survey found that 2400 high schools--an (51)
number--would be interested in (52) the Advanced Placement
(AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available
in 2005. China, the world’s most populous (人口稠密的) nation, is
(53) to the United States because it is a leading trader,
consumer and investor. It has (54) the United States as the
world’s largest consumer and could become the second largest economy in the
world, in the next two to three decades. Even though the US
State Department has regarded the Chinese language extremely important to
national prosperity , the " (55) conditions to support
recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality
programs are (56) inadequate, an Asia Society study
says. A) thriving B)
automatically C) dramatically
D) important E) regained
F) replaced
G) pursue H)
request I) incredible J) efficient
K) gap
L) scarcely M)
current N) offering
O) discouragingly