留学基金委英语统考口试题目.doc

留学基金委英语统考口试题目汇编
Section 1
Giving personal information
1. Where are you from? Would you please say something about your hometown?
I’m from Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, which is located in the east of China and well-known for its pleasant climate and beautiful scenery. It is a historic city, full of energy and incredibly clean. Most of all, I really enjoy the weather with its four distinct seasons—snowy in the winter, windy and rainy in the spring, hot and humid in the summer and the mild, colorful fall. (But I’ve been living in Chendu for the last ten years. I think Chengdu is also an amazing city, where there are a variety of delicious foods, such as bean curd and Zhangfei beef jerky. In winter, it is not very cold. And in summer it is not very hot. Moreover, the people of Chengdu lead a happy-go-lucky life. So, I prefer Chengdu to my hometown now.)
2. Could you say something about your family? Could you tell me something about your family? Could you talk about your family briefly?
Yes, I could. There are four people in my family, my parents, my wife and me. My father works in a private enterprise in Chengdu, my mother has retired for 2 years. My wife is an employee of a multinational corporation. And I am a university teacher of Southwest Petroleum University. I have been married for 5 years and we are too busy with our work every day to spare a moment for taking care of a baby. We plan to have a kid in 2 years when we will probably save enough money for bringing up our child.
3. What is your job? What do you do? Where are you working? What does your job involve? What do you like most about your job?
I’m a professional teacher of a university in Chengdu city, teaching petroleum engineering to undergraduates and doing research on oil and gas reservoir exploitation. My main focus is on phase behavior of sour gas involved in numerical simulation.
4. What do you like about your job?
I like my job very much. I like my two holidays when I enjoy the freedom of doing my own business, research, traveling, or visiting my parents. In addition, flextime allows me to decide by myself when to start and when to finish my work on condition that my own teaching work should be well done. I do not have to get up early and catch the bus to arrive at the workplace on time because I live in the campus.
5. What is your research field? Could you say something about your research?
I’m doing research on oil and gas reservoir exploitation. My main focus is on phase behavior of sour gas involved in numerical simulation. The phase behavior is involved in the calculation of the vapor liquid equilibrium between oil and natural gas at the reservoir conditions.
6. What do you plan to do upon your return to China?
I plan to start bilingual teaching in my work, improve my teaching methodologies especially in specialized course such as Petrophysics, and further my research on phase behavior of oil and gas reservoir fluids.
7. Which country are you planning to go? What do you know about the country?
I want to USA, where Berkeley University of California is an ideal university for me.
8. What do you usually do in your spare time?
Usually I would do three things in my spare time, playing basketball, reading, and surfing the Internet. I love playing basketball with my friends during the weekend. We usually play 3 to 3. In addition, playing basketball with friends helps me on building team working skills. Reading is a good way to absorb knowledge. Surfing on the Internet exposes me to the world's different cultures and different people.
9. What are your interests and hobbies? What hobbies do you have?
Playing basketball and listening to the music are my hobbies, because I think I can relax myself by these ways. I play basketball with my friends during the weekend. We usually play 3 to 3.
10. How do you find the life here in…?
11. Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do?
12. If you are planning to change your job, what kind of job would you like to take?
13. What kind of sports do you like?
14. What kind of difficulties do you think you will encounter when you go abroad?
15. What would you like to be doing in five years’ time?
16 What’s your workload like?
17. What do you do for fun?
18. How long would you want to stay in America or Canada?
19. Which university did you graduate from? Where did you graduate from? Which university did you go to?
20.
Section 2
Asking for information
1. You are now studying at a British university. You have read a notice about a part-time job. Make a call to get more information. Ask questions about:
Job requirements Duties/Responsibilities Hours per day/week Starting time Workplace length of the job Pay
2. You are now studying at a British university. You want to apply for a rail card which allows you to buy cheaper railway tickets. Make a call to the station to get information. Ask questions about:
Types of the card Benefits Duration of the card Documents/ Proof needed Costs Restrictions Application deadline
3. You have just arrived at a British university as a visiting scholar. You want to get some information about the school’s health center. Make a call to the center and ask questions about:
Opening hours (workdays/ weekends/ holidays) Location Setting Services provided Charges Appointments Ways of payment
Good morning, sir, I’m a visiting scholar from China, I would like to get some information about the school’s health center. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?
4. You are invited to attend an international conference because a paper of yours on environmental protection is awarded a prize. Write an email to the organizer of the conference and ask the following questions:
Time for the meeting Venue for the meeting Need for speech Topics on the conference Documents/ certificates needed Speakers Costs accommodation and food
5. As a visiting scholar, you are now conducting a research on modern western architecture in your university, and need to use the school library. Now make a phone call to the librarian and ask the following questions:
Books related books that can be borrowed returning time library card photocopying opening hour
6. You are now studying at the University of Manchester. You want to join in a two-day tour to Scotland at a weekend. You learn that there is a travel agency, which offers different travel plans. Make a phone call to the agency and ask the following questions:
Transportation travel schedule accommodation and food special local products travel documents to prepare costs for each person interesting places museums
7. You learn that a new movie is on general release and you’d like to watch it in the cinema. Make a phone call to the cinema and ask the following questions:
Days for screening screening schedule each day ticket types (e.g. full ticket, student ticket, or senior ticket) and cost for each original or dubbed film stars in it location of the cinema
8. You are going to travel from Manchester to York, and you want to make a reservation at a guesthouse for your accommodation there. Now write an e-mail to a guesthouse and ask the following questions:
Cost of accommodations location of the guesthouse food provision room facilities opening hours transportation to the guesthouse
9. You are going to be studying at a British college. You meet a student who studies in the same city as you hope to go to. Find out about the cheapest way to live there.
Accommodation food entertainment transportation books discounts for students shopping
10. You have just arrived at your college in Britain and you hear about a party to welcome new students. You would like to go, so you go to the Overseas Students Office to get some more details. Your interviewer works there.
Organizer cost activities place time partner transportation
11. You were absent from your writing class yesterday in which the students were given an assignment. Your interviewer is one of your classmates. Ask him/her about the assignment.
Topic/content presentation submission date length title page place of submission
12. You are a new student at a British college. You go to the Welfare Office to find out about health care provision in the UK. Your interviewer is a welfare officer there.
Health care facilities public/private health care registration (doctor) medical insurance emergencies prescription/ medicine
13. You have just arrived at your college in London and want to find out about the capital’s entertainment. Your interviewer is a British student. Ask him/her about it.
Cinema pubs sports theatre restaurants TV
2008-01-04
14. Renting a Car in America
You have recently come to America to attend the University at Flagstaff, Arizona. You would like to rent a car to drive to the Grand Canyon to see the beautiful sights there before school starts. You call one of the companies that rent cars in Flagstaff to ask about the following information:
Driver’s license Deposit requirement Daily rental cost Types of cars available Insurance Ways of payment
15. A Visa Extension
You are a student at California State University in USA, and you believe that you need to apply for an extension of your visa. You call the immigration office to ask about the following information:
Application procedures Necessary documentation Cost of renewal Length of time needed to get renewal Office hour Transportation
16. Traveling in the UK
You’re planning to travel for 2 weeks in Britain. Your friend used to study in Britain and has a lot of experience traveling there. Now make a phone call to your friend and ask him or her about the following information:
Transportation Travel documents to prepare Weather Food Tourist attractions Souvenirs/ gifts
17. Going to a Party
You are now in America. A friend of yours has asked you to join him to go to a birthday party. Before you make a decision, you would like to ask about the following information:
Date of the party Transportation Starting time Dress to wear Location Gifts to bring
18. Information about a Shopping Center
You have been in America for only a few days. It is necessary for you to get some necessities. You ask your landlord about a shopping center nearby for the following information:
Opening and closing time Ways of payment Location Discounts Transportation Delivery
19. Driving License
One day when you are chatting with your American landlord, you come to the topic of transportation which arouses your interest in getting a driving license in America. So you ask your landlord about the following information:
Age limit for application Tests involved Health requirement Cost Training courses License validity
21. Going to a Football Match
You have been in Britain for a few weeks. You would like to watch a football match with your British friends. So you ask them about the following information:
Ways to get a ticket Football Stars Ticket prices Starting time Teams involved Transportation
22. Renting an Apartment
You have just arrived in Arizona State University. You have read the ads about several large apartment buildings which are very close to the campus. You make a call to ask about the following information:
Monthly rent Necessary documents Required deposits Gas and electricity bills Car park Sports facilities

Section 3
Explaining personal opinions
In this section, you are required to explain your point of view on the following topics:
1. Students in China used to enjoy free higher education, but now they have to pay tuition as well as rent for accommodation. Should students in China enjoy free higher education? What is your opinion?
2. The internet is now playing a very important role in our daily life and work. While it is making our life and work enjoyable and efficient, it also brings us problems. What is the negative side of the internet? Should children not be allowed to visit the internet? What is your opinion on this?
3. In school education, the teacher or the student himself may be responsible for the success of a student. Which of the two is more important? Or are they equally important? Give us your views.
4. It is said that one aims at a wealthy life (having a good income and being able to afford good things in life), and important life (a life of achievement that brings one respect), or a family life (a life completely centered on one’s family). What is your choice? What do you consider important in life?
5. What can be done to reduce the traffic jams in big Chinese cities?
6. It was reported that the May Day golden week this year saw a reduction in the number of tourists. What do you think were the reasons?
7. Many parents complain that their children are having too much school work. Do you think that is true? How can parents help their children?
8. What can the government do about factories that seriously pollute the environment?
9. With the practice of May Day holiday, National Day holiday, and the Spring Festival, more and more people choose to travel to famous tourist attractions instead of staying at home. Enjoying the beautiful natural scenery is a great treat, but many tourist attractions raise the entrance fees considerably. Do you agree to it? Why or why not?
10. In recent years, China’s economic development has gained speed and great achievements have been made in this respect. But, while making profit, people often neglect environmental protection, even destroy the ecological balance. Do you think China should develop its economy at the cost of environmental destruction? State your point of view.
11. Each year around March 15, consumers focus their attention on fake products that do great harm to our daily life. More seriously, academic plagiarism has become rampant both in China and overseas, and eroding people’s trust in intellectual circles. In your view, what are the reasons for academic plagiarism? And how can scholarly dishonesty and cheating be prevented?
12. With the improvement of the living standard, private cars have become an important aspect of people’s life in many parts of the county, especially in large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. What changes do private cars bring about to our life? And what problems do they cause? In your opinion, how to solve those problems?
13. Parents are now attaching greater importance to their children’s education. Many choose to find a private tutor, or even several private tutors for their child. Do you agree to it? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?
14. Please comment on the latest changes in housing conditions in Chinese cities.
15. Please comment on the benefits of sending scholars/university teachers abroad.
16. What are