大学英语应用写作期末考试试题.docx

《大学英语应用写作》期末试题
第 一 套
Part I Writing Basics (30%)
Directions: There are 30 incomplete statements in this part. For each statement there are four choices marked a, b, c and d. Choose the best ONE to complete the statement. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (1x 30=30)
1. While collecting raw materials before writing, we usually use techniques of __________.
1) brainstorming 2) freewriting 3) clustering 4) listing
a. 1), 2) and 4) b. 1), 3) and 4)
c. 2), 3) and 4) d. 1), 2), 3) and 4)
2 __________ does not contain in the principles of “choice of words”.
a. Exactness b. Arbitrariness
c. Appropriateness d. Conciseness
3. According to the rules of capitalization, “__________” is correct.
a. the Southern part of Pennsylvania b. the fourth of July
c. The Last of the Mohicans d. the war of Independence
4. __________ is one rule of the usage of comma.
a. Being used to separate items b. Being used in a direct speech
c. Being used at the end of a sentence d. Being used to show feeling
5. While making a good sentence, the principles do not contain __
a. variety b. coherence
c. unity d. duality
6. “__________” is a compound sentence.
a. Her mother would remind her.
b. The rain fell for a week; therefore, every street in the city was flooded.
c. Because the rain fell for a week, every street in the city was flooded.
d. She wanted to make sure that her mother wasn’t watching.
7. Which of the following sentences have a dangling modifier? __________
a. Saying is easy, but doing is difficult.
b. After driving for more than 500 miles, John felt very tired.
c. Without saying goodbye, the train took her away.
d. All of them.
8. __________ is the core sentence of a paragraph.
a. Topic sentence b. The first sentence
c. Supporting sentence d. Concluding sentence
9. Which one below is not the coordinate conjunction? __________
a. but b. so
c. and d. so that
10. In the sentence “After the plane took off, Jessica still stood there crying.”, what is the function of the underlined part? __________
a. It’s a prepositional phrase, functioning as an adverb.
b. It’s not a phrase, but an adverbial clause.
c. It’s not a phrase, but an independent clause.
d. It’s a prepositional phrase, functioning as the subject.
11. In order to keep a paragraph coherent, we often use the organizational patterns: __________.
1) time order 2) space order 3) order of importance 4)order of generality
a. 1), 2), and 3) b. 1), 2), and 4)
c. 2), 3), and 4) d. 1), 2), 3), and 4)
12. Which one is not used as a transition word to give examples? __________
a. for instance b. such as
c. likewise d. namely
13. Which statement below is not true? __________
a. A thesis is an announcement of the topic.
b. A thesis is a statement, not a phrase.
c. A thesis is a judgment, not a fact.
d. A thesis must be clear and precise.
14. An introductory paragraph should arouse the reader’s interest and __________ the main idea of the essay.
a. ignore b. introduce
c. develop d. emphasize
15. What kind of writing method is used in the sentence “Fighting a teenager, like fighting a tide, is bound to fail.”? __________
a. Metaphor b. Definition
c. Simile d. Explanation
16. Which sentence below is used in a letter of congratulations? __________
a. I’m writing to say sorry that I can’t meet you at the airport on time.
b. I can’t tell you how sorry I was to learn of your accident.
c. All of us at the office send you our heartiest congratulations.
d. Welcome to ABC Bank, the biggest commercial bank in this city.
17. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? __________
a. To raise a good dog, patience is useful.
b. Moving slowly, Bowie stalked the rabbits.
c. After eating the catfood, Bowie belched.
d. None of the above.
18. Which choice can best describe this: “Although he had been an often decorated solider during World War II and had fought many battles for the losing cause of liberalism in Congress.”? __________
a. There is nothing wrong with the structure of this sentence.
b. Run-on: put a comma after World War II.
c. Run-on: put a semicolon after World War II.
d. Fragment: put a comma after Congress and add a main clause.
19. To catch the reader’s eyes, an introduction paragraph should __________.
a. give detailed information as much as possible.
b. start in an interesting way by offering some related information but not too much.
c. avoid using anything difficult to understand
d. always tell the reader a joke
20. Which of the following would not be an effective technique to be used in a concluding paragraph? __________
a. Calling on action. b. Predicting an outcome.
c. Questioning different perspective. d. Offering a warning.
21. When any non-human organ is transplanted into a person, the body immediately recognizes it as __________.
a. novel b. remote
c. distant d. foreign
22. Because of its intimacy, radio is usually more than just a medium; it is __________.
a. firm b. company
c. corporation d. enterprise
23. Greatly agitated, I rushed to the apartment and tried the door, __________ to find it locked.
a. only b. just
c. hence d. thus
24. Anyone with half an eye on the unemployment figures knew that the assertion about economic recovery __________ just around the corner was untrue.
a. would be b. to be
c. was d. being
25. These proposals sought to place greater restrictions on the use and copying of digital information than __________ in traditional media.
a. exists b. existing
c. exist d. to exist
26. These causes produced the great change in the country that modernized the __________ of higher education from the mid-1860’s to the mid-1880’s.
a. branch b. domain
c. category d. scope
27. The judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible on the grounds that it was __________ to the issue at hand.
a. irrational b. unreasonable
c. invalid d. irrelevant
28. As I’ll be away for at least a year, I’d appreciate __________ from you now and then telling me how everyone is getting along.
a. hearing b. to hear
c. to be hearing d. having heard
29. __________ to some parts of South America is still difficult, because parts of the continent are still covered with thick forests.
a. Orientation b. Access
c. Procession d. Voyage
30. One difficulty in translation lies in obtaining a concept match. __________ this is meant that a concept in one language is lost or changed in meaning in translation.
a. In b. For
c. By d. With

Part II Transitions (10%)
Directions: Read the following passages and choose an appropriate transition word or phrase in the numbered blanks. Mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. (1 x 10=10)
Passage one:
Thirty years ago, most teenagers had bicycles, but now they are comparatively rare, and even those boys and girls who have them do not use them as often. On the contrary, motor scooters are much more common. 31 , this may seem a sign of progress but in fact the change is not necessarily for the better. It is easy to see why young people prefer scooters. At first, they are much faster and do not require much physical effort; 32 , you can take a passenger with you on the pillion seat behind; above all, they give young people a feeling of independence, because they can travel further and impress their friends. 33 , the disadvantages are equally obvious. To begin with, scooters are more expensive to buy and to maintain, and meanwhile those under 16 are not allowed to have them. 34 , greater freedom brings danger because speed encourages young people to take risks and as a result scooters are involved in more accidents, and the accidents are 35 more serious.

31. a. At first sight b. In the beginning c. In the first place
32. a. also b. as well c. secondly
33. a. Although b. However c. In spite
34. a. Apart from that b. As a result c. On the other hand
35. a. as well b. generally c. however

Passage two:
A Robot is a mechanical device, so it can perform boring, dangerous, and difficult tasks. First of all, robots can perform repetitive tasks without becoming tired or bored; 36 , they are used in automobile factories to weld and paint. Second, robots can also function in hostile environments; 37 , they are useful for exploring and the ocean bottom as well as deep outer space. Finally, robots can perform tasks requiring pinpoint accuracy. In the operating room, robotic equipment can assist the surgeon. For instance a robot can kill a brain tumor; 38 , it can operate on a fetus with great precision.
The field of artificial intelligence is giving robots a limited ability to think and to make decisions. However, robots cannot think conceptually, 39 they cannot function independently. Humans have to program them; 40 , they are useless. Therefore, humans should not worry that robots will take over the world—at least not yet.

36. a. therefore b. however c. furthermore
37. a. moreover b. hence c. also
38. a. also b. consequently c. nevertheless
39. a. for example b. at last c. and
40. a. thus b. otherwise c. in addition

Part III Reading for Better Writing (20%)
Passage one: (2 x 5 = 10)
Directions: The following sentences are numbered from A to I in a random order. Using what you have learned about the organization of body paragraphs, choose the best answer of each of the questions followed, then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
A. Getting your thoughts down on paper is not the final stage of writing a good paragraph or essay.
B. There remains the rewriting of the first draft so as to shape your idea into a carefully style composition.
C. Finally, for smoothness and balance, changes are made between sentences or paragraphs.
D. A different word may be substituted for the original word because it is easier to understand, is more colorful, gives a more precise meaning, or provides variety.
E. Ordinarily, editing involves changes at three points: in individual words, within sentences, and between sentences.
F. At the sentence level, phrases may be put in different order, structures of modification revised, different verb structures selected, or the length of phrases or whole sentences may be altered.
G. At the word level, spelling and capitalization are checked, but more creatively, words are often changed.
H. Such changes, designed to clarify relationships between ideas, are often accomplished by punctuating more adequately, by introducing more effective transitional devices, or by restating or removing awkward phrases and sentences.
I. Editing then—the self-conscious appraisal and revision of your own work—usually makes the difference between a merely acceptable and a truly superior piece of writing.

41. Which is the topic sentence?
a. I b. E c. H d. G
42. What are the supporting sentences?
a. G, F, C b. B, D, G c. A, G, I d. A, E, G
43. What are the detailed sentences?
a. G, B b. H, F c. D, H d. H, C
44. Which is the concluding sentence?
a. C b. E c. H d. I
45. Based on the above questions, arrange sentences A to I into a coherent paragraph. Which is the best logic order?
a. A B E G D F C H I b. B A E D G H I F C
c. E G D A B H I C F d. G D F B A E C H I

Passage two:
Directions: You are going to read a list of headings and a text about new crimes. Choose the most suitable heading from the list a-d for each numbered paragraph 46-49 and complete 50. The first and last paragraphs of the text are not numbered. Mark your answers on the answer sheet. (2 x 5 = 10)
[a] Computer vulnerability has been amply documented.
[b] Theft of data has attracted the interest of organized criminal syndicated.
[c] Politically motivated sabotage is on the increase.
[d] What a competitor sabotages is a company’s computer system.

New and bizarre crimes have come into being with the advent of computer technology. Organized crime too has been directly involved; the new technology offers it unlimited opportunities, such as data crimes, theft of services, property-related crimes, industrial sabotage, politically related sabotage, vandalism, crimes against the individual and financially related crimes…
______46_______. This is usually the theft or copying of valuable computer program. An international market already exists for computerized data, and specialized fences are said to be playing a key role in this rapidly expanding criminal market. Buyers for stolen programs may range from a firm’s competitors to foreign nations.
______47_______. This computer sabotage may also be tied to an attempt by affluent investors to acquire the victim firm. With the growing reliance by firms on computers for their recordkeeping and daily operations, sabotage of their computers can result in internal havoc, after which the group interested in acquiring the firm can easily but it at a substantially lower price. Criminal groups could also resort to sabotage if the company is a competitor of a business owned or controlled by organized crime.
______48_______. Sophisticated computer technology arms these groups with awesome powers and opens technological advanced nations to their attack. Several attempts have already been made to destroy computer facility at an air force base. A university computer facility involved in national defense work suffered more than $ 2 million in damages as a result of a bombing.
______49_______. One congressional study concluded that neither government nor private computer systems are adequately protected against sabotage. Organized criminal syndicates have shown their willingness to work with politically motivated groups. Investigators have uncovered evidence of cooperation between criminal groups and foreign governments in narcotics. Criminal groups have taken attempts in assassinating political leaders… Computers are used in hospital life-support system, in laboratories, and in major surgery. Criminals could easily turn these computers into tools of devastation. By sabotaging the computer of a life-support system, criminals could kill an individual as easily as they had used a gun. By manipulating a computer, they could guide awesome tools of terror against large urban centers. Cities and nations could become hostages.
The computer opens areas of crime to organize criminal groups. It calls on them to pool their resources and increase th