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Every year television stations receive hundreds of complaints about the loudness of advertisements. However, federal rules forbid the practice of making ads louder than the programming. In addition, television stations always operate at the highest sound level allowed for reasons of efficiency. According to one NBC executive, no difference exists in the peak sound level of ads and programming. Given this information why do commercials sound so loud?
The sensation of sound involves a variety of factors in addition to its speak level. Advertisers are skilful at creating the impression of loudness through their expert use of such factors. ①One major contributor to the perceived loudness of commercials is that mush less variation in sound level occurs during a commercial. In regular programming the intensity of sound varies over a large range. However, sound levels in commercials tend to stay at or near peak levels.
②Other “tricks of the trade” are also used. Because low-frequency sounds can mask higher frequency sounds, advertisers filter out any noises that may drown out the primary message. In addition, the human voice has more auditory (听觉的) impact in the middle frequency ranges. Advertisers electronically vary voice sounds so that they stay within such a frequency band. ③Another approach is to write the script so that lots of consonants (辅音) are used, because people are more aware of consonants than vowel (元音) sounds. ④Finally, advertisers try to begin commercials with sounds that are highly different from those of the programming within which the commercial is buried. Because people become adapted to the type of sounds coming from programming, a dramatic change in sound quality draws viewer an attention. For example, notice how many commercials begin with a cheerful song of some type.
The attention-getting property of commercials can be seen by observing one-to two-year-old children who happen to be playing around a television set. They may totally ignore the programming. However, when a commercial comes on, their attention is immediately drawn to it because of its dramatic sound quality.
31.According to the passage, the maximum intensity of sound coming from commercials _______.
A) does not exceed that of programs.
B) is greater than that of programs.
C) varies over a large range than that of programs.
D) is less than that of programs.
注：文章第一段no difference
32.Commercials create the sensation of loudness because _______ .
A) TV stations always operate at the highest sound levels.
B) their sound levels are kept around peak levels.
C) their sound levels are kept in the middle frequency ranges.
D) unlike regular programs their intensity of sound varies over a wide range.
注：第二点
33.Many commercials begin with a cheerful song of some kind because ________ .
A) pop songs attract viewer attention.
B) it can increase their loudness.
C) advertisers want to make them sound different from regular programs.
D) advertisers want to merge music with commercials.
注：第四点
34.One of the reasons why commercials are able to attract viewer attention is that ________ .
A) the human voices in commercials have more auditory impact.
B) people like cheerful songs that change dramatically in sound quality.
C) high-frequency sounds are used to mask sounds that drown out the primary message.
D) they possess sound qualities that make the viewer feel that something unusual is
happening.
注：第三段Because，B选项like太主观。
35.In the passage, the author is trying to tell us ________ .
A) how TV ads vary vocal sounds to attract attention.
B) how the loudness of TV ads is overcome.
C) how advertisers control the sound properties of TV ads.
D) how the attention-getting properties of sounds are made use of in TV ads.
注：文章最后一段
Unlike other lawbreakers, who must leave the country, commit suicide, or go to jail, computer criminals sometimes escape punishment, demanding not only that they not be charged but that they be given good recommendations and perhaps other benefits.
They hesitate at the thought of a criminal boasting in open court of how he juggled (耍弄) the most confidential records right under the noses of the company's executives, accountants , and security staff.
An elderly middle-class man or woman may be alienated(疏远……) by a young adult who is dressed in an unconventional manner, regardless of the person's education, background, or interests.
Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming(打扮)-shorter hair, moderate use of makeup, and plain tailored clothing.
Feminine女权主义者；Masculine男子气概的
The more women and minorities make their way into the ranks of management, the more they seem to want to talk about things formerly judged to be best left unsaid.
越多的妇女和少数民族越往上爬，她们越想说以前最好不说的事情。
It is said that the public and Congressional concern about deceptive packaging rumpus started because Senator Hart discovered that the boxes of cereals consumed by him, Mrs. Hart, and their children were becoming higher and narrower, with a decline of net weight from 12 to 10. 5 ounces, without any reduction in price.
The manufacturer who increases the unit price of his product by changing his package size to lower the quantity delivered can, without undue hardship, put his product into boxes, bags, and tins that will contain even 4-ounce, 8-ounce, one-pound, two-pound quantities of breakfast foods, cake mixes, etc.
Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food.
Famine饥荒
Bottom retail prices-anywhere from 30% to 70% lower than those in Europe and Asia-have attracted some 47 million visitors, who are expected to leave behind $79 billion in 1994.
The electronic economy made possible by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets-with destructive impact on the have-nots.
Out of our emotional experiences with objects and events comes a social feeling of agreement that certain things and actions are “good” and others are “bad”, and we apply these categories to every aspect of our social life-from what foods we eat and what clothes we wear to how we keep promises and which people our group will accept.
倒装句，正常的顺序是a social feeling of agreement comes out of our emotional experiences.
The destruction of our natural resources and contamination of our food supply continue occur, largely because of the extreme difficulty in affixing(把…固定) legal responsibility on those who continue to treat our environment with reckless abandon(放任).
Attempts to prevent pollution by legislation, economic in-centives and friendly persuasion have been net by lawsuits, personal and industrial denial and long delays-not only in accepting responsibility, but more importantly, in doing something about it.
Where is industry's and our recognition that protecting mankind's great treasure is the single most important responsibility?
36. Which of the following is within the capacity of the artificial nose being developed?
A) Performing physical examinations.
B) Locating places which attract terrorists.
C) Detecting drugs and water contamination.
D) Monitoring food processing.
注：从本题定下文章基调，人工鼻子是个新东西。
37.A potential problem which might be caused by the use of an artificial nose is _______.
A) negligence of public safety
B) an abuse of personal freedom
C) a hazard to physical health
D) a threat to individual privacy
注：推出原文可能有转折
38.The word “logged” (Line 5, Para. 7) most probably means“______ ”.
A) preset
B) entered
C) processed
D) simulated
注：词汇题，找上下文并列、转折、解释的线索
39. To produce artificial noses for practical use, it is essential ______ .
A) to develop microchips with thousands of odor receptors
B) to invent chips sensitive to various chemicals
C) to design a computer program to sort out smells
D) to find chemicals that can alter the electrical current passing through
40. The author's attitude towards Larry Myers' works is ______.
A) approving
B) overenthusiastic
C) cautious
D) suspicious
注：作者态度题，应该选正态度
怎样先看题再看文章？
1. 什么题型？回原文应该怎么做？
2. 能不能看出作者评价？
3. 可能对应文章的语言现象
★同义转换的正确选项：
一、同义词 二、句式 三、双重否定
★错误选项特征：
一、绝对的 二、长得像的——断章取义
三、跨段 四、难词——杯弓蛇影
36. Which of the following is within the capacity of the artificial nose being developed?
A) Monitoring food processing.
B) Performing physical examinations. 跨段
C) Locating places which attract terrorists. 难词
D) Detecting drugs and water contamination.
37.A potential problem which might be caused by the use of an artificial nose is _______.
A) negligence of public safety
B) a hazard to physical health
C) a threat to individual privacy
D) an abuse of personal freedom
38.The word “logged” (Line 5, Para. 7)most probably means “______ “.
A) preset
B) simulated
C) entered
D) processed
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