Resources can be said to be scarce in both an absolute and a relative sense: the surface of the earth is finite, 1 absolute scarcity; but the scarcity that concerns economists is the relative scarcity of resources in different 2. Material used for one purpose cannot at the same time be used for other purposes; 3 the quantity of an input is limited, the increased use of it in one manufacturing 4 must cause it to become less available for other uses.
The cost of a product 5 money may not measure its true cost 6 society. The true cost of, say, the construction of a supersonic jet is the 7 of the schools and refrigerators that will never be built as a 8. Every act of production uses up some of societys available resources; it means the 9 of an opportunity to produce something else. In 10 how to use resources most effectively to satisfy the 11 of the community, this opportunity must be taken into account.
In a market 12 the price of a good and the quantity 13 depends on the cost of making it, and the cost, 14, is the cost of not making other goods. The market mechanism 15 this relationship. The cost of, say, a pair of shoes is the price of the leather, the fuel, and other 16 used up in producing them. But the price of these 17, in turn, depends on what they can produce 18—if the leather can used to produce handbags that are 19 highly by consumers, the price of the leather will be bid up 20.
1. \[A\] composing \[B\] imposing \[C\] exposing \[D\] disposing
2. \[A\] uses \[B\] ways \[C\] areas \[D\] forms
3. \[A\] since \[B\] unless \[C\] as \[D\] if
4. \[A\] plant \[B\] firm \[C\] process \[D\] procedure
5. \[A\] in regard to \[B\] in terms of \[C\] in view of \[D\] in relation to
6. \[A\] to \[B\] in \[C\] on \[D\] of
7. \[A\] charge \[B\] expense \[C\] price \[D\] value
8. \[A\] product \[B\] purpose \[C\] result \[D\] rule
9. \[A\] diminishing \[B\] abandoning \[C\] discarding \[D\] substituting
10. \[A\] deciding \[B\] assessing \[C\] predicting \[D\] projecting
11. \[A\] wants \[B\] desires \[C\] premises \[D\] facilities
12. \[A\] state \[B\] system \[C\] condition \[D\] economy
13. \[A\] presented \[B\] delivered \[C\] supplied \[D\] forwarded
14. \[A\] accordingly \[B\] ultimately \[C\] consequently \[D\] practically
15. \[A\] formulates \[B\] regulates \[C\] enhances \[D\] enforces
16. \[A\] components \[B\] substances \[C\] elements \[D\] materials
17. \[A\] outputs \[B\] inputs \[C\] goods \[D\] articles
18. \[A\] anyway \[B\] somehow \[C\] somewhere \[D\] elsewhere
19. \[A\] appraised \[B\] appealed \[C\] approved \[D\] approached
20. \[A\] passionately \[B\] unanimously \[C\] spontaneously \[D\] correspondingly
Section ⅡReading Comprehension
Part A
Directions:
Read the following four texts.Answer the questions below each text by choosing A,B,C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)
Text1
Can computer reason? Reasoning requires the individual to take a given set of facts and draw correct conclusions. Unfortunately, errors frequently occur, and we are not talking about simple carelessness as occurs when two numbers are incorrectly added, nor do we mean errors resulting from simple forgetfulness. Rather, we have in mind errors of a logical nature—those resulting from faulty reasoning. Now, or at least soon, computers will be capable of errorfree logical reasoning in a variety of areas. The key to avoiding errors is to use a computer program that relies on the recent research in the field of automated theorem proving. AURA(Automated Reasoning Assistant) is the program that best exemplifies this use of the computer.
AURA solves a program by drawing conclusions from a given set of facts about the problem. The program reaches logical conclusions flawlessly as it uses various types of reasoning and solves almost all problems by using sophisticated techniques to find a contradiction.
One generally starts with a set of assumptions and adds a statement that the goal is unreachable. For example, if the problem is to test a safety system that automatically shuts down a nuclear reactor when instruments indicate a problem, AURA is told that the system will not shut the reactor down under those circumstances. If AURA finds a contradiction between the statement and the systems design assumptions, then this aspect of the reactors design has been proved satisfactory. This strategy lets AURA concentrate on the problem at hand and avoid the many fruitless steps required to explore the entire theory underlying the problem.
The chief use for AURA at this time is for electronic circuit design validation, but a number of other uses will arise. For example, there already exist “expert systems” that are specialpurpose programs designed to automate reasoning in a specific area such as medical diagnosis. These expert systems continue to improve and have an indefinite life span. Moreover, they can be duplicated for pennies. A human who can expertly predict where to drill for oil is in great demand. A program that can predict equally well would be invaluable and could be duplicated any number of times.
Will the computer replace the human being? It seems likely that computer programs will reproduce more clever programs and more efficient components. Reasoning programs will also analyze their own progress, learn from their attempts to solve a problem. Such programs will assist, rather than replace, humans. Reasoning assistants will enable human minds to turn to deeper and far more complex ideas, which will be partially formulated and then checked for reasoning flaws by a reasoning program. Many errors will be avoided.21. The author suggests in Par.1 that humans are
\[A\] liable to irrational thinking.\[B\] apt to err in simple counting.
\[C\] prone to memory dysfunction.\[D\] subject to unwitting reasoning.
22. The way AURA works in is to
\[A\] explore the faults in designing.\[B\] discover the bugs in a program.
\[C\] state against the set suppositions.\[D\] make assumptions by reasoning.
23. All of the following are mentioned as areas for AURA EXCEPT
\[A\] electronic engineering.\[B\] detection of fossil fuels.
\[C\] identification of diseases.\[D\] complicated mental logic.
24. All of the following are advantages of expert programs EXCEPT
\[A\] they can be duplicated infinitely.\[B\] they are featured by selfanalysis.
\[C\] they may be enriched in contents.\[D\] they are reproduced almost free.
25. The best title for the text seems to be
\[A\] Practical Uses of Computers.\[B\] Suggested Applications for AURA.
\[C\] The Technical Perfect
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