难句解析：
①In his latest book, Doing Our Own Thing. The Degradation of language and Music and why we should like, care, John McWhorter, a linguist and controversialist of mixed liberal and conservative views, sees the triumph of 1960s counter-culture as responsible for the decline of formal English.
该句子的主干是John McWhorte sees the triumph of 1960s counter-culture as responsible for the decline。主语前的介词短语in his latest book做状语，book后有一个较长的书名充当其同位语。主语和谓语之间为主语的同位语，对主语补充说明。
翻译：在他最近的书《做我们自己的事：语言和音乐的退化，以及为什么我们应该喜欢或在意？》中，这位学者认为60年代反文化运动的胜利要对正式英语的退化负责。
②As a linguist, he acknowledges that all varieties of human language, including non-standard ones like Black English, can be powerfully expressive-there exists no language or dialect in the world that cannot convey complex ideas
该句子的主干是he acknowledges that all varieties can be expressive，谓语acknowledges后面是that引导的宾语从句。从句中主谓之间插入了介词短语including non-standard ones like Black English。破折号后面分句对前面话语进行补充说明。
翻译：麦荷特认为各种各样的人类语言，包括像黑人语言这样的非标准语言，都具有强大的表达力――世上没有传达不了复杂思想的语言或方言。
试题解析：
第四篇文章的专业性比较强，讲的美国人由于随意性，所以英语的语言也变得相当随意的主旨，对很多对语言学不敏感的同学是很难的，因为专业性太强。这篇文章总体同样属于一个对比性的文章，关键词围绕正式用语非正式用语这里面的变化。开篇是在说什么导致英语的衰败，不是那么正式了。 中间的部分是在讲语言的变化是不可阻挡的。结尾继续讲俄国人对本国语言的最终是值得我们赞赏的。
36题答案是Ｂ。作者认为是不可避免的在语言的发展中，而A是讲教育改革不可避免。
37题，原文反复出现的是语音的正式性和非正式性，所以这个题选Ｄ。
38题问的是人物的观点，所以要区分作者的观点，美国人语言是衰败指的并不是逻辑思维也是衰败的，所以选择A。
39题作者提到俄国人喜欢背诗，作者在文章是赞赏的语气，称赞他们努力维护本国的语言。
40题，这个题也是一个类比题，他说咱们经常纸碟和瓷器之间的关联，纸盒子不漂亮可以盛饭，瓷器在大餐聚会时被使用，讲究美食性。所以答案选C，是一种功能性和美食性的关联性和关系性。
全文翻译：
美国人已不再期待公众人物在演讲或写作中能运用技巧和文采来驾驭英语，而公众人物自己也不渴望这样。语言学家麦荷特喜好争论，他的观点混杂着自由派与保守派的看法。在他最近的书《做我们自己的事：语言和音乐的退化，以及为什么我们应该喜欢或在意？》中，这位学者认为60年代反文化运动的胜利要对正式英语的退化负责。
责备放纵的六十年代不是什么新鲜事，但这次算不上是对教育衰落的又一场批判。麦荷特先生的学术专长在于语言史和语言演变。举例来说，他认为“whom”一词的逐渐消失是自然的，并不比古英语中词格尾缀的消失更让人惋惜。
然而，“做自己的事”这一对事务真实性和个人性的崇高信条，已经导致了正式演讲、写作、诗歌及音乐的消亡。在20世纪60年代以前，仅受过一般教育的人在下笔时都会寻求一种更高雅的强调；而那之后，即使是最受关注的文章也开始逮住口语就写在纸面上。同样的，对于诗歌来说，非常个性化和富有表现力的创作风格成为了能够表达真实生动含义的唯一形式。无论作为口语还是书面语的英语，随意言谈胜过雅致的言辞，自我发挥也压过了精心准备。
麦荷特显示先生从上层和下层文化中列举了一系列有趣的例子，从而说明他记录的这种趋势是确凿无误的。但就书中副标题中的疑问：为什么我们应该、喜欢或在意，答案却不够明确。作为语言学家，麦荷特认为各种各样的人类语言，包括像黑人语言这样的非标准语言，都具有强大的表达力――世上没有传达不了复杂思想的语言或方言。不像其他大多数人，麦荷特先生并不认为我们说话方式不再规范就会使我们不能够准确的思考。
俄罗斯人深爱自己的语言，并在脑海中存储了大量诗歌；而意大利的政客们往往精心准备演讲，即使这在大多数讲英语的人们眼里已经过时。麦荷特先生认为正式语言并非不可或缺，也没有提出要进行彻底的教育改革――他其实只是为那些美好事务而不是实用品的消逝而哀叹。我们现在用“纸盘子”而非“瓷盘子”装着我们的英语大餐。真是惭愧啊，但很可能已无法避免。
2004 Text 1
Hunting for a job late last year, lawyer Gant Redmon stumbled across CareerBuilder, a job database on the Internet. He searched it with no success but was attracted by the site's "personal search agent". It's an interactive feature that lets visitors key in job criteria such as location, title, and salary, then E-mails them when a matching position is posted in the database. Redmon chose the keywords legal, intellectual property, and Washington, D.C. Three weeks later, he got his first notification of an opening. "I struck gold," says Redmon, who E-mailed his resume to the employer and won a position as in-house counsel for a company.
With thousands of career-related sites on the Internet, finding promising openings can be time-consuming and inefficient. Search agents reduce the need for repeated visits to the databases. But although a search agent worked for Redmon, career experts see drawbacks. Narrowing your criteria, for example, may work against you: "Every time you answer a question you eliminate a possibility." says one expert.
For any job search, you should start with a narrow concept — what you think you want to do — then broaden it. "None of these programs do that," says another expert. "There's no career counseling implicit in all of this." Instead, the best strategy is to use the agent as a kind of tip service to keep abreast of jobs in a particular database; when you get E-mail, consider it a reminder to check the database again. "I would not rely on agents for finding everything that is added to a database that might interest me," says the author of a job-searching guide.
Some sites design their agents to tempt job hunters to return. When CareerSite's agent sends out messages to those who have signed up for its service, for example, it includes only three potential jobs — those it considers the best matches. There may be more matches in the database; job hunters will have to visit the site again to find them — and they do. "On the day after we send our messages, we see a sharp increase in our traffic," says Seth Peets, vice president of marketing for CareerSite.
Even those who aren't hunting for jobs may find search agents worthwhile. Some use them to keep a close watch on the demand for their line of work or gather information on compensation to arm themselves when negotiating for a raise. Although happily employed, Redmon maintains his agent at CareerBuilder. "You always keep your eyes open," he says. Working with a personal search agent means having another set of eyes looking out for you.
41. How did Redmon find his job?
[A] By searching openings in a job database.
[B] By posting a matching position in a database.
[C] By using a special service of a database.
[D] By E-mailing his resume to a database.
42. Which of the following can be a disadvantage of search agents?
[A] Lack of counseling.
[B] Limited number of visits.
[C] Lower efficiency.
[D] Fewer successful matches.
43. The expression "tip service" (line 3, paragraph 3) most probably means ________.
[A] advisory
[B] compensation
[C] interaction
[D] reminder
44. Why does CareerSite's agent offer each job hunter only three job options?
[A] To focus on better job matches.
[B] To attract more returning visits.
[C] To reserve space for more messages.
[D] To increase the rate of success.
45. Which of the following is true according to the text?
[A] Personal search agents are indispensable to job-hunters.
[B] Some sites keep E-mailing job seekers to trace their demands.
[C] Personal search agents are also helpful to those already employed.
[D] Some agents stop sending information to people once they are employed.
重点词汇：
stumble across 无意间碰到，偶然发现
database [ ]数据库 [记]data 数据
key in 键入
notification [------------ ]通知，告示 [记]notify v通知 通告
drawback [ ?]缺点;退款 [记]duty drawback关税退税
eliminate [ ] 排除，消除；淘汰
counseling [ ]专家针对个人问题所作的忠告或指导 [记]counselor 顾问；律师；辅导员
implicit [ ?]暗示的，含蓄的；（in）不怀疑；无保留的[反义词]explicit
keep abreast of 跟上…，不落伍；
tempt [ ?]诱惑，吸引；never to be tempted off the straight path决不被引入歧途
compensation [------------]补偿，赔偿。compensation trade补偿贸易
难句分析：
① It's an interactive feature that lets visitors key in job criteria such as location, title, and salary, then E-mails them when a matching position is posted in the database.
该强调句的主干是：It is （an interactive feature）that （lets…then… E-mails…），强调主语an interactive feature。That 后面连接的是两个谓语动词结构：let sb. Do sth。和名词活用为动词的E-mail。Such as…结构举例说明job criteria。When引导的时间状语从句修饰整个句子
翻译：它的特点是互动，允许访问者自定求职要求诸如工作地点、职位和薪水，当资料库里出现与个人要求相匹配的工作岗位时它就会通过电子邮件通知求职者。
② Instead, the best strategy is to use the agent as a kind of tip service to keep abreast of jobs in a particular database; when you get E-mail, consider it a reminder to check the database again.
该句子分句前后是两个分句，后一分句对前一分句作进一步解释。前一分句的主干是the best strategy is to use the agent，as…介词短语结构意为“当做…”。不定式结构“to keep…”表示目的。
翻译：相反，最佳的策略是把代理当作一种提示服务来及时跟踪某一资料库里的工作岗位信息。当你收到电子邮件时，你就把它当作一种提醒再去查一查资料库。
③ When CareerSite's agent sends out messages to those who have signed up for its service, for example, it includes only three potential jobs — those it considers the best matches.
For example 点明了这个句子和前一句之间的关系；举例说明前面一句话。该句子的主干是：t includes only three potential jobs。When引导时间状语从句。破折号后是potential jobs的同位语，中心词是those，后面接定语从句，句子中的it回指CareerSite's agent
翻译：比如，当求职网代理向注册服务的用户发送信息时，它只提供三个它认为最可能匹配的岗位。
④ Some use them to keep a close watch on the demand for their line of work or gather information on compensation to arm themselves when negotiating for a raise.
该句子的主干是Some use them，两个并列的不定式结构 to keep…or gather…在句子中做目的状语。在第二个目的状语中又含有一个表示目的的不定式短语 to arm…。
翻译：有些人利用搜索代理密切观察对于本行业的需求或搜集有关加薪的信息以备增薪谈判时胸有成竹。
译文：
去年年末，甘特·雷德曼律师在找工作时偶然在网上发现职业资料库“职业建筑师”。他找来找去并没有找到什么工作，但被这个网址上的“个人搜索代理”所吸引。它的特点是互动，允许访问者自定求职要求诸如工作地点、职位和薪水，当资料库里出现与个人要求相匹配的工作岗位时它就会通过电子邮件通知求职者。雷德曼选择关键词“法律”、“知识产权”和“华盛顿特区”。过了三个星期，雷德曼接到第一份有职位空缺的通知。他说：“我掘到了金子。”他把个人简历用电子邮件寄给了雇主，接着就得到了一份驻公司顾问的职务。
因特网上与求职相关的网址数以千计，寻找可能的职业空缺费时效率又低。有了搜索代理，就没那么多必要反复访问资料库了。不过，虽然有一个搜索代理成功地为雷德曼找到了工作，就业专家却还是认为搜索代理并不如人意。比如缩小你的要求条件就有可能对你不利。一位专家说：“你每回答一次问题你就丧失一次机会。”
寻找任何职业，你都要从一个狭窄的概念开始，即你想干什么工作，然后再加以扩展。有一位专家说：“任何这些程序中都没有那种扩展功能。”“所有这一切都不包含职业咨询。”相反，最佳的策略是把代理当作一种提示服务来及时跟踪某一资料库里的工作岗位信息。当你收到电子邮件时，你就把它当作一种提醒再去查一查资料库。一位职业搜索指南的作者说：“我不会依赖代理在数据库增加的每一项内容里去逐一寻找可能令我感兴趣的东西。”
一些网络谋划让代理诱惑寻职者成为回头客。比如，当求职网代理向注册服务的用户发送信息时，它只提供三个它认为最可能匹配的岗位。可能，在资料库里还有更多的匹配项；求职者于是只好再次访问这个网址来寻找一求职者的确会一而再、再而三地来上网寻找。求职网销售副总裁塞思·皮茨说：“我们发送这些信息的当天访问量就急剧增长。”
即使非求职的人士也会发现搜索代理值得一览。有些人利用搜索代理密切观察对于本行业的需求或搜集有关加薪的信息以备增薪谈判时胸有成竹。雷德曼虽然已愉快就职，但他与“职业建筑师”网代理的联系依旧保持着。他说：“你要永远睁大眼睛。”使用个人搜索代理等于多一双眼睛替你在观察。
答案：
41. [C] 通过使用数据库的一种特殊服务。
42. [A] 缺少咨询指导。
43. [D] 提醒。
44. [B] 吸引更多回访。
45. [C] 个人搜索代理对已经就业的人来说也有帮助。
2004 Text 2
Over the past century, all kinds of unfairness and discrimination have been condemned or made illegal. But one insidious form continues to thrive: alphabetism. This, for those as yet unaware of such a disadvantage, refers to discrimination against those whose surnames begin with a letter in the lower half of the alphabet.
It has long been known that a taxi firm called AAAA cars has a big advantage over Zodiac cars when customers thumb through their phone directories. Less well known is the advantage that Adam Abbott has in life over Zo? Zysman. English names are fairly evenly spread between the halves of the alphabet. Yet a suspiciously large number of top people have surnames beginning with letters between A and K.
Thus the American president and vice-president have surnames starting with B and C respectively; and 26 of George Bush's predecessors (including his father) had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half. Even more striking, six of the seven heads of government of the G7 rich countries are alphabetically advantaged (Berlusconi, Blair, Bush, Chirac, Chrétien and Koizumi). The world's three top central bankers (Greenspan, Duisenberg and Hayami) are all close to the top of the alphabet, even if one of them really uses Japanese characters. As are the world's five richest men (Gates, Buffett, Allen, Ellison and Albrecht).
Can this merely be coincidence? One theory, dreamt up in all the spare time enjoyed by the alphabetically disadvantaged, is that the rot sets in early. At the start of the first year in infant school, teachers seat pupils alphabetically from the front, to make it easier to remember their names. So short-sighted Zysman junior gets stuck in the back row, and is rarely asked the improving questions posed by those insensitive teachers. At the time the alphabetically disadvantaged may think they have had a lucky escape. Yet the result may be worse qualifications, because they get less individual attention, as well as less confidence in speaking publicly.
The humiliation continues. At university graduation ceremonies, the ABCs proudly get their awards first; by the time they reach the Zysmans most people are literally having a ZZZ. Shortlists for job interviews, election ballot papers, lists of conference speakers and attendees: all tend to be drawn up alphabetically, and their recipients lose interest as they plough through them.
46. What does the author intend to illustrate with AAAA cars and Zodiac cars?
[A] A kind of overlooked inequality.
[B] A type of conspicuous bias.
[C] A type of personal prejudice.
[D] A kind of brand discrimination.
47. What can we infer from the first three paragraphs?
[A] In both East and West, names are essential to success.
[B] The alphabet is to blame for the failure of Zo? Zysman.
[C] Customers often pay a lot of attention to companies' names.
[D] Some form of discrimination is too subtle to recognize.
48. The 4th paragraph suggests that ________.
[A] questions are often put to the more intelligent students
[B] alphabetically disadvantaged students often escape form class
[C] teachers should pay attention to all of their students
[D] students should be seated according to their eyesight
49. What does the author mean by "most people are literally having a ZZZ" (line 2, paragraph 5)?
[A] They are getting impatient.
[B] They are noisily dozing off.
[C] They are feeling humiliated.
[D] They are busy with word puzzles.
50. Which of the following is true according to the text?
[A] People with surnames beginning with N to Z are often ill-treated.
[B] VIPs in the Western world gain a great deal from alphabetism.
[C] The campaign to eliminate alphabetism still has a long way to go.
[D] Putting things alphabetically may lead to unintentional bias.
重点词汇：
condemn [ ?]声讨，谴责 [例]condemn sb.'s behaviour谴责某人的举动
insidious [ ?]暗中进行的，不知不觉的 [例]the insidious approach of age不知不觉就老了
thrive [ ?]兴旺，繁荣 [例]He that will thrive, must rise at five. [谚]五更起床, 百事兴旺。
thumb through 翻阅（书页）
suspiciously 猜疑地
predecessor [------------] n. 前辈；（被取代的原有事物） pre－前缀“前面”，cess词跟“走”，－or “者，人”“走在我们前面的人”是“前辈”
coincidence [------------?]巧合
rot [ ?]腐朽，腐化，the rot sets in 习惯用语，表示“情况开始出毛病；事情开始走下坡”
humiliation [------------ ]羞辱，蒙耻
literally [ ?]（口语）简直
shortlist [ ?]供最后选举用的候选人名单
ballot [ ]选票；
attendee [ ]出席者，参加者 －ee后缀，表示“……者”，如devotee 献身者retiree 退休者 refugee 逃难者
recipient [ ]接收者
plough (through) 艰难前进，啃（书本等）
难句分析：
①This, for those as yet unaware of such a disadvantage, refers to discrimination against those whose surnames begin with a letter in the lower half of the alphabet.
该句子的主干是this refers to discrimination。主语this 和谓语refers to之间插入了介词短语for those作状语，those 后跟着形容词短语unaware of…作定语，宾语discrimination 后跟介词短语against those作定语，those后又有whose引导的定语从句。
对于尚未意识到其危害的人来说，它指的是对那些姓氏起始字母位于字母表后半部的人的歧视。
②Thus the American president and vice-president have surnames starting with B and C respectively; and 26 of George Bush's predecessors (including his father) had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half.
该句子的主干是由and连接的两个分句，即American president and vice-president have surnames，and 26 of…had surnames。第一个分句的宾语surnames后是分词结构starting with作定语；第二个分句宾语紧跟的介词结构in the first half of the alphabet作定语，另外一个分词结构…的完整形式是against just 16 of George Bush's predecessors had surnames in the second half
