北京GRE机经

　　考试时间：2012年2月18日

　　考试地点：北京航空航天大学

　　issue：

　　Some people claim that you can tell whether a nation is great by looking at the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists. Others argue that the surest indicator of a great nation is, in fact, the general welfare of all its people.

　　argument：

　　"Two years ago, the nearby town of Ocean View built a new municipal golf course and resort hotel. During the past two years, tourism in Ocean View has increased, new businesses have opened there, and Ocean View's tax revenues have risen by 30 percent. Therefore, the best way to improve Hopewell's economy—and generate additional tax revenues—is to build a golf course and resort hotel similar to those in Ocean View."

　　考试时间：2011年12月3日

　　考试地点：北京大学

　　ISSUE:

　　Scientists and other researchers should focus their research on areas that are likely to benefit the greatest number of people.

　　ARGUMENT:

　　Most homes in the northeastern United States, where winters are typically cold, have traditionally used oil as their major fuel for heating. Last heating season that region experienced 90 days with below-normal temperatures, and climate forecasters predict that this weather pattern will continue for several more years. Furthermore, many new homes are being built in the region in response to recent population growth. Because of these trends, we predict an increased demand for heating oil.

　　考试时间：2011年11月19日

　　考试地点：北京工商大学

　　Issue:

　　Claim: Governments must ensure that their major cities receive the financial support they need in order to thrive.

　　Reason: It is primarily in cities that a nation's cultural traditions are preserved and generated.

　　Argument:

　　Medical experts say that only one-quarter of Corpora's citizens meet the current standards for adequate physical fitness, even though twenty years ago, one-half of all of Corpora's citizens met the standards as then defined. But these experts are mistaken when they suggest that spending too much time using computers has caused a decline in fitness. Since overall fitness levels are highest in regions of Corpora where levels of computer ownership are also highest, it is clear that using computers has not made citizens less physically fit. Instead, as shown by this year's unusually low expenditures on fitness-related products and services, the recent decline in the economy is most likely the cause, and fitness levels will improve when the economy does."

　　Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

　　考试时间：2011年12月17日

　　考试地点：北外

　　Issue：

　　Government officials should rely on their own judgment rather than unquestioningly carry out the will of the people they serve.

　　Argument：

　　The following appeared in a memo to the board of directors of a company that specializes in the delivery of heating oil.

　　"Most homes in the northeastern United States, where winters are typically cold, have traditionally used oil as their major fuel for heating. Last heating season, that region experienced 90 days with below-normal temperatures, and climate forecasters predict that this weather pattern will continue for several more years. Furthermore, many new homes are being built in the region in response to recent population growth. Because of these trends, we can safely predict that this region will experience an increased demand for heating oil during the next five years."

　　考试时间：2011年10月23日

　　考试地点：北京第二外国语学院

　　Issue：

Educational institutions should actively encourage their students to choose fields of study that will prepare them for lucrative careers.

　　Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.
　　argument：

　　The following memorandum is from the business manager of Happy Pancake House restaurants..

　　"Recently, butter has been replaced by margarine in Happy Pancake House restaurants throughout the southwestern United States. This change, however, has had little impact on our customers. In fact, only about 2percent of customers have complained, indicating that an average of 98 people out of 100 are happy with the change. Furthermore, many servers have reported that a number of customers who ask for butter do not complain when they are given margarine instead. Clearly, either these customers do not distinguish butter from margarine or they use the term 'butter' to refer to either butter or margarine."