Section A: Banked Cloze
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Cultural Inclusiveness in Australian Children’s Books
A new study has drawn a bleak picture of cultural inclusiveness reflected in the children’s literature available in Australia. Dr. Helen Adam from Edith Cowan University’s School of Education (26) ______ the cultural diversity of children’s books. She examined the books (27) ______ in the kindergarten day-care centers of four Western Australia. Just 18 percent of 2,413 books in the total collection contained any (28) ______ of non-white people. Minority cultures were often featured in stereotypical or tokenistic ways, for example, by (29) ______ Asian culture with chopsticks and traditional dress. Characters that did represent a minority culture usually had (30) ______ roles in the books. The main characters were mostly Caucasian. This causes concern as it can lead to an impression that whiteness is of greater value.
Dr. Adam said children formed impressions about ‘difference’ and identity from a very young age. Evidence has shown they develop own-race (31) ______ from as young as three months of age. The books we share with young children can be a valuable opportunity to develop children’s understanding of themselves and others. Books can also allow children to see diversity. They discover both similarities and differences between themselves and others. This can help develop understanding, acceptance and (32) ______ of diversity.
Census data has shown Australians come from more than 200 countries. They speak over 300 languages at home. Additionally, Australians belong to more than 100 different religious groups. They also work in more than 1,000 different occupations. “Australia is a multicultural society. The current (33) ______ promotion of white middle-class ideas and lifestyles risks (34) ______ children from minority groups. This can give white middle-class children a sense of (35) ______ or privilege,” Dr. Adam said.
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
Section A: Banked Cloze
26. F (investigated)。解析：空格作
Dr. Helen Adam 的谓语，且时态为一般过去时，需要动词过去式。后文说“她检查（examined）了这些书”，这里应是她“调查”了儿童读物的文化多样性。因此填入 investigated。27. E (housed)。解析：空格在名词
books 之后，in the kindergarten... 之前，需要过去分词作后置定语。house 作动词意为“收藏，安置”。此处指“放置/收藏在”西澳大利亚四家幼儿园日托中心的书。因此填入 housed。28. I (representation)。解析：空格在
any 和 of non-white people 之间，需要名词。前文提到只有18%的书包含非白人的内容。representation of 意为“...的表现/再现/代表”。因此填入 representation。29. H (portraying)。解析：空格在介词
by 之后，需要动名词。前文说少数民族文化经常以刻板印象被展现，例如通过用筷子和传统服饰来“描绘”亚洲文化。因此填入 portraying。30. K (secondary)。解析：空格在动词
had 和名词 roles 之间，需要形容词。后文对比说“主要角色（main characters）几乎都是白人”，所以代表少数民族文化的角色通常是“次要的”角色。因此填入 secondary。31. C (bias)。解析：空格在
own-race（同种族）之后，需要名词。句意：证据表明，孩子们从小就发展出同种族“偏见”。因此填入 bias。32. B (appreciation)。解析：空格在连词
and 之后，与名词 understanding、acceptance 并列，需要名词。这有助于培养对多样性的理解、接受和“欣赏”。因此填入 appreciation。33. G (overwhelming)。解析：空格在
current 和 promotion 之间，需要形容词。前文提到只有极少数书籍包含非白人角色，所以当前对白人中产阶级理念的推崇是“压倒性的/势不可挡的”。因此填入 overwhelming。34. A (alienating)。解析：空格在动词
risks 之后，risk doing sth 是固定搭配（冒...的风险），需要动名词。这种白人推崇冒着使少数民族儿童被“疏远/孤立”的风险。因此填入 alienating。35. L (superiority)。解析：空格在
a sense of 之后，与 privilege（特权）并列，需要名词。因为书里的主角大多是白人，这会给白人孩子一种“优越”感。因此填入 superiority。【核心搭配与亮点句型】
draw a bleak picture：描绘出一幅黯淡的画面（drawn a bleak picture of cultural inclusiveness）
lead to an impression：导致一种印象（lead to an impression that whiteness is of greater value）
a sense of superiority：优越感（a sense of superiority or privilege）
risk doing sth：冒着做某事的风险（risks alienating children from minority groups）
be of greater value：更有价值（`be + of + n.` 结构相当于形容词）（whiteness is of greater value）