Questions 20-30/ g4 L: a0 h6 D
A survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, that provides
* G4 w% f' h# o6 k" R5 ~2 linformation concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known3 d% N) R7 B, X! T/ L2 t4 y) G
surveys are the Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during Line # `2 m. l) i! ?
campaigns presidential knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in3 D3 f2 }8 _& I) c- Z$ B
(5) the United States.
! x* C( N- s+ U6 k: c6 S. h- ONorth Americans are familiar with the many "person on the street? interviews on local
7 c1 g; P3 I$ Y4 b0 ptelevision news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not
, r8 r6 f% i) l8 R) V! bnecessarily an accurate indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only d2 P9 C+ l0 c
those people who appear at a certain location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor
! H* B0 P+ M0 q' t) w- V/ K3 b/ p(10) of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory workers, depending On which area the
! K, G2 P/ l0 }# R# x- _newspeople select. Second, television interviews tend to attract outgoing people who are
; x$ s+ ]/ ] p9 Y H: gwilling to appear on the air, while they frighten away others who may feel intimidated by' ~* k5 k( ~! C; O9 x
a camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to genuinely
, h2 o+ L6 ^8 r( i% ]reflect a broad range of the population./ Q7 z9 z3 `8 W: F( N
(15) In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording! w1 _# E7 V5 X
of questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to) D) a0 e2 f1 Y- E5 E
understand it. It must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting
7 h% B7 \& g# w- E8 T6 jthe results. Even questions that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit
; C1 K$ a3 ^7 s( v/ }2 a+ N" V- v( fthe type of information desired. Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but
: Z0 J! @) g* c" t(20) only if the sampling is done properly and the questions are worded accurately.6 Y; a( m0 f9 u( T
There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these' G# ^! H" t& [, r f
forms of survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate
' c5 ? _% X0 Q1 l! ]) g1 Rbecause people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than
6 Y7 o& K! Y' S. \0 W4 ^( ~to throw away a written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written- ?# o2 l4 |6 i/ H h
(25) questions and probe for a subject's underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires$ o3 z# D% T* H) K4 R& n/ E: W
have the advantage of being cheaper and more consistent.( D, O4 c/ \3 F4 _( ~
1 w" f! s7 ]2 T8 h. n, g
1 S! G4 V1 Y4 l) U: s! d$ `) a6 g
' c- I8 F% {; D; ]2 k% Y
. H A6 E7 g; Z2 c3 i7 m9 F7 j20. What does the passage mainly discuss?+ x+ f5 G+ U& A. M* k
(A) The history of surveys in North America4 P `$ f' ~$ K; y1 a
(B) The principles of conducting surveys/ ?6 E7 z8 M6 B( \, i6 B9 g+ ^
(C) Problems associated with interpreting surveys
$ o, k/ Y0 d' e8 F(D) The importance of polls in American political life5 Z$ t8 C4 n$ W* h% ~4 m
- q, S( K, ?) t5 d1 W
21. The word "they" in line 8 refers to
5 N; F) D5 c) Y6 B8 U- o/ ]' h& z5 q(A) North Americans
" j. H1 l! [# B& J( m' }(B) news shows
& r* z* C4 @) z8 l(C) interviews! }( Z5 U; J5 }
(D) opinions |
发表于 2012-8-14 22:34:35
楼主