Questions 20-30
- B; q2 ?: J8 Z0 H7 F7 G: x: L. O# dA survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, that provides
! x6 \% J) L! Z3 M8 Minformation concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known( L6 C# w2 U" d7 i- k
surveys are the Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during Line
1 H% G) ~1 @& g' t4 Y! D& lcampaigns presidential knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in; ~! p* z6 K& [6 t# v4 Z
(5) the United States.) M' A6 X# [- j6 S
North Americans are familiar with the many "person on the street? interviews on local7 |) m/ T/ |& S$ P) M
television news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not: Y5 f+ J3 O5 I+ m
necessarily an accurate indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only- V0 u/ t) C# z
those people who appear at a certain location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor
. E) C( U: R+ N9 f2 d0 t(10) of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory workers, depending On which area the
6 y% V) k. d3 i, |7 gnewspeople select. Second, television interviews tend to attract outgoing people who are8 {8 y4 S3 N# ^0 L! [
willing to appear on the air, while they frighten away others who may feel intimidated by
: W5 F7 d t# j, B; S" Ja camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to genuinely0 \( o2 j8 N# n& Y6 L! d; X v$ m
reflect a broad range of the population.
2 y' J9 }8 D( Z) K# t(15) In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording
1 s( c' G9 O4 B2 Bof questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to1 O& U9 l( d& C1 u# c
understand it. It must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting0 e9 }4 h6 |8 g1 P
the results. Even questions that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit2 M# ^6 w/ J, S; ]
the type of information desired. Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but0 |. {& t* P. C% w' ?& M- \+ f& i
(20) only if the sampling is done properly and the questions are worded accurately.
% A/ F" Y3 p7 F. ~) N8 Q! bThere are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these, }' o- Z. H0 T- P- y
forms of survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate3 v X t; [' {; V7 G
because people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than1 Y5 k; M# V5 I1 B4 G% F
to throw away a written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written
) q6 F) W) X+ }3 x, k$ t(25) questions and probe for a subject's underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires
: F; k- G# T- |have the advantage of being cheaper and more consistent.. ~0 v9 |. w( R. J: T, B
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7 t$ q- M- Q' }/ @20. What does the passage mainly discuss?& K4 R& x, w1 I# }' f
(A) The history of surveys in North America5 @ T8 @$ I! V+ B8 L+ r$ z
(B) The principles of conducting surveys
0 U. T$ p1 X# o# s(C) Problems associated with interpreting surveys. F/ S* ~- R4 @* p" V$ i# b
(D) The importance of polls in American political life
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" q; n- v3 @2 S. t+ q6 [# Y21. The word "they" in line 8 refers to4 p' G% ~; @4 N
(A) North Americans
$ ~7 v7 Y3 t3 [* z4 P% B. e4 `' m(B) news shows7 G" _) |: r. W1 K, _$ `; f/ R
(C) interviews
. _2 }6 d/ A9 Q3 {7 G8 }9 O) N" J(D) opinions |
发表于 2012-8-14 22:34:35
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