化學工程 108 年英文考古題

Doctor Wong is promoted because he has done an excellent job of supervising the medical . (A)catalogue (B)laboratory (C)compliment (D)segment

John was appointed ambassador to the United States. He was granted the ____ of port, and his personalluggage was free from inspection. (A)indifference (B)solidarity (C)commodity (D)courtesy

Without receiving final approval from its board of trustees, the university has set its budget forthe next academic year at NT$200 million. (A)beneficially (B)passionately (C)reliably (D)tentatively

New Scientist is a science magazine for everyone, both young & old, _______ & professional. (A)youthful (B)elite (C)amateur (D)native

After being interrogated by the police for two days, the suspect finally to the crime. (A)confessed (B)authorized (C)disciplined (D)improvised

The products received a great deal of _____ when they were advertised during the Olympic Games. (A)consequence (B)exposure (C)invasion (D)penalty

It is believed that the have been living on Austonesian (Southern Asian) Islands for thousandsof years. (A)assistants (B)aborigines (C)newcomers (D)sponsors

Christine worked hard for a long time, and _____ she became a very successful businesswoman. (A)consistently (B)eventually (C)intensively (D)partially

One of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s top officials arrived at the United States where he isexpected to help the groundwork for talks between Kim and US President in Singapore. (A)lay (B)lie (C)rise (D)raise請依下文回答第6 題至第10 題In 2010, a South Korean couple was 6 the murder of their daughter through neglect. When theirdaughter was born, she weighed 2.9 kilograms. Three months later, when she 7 , she weighed 2.4kilograms. The strangest part was that the parents were playing a game for many hours each day in whichthey raised a 8 child online. Similarly, in 2014, a young South Korean man who spent much of his timein Internet Cafés was arrested after his two-year-old son starved to death. South Korea has seen exponentialgrowth in computer and Internet use. This has caused many to worry that certain users are 9 unable tocontrol how much time they spend on the Internet. They fear an epidemic of addiction to video game. SouthKorea is not 10 : many other developed countries have also experienced huge growth in video gamesand Internet addiction.

According to Facebook Community Standards, any videos that ______ violence should be removed. Thispolicy avoids encouraging people to commit crimes. (A)deprive (B)incite (C)recruit (D)suspect

(A)charged with (B)changed into (C)chosen from (D)checked out

Sometimes a social interaction with a(n) _____ rather than a stranger brings a better mood. (A)acquaintance (B)dominance (C)performance (D)significance

(A)broke down (B)ran out (C)passed away (D)started over

My grandfather was known for his _____ to his friends and associates, always more than willing to helpthem in whatever way he could. (A)generosity (B)identity (C)obedience (D)resistance

(A)crucial (B)visual (C)racial (D)virtual

Parents often speak to children about the dangers of dishonesty, but research has shown that kids who knowhow to _____ are better adjusted. (A)confine (B)deceive (C)prosper (D)reserve

(A)increasingly (B)spaciously (C)simultaneously (D)interestingly

To avoid other people, the farmer lives a _____ life in a remote mountain village with only his dog. (A)solitary (B)coherent (C)malicious (D)glamorous

(A)over (B)alone (C)all (D)new篇章結構題組，下列各題請依文意從四個選項中選出最合適者，答案選用不能重覆。Until the late 1700s, the economy of England was tightly controlled by the government, which limitedthe amount of interest that banks could charge, laid down rules about how employers should treat theirworkers, and set strict standards for how some products should be made. The government set up trademonopolies, giving certain companies the sole right to trade with certain parts of the world, like the EnglishEast India Company. 11 Then in the late 1700s, Adam Smith published a book called The Wealth ofNations, which advocated “laissez-faire,” meaning “to let alone” in French. 12 He said individualsshould be let alone to make their own economic decisions—what products to make, how to make them, andwhat to charge for them. 13 People would be motivated by the opportunity to try new ideas and makemore money. Society, as a result, would become wealthier.After Smith’s book was published, the idea of laissez-faire became more and more popular. 14 Thenew freedom to invent and invest helped spur the Industrial Revolution, creating, as Adam Smith hadpredicted, vast new wealth.But it also created the harsh conditions some employers maintained in the factories. These employerswere believers in laissez-faire. 15 They say it was none of the government’s business how much theirworkers were paid or how many hours a day they worked. For obvious reasons, the idea of laissez-faire wasmore popular among employers than among their workers.

Some people _____ a campaign for animal rights to raise funds for shelters. (A)punched (B)launched (C)lightened (D)plunged請依下文回答第11 題至第15 題Can a building be so ugly that people get angry just looking at it? For years, the Old Executive OfficeBuilding (the OEOB) in Washington, D.C., received 11 its share of insults. President Warren G. Hardingproclaimed that the building was "the worst I ever saw." Mark Twain described it as the "ugliest building inAmerica." At a 12 of ten million dollars over seventeen years of construction, the OEOB was completed in1888. For many, it was 13 at first sight. The building was used for many purposes over the years and then fellinto neglect.Then one day in 1974, a college student named John W. F. Rogers was working in the mail room of theWhite House. He was sent to get a chair in one of the OEOB "storerooms." Rogers thought he had entered "thecastle of the Sleeping Beauty." "Everything was 14 dust and cobwebs," he recalled, "and yet I saw beauty."Years later, Rogers became the administrator of the building. Once he was 15 , one of the first things he didwas to restore the old "storeroom." It is now the grand White House Law Library!11 (A)less than (B)not much as (C)up to (D)more than12 (A)cost (B)pay (C)charge (D)worth13 (A)grief (B)love (C)hate (D)joy14 (A)dressed for (B)covered in (C)filled in (D)wrapped up15 (A)in mind (B)in vain (C)in favor (D)in charge請依下文回答第16 題至第20 題A new study has just discovered that reading has an important impact on people's lifespan. Over the course ofthe study, the researchers 16 found that the readers lived longer than the non-readers. The readers who readover 3.5 hours a week lived a full 23 months longer than the people who didn't read at all. That extended lifespanapplied to all reading participants, 17 "gender, wealth, education or health" factors. That's a 20% reductionin 18 created by a sedentary activity.The researchers stated, " 19 non-book readers, book readers had a 4-month survival advantage" at theage when 20% of their peers passed away. "Further, our analyses demonstrated that any level of book readinggave a significantly stronger survival advantage than reading periodicals. This is a 20 finding, as previousstudies did not compare types of reading material; it indicates that book reading rather than reading in general isdriving a survival advantage."16 (A)consistently (B)contemporarily (C)completely (D)compulsively17 (A)on account of (B)referring to (C)regardless of (D)according to18 (A)mortality (B)morality (C)mobility (D)modernity19 (A)Based on (B)Compared to (C)Judging from (D)Depending on20 (A)trivial (B)subtle (C)novel (D)fiction請依下文回答第21 題至第25 題We've all had nights when we lie awake in bed, unable to quiet our racing thoughts. There are plenty ofreasons why sleep may be evading you—maybe you had caffeine too late in the afternoon, 21 , or you've beenstaring at your laptop screen for hours and haven't given yourself time to relax before bed. These are things tokeep in mind for improving future nights of sleep. But what if you've done everything "right" leading up tobedtime, and you still find yourself 22 and turning?It's very common for people to report being physically tired, but not being able to shut their mind off,especially if they're very worried about something. Worries keep people awake, and they don't have tobe 23 worries. It could also be something positive you're planning, like a trip or a big event with a lot of thingsyou have to remember. Spending time during the day or earlier in the evening to sit and 24 those concernsmay help, but if it's too late for that, grab a notebook and try physically writing them down in a list for the nextday. A recent study found that writing out a to-do list of future tasks helped people fall asleep nine minutes fasterthan people who wrote about tasks they'd already 25 that day. Researchers think the act of getting them downon paper helps clear the mind and stop rumination, at least temporarily.21 (A)for example (B)in addition (C)even so (D)by contrast22 (A)bumping (B)fading (C)parting (D)tossing23 (A)partial (B)negative (C)subsequent (D)unnecessary24 (A)cover (B)address (C)remedy (D)propose25 (A)accomplished (B)demonstrated (C)negotiated (D)strengthened請依下文回答第26 題至第30 題Nancy has been to many countries such as England, France, Germany and Australia, but she has nevergone to America. Therefore, when she was told that she could attend a business meeting in America, shedecided that she wanted to go there and to 26 the country. As the meeting was to be held in Chicago, shefirst took a flight from Taipei to Los Angeles and then waited for a transit flight there. Unfortunately, by thetime she arrived in Los Angeles, all the flights to Chicago had been cancelled because of a heavy storm. AsNancy was very 27 about not being able to attend the meeting on time, she asked the people at the check-incounter to help her solve the problem. But nobody could help her as they were all too busy 28 other customers'complaints. As a consequence, she had no choice but to stay in Los Angeles for the night.Yet, the same thing happened to her the next day. She still had difficulty boarding a flight to Chicago.While she was worried about the possibility of missing the meeting in Chicago, an American sitting besideher suggested that she could, in fact, plan another 29 to get to Chicago. She followed the adviceand boarded another airline for Chicago. She flew to Denver first, waiting for a transfer flight to Chicago.But she missed the plane because she wasn't 30 the time difference. She was put on a waiting list and had towait for the next flight to Chicago. When she finally boarded the plane, she felt greatly relieved. Although itwas already late in the evening when she arrived in Chicago, she was happy that she made it to Chicago afterall!26 (A)look down to (B)have a look at (C)make an example of (D)take away from27 (A)delicate (B)significant (C)anxious (D)obvious28 (A)bringing up (B)counting on (C)giving away (D)attending to29 (A)route (B)union (C)journal (D)necessity30 (A)upset about (B)aware of (C)delighted with (D)surprised by請依下文回答第31 題至第35 題Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around longer than most people realize. The intent behind much of AI isto free us from mundane repetitive tasks, giving us more time to grow our intellects and businesses, with moreinteresting, evolving actions. AI offers us that access with speed and accuracy when we need it.In London, self-driving robots deliver food. In Pasadena, California, a robot named Flippy can cook. Lastfall, an autonomous train made its way across the Australian outback for the first time, and Zhuzhou, China,began testing a trackless and driverless train that navigates city streets by means of lines painted on the road.Artificial intelligence is everywhere. And its adoption is rapidly becoming necessary for businesses to staycompetitive.How does this affect human employees? Those low-skilled jobs are most likely to be affected and mostchances of being automated. White collar jobs are also at risk though with AI taking a bigger role in the financialindustry.But despite all this, the future for human employees may be much brighter than many recent predictions.While AI destroys jobs, it also creates them. And according to a report from the research firm Gartner, artificialintelligence is currently creating more jobs than it destroys. This includes not only the obvious jobs such assoftware engineers but also low-level jobs such as training AI to recognize objects or human activity and manyothers.AI may destroy jobs and it may create them, but it's not always about man versus machine. AI can be at itsbest when it helps humans to perform jobs. For example, Walmart announced it was beginning tests of shelfscanning robots at 50 locations. These robots are not intended to replace human workers but to make them moreefficient. The robots scan the condition of shelves, and workers may focus their time on filling the shelves,replacing items left in the wrong place and fixing problems that the robots notify them of.31What does the author try to express in this passage? (A)AI will ultimately take over eveything, and then it will be the end of the world. (B)AI is completely favorable because it saves man power and money. (C)AI and humans can cooperate in a wonderful way to improve efficiency. (D)AI will dominate every industry, and people will become unemployed at last.32According to the author, what is the situation that AI affects human employees? (A)Bus drivers may lose working opportunities in the future because of driverless technology. (B)White collar jobs are irreplaceable because the work content is very professional. (C)AI can teach people to recognize objects or human activity and many others. (D)The employment situation is much worse than prediction because AI is everywhere.33In the case of Walmart, how does AI help in the process of sale? (A)AI recognizes customers and takes picture of them. (B)AI scans the condition of shelves and notify workers to respond to it. (C)AI makes decisions for the customers who are not sure about what to buy. (D)AI detects customers' shopping habits and uploads the data to the marketing department.34According to the passage, which of the following statements is true? (A)Since the invention of AI , it's always about man versus machine. (B)While AI takes away working opportunities, it also creates them. (C)In China, trackless and driverless trains are running everywhere. (D)The future for human employees may be more gloomy than many recent predictions.35Where does this passage most likely appear? (A)A pamphlet, Globalization is Evil. (B)A magazine, Mass Transportation. (C)A book, The God's Will. (D)A journal, Applied Technology.請依下文回答第36 題至第40 題Is it true that loneliness causes more misery in the world than any other spiritual condition in life? Generallyspeaking, it is. Loneliness is a negative emotion that almost everyone suffers from now and then. This solitaryfeeling may even torture one's soul moment to moment throughout lifetime. Contrary to general belief, lonelinessdoes not necessarily result from the state of being alone. To get over loneliness, it is essential to realize the sourceof this emotion.Loneliness must be examined honestly and completely before it can be handled since it is actually adeep-rooted personality habit. To begin with, personal beliefs and memories that support the feeling of lonelinessmust be discovered and understood. Then, the habitually lonely feeling has to be replaced with more constructiveemotions.You must understand that feeling lonely now and then is not abnormal, and neither is it your fault. Life issometimes a lonely process, which can somehow provide the energy and motion needed for personal growth andspiritual understanding. In other words, loneliness is a challenge, not a problem. It becomes a problem only whenyou view yourself as its victim and consider yourself incompetent to find any solution.Loneliness serves as a signal to get your attention so that you can start to deal with your inner state of being.In fact, loneliness can be your very best friend. You may even need to be thankful that it exists for it stimulatesyou to develop relationships with other people and pushes you out into the world to look for ways of meeting yourinterpersonal needs.36What is the main purpose of the passage? (A)To explain the nature of loneliness and to provide some applicable solutions. (B)To list sources of loneliness and to compare differences between beliefs and memories. (C)To analyze the physical symptoms of loneliness and to advise some medical treatments. (D)To emphasize the abnormal aspects of loneliness and their impact on mental health.37Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? (A)Loneliness can remind you to look into your own inner life. (B)People do not need to blame themselves for their loneliness. (C)Positive emotions can be used to take the place of loneliness. (D)Being alone will definitely contribute to the feeling of loneliness.38Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "incompetent"? (A)Vital. (B)Unable. (C)Thrilled. (D)Doomed.39What is the author's general attitude while concluding the issue of loneliness? (A)Ironic. (B)Passive. (C)Doubtful. (D)Optimistic.40Which of the following statements is true? (A)Sometimes the feeling of loneliness may even last through one's whole life. (B)Loneliness is not a problem since it has nothing to do with spiritual understanding. (C)There are quite a few emotional states more miserable than the feeling of loneliness. (D)It makes no difference whether people are honest or not when they examine their loneliness.請依下文回答第41 題至第45 題Katsushika Hokusai is a Japanese artist of the Edo period (1603-1868). Born in Edo, modern Tokyo, in 1760,he is best known for the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. The series, made in the 1830s,depicted Mount Fuji from different locations and in different seasons. He created the series as a response to adomestic travel boom and as a part of a personal obsession with Mount Fuji. Under the Wave off Kanagawa is themost iconic work of the series. Portraying water is not easy, but Hokusai captured its decisive moments. Whatenabled him to work in this way was his experience of residing in the Sumida area, with all its rivers and canals,and observing the flow of the Sumida River day by day.Hokusai was born in the Sumida district and lived there for almost 90 years. But he was never in one placefor long. He found cleaning distasteful and allowed dirt and grime to build up in his studio. When the placebecame unbearable, he simply moved out. All told, the artist changed residences 93 times throughout his life.Constantly seeking to produce better works, Hokusai once commented: "All that I have done before 70 is notworth taking into account. At 75, I will have truly learned the pattern of nature, of animals, of trees and birds. At80, I shall progress further. At 90, I shall penetrate the mystery of life itself. At 100 I shall be a marvelous artist.When I am 110, each dot and line will possess a life of its own." Hokusai, however, never got to see whether hisprediction held true. He died at the age of 88. Prior to his death, he was said to have remarked: "If the son ofheaven gives me just another five years, I will become a true artisan."During Hokusai's life, the Japanese government enforced isolationist policies to prevent foreigners fromentering and citizens from leaving. When Japan opened its boarders in the 1850s, Hokusai's works crossed theocean and influenced many Western artists such as Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gough, and Claude Monet.Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji are particularly famous overseas. The composer Debussy was influenced by Underthe Wave off Kanagawa when he composed the symphonic works La Mer in 1905. The painter Henri Riviere wasalso inspired and created a series of lithographs called the Thirty-six Views of the Eiffle Tower. In 1999 Hokusaiwas the only Japanese person given a place in Life Magazine's "The 100 Most Important Events and People of thePast 100 Years."41According to the passage, what is Hokusai most famous for? (A)His cooperation with Debussy. (B)His landscape prints of Mount Fuji. (C)His exploration of the mystery of life. (D)His interest in travelling throughout Japan.42What caused Hokusai to move 93 times? (A)He did not like cleaning. (B)He could not tolerate noise. (C)He wanted to see different things. (D)He had to stay close to Mount Fuji.43What is the last paragraph mainly about? (A)Hokusai's influence on Western artists. (B)Western painters' obsession with Mount Fuji. (C)Western artists' interests in collecting Hokusai's works. (D)The impact of isolationist policies on Hokusai's career.44What can be inferred from the passage? (A)Hokusai was afraid of getting old. (B)Hokusai never stopped seeking perfection. (C)Hokusai was proud of his own achievement. (D)Hokusai believed that water is the source of all life.45Which of the following statements about Hokusai is NOT true? (A)He never left the Sumida area. (B)He frequently observed the flow of water. (C)His works crossed overseas after his death. (D)He created Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji at 60.請依下文回答第46 題至第50 題Solar is the first energy source in the world. It was in use much earlier before humans even learn how to lighta fire. Many living things are dependent on solar energy from plants, aquatic life, and the animals. The solar ismostly used in generating light and heat. The solar energy coming down to the planet is affected by the orbitalpath of the sun and its variations within the galaxy. In addition, it is affected by activity taking place in space andon the sun. It was this energy that is believed to have been responsible for the breaking of ice during the ice age,which creates the separation of lands and sea.Solar energy is the alternative energy source that is used most widely across the globe. About 70% of thesunlight gets reflected back into the space and we have only 30% of the sunlight to meet up our energy demands.While the sunlight is used for producing solar energy, it is also used for drying clothes, used by plants during theprocess of photosynthesis, and also used by human beings during winter seasons to make their body warm.There are two kinds of solar energy, namely, the passive solar energy and the active solar energy. Thepassive solar energy basically uses duration, position, and the intensity of the sun's rays to its advantage in heatinga particular area and also in inducing airflow from an area to the next. The active solar energy uses electricaltechnology and mechanical technology like collection panels in capturing, converting, and storing of energy forfuture use.Solar energy does not create any pollution and is widely used by many countries. It is a renewable source ofpower since the sun will continue to produce sunlight all the years. Solar panels, which are required to harnessthis energy can be used for a long time and require little or no maintenance. However, solar energy proves to beineffective in colder regions which don't receive good sunlight. It cannot be used during the night and not all thelight from the sun can be trapped by solar panels. Solar energy's advantages are much more than itsdisadvantages, which makes it a viable source of producing alternative energy.46Which of the following titles best expresses the main idea of this passage? (A)Solar Energy: How It Works and Its Limitations. (B)Solar Energy: Its Advantages and Developments. (C)Solar Energy: Its Past and Current Developments. (D)Solar Energy: Why It's Widely Used and Its Future.47What is the second paragraph mainly about? (A)Why solar energy is widely used. (B)The amount of sunlight we can use. (C)How the sunlight is used on the Earth. (D)The energy demands around the world.48According to the passage, which of the following statements is true? (A)Solar energy hasn't been widely used until the past few hundreds of years. (B)More than 50% of the sunlight can be used to meet up our energy demands. (C)The passive solar energy proves to be particularly effective in colder regions. (D)The active solar energy with the help of modern technology can be stored for future use.49According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true about solar energy? (A)It doesn't create any pollution. (B)It can be used for a long time. (C)It needs much maintenance work. (D)It doesn't work well in colder regions.50What does "harness" in the last paragraph mean? (A)Combine. (B)Exercise. (C)Discover. (D)Improve.

(A)They fought against laws that would make things better for workers. (B)In the book Smith argued government controls were hurting the economy. (C)This economic freedom, he believed, would make people more creative and hard-working. (D)To protect English manufacturers, the government set high tariffs on goods imported from foreigncountries.

(A)They fought against laws that would make things better for workers. (B)In the book Smith argued government controls were hurting the economy. (C)This economic freedom, he believed, would make people more creative and hard-working. (D)To protect English manufacturers, the government set high tariffs on goods imported from foreigncountries.

(A)Many of the old laws controlling the economy were abolished. (B)They fought against laws that would make things better for workers. (C)In the book Smith argued government controls were hurting the economy. (D)This economic freedom, he believed, would make people more creative and hard-working.

(A)Many of the old laws controlling the economy were abolished. (B)They fought against laws that would make things better for workers. (C)In the book Smith argued government controls were hurting the economy. (D)This economic freedom, he believed, would make people more creative and hard-working.

(A)Many of the old laws controlling the economy were abolished. (B)They fought against laws that would make things better for workers. (C)In the book Smith argued government controls were hurting the economy. (D)This economic freedom, he believed, would make people more creative and hard-working.請依下文回答第16 題至第20 題Just as a passport represents national sovereignty—it is one of the defining categories of a claim tostatehood—so harmonizing passports is a sign of cooperation. That can be a slow process. It took the ninemembers of the-then European Community (now the 27-strong European Union) years to settle on the colorof the passport cover that its member states now share. In 1976, a year after a uniform passport was firstproposed, Britain shuddered at the suggested shade of delicate lilac. Diplomats then spent four yearsdismissing maroon and then purple before reaching a wine-colored consensus in 1981.America’s first passport cover, in 1918, was beige, going green three years later. It changed to variousshades of red in 1926 and back to green in 1941. Only on the bicentenary in 1976 did it turn blue, matchingthe shade in the American flag.The common color was supposed to make European passports instantly recognizable. But since colorscannot be patented, nothing stops others with the same idea. Some countries that hoped to join the EUquickly adopted the right color of passport as a branding exercise. In South America the Andean Community,which once had EU-like aspirations, also favors wine-colored passports. Mercosur and Caricom, two otherregional groupings, favor an American-style dark blue.Countries commonly pick colors that reflect their culture or religion, says Claire Burrows of De La Rue,a British company that has been making passports since 1915. Islamic countries often have green passportcovers (though Germany’s passport used to be that color, as are those of members of the EconomicCommunity of West African States). According to Bill Waldron of Holliston, a Tennessee-based firm thatprints documents for 65 of the world’s 249 passport-issuing entities, darker colors are popular because theyshow dirt less, heighten the contrast with the crest and look more official—much as police wear darkuniforms.Interpol—one of a handful of international organizations with passport-issuing powers—providesevidence for that theory: its new travel document is black. The UN’s passport, like the helmets of itspeacekeeping force, is a pacific blue.Fun-colored passports exist too. But they can sometimes seem a punishment: Sweden and theNetherlands issue emergency travel documents for nationals who have lost their passports. They are pink.

According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true? (A)In 1918, the passport color was beige in the US. (B)In 1930, the US used burgundy covers for their passports. (C)From 1941 to 1976, US travelers were issued burgundy passports. (D)The color of US passport changed to blue as its 200th anniversary was marked.

Which of the following countries use the same color for their passports? (A)Peru and the US. (B)The UK and Saudi Arabia. (C)Spain and Nigeria. (D)Liberia and Pakistan.

Which of the followings about the meanings of passport colors is NOT mentioned in the passage? (A)Representing their culture. (B)Emphasizing their national sovereignty. (C)Reflecting their religion. (D)Matching their national flag.

According to the passage, why do passports normally come in dark shades? (A)To show patriotism and respect their own history. (B)To coordinate with passports of other countries. (C)To look formal in the international arena. (D)To fit in with the multicultural world.

What does the word “Interpol” possibly refer to? (A)International Criminal Police Organization. (B)Andean Community of Nations. (C)Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. (D)Petroleum Exporting Country Organization.請依下文回答第21 題至第25 題When contemporary women writers write about mother-daughter relationships, they often put anemphasis on forging a connection between them. In their writing, even though mothers and daughters dohave ambivalence toward each other, they are often capable of resolving this problem and finally recognizingtheir bond as mothers and daughters. Yet, when it comes to writing about mother-son relationships, itbecomes a completely different story. Most women writers stress the alienation between mothers and sonsowing to the fact that they are of different gender. Therefore, when women writers write about theirexperiences of raising sons, they usually find themselves crossing over into a different territory. Feelings ofapprehension and distress arise when mothers discover to their astonishment that their sons have become atotal stranger to them especially when the sons have stepped into adulthood. In addition, since mothers areconstrained by the society at large to avoid being too close to their sons in fear that they might smother theirsons, contemporary women writers have depicted mostly the separation between them but have also unveiledhow mothers come to terms with this separation from their sons.Take the two contemporary novels, Margaret Forster’s Mothers’ Boys and Rosellen Brown’s Before andAfter, as examples. With a common theme on mother-son relationships, both novels portray a similarincident of a son who is suspected of committing a murder and how this unexpected event has profoundlyharmed the mother-son relationships. Coincidently, both novels have an identical scene with a mother-sonencounter in a juvenile prison. In this confrontation between mothers and sons, mothers have to theirbewilderment come to realize that their sons have become unknown to them. And as these mother-sonnarratives continue to develop, the mothers and sons in these novels finally separate from each other. Theonly difference between these novels is their contrast in treating the mother-son relationship. Forster presentsthe mother as the one who takes up her traditional role by accepting passively this separation from son andwaiting patiently until the son returns one day whereas Brown describes a mother who exercises her agencyand power to deal with her son’s act of crime. Later, she not only fulfills her social responsibility as a motherbut also decides her way of handling the mother-son separation. Despite that the two texts illustrate twoconflicting ways of reading and writing mother-son relationships, they also inform us that there exists apowerful reading and writing against the grain.

Which field of study is most closely related to this passage? (A)Human Resources. (B)Social Work. (C)Human Rights. (D)Women’s Studies.

According to the passage, which of the following statements is true about the mother-son relationship? (A)Mothers find it hard to discipline their sons. (B)Sons express less filial piety to their mothers. (C)Mothers sense great indifference from their sons. (D)Sons have strong anxiety over being mothers’ boys.

Why is the mother-son separation a prevailing theme in contemporary women’s writing? (A)Because mothers are advised to disconnect with their sons. (B)Because mothers feel obligated to attach themselves to their sons. (C)Because sons desire to strike a link with their mothers. (D)Because sons demonstrate resentment against their mothers.

How does Brown portray a mother who seems to be more compelling than that of Forster? (A)She makes a mother more dominant by monitoring everything her son does. (B)She allows a mother to work out the mother-son relationship on her own terms. (C)She enables a mother to embrace her selfhood by acting as a professional woman. (D)She creates a mother who knows how to rely on her knowledge to mold her son.

What is the actual meaning of the concluding sentence, “there exists a powerful reading and writingagainst the grain”? (A)It indicates that motherhood can be manipulative and nurturing. (B)It denotes that the social control of motherhood is severe and unexpected. (C)It argues that mothers have the authority to treat their children differently. (D)It illustrates that the act of mothering can go beyond the traditional script.