专业英语八级模拟题2019年(2)_真题-无答案(760)

专业英语八级模拟题2019年(2) (总分100,考试时间155分钟)

PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION

SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the mini-lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening to the mini-lecture, **plete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE and write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap. Make sure the word(s) you fill in is (are) both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may use the blank sheet for note-taking.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the gap-filling task.

Self-discipline: the Foundation of Productive Living I. Issues to be noticed at the thought of self-discipline A. Troubles for some people to become more productive

B. The reason: lacking of 【T1】______to start with 【T1】______ C. Multiple meanings of self-discipline in different fields:

—the ability and 【T2】______ in terms of productivity 【T2】______ —the ability to 【T3】______ in personal development 【T3】______ —the ability to get up and practice by 【T4】______ 【T4】______ —the power to 【T5】______ by speaker 【T5】______ II. The steps to become productive

A. Start small, work 【T6】______ 【T6】______ —the importance of【T7】______【T7】______ —**parison between it and the use of muscle

a)more failure, less motivation, difficult to solve problems

b)start developing it by 【T8】______ small problems 【T8】______ c)the strength of it increases gradually

d)similar process to 【T9】______ a habit rather than **ing 【T9】______ B. Meanwhile, the importance of accountability and 【T10】______ 【T10】______

—rebuilding the 【T11】______ of muscle without assistance 【T11】______ —differently, people need 【T12】______ to gain it again 【T12】______

—others keep you 【T13】______ for each action and give you help 【T13】______ a)they are to be present in your daily life and work

b)for instance: partner, family, 【T14】______, etc 【T14】______

III. Conclusion

A. A lot of talks about the 【T15】______ to get things done 【T15】______ and implement systems they have memorized B. But self-discipline remains to be the foundation of living productively. 【点此下载音频文件】 1. 【T1】 2. 【T2】 3. 【T3】 4. 【T4】 5. 【T5】 6. 【T6】 7. 【T7】 8. 【T8】 9. 【T9】 10. 【T10】 11. 【T11】 12. 【T12】 13. 【T13】 14. 【T14】 15. 【T15】

SECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear ONE interview. The interview will be divided into TWO parts. At the end of each part, five questions will be asked about what was said. Both the interview and the questions will be spoken ONCE ONLY. After each question there will be a ten-second pause. During the pause, you should read the four choices of [A] , [B] , [C] and [D] , and mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the questions.

【点此下载音频文件】 16.

A. His reputation as a cook.

B. His research on language learning. C. His fluency and proficiency in Spanish. D. His regular study on eggs and toast. 17.

A. An experienced teacher.

B. A friend of the target language. C. A regular learning program. D. An inborn talent of language. 18.

A. Speaking as fluently as a native speaker.

B. Gaining proficiency in a foreign language. C. Learning a language well within a month. D. Learning words without active use of them. 19.

A. Practical. B. Conventional. C. Novel. D. Unrealistic. 20.

A. Following what a role model does. B. Learning new words in contexts. C. Knowing your own ways of learning. D. Reciting new vocabularies loudly.

【点此下载音频文件】 21.

A. Those who see models of the patterns they are expected to learn. B. Those who favor hearing instructions over reading them. C. Those who are inclined to learn in a team.

D. Those who has a distinctive learning style from others. 22.

A. Learning through mistakes.

B. Learning through hands-on experience. C. Learning through experts' advice. D. Learning through academic works. 23.

A. Reading Dr. Adams's book. B. Taking an online test.

C. Looking up a good dictionary.

D. Watching Dr. Adams's TV program. 24.

A. Turn on the captions for reference.

B. Watch in the most relaxed possible way. C. Pause when encountering new expressions. D. Use an English-English dictionary. 25.

A. Following classroom instructions. B. Watching plenty of movies online. C. Breaking down cultural barriers. D. Backpacking around the world.

PART II READING COMPREHENSION

SECTION A MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONSIn this section there are several passages followed by fourteen multiple-choice questions. For each multiple-choice question, there are four suggested answers marked [A] , [B], [C] and [D]. Choose the one that you think is the best answer.

(1)After taking a brief hiatus to weather the recession, an invasion of Britain by some of America's best-known retail brands—including Best Buy, Banana Republic and Forever 21—is back on the march. And early reports from the front line in the land of shopkeepers indicate that, unlike with earlier attempts by U. S. retailers to break Britain, British consumers are welcoming the invaders with open arms—and wallets.

(2)That's not always been the case. While the British public has long had an appetite for American fast-food vendors, the record of U.S. retailers who have tried to make it big in Britain is mixed. But the latest arrivals enter the market as already established brands with built-in consumer awareness, thanks to the dominance of U.S. culture in media and online. And they satisfy British shoppers' desire for \"something new,\" says analyst Natalie Berg, of London-based consultants Planet Retail. \"They all bring a cult aspect\" to the U.K. high street.

(3)Best Buy—America's largest consumer-electronics chain—kicked off the latest rush into the British market in May, when it opened its first-ever U.K. store. The 4,650-sq-m big-box outlet in the London suburb of Thurrock is the first of eight to 10 stores Best Buy expects to open in the country this year. And it has proved an impressive beachhead: in terms of sales volume, that first weekend was the chain's biggest opening weekend in its 27-year history. \"We had strong expectations,\" says Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Best Buy UK (who won't reveal how much they took in over those first three days). \"But the actual delivery was brilliant.\"

(4)For some U.S. stores, this will be their first foray into the UK Following in Best Buy's footsteps is California-based Forever 21, which specializes in cheap, trendy clothes for young women and will open its first U.K branch in Birmingham, northern England, in November. But for others, now is the time to expand on past success. Hollister, which is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F), has proved extremely popular in Britain since it launched its first surf-shack-chic store in London in 2008. Hollister rode the recession like it was the perfect wave. Despite the economic downturn, it opened 11 more stores across the U.K over the past two years, most recently in April. As a result, A&F reports that average sales volume for Hollister's British stores is six times the level of its U.S. stores.

(5)Meanwhile, Gap-owned Banana Republic, which debuted in London two years ago, opened its second and third stores in the city last December and April this year. Even in what was a tough year for retailers of all nationalities, Banana Republic's total U.K. net sales in last year hit $24 million, up from $23 million a year earlier.

(6)What's the attraction? Britain boasts an overall retail market worth around $415 billion—a tempting target. The U.K is also a good launchpad for further expansions into continental Europe. Moreover, thanks to growing online sales, U.S. retailers no longer have to blanket Blighty with shops to achieve full market penetration. They can open a few flagship stores in key cities, and back them up with a strong Web presence, which in turn reduces overheads and risk.

(7)The Internet also provides a strong prelaunch marketing tool: Best Buy set up a U.K. website back in January that featured blogs, forums and advice, and used social-networking sites

such as and Twitter to build anticipation for the Thurrock launch. And there's a new, postdownturn draw too: cheaper rents. U.K. retail rents have historically been sky high, particularly in London. Now many landlords-hit by a raft of vacancies-are willing to bargain.

(8)While the invasion is off to strong start, U.S. retailers shouldn't consider Britain a sure thing. U.K. retailing is a highly mature market that's **petitive, particularly now as retailers battle to entice credit-crunched shoppers back into shops. \"It's probably not a great time to enter the British market,\" says Sarah Peters, an analyst at British retailing consultants Verdict Research, \"But I'm not sure if there is ever a good time.\" Indeed, Britain's retailing landscape is littered with the bones of successful U.S. retailers who stumbled badly when they crossed the Atlantic.

(9)Limited Brands, in conjunction with British fashion chain Next, failed in an attempt in the 1990s to transplant Bath & Body Works to Britain. And Whole Foods Market, which opened a massive food emporium in London in 2007, lost around $52 million in the British capital last year, thanks in part to **petition from mainstream British supermarket chains that are already well stocked with organic groceries.

(10)If this latest flock of U.S. retailers does well in the U.K., it will likely be because they offer British shoppers **pletely different. Forever 21, for example, will face resistance from established, strong domestic clothing brands, including Topshop, New Look and Primark. But Best Buy, on the other hand, has an edge. Not only are its big-box stores a novelty in Britain, but so is the brand's emphasis on customer service. Its Geek Squad unit gives customers round-the-clock technical support, and shoppers can use its in-store setup service to configure gadgets before taking them home. \"Consumer-electronics stores in the U.K. traditionally have not had good reputations for customer service,\" says Matthew Piner, another Verdict Research analyst. \"And no one has really challenged them before.\"

(11)To pay for its U.K. invasion, Best Buy, which was pummeled by the recession, has already shelled out around $30.5 million and expects to spend around another $50 million to $58 million this fiscal year. That's a big bet. But for Best Buy, and many other U.S. retailers, the potential payoff for succeeding in Britain means it's one worth making.

26. According to the reports, the U.S. retailers won the popularity among British consumers because _____.

A. the Englishmen are fond of eating American snacks B. their products can attract the consumers with novelty

C. the American culture has penetrated in the media of Britain D. the Englishmen have their own brand awareness

27. The phrase \"kicked off the latest rush into the British market\" is closest in meaning to _____. A. commenced their business in Britain quickly B. tried very hard to enter into the British market C. dominated the British market at a rapid speed D. attacked the British market immediately

28. To show the success of American retailers, the passage cites the following examples EXCEPT _____.

A. Best Buy has gained most of the market share in Britain B. Forever 21 extended its branches in many cities of Britain

C. the sales volume of Hollister in Britain is five times more than in America D. Banana Republic is well-known in Britain from its website, blogs and forums

29. Which of the following statements about the passage is NOT true?

A. The British retailing market is so competitive that it is not easy to be penetrated. B. There may be no perfect time for American retailers to enter into the British market. C. The American retailers are definitely achieving big success in the Britain market. D. The after-sale service provided by American retailers satisfied British consumers. 30. Which category of writing does the review belong to? A. Narration. B. Description. C. Exposition. D. Argumentation.

(1)It was said by Sir George Bernard Shaw that \"England and America are two countries separated by the same language.\" My first personal experience of this was when I worked as a camp counselor for two months in 1993 in Summer Camp run by the Boy Scouts of America, as part of an international leader exchange scheme. Before I went, all the participants in the scheme were given a short list of words that are in common use in the UK which Americans would either be confused by or would even offend them. I memorized the words and thought \"I'll cope\".

(2)When*\" I finally arrived in the States three months later, I realized that perhaps a lifetime of watching American television was not adequate preparation for appreciating and coping with the differences between American and British speech. In the first hour of arriving at the camp I was exposed to High School American English, Black American English and American English spoken by Joe Public, all very different to each other. Needless to say, I did cope in the end. The Americans I met were very welcoming and helpful, and I found they were patient with me when I made a social faux pas when I used an inappropriate word or phrase.

(3)Upon my return I began to wonder whether anyone had documented the differences between American and British English. I found several books on the subject but often these were written in a dry and a-cademic way. I felt that I could do better and use my sense of humor and personal experiences to help people from both sides of Atlantic to communicate more effectively when they meet.

(4)My research into the subject led me to several conclusions.

(5)Firstly, American English and 6ritish English are converging thanks to increased transatlantic travel and the media. The movement of slang words is mostly eastwards, though a few words from the UK have been adopted by the Ivy League fraternities. This convergent trend is a recent one dating from the emergence of Hollywood as the predominant film making center in the world and also from the Second World War when large numbers of American GIs were stationed in the UK. This trend was consolidated by the advent of television. Before then, it was thought that American English and British English would diverge as the two languages evolved and absorbed words brought to their respective countries by immigrants and their colonies.

(6)In 17, Noah Webster, in whose name American dictionaries are still published in to this day, stated that: \"Numerous local causes, such as a new country, new associations of people, **binations of ideas in the arts and some intercourse with tribes wholly unknown in Europe will introduce new words into the American tongue.\" He was right, but his next statement has since been proved to be incorrect. \"These causes will produce in the course of time a language in North America as different from the future language of England as the modern Dutch, Danish and Swedish are from the German or from one another.\"

(7)Webster had underrated the amount of social intercourse between England and her former colony. Even before Webster had started to compile his dictionary, words and expressions from the America had already infiltrated the British language, for example \"canoe\" and \"hatchet\". Very few people in Britain realise how many of the words they use are of American origin. Often this importation of American words has encountered a linguistic snobbery by the British, which was a manifestation of the cultural snobbery that bedevilled Anglo-American relationships for a long time. This is not, thankfully, the case now.

(8)Secondly, there are some generalizations that can be made about American and British English which can reveal the nature of the two nations and their peoples. British speech tends to be less general, and directed more, in nuances of meaning, at a sub group of the population. This can become a kind of code, in which few words are spoken because each, along with its attendant murmurings and pauses, carries a wealth of shared assumptions and attitudes. In other words, the British are preoccupied with their social status within society and speak and act accordingly to fit into the social class they aspire to. This is particularly evident when talking to someone from \"the middle class\" when he points out that he is \"upper middle class\" rather than \"middle class\" or \"lower middle class\". John Major (the former UK Prime Minister)may have said that we are now living in a \"classless society\" but the class system still prevails. At that moment both he and the Leader of the Opposition were talking about capturing the \"middle England\as the key to winning the next general election.

(9)American speech tends to be influenced by the over-heated language of much of the media, which is designed to attach an impression of exciting activity to passive, if sometimes insignificant events. Yet, curiously, really violent activity and life-changing events are hidden in blind antiseptic tones that serve to disguise the reality. Two **e readily to mind—the US Military with their \"friendly fire\" and \"collateral damages\" and the business world with their \"downsizing\". British people tend to understatement whereas Americans towards hyperbole. A Briton might respond to a suggestion with a word such as \"Terrific! \" only if he is expressing rapturous enthusiasm, whereas an American might use the word merely to signify polite assent.

(10)Thirdly, The American language has less regard than the British for grammatical form, and will happily bulldoze its way across distinctions rather than steer a path between them. American English will casually use one form of a word for another, for example turning nouns into verbs or verbs and nouns into adjectives. In Britain, a disrespect for grammatical rules, particularly amongst the middle classes, would immediately reveal you to be \"not one of us\". Listening to listener feedback programmes on Radio 4 (one of the radio stations run by BBC)would reveal this. People actually write **plain about grammatical mistakes made by news presenters!

31. The author decided to write about the differences between American and British English to _____.

A. support the statement of Bernard Shaw B. describe his personal experiences C. show his sense of humor D. help people's communication

32. The following contribute to the convergent trend of American English and British English EXCEPT_____.

A. more international travel between the two countries B. the emergence of Hollywood as a film making center

C. the advent of television

D. the individual evolution of the two languages

33. It can be concluded from Para. 7 that the British was _____ towards American words in the past.

A. deferential B. disrespectful C. indifferent D. negative

34. It can be learned from the last paragraph that _____ in terms of grammatical form. A. the American language has more regard than the British

B. American English uses word form more casually than British English C. American English and British English exhibit the same features D. the British language shows more flexibility than the American

(1)Silicon Valley is a magnet to which numerous talented engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs from overseas flock in search of fame, fast money and to participate in a technological revolution whose impact on mankind will surely surpass the epoch-making European Renaissance and Industrial Revolution of the bygone age.

(2)With the rapid spread of the Internet since the early '90s, and the relentless technological innovations generated through it, the information era is truly upon us, profoundly influencing and changing not only our lifestyle, but also the way we work, do business, think **municate with others. The unprecedented success of the Valley is a testimony to the concerted international endeavours and contributions by people from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds, made possible by the favourable political, economic and intellectual climate prevailing, as well as the farsighted policies of the US government.

(3)It is noteworthy that close to 50% of its skilled manpower, including engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs, come from Asia Prominent among them are Indians and Chinese, and not a few Singaporeans. They include such illustrious names as Vinod Khosla who co-founded Sun Microsystems, Jerry Yang of Yahoo fame and Singaporean Sim Wong Hoo, to name a few.

(4)Many countries have, or are in the process of creating, their own \"Silicon Valley\". So far, none has as yet threatened the preeminence of the US prototype. What makes Silicon Valley such a unique entity? There are several crucial factors.

(5)First and foremost, it has the largest concentration of **puter professionals and the best supporting services in the world, and easy access to world-class research institutions, like Stanford University, which continually nurtures would-be geniuses that the industry needs in order to move forward. Without these advantages, the Valley would be a different place.

(6)Secondly, it actively encourages, or even exalts, risk-taking. Hence, failure holds no terror and there is no stigma attached to a failed effort On the contrary, they will try even harder next time round. Such never-say-die approach is the sine qua non for the ultimate triumph in entrepreneurship and technological breakthrough.

(7)A third decisive factor is the vital role of venture capitalists who willingly support promising start-ups with urgently needed initial capital to get them started. Some would even give failed entrepreneurs a second chance if convinced that a fresh concept might lead to eventual success.

(8)Of equal importance, many bright young people and middle level professionals are keen to

work for a new venture at substantially reduced remuneration, as it offers more scope for entrepreneurship and job satisfaction than the **panies. There is also a pride of achievement if their efforts contribute to its fruition.

(9)Intellectual challenges aside, it is a common practice for start-ups to offer generous share options to employees in order to attract the right talent into their folds. This is a powerful incentive to motivate the staff to do their utmost and to share in **pany's prosperity if it reaches its goal. Many regard this as the foundation of a successful enterprise. Those that have become high fliers, such as Netscape, Intel, Cisco and Yahoo, have turned many of their employees, including support staff like secretaries, into dotcom millionaires overnight often at the relatively young age of 20s or 30s.

(10)The Valley's professionals are among the most hardworking people anywhere. A 15-hour day and 7-day week is not uncommon, especially during the start-up stage. They would give up social life, and curtail their family life too, in order to pursue the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is this single minded pursuit of excellence, supported by strong ethos of team work and esprit de corps, which sustain them until their mission is accomplished.

(11)Paper qualifications, though useful, is not a be all and end all. More weight is given to a candidate's proven abilities and aptitude for the job. This is amply demonstrated by industry icons like Apple's Jobs and Wozniak and Microsoft's Gates, all college dropouts who might not have emerged in a qualification-**munity.

(12)While racial prejudice no doubt still exists in the United States, albeit in a less degrading form as before, it is hardly discernible in the Valley. What counts most is one's vision and track record, and not one's nationality, skin colour or creed. This, together with its multiracial society, informal lifestyle and agreeable climate, lure foreigners to its shores.

(13)Its phenomenal success has led to a worldwide fever to proliferate **panies, both as a prestigious symbol and a quicker way to wealth Singapore is part of this rising tide. In consequence, many bright young people have given up their secure jobs to join in the race. But the reality is that because of its high-risk nature, for every success story there are hundreds who will, perforce, fall by the wayside. Will they get a second chance, given their own operating environment?

(14)However, with the collapse of the US NASDAQ share index earlier this year resulting in the plunge in prices of technology shares listed on it and elsewhere, the hitherto valuable share options held by numerous paper dotcom millionaires have become virtually worthless in these changed circumstances. Those who could not take the heat, as it were, left their employment feeling disillusioned. Be that as it may, the majority in the Valley view this traumatic experience only as a temporary setback for the industry. They are sanguine that its longer term prospects remain bright as the ultimate potential of the information age has not yet run its full course. They are confident that it will flourish well into this century provided it maintains its cutting-edge in science and technology.

35. The following are contributed to the success of Silicon Valley EXCEPT that_____. A. it has the most professionals and the best supporting services B. risk-taking is stimulated and praised there C. nearly half of its **e from Asia

D. venture capitalists are willing to support start-ups

36. The word \"sine qua non\" in the last sentence of Para 6 most probably means_____.

A. indispensable condition B. good quality

C. exceptional circumstance D. new concept

37. Many young people would rather work for a new venture because _____. A. they needn't have to work 15 hours a day and 7 days a week B. it offers them higher salary than a **pany

C. they can get a sense of satisfaction and achievement D. it gives them easier access to the world-**panies

38. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that_____. A. people feel disappointed with the US share market

B. most people have confidence in the Silicon Valley's future C. a large number of workers are made redundant

D. millionaires in the Valley are all bankrupted earlier this year 39. What could be the most appropriate title for the passage? A. What makes Silicon Valley so successful? B. How to compete with Silicon Valley?

C. Why do some talents work in Silicon Valley? D. How is the prospect of Silicon Valley?

SECTION B SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONSIn this section there are eight short-answer questions based on the passages in SECTION A. Answer each question in NO more than 10 words in the space provided.

PASSAGE ONE

40. What's the **petition among the countries aspiring for their financial hubs? 41. According to the passage, what is the biggest economy in the gulf? PASSAGE TWO

42. What does the word \"taxing\" mean in the first paragraph?

43. According to Psychological Science, what may affect the decision-making process besides tiredness?

PASSAGE THREE

44. As a culture form, where did Jazz originate from? 45. What's the main idea of the passage? PASSAGE FOUR

46. What's the meaning of the word \"sycophancy\" in the second paragraph?

47. What had Mr. Saint always worked as by the time he set up shop in Paris under his own name?

PART III LANGUAGE USAGE

A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for

the United States as settlement spread farther westward. For a long time

the **panies met with troubled mechanical problems. The most 【S1】______ serious were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the

development of the safe, effective stopping system. Once these were solved, 【S2】______ and the railroad was established as the best means of land transportation. 【S3】______ By 1860 they had built thousands of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward in the Mississippi.

The high point in railroad building came by the construction of the 【S4】______ first transcontinental railroad. In 1862 Congress had authorized two 【S5】______ **panies to build lines from Nebraska westward and from

California eastward to a meeting point so as to complete a transcontinental system. The Central Pacific Company, starting from California, used

Chinese labor, the Union Pacific employed crews of Irish laborers. 【S6】______ The two groups worked at remarkable speed, each tried to cover a 【S7】______ greater distance than the other. In 1869, they met at a place called Promontory. Many visitors came there for the great occasion. There were joyous celebrations all over the country, with parades and the ringing of church bells honor the great achievement. 【S8】______

The railroad was very important in discouraging westward movement. 【S9】______ It also helped build up industry and farming by moving raw materials and by distributing products rapid to distant markets. 【S10】______ 48. 【S1】 49. 【S2】 50. 【S3】 51. 【S4】 52. 【S5】 53. 【S6】 54. 【S7】 55. 【S8】 56. 【S9】 57. 【S10】

PART IV TRANSLATION

58. 我直到几十年以后，才体会到云彩更多，霞光才愈美丽。从云翳中外露的霞光，才是璀璨多彩的。

生命中不是只有快乐，也不是只有痛苦，快乐和痛苦是相生相成，互相衬托的。

快乐是一抹微云，痛苦是压城的乌云，这不同的云彩，在你生命的天边重叠着，在“夕阳无限好”的时候，就给你造成一个美丽的黄昏。

一个生命会到了“只是近黄昏”的时节，落霞也许会使人留恋、惆怅。但人类的生命是永不止息的。地球不停地绕着太阳自转，东方不亮西方亮。

PART V WRITING

59. There is no dispute that it is necessary to devise ways to cut down carbon emissions, but we do dispute how to do it. The divide generally falls between those that advocate for market-based solutions in general, and those that believe that the government can play a more constructive role than businesses in certain instances. The following are opinions from both sides. Read them carefully and write your response in about 300 words, in which you should: 1. summarize briefly opinions from both sides; 2. give **ment.

Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks. Write your response on ANSWER SHEET FOUR. Thomas A. Weber from Stanford University

Market mechanisms are open ended and provide an ongoing profit motive **panies, state agencies, and individuals to reduce emissions, as doing so either creates additional profits or yields up additional tax reductions (carbon tax). Either is better than a regulatory approach, which only requires cuts to a certain level and provides no longer-term incentive **panies to drive down emissions by investing in new technology—**panies will take the minimum action necessary to meet the regulatory standard.

Juliet Eilperin from the US Environment Department

Regulation already exists and has proved effective, so it is unnecessary to try to construct market-based solutions. Pollution and climate change is essentially a result of market failure, and governments need to intervene to resolve this. Regulations are flexible as they can be strengthened and extended over time, building on initially moderate measures. Regulations can also be introduced in such a way **panies are given an incentive to reduce their carbon emissions as much as possible, for example through progressive fines for CAFE vehicle emissions standards in the USA.

Steven Mufson from Climate Change Authority

Using market mechanisms is likely to have a greater impact on people's behaviour than regulation alone. Both a carbon tax and a trading system that prices emissions would raise the cost of fuel and electricity for ordinary people, providing an incentive to reduce their personal carbon footprint. This would have an immediate impact, and would affect all kinds of consumers, whereas regulations mandating efficiency standards for vehicles or homes would apply only to new purchases and not to the huge number of existing automobiles and houses, making any overall progress in reducing emissions extremely slow.

Brad Plumer from The Environmental Protection Agency

Market-based proposals can sound great in theory but economists fail to recognize the way in which people actually live their lives. Because people value the personal freedom their motor vehicle gives them, and feel that they have no choice but to use it to get to work, take the kids to school, etc., they will swallow very high increases in fuel taxes without changing their behaviour. Similarly, making your home energy efficient can involve a lot of initial expense, and even if this investment would pay for itself in lower bills or taxes over a number of years, many people will not feel the investment is worthwhile. Only by regulation requiring people to change their behaviour can this inertia be addressed.

Cindy Long from Peking University

Regulations to reduce carbon emissions will suffer all the problems of government bureaucracy. While market mechanisms will appeal to companies' and consumers' self-interest in a transparent way, regulations are **plex and burdensome. A massive and expensive administrative system will be needed to frame and introduce meaningful regulations, and this will impose unnecessary costs upon our economy (and probably raise taxes). Worse, because government is always so bad at regulation, companies will calculate that they need not obey the rules anyway—because poor monitoring means they are unlikely to get caught, and weak penalties mean that even if they are caught the fines will still be less than the cost of complying with the regulations.