英語講義閱讀串講

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2013保過班閱讀串編ThebestwaytosolveaproblemistoneverhaveMaster第一部分：考研閱讀題型分類解析TypesofQuestions:1. 2. 3.4.MainIdea fact/view/cause/point/exclusion LikeeBay,mostbartersitesallowmembersto“grade”tradingpartnersforhonesty,qualityandsoon.Barterexchangescanallowfirmsincountrieswithhyperinflationornontradablecurrenciestoenterglobaltrades.Nextyear,anonprofitexchangecalledQuickLiftTwo(QL2)nstoopeninNairobi,offeringbarterdealsto38,000Kenyanfarmersinremoteareas.Twosmallneswilldeliverthegoods.QL2directorGaciiWaciumasaysthefarmersareexcitedtobe“l(fā)iberatedfromcorruptmiddlemen.”Forthem,barterevokesabrightfuture,notaprecapitalistpast.Q.WhichofthefollowistrueofQL2accordingtotheauthor?（2008年考研英語二ItiscriticizedforngbusinessinaprimitiveItaimstodealwithhyperinflationinsomeIthelpsgetridofmiddlemenintradeandItisintendedtoevaluatetheperformanceoftrading Habitsareafunnything.Wereachforthemmindlessly,settingourbrainsonauto-pilotandrelaxingintotheunconsciouscomfortoffamiliarroutineNotchoicebuthabitrulestheunreflectingherd,”WilliamWordsworthsaidinthe19thcentury.Intheever-changing21stcentury,eventheword“habit”carriesanegativeimplication.（2009年考研）Q.InWordsworth’sview,“habits”ischaracterizedby A. B. C. D.Americansnolongerexpectpublicfigures,whetherinspeechorinwriting,totheEnglishlanguagewithskillandgift.Nordotheyaspiretosuchcommandthemselves.Inhislatestbook,ngOurOwnThing:TheDegradationofLanguageandMusicandWhyWeShould,Like,Care,JohnMcWhorter,alinguistandcontroversialistofmixedliberalandconservativeviews,seesthetriumphof1960scounter-cultureasresponsibleforthedeclineofformalEnglish.Blamingthepermissive1960sisnothingnew,butthisisnotyetanothercriticismagainstthedeclineineducation.Mr.McWhorter’sacademicspecialityislanguagehistoryandchange,andheseesthegradualdisappearanceof“whom,”forexample,tobenaturalandnomoreregrettablethanthelossofthecase-endingsofOldEnglish.（2006Q.AccordingtoMcWhorter,thedeclineofformal isinevitableinradicaleducationisbutalltoonaturalinlanguagehascausedthecontroversyoverthecounter-broughtaboutchangesinpublicattitudesinthe InhisbookTheTipPoint,MalcolmAladuellarguesthatsocialepidemicsaredriveninlargepartbytheactingofatinyminorityofspecialindividuals,oftencalledinfluentials,whoareunusuallyinformed,persuasive,orwell-connected.Theideaisintuitivelycompelling,butitdoesn’texinhowideasactuallyspread.Thesupposedimportanceofinfluentialsderivesfromausiblesoundingbutlargelyuntestedtheorycalledthe“twostepflowofcommunication”:Informationflowsfromthemediatotheinfluentialsandfromthemtoeveryoneelse.Marketershaveembracedthetwo-stepflowbecauseitsuggeststhatiftheycanjustfindandinfluencetheinfluentials,thoseselectedpeoplewilldomostoftheworkforthem.Thetheoryalsoseemstoexinthesuddenandunexpectedpopularityofpeoplewaswearing,promotingordevelowhateveritisbeforeanyoneelsepaidattention.Anecdotalevidenceofthiskindfitsnicelywiththeideathatonlycertainspecialpeoplecandrivetrends.Intheirrecentwork,however,someresearchershavecomeupwiththefindingthatinfluentialshavefarlessimpactonsocialepidemicsthanisgenerallysupposed.Infact,theydon’tseemtoberequiredofall.Theresearchers’argumentstemsfromasimpleobservationaboutsocialinfluence,withtheexceptionofafewcelebritieslikeOprahWinfrey—whoseoutsizepresenceisprimarilyafunctionofmedia,notinteral,influence—eventhemostinfluentialmembersofapopulationsimplydon’tinctwiththatmanyothers.Yetitispreciselythesenon-celebringinfluentialswho,accordingtothetwo-step-flowtheory,aresupposedtodrivesocialepidemicsbyinfluencingtheirfriendsandcolleaguesdirectly.Forasocialepidemictooccur,however,each soaffected,musttheninfluencehisorherownacquaintances,whomustinturninfluencetheirs,andsoon;andjusthowmanyotherspayattentiontoeachofthesepeoplehaslittletodowiththeinitialinfluential.Ifpeopleinthenetworkjusttwodegreesremovedfromtheinitialinfluentialproveresistant,forexamplethecascadeofchangewon’tpropagateveryfaroraffectmanypeople.Buildingonthebasictruthaboutinter alinfluence,theresearchersstudiedthedynamicsofpopulationsmanipulatinganumberofvariablesrelatingofpopulations,manipulatinganumberofvariablesrelatingtopeople’sabilitytoinfluenceothersandtheirtendencytobe.Q.BycitingthebookTheTipPointtheauthorintendsto .（2010年考研真yzetheconsequencesofsocialdiscussinfluentials’functioninspreadingexemplifypeople’sintuitiveresponsetosocialdescribetheessentialcharacteristicsof Theresearchers’argumentstemsfromasimpleobservationaboutsocialinfluence,withtheexceptionofafewcelebritieslikeOprahWinfrey—whoseoutsizepresenceisprimarilyafunctionofmedia,notinter al,influence—eventhemostinfluentialmembersofapopulationsimplydon’tinctwiththatmanyothers.Yetitispreciselythesenon-celebringinfluentialswho,accordingtothetwo-step-flowtheory,aresupposedtodrivesocialepidemicsbyinfluencingtheirfriendsandcolleaguesdirectly.Forasocialepidemictooccur,however,each soaffected,musttheninfluencehisorherownacquaintances,whomustinturninfluencetheirs,andsoon;andjusthowmanyotherspayattentiontoeachofthesepeoplehaslittletodowiththeinitialinfluential.Ifpeopleinthenetworkjusttwodegreesremovedfromtheinitialinfluentialproveresistant,forexamplethecascadeofchangewon’tpropagateveryfaroraffectmanypeople.（2010年考研Q.Theunderlinedphrase“thesepeople”inparagraph4referstotheones stayoutsidethenetworkofsocialhavelittlecontactwiththesourceofareinfluencedandtheninfluenceareinfluencedbytheinitial Whatmightaccountforthisstrangephenomenon?Hereareafewguesses:a)certainastrologicalsignsconfersuperiorsoccerskills;b)winterbornbabiestendtohavehigheroxygencapacity,whichincreasessoccerstamina;c)soccer-madparentsaremorelikelytoconceivechildreninspringtime,attheannualpeakofsoccermania;d)noneoftheabove.（07年考研Q.Theword“mania”(Line4,Paragraph2)mostprobably A. B. C. D. Thedecisiontoquitaseniorpositiontolookforabetteroneisunconventional.ForyearsexecutivesandheadhuntershaveadheredtotherulethatthemostattractiveCEOcandidatesaretheoneswhomustbepoached.SaysKorn/FerryseniorpartnerDennisCarey:”Ican’tthinkofasinglesearchI’vedonewhereaboardhasnotinstructedmetolookatsittingCEOsfirst.”Q.Theword“poached”(Line3,Paragraph4)mostprobably A.approved B.attended C.hunted D.guarded Railroadsjustifyratediscriminationagainstcaptiveshippersonthegroundsthatinthelongrunitreduceseveryone’scost.Ifrailroadschargedallcustomersthesameaveragerate,theyargue,shipperswhohavetheoptionofswitchingtotrucksorotherformsoftransportationwoulddoso,leavingremainingcustomerstoshoulderthecostofkeeuptheline.It’satheorytowhichmanyeconomistssubscribe,butinpracticeitoftenleavesrailroadsinthepositionofdeterminingwhichcompanieswillflourishandwhichwillfailDowereallywantrailroadstobethearbitersofwhowinsandwholosesinthemarketce?”asksMartinBercovici,aWashingtonlawyerwhofrequentlyrepresentsshippers.（03年考研）Q.Theword“arbiters”(Line7,Paragraph4)mostprobablyrefersto whoworkaswhofunctionaswhosupervisewhodeterminethe Foranyjobsearch,youshouldstartwithanarrowconcept—whatyouthinkyouwanttodo--thenbroadenit.“Noneoftheseprogramsdothat,”saysanotherexpert.“There’snocareercounselingimplicitinallofthis.”Instead,thebeststrategyistousetheagentasakindoftipservicetokeepabreastofjobsinaparticulardatabase;whenyougetE-mail,consideritaremindertocheckthedatabaseagain.“Iwouldnotrelyonagentsforfindingeverythingthatisaddedtoadatabasethatmightinterestme,”saystheauthorofajob-searchingguide.（04年考研Q.Theexpression“tipservice”(Line4,Paragraph3)mostprobably A B.C D. Suchstandardizedtestsmaynotassessalltheimportantelementsnecessarytosucceedinschoolandinlife,arguesRobertJ.Sternberg.Inhisarticle“HowInligentIsInligenceTesting?”,Sternbergnotesthattraditionaltestbestassessyticalandverbalskillsbutfailtomeasurecreativityandpracticalknowledge,componentsalsocriticaltoproblemsolvingandlifesuccess.Moreover,IQtestsdonotnecessarilypredictsowelloncepopulationsorsituationschange.ResearchhasfoundthatIQpredictedleadershipskillswhenthetestsweregivenunderlow-stressconditions,butunderhigh-stressconditions,IQwasnegativelycorrelatedwithleadership–thatis,itpredictedtheopposite.AnyonewhohastoiledthroughSATwilltestifythattest-takingskillalsomatters,whetherit’sknowingwhentoguessorwhatquestionstoskip.Q.Whatistheauthor’sattitudetowardsIQtests?（2007年考研A. B. C. D. Bankershavebeenblamingthemselvesfortheirtroublesinpublic.Behindthescenes,theyhavebeentakingaimatsomeoneelse:theaccountingstandard-setters.Theirrules,moanthebanks,havedthemtoreportenormouslosses,andit'sjustnotfair.Theserulessaytheymustvaluesomeassetsatthepriceathirdpartywouldpay,notthepricemanagersandregulatorswouldlikethemtofetch.Unfortunay,banks'lobbyingnowseemstobeworking.Thedetailsmaybeunknowable,buttheindependenceofstandard-setters,essentialtotheproperfunctioningofcapitalmarkets,isbeingcompromised.And,unlessbankscarrytoxicassetsatpricesthatattractbuyers,revivingthebankingsystemwillbedifficult.AfterabruisingencounterwithCongress,America'sFinancialAccountingStandardsBoard(FASB)rushedthroughrulechanges.Thesegavebanksmore domtousemodelstovalueilliquidassetsandmoreflexibilityinrecognizinglossesonlong-termassetsintheirestatement.BobHerz,theFASB'schairman,criedoutagainstthosewho"questionourmotives."Yetbanksharesroseandthechangesenhancewhatonelobbygrouppoliycalls"theuseofjudgmentbymanagement."EuropeanministersinstantlydemandedthattheInternationalAccountingStandardsBoard(IASB)dolikewise.TheIASBsaysitdoesnotwanttoactwithoutoverallnning,butthepressuretofoldwhenitcompletesitreconstructionofruleslaterthisyearisMcCreevy,aEuropeancommissioner,warnedtheIASBthatitdid"notliveinapoliticalvacuum"but"intherealword"andthatEuropecouldyetdevelopdifferentrules.Itwasbanksthatwereonthewrongnet,withaccountsthatvastlyovervaluedassets.Todaytheyarguethatmarketpricesoverstatelosses,becausetheylargelyreflectthetemporaryilliquidityofmarkets,notthelikelyextentofbaddebts.Thetruthwillnotbeknownforyears.Butbank'ssharestradebelowtheirbookvalue,suggestingthatinvestorsareskeptical.Anddeadmarketspartlyreflecttheparalysisofbankswhichwillnotsellassetsforfearofbookinglosses,yetarereluctanttobuyallthosesupposedbargains.Togetthesystemworkingagain,lossesmustberecognizedanddealtwith.America'snewntobuyuptoxicassetswillnotworkunlessbanksmarkassetstolevelswhichbuyersfindattractive.Successfulmarketsrequireindependentandevencombativestandard-setters.TheFASBandIASBhavebeenexactlythat,cleaninguprulesonstockoptionsandpensions,forexample,againsthostilityfromspecialinterests.Butbygivingintocriticsnowtheyareinvitingpressuretomakemoreconcessions.（2010年考研）Q.Theauthor'sattitudetowardsstandard-settersisone A.satisfaction.B. C. D. That’safardifferentimagefromthecherry-tree-chopGeorgemostpeoplerememberfromtheirhistorybooks.Butrecently,manyhistorianshavebeguntofocusontherolesslaveryyedinthelivesofthefoundinggeneration.TheyhavebeenspurredinpartbyDNAevidencemadeavailablein1998,whichalmostcertainlyprovedThomasJeffersonhadfatheredatleastonechildwithhisslaveSallyHemings.Andonlyoverthepast30yearshavescholarsexaminedhistoryfromthebottomup.Worksofseveralhistoriansrevealthemoralcompromisesmadebythenation’searlyleadersandthefragilenatureofthecountry’sinfancy.Moresignificantly,theyarguethatmanyoftheFoundingFathersknewslaverywaswrong–andyetmostdidlittletofightit.（2008年考研）Q.Wemayinferfromthesecondparagraph DNAtechnologyhasbeenwidelyappliedtohistoryinitsearlydaystheU.S.wasconfrontedwithdelicatehistorians ymadeupsomestoriesofJefferson’spoliticalcompromisesareeasilyfoundthroughouttheU.S. It’shardtoimaginethatmanypeoplearedumbenoughtowantchildrenjustbecauseReeseandAngelinamakeitlooksoglamorous:mostadultsunderstandthatababyisnotahaircut.Butit’sinterestingtowonderiftheimagesweseeeveryweekofstress-,happiness-enhancingparenthoodaren’tinsomesmallsubconsciouswaycontributingtoourowndissatisfactionswiththeactualexperienceinthesamewaythatasmallpartofushopedgettingtheRachelmightmakeuslookjustalittlebitlikeJenniferAniston（2011年考研）Q.WhichofthefollowingcanbeinferredfromthelastHavingchildrencontributeslittletotheglamourofcelebrityCelebritymomshaveinfluencedourattitudetowardschildHavingchildrenintensifiesourdissatisfactionwithWesometimesneglectthehappinessfromchildMain Intheearly1960sWiltChamberlainwasoneofonlythreeyersintheNationalBasketballAssociation(NBA)listedatoversevenfeet.Ifhehadyedlastseason,however,hewouldhavebeenoneof42.Thebodiesyingmajorprofessionalsportshavechangeddramaticallyovertheyears,andmanagershavebeenmorethanwillingtoadjustteamuniformstofitthegrowingnumbersofbigger,longerframes.Thetrendinsports,though,maybeobscuringanunrecognizedreality:Americanshavegenerallystoppedgrowing.Thoughtypicallyabouttwoinchestallernowthan140yearsago,today’speople–especiallythoseborntofamilieswhohavelivedintheU.S.formanygenerations–apparentlyreachedtheirlimitintheearly1960s.Andtheyaren’tlikelytogetanytaller.“Inthegeneralpopulationtoday,atthisgenetic,environmentallevel,we’veprettymuchgoneasfaraswecango,”saysanthropologistWilliamCameronChumleaofWrightStateUniversity.InthecaseofNBAyers,theirincreaseinheightappearstoresultfromtheincreasinglycommonpracticeofrecruitingyersfromallovertheworld.Growth,whichrarelycontinuesbeyondtheageof20,demandscaloriesandnutrients–notably,protein–tofeedexpandingtissues.Atthestartofthe20thcentury,under-nutritionandchildhoodinfectionsgotintheway.Butasdietandhealthimproved,childrenandadolescentshave,onaverage,increasedinheightbyaboutaninchandahalfevery20years,apatternknownastheseculartrendinheight.YetaccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,averageheight–5′9″formen,5′4″forwomen–hasn’treallychangedsince1960.Geneticallyspeaking,thereareadvantagestoavoidingsubstantialheight.Duringchildbirth,largerbabieshavemoredifficultypassingthroughthebirthc .Moreover,eventhoughhumanshavebeenuprightformillionsofyears,ourfeetandbackcontinuetostrugglewithbipedalpostureandcannoteasilywithstandrepeatedstrainimposedbyoversizelimbs.“Therearesomerealconstraintsthataresetbythegeneticarchitectureoftheindividualorganism,”saysanthropologistWilliamLeonardofNorthwesternUniversity. umscanchange,butdon’texpectthistohappensoon.ClaireC.Gordon,senioranthropologistattheArmyResearchCenterinNatick,Mass.,ensuresthat90percentoftheuniformsandworkstationsfitrecruitswithoutal tion.Shesaysthat,unlikethoseforbasketball,thelengthofmilitaryuniformshasnotchangedforsometime.Andifyouneedtopredicthumanheightinthenearfuturetodesignapieceofequipment,Gordonsaysthatbyandlarge,“youcouldusetoday’sdataandfeelfairly（2008年考研Q.Thetextintends lus thechangeofhumanheightfollowsacyclichumanheight ingevenmoreAmericanshavereachedtheirgeneticgrowththegeneticpatternofAmericanshas WhenThomasKeller,oneofAmerica’sforemostchefs,announcedthatonSept.1hewouldabolishthepracticeoftipatPerSe.hisluxuryrestaurantinNewYorkCity,andreceitwithEuropean-styleservicecharge,Iknewthreegroupswouldbeopposed:customers,serversandrestaurantowners.Thesethreegroupsareallcommittedtotip—astheyquicklymadeclearonWebsites.Toopposetip,itseems,istobeanticapitalist,andmaybeevenalittleFrench.ButMr.Kellerisrighttomoveawayfromtip—andit’sworthexploringwhyjustabouteveryoneelseintherestaurantworldiswrongtostickwiththepractice.Customersbelieveintipbecausetheythinkitmakeseconomicsense.“Waitersknowthattheywon’tgetpaidiftheydon’tdoagoodjob”ishowmostadvocatesofthesystemwouldputit.Tobesure,thisisatempting,apparentlyrationalstatementabouteconomictheory,butisappearstohavelittleapplicabilitytotherealworldofrestaurants.MichaelLynn,anassociateprofessorofconsumerbehaviorandmarketingatCornell’sSchoolofHoAdministration,hasconducteddozensofstudentsoftipandhasconcludedthatconsumers’assessmentsofthequalityofservicecorrelateweaklytotheamounttheytip.Rather,customersarelikelytotipmoreinresponsetoserverstouchingthemlightlyandleaningforwardnexttothetabletomakeconversationthantohowoftentheirwaterglassisrefilled—inotherwords,customerstipmorewhentheyliketheserver,notwhentheserviceisgood.Mr.Lynn’sstudiesalsoindicatethatmalecustomersincreasetheirtipsforfemaleserverswhilefemalecustomersincreasetheirtipsformaleservers.What’smore,consumersseemtoforgetthatthetipincreasesasthebillincreases.Thus,thetipsystemisanopeninvitationtowhatrestaurantprofessionalscall“upselling”:everybottleofimportedwater,everyespressoandeverycocktailisextramoneyintheserver’spocket.Aggressiveupwellingfortipsisoftenrewardedwhilelow-key,qualityserviceoftengoesunrecognized.Inaddition,thepracticeoftippooling,whichisthenorminfine-diningrestaurantsand ingmoreineverykindofrestaurantabovethelevelofagreasyspoon,hasruinedwhatevereffectvotingwithyourtipmighthavehadonanindividualwaiter.Inan e,youarepunishingthegoodwaitersintherestaurantbynottipthebadone.Indeed,thereappeartobelittleconnectionbetweentipandgoodservice.Q.Thispassageismainly reasonstoabolishthepracticeofeconomicsenseofconsumers’attitudestowardstipforgoodManyAmericansregardthejurysystemasaconcreteexpressionofcrucialdemocraticvalues,includingtheprinciplesthatallcitizenswhomeetminimalqualificationsofageandlicyareequallycompetenttoserveonjuries;thatjurorsshouldbeselectedrandomlyfromarepresentativecrosssectionofthecommunity;thatnocitiz