2007-2002年全国阅读真题

2007年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题12007年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1Ifyouweretoexaminethebirthcertificatesofeverysoccerplayerin2006’sWorldCuptournament,youwouldmostlikelyfindanoteworthyquirk:elitesoccerplayersaremorelikelytohavebeenbornintheearliermonthsoftheyearthaninthelatermonths.IfyouthenexaminedtheEuropeannationalyouthteamsthatfeedtheWorldCupandprofessionalranks,youwouldfindthisstrangephenomenontobeevenmorepronounced.Whatmightaccountforthisstrangephenomenon?Hereareafewguesses:a)certainastrologicalsignsconfersuperiorsoccerskills;b)winter-bornbabiestendtohavehigheroxygencapacity,whichincreasessoccerstamina;c)soccer-madparentsaremorelikelytoconceivechildreninspringtime,attheannualpeakofsoccermania;d)noneoftheabove.AndersEricsson,a58-year-oldpsychologyprofessoratFloridaStateUniversity,sayshebelievesstronglyin“noneoftheabove.”EricssongrewupinSweden,andstudiednuclearengineeringuntilherealizedhewouldhavemoreopportunitytoconducthisownresearchifheswitchedtopsychology.Hisfirstexperiment,nearly30yearsago,involvedmemory:trainingapersontohearandthenrepeatarandomseriesofnumbers.“Withthefirstsubject,afterabout20hoursoftraining,hisdigitspanhadrisenfrom7to20,”Ericssonrecalls.“Hekeptimproving,andafterabout200hoursoftraininghehadrisentoover80numbers.”Thissuccess,coupledwithlaterresearchshowingthatmemoryitselfisnotgeneticallydetermined,ledEricssontoconcludethattheactofmemorizingismoreofacognitiveexercisethananintuitiveone.Inotherwords,whateverinborndifferencestwopeoplemayexhibitintheirabilitiestomemorize,thosedifferencesareswampedbyhowwelleachperson“encodes”theinformation.Andthebestwaytolearnhowtoencodeinformationmeaningfully,Ericssondetermined,wasaprocessknownasdeliberatepractice.Deliberatepracticeentailsmorethansimplyrepeatingatask.Rather,itinvolvessettingspecificgoals,obtainingimmediatefeedbackandconcentratingasmuchontechniqueasonoutcome.Ericssonandhiscolleagueshavethustakentostudyingexpertperformersinawiderangeofpursuits,includingsoccer.Theygatherallthedatatheycan,notjustperformancestatisticsandbiographicaldetailsbutalsotheresultsoftheirownlaboratoryexperimentswithhighachievers.Theirworkmakesaratherstartlingassertion:thetraitwecommonlycalltalentishighlyoverrated.Or,putanotherway,expertperformers–whetherinmemoryorsurgery,balletorcomputerprogramming–arenearlyalwaysmade,notborn.Text2Forthepastseveralyears,theSundaynewspapersupplementParadehas2007年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题2featuredacolumncalled“AskMarilyn.”PeopleareinvitedtoqueryMarilynvosSavant,whoatage10hadtestedatamentallevelofsomeoneabout23yearsold;thatgaveheranIQof228–thehighestscoreeverrecorded.IQtestsaskyoutocompleteverbalandvisualanalogies,toenvisionpaperafterithasbeenfoldedandcut,andtodeducenumericalsequences,amongothersimilartasks.SoitisabitconfusingwhenvosSavantfieldssuchqueriesfromtheaverageJoe(whoseIQis100)as,What’sthedifferencebetweenloveandfondness?Orwhatisthenatureofluckandcoincidence?It’snotobvioushowthecapacitytovisualizeobjectsandtofigureoutnumericalpatternssuitsonetoanswerquestionsthathaveeludedsomeofthebestpoetsandphilosophers.Clearly,intelligenceencompassesmorethanascoreonatest.Justwhatdoesitmeantobesmart?Howmuchofintelligencecanbespecified,andhowmuchcanwelearnaboutitfromneurology,genetics,computerscienceandotherfields?ThedefiningtermofintelligenceinhumansstillseemstobetheIQscore,eventhoughIQtestsarenotgivenasoftenastheyusedtobe.Thetestcomesprimarilyintwoforms:theStanford-BinetIntelligenceScaleandtheWechslerIntelligenceScales(bothcomeinadultandchildren’sversion).Generallycostingseveralhundreddollars,theyareusuallygivenonlybypsychologists,althoughvariationsofthempopulatebookstoresandtheWorldWideWeb.SuperhighscoreslikevosSavant’sarenolongerpossible,becausescoringisnowbasedonastatisticalpopulationdistributionamongagepeers,ratherthansimplydividingthementalagebythechronologicalageandmultiplyingby100.Otherstandardizedtests,suchastheScholasticAssessmentTest(SAT)andtheGraduateRecordExam(GRE),capturethemainaspectsofIQtests.Suchstandardizedtestsmaynotassessalltheimportantelementsnecessarytosucceedinschoolandinlife,arguesRobertJ.Sternberg.Inhisarticle“HowIntelligentIsIntelligenceTesting?”,Sternbergnotesthattraditionaltestbestassessanalyticalandverbalskillsbutfailtomeasurecreativityandpracticalknowledge,componentsalsocriticaltoproblemsolvingandlifesuccess.Moreover,IQtestsdonotnecessarilypredictsowelloncepopulationsorsituationschange.ResearchhasfoundthatIQpredictedleadershipskillswhenthetestsweregivenunderlow-stressconditions,butunderhigh-stressconditions,IQwasnegativelycorrelatedwithleadership–thatis,itpredictedtheopposite.AnyonewhohastoiledthroughSATwilltestifythattest-takingskillalsomatters,whetherit’sknowingwhentoguessorwhatquestionstoskip.Text3Duringthepastgeneration,theAmericanmiddle-classfamilythatoncecouldcountonhardworkandfairplaytokeepitselffinanciallysecurehadbeentransformedbyeconomicriskandnewrealities.Nowapinkslip,abaddiagnosis,oradisappearingspousecanreduceafamilyfromsolidlymiddleclasstonewlypoorinafewmonths.Injustonegeneration,millionsofmothershavegonetowork,transforming2007年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题3basicfamilyeconomics.Scholars,policymakers,andcriticsofallstripeshavedebatedthesocialimplicationsofthesechanges,butfewhavelookedatthesideeffect:familyriskhasrisenaswell.Today’sfamilieshavebudgetedtothelimitsoftheirnewtwo-paycheckstatus.Asaresult,theyhavelosttheparachutetheyoncehadintimesoffinancialsetback–aback-upearner(usuallyMom)whocouldgointotheworkforceiftheprimaryearnergotlaidofforfellsick.This“added-workereffect”couldsupportthesafetynetofferedbyunemploymentinsuranceordisabilityinsurancetohelpfamiliesweatherbadtimes.Buttoday,adisruptiontofamilyfortunescannolongerbemadeupwithextraincomefromanotherwise-stay-at-homepartner.Duringthesameperiod,familieshavebeenaskedtoabsorbmuchmoreriskintheirretirementincome.Steelworkers,airlineemployees,andnowthoseintheautoindustryarejoiningmillionsoffamilieswhomustworryaboutinterestrates,stockmarketfluctuation,andtheharshrealitythattheymayoutlivetheirretirementmoney.Formuchofthepastyear,PresidentBushcampaignedtomoveSocialSecuritytoasaving-accountmodel,withretireestradingmuchoralloftheirguaranteedpaymentsforpaymentsdependingoninvestmentreturns.Foryoungerfamilies,thepictureisnotanybetter.Boththeabsolutecostofhealthcareandtheshareofitbornebyfamilieshaverisen–andnewlyfashionablehealth-savingsplansarespreadingfromlegislativehallstoWal-Martworkers,withmuchhigherdeductiblesandalargenewdoseofinvestmentriskforfamilies’futurehealthcare.Evendemographicsareworkingagainstthemiddleclassfamily,astheoddsofhavingaweakelderlyparent–andalltheattendantneedforphysicalandfinancialassistance–havejumpedeightfoldinjustonegeneration.Fromthemiddle-classfamilyperspective,muchofthis,understandably,looksfarlesslikeanopportunitytoexercisemorefinancialresponsibility,andagooddealmorelikeafrighteningaccelerationofthewholesaleshiftoffinancialriskontotheiralreadyoverburdenedshoulders.Thefinancialfallouthasbegun,andthepoliticalfalloutmaynotbefarbehind.Text4Itneverrainsbutitpours.Justasbossesandboardshavefinallysortedouttheirworstaccountingandcompliancetroubles,andimprovedtheirfeeblecorporationgovernance,anewproblemthreatenstoearnthem–especiallyinAmerica–thesortofnastyheadlinesthatinevitablyleadtoheadsrollingintheexecutivesuite:datainsecurity.Left,untilnow,toodd,low-levelITstafftoputright,andseenasaconcernonlyofdata-richindustriessuchasbanking,telecomsandairtravel,informationprotectionisnowhighontheboss’sagendainbusinessesofeveryvariety.Severalmassiveleakagesofcustomerandemployeedatathisyear–fromorganizationsasdiverseasTimeWarner,theAmericandefensecontractorScienceApplicationsInternationalCorpandeventheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley–haveleftmanagershurriedlypeeringintotheirintricateITsystemsandbusiness2007年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题4processesinsearchofpotentialvulnerabilities.“Dataisbecominganassetwhichneedstobeguardedasmuchasanyotherasset,”saysHaimMendelsonofStanfordUniversity’sbusinessschool.“Theabilitytoguardcustomerdataisthekeytomarketvalue,whichtheboardisresponsibleforonbehalfofshareholders.”Indeed,justasthereistheconceptofGenerallyAcceptedAccountingPrinciples(GAAP),perhapsitistimeforGASP,GenerallyAcceptedSecurityPractices,suggestedEliNoamofNewYork’sColumbiaBusinessSchool.“Settingtheproperinvestmentlevelforsecurity,redundancy,andrecoveryisamanagementissue,notatechnicalone,”hesays.Themysteryisthatthisshouldcomeasasurprisetoanyboss.Surelyitshouldbeobvioustothedimmestexecutivethattrust,thatmostvaluableofeconomicassets,iseasilydestroyedandhugelyexpensivetorestore–andthatfewthingsaremorelikelytodestroytrustthanacompanylettingsensitivepersonaldatagetintothewronghands.Thecurrentstateofaffairsmayhavebeenencouraged–thoughnotjustified–bythelackoflegalpenalty(inAmerica,butnotEurope)fordataleakage.UntilCaliforniarecentlypassedalaw,Americanfirmsdidnothavetotellanyone,eventhevictim,whendatawentastray.Thatmaychangefast:lotsofproposeddata-securitylegislationisnowdoingtheroundsinWashington,D.C.Meanwhile,thetheftofinformationaboutsome40millioncredit-cardaccountsinAmerica,disclosedonJune17th,overshadowedahugelyimportantdecisionadayearlierbyAmerica’sFederalTradeCommission(FTC)thatputscorporateAmericaonnoticethatregulatorswillactiffirmsfailtoprovideadequatedatasecurity.2006年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题52006年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1Inspiteof“endlesstalkofdifference,”Americansocietyisanamazingmachineforhomogenizingpeople.Thereis“thedemocratizinguniformityofdressanddiscourse,andthecasualnessandabsenceofdeference”characteristicofpopularculture.Peopleareabsorbedinto“acultureofconsumption”launchedbythe19th-centurydepartmentstoresthatoffered“vastarraysofgoodsinanelegantatmosphere.Insteadofintimateshopscateringtoaknowledgeableelite,”thesewerestores“anyonecouldenter,regardlessofclassorbackground.Thisturnedshoppingintoapublicanddemocraticact.”Themassmedia,advertisingandsportsareotherforcesforhomogenization.Immigrantsarequicklyfittingintothiscommonculture,whichmaynotbealtogetherelevatingbutishardlypoisonous.WritingfortheNationalImmigrationForum,GregoryRodriguezreportsthattoday’simmigrationisneitheratunprecedentedlevelsnorresistanttoassimilation.In1998immigrantswere9.8percentofpopulation;in1900,13.6percent.Inthe10yearspriorto1990,3.1immigrantsarrivedforevery1,000residents;inthe10yearspriorto1890,9.2forevery1,000.Now,considerthreeindicesofassimilation--language,homeownershipandintermarriage.The1990Censusrevealedthat“amajorityofimmigrantsfromeachofthefifteenmostcommoncountriesoforiginspokeEnglish‘well’or‘verywell’aftertenyearsofresidence.”ThechildrenofimmigrantstendtobebilingualandproficientinEnglish.“Bythethirdgeneration,theoriginallanguageislostinthemajorityofimmigrantfamilies.”HencethedescriptionofAmericaasa“graveyard”forlanguages.By1996foreign-bornimmigrantswhohadarrivedbefore1970hadahomeownershiprateof75.6percent,higherthanthe69.8percentrateamongnative-bornAmericans.Foreign-bornAsiansandHispanics“havehigherratesofintermarriagethandoU.S.-bornwhitesandblacks.”Bythethirdgeneration,onethirdofHispanicwomenaremarriedtonon-Hispanics,and41percentofAsian-Americanwomenaremarriedtonon-Asians.RodrigueznotesthatchildreninremotevillagesaroundtheworldarefansofsuperstarslikeArnoldSchwarzeneggerandGarthBrooks,yet“someAmericansfearthatimmigrantslivingwithintheUnitedStatesremainsomehowimmunetothenation’sassimilativepower.”AretheredivisiveissuesandpocketsofseethingangerinAmerica?Indeed.Itisbigenoughtohaveabitofeverything.ButparticularlywhenviewedagainstAmerica’sturbulentpast,today’ssocialindiceshardlysuggestadarkanddeterioratingsocialenvironment.2006年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题6Text2Stratford-on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry--WilliamShakespeare--buttherearetwodistinctlyseparateandincreasinglyhostilebranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichpresentssuperbproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatreontheAvon.Andtherearethetownsfolkwholargelyliveoffthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplays,buttolookatAnneHathaway’sCottage,Shakespeare’sbirthplaceandtheothersights.TheworthyresidentsofStratforddoubtthatthetheatreaddsapennytotheirrevenue.TheyfranklydisliketheRSC’sactors,themwiththeirlonghairandbeardsandsandalsandnoisiness.It’salldeliciouslyironicwhenyouconsiderthatShakespeare,whoearnstheirliving,washimselfanactor(withabeard)anddidhisshareofnoise-making.Thetouriststreamsarenotentirelyseparate.Thesightseerswhocomebybus--andoftentakeinWarwickCastleandBlenheimPalaceontheside--don’tusuallyseetheplays,andsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatreinStratford.However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplaygoing.Itistheplaygoers,theRSCcontends,whobringinmuchofthetown’srevenuebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringcashintothehotelsandrestaurants.Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.Thetownsfolkdon’tseeitthiswayandlocalcouncildoesnotcontributedirectlytothesubsidyoftheRoyalShakespeareCompany.Stratfordcriespoortraditionally.Neverthelesseveryhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingorcocktaillounge.Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyoumaybesurewillbedecoratedwithHamletHamburgerBars,theLearLounge,theBanquoBanquetingRoom,andsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.Anyway,thetownsfolkcan’tunderstandwhytheRoyalShakespeareCompanyneedsasubsidy.(Thetheatrehasbrokenattendancerecordsforthreeyearsinarow.Lastyearits1,431seatswere94percentoccupiedallyearlongandthisyearthey’lldobetter.)Thereason,ofcourse,isthatcostshaverocketedandticketpriceshavestayedlow.ItwouldbeashametoraisepricestoomuchbecauseitwoulddriveawaytheyoungpeoplewhoareStratford’smostattractiveclientele.Theycomeentirelyfortheplays,notthesights.Theyallseemtolookalike(thoughtheycomefromallover)--lean,pointed,dedicatedfaces,wearingjeansandsandals,eatingtheirbunsandbeddingdownforthenightontheflagstonesoutsidethetheatretobuythe20seatsand80standing-roomticketsheldforthesleepersandsoldtothemwhentheboxofficeopensat10:30a.m.Text3Whenprehistoricmanarrivedinnewpartsoftheworld,somethingstrangehappenedtothelargeanimals.Theysuddenlybecameextinct.Smallerspecies2006年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题7survived.Thelarge,slow-growinganimalswereeasygame,andwerequicklyhuntedtoextinction.Nowsomethingsimilarcouldbehappeningintheoceans.Thattheseasarebeingoverfishedhasbeenknownforyears.WhatresearcherssuchasRansomMyersandBorisWormhaveshownisjusthowfastthingsarechanging.Theyhavelookedathalfacenturyofdatafromfisheriesaroundtheworld.Theirmethodsdonotattempttoestimatetheactualbiomass(theamountoflivingbiologicalmatter)offishspeciesinparticularpartsoftheocean,butratherchangesinthatbiomassovertime.AccordingtotheirlatestpaperpublishedinNature,thebiomassoflargepredators(animalsthatkillandeatotheranimals)inanewfisheryisreducedonaverageby80%within15yearsofthestartofexploitation.Insomelong-fishedareas,ithashalvedagainsincethen.Dr.Wormacknowledgesthatthesefiguresareconservative.Onereasonforthisisthatfishingtechnologyhasimproved.Today’svesselscanfindtheirpreyusingsatellitesandsonar,whichwerenotavailable50yearsago.Thatmeansahigherproportionofwhatisintheseaisbeingcaught,sotherealdifferencebetweenpresentandpastislikelytobeworsethantheonerecordedbychangesincatchsizes.Intheearlydays,too,longlineswouldhavebeenmoresaturatedwithfish.Someindividualswouldthereforenothavebeencaught,sincenobaitedhookswouldhavebeenavailabletotrapthem,leadingtoanunderestimateoffishstocksinthepast.Furthermore,intheearlydaysoflonglinefishing,alotoffishwerelosttosharksaftertheyhadbeenhooked.Thatisnolongeraproblem,becausetherearefewersharksaroundnow.Dr.MyersandDr.Wormarguethattheirworkgivesacorrectbaseline,whichfuturemanagementeffortsmusttakeintoaccount.Theybelievethedatasupportanideacurrentamongmarinebiologists,thatofthe“shiftingbaseline.”Thenotionisthatpeoplehavefailedtodetectthemassivechangeswhichhavehappenedintheoceanbecausetheyhavebeenlookingbackonlyarelativelyshorttimeintothepast.Thatmattersbecausetheorysuggeststhatthemaximumsustainableyieldthatcanbecroppedfromafisherycomeswhenthebiomassofatargetspeciesisabout50%ofitsoriginallevels.Mostfisheriesarewellbelowthat,whichisabadwaytodobusiness.Text4Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird.Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artists’onlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad.Thiswasn’talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewherefromthe19thcenturyonward,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasmeaningless,phonyor,worstofall,boring,aswewentfromWordsworth’sdaffodilstoBaudelaire’sflowersofevil.Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensomuchmisery.Butit’snotasifearliertimesdidn’tknowperpetualwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.Thereason,infact,maybejustthe2006年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题8opposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.Afterall,whatistheonemodernformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofanti-happyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenceofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereindangerandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.Fast-foodeaters,newsanchors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda--tolureustoopenourwallets--theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable.“Celebrate!”commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCelebrex,beforewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks.Butwhatweforget--whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting--isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,surroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness,weneedarttotellus,asreligiononcedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateverythingends,andthathappinesscomesnotindenyingthisbutinlivingwithit.It’samessageevenmorebitterthanaclovecigarette,yet,somehow,abreathoffreshair.2005年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题92005年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1Everybodylovesafatpayrise.Yetpleasureatyourowncanvanishifyoulearnthatacolleaguehasbeengivenabiggerone.Indeed,ifhehasareputationforslacking,youmightevenbeoutraged.Suchbehaviourisregardedas“alltoohuman,”withtheunderlyingassumptionthatotheranimalswouldnotbecapableofthisfinelydevelopedsenseofgrievance.ButastudybySarahBrosnanandFransdeWaalofEmoryUniversityinAtlanta,Georgia,whichhasjustbeenpublishedinNature,suggeststhatitisalltoomonkey,aswell.Theresearchersstudiedthebehaviouroffemalebrowncapuchinmonkeys.Theylookcute.Theyaregood-natured,co-operativecreatures,andtheysharetheirfoodreadily.Aboveall,liketheirfemalehumancounterparts,theytendtopaymuchcloserattentiontothevalueof“goodsandservices”thanmales.SuchcharacteristicsmakethemperfectcandidatesforDr.Brosnan’sandDr.deWaal’sstudy.Theresearchersspenttwoyearsteachingtheirmonkeystoexchangetokensforfood.Normally,themonkeyswerehappyenoughtoexchangepiecesofrockforslicesofcucumber.However,whentwomonkeyswereplacedinseparatebutadjoiningchambers,sothateachcouldobservewhattheotherwasgettinginreturnforitsrock,theirbehaviourbecamemarkedlydifferent.Intheworldofcapuchins,grapesareluxurygoods(andmuchpreferabletocucumbers).Sowhenonemonkeywashandedagrapeinexchangeforhertoken,thesecondwasreluctanttohandhersoverforamerepieceofcucumber.Andifonereceivedagrapewithouthavingtoprovideh