2014考研英语阅读真题：考研英语第2篇-毙考题
2014考研英语阅读真题：考研英语(二)第2篇_毙考题
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to research into what the call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others--all obviously statistical impossibilities. We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticised, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own self-esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff. Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a line-up including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely-flattering image – which most did – they genuinely believed it was really how they looked. Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that those who self-enhanced the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored picture were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other makers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we having have are any evidence of personal delusion”, says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing. Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally – on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyles. “It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest”, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison university, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”《科学美国人》中的一篇文章指出：实证研究表明，事实上，你总是认为自己比真正的自己要漂亮。让自我感觉良好对我们来说是一种根深蒂固的需要。因此，我们很自然的会采用一些自我增强(心理术语)的策略来达到这一目标。社会心理学家已经对”超过平均效应”或者”虚幻的优越感”(的现象)积累了大量的研究。结果显示，举例来说，70%的人认为自己的领导水准是高于平均水平的，体现在驾驶(各个年龄段和性别)水平上，这个数字达到了93%，而更有85%的人觉得自己的交际能力在平均水平之上--都是听起来不可能的数据统计。我们会美化自己的记忆，并总是自我肯定。对批评我们逐渐变得急于防护，并将负面刻板的印象强加于别人来维护我们自己的自尊。我们招摇过市并自以为我们是非常受欢迎的角色。心理学家和行为科学家尼古拉斯·埃普利监测到了一个关于自我增强和吸引力的关键性研究。除了单纯让人们对自己的长相进行心理排序，尼古拉斯普利准备了一系列照片，其中包括了一些被多多少少处理得更加美观的照片，然后他让受验者从一组自己的照片中辨识出哪个是原来的版本。”视觉识别”，据其研究成果介绍，是”一个自动的心理过程，是迅速而直接地发生的，很少或者没有明显的熟思意识。”在实验中，如果受验者迅速选择了一个虚假的美化图像--事实上很多人都这么做了--那么说明他们真诚地相信他们本来就是那个样子的。除此之外，埃普利在实验结果中没有发现显着的性别差异。同样，也没有任何证据表明那些自我增强感最强的人(也就是，会选择修改后最美观的图片的人)这样做是为了弥补其深深的不安全感。事实上，那些选择更有吸引力图片的人与那些被标识为具有更高自尊心的人直接相关。”我并不认为我们得到的这个结论能证明个人妄想，”埃普利说，”这只是人们自我感觉良好的一个简单反应。”如果你很沮丧，你就不会有自我增强的偏向。知道了埃普利的研究结果，也就不难理解为什么那么多人发自内心地讨厌自己的照片--到某种程度，他们根本并不认为图片里的人就是他们自己。因此，脸书就是一个实现”自我增强”的天堂。在Facebook上，人们可以只分享虚伪而最美的照片，他们智慧、美丽、天分和生活方式的精华在这里得到了完美的展现。”这并不是说他们展现的都是不诚实的资料，”威斯康星·麦迪逊大学的卡特琳娜·托马说，”他们塑造了一个理想化版本的自己。”重点单词psychologist[sai’kɔlədʒist]n.心理学家recognize[‘rekəgnaiz]vt.认出，认可，承认，意识到，表示感激profound[prə’faund]adj.深奥的，深邃的，意义深远的boost[bu:st]vt.推进，提高，增加n.推进，增加scale[skeil]n.鳞，刻度，衡量，数值范围v.依比例决stalk[stɔ:k]n.茎，梗n.跟踪，高视阔步intuitivelyadv.直观地;直觉地reflection[ri’flekʃən]n.反映，映像，折射，沉思，影响negative[‘negətiv]adj.否定的，负的，消极的n.底片，负recognition[.rekəg’niʃən]n.认出，承认，感知，知识
2014考研英语二真题及答案之阅读题【3】
2014考研英语二真题及答案之阅读题【3】29.The word “Viscerally”(Line 2,para.5) is closest in meaning to_____.[A]instinctively[B]occasionally[C]particularly[D]aggressively30. It can be inferred that Facebook is self-enhancer’s paradise because people can _____.[A]present their dishonest profiles[B]define their traditional life styles[C]share their intellectual pursuits[D]withhold their unflattering sidesText 4When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunityfor the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015,is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.36. The author believes that the housing sector__[A] has attracted much attention[B] involves certain political factors[C] shoulders too much responsibility[D] has lost its real value in economy37. It can be learned that affordable housing has__[A] increased its home supply[B] offered spending opportunities[C] suffered government biases[D] disappointed the government38. According to Paragraph 5,George Osborne may_______.[A] allow greater government debt for housing[B] stop local authorities from building homes[C] prepare to reduce housing stock debt[D] release a lifted GDP growth forecast39.It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would_______.[A]lower the costs of registered providers[B]lessen the impact of government interference[C]contribute to funding new developments[D]relieve the ministers of responsibilities40.The author believes that after 2015,the government may______.[A]implement more policies to support housing[B]review the need for large-scale public grants[C]renew the affordable housing grants programme[D]stop generous funding to the housing sectorSection II Reading Comprehension21、【答案】B A special tour。
考研英语阅读二2014年第二篇
考研英语阅读二2014年第二篇1. 背景介绍2014年考研英语阅读二第二篇的题材广泛，内容涉及到社会、文化、科技等多个方面的讨论。
本文主要探讨了全球化对当代社会产生的影响以及跨文化交流中出现的问题。
2. 文章内容分析2.1 全球化的利与弊文章首先探讨了全球化对社会和文化产生的影响。
作者认为，全球化的发展使得国际间的经济、文化、技术交流更加频繁，这有利于促进世界各国之间的合作与交流。
然而，全球化也带来了一些负面影响，例如文化冲突、社会不平等等问题。
全球化的双面性使得人们在享受全球化带来的便利的也需要面对其中所带来的挑战和问题。
2.2 跨文化交流中的问题文章还深入探讨了跨文化交流中出现的问题。
作者指出，由于不同文化之间的差异，跨文化交流往往会引发误解和冲突。
在全球化的进程中，如何有效地处理跨文化交流中出现的问题，成为了一个亟待解决的难题。
文章特别强调了在跨文化交流中需要尊重对方的文化、传统并保持开放的心态，以消解由于文化差异而产生的冲突。
3. 文章结构分析3.1 开头引出主题文章在开头通过引用全球化对社会、文化、技术等方面的影响，引出了文章的主题。
这样的开头不仅能够吸引读者的兴趣，同时也很好地引导了文章的展开方向。
3.2 正文分析正文部分主要分为全球化的利与弊以及跨文化交流中的问题两个部分，每个部分都有明确的论点和论据，层层展开，逻辑清晰。
3.3 结尾总结文章在结尾部分对全文的内容进行了总结，并提出了对于解决全球化带来的问题一些建议和展望。
结尾部分既能够对全文进行交代，又能够给读者留下一些思考。
4. 总结评价本篇考研英语阅读二2014年第二篇文章通过深入分析了全球化对社会、文化、技术等方面的影响以及在跨文化交流中出现的问题，具有较高的信息量和深度。
文章结构合理，逻辑严谨，语言表达流畅，具有较高的可读性。
整体上，本文是一篇高质量、客观、正式的文章，具有一定的借鉴价值。
对全球化的反思和展望全球化作为一个历史潮流，已经深刻地改变了世界各国的发展和演变。
2014年考研英语真题之阅读理解答案与分析(2)
2014年考研英语真题之阅读理解答案与分析(2All around the world,lawyers generate more hostility than the members of any other profession---with the possible exception of journalism.But there are few places where clients have more grounds for complaint than America.During the decade before the economic crisis,spending on legal services in America grew twice as fast as inflation.The best lawyers made skyscrapers-full of money,tempting ever more students to pile into law schools.But most law graduates never get a big-firm job.Many of them instead become the kind of nuisance-lawsuit filer that makes the tort system a costly nightmare.There are many reasons for this.One is the excessive costs of a legal education.There is just one path for a lawyer in most American states:a four-year undergraduate degree at one of200 law schools authorized by the American Bar Association and an expensive preparation for the bar exam.This leaves today’s average law-school graduatewith$100,000of debt on top of undergraduate w-school debt means that they have to work fearsomely hard.Reforming the system would help both lawyers and their customers.Sensible ideas have been around for a long time,but the state-level bodies that govern the profession have been too conservative to implement them.One idea is to allow people to study law as an undergraduate degree.Another is to let students sit for the bar after only two years of law school.If the bar exam is truly a stern enough test for a would-be lawyer,those who can sit it earlier should be allowed to do so.Students who do not need the extra training could cut their debt mountain by a third.The other reason why costs are so high is the restrictive guild-like ownership structure of the business. Except in the District of Columbia,non-lawyers may not own any share of a law firm.This keeps fees high and innovation slow.There is pressure for change from within the profession,but opponents ofchange among the regulators insist that keeping outsiders out of a law firm isolates lawyers from the pressure to make money rather than serve clients ethically.In fact,allowing non-lawyers to own shares in law firms would reduce costs and improve services to customers,by encouraging law firms to use technology and to employ professional managers to focus on impro ving firms’efficiency.After all,other countries,such as Australia and Britain,have started liberalizing their legal professions.America should follow.26.a lot of students take up law as their profession due to[A]the growing demand from clients.[B]the increasing pressure of inflation.[C]the prospect of working in big firms.[D]the attraction of financial rewards.答案:D。
2014年考研英语试题及答案阅读理解二
2014年考研英语试题及答案阅读理解二Passage 3Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault (断层), which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, allowing smell of sulfur(硫磺)to filter upward.The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools. Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards.Few people were killed in the New Marid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks wer stopped in Washington, D.C. Scientists now know that America's two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the movement of these two masses suddenly lurches (倾斜) forward.The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; at some points, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes underthe surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions trigger (触发) earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeastArkansas through Missouri and into southern lllinois.Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say have no method of predictingwhen a large earthquake will occur.11. This passage is mainly about .A)the New Madrid fault in MissouriB)the San Andreas and the New Madrid faultsC)the causes of faultsD)current scientific knowledge about faults12. The New Madrid fault is .A) a horizontal faultB) a vertical faultC) a more serious fault than the San Andreas faultD) responsible for forming the Mississippi River13. We may conclude from the passage that .A) it is probably as dangerous to live in Missouri as in CaliforniaB) the New Madrid fault will eventually develop a mountain range in MissouriC) California will become an island in futureD) A big earthquake will occur to California soon14. This passage implies that .A) horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults.B) Vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faultsC) Earthquakes occur only around fault areasD)California will break into pieces by an eventual earthquake15. As used in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph, the word essentially means .A) greatlyC) basicallyB) extremelyD) necessarilyPassage 4Those who welcomed the railway saw it as more than a rapid and comfortable means of passing. They actually saw it as afactor in world peace. They did not foresee that the railway would be just one more means for the rapid movement of aggressive armies. None of them foresaw that the more weare together-the more chances there are of war. Any boy or girl who is one of a large family knows that.Whenever any new invention is put forward, those for it and those against it can always find medical men to approve or condemn. The anti-railway group produced doctors who said that tunnels would be most dangerous to public health: they would produce colds, catarrhs (粘膜炎) and consumptions. The deafening noise and the glare of the engine fire, would have a bad effect on the nerves. Further, being moved through the air at a high speed would do grave injury to delicate lungs. In those with high blood-pressure, the movement of the train might produce apoplexy (中风). The sudden plunging of a train into the darkness of a tunnel, and the equally sudden rush into fulldaylight, would cause great damage to eyesight. But the pro-railway group was of course able to produce equally famous medical men to say just the opposite. They said that the speed and swing of the train would equalize the circulation, promote digestion, tranquilize the nerves, and ensure good sleep.The actual rolling-stock was anything but comfortable. If it was a test of endurance to sit for four hours outside a coach in rain, or inside in dirty air, the railway offered little more in the way of comfort. Certainly the first-class carriages had cushioned seats; but the second-class had only narrow bare boards, while the third-class had nothing at all; no seats and no roof; they were just open trucks. So that third-class passengers gained nothing from the few mode except speed. In the matter of comfort, indeed they lost; they did, on the coaches, have a seat, but now they had to stand all the way, which gave opportunities to the comic (滑稽的) press. This kind of thing: A man was seen yesterday buying a third-class ticket for the new London and Birmingham Railway. The state of his mind is being enquired into.A writer in the early days of railways wrote feelingly of both second-and third-class carriages. He made the suggestion that the directors of the railways must have sent all over the world to find the hardest possible wood. Of the open third-class trucks he said that they had the peculiar property of meeting the rain from whatever quarter it came. He described them as horizontal shower-baths, from whose searching power there was no escape.16. All boys and girls in large families know that .A) a boy and a girl usually fight when they are togetherB) people tend to be together more than they used to beC) a lot of people being together makes fights likelyD) Railway leads the world to peace17. According to those who welcomed the railway, the railway itself should include all the following except .A) the railway enables people travel fastB) the railway brings comfort to peopleC) the railway makes the world peacefulD) the railway leads the world to war as well.18. According to the anti-railway group, all the followings are true but .A) tunnels are dangerous to public healthB) the noise and the glare of the engine fire may affect people's nervesC) the rapid speed through the air does damage to people's lungsD) to those with high blood-pressure, the rapid speed of the train causes them to die19. We may safely conclude that .A) the author belongs to the anti-railway groupB) the author belongs to the for-railway groupC) the author speaks highly of the railwayD) the author may never take train because of its potential dangers20. What is the tone of this passage?A)PracticalB)SatiricalC)HumorousD)Exaggerated相关推荐：2014年考研英语试题及答案阅读理解（汇总）。
2014年考研英语(二)真题及答案解析
2014年考研英语(二)真题及答案解析2014年考研英语(二)真题及答案解析注意：以下内容为根据题目要求所写，使用适当的格式。
仅供参考。
题目1：Directions：Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)In the 21st century, water scarcity is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. With (1)_______current population growth and climate change, many areas around the world are experiencing water shortages. Water scarcity (2)_______ numerous problems, including food shortages and conflicts. To address this issue, various measures need to be taken.Firstly, (3)_______ should enhance water-conservation awareness. People need to realize the importance of water and develop good water-saving habits. Governments and organizations should (4)_______ campaigns to educate the public about water conservation methods, such as reducing shower time and fixing leaky faucets.Secondly, water infrastructure needs to be improved. Outdated water distribution systems result in excessive water loss. Governments should invest (5)_______ the construction and renovation of water infrastructures, such as pipes, reservoirs, and water treatment plants. This will help reduce water waste and ensure equal access to water for all.Thirdly, water management should be strengthened. Effective water management strategies can help alleviate water scarcity. Governments should establish (6)_______ water regulations and policies to ensure sustainable water usage. Additionally, they should promote the use of advanced technologies, such as drip irrigation and desalination, to maximize water efficiency.In conclusion, water scarcity is a crucial issue that needs immediate attention. By raising awareness, improving water infrastructure, and enhancing water management, we can work towards a more sustainable future with sufficient water resources for all.题目2：Directions：Translate the following text from Chinese into English and write your version in the corresponding space in your ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)针对城市交通拥堵的问题，我们提出了一种全新的解决方案——共享单车。
2014年考研英语二阅读真题(直接打印方便笔记自用版)
Text 1What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria MacKenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfilment, she could do worse than read Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms Dunn and Mr Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time–as stories or memories –particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck.” It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are mostenjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib –a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfilment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.21.According to Dunn and Norton, which of the following is the mostrewarding purchase?[A]A big house.[B]A special tour.[C]A stylish car.[D]A rich meal.22.The author’s attitude toward Americans’ watching TV is .[A]critical[B]supportive[C]sympathetic[D]ambiguous23.McRib is mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show that .[A]consumers are sometimes irrational[B]popularity usually comes after quality[C]marketing tricks are often effective[D]rarity generally increases pleasure24.According to the last paragraph, Happy Money .[A]has left much room for readers’criticism[B]may prove to be a worthwhile purchase[C]has predicted a wider income gap in the US[D]may give its readers a sense of achievement25.This text mainly discusses how to .[A]balance feeling good and spending money[B]spend large sums of money won in lotteries[C]obtain lasting satisfaction from money spent[D]become more reasonable in spending on luxuriesText 2An article in Scientific American has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others –all obviously statistical impossibilities.We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticised, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.Psychologist and behavioural scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key study into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuit ively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image – which most did – they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor wasthere any evidence that those who self-enhanced the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of pers onal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that many people hate photographs of themselves viscerally –on one level, they don’t even recognise the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyles. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealised version of themselves.”26.According to the first paragraph, social psychologists have found that .[A]our self-ratings are unrealistically high[B]illusory superiority is a baseless effect[C]our need for leadership is unnatural[D]self-enhancing strategies are ineffective27.Visual recognition is believed to be people’s.[A]rapid matching[B]conscious choice[C]intuitive response[D]automatic self-defence28.Epley found that people with higher self-esteem tended to .[A]underestimate their insecurities[B]believe in their attractiveness[C]cover up their depressions[D]oversimplify their illusions29.The word “viscerally” (Line 2, Para.5) is closest in meaning to .[A]instinctively[B]occasionally[C]particularly[D]aggressively30.It can be inferred that Facebook is a self-enhancer’s paradise becausepeople can .[A]present their dishonest profiles[B]define their traditional lifestyles[C]share their intellectual pursuitsText 3The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we cannot immediately foresee.When there is rapid improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U.S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better at than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work, Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That is not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technol ogy, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”31.According to the first paragraph, economic downturns would .[A]ease the competition of man vs. machine[B]highlight machines’ threat to human jobs[C]provoke a painful technological revolution[D]outmode our current economic structure32.The authors of Race Against the Machine argue that .[A]technology is diminishing man’s job opportunities[B]automation is accelerating technological development[C]certain jobs will remain intact after automation[D]man will finally win the race against machine33.Hagel argues that jobs in the U.S. are often .[A]performed by innovative minds[B]scripted with an individual style[C]standardized without a clear target[D]designed against human creativity34.According to the last paragraph, Brynjolfsson and McAfee discussed .[A]the predictability of machine behavior in practice[B]the formula for how work is conducted efficiently[C]the ways machines replace human labor in modern times[D]the necessity of human involvement in the workplace35.Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?[A]How to Innovate Our Work Practices?[B]Machines Will Replace Human Labor[C]Can We Win the Race Against Machines?[D]Economic Downturns Stimulate InnovationsText 4When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure projects, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £ 4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if it returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to the era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing need for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.36.The author believes that the housing sector .[A]has attracted much attention[B]involves certain political factors[C]shoulders too much responsibility[D]has lost its real value in economy37.It can be learned that affordable housing has .[A]increased its home supply[B]offered spending opportunities[C]suffered government biases[D]disappointed the government38.According to Paragraph 5, George Osborne may .[A]allow greater government debt for housing[B]stop local authorities from building homes[C]prepare to reduce housing stock debt[D]release a lifted GDP growth forecast39.It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would .[A]lower the costs of registered providers[B]lessen the impact of government interference[C]contribute to funding new developments[D]relieve the ministers of responsibilities40.The author believes that after 2015, the government may .[A]implement more policies to support housing[B]review the need for large-scale public grants[C]renew the affordable housing grants programme[D]stop generous funding to the housing sector。
2014年考研英语二真题及答案解析
Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have __1___ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually ___2___. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. ___3___ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an ___4___ of good health.Of even greater ___5___ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined ___6___ body mass index, or BMI. BMI ___7__ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, ___8___,can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.While such numerical standards seem 9 , they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, 10 others with a low BMI may be in poor 11 .For example, many collegiate and professional football players 12 as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a 13 BMI.Today we have a(an) _14 _ to label obesity as a disgrace.The overweight are sometimes_15_in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes _16_ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power,and lower prospects for success.Teachers,employers,and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. _17_very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.Negative attitudes toward obesity, _18_in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity _19_.My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama launched a high-visibility campaign _20_ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.1. [A] denied [B] conduced [C] doubled [D] ensured、【答案】B concluded【解析】题干中，一系列的研究已经_____，事实上，正常体重的人的患病风险要高于超重的人。
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2014考研英语阅读真题：考研英语（一）第2篇
All around the world, lawyers generate more hostility than the members of any other profession — with the possible exception of journalism.
But there are few places where clients have more grounds for complaint than America.
During the decade before the economic crisis, spending on legal services in America grew twice as fast as inflation.
The best lawyers made skyscrapers-full of money, tempting ever more students to pile into law schools.
But most law graduates never get a big-firm job.
Many of them instead become the kind of nuisance-lawsuit filer that makes the tort system a costly nightmare.
There are many reasons for this. One is the excessive costs of a legal education.
There is just one path for a lawyer in most American states:
a four-year undergraduate degree in some unrelated subject,
then a three-year law degree at one of 200 law schools authorized by the American Bar Association and an expensive preparation for the
bar exam.
This leaves today’s average law-school graduate with $100, 000 of debt on top of undergraduate debts.
Law-school debt means that they have to work fearsomely hard.
Reforming the system would help both lawyers and their customers.
Sensible ideas have been around for a long time, but the state-level bodies that govern the profession have been too conservative to implement them.
One idea is to allow people to study law as an undergraduate degree.
Another is to let students sit for the bar after only two years of law school.
If the bar exam is truly a stern enough test for a would-be lawyer, those who can sit it earlier should be allowed to do so.
Students who do not need the extra training could cut their debt mountain by a third.
The other reason why costs are so high is the restrictive guild-like ownership structure of the business.
Except in the District of Columbia, non-lawyers may not own any share of a law firm.
This keeps fees high and innovation slow.
There is pressure for change from within the profession,
but opponents of change among the regulators insist that
keeping outsiders out of a law firm isolates lawyers from the pressure to make money rather than serve clients ethically.
In fact, allowing non-lawyers to own shares in law firms would reduce costs and improve services to customers,
by encouraging law firms to use technology and to employ professional managers to focus on improving firms’ efficiency.
After all, other countries, such as Australia and Britain, have started liberalizing their legal professions. America should follow.
整个世界范围内，律师比起其他任何职业的人员引起更多的敌意--可能除了新闻业人员。
但是很少有地方可以像美国这样有更多的理由抱怨律师这个行业。
在经济危机以前的十年间，美国在法律服务业的支出增长了两倍，如同和通货膨胀一样快。
最好的律师赚了很多钱，诱使更多的学生挤进法学院。
但是大多数的法律毕业生从来没有获得过大的律师事务所的工作。
他们当中的许多人反而成为了那种妨碍民事诉讼的文件编档员，他们使得在侵权索赔制度上的花费如噩梦。
法律服务业的支出增长还有许多原因。
其中一个就是法律教育的过度支出。
在美国大多数州成为律师仅仅一条途径：
用四年时间获得一些与法律不相关学科的学士学位，
然后在美国律师协会授权的200所法学院之一攻读三年以获得法律学位，而且为律师资格考试准备高昂的费用。
这让如今的法学院毕业生承担平均10万美元的债务，居本科生债务之首。
法学院学生的债务意味着他们不得不极大地努力工作。
体制改革对律师和客户都有利。
明智的想法已经存在了很长时间，但是管理此专业的州级机构一直以来太过保守而没能实施这些想法。
其中一个想法就是允许人们在本科时学习法律获得法律学位。
另外一个就是让学生在法学院学习两年之后就参加律师资格考试。
如果律师资格考试真的是对一个准律师足够严格的测试，应该允许那些有能力的考生提前参考。
那些不需要额外的训练的学生就可以削减他们三分之一的债务。
高昂支出的另一个原因是限制性的、类似于行会的，企业的所有权结构。
除了哥伦比亚特区，非律师可能不能拥有法律事务所的任何股份。
这个使得费用高而且革新慢。
在行业的内部做改变有压力，
但是管理此行业中的反对者坚持认为
让局外人不持股份的做法使得律师远离赚钱的压力，而不是让其在道德上去服务客户。
事实上，允许非律师持有法律事务所的股份会减少开支，并且提高对客户的服务质量，
为了提高事务所的效率，他们鼓励法律事务所使用技术手段，并且聘请专业的经理。
毕竟其它一些国家，如澳大利亚和英国已经开始使他们的法律职业自由化。
美国应该采取这样的做法。
重点单词
instinct[‘instiŋkt]adj. 充满的
n. 本能，天性，直觉
dependency[di’pendənsi]n. 从属;从属物;属国reasonable[‘ri:znəbl]adj. 合理的，适度的，通情达理的 phrase[freiz]n. 短语，习语，个人风格，乐句
vt. 措词
benefit[‘benifit]n. 利益，津贴，保险金，义卖，义演
psychologically[,psaikə’lɔdʒikəli]adv. 心理上地;心理学地falsehood[‘fɔ:lshud]n. 谎言，虚假
administration[əd.mini’streiʃən]n. 行政，管理，行政部门
understand[.ʌndə’stænd]vt. 理解，懂，听说，获悉，将 ... 理解为，
认为
fairness[‘fɛənis]n. 公平，公正 2020-2-8。