2013年考研英语阅读理解练习(十)
2013年考研英语真题及解析
2013年全国硕士研究生招生考试英语（一）试题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 1. (10 points)People are, on the whole, poor at considering background information when making individual decisions. At first glance this might seem like a strength that 1 the ability to make judgments which are unbiased by 2 factors. But Dr. Uri Simonsohn speculated that an inability to consider the big 3 was leading decision-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised that a judge 5 of appearing too soft 6 crime might be more likely to send someone to prison 7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to forced community service on that day.To8 this idea, he turned to the university-admissions process. In theory, the 9 of an applicant should not depend on the few others10 randomly for interview during the same day, but Dr. Simonsoho suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA interviews 12 by 31 admissions officers. The interviewers had 13 applicants on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 numerous factors into consideration. The scores were 15 used in conjunction with an applicant’s score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, a standardized exam which is 16 out of 800 points, to make a decision on whether to accept him or her.Dr. Simonsohn found if the score of the previous candidate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the next applicant would18 by an average of 0.075 points. This might sound small, but to 19the effects of such a decrease a candidate would need 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1.[A] grants [B] submits [C] transmits [D] delivers2.[A] minor [B] external [C] crucial [D] objective3.[A] issue [B] vision [C] picture [D] moment4.[A] Above all [B] On average [C] In principle [D] For example5.[A] fond [B] fearful [C] capable [D] thoughtless6.[A] in [B] for [C] to [D] on7.[A] if [B] until [C] though [D] unless8.[A] test [B] emphasize [C] share [D] promote9.[A] decision [B] quality [C] status [D] success10.[A] found [B] studied [C] chosen [D] identified11.[A] otherwise [B] defensible [C] replaceable [D] exceptional12.[A] inspired [B] expressed [C] conducted [D] secured13.[A] assigned [B] rated [C] matched [D] arranged14.[A] put [B] got [C] took [D] gave15.[A] instead [B] then [C] ever [D] rather16.[A] selected [B] passed [C] marked [D] introduced17.[A] below [B] after [C] above [D] before18.[A] jump [B] float [C] fluctuate [D] drop19.[A] achieve [B] undo [C] maintain [D] disregard20.[A] necessary [B] possible [C] promising [D] helpfulSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Text 1In the 2006 film version of The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, scolds her unattractive assistant for imagining that high fashion doesn’t affect her. Priestly explains how the deep blue color of the assistant’s sweater descended over the years from fashion shows to department stores and to the bargain bin in which the poor girl doubtless found her garment.This top-down conception of the fashion business couldn’t be more out of date or at odds with the feverish world described in Overdressed,Elizabeth Cline’s three-year indictment of “fast fashion”. In the last decade or so, advances in technology have allowed mass-market labels such as Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo to react to trends more quickly and anticipate demand more precisely. Quicker turnarounds mean less wasted inventory, more frequent releases, and more profit. These labels encourage style-conscious consumers to see clothes as disposable—meant to last only a wash or two, although they don’t advertise that—and to renew their wardrobe every few weeks. By offering on-trend items at dirt-cheap prices, Cline argues, these brands have hijacked fashion cycles, shaking an industry long accustomed to a seasonal pace.The victims of this revolution, of course, are not limited to designers. For H&M to offer a $5.95 knit miniskirt in all its 2,300-plus stores around the world, it must rely on low-wage overseas labor, order in volumes that strain natural resources, and use massive amounts of harmful chemicals.Overdressed is the fashion world’s answer to consumer-activist bestsellers like Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “Mass-produced clothing, like fast food, fills a hunger and need, yet is non-durable and wasteful,” Cline argues. Americans, she finds, buy roughly 20 billion garments a year—about 64 items per person—and no matter how much they give away, this excess leads to waste.Towards the end of Overdressed, Cline introduced her ideal, a Brooklyn woman named Sarah Kate Beaumont, who since 2008 has made all of her own clothes—and beautifully. But as Cline is the first to note, it took Beaumont decades to perf ect her craft; her example can’t be knocked off.Though several fast-fashion companies have made efforts to curb their impact on labor and the environment—including H&M, with its green Conscious Collection line—Cline believes lasting change can only be effected by the customer. She exhibits the idealism common to many advocates of sustainability, be it in food or in energy. Vanity is a constant; people will only start shopping more sustainably when they can’t afford not to.21. Priestly criticizes her assistant for her _______.[A] lack of imagination [B] poor bargaining skill[C] obsession with high fashion [D] insensitivity to fashion22. According to Cline, mass-market labels urge consumers to _______.[A] combat unnecessary waste [B] shop for their garments more frequently[C] resist the influence of advertisements [D] shut out the feverish fashion world23. The word “indictment” (Line 3, Para.2) is closest in meaning to _______.[A] accusation [B] enthusiasm [C] indifference [D] tolerance24. Which of the following can be inferred from the last paragraph?[A] Vanity has more often been found in idealists. [B] The fast-fashion industry ignores sustainability.[C] Pricing is vital to environment-friendly purchasing. [D] People are more interested in unaffordable garments.25. What is the subject of the text?[A] Satire on an extravagant lifestyle. [B] Challenge to a high-fashion myth.[C] Criticism of the fast-fashion industry. [D] Exposure of a mass-market secretText 2An old saying has it that half of all advertising budgets are wasted—the trouble is, no one knows which half. In the internet age, at least in theory, this fraction can be much reduced. By watching what people search for, click on and say online, companies can aim “behavioral” ads at those most likely to buy.In the past couple of weeks a quarrel has illustrated the value to advertisers of such fine-grained information: Should advertisers assume that people are happy to be tracked and sent behavioral ads? Or should they have explicit permission?In December 2010 America’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed adding a “do not track” (DNT) option to internet browsers, so that users could tell advertisers that they did not want to be followed. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and A pple’s Safari both offer DNT; Google’s Chrome is due to do so this year. In February the FTC and Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) agreed that the industry would get cracking on responding to DNT requests.On May 31st Microsoft set off the row: It said that InternetExplorer 10, the version due to appear Windows 8, would have DNT as a default.Advertisers are horrified. Human nature being what it is, most people stick with default settings. Few switch DNT on now, but if tracking is off it will stay off. Bob Liodice, the chief executive of the Association of National Advertisers, says consumers will be worse off if the industry cannot collect information about their preferences. People will not get fewer ads, he says, “they’ll get less meaningful, less targeted ads.”It is not yet clear how advertisers will respond. Getting a DNT signal does not oblige anyone to stop tracking, although some companies have promised to do so. Unable to tell whether someone really objects to behavioral ads or whether they are sticking with Microsoft’s default, some may ignore a DNT signal and press on anyway.Also unclear is why Microsoft has gone it alone. After all, it has an ad business too, which it says will comply with DNT requests, though it is still working out how. If it is trying to upset Google, which relies almost wholly on advertising, it has chosen an indirect method: There is no guarantee that DNT by default will become the norm.DNT does not seem an obviously huge selling point for Windows 8—though the firm has compared some of its other products favorably with Google’s on that count before. Brendon Lynch, Microsoft’s chief privacy officer, blogged: “we believe consumers should have more control.” Could it really be that simple?26. It is suggested in paragraph 1 that “behavioral” ads help advertisers to _______.[A] lower their operational costs [B] ease competition among themselves[C] avoid complaints from consumers [D] provide better online services27. “The industry” (Line 5, Para.3) refers to_______.[A] online advertisers [B] e-commerce conductors[C] digital information analysis [D] internet browser developers28. Bob Liodice holds that setting DNT as a default _______.[A] goes against human nature [B] fails to affect the ad industry[C] will not benefit consumers [D] many cut the number of junk ads29. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 6?[A] Advertisers are obliged to offer behavioral ads [B] DNT may not serve its intended purpose[C] DNT is losing its popularity among consumers [D] Advertisers are willing to implement DNT30. The author’s attitude towards what Brendon Lynch said in his blog is one of_______.[A] appreciation [B] understanding [C] indulgence [D] skepticismText 3Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely—though by no means uniformly—glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfillment and opportunity for all.Now utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.But such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years—so why shouldn’t we? Take a broader look at our species’ place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the “Red List” of threatened species of the international Union for the Concentration of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: “Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing, and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.”So what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical clock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.Perhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today’s technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it’s perhaps best left to science-fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That’s one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.But take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.This long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.31. Our vision of the future used to be inspired by _______.[A] our desire for lives of fulfillment. [B] our faith in science and technology.[C] our awareness of potential risks. [D] our belief in equal opportunity.32. The IUCN’s “Red List” suggests that human beings are _______.[A] a misplaced race. [B] a sustained species.[C] the world’s dominant power.[D] a threat to the environment.33. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 5?[A] The interest in science fiction is on the rise. [B] Arc helps limit the scope of futurological studies.[C] Technology offers solutions to social problems. [D] Our immediate future is hard to conceive.34. To ensure the future of mankind, it is crucial to _______.[A] draw on our experience from the past. [B] adopt an optimistic view of the world.[C] explore our planet’s a bundant resources. [D] curb our ambition to reshape history.35. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?[A] Uncertainty about Our Future [B] Evolution of the Human Species[C] The Ever-bright Prospects of Mankind. [D] Science, Technology and Humanity.Text 4On a five to three vote, the Supreme Court knocked out much of Arizona’s immigration law Monday—a modest policy victory for the Obama Administration. But on the more important matter of the Constitution, the decision was an 8-0 defeat for the Administration’s effort to upset the balance of power between the federal government and the states.In Arizona v. United States, the majority overturned three of the four contested provisions of Arizona’s controversial plan to have state and local police enforce federal immigration law. The Constitutional principles that Washington alone has the power to “establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization” and that federal laws precede state laws are noncontroversial. Arizona had attempted to fashion state policies that ran parallel to the existing federal ones.Justice Anthony Kennedy, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the Court’s liberals, ruled that the state flew too close to the federal sun. On the overturned provisions the majority held th at Congress had deliberately “occupied thefield”and Arizona has thus intruded on the federal’s privileged powers.However, the Justices said that Arizona police would be allowed to verify the legal status of people who come in contact with law enforcement. That’s because Congress has always envisioned joint federal-state immigration enforcement and explicitly encourages state officers to share information and cooperate with federal colleagues.Two of the three objecting Justices—Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas—agreed with this Constitutional logic but disagreed about which Arizona rules conflicted with the federal statute. The only major objection came from Justice Antonin Scalia, who offered an even more robust defense of state privileges going back to the Alien and Sedition Acts.The 8-0 objection to President Obama turns on what Justice Samuel Alito describes in his objection as “a shocking assertion of federal executive power”. The White House argued that Arizona’s laws conflicted with its enforcement p riorities, even if state laws complied with federal statutes to the letter. In effect, the White House claimed that it could invalidate any otherwise legitimate state law that it disagrees with.Some powers do belong exclusively to the federal government, and control of citizenship and the borders is among them. But if Congress wanted to prevent states from using their own resources to check immigration status, it could. It never did so. The Administration was in essence asserting that because it didn’t want to carry out Congress’s immigration wishes, no state should be allowed to do so either. Every Justice rightly rejected this remarkable claim.36. Three provisions of Arizona’s plan were overturnedbecause they _______.[A] overstepped the authority of federal immigration law [B] disturbed the power balance between different states[C] deprived the federal police of Constitutional powers [D] contradicted both the federal and state policies37. On which of the following did the Justices agree, according to Paragraph 4?[A] States’ independence from federal immigration law.[B] Federal officers’ duty to withhold immigrants’ information.[C] States’ legitimate role in immigration enforcement.[D] Congress’s intervention in immigration enforcement.38. It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that the Alien and Sedition Acts _______.[A] violated the Constitution [B] stood in favor of the states[C] supported the federal statute [D] undermined the states’ interests39. The White House claims that its power of enforcement _______.[A] outweighs that held by the states [B] is established by federal statutes[C] is dependent on the states’ support[D] rarely goes against state laws40. What can be learned from the last paragraph?[A] Immigration issues are usually decided by Congress.[B] The Administration is dominant over immigration issues.[C] Justices wanted to strengthen its coordination with Congress.[D] Justices intended to check the power of the Administration.Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The social sciences are flourishing. As of 2005, there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside and outside academia. According to the World Social Science Report 2010, the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.Yet this enormous resource is not contributing enough to today’s global challenges, including climate change, security, sustainable development and health. (41) ____________________. Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicate hunger, from genetically engineered crops to artificial fertilizers. Here, too, the problems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42) ____________________. This is a shame—the community should be grasping the opportunity to raise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter: there is no radical innovation without creative destruction.Today, the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internal scholarly debates, rather than on topics with external impact. Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords “environmental change” or “climate change” have increased rapidly since 2004. (43) ____________________.When social scientists do tackle practical issues, their scope is often local: Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium,for example. And whether the community’s work contributes much to an ove rall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding. (44) ____________________. This is an adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today’s economic climate.The trick is to direct these funds better. The European Union Framework funding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at social scientists. This year, it was proposed that the system be changed: Horizon 2020, a new program to be enacted in 2014, would not have such a category. This has resulted in protests from social scientists. But the intention is not to neglect social science; rather, the complete opposite. (45) ____________________. That should create more collaborative endeavors and help to develop projects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] It could be that we are evolving two communities of social scientists: one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highly specialized journals, and one that is problem-oriented and publishing elsewhere, such as policy briefs.[B] However, the numbers are still small: in 2010, about 1,600 of the 100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of these keywords.[C] Despite these factors, many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems. And in Europe, some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specific funding category for social-science research and to integrate it within cross-cutting topics of sustainable development.[D] During the late 1990s , national spending on social sciences and the humanities as a percentage of all research and development funds—including government, higher education, non-profit and corporate—varied from around 4% to 25%; in most European nations, it is about 15%.[E] The idea is to force social scientists to integrate their work with other categories, including health and demographic change; food security; marine research and the bio-economy, clean, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[F] The solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and what it considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought to receive much more attention from scientists, especially the young ones.[G] These issues all have root causes in human behavior: all require behavioral change and social innovations, as well as technological development. Stemming climate change, for example, is as much about changing consumption patterns and promoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points)It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic human need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidence an irrepressible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and thatself-expression is a basic human urge; (46) yet when one looks at the photographs of the garden created by the homeless,it strikes one that , for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak of various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.One of these urges has to do with creating a state of peace in the midst of turbulence, a “still point of the turning world,” to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot. (47) A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, as opposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much so that where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardens, the former becomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by the structuring of one’s relation to one’s environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless, which are in effect homeless gardens,introduce form into an urban environment where it either didn’t exist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they give composure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take their stand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from, is so intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When we are deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49) most of us give in to a demoralization of spirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day we find ourselves in a garden and feel the oppression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yet even so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call forth the spirit of plant and animal life, if only symbolically, through a clumplike arrangement of materials, an introduction of colors, small pools of water, and a frequent presence of petals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50) It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of the word garden, though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we can see biophilia—a yearning for contact with nonhuman life—assuming uncanny representational forms.Section IV WritingPart A51. Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in yourcollege, inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET 2.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e-mail. Use “Li Ming” instead.Do not write the address. (10 points)Part B52. Directions:Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay you should1) describe the drawing briefly2) explain its intended meaning, and3) give your commentsYou should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET 2. (20 points)2013年全国硕士研究生招生考试英语（一）答案详解Section I Use of English一、文章题材结构分析本文选自2012年6月16日The Economist《经济学人》，原文标题是A question of judgment (《判断上的一个问题》)的文章。
2013年考研英语试题及答案
2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题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 the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)People are, on the whole, poor at considering background information when making individual decisions. At first glance this might seem like a strength that 1 the ability to make judgments which are unbiased by 2 factors. But Dr Uri Simonsohn speculated that an inability to consider the big 3 was leading decision-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised that a judge 5 of appearing too soft 6 crime might be more likely to send someone to prison 7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to forced community service on that day.To 8 this idea, he turned to the university-admissions process. In theory, the 9 of an applicant should not depend on the few others 10 randomly for interview during the same day, but Dr Simonsohn suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA interviews, 12 by 31 admissions officers. The interviewers had 13 applicants on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 numerous factors into consideration. The scores were 15 used in conjunction with an applicant's score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, a standardised exam which is 16 out of 800 points, to make a decision on whether to accept him or her.Dr Simonsohn found if the score of the previous candidate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the next applicant would 18 by an average of 0.075 points. This might sound small, but to 19 the effects of such a decrease a candidate would need 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1. [A] grants [B] submits[C] transmits[D] delivers2. [A] minor[B] objective[C] crucial[D] external3. [A] issue [B] vision[C] picture[D] moment4. [A] For example[B] On average[C] In principle[D] Above all5. [A] fond[B] fearful[C] capable[D] thoughtless6. [A] in[B] on [C] to[D] for7. [A] if[B] until[C] though[D] unless8. [A] promote [B] emphasize[C] share[D] test9. [A] decision[B] quality[C] status[D] success10. [A] chosen [B] studied[C] found [D] identified11. [A] exceptional [B] defensible[C] replaceable[D] otherwise12. [A] inspired[B] expressed[C] conducted[D] secured13. [A] assigned[B] rated[C] matched[D] arranged14. [A] put[B] got[C] gave [D] took15. [A] instead[B] then[C] ever[D] rather16. [A] selected[B] passed[C] marked[D] introduced17. [A] before[B] after[C] above[D] below18. [A] jump[B] float[C] drop [D] fluctuate19. [A] achieve[B] undo[C] maintain[D] disregard20. [A] promising [B] possible[C] necessary[D] helpfulSection Ⅱ Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)Text 1In the 2006 film version of The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, scolds her unattractive assistant for imagining that high fashion doesn't affect her. Priestly explains how the deep blue color of the assistant's sweater descended over the years from fashion shows to department stores and to the bargain bin in which the poor girl doubtless found her garment.This top-down conception of the fashion business couldn't be more out of date or at odds with the feverish world described in Overdressed, Elizabeth Cline's three-year indictment of “fast fashion.”In the last decade or so, advances in technology have allowed mass-market labels such as Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo to react to trends more quickly and anticipate demand more precisely. Quicker turnarounds mean less wasted inventory, more frequent releases, and more profit. These labels encourage style-conscious consumers to see clothes as disposable—meant to last only a wash or two, although they don't advertise that—and to renew their wardrobe every few weeks. By offering on-trend items at dirt-cheap prices, Cline argues, these brands have hijacked fashion cycles, shaking an industry long accustomed to a seasonal pace.The victims of this revolution, of course, are not limited to designers. For H&M to offer a $5.95 knit miniskirt in all its 2,300-plus stores around the world, it must rely on low-wage overseas labor, order in volumes that strain natural resources, and use massive amounts of harmful chemicals.Overdressed is the fashion world's answer to consumer-activist bestsellers like Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. “Mass-produced clothing, like fast food, fills a hunger and need, yet is non-durable and wasteful,” Cline argues. Americans, she finds, buy roughly 20 billion garments a year—about 64 items per person—and no matter how much they give away, this excess leads to waste.Towards the end of Overdressed, Cline introduced her ideal, a Brooklyn woman named Sarah Kate Beaumont, who since 2008 has made all of her own clothes—and beautifully. But as Cline is the first to note, it took Beaumont decades to perfect her craft; her example can't be knocked off.Though several fast-fashion companies have made efforts to curb their impact on labor and the environment—including H&M, with its green Conscious Collection line—Cline believes lasting change can only be effected by the customer. She exhibits the idealism common to many advocates of sustainability, be it in food or in energy. Vanity is a constant; people will only start shopping more sustainably when they can't afford not to.21. Priestly criticizes her assistant for her .[A]insensitivity to fashion[B] obsession with high fashion[C] poor bargaining skill[D] lack of imagination22. According to Cline, mass-market labels urge consumers to .[A] combat unnecessary waste[B] shop for their garments more frequently[C] resist the influence of advertisements[D] shut out the feverish fashion world23. The word “indictment”(Line 3, Para. 2) is closest in meaning to .[A] tolerance [B] indifference[C] enthusiasm [D]accusation24. Which of the following can be inferred from the last paragraph?[A] V anity has more often been found in idealists.[B] The fast-fashion industry ignores sustainability.[C] Pricing is vital to environment-friendly purchasing.[D] People are more interested in unaffordable garments.25. What is the subject of the text?[A] Satire on an extravagant lifestyle.[B] Challenge to a high-fashion myth.[C] Criticism of the fast-fashion industry.[D] Exposure of a mass-market secret.Text 2An old saying has it that half of all advertising budgets are wasted—the trouble is, no one knows which half. In the internet age, at least in theory, this fraction can be much reduced. By watching what people search for, click on and say online, companies can aim “behavioural” ads at those most likely to buy.In the past couple of weeks a quarrel has illustrated the value to advertisers of such fine-grained information: Should advertisers assume that people are happy to be tracked and sent behavioural ads? Or should they have explicit permission?In December 2010 America's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed adding a “do not track” (DNT) option to internet browsers, so that users could tell advertisers that they did not want to be followed. Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Apple's Safari both offer DNT; Google's Chrome is due to do so this year. In February the FTC and the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) agreed that the industry would get cracking on responding to DNT requests.On May 31st Microsoft set off the row. It said that Internet Explorer 10, the version due to appear with Windows 8, would have DNT as a default.Advertisers are horrified. Human nature being what it is, most people stick with default settings. Few switch DNT on now, but if tracking is off it will stay off. Bob Liodice, the chief executive of the Association of National Advertisers, says consumers will be worse off if the industry cannot collect information about their preferences. People will not get fewer ads, he says. “They’ ll get less meaningful, less targeted ads.”It is not yet clear how advertisers will respond. Getting a DNT signal does not oblige anyone to stop tracking, although some companies have promised to do so. Unable to tell whether someone really objects to behavioural ads or whether they are sticking with Microsoft's default, some may ignore a DNT signal and press on anyway.Also unclear is why Microsoft has gone it alone. After all, it has an ad business too, which it says will comply with DNT requests, though it is still working out how. If it is trying to upset Google, which relies almost wholly on advertising, it has chosen an indirect method: There is no guaranteethat DNT by default will become the norm. DNT does not seem an obviously huge selling point for Windows 8—though the firm has compared some of its other products favourably with Google's on that count before. Brendon Lynch, Microsoft's chief privacy officer, blogged: “We believe consumers should have more control.” Could it really be that simple? [433 words]26. It is suggested in Paragraph 1 that “behavioural” ads help advertisers to .[A] provide better online services[B] ease competition among themselves[C] avoid complaints from consumers[D] lower their operational costs27.“The industry” (Line 6, Para. 3) refers to .[A] internet browser developers[B] digital information analysts[C] e-commerce conductors[D] online advertisers28. Bob Liodice holds that setting DNT as a default .[A] may cut the number of junk ads[B] fails to affect the ad industry[C] will not benefit consumers[D] goes against human nature29. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 6?[A] Advertisers are willing to implement DNT.[B] DNT may not serve its intended purpose.[C] DNT is losing its popularity among consumers.[D] Advertisers are obliged to offer behavioural ads.30. The author's attitude towards what Brendon Lynch said in his blog is one of .[A] indulgence [B] understanding[C] appreciation [D] skepticismText 3Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely—though by no means uniformly—glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.Now utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.But such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years—so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species’ place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the “Red List” of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and you will read: “Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing, and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.”So what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organisations arenow thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical clock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.Perhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.But take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.This long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.31. Our vision of the future used to be inspired by .[A] our desire for lives of fulfillment[B] our faith in science and technology[C] our awareness of potential risks[D] our belief in equal opportunity32. The IUCN's “Red List” suggests that human beings are .[A] a sustained species[B] the world's dominant power[C] a threat to the environment[D] a misplaced race33. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 5?[A] The interest in science fiction is on the rise.[B] Arc helps limit the scope of futurological studies.[C] Technology offers solutions to social problems.[D] Our immediate future is hard to conceive.34. To ensure the future of mankind, it is crucial to .[A] adopt an optimistic view of the world[B] draw on our experience from the past[C] explore our planet's abundant resources[D] curb our ambition to reshape history35. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?[A] The Ever-bright Prospects of Mankind.[B] Science, Technology and Humanity.[C] Evolution of the Human Species.[D] Uncertainty about Our Future.Text 4On a five to three vote, the Supreme Court knocked out much of Arizona's immigration lawMonday—a modest policy victory for the Obama Administration. But on the more important matter of the Constitution, the decision was an 8-0 defeat for the Administration's effort to upset the balance of power between the federal government and the states.In Arizona v. United States, the majority overturned three of the four contested provisions of Arizona's controversial plan to have state and local police enforce federal immigration law. The Constitutional principles that Washington alone has the power to “establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization” and that federal laws precede state laws are noncontroversial. Arizona had attempted to fashion state policies that ran parallel to the existing federal ones.Justice Anthony Kennedy, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the Court's liberals, ruled that the state flew too close to the federal sun. On the overturned provisions the majority held that Congress had deliberately “occupied the field,” and Arizona had thus intruded on the federal's privileged powers.However, the Justices said that Arizona police would be allowed to verify the legal status of people who come in contact with law enforcement. That's because Congress has always envisioned joint federal-state immigration enforcement and explicitly encourages state officers to share information and cooperate with federal colleagues.Two of the three objecting Justices—Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas—agreed with this Constitutional logic but disagreed about which Arizona rules conflicted with the federal statute. The only major objection came from Justice Antonin Scalia, who offered an even more robust defense of state privileges going back to the Alien and Sedition Acts.The 8-0 objection to President Obama turns on what Justice Samuel Alito describes in his objection as “a shocking assertion of federal executive power.” The White House argued that Arizona's laws conflicted with its enforcement priorities, even if state laws complied with federal statutes to the letter. In effect, the White House claimed that it could invalidate any otherwise legitimate state law that it disagrees with.Some powers do belong exclusively to the federal government, and control of citizenship and the borders is among them. But if Congress wanted to prevent states from using their own resources to check immigration status, it could. It never did so. The Administration was in essence asserting that because it didn't want to carry out Congress's immigration wishes, no state should be allowed to do so either. Every Justice rightly rejected this remarkable claim.36. Three provisions of Arizona's plan were overturned because they .[A] disturbed the power balance between different states[B] overstepped the authority of federal immigration law[C] deprived the federal police of Constitutional powers[D] contradicted both the federal and state policies37. On which of the following did the Justices agree, according to Paragraph 4?[A] Congress's intervention in immigration enforcement[B] Federal officers’ duty to withhold immigrants’ information[C] States’ legitimate role in immigration enforcement[D] States’ independence from federal immigration law38. It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that the Alien and Sedition Acts .[A] stood in favor of the states[B] supported the federal statute[C] undermined the states’ interests[D] violated the Constitution39. The White House claims that its power of enforcement[A] is dependent on the states’ support.[B] is established by federal statutes.[C] outweighs that held by the states.[D] rarely goes against state laws.40. What can be learned from the last paragraph?[A] Immigration issues are usually decided by Congress.[B] The Administration is dominant over immigration issues.[C] Justices wanted to strengthen its coordination with Congress.[D] Justices intended to check the power of the Administration.Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blanks. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points) The social sciences are flourishing. As of 2005, there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside and outside academia. According to the World Social Science Report2010, the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.Yet this enormous resource is not contributing enough to today's global challenges, including climate change, security, sustainable development and health.(41)___________________________ Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicate hunger, from genetically engineered crops to artificial fertilizers. Here, too, the problems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42)___________________________ This is a shame—the community should be grasping the opportunity to raise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter:there is no radical innovation without creative destruction.Today, the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internal scholarly debates, rather than on topics with external impact. Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords “environmental change” or “climate change” have increased rapidly since 2004. (43)___________________________When social scientists do tackle practical issues, their scope is often local: Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium, for example. And whether the community's work contributes much to an overall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding.(44)___________________This is an adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today's economic climate.The trick is to direct these funds better. The European Union Framework funding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at social scientists. This year, it was proposed that the system be changed: Horizon 2020, a new program to be enacted in 2014, would not have such a category. This has resulted in protests from social scientists. But the intention is not to neglect social science; rather, the complete opposite. (45)___________________________That should create more collaborative endeavors and help to develop projects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] The idea is to force social scientists to integrate their work with other categories, including health and demographic change; food security; marine research and the bio-economy; clean, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[B] The solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and what it considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought to receive much more attention fromscientists, especially the young ones.[C] It could be that we are evolving two communities of social scientists: one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highly specialized journals, and one that is problem-oriented and publishing elsewhere, such as policy briefs.[D] However, the numbers are still small: in 2010, about 1,600 of the 100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of these keywords.[E] These issues all have root causes in human behavior: all require behavioral change and social innovations, as well as technological development. Stemming climate change, for example, is as much about changing consumption patterns and promoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.[F] Despite these factors, many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems. And in Europe, some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specific funding category for social-science research and to integrate it within cross-cutting topics of sustainable development.[G] During the late 1990s, national spending on social sciences and the humanities as a percentage of all research and development funds-including government, higher education, non-profit and corporate-varied from around 4% to 25%; in most European nations, it is about 15%. Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2.（10 points）It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic human need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidence an irrepressible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and that self-expression is a basic human urge; (46) yet when one looks at the photographs of the gardens created by the homeless, it strikes one that, for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak of various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.One of these urges has to do with creating a state of peace in the midst of turbulence, a “still point of the turning world,” to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot. (47) A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, as opposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much so that where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardeners, the former becomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by the structuring of one's relation to one's environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless, which are in effect homeless gardens, introduce form into an urban environment where it either didn't exist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they give composure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take their stand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from, is so intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When we are deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49) most of us give in to a demoralization of spirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day we find ourselves in a garden and feel the oppression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yet even so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call forth the spirit of plant and animal life, if only symbolically, through a clumplike arrangement of materials, an introduction of colors, small pools of water, and a frequent presence of petals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50) It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fullyjustifies the use of the word garden, though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we can see biophilia—a yearning for contact with nonhuman life—assuming uncanny representational forms.Section Ⅱ WritingPart A51.Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college, inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET 2.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e-mail. Use “Li Ming” instead.Do not write the address. (10 points)Part B52.Directions:Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, you should1) describe the drawing briefly,2) interpret its intended meaning, and3) give your comments.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET 2. (20 points)2013年全真试题答案Section I Use of English1. A2. D3. C4. A5. B6. B7. A8. D9. D 10. A11. D 12. C 13. B 14. D 15. B 16. C 17. A 18. C 19. B 20. CSection II Reading ComprehensionPart AText 1 21. A 22. B 23. D 24. C 25. CText 2 26. D 27. A 28. C 29. B 30. DText 3 31. B 32. A 33. D 34. B 35. AText 4 36. B 37. C 38. A 39. C 40. DPart B41.E 42.F 43.D 44.G 45.APart C46．然而，看到那些无家可归的人所创建的花园的照片时，我们不禁会发现这一系列花园即使风格各异，揭示的却是几种其他的根本需求，不限于美饰与表达的范畴。
考研英语2013年阅读
考研英语2013年阅读在2013年的考研英语考试中，阅读理解部分的难度适中，题型涵盖了细节理解、推理判断、主旨大意和词义猜测等多种类型。
这些文章不仅考察了考生的词汇量和语法知识，还要求考生具备一定的逻辑思维和分析能力。
文章选材广泛，包括了科技、社会、文化和教育等多个领域，这要求考生在备考过程中广泛阅读，增加自己的知识储备。
例如，有一篇文章讨论了现代科技对人类生活方式的影响，文章中提到了智能手机和社交媒体的普及如何改变了人们的交流方式。
考生需要理解这些科技产品如何影响人们的日常生活，并能够从文章中提取关键信息，回答相关问题。
在推理判断题中，考生需要根据文章内容推断作者的意图、文章的隐含意义或某些细节。
这类题目要求考生不仅要理解文章的字面意思，还要能够把握文章的深层含义。
例如，有一道题目要求考生推断作者对于某个社会现象的看法，这就需要考生仔细分析文章中的论点和论据，从而得出合理的结论。
主旨大意题则要求考生把握整篇文章的中心思想。
这类题目通常要求考生从多个选项中选择一个最能概括文章主题的答案。
考生需要通读全文，理解文章的结构和逻辑关系，才能准确把握文章的主旨。
词义猜测题则是考察考生对词汇的理解和运用能力。
在这类题目中，考生需要根据上下文的语境来推测某个生词或短语的含义。
这不仅要求考生具备一定的词汇量，还要求考生能够灵活运用词汇，理解词汇在不同语境中的变化。
总的来说，2013年的考研英语阅读部分对考生的综合英语能力提出了较高的要求。
考生在备考时，除了要注重词汇和语法的学习，还应该加强阅读训练，提高自己的逻辑思维和分析能力。
通过广泛阅读不同类型的文章，考生可以增加知识面，提高对不同题材文章的理解和分析能力，从而在考试中取得更好的成绩。
2013年考研英语阅读理解及答案
2013年全国研究生入学考试英语Section II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections: Read the following fourtexts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Text 1In the 2006 film version of The Devil Wears Prada ,Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, scolds her unattractive assistant for imagining that high fashion doesn’t affect her, Priestly explains how the deep blue color of the assistant’s sweater descended over the years from fashion shows to departments stores and to the bargain bin in which the poor girl doubtless found her garment.This top-down conception of the fashion business couldn’t be more out of date or at odds with the feverish would described in Overdressed, Eliazabeth Cline’s three-year indictment of “fast fashion”. In the last decade or so ,advances in technology have allowed mass-market labels such as Zara ,H&M, and Uniqlo to react to trends more quickly and anticipate demand more precisely. Quicker turnarounds mean less wasted inventory, more frequent release, and more profit. These labels encourage style-conscious consumers to see clothes as disposable-meant to last only a wash or two, although they don’t advertise that –and to renew their wardrobe every few weeks. By offering on-trend items at dirt-cheap prices, Cline argues, these brands have hijacked fashion cycles, shaking an industry long accustomed to a seasonal pace.The victims of this revolution , of course ,are not limited to designers. For H&M to offer a $5.95 knit miniskirt in all its 2,300-pius stores around the world, it must rely on low-wage overseas labor, order in volumes that strain natural resources, and use massive amounts of harmful chemicals.Overdressed is the fashion world’s answer to consumer-activist bestsellers like Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “Mass-produced clothing ,like fast food, fills a hunger and need, yet is non-durable and wasteful,”Cline argues. Americans, she finds, buy roughly 20 billion garments a year –about 64 items per person –and no matter how much they give away, this excess leads to waste.Towards the end of Overdressed, Cline introduced her ideal, a Brooklyn woman named Sarah Kate Beaumont, who since 2008 has made all of her own clothes –and beautifully. But as Cline is the first to note, it took Beaumont decades to perfect her craft; her example can’t be knocked off.Though several fast-fashion companies have made efforts to curb their impact on labor and the environment –including H&M, with its green Conscious Collection line –Cline believes lasting change can only be effected by the customer. She exhibits the idealism common to many advocates of sustainability, be it in food or in energy. V anity is a constant; people will only start shopping more sustainably when they can’t afford not to.21. Priestly criticizes her assistant for her（B）[A] poor bargaining skill. [B] insensitivity to fashion.[C] obsession with high fashion. [D] lack of imagination.22. According to Cline, mass-maket labels urge consumers to（A）[A] combat unnecessary waste. [B] shut out the feverish fashion world.[C] resist the influence of advertisements. [D] shop for their garments more frequently.23. The word “indictment”(Line 3, Para.2) is closest in meaning to（A）[A] accusation.[B] enthusiasm.[C] indifference.[D] tolerance.24. Which of the following can be inferred from the lase paragraph? （D）[A] V anity has more often been found in idealists.[B] The fast-fashion industry ignores sustainability.[C] People are more interested in unaffordable garments.[D] Pricing is vital to environment-friendly purchasing.25. What is the subject of the text? （C）[A] Satire on an extravagant lifestyle.[B] Challenge to a high-fashion myth.[C] Criticism of the fast-fashion industry.[D] Exposure of a mass-market secret.Text 2An old saying has it that half of all advertising budgets are wasted-the trouble is, no one knows which half . In the internet age,at least in theory ,this fraction can be much reduced . By watching what people search for, click on and say online, companies can aim “behavioural”ads at those most likely to buy.In the past couple of weeks a quarrel has illustrated the value to advertisers of such fine-grained information: Should advertisers assume that people are happy to be tracked and sent behavioural ads? Or should they have explicit permission?In December 2010 America's Federal Trade Cornmission (FTC) proposed adding a "do not track "(DNT) option to internet browsers ,so that users could tell adwertisers that they did not want to be followed .Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Apple's Safari both offer DNT ;Google's Chrome is due to do so this year. In February the FTC and Digltal Adwertising Alliance (DAA) agreed that the industry would get cracking on responging to DNT requests.On May 31st Microsoft Set off the row: It said that Internet Explorer 10,the version due to appear windows 8, would have DNT as a default.It is not yet clear how advertisers will respond. Geting a DNT signal does not oblige anyone to s top tracking, although some companies have promised to do so. Unable to tell whether someone really objects to behavioural ads or whether they are sticking with Microsoft’s default, some may ignore a DNT signal and press on anyway.Also unclear is why Microsoft has gone it alone. Atter all, it has an ad business too, which it says will comply with DNT requests, though it is still working out how. If it is trying to upset Google, which relies almost wholly on default will bec ome the norm. DNT does not seem an obviously huge selling point for windows 8-though the firm has compared some of its other products favourably with Google's on that count before. Brendon Lynch, MMicrosoft's chief privacy officer, bloggde:"we believe consumers should have more control." Could it really be that simple?26. It is suggested in paragraph 1 that “behavioural”ads help advertisers to（B）[A] ease competition among themselves[B] lower their operational costs[C] avoid complaints from consumers[D] provide better online services27. “The industry”(Line 6,Para.3) refers to: （D）[A] online advertisers[B] e-commerce conductors[C] digital information analysis[D] internet browser developers28. Bob Liodice holds that setting DNT as a default（C）[A] many cut the number of junk ads[B] fails to affect the ad industry[C] will not benefit consumers[D] goes against human nature29. which of the following is ture according to Paragraph.6? （A）[A] DNT may not serve its intended purpose[B] Advertisers are willing to implement DNT[C] DNT is losing its popularity among consumers[D] Advertisers are obliged to offer behavioural ads30. The author's attitude towards what Brendon Lynch said in his blog is one of: （D）[A] indulgence[B] understanding[C] appreciaction[D] skepticismText 3Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely - though by no means uniformly - glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfillment and opportunity for all.Now utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. Y ou might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.But such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years - so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chanc e of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years . Look up Homo sapiens in the "Red List" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN) ,and you will read: "Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing, and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline."So what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organisations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has its flagship project a medical clock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence .Perhaps willfully , it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potentialevolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.But take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.This long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.31. Our vision of the future used to be inspired by（B）[A] our desire for lives of fulfillment[B] our faith in science and technology[C] our awareness of potential risks[D] our belief in equal opportunity32. The IUCN’s “Red List”suggest that human being are（A）[A] a sustained species[B] a threaten to the environment[C] the world’s dominant power[D] a misplaced race33. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 5? （D）[A] Arc helps limit the scope of futurological studies.[B] Technology offers solutions to social problem.[C] The interest in science fiction is on the rise.[D] Our Immediate future is hard to conceive.34. To ensure the future of mankind, it is crucial to（C）[A] explore our planet’s abundant resources[B] adopt an optimistic view of the world[C] draw on our experience from the past[D] curb our ambition to reshape history35. Which of the following would be the best title for the text? （C）[A] Uncertainty about Our Future[B] Evolution of the Human Species[C] The Ever-bright Prospects of Mankind[D] Science, Technology and HumanityText 4On a five to three vote,the Supreme Court knocked out much of Arizona's immigration law Monday-a modest policy victory for the Obama Aministration.But on the more important matter of the Constitution,the decision was an 8-0 defeat for the federal government and the states.An arizona.United States,the majority overturned three of the four contested provisions of Arizona's controversial plan to have state and local police enfour federal immigrations law.The Constitutional principles that Washington alone has the power to "establish a uniform Rule of Anturalization" and that federal laws precede state laws are noncontroversial.Arizona had attempted to fashion state police that ran to the existing federal ones.Justice Anthony Kennedy,joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the Court's liberals,ruled that the state flew too close to the federal sun .On the overturned provisions the majority held the congress had deliberately "occupied the field " and Arizona had thus intruded on the federal's privileged powersHowever,the Justices said that Arizona police would be allowed to verify the legal status of people who come in contact with law enforcement.That’s because Congress has always envisioned joint federal-state immigration enforcement and explicitly encourages state officers to share information and cooperate with federal colleagues.Two of the three objecting Justice-Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas-agreed with this Constitutional logic but disagreed about which Arizona rules conflicted with the federal statute. The only major objection came from Justice Antonin Scalia,who offered an even more robust defense of state privileges going back to the alien and Sedition Acts.The 8-0 objection to President Obama tures on what Justice Samuel Alito describes in his objection as “a shocking assertion assertion of federal executive power”. The White House argued tha Arizona’s laws conflicted with its enforcement priorities, even if state laws complied with federal statutes to the letter. In effect, the White House claimed that it could invalidate any otherwise legitimate state law that it disagrees with.Some powers do belong exclusively to the federal government,and control of citizenship and the borders is among them. But if Congress wanted to prevent states from using their own resources to check immigration status,it could.It could.It never did so.The administration was in essence asserting that because it didn't want to carry out Congress's immigration wishes,no state should be allowed to do so either.Every Justice rightly rejected this remarkable claim.36. Three provisions of Arizona’s plan were overturned because they（C）[A] deprived the federal police of Constitutional powers.[B] disturbed the power balance between different states.[C] overstepped the authority of federal immigration law.[D] contradicted both the federal and state policies.37. On which of the following did the Justices agree,according to Paragraph4? （C）[A] Federal officers’duty to withhold immigrants’information.[B] States’independence from federal immigration law.[C] States’legitimate role in immigration enforcement.[D] Congress’s intervention in immigration enforcement.38. It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that the Alien and Sedition Acts（D）[A] violated the Constitution.[B] undermined the states’interests.[C] supported the federal statute.[D] stood in favor of the states.39. The White House claims that its power of enforcement（A）[A] outweighs that held by the states.[B] is dependent on the states’support.[C] is established by federal statutes.[D] rarely goes against state laws.40. What can be learned from the last paragraph? （B）[A] Immigration issues are usually decided by Congress.[B] Justices intended to check the power of the Administrstion.[C] Justices wanted to strengthen its coordination with Congress.[D] The Administration is dominant over immigration issues.Section III WritingPart A51.Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college,inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e “Li Ming”instead.Do not write the address.(10 points)参考范文：Dear Mr Smith,On behalf of the Student Union , I am sending this e-mail to you to invite you to act as our judge of English Speech Contest to be held in our university on May 5 .To be more specific , our contest is on the topic of how to embrace tough challenges in digital era. During this competition , Ten participants will deliver their speeches with respect to this topic .It is widely acknowledged that you are a top expert in this field , so we sincerely hope that you can acc ept our invitation . For further information , please call me at 8888888.I am looking forward to your reply and arrival .Yours respectfullyLi MingPart B52.Directions:Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following drawing .In your essay,you should1) describe the drawing briefly.2) interpret its intended meaning ,and3) give your comments.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.(20points)参考范文：The picture jumping into my sight is fairly compelling. In this cartoon , after graduation, a host of graduates may face diverse choices , ranging from postgraduate entrance exam to study abroad to job-hunting and so on . But when approaching a junction , which direction should one choose ? The caption, summarizing the message conveyed by this cartoon in a couple of words , reads : “choice”This picture inspires me hugely.The cartoonist strives to bring home to us a single clear message : making choice matters much for a person’s success. Stated in another way, a folk would be permanently locked out of the league of successful elites if he or she lacks the awareness of choice . To be more specific , on the basis of self-evaluation and development goal in the foreseeable future , different folks possess different options .From my own perspective , option is truly among the most important of elements that drive individuals to success. Losing sight of the crucial importance of option would be a major obstacle to one’s success. Meanwhile , when making every opti on , we are supposed to take self-evaluation and interest into consideration. On a broader level, a persistent atmosphere of placing a high value on cultivating of making options is sorely needed. Only in this way can we embrace a brighter future.选择题答案：1-5 ABCDB 6-10 DAADC 11-15 ACBCB 15-20 CDDBA21-25 BAADC26-30 BDCAD 31-35 BADCC 36-40 CCDAB 41-45 EFBGC。
2013考研英语阅读真题及参考答案解析
2013考研英语阅读真题及参考答案解析2013年考研英语阅读参考答案及解析Part AText 121.【答案】B (insensitivity to fashion)【解析】事实细节题。
根据题干，首先定位到首段。
由文章第一句后半句scoldsher unattractive assistant for imagining that high fashion doesnt affect her。
意思是：批评她没有魅力的助理，因为助理认为高级时尚对她的生活影响不大。
可知criticize是对scolds的同义替换，B项中的insensitivity to fashion是imagining that high fashion doesnt affect her。
的同义替换。
所以B项为正确答案。
A项在文中并未提及，属于无中生有。
C项和D项是对文章第一句的曲解。
22.【答案】D (shop for their garments more frequently)【解析】事实细节题。
根据题干，首先定位到第二段。
由倒数第二句these labels encouragestyle-conscious consumers to see clothes as disposable, , and to renew their wardrobeevery few weeks。
意思是这些商标(畅销商标)促使有时尚意识的消费者将服装看成是用完就可以丢弃的，，并且每周更新他们的衣橱。
D选项shop for their garments morefrequently的意思是更加频繁地购买服装，正好是renew their wardrobe every few weeks的同义替换。
A，B，C项均属于无中生有项。
23.【答案】A (accusation)【解析】词义题。
题干中需要猜测词义的单词出现在第二段的第一句thefeverish world described in Overdressed,Elizabeth Clines three-year indictment of fast fashion。
2013英语三级阅读专练(含答案解析)
2013英语三级阅读理解模拟练习ATae kwon do(跆拳道) is the Korean martial(军事的）art of hand-to-hand combat（战斗)．Maybe that should really be body—to—body combat because in tae kwon do the whole body must be trained to properly defend and attack．There are some similarities between tae kwon do and other martial arts．For example，tae kwon do uses quick straight-line moves which can also be found in Japanese martial arts,but tae kwon do also uses flowing circular moves like the type of moves found in Chinese martial arts．The main difference between tae kwon do and other martial arts is the powerful kicking technique which tae kwon do uses．This is where the name tae kwon do comes from．In Korean，tae means”to kick",kwon means"to strike with the hand"，and do means”art"．Therefore，tae kwon do can be translated as"the art of kicking and punching”．Paintings found on the walls and ceilings of ancient Korean tombs in-dicate that tae kwon do，or something similar to it，has been practiced in Korea since about 50 B．C．Also，records of a specially trained group of young warriors called Hwarang explain how these young men were taught taek kyon（an early form of tae kwon do）along with history，philosophy，ethics,archery，riding，and sword fighting．Members of the Hwarang were also encouraged to travel throughout Korea in order to learn about the people who lived in all regions of the country．This helped spread the practice of taek kyon throughout Korea．Eventually taek kyon，which was practiced for exercise and sport was replaced by subak，another martial art ．The purpose of subak was specifically fighting，so members of the military were required to learn it．However，people's interest in subak died out over time．By the 1800s，few Koreans actually practiced subak．After Korea was invaded in 1909,authorities put an end to the practice of all martial arts in the country．In the long run，this ban actually led to increased interest in martial arts，and secret groups began to practice subak again in the Buddhist temples hidden high in the mountains in Korea．After Korea gained its independence again in 1948，interest in many forms of martial arts grew around the country．The Korean Tae Kwon Do Association was formed in 1961，and this was followed by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation in 1973．Today，tae kwon do enjoys great popularity around the world．More than 20 million people practice tae kwon do in more than 120 countries．Tae kwon do was also made an official demonstration sport in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul，Korea．41．Tae kwon do means_____．[ A ]．martial arts[ B ]．the art of kicking and punching［C ]．taek kyon or subak[ D ]．younger warrior42．How is tae kwon do different from other forms of martial arts？[ A ]．The movements are straight．[ B ]．It is practiced by men and women．［C ］．It uses powerful kicks．[ D ］．The movements are flowing．43．What was the Hwarang？[ A ]．A kind of martial arts．［B ］．A group of warriors．［C ］．A kind of painting．[ D ］．An early form of tae kwon do．44．Where did Koreans practice martial arts after being invaded in 1909？［A ］．In Buddhist temples．［B ］．In sports competitions．［C ］．In special schools．［D ］．In tunnels．45．When was tae kwon do first seen at an Olympic competition？［A ]．1948．[ B ]．1973．[ C ]．1961．[ D ]．1988．BFrom the earliest times，man has been interested in art．People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures．Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre in Paris，France．The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries．The Louvre has not always been a museum．The first building was a fort（炮台）．In 1190，it was the king’s castle with high walls and a round tower．It had a moat to keep out his enemies．Over the years，the number of buildings around the castle grew．By 1350,the castle was no longer needed as a fort．The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens．During times of peace,new treasures were brought in．During days of war,many treasures were stolen,and the buildings were damaged．When Francis I became king of France in 1515，he brought in artists from many countries．One of the artists was Leonardo da Vinci from Italy．Da Vinci’s”Mona Lisa"is the best known painting in the museum today．In 1793，the Louvre became a public museum，just as it is now．It is a place where art treasures have been saved for everyone to enjoy．46．On the whole,this passage is mainly about____。
考研英语(真题)阅读理解专题_(十)
The Supreme Courts decisions on physician-assisted suicide carry important implications for how medicine seeks to relieve dyingpatients of pain and suffering. Although it ruled that there is no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide, the Court ineffect supported the medical principle of "double effect," acenturies-old moral principle holding that an action having two effects—a good one that is intended and a harmful one that is foreseen—is permissible if the actor intends only the good effect.Doctors have used that principle in recent years to justify using high doses of morphine to control terminally ill patients pain, even though increasing dosages will eventually kill the patient.Nancy Dubler, director of Montefiore Medical Center, contendsthat the principle will shield doctors who "until now have very, very strongly insisted that they could not give patients sufficient mediation to control their pain if that might hasten death."George Annas, chair of the health law department at Boston University, maintains that, as long as a doctor prescribes a drug for a legitimate medical purpose, the doctor has done nothing illegaleven if the patient uses the drug to hasten death. "It's like surgery," he says. "We don't call those deaths homicides because the doctors didn't intend to kill their patients, although they risked their death. If you're a physician, you can risk your patientssuicide as long as you don't intend their suicide."On another level, many in the medical community acknowledge that the assisted-suicide debate has been fueled in part by the despair of patients for whom modern medicine has prolonged the physical agony of dying. Just three weeks before the Courts ruling on physician-assisted suicide, the National Academy of Science (NAS) released atwo-volume report, Approaching Death: Improving Care at the End of Life. It identifies the under treatment of pain and the aggressiveuse of "ineffectual and forced medical procedures that may prolongand even dishonor the period of dying" as the twin problems of end-of-life care.The profession is taking steps to require young doctors to trainin hospices, to test knowledge of aggressive pain management therapies, to develop a Medicare billing code for hospital-based care, and to develop new standards for assessing and treating pain at the end of life. Annas says lawyers can play a key role in insisting that these well-meaning medical initiatives translate into better care. "Large numbers of physicians seem unconcerned with the pain theirpatients are needlessly and predictably suffering," to the extentthat it constitutes "systematic patient abuse." He says medical licensing boards "must make it clear…that painful deaths are presumptively ones that are incompetently managed and should resultin license suspension."1. From the first three paragraphs, we learnthat .[A]doctors used to increase drug dosages to control theirpatients pain.[B]it is still illegal for doctors to help the dying end their lives.[C]the Supreme Court strongly opposes physician-assisted suicide.[D]patients have no constitutional right to commit suicide.2. Which of the following statements its true according to the text?[A]Doctors will be held guilty if they risk their patients death.[B]Modern medicine has assisted terminally ill patients in painless recovery.[C]The Court ruled that high-dosage pain-relieving medication can be prescribed.[D]A doctors medication is no longer justified by his intentions.3. According to the NAS's report, one of the problems in end-of-life care is .[A]prolonged medical procedures.[B]inadequate treatment of pain.[C]systematic drug abuse.[D]insufficient hospital care.4. Which of the following best defines the word "aggressive" (line 3, paragraph 7)?[A]Bold.[B]Harmful.[C]Careless.[D]Desperate.5. George Annas would probably agree that doctors should be punished if they .[A]manage their patients incompetently.[B]give patients more medicine than needed.[C]reduce drug dosages for their patients.[D]prolong the needless suffering of the patients.参考答案:。
考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析(十三)
Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? SinceOPEC agreed to supply-cuts in March, the price of crude oil hasjumped to almost $26 a barrel, up from less than $10 last D ...Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? SinceOPEC agreed to supply-cuts in March, the price of crude oil hasjumped to almost $26 a barrel, up from less than $10 last December.This near-tripling of oil prices calls up scary memories of the 1973oil shock, when prices quadrupled, and 1979-1980, when they alsoalmost tripled. Both previous shocks resulted in double-digitinflation and global economic decline. So where are the headlineswarning of gloom and doom this time?The oil price was given another push up this week when Iraqsuspended oil exports. Strengthening economic growth, at the sametime as winter grips the northern hemisphere, could push the pricehigher still in the short term。
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Passage 10
The poverty line is the minimum income that people need for an acceptable standard of living. People with incomes below the poverty line are considered poor. Economists study the causes of poverty in order to find solutions to the problem.
As the general standard of living in the country rises, the poverty line does, too. Therefore, even with today's relatively high standard of living, about 10 percent of the people in the United States are below the poverty line. However, if these people had stable jobs, they could have an acceptable standard of living. Economists suggest several reasons why poor people do not have jobs.
For one thing, more than half of the poor people in the United States are not qualified to work. Over 40 percent of the poor people are children. By law, children less than 16 years old cannot work in many industries.
A large number of poor people are old. Many companies do not hire people over 65 years old, the normal retirement age.
Some poor adults do not look for jobs for a variety of personal reasons: they are sick, they do not have any motivation(动力). they have family problems, or they do not believe that they can find a job.
Other poor people look for a job but cannot find one. Many poor adults never went to high school. Therefore, when they look for jobs, they have few skills that they can offer.
At the present time, the government thinks it can reduce poverty in the country in the following ways.
First, if the national economy grows, businesses and industries hire more workers. Some of the poor who are qualified to look for jobs may find employment. Then they will no longer be below the poverty line.
Second, if society invests in the poor, the poor will become more productive. If the government spends money on social programs, education, and training for poor people, the poor will have the skills to offer. Then it is more likely that they can find jobs.
Finally, if the government distributes society's income differently, it raises some poor people above the poverty line. The government collects taxes from the non-poor and gives money to the poor. These payments to the poor are called welfare. In 1975 over 18 million people in the United States received welfare.
Some economists are looking for better solutions to the poverty problem. However, at the present time, many people depend on welfare for a minimally acceptable standard of living.
1. The author's main purpose to write this article is .
A) to define what the poverty line is
B) to explain why some people live the poverty line
C) to find solutions to the problem of poverty
D) to show sympathy for those poor people
2. Which of the following is NOT true?
A) Ten percent of the Americans live a poor life.
B) Poor people are those who love below the poverty line.
C) The poverty line rises as the general standard of living rises.
D) The poverty line tends to be at the same level.
3. More than 40 percent of the poor people are children. This is mainly because .
A) they do not have enough motivation
B) they are so young that they are deprived of chances to work
C) they fail to get enough education
D) they are very poor in health
4. Most of the American poor people are not qualified for employment because .
A) they to not have any motivation to work
B) they are not very self-confident
C) they are too young or too old to work
D) they have physical and family problems
5. We may conclude from the passage that .
A) better solutions to the poverty problem are not yet found
B) welfare will enable people to be rich
C) poor people are bound to go out of the poverty line if they have chances to do business
D) employment is the best solution to the poverty problem
Passage 10
1.C
2.D
3.B
4.C
5.A。