《考博英语阅读理解150篇详解》(医学保健类 恐惧症)【圣才出品】

Passage4考古学Archaeology has long been all accepted tool for studying prehistoric cultures. Relatively recently the same techniques have been systematically applied to studies of the more immediate past.This has been called“historical archaeology,”a term that is used in the United States to refer to any archaeological investigation into North American sites that postdate the arrival of Europeans.Back in the1930’s and1940’s,when building restoration was popular, historical archaeology was primarily a tool of architectural reconstruction.The role of archaeologists was to find the foundations of historic buildings and then take a back seat to architects.The mania for reconstruction had largely subsided by the1950’s and1960’s. Most people entering historical archaeology during this period came out of university anthropology departments,where they had studied prehistoric cultures. They were,by training,social scientists,not historians,and their work tended to reflect this bias.The questions they framed and the techniques they used were designed to help them understand,as scientists,how people behaved.But because they were treading on historical ground for which there was often extensive written documentation and because their own knowledge of these periods was usually limited,their contributions to American history remained circumscribed.Their reports,highly technical and sometimes poorly written,went unread.More recently,professional archaeologists have taken over.These researchershave sought to demonstrate that their work can be a valuable tool not only of science but also of history,providing fresh insights into the daily lives of ordinary people whose existence might not otherwise be so well documented.This newer emphasis on archaeology as social history has shown great promise,and indeed work done in this area has led to a reinterpretation of the United States past.In Kingston,New York,for example,evidence had been uncovered that indicates that English goods were being smuggled into that city at a time when the Dutch supposedly controlled trading in the area.And in Sacramento an excavation at the site of a fashionable nineteenth-century hotel revealed that garbage had been stashed in the building’s basement despite sanitation laws to the contrary.1.What is the main idea of this passage?A.Why historical archaeology was first developed?B.How the methods and purpose of historical archaeology have changed?C.The contributions architects make to historical archaeology.D.The attitude of professional archaeologists toward historical archaeology2.According to the first paragraph,what is a relatively new focus in archaeology?A.Investigating the recent past.B.Studying prehistoric cultures.C.Excavating ancient sites in what is now the United States.paring findings made in North America and in Europe.3.The word“framed”in the sentence“The questions they framed and the techniques they used were designed…”means______.A.understoodB.readC.posedD.avoided4.In the third paragraph，the author implies that the techniques of history and the techniques of social science are______.A.both based on similar principlesB.quite different from each otherually taught to students of archaeologyD.equally useful in studying prehistoric cultures5.The author mentions all excavation at the site of a hotel in Sacramento in order to give an example of______.A.a building reconstruction projectB.a finding that conflicts with written recordsC.the work of the earliest historical archaeologistsD.the kind of information that historians routinely examine【答案与解析】1.B文章第一段提出讲述的中心historical archaeology（历史考古学），并简述其研究方向的变化；第二段提到historical archaeology是古建筑复原的一种主要工具；文章第三段和第四段分别讲述了historical archaeology在五、六十年代采用的研究方法和目的以及最近历史考古学的新的作用。

Passage1绿色和平组织Green peace has identified global climate change as one of the greatest threats to the ernments and scientists alike have agreed that the problem is real and serious.Last year at the climate summit in Kyoto,industrialized countries agreed,at least on paper,to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases they pump into the atmosphere.But crucial details,upon which the success or failure of the agreement rests,are still under negotiation,and in the meantime little real action is being taken to address the problem.Greenpeace is therefore campaigning for governments to face up to their responsibilities and urgently address this problem.The longer action is delayed,the more drastic it will need to be in order to avoid dangerous interference with the planet’s climate from the so-called greenhouse gases.Governments should be leading the way to a fundamentally new energy direction based on clean renewable energy,like wind or solar power.But at present many governments instead use taxpayers’money to support the agenda of the companies,which continue to spend billions of dollars on development of coal,oil or gas—the climate-damaging fossil fuels.Scientists estimate that we can only afford to release a limited amount of carbon into the atmosphere,otherwise,we pass the“safe”limits of climate change.It is at this point that climate change happens so fast that ecosystems areunable to adapt.Greenpeace believes that a temperature increase of1℃is the absolute maximum that should be allowed.The amount of carbon that we can release to keep within these limits can be calculated and is in the range of112.5to 337.5billion tons of carbon over the next100years.But industry already has around four times this amount of carbon—over one thousand billion tons—in existing reserves of oil,coal and gas.This means that three quarters of the oil,coal and gas already found cannot be burned if we want to avoid dangerous climate change.If we continue burning fossil fuels at present levels,the“safe”limit of1℃will be reached in just40years.That is why we have to start reducing carbon dioxide emissions immediately and prepare for an orderly phase out of fossil fuels.Greenpeace calls this the“carbon logic”.The oil companies alone have already found enough oil to cause dangerous climate change.Yet they continue to look for more.And of course once they have invested in finding the oil,they will not be prepared to give up their right to pump it out and sell it.The effects on the climate could be catastrophic.1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?A.Both governments and scientists have realized that global climate change is one of the greatest threats to the planet.B.At the climate summit in Kyoto,many countries planned to protect the atmosphere.C.The atmosphere protection is still in the air.D.Industrialized countries have reduced the amount of carbon dioxide and othergreenhouse gases they pump into the atmosphere.2.According to the author,governments should______.A.support the companies to continue their development of coal,oil or gasB.advocate the use of clean renewable energy like wind of solar powerC.not waste taxpayers’money to develop new energyD.prohibit the further exploration of the fossil fuels,only allowing the companiesto burn the existing reserves already found3.A suitable title for the passage is______.A.Green peace’s International Campaign to Save the ClimateB.The Carbon LogicC.Climate ChangeD.Fossil Fuels4.The author has a（n）______attitude towards our climate.A.worriedB.criticalC.negativeD.objective5.What does the word“catastrophic”in Line4of the last paragraph mean?A.far-reachingB.irresponsibleC.disastrousD.irrespective【答案与解析】1.D本文第一段讲到，Green peace认为全球气候变化是对地球的最大威胁之一，政府和科学家都已认识到这一问题非常严重。

目录Unit One---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 PartA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1Text 1儿童教育和沟通结合-----------------------------------------------------------------1Text 2克隆人和动物--------------------------------------------------------------------------6Text 3太阳系内速度限制--------------------------------------------------------------------11Text 4互联网和电脑等新型通讯技术的应用--------------------------------------------15 Part B盗窃--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20Part C撒谎--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25翻译技巧补充：英译汉概述（一）------------------------------------------------------29Unit Two----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------32 Part A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------32Text 1加拿大社会的劣质服务---------------------------------------------------------------32 Text 2未来汽车---------------------------------------------------------------------------------36Text 3广告业是美国经济的晴雨表---------------------------------------------------------41 Text 4英国学业间断期------------------------------------------------------------------------46Part B生命进化历史---------------------------------------------------------------------------51Part C情感商机---------------------------------------------------------------------------------56翻译技巧补充：英译汉概述（二）------------------------------------------------------60Unit Three--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------63 Part A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------63Text 1美、加之间贸易摩擦------------------------------------------------------------------63 Text 2现代人对维多利亚时代英国人的看法---------------------------------------------68 Text 3探讨时尚---------------------------------------------------------------------------------72Text 4基因检测法用于侦破案件------------------------------------------------------------76 Part B立法机构在制定法律过程中的作用------------------------------------------------81 Part C美国黑人文学---------------------------------------------------------------------------86翻译技巧补充：词义的选择----------------------------------------------------------------89Unit Four------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------91 Part A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------91Text 1五大湖环境状况--------------------------------------------------------------------------91 Text 2欧洲铁路-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------95 Text 3教师资格认证体系-----------------------------------------------------------------------99 Text 4美国食品药品管理局面临的困难-----------------------------------------------------105 Part B网上商务-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------110 Part C物种灭绝-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------116翻译技巧补充：词义的抽象与具体---------------------------------------------------------119 Unit Five--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------121 Part A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------121 Text 1鸡蛋中培养流感疫苗-----------------------------------------------------------------------121 Text 2国际数学评估反映美国教育问题--------------------------------------------------------126 Text 3美国经济不景气----------------------------------------------------------------------------131 Text 4全国防止虐待儿童协会-------------------------------------------------------------------137 Part B经济学角度解决垃圾收集问题----------------------------------------------------------142 Part C个人发明和大企业组织的研究----------------------------------------------------------147 翻译技巧补充：词性的转换---------------------------------------------------------------------151Part A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------153Text 1童工、教育和贫困--------------------------------------------------------------------------153 Text 2加州能源管制--------------------------------------------------------------------------------158 Text 3美国社会保障的私有化--------------------------------------------------------------------163 Text 4现代美容手术的普及-----------------------------------------------------------------------167 Part B演讲--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------172 Part C幻听--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------177翻译技巧补充：词汇的增译和减译------------------------------------------------------------180 Unit Seven-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------183 Part A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------183 Text 1全球经济滞胀----------------------------------------------------------------------------------183 Text 2印度妇女受到性别歧视----------------------------------------------------------------------189 Text 3梦成现实----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------193 Text 4新的教育体制观念----------------------------------------------------------------------------198 Part B优秀的领导者----------------------------------------------------------------------------------202 Part C英国人是政治动物----------------------------------------------------------------------------208 翻译技巧补充：重复译----------------------------------------------------------------------------211 Unit Eight----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------213 Part A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------213 Text 1外表的美与内在的美--------------------------------------------------------------------------213 Text 2生态环境与恐怖主义--------------------------------------------------------------------------218 Text 3网络信息安全性--------------------------------------------------------------------------------223 Text 4北美印第安音乐--------------------------------------------------------------------------------228 Part BB为青春期的变化做准备---------------------------------------------------------------------232 Part C地球日--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------237翻译技巧补充：正义反译和反义正译-----------------------------------------------------------240 Unit Nine------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------242 Part A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------242 Text 1美国解除飞机上使用手机的禁令-----------------------------------------------------------242 Text 2环境预防原则-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------247 Text 3索尼公司的管理--------------------------------------------------------------------------------253 Text 4音乐与政治--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------258 Part B人类艺术与动物类似行为的区别----------------------------------------------------------263 Part C社会保障----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------270翻译技巧补充：分译与合译-----------------------------------------------------------------------273 Unit Ten-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------276 Part A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------276 Text 1戏剧包含的要素-------------------------------------------------------------------------------276 Text 2节省更多时间来工作的观念----------------------------------------------------------------280 Text 3巴西足球运动事业现状----------------------------------------------------------------------286 Text 4游戏领域女性工作人员很少----------------------------------------------------------------292 Part B面试----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------297 Part C甘地的和平主义-------------------------------------------------------------------------------303翻译技巧补充：倒置法-----------------------------------------------------------------------------306 Unit Eleven--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------308Text 1企业绿色外衣现象---------------------------------------------------------------------------308 Text 2音乐物质文化---------------------------------------------------------------------------------313 Text 3肥胖问题---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------317 Text 4美国在联合国欠费问题---------------------------------------------------------------------323 Part B个人着装--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------327 Part C年轻的作家模仿莎士比亚----------------------------------------------------------------333翻译技巧补充：插入法---------------------------------------------------------------------------336 Unit Twelve-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------338 Part A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------338 Text 1新闻如何吸引读者--------------------------------------------------------------------------338 Text 2星际网络--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------343 Text 3荷兰艺术家及其作品-----------------------------------------------------------------------347 Text 4艾滋病最新治疗思路-----------------------------------------------------------------------352 Part B成为成功的老板-----------------------------------------------------------------------------357 Part C经济学史--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------363翻译技巧补充：重组法----------------------------------------------------------------------------365全书答案汇总------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------368 张剑曾鸣编著《英语阅读理解150篇》Part 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 1No t long after the telephone was invented, I assume, a call was placed. The caller was a parent saying, “your child is bullying my child, and I want it stopped!” The bully's parent replied, “you must have the wrong number. My child is a little angel.”A trillion phone calls later, the conversation is the same. When children are teased or tyrannized, the parental impulse is to grab the phone and rant. But these days, as studies in the U.S. show bullying on the rise and parental supervision on the decline, researchers who study bullying say that calling moms and dads is more futile than ever. Such calls often lead to playground recriminations and don't really teach our kids any lessons about how to navigate the world and resolve conflicts.When you call parents, you want them to “extract the cruelty”from their bullying children, says Laura Kavesh, a child psychologist in Evanston, Illinois. “But many parents are blown away by the idea of their child being cruel. They won t believe it.”In a recent police department survey in Oak Harbor, Washington, 89% of local high school students said they had engaged in bullying behavior. Yet only 18% of parents thought their children would act as bullies.In a new U.S.PTA survey, 5% of parents support contacting other parents to deal with bullying. But many educators warn that those conversations can be misinterpreted, causing tempers to flare. Instead, they say, parents should get objective outsiders, like principals, to mediate.Meanwhile, if you get a call from a parent who is angry about your child's bullying, listen without getting defensive. That's what Laura McHugh of Castro Valley, California, did when a caller told her that her then 13-year-old son had spit in another boy's food.Her son had confessed, but the victim's mom “wanted to make sure my son hadn't given her son a nasty disease,” says McHugh, who apologized and promised to get her son tested for AIDS and other diseases. She knew the chance of contracting any disease this way was remote, but her promise calmed the mother and showed McHugh's son that his bad behaviour was being taken seriously. McHugh, founder of Parents Coach Kids, a group that teaches parenting skills, sent the mom the test results. All were negative.Remember: once you make a call, you might not like what you hear. If you have an itchy dialing finger, resist temptation. Put it in your pocket. ［419 words］1.The word “bullying” probably means______.［A］frightening and hurting ［B］teasing［C］behaving like a tyrant ［D］laughing at2. Calling to a bully's parent.______.［A］has long existed but changed its content ［B］is often done with careful thinking［C］often leads to blaming and misunderstanding ［D］is used to warn the child not to do it again3. According to the surveys in the U.S., _______.［A］bullying among adults is also rising［B］parents are not supervising their children well［C］parents seldom believe bullies［D］most parents resort to calling to deal with bullying4. When bullying occurs, parents should_______.［A］help the bulling child get rid of cruelty ［B］resort to the mediator［C］avoid getting too protective ［D］resist the temptation of callingura McHugh promised to get the bullied boy tested for diseases because________.［A］her son confessed to being wrong ［B］she was afraid to annoy the boy's parent［C］he was likely to be affected by these diseases［D］she wanted to teach her own son a lessonblow away *①to completely surprise sb., to affect intensely; overwhelm使大为惊讶；强烈影响，征服例：That concert blew me away.音乐会震撼了我。

Passage5保证金率The increase in the margin rate from50%to70%was not an attempt to stem any rampant speculation on the part of the public—actually the market seemed technically quite strong,with public participation essentially dignified—but rather an attempt by the Federal Reserve Board to preserve the sound underpinnings that existed in the market.Naturally,such a move had a momentarily chilling effect upon prices but if the FRB had been preoccupied with undue speculation,the increase might have been to the80%or even90%level.Such an increase in the margin rate is a confirmation of a strong stock market and since1991,such increases have resulted in interim market highs over twelve months later.Obviously, there could be no guarantee that this would once again be the case,but if history is any guideline—and if business and corporate earnings were to continue on the same course,continued optimism over the outlook for the stock market would seem more prudent than pessimism.The margin increase underscored the good rise that stocks had enjoyed for the previous year—and the fact that a50%rate was maintained as long as it was pointed up the fact that the rise was mainly conservative in that it was concentrated in the bluechips for the most part.In past Investment Letters we have voiced the thought that specialty stocks could outperform the general market from this point. We continue to believe that this could be the case.For example,steel stocks tend to sell at certain fixed price earnings ratios.Below a certain ratio they are consideredgood value—above a certain ratio,overpriced.If a company produces a unique product it is far more difficult for market analysis to place a numerical ratio upon the company’s earnings.We have also contended in the past Letters that the stock market reflects mass psychology as well as the business outlook.When investors—both the public and the institutions—are nervous and pessimistic they definitely hesitate to buy stocks:they seek low price/earnings/multiples and high yields.These same investors—when they are in an optimistic frame of mind—become far less preoccupied with yields and more willing to pay a premium for accelerated growth.If the public’s attitude towards the auto industry is any measure,then this period seems to have been one of optimism.1.The title that best expresses the ideas of this passage is______.A.A Time to Sell StocksB.A Strong Stock MarketC.Raising the Margin RateD.Price/Earnings Ratio in Steel2.What do investors do when they are pessimistic?A.They look to the FRB for help.B.They buy steel.C.They buy automobile stocks.D.They look for high yields.3.Why does the writer believe that specialty stocks could outperform the general market?A.Because analysts had difficulty in deciding upon a fixed price/earnings ratio.B.Because the activity had been limited to bluechips.C.Because the rise was conservative.D.Because of the FRB action4.When investors are optimistic,what do they do?A.They look for accelerated growth.B.They buy specialty stocks.C.They look for high yields.D.They are more prudent.5.The investors are willing to buy stocks when they are______.A.rampantB.pessimisticC.nervousD.optimistic【答案与解析】1.B从首段可推出此主题。

Passage8社会趣闻That title always had grandeur to it.“Miss America.”Ah,the simple,arrogant brilliance.It suggests a prom queen who wants to become the Statue of Liberty. Now she’s75and darned if she isn’t fresh as a Hard Copy headline.When the Atlantic City pageant airs this Saturday in the U.S.on the NBC network,some ambitious young woman—one of the50000who try out each year—will realize the gossamer dream that last year enveloped Heatber Whitestone, the first deaf Miss America.But in the months leading to that night,the pageant has been slapped with unseemly controversy.A Miss Maryland runner-up charges that she was denied her state title because of vote rigging.Other state runners-up are vexed because a woman who had lost the Miss New Jersey competition four times decamped to Delaware and won the title there.And throughout America the anguished debate roils on.Should the swimsuit competition be dropped?Scandal is the coin of contemporary celebrity;it keeps the public interested. Funny how people have really cared about the pageant’s politics:in1945the naming of the first Jewish MissAmerica,Bass Myers on;in1979the dumping of Bert Parks,the show’s emcee for 25years;in1984the dethroning of Vanessa Williams,the first winner of color,after sexually provocative photos surfaced.Race,creed,age,all have clouded the show. But like the winner at the moment of coronation—brandishing a mile—wide smile as she sobs on the edge of both the runway and hysteria—the pageant proves thatpretty can be messy.It serves as a kitsch microcosm of a conflicted country.Miss America is America.This year Americans can be a part of the pageant,and not just by guessing the winner and trashing the losers.In a plebiscite,the I-can’t-believe-its-a-beauty-pageant,pageant is letting viewers decide whether the swimsuit competition will be retained.Before every commercial during the first half of the three-hour show,two phone numbers will appear—one for yes votes, one for no.The tally will be up-dated throughout the program.Normally the swimsuit competition is the first event of the evening;this year it will be the last—unless it is eliminated which it won’t be.Straw polls indicate wide support, and42of the50contestants are for it.Says Emily Orson,Miss Oregon,“The media can make you feel a lot more naked than a swimsuit.So if you can’t be comfortable competing in this,you won’t feel comfortable being Miss America.”No question that the contestants must parade as objects—not sex objects, exactly,since the bathing gear they are made to wear is about as revealing as a cassock,but surely as objects—for ogling,for censure,for pity.Lee Merewether, Miss America1955,recalls her agony in a one piece,“I was dying a thousand deaths.I’ve never had people stare at me like that,and with binoculars!“I’ll be thrilled if they can get rid of it”,says this year’s Miss Montana,Amanda Granule,“We shouldn’t have women in a veiled strip show.”Even Leonard Horn,who runs the Miss America Organization,says,“I personally cannot rationalize it.”Eager to italicize the scholarship program that gives more than$24million a year to contestants,Horn sees the swimsuit segment as a tacky relic of Miss America’s childhood.1.The Miss Maryland runner-up was denied her state title because______A.she didn’t get enough votes.B.somebody was manipulating behind the scene.C.she was charged of some criminal deeds.D.people held a controversial point of view of her.2.The first sentence of Para.3indicates the public______A.is casual about the pageant.B.shows great concern over the outstanding people.C.has nothing to do but gossip.D.is interested in scandals that produce famous persons.3.According to Para.3______A.the pageant is also a political maneuver.B.the pageant is closely connected with race.weight&age.C.pretty is not a blessing.D.the contest for Miss America can reflect the conflicts existing in American society.4.In the view of Miss Oregon,A.the swimsuit competition is much more hideous than the media.B.we have reasons to retain this competition.C.the media is sometimes less annoying than the swimsuit competition.D.the media can reveal more of oneself than the swimsuit does.5.It can be inferred from the text that the competition______A.will be banned.B.will be held every five years.C.will continue to exist.D.becomes popular.【答案与解析】1.B在第二段第三句“一位马里兰州的美国小姐参赛者指责说就是因为选票作弊，而否定她获州小姐称号。

Passage12网上广告Two types of advertising have begun to proliferate on the Internet,in-your-face ads that appear unrequested and site ads that are designed to be there to either provide product information or to promote the company.Internet users typically don’t want overt advertising that only increases the bandwidth of what they want to see.However,advertising that is more service-orientated is beneficial to both the customer and the advertiser.Sites that contain surveys,questionnaires,and feedback forms are of use to companies and are not bothersome as long as they are request driven and not“in-your-face”.One benefit of conducting business on the net is that consumers can now literally shop while sitting in the comfort of their own home.They can look at all the specifications to various automobiles without the presence of a pushy salesperson trying to influence them one way or another.Benefits to the company advertising on the Internet are reduced costs,as well as being able to track their“hits”to see exactly who is looking at their ads.The cost for a national organization to advertise in a print magazine would be roughly the same as placing an ad on the Internet24 hours a day for six months.Corporations are attempting to be“hip”by placing sites on the“net”, hoping to attract the niche market of young,upscale,well-educated users.By placing their URL at the bottom of the print ad or on the actual product,companies are attempting to gain an image of being up to date and in tune with their market.Customers want to be able to see their products advertised and used by the“in”crowd,whether it’s hip looking individuals or super-stars such as Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson.Wired,a popular magazine among Internet users,put itself online with Hot Wired,which charges$15,000for a four week advertisement slot.It would not only cost considerably more to place an ad in the print version,but also cost significantly more to produce an ad that would stick out amongst the abundance of advertising found in Wired.“A decent site,at which visitors might linger for five minutes or longer and to which they might return over and over,can be built for less than$15,pare that with$500,000for a single30-second spot on Seinfeld,and experimenting on the Web doesn’t look like such a bad bet.”1.According to the first paragraph,______are most bothersome.A.in-your-face adsB.request-driven adsC.service-oriented adsD.site ads2.One benefit that consumers get from online business is that______.A.they can purchase more cheaplyB.they can make purchasing decisions without any outer influenceC.they can know who else are buying the same productD.they can return an unsatisfactory product more easily3.One advantage of advertising on the Internet is______.A.it can be designed more easily than print adsB.it can attract more customersC.it enables a company to track down potential customersD.it can keep changing all the time4.“Wired”is a______.A.well-known Web siteB.popular magazineC.famous online advertiserD.fashionable product5.The author thinks advertising on the Web is______.A.costlyB.riskyC.hipD.economical【答案与解析】1.A根据第一段，in-your-face ads是不经要求出现在你面前的；而site ads旨在提供产品信息或宣传公司形象。

Passage2交通法则与交通事故From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age.We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous disease.A large number of once fatal illness can now be found for the most stubborn remaining disease.The expectation of life has increased enormously.But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before,every day we witness the incredible slaughter of them,women and children on the roads.Man versus the motor-car!It is a never-ending battle which man is losing.Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel,his car becomes the extension of his personality.There is no doubt that the motorcar often brings out a man’s very worst qualities.People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind steering wheel.They swear they are ill mannered and aggressive willful as two-year-olds and uttering selfish.All their hidden frustrations,disappointments and jealousies seem to the surface by the act of driving.The surprising thing is that the society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his convenience.Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic;towns are made ugly by huge car parks;the countryside is desecrated by road networks;and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic,to be conveniently forgotten.It is high timea world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life.With regard to driving,the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough.A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate.Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done.The driving test should be standardized and made for more difficult than it is;all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so;the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least21;all vehicles should be put through strict annual tests for safety.Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability.Present drinking and driving laws(where they exist)should be made much stricter.Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers,as has been done in the USA.All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned.These measures may sound inordinately harsh.But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all,the world is for human beings not for motorcars.1.The main idea of this passage is______.A.traffic accidents are mainly caused by motoristsB.thousands of people the world over are killed each yearC.the laws of some countries about driving are too laxD.only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?A.Society criticizes the motorists severely.B.Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.C.Society overlooks their rude driving.D.Victims of accidents are nothing.3.Why does the author say:“his car becomes the extension of his personality”?A.Driving can show his real self.B.Driving can show the other part of his personality.C.Driving can bring out his character.D.His car embodies his temper.4.Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?A.Build more highwaysB.Stricter driving testsC.Test drivers every three yearsD.Raise age limit and lay down safety specifications5.The attitude of the author is______.A.ironicalB.criticalC.appealingitant【答案与解析】1.D作者要表达的中心意思是：只有严格的交通法则才能防止交通事故的发生。

Passage1工作与家庭The list of“should”is very long.You should give more than100per cent at work.You should never stop learning and developing.You should read and keep up with events.You should spend time with your family and take care of your myriad of daily chores.At work,it’s not enough to be qualified for your job.You have to have excellent people skills and problem-solving abilities.Your IQ had better be high, and you should welcome anything and everything mitment and enthusiasm are the bottom line.At home,it’s not enough to have money in the bank.There are children to raise,hobbies to encourage and daily routines to organize.Contacts between home and the day care center or school are another priority.You have to keep up your friendships and your family relationships.You have to have empathy for everyone around you.You have to have time.How do we catch a guilty conscience?Finns in Business asked family counselor Hannu Kuukka from the Helsinki parish services.“A bad conscience comes from conflicting pressures,from the feeling that you just can’t manage everything that you consider important.Frustration and stress are the result.”“Our internalized roles—the role models that we subconsciously follow—also contribute to the problem.Throughout our lives,we carry with us the part we played in our own family.This can be a source of encouragement and support,orthe seeds of a bad conscience.”What can we do for a bad conscience?“Our failures tend to become exaggerated in our minds,especially if someone close to us verbalizes them.You have to set priority.Couples should decide together if one of them is going to concentrate on work and the other on family.The couple is the foundation of the home,so they have to find common ground,”comments Hannu Kuukka.At work,you spend your time with adults,and you can excel in your own field. Are you more comfortable at work than at home?This is a common feeling—and another source of guilt.“It is not unusual for relationships at work to be easier and more straightforward than those at home.The everyday life of a family with children can be exhausting.And today,with growing competition and more friction at work,even these relationships have become more difficult,”says Kuukka.1.The purpose of the first paragraph is to______.A.itemize what people have to accomplish in their livesB.brief a real but tough situation for couples to cope withC.explain why some people long for a break of routineD.show how a full-time job goes against a family life2.According to the author,the decisive factor for one to perform well at work is ______.A.responsibility and devotionB.right qualificationsC.originality and open-mindednessD.an IQ at least above1303.What seems always problematic for one’s family life is that______.A.money never seems to be enoughB.friendships and family relationships are hard to keep upC.one simply can’t afford the timeD.it’s impossible to share feelings with everyone around4.According to the passage,the constant cause of a bad conscience lies in the fact that______.A.one attempts to achieve a good balance between work and family-lifeB.people have unknowingly played stereotyped sex roles in familyC.our minds are beset with exaggerated information about family problemsD.no couple is capable of handling more than one thing at a time5.What does the underlined pronoun‘them’(line19)refer to in the context?A.MindsB.ParentsC.FailuresD.Priorities6.As suggested by Kuukka,the right way to approach the problem is to______.A.exchange role models between the couple in the same boatB.look at the same problem from a different perspectiveC.turn a deaf ear to whatever other people would sayD.get the couple’s priorities right to ensure a rewarding life7.From the last paragraph,it can be safely inferred that______.A.work relationships are as difficult to keep up as family relationshipsB.working parents usually feel more comfortable at work than at homeC.growing competition has affected the otherwise good terms with co-workersD.the best moment of the day is when you might have escaped from family chores【答案与解析】1.B第一段首句“the list of‘should’is very long.”意思为：生活中“应该做的事”很多。

Passage9经济学的作用Should the Treasury sell its economic forecasting computers for scrap?For the past two years no one outside the Conservative Party and Whitehall has believed a Treasury forecast.Anyone with half an eye on the unemployment figures or with a mortgage knew that Chancellor Norman Lamont’s repeated claims about recovery being“just around the corner”were untrue.Yet only a fortnight ago Gary Necked,an American economist,won a Nobel Prize for his work on using economics to explain aspects of human behavior,such as drug addiction and crime.So why do economists using Britain’s longest running predictive model still have trouble forecasting whether people will spend more or less money in the shops in the next three months?The answer is that they are caught in a race they cannot win,where however fast they try to keep their predictive equations abreast(not behind)of changing patterns in production and spending,people’s behavior changes faster.Some people claim economics and econometrics should be expelled from the broad scientific church.But that would be foolish.Their present weakness is that they are only perfect when dealing with e them to make real world forecasts and things go wrong—principally the answers.But that is typical of a young science.Until the1930s,only economists were interested in accurately predicting the economic behavior of large numbers of people.The Depression made it a matter of wider interest and urgency.The emergence then of nationalincome statistics helped economics and econometrics to develop.But the art in using both still lies in knowing when you are crossing the line between prediction and guesswork.The government seems not to recognize this.Of late it has pushed and pulled the levers of money supply,tax and interest rates like children let loose on the bridge or a ship.And politicians such as Lamont also have a hand in Treasury forecasts.“That is the worst way to use a science,”says Becker.If economics has any claim to be a science and to belong to the Nobel award structure—and I firmly believe that it does—then economists should avoid political propagandas and convey to the public some flavors of the scientific quality of economics.The government should stop interfering and let its specialists apply their programs, which embody years of experience,as tools to solve the problem of how to make the economy healthy.1.The beginning sentence of the passage most probably means that______.A.the Treasury computers are too out-of-date to be of any use in economic forecastB.the Treasury is so short of funds that they should sell computers for moneyC.the economic prediction made by the Treasury is no longer worth trustingD.people are losing faith in the use of computers to forecast the economic development2.From the passage we can learn that the Britain’s economic situation is______.A.as satisfactory as neverB.far from encouragingC.on the verge of collapseD.on the eve of a leap3.It is believed somehow that economics and econometrics______.A.play an important role in economic developmentB.will be very useful in the church workC.are perfect in dealing with scientific experimentsD.can hardly solve economic problems in real life4.According to the passage government interference in economic prediction will ______.A.possibly make things go wrongB.help to keep a healthy economic situationC.attract more people to believe the governmentD.lead the country’s economy to destruction5.American economist Gary Becker______.A.asserted economics to be a science that shouldn’t be involved in political propagandaB.declared Lamont’s claim about economic recovery being very near to be untrueC.warned the government against increasing money supply to stimulate economic growthD.succeeded in using economics to predict people’s behavior in spending and production【答案与解析】1.C此题问的虽是文章的起始句，但我们必须读懂下文，才能了解该句的实际意义。

Passage3音乐艺术I do not think that there is such a thing as absolute religious or sacred music. What is true of other things in life is true of music.It is relative.What is true in art today may be deemed quite untrue by the next generation.Take the musical consonance and discord once recognized as essential elements in music,for example.Modern composers and musicians do not recognize the old order of things.The Gregorian chant has been associated in Christian nations with religion for hundreds of years,so it invokes within us religious feeling.In a non-Christian land the same chant might rouse martial sentiment,if it had been used there for that purpose traditionally.Play the Gregorian chant to an Australian bushman and it may not affect him devotionally at all—but a certain crude melody of his own will; at the same time,his wild music may inspire feelings of a quite different nature in others in a different environment.The same is true of the music of different musical instruments.The horn has been associated with the chase.When we think of the chase we instinctively think of the horn.The guitar is associated with romance—a gondola under the Rialto in Venice,or a young man under a window in Seville.Nowadays,we associate war with trumpet and drum—the instruments of fire and fury.But in ancient Greece the bards were wont to lash the country into feverish martial activities by singing and playing on the lyre.The Gaelic bards did the same.Now,the lyre is to us an instrument of tender tones and romantic feeling.During the exciting days of the French Revolution the singing of the Marseillaise was thought more dangerous by those in power than incendiary speeches or weapons of war.It inspired people to make sacrifice,it roused them to fight and to die in fighting.I am certain that,in a country that knows nothing about the French Revolution or of this great song of France,the Marseillaise could be effectively used for religious revival.Art,then,is influenced by environment,education,and association of ideas.Art, like love,is a state of mind and heart,and the art of music more so than other arts. The arts of poetry,painting,and sculpture have tangible forms.But music is formless—it is all feeling.For that reason it is the more dynamic,and produces a deeper emotional effect.1.What is the main idea of passage?A.Music is formless.B.Music is relative.C.Music is influenced by environment.D.Music is more dynamic than other art forms.2.The author mentions“the musical consonance and discord”(in paragraph one) in order to______.A.illustrate how people’s idea change about musicB.explain more clearly what modern music isC.show the old order of music compositionsD.demonstrate what were the essential elements in music3.What kind of music is the Gregorian chant?A.Wild.B.Traditional.C.Warlike.D.Religious.4.Which of the following statements is NOT true of the Marseillaise?A.Some people feared it more than weapons.B.It was popular during the French Revolution.C.In some countries it was used for religious purposes.D.It inspired the French revolutionaries to fight bravely.pared with other art forms,music______.A.changes more slowlyB.is less idealC.is not regarded as so sacredD.has greater association with one’s heart【答案与解析】1.B文章一开始就点出了主题，是这样写的：“I do not think that there is such a thingas absolute religious or sacred music.What is true of other things in life is true of music.It is relative.”这就是说，没有什么东西像音乐一样是相对的，下文也一直在谈音乐的相对性，即在不同的环境中会产生不同的效果。

Passage10美国总统经济计划President Arling has put his long awaited economic restructuring program before the Congress.It provides a coordinated program of investment credit, research grants,education reform,and tax changes designed to make American industry more competitive.This is necessary to reverse the economic slide into unemployment,lack of growth,and trade deficits that have plagued the economy for the past six years.The most liberal wing of the President’s party has called for stronger and more direct action.They want an incomes policy to check inflation while federal financing helps rebuild industry behind a wall of protective tariffs.The Republicans,however,decry even the modest,graduated tax increases in the President’s program.They want tax cuts and more open market.They say if federal money has to be injected into the economy,let it be through defense spending.Both these alternatives ignore the unique nature of the economic problem before us.It is not simply a matter of markets of financing.The new technology allows vastly increased production for those able to master it.But it also threatens those who fail to adopt it with permanent second-class citizenship in the world economy.If an industry cannot lever itself to the leading stage of technological advances,then it will not be able to compete effectively.If it cannot do this,no amount of government protectionism or access to foreign markets can keep itprofitable for long.Without the profits and experience of technological excellence to reinvest,that industry can only fall still farther behind its foreign competitors.So the crux is the technology and that is where the President’s program focused.The danger is not that a plan will not be passed;it is that the ideologues of right and left will distort the bill with amendments that will blur its focus on technology.The economic restructuring plan should be passed intact.If we fail to restructure our economy now,we may not get a second chance.1.What is the focus of the President’s program?A.crimeB.economyC.technologycation2.What is the aim of the program?A.Making American industry more competitiveB.Checking inflationC.Having more open marketD.Increasing production3.What is the author’s attitude?A.approvingB.indifferentC.disapprovingD.neutral4.The danger to the plan lies in______.A.the two parties’objectionB.different ideas of the two parties about the planC.its passageD.false account of the plan5.Where is it most probably taken from?A.A prefaceB.A documentC.A reportD.A review【答案与解析】1.C最后一段第一句也指出“问题的症结就在于工艺技术，这就是总统计划的要点所在。

Passage10当过CEO的政府官员政绩不佳Harry Truman didn’t think his successor had the right training to be president.“Poor Ike—it won’t be a bit like the Army,”he said.“He’ll sit there all day saying‘do this,do that,’and nothing will happen.”Truman was wrong about Ike. Dwight Eisenhower had led a fractious alliance—you didn’t tell Winston Churchill what to do—in a massive,chaotic war.He was used to politics.But Truman’s insight could well be applied to another,even more venerated Washington figure: the CEO—turned cabinet secretary.A20-year bull market has convinced us all that CEOs are geniuses,so watch with astonishment the troubles of Donald Rumsfeld and Paul O’Neill.Here are two highly regarded businessmen,obviously intelligent and well-informed, foundering in their jobs.Actually,we shouldn’t be surprised.Rumsfeld and O’Neill are not doing badly despite having been successful CEOs but because of it.The record of senior businessmen in government is one of almost unrelieved disappointment.In fact, with the exception of Robert Rubin,it is difficult to think of a CEO who had a successful career in government.Why is this?Well,first the CEO has to recognize that he is no longer the CEO. He is at best an adviser to the CEO,the president.But even the president is not really the CEO.No one is.Power in a corporation is concentrated and vertically structured.Power in Washington is diffuse and horizontally spread out.Thesecretary might think he’s in charge of his agency.But the chairman of the congressional committee funding that agency feels the same.In his famous study “Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents,”Richard Neustadt explains how little power the president actually has and concludes that the only lasting presidential power is“the power to persuade.”Take Rumseld’s attempt to transform the cold-war military into one geared for the future.It’s innovative but deeply threatening to almost everyone in Washington.The Defense secretary did not try to sell it to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Congress,the budget office of the White House.As a result,the idea is collapsing.Second,what power you have,you must use carefully.For example,O’Neill’s position as Treasury secretary is one with little formal authority.Unlike Finance ministers around the world,Treasury does not control the budget.But it has symbolic power.The secretary is seen as the chief economic spokesman for the administration and,if he plays it right,the chief economic adviser for the president.O’Neill has been publicly critical of the IMF’s bailout packages for developing countries while at the same time approving such packages for Turkey, Argentina and Brazil.As a result,he has gotten the worst of both worlds.The bailouts continue,but their effect in holstering investor confidence is limited because the markets are rattled by his skepticism.Perhaps the government doesn’t do bailouts well.But that leads to a third rule:you can’t just quit.Jack Welch’s famous law for re-engineering General Electric was to be first or second in any given product category,or else get out ofthat business.But if the government isn’t doing a particular job at peak level,it doesn’t always have the option of relieving itself of that function.The Pentagon probably wastes a lot of money.But it can’t get out of the national-security business.The key to former Treasury secretary Rubin’s success may have been that he fully understood that business and government are,in his words,“necessarily and properly very different.”In a recent speech he explained,“Business functions around one predominate organizing principle,ernment,on the other hand,deals with a vast number of equally legitimate and often potentially competing objectives—for example,energy production versus environmental protection,or safety regulations versus productivity.”Rubin’s example shows that talented people can do well in government if they are willing to treat it as its own separate,serious endeavour.But having been bathed in a culture of adoration and flattery,it’s difficult for a CEO to believe he needs to listen and learn,particularly from those despised and poorly paid specimens,politicians,bureaucrats and the media.And even if he knows it intellectually,he just can’t live with it.1.For a CEO to be successful in government,he has to______.A.regard the president as the CEOB.take absolute control of his departmentC.exercise more power than the congressional committeeD.become acquainted with its power structure2.In commenting on O’Neill’s record as Treasury Secretary,the passage seems to indicate that______.A.O’Neill has failed to use his power wellB.O’Neill policies were well receivedC.O’Neill has been consistent in his policiesD.O’Neill uncertain about the package he’s approved3.According to the passage,the differences between government and business lie in the following areas EXCEPT______.A.nature of activityB.option of withdrawalC.legitimacy of activityD.power distribution4.The author seems to suggest that CEO-turned government officials______.A.are able to fit into their new rolesB.are unlikely to adapt to their new rolesC.can respond to new situations intelligentlyD.may feel uncertain in their new posts【答案与解析】1.D A项是视总统为CEO，这与原文第四段中“But even the president is not really theCEO.”是不符的；B项也不合题意，因为“Power in Washington is diffuse and horizontally spread out.”(政府权力是分散的，是水平分布的。

《考博英语阅读理解150篇详解》（艺术新闻类欧洲摇滚乐）【圣才出品】Passage5欧洲摇滚乐As rock and roll music has shifted from subculture status into the main stream of popular culture,it has distributed messages of social deviance, class-consciousness,and even revolution in wide audience.In the process,exotic subculture values may have been legitimized and social class relations identified and interpreted.The very origins of rock and roll music in the United States and England are class related grounded in the day-to-day experiences of working-class white and black youth.Advanced sound-recording techniques and the emergence of specialized radio formats in the United States have extended the range of rock music’s influence by transporting the sounds to young middle-and upper-classlisteners.However,the proliferation of a new form of sub cultural music,known as new wave,is meeting with resistance from two principal sources—culture industries that inclined to produce only“safe”marketplace commodities and audience members who have yet to accept the unfamiliar sounds.In England,the relationship between working-class youth and music has been a colorful one.Unconventional British youth of the1950s(teddy boys),the1960s (rockers,modes,skinheads),and the1970s and1980s(punks)have used forms of rock and roll,including its nonmusical cultural features,as objects of communal symbolic resistance to a class-based social system that provokes feelings of economic despair.Many of England’s first punk-rock bands such as the Sex Pistols, and the Clash wrote and recorded fierce anthems that denounced perceivedgovernment-enforced practices of socioeconomic injustice.The punk movement in England has been noted for its oppositional“extremism”(loud,short,up-tempo songs created by men and women who wear short,spiky haircuts,tattered clothing, and safety pins piercing the skin).Political and social consciousness continues to be reflected in the lyrics of music made by British bands such as the Gang of Four and Au Pairs,during what has been termed a period of“post-punk pop avant-garde”.1.The rock and roll music are rooted______.A.in EnglandB.in young working people in America and EnglandC.in a world of wide audienceD.and developed in America2.How can the young middle and upper class people know rock music?A.The advanced techniques have widened the music’s influence.B.They like rock music.C.As the music has become a popular culture.D.They prefer to listen to radio.3.Working-class youth have used rock and roll______.A.in economic desperationB.and opposed classical musicC.to express their feeling against unfair social phenomenaD.only to reflect their political demands4.We can infer from this passage that______.A.rock and roll music are very good musicB.rock and roll music are closely related with young people’s ideas to social and political problemsC.the society is heading forward,and so the musicD.music against upper-class will be in vain【答案与解析】1.B句意为：摇滚乐根源于何地与何种⼈群之中。

Passage7真正的蝎子王The upcoming movie“The Scorpions King”is a fiction,but recent archeological studies indicate there really was a King Scorpion in ancient Egypt and that he played a crucial role in uniting the country and building it into the world’s first empire.A depiction recently discovered in the Egyptian desert of the Scorpion King’s victory in battle against the forces of chaos may be the oldest historical document ever found,some archeologists believe.New discoveries in his tomb suggest that the first writing may have occurred during his reign.Moreover,his tomb in the desert at Abydos may be the rudimentary blueprint upon which subsequent rulers based their own designs.In short,King Scorpion was one of the fathers of Egyptian civilization with great achievements for a man who for nearly5,000years was thought to be mythical.King Scorpion dates from a time when Egypt was composed of two separate kingdoms.Upper Egypt surrounded the upper portion of the Nile.Lower Egypt stretched from just south of what is now Cairo northward to the Mediterranean.For millenniums,all the way back to the ancient Egyptian historian Manetho and the lists of kings found in Egyptian temples,the first true ruler of Egypt—the founder of the First Dynasty of pharaohs—has been listed as King Menes.It was Menes who was thought to have unified Upper and Lower Egypt.But in1898,excavations at Hierakonpolis in Upper Egypt revealed sacredobjects dating back to the very beginnings of Egyptian civilization.The most important of those objects was the so-called Narmer Palette,which depicted a king not mentioned in Egyptian histories.This King Narmer—a name meaning“striking catfish”was depicted wearing both the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt,suggesting it was he who had unified the two lands.Some scholars believe that Narmer and Menes were the same person.Others claim Narmer was Menes’immediate predecessor and that his name was not included on the lists for reasons that are not yet known.The argument has yet to be settled.Also found in the1898excavations was a mace,the traditional symbol of kings.The mace—the oldest ever found in Egypt—portrays a man wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt,accompanied by the symbols for king and scorpion.In the absence of any supporting evidence,however,most archeologists had believed that this King Scorpion was a mythical figure.One hundred years later,however,Gunter Dreyer of the German Archeological Institute discovered a tomb buried in the sands near Abydos,the Egyptian necropolis,or city of the dead,that he is confident is King Scorpion’s.The 12-room tomb is constructed of mud bricks and appears to be a downsized replica of Scorpion’s palace.Although the tomb had been pillaged and the mummy stolen,Dreyer found an ivory scepter,a clear indication that it was a royal tomb. Carbon-14dating showed that the scepter dates from about3250BC,making it the oldest scepter found in Egypt.One room in the tomb was filled with pottery shards,apparently from jars used to hold wine and other valuables for the afterlife. Inscribed on each of the jars in ink was the symbol of a scorpion.Dreyer’s most controversial find in the tomb was a series of160bone and ivory tags the size of postage stamps carved with simple pictures that Dreyer believes are primitive hieroglyphs.If they are,in fact,writing,they predate the commonly accepted origin of cuneiform writing in Mesopotamis by200years.More recently,Yale University archeologist John Darnell and his wife Deborah have discovered a primitive scene carved on rocks near the Qena Bend of the Nile River that appears to commemorate a victory by King Scorpion,who already ruled the kingdoms of Abydos and Hierakonpolis,over the kingdom of Naqada—a city that worshipped Set,the god of chaos.Darnell believes it is the oldest known historical document,and that it signifies the unification for Upper Egypt150years before Narmer unified the entire country.Conquest of Naqada gave King Scorpion control not only of the Nile,but also of crucial roads leading east to the Red Sea and west to the oases of the western desert.1.What is this passage mainly about?A.The fiction movie“The Scorpion King”.B.The studies by archeologists about whether or not there was a King Scorpion.C.The archeological history of Egypt.D.An essential role played by the Scorpion King.2.In the author’s eyes,most archeologists didn’t believe the existence of the King Scorpion until______.A.the Egyptian necropolis near Alydos was discoveredB.people found a depiction in the Egyptian desert about the Scorpion King’s victoryC.some sacred objects were revealed at HierakonpolisD.“Narmer Palette”appeared3.The author’s attitude towards the existence of the King Scorpion is______.A.criticalB.neutralC.positiveD.suspicious4.According to Gunter Dreyer’s finding,which of the following statements is NOT true?A.Bone and ivory tags are primitive hieroglyphics.B.Ivory scepter proved the tomb a royal one.C.Each of the jars has the symbol of a scorpion.D.The tomb is constructed of metal.5.The passage is most likely a part of______.A.a piece of newsB.an interesting interviewC.a research reportD.a fiction novel【答案与解析】1.B纵观全文可知，作者始终围绕是否存在“蝎子王”这一史实解说，因此B项为正确答案。

编著《英语阅读理解150篇》前言《新编考研英语阅读理解150篇》的《基础训练版》终于完稿了，原来的编辑出版计划是将编辑部以前出版的《8套题》、《6套题》和《5套题》中的150多篇经典试题重新组合编排一下就可以出版了。

原以为做这方面的工作，编辑部最多只需要一周的时间就可以完成。

但是，本书的修订和编辑工作从2007年的3月15日至今天，整整用了100多天的时间，才基本完成《基础训练版》修订和编辑工作。

现将本书修订和编辑的有关情况介绍如下：（1）关于本书文章的选材内容问题，这次编选的试题主要由以下三部分组成：第一部分是原教育部考试中心《英语参考书》中的部分模拟试题。

这部分试题曾经在我们编辑部编辑出版的《8套题》、《6套题》和《5套题》中使用过，这次修订，我们除了采用文章外，编辑部对原模拟试题中的试题的题干和选项全部进行了改编，从而使这些试题的难度普遍要略高于真题。

通过改编，即使是做过原来试题的读者也能从新修订的试题中获取新的知识。

这部分试题的改编工作由张剑老师负责完成。

第二部分是原命题组老师过去选送去的试题。

这些试题的权威性和科学性是无庸置疑的。

其中有些试题，编辑部曾经以《8套题》和《5套题》的形式出版过，但还有部分试题是首次公开出版。

这次修订出版主要对部分文章中的超纲词汇进行了改编，同时，结合近几年英语考试的命题特点对部分试题进行了适当的改编。

这部分试题的改编工作由曾鸣老师负责完成。

第三部分是我们的命题老师最近几年命制的试题。

这些试题大都以《8套题》和《5套题》的形式公开出版过，并且得到了历届考生的高度认可。

这次编选对比较难的试题进行了适当地改编，使之难度与真题相接近，并略高于真题。

这部分试题的改编工作由张剑老师和曾鸣老师共同完成。

（2）关于本书的编辑体例工作问题，这次编选主要做了以下几个方面的工作：首先，我们对每一篇文章均做了“语篇分析”和“试题命制分析”。

在“语篇分析”部分，我们主要点明了文章的题材和写作方法，并在此基础上，着重分析了文章的各个段落之间的关系，以及段中各个句子之间的关系。

Passage1泰坦尼克号与珍珠港Moviegoers may think history is repeating itself this weekend.The summer’s most anticipated film,Pearl Harbor,which has opened recently,painstakingly recreates the Japanese attack that drew the United States into World War II.But that isn’t the film’s only reminder of the past.Harbor invites comparison to Titanic,the biggest hit of all time.Like Titanic,Harbor heaps romance and action around a major historical event.Like Titanic,Harbor attempts to create popular global entertainment from a deadly real-life.Like Titanic,Harbor costs a pretty penny and hopes to get in even more at the box office.Both Titanic and Pearl Harbor unseal their tales of love and tragedy over more than three hours.Both stories center on young passion,triangles of tension with one woman and two men.In Titanic,Leonardo DiCaprio and Billy Zane compete for the love of the same woman,a high-society type played by a British actress named Kate（Winslet）.In Harbor,two pilots（Ben Affelek,Josh Hartnett）fall for the same woman,a nurse played by a British actress named Kate（Beckinsale）.The scenes of peril also have similarities.Harbor has a shot in which soldiers cling for dear life as the battleship USS Oklahoma capsizes.The moment is recalled of the Titanic’s climactic sinking scene in which DiCaprio and Winslet hang from the ocean liner as half of the ship vertically plunges into the water.In Harbor,one of its stars floats a piece of debris in the middle of the night,much like Winslet’s character does in Titanic.And the jaw-dropping action of Titanic is matched by Harbor’s40-minute recreation of Dec.7,1941attack on the United States’Pacific Fleet.Both films spent heavily on special effects.Harbor director,Michael Bay,for example,said he kept salaries down,so more could be spent on the visuals.Both movies’shot events and their ship-sinking scenes were completed at the same location,Fox Studios Baja in Mexico.Harbor’s makers have even taken a Titanic-like approach to the soundtrack. The film includes one song,There You’ll be,performed by country music superstar Faith Hill.Titanic,which is one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time, also had only one pop song:Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On.“If Harbor becomes a major moneymaker,filmmakers may comb history books searching for even more historical romance-action material,”said a critic.1.What are the two things that the author of this article tries to compare?A.The attack on Pearl Harbor and the sinking of the Titanic.B.Historical fiction movies and successful box office hits.C.The movie Titanic and the on-show movie Pearl Harbor.D.Sinking boats and famous actors.2.What does the phrase“cost a pretty penny”in the first paragraph mean?A.To be very attractiveB.To cost a lotC.To have big box office returnsD.To require a lot of effort to accomplish3.It is said in the passage that______.A.major historical events can never repeat themselvesB.both Titanic and Pearl Harbor are the historical reappearanceC.Pearl Harbor may have a better box office return than TitanicD.Titanic is the most successful film in history4.Pearl Harbor and Titanic are similar in all the following aspects EXCEPT______.A.both spent large amount of money on special effectsB.both have soundtracks starring a major pop starC.both added made-up stories to historical eventsD.both are documentary movies of historical events5.If Pearl Harbor is as successful as Titanic,which of the following movies might we see next?A.The Battle of Waterloo.B.The Adventures of Mr.Bean.C.Space Invaders.D.The Haunted House.【答案与解析】1.C文章中多处表达证明本题的正确答案是C。

Passage8申请“进口救济”会影响企业Many United States companies have,unfortunately,made the search for legal protection from import competition into a major line of work.Since1980the United States International Trade Commission(ITC)has received about280 complaints alleging damage from imports that benefit from subsidies by foreign governments.Another340charge that foreign companies“dumped”their products in the United States at“less than fair value”.Even when no unfair practices are alleged,the simple claim that an industry has been injured by imports is sufficient grounds to seek relief.Contrary to the general impression,this quest for import relief has hurt more companies than it has helped.As corporations begin to function globally,they develop an intricate web of marketing,production,and research relationships.The complexity of these relationships makes it unlikely that a system of import relief laws will meet the strategic needs of all the units under the same parent company.Internationalization increases the danger that foreign companies will use import relief laws against the very companies the laws were designed to protect. Suppose a United States-owned company establishes an overseas plant to manufacture a product while its competitor makes the same product in the United States.If the competitor can prove injury from the imports—and that the United States receives a subsidy from a foreign government to build its plant abroad—the United States company’s products will be uncompetitive in the United States,since they would be subject to duties.Perhaps the most brazen case occurred when the ITC investigated allegations that Canadian companies were injuring the United States salt industry by dumping rock salt,used to deice roads.The bizarre aspect of the complaint was that a foreign conglomerate with United States operations was crying for help against a United States company with foreign operations.The“United States”company claiming injury was a subsidiary of a Dutch conglomerate,while the“Canadian”companies included a subsidiary of a Chicago firm that was the second-largest domestic producer of rock salt.1.The passage is chiefly concerned with______.A.arguing against the increased internationalization of United States corporationsB.warning that the application of laws affecting trade frequently has unintended consequencesC.demonstrating that foreign-based firms receive more subsidies from theirgovernments than United States firms from the United States government D.advocating the use of trade restrictions for“dumped”products but not forother imports2.It can be inferred from the passage that the minimal basis for a complaint to the International Trade Commission is which of the following?A.A foreign competitor has received a subsidy from a foreign government.B.A foreign competitor has substantially increased the volume of productsshipped to the United States.C.A foreign competitor is selling products in the United States at less than fairmarket value.D.The company requesting import relief has been injured by the sale of importsin the United States.3.The last paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage?A.It cites a specific case that illustrates a problem presented more generally inthe previous paragraph.B.It introduces an additional case of concern not mentioned earlier.C.It discusses an exceptional case in which the results expected by the author ofthe passage were not obtained.D.It presents a recommendation based on the evidence presented earlier.4.The passage suggests that which of the following is most likely to be true of United States trade laws?A.They will eliminate the practice of“dumping”products in the United States.B.They will enable manufacturers in the United States to compete moreprofitably outside the United States.C.They will affect United States trade with Canada more negatively than tradewith other nations.D.Those that help one unit within a parent company will not necessarily helpother units in the company.5.According to the passage,companies have the general impression thatInternational Trade Commission import relief practices have______.A.caused unpredictable fluctuations in volumes of imports and exportsB.achieved their desired effect only under unusual circumstancesC.actually helped companies that have requested import reliefD.been opposed by the business community【答案与解析】1.B告诫人们申请“进口救济”会影响企业，常带来意想不到的后果。