2021年考研《英语二》模拟试题及答案（卷二）Is your promotion really necessary? Many workers focus their hopes on climbing the hierarchy of their organisations. The prospect of higher pay helps explain their ambition, but so does the greater status that comes with each successive title.This scramble can often end in disappointment. The Peter principle, developed by Laurence Peter for a book published in 1969, states that workers get promoted until they reach their level of incompetence. It makes perfect sense. If you are good at your job, you rise up the career ladder. Eventually, there will be a job you are not good at and at that point your career will stall. The logical corollary is that any senior staff members who have been in their job for an extended period are incompetent.There is another problem with chasing the promotion chimera. A recent study found that companies have a strong tendency to promote the best sales people. Convincing others to buy goods and services is a useful skill, requiring charisma and persistence. But, as the authors of the study point out, these are not the same capabilities as the strategic planning and administrative competence needed to lead a sales team.The research then looked at what happened after these super-sales people were promoted. Their previous sales performance was actually a negative indicator of managerial success. The sales growth of workersassigned to the star sellers was 7.5 percentage points lower than for those whose managers were previously weaker performers.Scott Adams, the cartoonist, described this problem in his book, “The Dilbert Principle”. In his world, the least competent people get promoted because these are the people you don’t want to do the actual work. It is foolish to promote the best salesperson or computer programmer to a management role, since the company will then be deprived of unique skills.Bartleby (a character in an English novel) is not an expert at climbing the greasy pole. In part, that is because he has observed a variant on the Peter and Dilbert principles; what might be dubbed the Bartleby curse. People get promoted until they reach a level when they stop enjoying their jobs. At this point, it is not just their competence that is affected; it is their happiness as well.The trick to avoiding this curse is to stick to what you like doing. If you enjoy teaching, don’t be a headmaster or college principal. If you like writing articles, editing other people’s work may not give you the same degree of satisfaction.1. According to the Peter principle, promotion ______.[A] comes with gradual mismatches of capabilities[B] gets less attractive to senior staff members[C] arouses jealousy among their colleagues[D] increases the level of employees’satisfaction2. According to Paragraph 3, skills of being a leader ______.[A] are different from actual working skills[B] pose a further intelligent challenge[C] can influence a team’s performance[D] need to be sharpened in actual work3. According to Paragraph 4, previous successful sales performance ______.[A] can be a strong driver for the company’s productivity[B] cannot guarantee the success in managerial positions[C] was a motivational factor to develop new skills[D] was a favorable indicator of managerial success4. Scott Adams holds that the best salesperson shouldn’t be promoted because it’ll ______.[A] make the actual work be left undone[B] ruin their relationship with their peers[C] be better to choose the least competent ones[D] cause the company to lose unique talents5. The most suitable title for this text would be _______.[A] In Favor of Promotion[B] The ABCs for Promotion[C] Promotion: A Curse[D] Promotion: A Dilemma参考答案：AABDCImpending automation conjures up images of empty factory floors where men have been replaced by robots. But don’t forget the increasingly digital back office. Where will female data-entry clerks and book-keepers go? The same thing is happening in the retail sector where automation and online shopping threatens the jobs of so many female shop assistants.New McKinsey Global Institute research finds that 20 per cent of employed women and 21 per cent of men in six mature and four emerging economies could be displaced by 2030. At the same time, 20 per cent of women and 19 per cent of men could gain employment as technology drives productivity gains and income growth that leads to rising demand.There will be huge disruption. As many as one in four women and men around the world may need to move to new jobs. But the women running the race to adapt to doing so with a weight tied around their ankles—the longstanding barriers they face in work. There are three prerequisites for adapting: skills the labour market wants; the mobility to change occupations if necessary; and the ability to work with automated systems. Women are not well placed here. These are difficult issues—and many women in emerging economies have it even harder becauseso many work in subsistence agriculture with little education and few transferable skills.For this, girls should be encouraged to study Stem subjects and develop coding skills. Not everyone needs to be a programmer, but good jobs will increasingly mean working with technology. Workers will need basic tech skills. Companies should invest more in training that is easily accessible, especially to women who may be less able to travel to courses. More companies should provide flexible work options for women juggling work and family. Investment in online learning could also help to overcome women’s mobility constraints. And more work needs to be done to combat long-standing stereotyping about male and female occupations that could make transitions more difficult.Effective action on helping women survive the age of automation could put them on a path to more-productive, higher-paid work. Failure to act could leave women stuck in low-wage, low-skill jobs that will be less in demand. This could push many women out of the labour market in countries with high-cost childcare. Progress toward gender equality, already slow, could stall or even reverse. Companies would be less diverse and, according to McKinsey research, therefore less profitable.1. According to Paragraph 1, the author stresses that female workers .[A] don’t have a clear career planning[B] ignore the increasingly digital back office[C] are faced with severe threats of automation[D] are not qualified for the job of data entry2. The new McKinsey Global research shows that .[A] automation can lead to rising demand and income[B] mature economies are more vulnerable to automation[C] the impact of automation on men and women is roughly similar[D] the employment rate in 2030 will be lower than that in present3. Women are long troubled in adapting to moving to new jobs for .[A] being placed in inappropriate positions[B] lack of necessary occupational mobility[C] challenges from lots of male candidates[D] being interested in agricultural production4. Which of the following is true about Paragraph 4?[A] Tech skills are essential for people working in automated times.[B] Girls should be as proficient as programmers in coding skills.[C] Women have more flexible work options than male workers.[D] Female workers should be trained to deal with online jobs.5. Failing to effectively help women adapt to the automation age may cause .[A] extremely high costs of childcare[B] a declining demand for work force[C] lessened revenues for companies[D] a falling number of female workers参考答案：CCBADWhen it comes to how much money an individual earns, there may be an optimal amount that will make you happy, according to new research. While money doesn’t 1 buy a fulfilling life, income is known to be associated with happiness, and having too little or indeed too much can affect emotional and psychological well-being in a 2 way.“That might be surprising as what we see on TV and what advertisers tell us we need would indicate that there is no 3 when it comes to how much money is needed for happiness, 4 we now see there are some 5 ,”said Andrew T. Jebb, lead author of the study from Purdue University. It has been found that the ideal income 6 is $95,000 for life satisfaction and $60,000 to $75,000 for emotional well-being. Again, this amount is for individuals and would 7 be higher for families.To arrive at their findings, the researchers studied data from the Gallup World Poll which asks participants about life satisfaction and well-being. Using this information, they created optimal earnings estimates for regions around the world, finding there was substantial8 —perhaps because evaluations are influenced by the standards by which individuals9 themselves with others. For example, the 10 amount of earningsfor overall life satisfaction 11 to be higher in wealthier regions and lower in less 12 areas. The optimal amounts for simply 13 emotional well-being tended to be much lower across the board.The study, which was published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, suggests that 14 a certain threshold is reached, further increases in income are actually associated15 reduced life satisfaction and 16 levels of well-being. The researchers speculate that while money was important for meeting basic 17 , purchasing conveniences and other useful things, after the optimal point, people may become fixated on18 further material gains and engaging in social comparisons—which can19 well-being.“These findings speak to a broader issue of money and happiness 20 cultures. Money is only a part of what really makes us happy, and we’re learning more about the limits of money,”Jebb concluded.1. [A] necessarily [B] occasionally [C] statistically [D] economically2. [A] moderate [B] influential [C] negative [D] inverse3. [A] cover [B] ceiling [C] entrance [D] root4. [A] since [B] or [C] so [D] but5. [A] boundaries [B] lines [C] thresholds [D] approaches6. [A] way [B] site [C] point [D] place7. [A] likely [B] eventually [C] conversely [D] gradually8. [A] complication [B] conservation [C] consideration [D] variation9. [A] settle [B] combine [C] compare [D] associate10. [A] protective [B] ideal [C] dangerous [D] troublesome11. [A] failed [B] tended [C] expected [D] happened12. [A] affluent [B] educated [C] prominent [D] commercial13. [A] constituting [B] enhancing [C] achieving [D] addressing14. [A] if [B] while [C] unless [D] once15. [A] by [B] for [C] on [D] with16. [A] lower [B] higher [C] certain [D] various17. [A] standards [B] needs [C] rights [D] requirements18. [A] anticipating [B] pursuing [C] spreading [D] saving19. [A] decrease [B] promote [C] maintain [D] affect20. [A] as [B] beyond [C] between [D] across参考答案：1-10ACBDC CADCB11-20BACDD ABBADThe health benefits of tea have long been known to promote better health, from mood improvement to preventing diseases related to the heart and blood vessels. Now, there is a new reason to 1 the beverage to your diet. A new study, 2 in the journal Aging, found that tea could help people get better organized brain regions. Researchers said dailyconsumption could 3 the risk of cognitive decline in elderly by 50 percent.“Our results offer the first evidence of positive 4 of tea drinking to brain structure, and suggest that drinking tea 5 has a 6 effect against age-related decline in brain organization,”Feng Lei, an assistant professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, said.For the study, the researchers analyzed the effects of tea 7 36 adults, aged 60 and above, from 2015 to 2018. The team asked participants about their psychological well-being, lifestyle and health. The 8 also took tests on their brains and psychological behaviors, and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well. 9 of their cognitive performance and imaging results showed that the people who 10 tea four times a week for nearly 25 years had better interconnected brain regions compared with non-tea drinkers. Drinking green tea, oolong tea or black tea provided the 11 , Futurity reported Thursday.“Take the analogy of road traffic as an example—consider brain regions12 destinations, while the 13 between brain regions are roads,”Feng said. “When a road system is organized, the movement of 14 and passengers is more efficient and uses 15 resources. Similarly, 16 the connections between brain regions are more structured, informationprocessing can be performed more 17 .”The latest study supports findings a research Feng conducted in 2017. The researchers previously found that daily consumption of tea could help elderly 18 or reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Feng said the new findings highlight the 19 effects of regular tea drinking, which prevented disruption to interregional connections and 20 brain organization.1. [A] transfer [B] add [C] introduce [D] entrust2. [A] distributed [B] inferred [C] published [D] appealed3. [A] manage [B] defy [C] predict [D] reduce4. [A] dedication [B] contribution [C] compromise [D] subscription5. [A] incidentally [B] consequently [C] regularly [D] necessarily6. [A] protective [B] dangerous [C] sufficient [D] troublesome7. [A] against [B] from [C] with [D] on8. [A] juvenile [B] mature [C] elderly [D] junior9. [A] Analysis [B] Standards [C] Resolution [D] Division10. [A] consumed [B] resumed [C] assumed [D] presumed11. [A] chances [B] downsides [C] benefits [D] responses12. [A] towards [B] by [C] through [D] as13. [A] comparison [B] competition [C] separation [D] connections14. [A] engines [B] vehicles [C] calculators [D] sensors15. [A] fewer [B] more [C] limited [D] vigorous16. [A] unless [B] lest [C] when [D] before17. [A] accurately [B] thoroughly [C] cautiously [D] efficiently18. [A] judge [B] delay [B] trace [C] replace19. [A] positive [B] adverse [C] lasting [D] ultimate20. [A] fixed [B] improved [C] united [D] established参考答案：1.【答案】B2.【答案】C3.【答案】D4.【答案】B5.【答案】C6.【答案】A7.【答案】D8.【答案】C9.【答案】A10.【答案】A11.【答案】C12.【答案】D13.【答案】D14.【答案】B15.【答案】A16.【答案】C17.【答案】D18.【答案】B19.【答案】A20.【答案】BIs teaching important? Well, of course it is. There was a time when the necessary knowledge could be taught to the young by family members. But as societies became more complex and division of labor more common, it was impossible for family members to teach the information and skills young people needed to become useful members of the society. As the need for specialists appeared, the job of teaching came into being in our country, and teaching as a job has been of increasing importance over the past hundred years. Today, we have strict rules for teachers. We hope all children can attend schools. Many things tell us that teaching is indeed an "important" job.In recent years, there has been an increasing need for teachers to be "responsible". This means that the public expects teachers to succeed in teaching important information to the young. Teachers' salaries today, while not much, certainly are much higher than they were in years past. These increases have come about because people have realized that without enough salaries, people who have abilities will not become teachers. Today almost no one says that "anybody will do" for a teacher. The public expects "quality people" to teach the young, and progress isbeing made to give salaries that will make people who have abilities become teachers.1. Before the job of teaching came into being, __ .A. family members had been responsible for the education of the youngB. specialists had been in charge of teaching young peopleC. young people had had to be self-educatedD. the society had played an important role in educating young people参考答案：A2. The job of teaching came into being mainly because of __ .A. the development of the societyB. the explosion of informationC. The need for specialistsD. the civilization of human beings参考答案：C3. Teachers' salaries are raised today in order to __ .A. show the importance of teaching as a jobB. attract more qualified people to become teachersC. make teachers "responsible" in their teachingD. improve the quality of public teaching参考答案：B4. "Anybody will do" for a teacher means that __ .A. almost all people want to become a teacherB. a teacher is so highly respected that people all want to help himC. a teacher will do whatever he can for his studentsD. the job of teaching is so easy that everybody can do it参考答案：D5. We know from the passage that __ .A. it is important to be successful in teaching the youngB. enough salaries are necessary in making quality people become teachersC. greater progress has to be made in teachingD. teaching is a product of the society's division of labor参考答案：BWith the invention and development of television, entertainment has grown much more visual in character and is demanding less and less use of the imagination, considered by many to be man's greatest faculty. But its greatest inadequacy lies in its inability to exercise just those creative powers in men which are called upon and developed in the pursuit of a worthwhile hobby, This lack is not serious while a man is still fully employed in his day-to-day work which itself often gives him opportunities to create either with his hands or with his mind. At this time he seeks only some form of relaxation in his leisure. There comes atime, however, when he must retire from his occupation on account of age, and it is then that these shallower pastimes, useful enough has a form of relaxation, might cease to satisfy the hitherto active man. Today, many elderly people are finding this to be true, and seem constantly to be suffering from a sense of frustration after retirement, which reveals seem constantly to be suffering from a sense of frustration after retirement, which reveals itself in a short temper and slow degeneration of health, the two most common symptoms.1. The writer criticizes visual entertainment becauseA. it does not require man's creative powers.B. it demands too much of our imagination.C. it can not improve our intelligence and skill.D. it leads man to slow degeneration in health.参考答案：C2. What is regarded as man’s greatest faculty?A. EntertainmentB. CharacterC. HobbiesD. Imagination参考答案：D3. While fully employed, men look forA. visual entertainment that requires imagination in their leisure.B. opportunities to create either with their hands or with their minds in their leisure.C. something that will help them relax in their leisure.D. creative hobbies in their leisure.参考答案：C4. When retired, the elderly people find thatA. shallower pastimes can no longer satisfy them.B. it is unnecessary to cultivate creative hobbies in their younger days.C. doing anything after retirement is unnecessary.D. relaxation is most suitable for their retired life.参考答案：A5. It can be inferred from the passage thatA. hobbies are more important to the young than to the elderly.B. we should develop worthwhile hobbies when we are young.C. in ancient times entertainment was more visual in character.D. hobbies are not important in the health of modern men.参考答案：BWith the global population predicted to hit close to 10 billion by 2050, and forecasts that gricultural production in some regions will need to nearly double to keep pace, food security is increasingly making headlines. In the UK, it has become a big talking point recently too, for arather particular reason: Brexit.Brexit is seen by some as an opportunity to reverse a recent trend towards the UK importing food. The country produces only about 60 per cent of the food it eats, down from almost three-quarters in the late 1980s. A move back to self-sufficiency, the argument goes, would boost the farming industry, political sovereignty and even the nation’s health. Sounds great —but how feasible is this vision?According to a report on UK food production from the University of Leeds，UK，85 per cent of the country’s total land area is associated with meat and dairy production. That supplies 80 per cent of what is consumed, so even covering the whole country in livestock farms wouldn’t allow us to cover all our meat and dairy needs.There are many caveats to those figures, but they are still grave. To become much more self-sufficient, the UK would need to drastically reduce its onsumption of animal foods, and probably also farm more intensively —meaning fewer green fields and more factory-style production.But switching to a mainly plant-based diet wouldn’t help. There is a good reason why the UK is dominated by animal husbandry: most of its terrain doesn’t have the right soil or climate to grow crops on commercial basis. Just 25 per cent of the country’s land is suitable for crop-growing, most of which is already occupied by arable fields. Even ifwe converted all the suitable land to fields of fruit and veg —which would involve taking out all the nature reserves and removing thousands of people from their homes —we would achieve only a 30 per cent boost in crop production.Just 23 per cent of the fruit and vegetables consumed in the UK are currently home-grown, so even with the most extreme measures we could meet only 30 per cent of our fresh produce needs. That is before we look for the space to grow the grains, sugars, seeds and oils that provide us with the vast bulk of our current calorie intake.1. Some people argue that food self-sufficiency in the UK would_B___.[A] be hindered by its population growth[B] contribute to the nations well-being[C] become a priority of the government[D] post a challenge to its farming industry2. The report by the University of Leeds showed that in the UK__B__.[A] farmland has been inefficiently utilised[B] factory style production needs reforming[C] most land is used for meat and dairy production[D] more green fields will be converted for farming3. Crop-growing in the UK is restricted due to__C__.[A] its farming technology[B] its dietary tradition[C] its natural conditions[D] its commercial interests4. It can be learned from the last paragraph that British people__A___.[A] rely largely on imports for fresh produce[B] enjoy a steady rise in fruit consumption[C] are seeking effective ways to cut calorie intake[D] are trying to grow new varieties of grains5. The author’s attitude to food self-efficiency in the UK is___B__.[A] defensive[B] doubtful[C] tolerant[D] optimistic。
