1、考研英语(一)-27 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：0，分数：0.00)三、Text 1(总题数：1，分数：20.00)The longest bull run in a century of art-market history ended on a dramatic note with a sale of 56 works by Damien Hirst, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, at Sotheby“s in London on September 15th 2008
2、. All but two pieces sold, fetching more than 70m, a record for a sale by a single artist. It was a last victory. As the auctioneer called out bids, in New York one of the oldest banks on Wall Street, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy. The world art market had already been losing momentum for a
3、while after rising bewilderingly since 2003. At its peak in 2007 it was worth some $65 billion, reckons Clare McAndrew, founder of Arts Economics, a research firmdouble the figure five years earlier. Since then it may have come down to $50 billion. But the market generates interest far beyond its si
4、ze because it brings together great wealth, enormous egos, greed, passion and controversy in a way matched by few other industries. In the weeks and months that followed Mr. Hirst“s sale, spending of any sort became deeply unfashionable . In the art world that meant collectors stayed away from galle
5、ries and salerooms. Sales of contemporary art fell by two-thirds, and in the most overheated sector, they were down by nearly 90% in the year to November 2008. Within weeks the world“s two biggest auction houses, Sotheby“s and Christie“s, had to pay out nearly $200m in guarantees to clients who had
6、placed works for sale with them. The current downturn in the art market is the worst since the Japanese stopped buying Impressionists at the end of 1989. This time experts reckon that prices are about 40% down on their peak on average, though some have been far more fluctuant. But Edward Dolman, Chr
7、istie“s chief executive, says: “I“m pretty confident we“re at the bottom.“ What makes this slump different from the last, he says, is that there are still buyers in the market. Almost everyone who was interviewed for this special report said that the biggest problem at the moment is not a lack of de
8、mand but a lack of good work to sell. The three Dsdeath, debt and divorcestill deliver works of art to the market. But anyone who does not have to sell is keeping away, waiting for confidence to return.（分数：20.00）(1).In the first paragraph, Damien Hirst“s sale was referred to as “a last victory“ beca
9、use（分数：4.00）A.the art market had witnessed a succession of victories.B.the auctioneer finally got the two pieces at the highest bids.C.Beautiful Inside My Head Forever won over all masterpieces.D.it was successfully made just before the world financial crisis.(2).By saying “spending of any sort beca
10、me deeply unfashionable“(Para. 3), the author suggests that（分数：4.00）A.collectors were no longer actively involved in art-market auctions.B.people stopped every kind of spending and stayed away from galleries.C.art collection as a fashion had lost its appeal to a great extent.D.works of art in genera
11、l had gone out of fashion so they were not worth buying.(3).Which of the following statements is NOT true?（分数：4.00）A.Sales of contemporary art fell dramatically from 2007 to 2008.B.The art market surpassed many other industries in momentum.C.The art market generally went downward in various ways.D.S
12、ome art dealers were awaiting better chances to come.(4).The three Ds mentioned in the last paragraph are（分数：4.00）A.auction house“s favorites.B.contemporary trends.C.factors promoting artwork circulation.D.styles representing Impressionists.(5).The most appropriate title for this text could be（分数：4.
13、00）A.Fluctuation of Art PricesB.Up-to-date Art AuctionsC.Art Market in DeclineD.Shifted Interest in Arts四、Text 2(总题数：1，分数：20.00)Will the European Union make it? The question would have sounded strange not long ago. Now even the project“s greatest cheerleaders talk of a continent facing a “Bermuda tr
14、iangle“ of debt, population decline and lower growth. As well as those chronic problems, the EU face an acute crisis in its economic core, the 16 countries that use the single currency. Markets have lost faith that the euro zone“s economies, weaker or stronger, will one day converge thanks to the di
15、scipline of sharing a single currency, which denies uncompetitive members the quick fix of devaluation. Yet the debate about how to save Europe“s single currency from disintegration is stuck. It is stuck because the euro zone“s dominant powers, France and Germany, agree on the need for greater harmo
16、nisation within the euro zone, but disagree about what to harmonise. Germany thinks the euro must be saved by stricter rules on borrow spending and competitiveness, barked by quasi-automatic sanctions for governments that do not obey. These might include threats to freeze EU funds for poorer regions
17、 and EU mega-projects, and even the suspension of a country“s voting rights in EU ministerial councils. It insists that economic co-ordination should involve all 27 members of the EU club, among whom there is a small majority for free-market liberalism and economic rigour; in the inner core alone, G
18、ermany fears, a small majority favour French interference. A “southern“ camp headed by French wants something different: “European economic government“ within an inner core of euro-zone members. Translated, that means politicians intervening in monetary policy and a system of redistribution from ric
19、her to poorer members, via cheaper borrowing for governments through common Eurobonds or complete fiscal transfers. Finally, figures close to the France government have murmured, euro-zone members should agree to some fiscal and social harmonisation: e.g., curbing competition in corporate-tax rates
20、or labour costs. It is too soon to write off the EU. It remains the world“s largest trading block. At its best, the European project is remarkably liberal: built around a single market of 27 rich and poor countries, its internal borders are far more open to goods, capital and labour than any compara
21、ble trading area. It is an ambitious attempt to blunt the sharpest edges of globalization, and make capitalism benign.（分数：20.00）(1).The EU is faced with so many problems that（分数：4.00）A.even its supporters begin to feel concerned.B.it has more or less lost faith in markets.C.some of its member countr
22、ies plan to abandon euro.D.it intends to deny the possibility of devaluation.(2).The debate over the EU“s single currency is stuck because the dominant powers（分数：4.00）A.are competing for the leading position.B.are busy handling their own crises.C.fail to reach an agreement on harmonisation.D.disagre
23、e on the steps towards disintegration.(3).To solve the euro problem, Germany proposed that（分数：4.00）A.EU funds for poor regions be increased.B.stricter regulations be imposed.C.only core members be involved in economic co-ordination.D.voting rights of the EU members be guaranteed.(4).The French propo
24、sal of handling the crisis implies that（分数：4.00）A.poor countries are more likely to get funds.B.strict monetary policy will be applied to poor countries.C.loans will be readily available to rich countries.D.rich countries will basically control Eurobonds.(5).Regarding the future of the EU, the autho
25、r seems to feel（分数：4.00）A.pessimistic.B.desperate.C.conceited.D.hopeful.五、Text 3(总题数：1，分数：20.00)Over the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for what are called business methods. A received one for its “one-click“ online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for an asset
26、 allocation strategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box. Now the nation“s top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversial ever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-property l
27、awyers abuzz, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In re Bilski , as the case is known, is “a very big deal,“ says Dennis D. Crouch of the University of Missouri School of law. It “has the potentia
28、l to eliminate an entire class of patents.“ Curbs on business-method claims would be a dramatic about-face, because it was the Federal Circuit itself that introduced such patents with its 1998 decision in the so-called State Street Bank case, approving a patent on a way of pooling mutual-fund assets
29、. That ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive rights to specific types of online transactions. Later, move established companies raced to add such patents to their files, if only as a defensive move again
30、st rivals that might beat them to the punch. In 2005, IBM noted in a court filing that it had been issued more than 300 business-method patents, despite the fact that it questioned the legal basis for granting them. Similarly, some Wall Street investment films armed themselves with patents for finan
31、cial products, even as they took positions in court cases opposing the practice. The Bilski case involves a claimed patent on a method for hedging risk in the energy market. The Federal Circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12 of the court“s judges, rather than
32、a typical panel of three, and that one issue it wants to evaluate is whether it should “reconsider“ its State Street Bank ruling. The Federal Circuit“s action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the supreme Court that has narrowed the scope of protections for patent holders. Last Ap
33、ril, for example, the justices signaled that too many patents were being upheld for “inventions“ that are obvious. The judges on the Federal Circuit are “reacting to the anti-patent trend at the Supreme Court,“ says Harold C. Wegner, a patent attorney and professor at George Washington University La
34、w School.（分数：20.00）(1).Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because of（分数：4.00）A.their limited value to businesses.B.their connection with asset allocation.C.the possible restriction on their granting.D.the controversy over their authorization.(2).Which of the following is true of t
35、he Bilski case?（分数：4.00）A.Its ruling complies with the court decisions.B.It involves a very big business transaction.C.It has been dismissed by the Federal Circuit.D.It may change the legal practices in the U.S(3).The word “about-face“(Para. 3) most probably means（分数：4.00）A.loss of good will.B.incre
36、ase of hostility.C.change of attitude.D.enhancement of dignity.(4).We learn from the last two paragraphs that business-method patents（分数：4.00）A.are immune to legal challenges.B.are often unnecessarily issued.C.lower the esteem for patent holders.D.increase the incidence of risks.(5).Which of the fol
37、lowing would be the subject of the text?（分数：4.00）A.A looming threat to business-method patents.B.Protection for business-method patent holders.C.A legal case regarding business-method patents.D.A prevailing trend against business-method patents.六、Text 4(总题数：1，分数：20.00)When it comes to the slowing ec
38、onomy, Ellen Spero isn“t biting her nails just yet . But the 47-year-old manicurist isn“t cutting, filing or polishing as many nails as she“d like to, either. Most of her clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening ec
39、onomy. “I“m a good economic indicator,“ she says. “I provide a service that people can do without when they“re concerned about saving some dollars.“ So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middlebrow Dillard“s department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I don“t know if
40、 other clients are going to abandon me, too.“ she says. Even before Alan Greenspan“s admission that America“s red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers tempe
41、r their spending. For retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last year“s pace. But don“t sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem o
42、nly mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy“s long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt-tightening. Consumers say they“re not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holdi
43、ng steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “there“s a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range , predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,“ says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, no
44、w maybe you only get two or three,“ says John Tealdi, a Bay Area real-estate broker. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job. Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn“t
45、 mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattan“s hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant used to be impo
46、ssible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan in the inner core alone, Germany fears, a small majority favour French interference. A “southern“ camp headed by French wants something different: “European economic government“ within an inner core of euro-zone members. Translated, that means politicians int
47、ervening in monetary policy and a system of redistribution from richer to poorer members, via cheaper borrowing for governments through common Eurobonds or complete fiscal transfers. Finally, figures close to the France government have murmured, euro-zone members should agree to some fiscal and soci
48、al harmonisation: e.g., curbing competition in corporate-tax rates or labour costs. It is too soon to write off the EU. It remains the world“s largest trading block. At its best, the European project is remarkably liberal: built around a single market of 27 rich and poor countries, its internal bord
49、ers are far more open to goods, capital and labour than any comparable trading area. It is an ambitious attempt to blunt the sharpest edges of globalization, and make capitalism benign.（分数：20.00）(1).The EU is faced with so many problems that（分数：4.00）A.even its supporters begin to feel concerned. B.it has more or less lost faith in markets.C.some of its member countries plan to abandon euro.D.it intends to deny the possibility of devaluation.解析：解析 细节题。题干的意思是，欧盟因为面临很多问题以至于出现了什么状况。考生通过第一段的最后一句话可以得出，A 项“甚至它的支持者们也开始感到担忧”为正确答案，此处只要理解“cheerleader”是“啦啦队队长”的含义就不难做选择。B 项为“它多少已经失去了对市场的信心”
