1、考研英语-24 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、BSection Use o(总题数：1，分数：10.00)Low levels of literacy and numeracy have a damaging impact on almost every aspect of adults, according to a survey published yesterday, which offersU (1) /Uof a developing underclass. Tests andU (2) /Uwith hundreds of people born in
2、a week in 1958 graphically illustrated theU (3) /Uof educational underachievement. The effects can be seen in unemployment, familyU (4) /U, low incomes, depression and social inactivity.Those who left school at 16 with poor basic skills had been employed for up to four years less than good readersU
3、(5) /Uthey reached 37. Professor John Bynner, of City University, who carried the research, said that todaysU (6) /Uteenagers would even encounter greater problems because the supply ofU (7) /Ujobs had shrunk.Almost one fifth of the 1,700 people interviewed for yesterdays report had poor literacy an
4、d almost halfU (8) /Uwith innumeracy, a proportionU (9) /Uother surveys for the Basic Skills Agency. Some could not read a childs book, and most found difficultU (10) /Uwritten instruction.Poor readers were twice as likely to be a low wage and four times likely to live in a household where partners
5、worked. Women in thisU (11) /Uwere five times as likely to beU (12) /Udepressed,U (13) /Uboth tended to feel they had no control over their lives, and to trust othersU (14) /U.Those who had low literacy and numeracy were seldomU (15) /Uin any community organization and less likely than others toU (1
6、6) /Uin a general election. There had been noU (17) /Uin the literary level ofU (18) /Ureporting problems.Alan Wells, the agencys director, said: “ The results emphasize the dangers of developing an underclass people, who were out of work,U (19) /Udepressed and often labeled themselves asU (20) /U.
7、There is a circle of marginalization, with the dice against these people and their families.” （分数：10.00）A.proofB.witnessC.testimonyD.evidenceA.investigationsB.interviewsC.conferencesD.communicationsA.defectB.backwardnessC.handicapD.scarcityA.breakdownB.breakoutC.breakawayD.breakinA.the timeB.the ins
8、tantC.the momentD.the pointA.illiterateB.sufferingC.poorD.unqualifiedA.skilledB.mentalC.manualD.mechanicalA.struggledB.facedC.encounteredD.confrontedA.in light ofB.in line withC.in case ofD.in time ofA.translatingB.complyingC.followingD.obeyingA.postB.conditionC.statusD.positionA.classifiedB.thought
9、C.believedD.labeledA.andB.whileC.forD.butA.moreB.muchC.lessD.littleA.revolvedB.dissolvedC.resolvedD.involvedA.claimB.joinC.voteD.winA.improvementB.advancementC.developmentD.increaseA.employeesB.intervieweesC.participantD.researchersA.hardlyB.seriouslyC.increasinglyD.potentiallyA.failuresB.winnersC.s
10、uccessorsD.patients二、BSection Readi(总题数：4，分数：40.00)BText 1/BHenric Ibsen, author of the play “ A Dolls House” , in which a pretty, helpless housewife abandons her husband and children to seek a more serious life, would surely have approved. From January 1st, 2008, all public companies in Norway are
11、obliged to ensure that at least 40% of their board directors are women. Most firms have obeyed the law, which was passed in 2003. But about 75 out of the 480 or so companies it affects are still too male for the governments liking. They will shortly receive a letter informing them that they have unt
12、il the end of February to act, or face the legal consequences which could include being dissolved.Before the law was proposed, about 7% of board members in Norway were female, according to the Centre for Corporate Diversity. The number has since jumped to 36%. That is far higher than the average of
13、9% for big companies across Europe or Americas 15% for the Fortune 500. Norways stock exchange and its main business lobby oppose the law, as do many businessmen.” I am against quotas for women or men as a matter of principle,” says Sverre Munck, head of international operations at a media firm. “ B
14、oard members of public companies should be chosen solely on the basis of merit and experience,” he says. Several firms have even given up their public status in order to escape the new law.Companies have had to recruit about 1,000 women in four years. Many complain that it has been difficult to find
15、 experienced candidates. Because of this, some of the best women have collected as many as 25-35 directorships each, and are known in Norwegian business circles as the “ golden skirts” . One reason for the scarcity is that there are fairly few women in management in Norwegian companies they occupy a
16、round 15% of senior positions. It has been particularly hard for firms in the oil, technology and financial industries to find women with enough experience.Some people worry that their relative lack of experience may keep women quiet on boards, and that in turn could mean that boards might become le
17、ss able to hold managers to account. Recent history in Norway, however, suggests that the right women can make strong directors. “Women feel more compelled than men to do their homework,” says Ms. Reksten Skaugen, who was voted Norways chairman of the year for 2007.（分数：10.00）(1).The author mentions
18、Ibsens play in the first paragraph in order to（分数：2.00）A.depict womens dilemma at work.B.explain the newly passed law.C.support Norwegian government.D.introduce the topic under discussion.(2).A public company that fails to obey the new law could be forced to（分数：2.00）A.pay a heavy fine.B.close down i
19、ts business.C.change into a private business.D.sign a document promising to act.(3).To which of the following is Sverre Munck most likely to agree?（分数：2.00）A.A set ratio of women in a board is unreasonable.B.A reasonable quota for women at work needs to be set.C.A common principle should be followed
20、 by all companies.D.An inexperienced businessman is not subject to the new law.(4).The author attributes the phenomenon of “golden skirts” to（分数：2.00）A.the small number of qualified females in management.B.the over-recruitment of female managers in public companies.C.the advantage women enjoy when c
21、ompeting for senior positions.D.the discrimination toward women in Norwegian business circles.(5).The main idea of the text might be（分数：2.00）A.female power and liberation in Norway.B.the significance of Henric Ibsens play.C.womens status in Norwegian firms.D.the constitution of board members in Norw
22、ay.BText 2/BDu Bois was a sociological and educational pioneer who challenged the established system of education that tended to restrict rather than to advance the progress of black Americans. He challenged what is called the “Tuskegee machine” of Booker T. Washington, the leading educational spoke
23、sperson of the blacks in the U. S. . As a sociologist and historian, Du Bois called for a more determined and activist leadership than Washington provided.Unlike Washington, whose roots were in southern black agriculture, Du Boiss career spanned both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. He was a native of
24、 Massachusetts, received his undergraduate education from Fisk University in Nashville, did his graduate study at Harvard University, and directed the Atlanta University Studies of Black American Life in the South. Du Bois approached the problem of racial relations in the United States from two dime
25、nsions: as a scholarly researcher and as an activist for civil rights. Among his works was the famous empirical sociological study, The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study, in which he examined that citys black population and made recommendations for the school system. Du Boiss Philadelphia study was
26、 the pioneer work on urban blacks in America.Du Bois had a long and active career as a leader in the civil rights movement. He helped to organize the Niagara Movement in 1905, which led to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), established in 1909. From 1910 until 19
27、34, Du Bois edited The Crisis, the major journal of the NAACP. In terms of its educational policy, the NAACP position was that all American children and youth should have genuine equality of educational opportunity. This policy, which Du Bois helped to formulate, stressed the following themes: (1) p
28、ublic schooling should be free and compulsory for all American children; (2) secondary schooling should be provided for all youth; (3) higher education should not be monopolized by any special class or race.As a leader in education, Du Bois challenged not only the tradition of racial segregation in
29、the schools but also the accommodationist ideology of Booker T. Washington. The major difference between the two men was that Washington sought change that was evolutionary in nature and did not upset the social order, whereas Du Bois demanded immediate change. Du Bois believed in educated leadershi
30、p for blacks, and he developed a concept referred to as the “talented tenth”, according to which 10 percent of the black population would receive a traditional college education in preparation for leadership.（分数：10.00）(1).The phrase “Tuskegee machine” (Line 3, Para. 1) most probably refers to（分数：2.0
31、0）A.the established educational system.B.a kind of tool.C.the thoughts of Booker T. Washington.D.the supporters of Booker T. Washington.(2).Which of the following is most likely Du Boiss belief?（分数：2.00）A.The blacks have a priority in terms of education.B.Higher education should be free for all race
32、s.C.Everyone has an equal right to education.D.Development in education should be gradual.(3).Which of the following statements is true according to the text?（分数：2.00）A.Washington would not appreciate the idea of overthrowing social order.B.Racial separation is an outcome of accommodationist ideolog
33、y.C.Washington would support a determined and activist leadership.D.The Philadelphia Negro is a book on blacks in American South.(4).Compared with Booker T. Washington, Du Boiss stance was（分数：2.00）A.less popular.B.more radical.C.less aggressive.D.more conservative.(5).It can be inferred from the las
34、t paragraph that（分数：2.00）A.many blacks were prepared for leadership.B.Du Bois was in favor of “elite education” for blacks.C.Washington and Du Bois had never been friends.D.only the top 10 percent were worth educating.BText 3/BThe protection of cultural diversity from a political and economic point
35、of view in fact became pressing with globalization, which is characterized by the liberalization on a large scale of economic and commercial exchange, and thus, what has been called the commodification of culture. It has been noted, for instance, that over the past 20 years, trade in cultural goods
36、has quadrupled and the new international rules (WTO, OECD) on trade are increasingly removing State support and protection measures in favour of national goods and services in the name of market freedom and free trade.For those in favour of the promotion of cultural diversity, which includes Canada,
37、 France and the Group of 77 (group of developing countries), the aim is above all to obtain from the United States the guarantee that the “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”, signed by UNESCO in November 2005, would not be subordinated to internation
38、al trade instruments. Indeed, for the United States and other supporters of free trade, the convention is a had idea and the measures referred to above stem quite simply from an interventionist conception of the State which is not likely to favour the market. Subsidies to cultural enterprises, the i
39、mposition of broadcast quotas and restrictions on foreign ownership of the media would, for them, interfere with the natural development of the market. In addition, even though it is not official, the convention on cultural diversity is for many Americans an attempt to undermine the global supremacy
40、 of their audiovisual industries.If the general understanding of cultural diversity is based mainly on binary distinctions such as modern culture/local culture, the reality of cultural diversity is not binary, but stems from respect for and acceptance of differences, dialogue, and the quest for shar
41、ed values, in order to leave behind the monologism that is a feature of the information society.In this setting, diversity is consequently a way of approaching the structure of how we live together, based on the acceptance of a plural vision of the world. We can see then that cultural diversity is p
42、erceived here as the integration, rather than the superposition or juxtaposition of cultures and that the information society in which it is expressed is above all a society of shared knowledge.（分数：10.00）(1).The commodification of culture is a feature of（分数：2.00）A.cultural diversity.B.globalization.
43、C.international trade.D.information technology.(2).According to the text, WTO（分数：2.00）A.is in favour of national cultural products.B.is harmful to cultural diversity.C.is to ensure the survival of cultural diversity.D.is to make decisions on culture.(3).What is the first task of the advocators of cu
44、ltural diversity?（分数：2.00）A.To negotiate with the United States of America.B.To revise some of the articles of WTO.C.To subordinate the Convention to WTO and others.D.To avoid the influence of information technology.(4).The Americans believe that hidden behind the claims of cultural diversity（分数：2.0
45、0）A.is a bad idea to harm the free market.B.is an interventionist conception of the State.C.is an intention to beat their culture industries.D.is an attempt to undermine the WTO.(5).Cultural diversity actually needs an information society which（分数：2.00）A.commodificates cultures.B.has a dominant cult
46、ure.C.favours the free trade.D.shares knowledge.BText 4/BIf phone calls and web pages can be beamed through the air to portable devices, then why not electrical power, too? It is a question many consumers and device manufacturers have been asking themselves for some time. But to seasoned observers o
47、f the electronics industry, the promise of wireless recharging sounds depressingly familiar. In 2004 Splashpower, a British technology firm, was citing “very strong” interest from consumer-electronics firms for its wireless charging pad. Based on the principle of electromagnetic induction (EMI) that
48、 Faraday had discovered in the 19th century, the companys “Splashpad” contained a coil that generated a magnetic field when a current flowed through it. When a mobile device containing a corresponding coil was brought near the pad, the process was reversed as the magnetic field generated a current i
49、n the second coil, charging the device s battery without the use of wires. Unfortunately, although Faradays principles of electromagnetic induction have stood the test of time, Splashpower has not it was declared bankrupt last year without having launched a single product.Thanks to its simplicity .and measurability, electromagnetic induction is still the technology o
