1、笔译二级综合能力（阅读理解）模拟试卷 4及答案与解析 0 We are beginning to witness a paradox at the heart of capitalism, one that has propelled it to greatness but is now threatening its future: The inherent dynamism of competitive markets is bringing costs so far down that many goods and services are becoming nearly free, a
2、bundant, and no longer subject to market forces. While economists have always welcomed a reduction in marginal cost, they never anticipated the possibility of a technological revolution that might bring those costs to near zero. The first inkling of the paradox came in 1999 when Napster, the music s
3、ervice, developed a network enabling millions of people to share music without paying the producers and artists, wreaking havoc on the music industry. Similar phenomena went on to severely disrupt the newspaper and book publishing industries. Consumers began sharing their own information and enterta
4、inment, via videos, audio and text, nearly free, bypassing the traditional markets altogether. Now the phenomenon is about to affect the whole economy. A formidable new technology infrastructure the Internet of Things is emerging with the potential to push much of economic life to near zero marginal
5、 cost over the course of the next two decades. This new technology platform is beginning to connect everything and everyone. Today more than 11 billion sensors are attached to natural resources, production lines, the electricity grid, logistics networks and recycling flows, and implanted in homes, o
6、ffices, stores and vehicles, feeding big data into the Internet of Things. People can connect to the network and use big data, analytics and algorithms to accelerate efficiency and lower the marginal cost of producing and sharing a wide range of products and services to near zero, just as they now d
7、o with information goods. The unresolved question is, how will this economy of the future function when millions of people can make and share goods and services nearly free? The answer lies in the civil society, which consists of nonprofit organizations that attend to the things in life we make and
8、share as a community. What makes the social commons more relevant today is that we are constructing an Internet of Things infrastructure that optimizes collaboration, universal access and inclusion, all of which are critical to the creation of social capital and the ushering in of a sharing economy.
9、 The Internet of Things is a game-changing platform that enables an emerging collaborative commons to flourish alongside the capitalist market. This collaborative rather than capitalistic approach is about shared access rather than private ownership. Millions of people are using social media sites,
10、redistribution networks, rentals and cooperatives to share cars, homes, clothes, tools, toys and other items at low or near zero marginal cost. The sharing economy had projected revenues of $ 3. 5 billion in 2013. As for the capitalist system, it is likely to remain with us far into the future, albe
11、it in a more streamlined role, primarily as an aggregator of network services and solutions, allowing it to thrive as a powerful niche player in the coming era. We are, however, entering a world partly beyond markets, where we are learning how to live together in an increasingly interdependent, coll
12、aborative, global commons. 1 The word “inherent“ underlined in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） inherited （ B） insistent （ C） intrinsic （ D） intransigent 2 According to the passage, which of the following does NOT belong to the central characteristics of capitalism? （ A） Competitive marke
13、t. （ B） Operation for profit. （ C） Low marginal cost. （ D） Private ownership. 3 The word “disrupt“ underlined in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） upset （ B） ruin （ C） demolish （ D） diminish 4 Thanks to technological revolution, _reduced the marginal cost and the price of a song all the wa
14、y down to near zero. （ A） Napster （ B） producers （ C） artists （ D） consumers 5 According to the author, the functions of the Internet of Things include the following EXCEPT_. （ A） generating better information and analysis （ B） enhancing decision making （ C） reducing costs and risks （ D） sharing inf
15、ormation goods 6 According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the key feature of the Internet of Things? （ A） Optimized collaboration. （ B） Shared access. （ C） Redistribution. （ D） Interdependency. 7 According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Internet of T
16、hings? （ A） It is a concept that describes a wireless network between objects. （ B） It is facilitated by billions of sensors which are used to collect massive amounts of data. （ C） It enables the transformation of video game industry. （ D） It poses great challenge to the capitalist market. 8 Accordi
17、ng to the passage, which of the following best describes the essence of “civil society“ ? （ A） Authority. （ B） Competition. （ C） Profitability. （ D） Public utility. 9 What is the authors attitude toward capitalism? （ A） Pessimistic. （ B） Optimistic. （ C） Neutral. （ D） Skeptical. 10 The purpose of th
18、is passage is to introduce_. （ A） the Internet of Things （ B） the evolution of capitalism （ C） the technological revolution over the last two decades （ D） the rise of new technology platform and its impact on capitalism 10 Microbiome helps us by digesting our food, training our immune systems and cr
19、owding out other harmful microbes that could cause disease. In return, everything from the food we eat to the medicines we take can shape our microbial communities with important implications for our health. Studies have found that changes in our microbiome accompany medical problems from obesity to
20、 diabetes to colon cancer. As these correlations have unfurled, so has the hope that we might fix these ailments by shunting our bugs toward healthier states. The gigantic probiotics industry certainly wants you to think that, although there is little evidence that swallowing a few billion yogurt-bo
21、rne bacteria has more than a small impact on the trillions in our guts. The booming genre of microbiome diet books self-help manuals for the bacterial self peddles a similar line, even though our knowledge of microbe-manipulating menus is still in its infancy. This quest for a healthy microbiome has
22、 led some people to take measures that are far more extreme than simply spooning up yogurt. In September, the archaeology writer Jeff Leach used a turkey baster to infuse his guts with the feces of a Hadza tribesman from Tanzania. Doctors have carried out hundreds of fecal transplants, particularly
23、to treat people with unshakable infections of the diarrhea-causing bacterium Clostridium difficile. The procedure has been spectacularly successful, far more than conventional antibiotics. Mr. Leach experimented on himself because he views the Western microbiome as “ a hot microbial mess“. He believ
24、ed the Hadza, with their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle, carry diverse microbial communities that are presumably closer to a healthier and disappearing ideal. Hence the stunt with the turkey baster. This reasoning invokes an increasingly common trope: that there is a “normal“ or “healthy“ mic
25、robiome that one should aim for. There is not. “Healthy“ microbes can easily turn rogue. Those in our guts are undoubtedly helpful, but if they cross the lining of the intestine and enter our bloodstream, they can trigger a debilitating immune response. Conversely, “unhealthy“ configurations of micr
26、obes can be normal, even necessary. Researchers found that microbiomes go through a huge upheaval by the third trimester of pregnancy. They end up looking like the microbiomes of people with metabolic syndrome a disorder that involves obesity, high blood sugar and a higher risk of diabetes and heart
27、 disease. These communities might indicate someone on the verge of chronic disease or merely motherhood. Packing fat and building up blood sugar makes sense when you are nourishing a growing fetus. The microbiome is a teeming collection of thousands of species, all constantly competing with one anot
28、her, evolving, changing. We must embrace its complexity if we hope to benefit from it. 11 According to the author, which of the following is NOT true about the relationship between microbiome and human health? （ A） The gut microbiome can help people extract the nutrients from food and exert enormous
29、 influence over their metabolism. （ B） The human gut microbiome can adapt to a changing diet. （ C） The microbiome can cause health problems like obesity and colon cancer. （ D） The human immune system will attack microbes if they cross the lining of the intestine and enter bloodstream. 12 The word “s
30、hunt“ underlined in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） evade （ B） divert （ C） avoid （ D） eliminate 13 According to the passage, _ claim(s) that probiotics help the growth of good bacteria which are essential to maintain normal health. （ A） scientists （ B） probiotics industry （ C） a Hadza tr
31、ibesman （ D） the author 14 Which of the following is NOT true about the archaeology writer Jeff Leach? （ A） He was infected with the diarrhea-causing bacterium Clostridium difficile. （ B） He transplanted the feces of a Hadza tribesman from Tanzania. （ C） He wants to improve the diversity of the West
32、ern microbiome. （ D） He believes that the Hadza carry healthier microbiome than him. 15 What is the authors attitude toward the experiment of the archaeology writer? （ A） Approving. （ B） Disapproving. （ C） Indifferent. （ D） Neutral. 16 The word “rogue“ underlined in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning
33、 to_. （ A） in fashion （ B） red （ C） vicious （ D） rough 17 According to the passage, the following may be the causes for obesity and high blood pressure EXCEPT_. （ A） unhealthy microbes （ B） pregnancy （ C） metabolic syndrome （ D） chronic disease 18 According to the author, microbiome is_. （ A） health
34、y （ B） unhealthy （ C） normal （ D） context-dependent 19 Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage? （ A） Our microbes have probably adapted to our lifestyles. （ B） Microbiomes vary around the world. （ C） The same microbes can be beneficial allies or dangerous threats. （ D） The microbi
35、ome can only be replaced with surgery. 20 The purpose of the passage is to_. （ A） introduce the function of the microbiome （ B） explain the dynamic nature of the microbiome （ C） criticize the deceptive behavior of some industries （ D） encourage people to learn more about the microbiome 20 Theres a z
36、aniness about bitcoin. The currency is built on a weird mix of the most old-fashioned kind of speculative greed, bolstered by a contemporary Utopian cyberlibertarian ideology. Boosters say that bitcoin is the currency of the future. Id argue that the phenomenon is a digital gold rush perfectly emble
37、matic of the present. Some of bitcoins appeal comes from the fact that it does not physically exist. Each bitcoin is just a string of numbers. Instead of a bank, a decentralized network of computers ensures the authenticity of bitcoin and issues new ones by doing complex calculations. This allows bi
38、tcoin to be traded peer to peer, bypassing credit card companies and payment processors. Its digital cash, offering the same relative anonymity and freedom as a paper sack of bills. The ideas behind bitcoin can be traced to a 1988 tract called the Crypto Anarchist Manifesto, which loftily predicted
39、a future where anonymity-protecting technology made state control of the market impossible. Everything would be for sale to anyone all the time, 100 percent tax-free. Many of bitcoins hard-core fans see the currency as a revolutionary step toward this anarchocapitalist wonderland. Im skeptical. You
40、cant use bitcoin for much today besides gambling in online casinos and reserving seats on Virgin Galactic spaceflights, and a vast majority of it is held by speculators. Even with the imprimatur of government regulation, the promise of bitcoin seems to end with helping online retailers avoid credit-
41、card processing fees. Bitcoin is mainly innovative in the way of credit default swaps; new ways to gamble with money. Bitcoin is most interesting on an emotional level. Its sheen of technomagic has let uber-rational geeks treat the casino-floor frenzy as a serious technological story. Tech blogs bre
42、athlessly track the price of bitcoin. Each new business that accepts bitcoin is heralded with the fanfare of a despot opening his countrys borders to a new, previously outlawed luxury. The drumbeat suggests that getting rich is as simple as being an early adopter. So many have bought in because the
43、Internet is very good at stoking the fear of missing out. Theres even a trendy acronym, FOMO, to describe the anxiety inspired by scrolling through the social media accounts of people having more fun than you. Bitcoin fosters a particularly potent brand of FOMO. Bitcoin holders have taken to posting
44、 screenshots of their swollen accounts. I know a guy who bought a few hundred dollars worth of bitcoin as a sort of joke years ago. Now hes made enough to buy a nice car. All I can say is that the crash is going to be great. Bitcoin is too dependent on speculative mania to be of practical use as a c
45、urrency. But as a symbol of the misguided dream that one can tap into the global data stream and download riches like a pop song, its gold. 21 The word “bolster“ underlined in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） hinder （ B） block （ C） defer （ D） reinforce 22 According to the author, the foll
46、owing psychologies contributed to the invention of bitcoin EXCEPT_. （ A） weird fantasy （ B） speculation （ C） greed （ D） cyberlibertarian ideology 23 Which of the following is NOT true about the features of bitcoin? （ A） Lack of centralized authority. （ B） Easy and fast payment. （ C） Protection of pe
47、rsonal identity. （ D） Personal control of the market. 24 The functions of bitcoin could be the following EXCEPT_. （ A） paying for gambling in Las Vegas casinos （ B） reserving seats on Virgin Galactic spaceflights （ C） helping online retailers avoid transaction fees （ D） enabling gambling with money
48、25 Which of the following statements is NOT true about bitcoin? （ A） Bitcoin is a virtual currency with no intrinsic value. （ B） Bitcoin is widely accepted by major online retailers. （ C） Bitcoin may be used in illegal activities due to its relative anonymity. （ D） The valuation of bitcoins fluctuat
49、es wildly and unpredictably. 26 The word “stoke“ underlined in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） stir up （ B） exploit （ C） deter （ D） strike 27 Many bitcoin holders are anxious because_. （ A） they fear that other people are having more fun than them （ B） they fear the price of bitcoin will drop dramatically （ C） they dont have as many bitcoins as others （ D） they didnt buy bitcoins as early as others 28 Bitcoin proponents believes the following EXCEPT_. （ A） Bitcoi
