1、考博英语模拟试卷 286及答案与解析 一、 Cloze 0 In our contemporary culture, the prospect of communicating with or even looking at a stranger is virtually unbearable. Everyone around us seems to agree by the way they fiddle with their phones, even without a【 C1】 _underground. Its a sad reality our desire to avoid int
2、eracting with other human beings because theres【 C2】 _to be gained from talking to the stranger standing by you. But you wouldnt know it, 【 C3】 _into your phone. This universal armor sends the【 C4】_; “Please dont approach me. “ What is it that makes us feel we need to hide【 C5】 _our screens? One ans
3、wer is fear, according to Jon Wortmann, executive mental coach. We fear rejection, or that our innocent social advances will be【 C6】 _as “creepy. “ We fear well be【 C7】 _. We fear well be disruptive. Strangers are inherently【 C8】_to us, so we are more likely to feel【 C9】 _when communicating with the
4、m compared with our friends and acquaintances. To avoid this anxiety, we【 C10】_to our phones. “Phones become our security blanket,“ Wortmann says. “They are our happy glasses that protect us from what we perceive is going to be more【 C11】_. “ But once we rip off the bandaid, tuck our smartphones in
5、our pockets and look up, it doesnt 【 C12】 _so bad. In one 2011 experiment, behavioral scientists Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder asked commuters to do the unthinkable: Start a【 C13】_. They had Chicago train commuters talk to their fellow【 C14】 _. “ When Dr. Epley and Ms. Schroeder asked other p
6、eople in the same train station to【 C15】_how they would feel after talking to a stranger, the commuters thought their【 C16】 _would be more pleasant if they sat on their own,“ The New York Times summarizes. Though the participants didnt expect a positive experience, after they【 C17】 _with the experim
7、ent, “not a single person reported having been snubbed. “ 【 C18】 _, these commuters were reportedly more enjoyable compared with those sans communication, which makes absolute sense, 【 C19】 _human beings thrive off of social connections. Its that【 C20】 _: Talking to strangers can make you feel conne
8、cted. 1 【 C1】 （ A） ticket （ B） permit （ C） signal （ D） record 2 【 C2】 （ A） nothing （ B） link （ C） another （ D） much 3 【 C3】 （ A） beaten （ B） guided （ C） plugged （ D） brought 4 【 C4】 （ A） message （ B） cede （ C） notice （ D） sign 5 【 C5】 （ A） under （ B） beyond （ C） behind （ D） from 6 【 C6】 （ A） misinte
9、rpreted （ B） misapplied （ C） misadjusted （ D） mismatched 7 【 C7】 （ A） fired （ B） judged （ C） replaced （ D） delayed 8 【 C8】 （ A） unreasonable （ B） ungreatful （ C） unconventional （ D） unfamiliar 9 【 C9】 （ A） comfortable （ B） anxious （ C） confident （ D） angry 10 【 C10】 （ A） attend （ B） point （ C） take
10、（ D） turn 11 【 C11】 （ A） dangerous （ B） mysterious （ C） violent （ D） boring 12 【 C12】 （ A） hurt （ B） resist （ C） bend （ D） decay 13 【 C13】 （ A） lecture （ B） conversation （ C） debate （ D） negotiation 14 【 C14】 （ A） trainees （ B） employees （ C） researchers （ D） passengers 15 【 C15】 （ A） reveal （ B） ch
11、oose （ C） predict （ D） design 16 【 C16】 （ A） voyage （ B） flight （ C） walk （ D） ride 17 【 C17】 （ A） went through （ B） did away （ C） caught up （ D） put up 18 【 C18】 （ A） In turn （ B） In particular （ C） In fact （ D） In consequence 19 【 C19】 （ A） unless （ B） since （ C） if （ D） whereas 20 【 C20】 （ A） fun
12、ny （ B） simple （ C） logical （ D） rare 二、 Reading Comprehension 20 The potential of computers for increasing the control of organizations or society over their members and for invading the privacy of those members has caused considerable concern. The privacy issue has been raised most insistently wit
13、h respect to the creation and maintenance of data files that assemble information about persons from a multitude of sources. Files of this kind would be highly valuable for many kinds of economic and social research, but they are bought at too high a price if they endanger human freedom or seriously
14、 enhance their opportunities of blackmailers. While such dangers should not be ignored, it should be noted that the lack of comprehensive data files has never before been the limiting barrier to the suppression of human freedom. Making the computer the villain in the invasion of privacy or encroachm
15、ent on civil liberties simply divers attention from the real dangers. Computer data bank files can and must be given the highest degree of protection from abuse. But we must be careful also, that we do not employ such crude methods of protection as to deprive our society of important data it needs t
16、o understand its down social processes and to analyze its problems. Perhaps the most important question of all about the computer is what it has come and will do to mans view of himself and his place in the universe. The most heated attacks on the computer are not focused on its possible economic ef
17、fects, its presumed destruction of job satisfaction, or its threat to privacy and liberty, but upon the claim that it causes people to be viewed, and to view themselves, as machines. What the computer and progress in artificial intelligence challenge are an ethic that rests on mans apartness from th
18、e rest of nature. An alternative ethic, of course, views man as a part of nature, governed by nature law, subject to the forces of gravity and the demands of his body. The debate about artificial intelligence and the simulation of mans thinking is, in considerable part, a confrontation of these two
19、views of mans place in the universe. 21 Why is it important to prevent the abuse of computer data bands? （ A） To protect the right of the individual. （ B） To maintain discipline in society. （ C） To encourage economic and social research. （ D） To collect wide - ranging information. 22 Which of the fo
20、llowing is not true about data files? （ A） It may cause invasion of privacy. （ B） Dangers caused by it should be paid much attention to. （ C） Computer data files should be protected from abuse. （ D） It is reasonable to cancel data files in order to protect privacy. 23 Too much caution in the use of
21、computers will_. （ A） prevent the solution of economic problems （ B） cause more suppression of human freedom （ C） lead to clumsy methods of protection （ D） interfere with our study of society 24 What lessons can be learned from the past in this decade? （ A） Private issue has always been associated w
22、ith data collection. （ B） Attacks on freedom are new. （ C） The accumulation of data encourages oppression. （ D） Privacy has been a neglected issue. 25 The arrival of the computer has made man_. （ A） have more difficulty understanding himself （ B） think more like a machine （ C） look at himself in a d
23、ifferent way （ D） gain less satisfaction from his work 25 What our society suffers from most today is the absence of consensus about what it and life in it ought to be; such consensus cannot be gained from societys present stage, or from fantasies about what it ought to be. For that the present is t
24、oo close and too diversified, and the future too uncertain, to make believable claims about it. A consensus in the present hence can be achieved only through a shared understanding of the past, as Homers epics informed those who lived centuries later what it meant to be Greek, and by what images and
25、 ideals they were to live their lives and organize their societies. Most societies derive consensus from a long history, a language all their own, a common religion, common ancestry. The myths by which they live are based on all of these. But the United States is a country of immigrants, coming from
26、 a great variety of nations. Lately, it has been emphasized that an asocial, narcissistic personality has become characteristic of Americans, and that it is this type of personality that makes for the lack of well-being, because it prevents us from achieving consensus that would counteract a tendenc
27、y to withdraw into private worlds. In this study of narcissism, Christopher Lash says that modern man, “tortured by self-consciousness, turns to new therapies not to free himself of his personal worries but to find meaning and purpose in life, to find something to live for“. There is widespread dist
28、ress because national morale has declined, and we have lost an earlier sense of national vision and purpose. Contrary to rigid religions or political beliefs, as are found in totalitarian societies, our culture is one of the great individual differences, at least in principle and in theory; but this
29、 leads to disunity, even chaos. Americans believe in the value of diversity, but just because ours is a society based on individual diversity, it needs consensus about some dominating ideas more than societies based on uniform origin of their citizens. Hence, if we are to have consensus, it must be
30、based on a myth a vision about a common experience, a conquest that made us Americans, as the myth about the conquest of Troy formed the Greeks. Only a common myth can offer relief from the fear that life is without meaning or purpose. Myths permit us to examine our place in the world by comparing i
31、t to a shared idea. Myths are shared fantasies that form the tie that binds the individual to other members of his group. Such myths help to ward off feelings of isolations, guilt, anxiety, and purposelessness in short, they combat isolation and the breakdown of social standards and values. 26 In th
32、e eyes of the author, the greatest trouble with the U. S. society may lie in_. （ A） the non-existence of consensus on the forms the society should take （ B） the lack of divergence over the common organizations of social life （ C） the non-acceptance of a society based on individual diversity （ D） the
33、 pervasive distress caused by national morale decline 27 The asocial personality of Americans may stem from_. （ A） the absence of a common religion and ancestry （ B） the multiracial constituents of the US society （ C） the want of a shared myths they possess in life （ D） the counterbalance to narciss
34、istic personality 28 Homers epics is mentioned in Paragraph 1 in order to_. （ A） exemplify the contributions made by ancient poets （ B） illustrate the role of shared fantasies about society （ C） show an ideal stage of eternal social progress （ D） make known myths of what a society ought to be 29 The
35、 author concludes that only shared myths can help Americans_. （ A） to bring about the uniformity of their culture （ B） to regain their consensus about a common experience （ C） to stay away from negative feelings in their life （ D） to counteract the effects of consensus about society 30 It can be inf
36、erred from Paragraph 2 that Christopher Lash is most probably_. （ A） a reform advocate （ B） a senior psychologist （ C） a reputed poet （ D） a social historian 30 The early retirement of experienced workers is seriously harming the U. S. economy, according to a new report from the Hudson Institute, a
37、public policy research organization. Currently, many older experienced workers retire at an early age. According to the recently issued statistics, 79 percent of qualified workers begin collecting retirement benefits at age 62; if that trend continues, there will be a labor shortage that will hinder
38、 the economic growth in the twenty-first century. Older Americans constitute an increasing proportion of the population, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and the population of those over age 65 will grow by 60% between 2001 and 2020. During the same period, the group aged 18 to 44 will increase
39、 by only 4%. Keeping older skilled workers employed, even part time, would increase U. S. economic output and strengthen the tax base; but without significant policy reforms, massive early retirement among baby boomers seems more likely. Retirement at age 62 is an economically rational decision toda
40、y. Social Security and Medicaid earnings limits and tax penalties subject our most experienced workers to marginal tax rates as high as 67%. Social Security formulas encourage early retirement. Although incomes usually rise with additional years of work, any pay increases after the 35-year mark resu
41、lt in higher social Security taxes but only small increases in benefits. Hudson Institute researchers believe that federal tax and benefit policies are at fault and reforms are urgently needed, but they disagree with the popular proposal that much older Americans will have to work because Social Sec
42、urity will not support them and that baby boomers are not saving enough for retirement. According to the increase in 401(k)and Keogh retirement plans, the ongoing stock market on Wall Street, and the likelihood of large inheritances, there is evidence that baby boomers will reach age 65 with greater
43、 financial assets than previous generations. The Hudson Institute advocates reforming government policies that now discourage work and savings, especially for older workers. Among the reports recommendations: Tax half of all Social Security benefits, regardless of other income; provide 8% larger ben
44、efits for each year beyond 65; and permit workers nearing retirement to negotiate compensation packages that may include a lower salary but with greater healthcare benefits. However, it may take real and fruitful planning to find the right solution to the early retirement of older experienced worker
45、s; any measures taken must be allowed to prolong the serviceability of older experienced workers. 31 According to Hudson Institute researchers, the effect of the early retirement of qualified workers on the U. S. economy is_. （ A） constructive （ B） significant （ C） inconclusive （ D） detrimental 32 T
46、he older experienced workers in America tend to retire early because their prolonged service may_. （ A） do harm to younger generations （ B） end up with few or no benefits （ C） give play to their potentials （ D） shed light on social trends 33 The second paragraph is written chiefly to show that_. （ A
47、） there will be an acute labor shortage in the near future （ B） baby-boomers contribute much to the US economic output （ C） government policies concerning older people are out-dated （ D） older workers are enthusiastic about collecting social benefits 34 When mentioning “the ongoing stock market on W
48、all Street“, the writer_. （ A） is calling attention to the privileges to which baby-boomers are entitled （ B） is calling for the government to take countermeasures against labor shortage （ C） is refuting a notion about experienced workers early retirement （ D） is justifying the ineffectiveness of fe
49、deral tax and benefit policies 35 Towards the issue, what the writer is most concerned about will be_. （ A） to advocate radically reforming government policies （ B） to take into account the benefits upon retirement （ C） to put in practice what Hudson researchers believe in （ D） to prolong the practicability of older experienced employees 35 The history of responses to the work of the artist Sandro Botti
