1、考博英语（阅读理解）历年真题试卷汇编 7及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 We have known for a long time that the organization of any particular society is influenced by the definition of the sexes and the distinction drawn between them. But we have realized only recently that the identity of each sex is not so easy to
2、pin down, and that definitions evolve in accordance with different types of culture known to us, that is, scientific discoveries and ideological revolutions. Our nature is not considered as immutable, either socially or biologically. As we approach the beginning of the 21st century, the substantial
3、progress made in biology and genetics is radically challenging the roles, responsibilities and specific characteristics attributed to each sex, and yet, scarcely twenty years ago, these were thought to be “ beyond dispute“. We can safely say, with a few minor exceptions, that the definition of the s
4、exes and their respective functions remained unchanged in the West from the beginning of the 19th century to the 1960s. The role distinction, raised in some cases to the status of uncompromising dualism on a strongly hierarchical model, lasted throughout this period, appealing for its justification
5、to nature, religion and customs alleged to have existed since the dawn of time. The woman bore children and took care of the home. The man set out to conquer the world and was responsible for the survival of his family, by satisfying their needs in peacetime and going to war when necessary. The enti
6、re world order rested on the divergence of the sexes. Any overlapping or confusion between the roles was seen as a threat to the time-honored order of things. It was felt to be against nature, a deviation from the norm. Sex roles were determined according to the “place“ appropriate to each. Womens p
7、lace was, first and foremost, in the home. The outside world, i.e. workshops, factories and business firms, belonged to men. This sex-based division of the world(private and public)gave rise to a strict dichotomy between the attitudes, which conferred on each is special identity. The woman, sequeste
8、red at home, “cared, nurtured and conserved. “ To do this, she had no need to be daring, ambitious, tough or competitive. The man, on the other hand, competing with his fellow men, was caught up every day in the struggle for survival, and hence developed those characteristics which were thought natu
9、ral in a man. Today, many women go out to work, and their reasons for doing so have changed considerably. Besides the traditional financial incentives, we find ambition and personal fulfillment motivating those in the most favorable circumstances, and the wish to have a social life and to get out of
10、 their domestic isolation influencing others. Above all, for all women, work is invariably connected with the desire for independence. 1 It is only in recent years that we have recognized that_. （ A） there is almost no clue to the identity of both sexes （ B） the role distinction between different se
11、xes is conspicuous （ C） the different definitions of sexes bears on the development of culture （ D） the progress of civilization greatly influences the role definitions of sexes 2 From paragraph 1 we can infer that it is now possible for women to embark on a career because_. （ A） the change in sex r
12、oles is out of the question （ B） womens lib has been going on for many years （ C） ideas about the roles of women have been changing （ D） the expansion of sciences scarcely remolds the womens roles 3 The author believes that sex discrimination in the West before the 1960s was_. （ A） preferable （ B） p
13、revalent （ C） presumable （ D） precedent 4 According to the 4th paragraph, the author seems to think that_. （ A） female passivity is natural （ B） men and women are physically identical （ C） men are born competitive and aggressive （ D） some different sex identity is acquired 5 According to the author,
14、 which of the following is the most important reason for women to go to work? （ A） Wish to claim their rights and freedom. （ B） Ambition and self-fulfillment. （ C） Financial incentives. （ D） Desire for a social life. 5 BBCs Casualty programme on Saturday evening gave viewers a vote as to which of tw
15、o patients should benefit from a donation. But it failed to tell us that we would not need to make so many life-and-death decisions if we got to grip with the chronic organ shortage. Being pussyfooting around in its approach to dead bodies, the Government is giving a kicking to some of the most vuln
16、erable in our society. One depressing consequence of this is that a significant number of those on the waiting list take off to foreign countries to purchase an organ from a living third-world donor, something that is forbidden in the United Kingdom. The poor have no option but to wait in vain. The
17、Human Tissue Authoritys position on the retention of body parts for medical research after a post-mortem examination is equally flawed. The new consent forms could have been drafted by some evil person seeking to stop the precious flow of human tissue into the pathological laboratory. The forms are
18、so lengthy that doctors rarely have time to complete them and, even if they try, the wording is so graphic that relatives tend to leg it before signing. In consequence, the number of post mortems has fallen quickly. The wider worry is that the moral shortsightedness evident in the Human Tissue Act s
19、eems to infect every facet of the contemporary debate on medical ethics. Take the timid approach to embryonic stem cell research. The United States, for example, refuses government funding to scientists who wish to carry out potentially ground-breaking research on the surplus embryos created by IVF
20、treatment. Senators profess to be worried that embryonic research fails to respect the dignity of “potential persons“. Rarely can such a vacuous concept have found its way into a debate claiming to provide enlightenment. When is this “potential“ supposed to kick in? In case you were wondering, these
21、 supposedly precious embryos are at the same stage of development as those that are routinely terminated by the Pill without anyone crying. Thankfully, the British Government has refused the position of the United States and operates one of the most liberal regimes in Europe, in which licences have
22、been awarded to researchers to create embryos for medical research. It is possible that, in years to come, scientists will be able to grow organs in the lab and find cures for a range of debilitating diseases. The fundamental problem with our approach to ethics is our inability to separate emotion f
23、rom policy. The only factor that should enter our moral and legal deliberations is that of welfare, a concept that is meaningless when applied to entities that lack self-consciousness. Never forget that the research that we are so reluctant to conduct upon embryos and dead bodies is routinely carrie
24、d out on living, pain-sensitive animals. 6 What has caused the chronic organ shortage? （ A） A decrease in donation rates. （ B） Inefficient governmental policy. （ C） Illegal trade in human organs. （ D） News medias indifference. 7 The expression “pussyfooting around“(Paragraph 1)might mean_. （ A） unfa
25、ir （ B） hesitant （ C） secret （ D） strict 8 The moral shortsightedness is revealed in the fact that_. （ A） the government has stopped the experiment on human tissue （ B） the donation consent forms are difficult to understand （ C） the Human Tissues Act is an obstacle to important medical research （ D）
26、 embryonic research shows disregard for human life 9 To which of the following is the author most likely to agree? （ A） The rich and the poor are equal in the face of death. （ B） More scientists are needed for the medical advancement. （ C） There is a double standard in medical ethics. （ D） The dead
27、deserve the same attention as the living. 10 The author is most critical of_. （ A） the media （ B） doctors （ C） U. S. Legislators （ D） the British government 10 When a disease of epidemic proportions rips into the populace, scientists immediately get to work, trying to locate the source of the afflic
28、tion and find ways to combat it. Oftentimes, success is achieved, as medical science is able to isolate the parasite, germ or cell that causes the problem and finds ways to effectively kill or contain it. In the most serious of cases, in which the entire population of a region or country may be at g
29、rave risk, it is deemed necessary to protect the entire population through vaccination, so as to safeguard lives and ensure that the disease will not spread. The process of vaccination allows the patients body to develop immunity to the virus or disease so that, if it is encountered, one can ward it
30、 off naturally. To accomplish this, a small weak or dead strain of the disease is actually injected into the patient in a controlled environment, so that his bodys immune system can learn to fight the invader properly. Information on how to penetrate the diseases defenses is transmitted to all eleme
31、nts of the patients immune system in a process that occurs naturally, in which genetic information is passed from cell to cell. This makes sure that, should the patient later come into contact with the real problem, his body is well equipped and trained to deal with it, having already done so before
32、. There are dangers inherent in the process, however. On occasion, even the weakened version of the disease contained in the vaccine proves too much for the body to handle, resulting in the immune system succumbing, and therefore, the patients death. Such is the case of the smallpox vaccine, designe
33、d to eradicate the smallpox epidemic that nearly wiped out the entire Native American population and killed massive numbers of settlers. Approximately 1 in 10, 000 people who receives the vaccine contract the smallpox disease from the vaccine itself and dies from it. Thus, if the entire population o
34、f the United States were to receive the Smallpox Vaccine today, 3, 000 Americans would be left dead. Fortunately, the smallpox virus was considered eradicated in the early 1970s, ending the mandatory vaccination of all babies in America. In the event of a reintroduction of the disease, however, mand
35、atory vaccinations may resume, resulting in more unexpected deaths from vaccination. The process, which is truly a mixed blessing, may indeed hide some hidden curses. 11 The best title for the text may be_. （ A） Vaccinations; A Blessing or a Curse （ B） Principles of Vaccinations （ C） Vaccines: Metho
36、ds and Implications （ D） A Miracle Cure under Attack 12 What does the example of the Smallpox Vaccine illustrate? （ A） The possible negative outcome of administering vaccines. （ B） The practical use of a vaccine to control an epidemic disease. （ C） The effectiveness of vaccines in eradicating certai
37、n disease. （ D） The method by which vaccines are employed against the disease. 13 The phrase “ward it off naturally“(Paragraph 3)most probably means_. （ A） dispose of it naturally （ B） fight it off with ease （ C） see to it reluctantly （ D） split it up properly 14 Which of the following is true accor
38、ding to the text? （ A） Saving the majority would necessarily justify the death of the minority. （ B） The immune system can be trained to fight weaker versions of a disease. （ C） Mandatory vaccinations are indispensable to the survival of the populace. （ D） The process of vaccination remains a myster
39、y to be further resolved. 15 The purpose of the author in writing this passage is_. （ A） to comment and criticize （ B） to demonstrate and argue （ C） to interest and entertain （ D） to explain and inform 考博英语（阅读理解）历年真题试卷汇编 7答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 1 【正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 细节题。根据文章第 1段第 2句可知，直到最近我们才意识到
40、，性别的定义是很难确定 (pin down)的，这与我们所知的不同文化类别，即科学发现和思想革命也息息相关。故本题答案为 D(文明的发展很大程度影响了对性别的定义 )。 2 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 推理题。根据第 1段第 3、 4句可知，我们不能认为自己在社会或生理的本性是不可改变的。 21世纪初，生物学和遗传学取得的巨大进步正在从根本上挑战性别角色、职责和特征，这些观点在十几 年前可被认为是无可争辩的。由此可知，妇女从事某种职业，是因为对女性性别角色的观念一直在改变。故本题答案为 C。 3 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 细节题。根据第 2段第 1句可知，我们非常肯定，从 19世纪初
41、到20世纪 60年代，对男女性别的定义和他们各自的作用一直没什么变化，某些个例除外。 “妇女在家生儿育女，男人外出谋生养家，恪守职责。和平时期，供养家庭，战争时期，奔赴疆场 ”。由此可知，男女性别歧视在当时是普遍存在的现象。故本题答案为 B。 4 【正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 推理题。根据第 4段 第 1句可知，性别角色由各自适合的位置决定的。女性的位置是家里，男性的位置是与同性竞争。这种以性别为基础的 (sex-based)世界观产生了两种非常不同的态度，从而赋予不同性别特有的特征。因此，性别角色的特点不是与生俱来的，而是后天形成的。故本题答案为 D(不同的性别定义是后天获得的 )是正确答
42、案。 5 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 细节题。根据最后一段最后一句可知，对于所有女性来说，最重要的一点是，工作与对独立 (independence)的渴望息息相关。故本题答案为 A(对权力和自由的渴望 )。 6 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 细节题。文章首段讲到：英国广播公司的节目让观众投票决定哪个病人来接受器官捐赠。作者认为，这样做不能让观众理解处理长期器官紧缺问题的重要性，而且政府在对待死者的方式顾虑重重，这就造成了有钱人购买活体器官，而穷人则无可奈何。因此 B选项 (政府政策的低效 )是正确答案。 7 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 词汇题。该词是用来形容 “政府对待尸体 ”态度的
43、，这种态度造成了器官短缺。因此可以推理得知，这个态度是 B(犹豫不决 )。 8 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 细 节题。由 moral shortsightedness可定位到第三段首句。该段指出人体法案明显的道德短视影响了当前医学伦理的论争。胚胎干细胞研究小心翼翼，美国政府拒绝为科学家提供资助以进行具有突破性的研究。因此，本题答案为 C。 9 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 细节题。从第 3段开始全文都在讨论医学伦理道德问题。第 4段第3句和第 4句中，作者对议员的 “潜在的人 ”的概念进行了批驳，指出这些假想的宝贵胚胎与那些被避孕丸扼杀，却没有任何人哭泣的生命处于同样的发展阶段。第 5段
44、末句作者指出， “不要忘记我们如 此不愿进行的胚胎和尸体的研究正在一些活生生的、有疼痛知觉的动物上照常实行。 ”由此可知 C项 (在医学伦理上有双重标准 )正确。 10 【正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 态度题。 A项 “媒体 ”，只在第 1段开始出现，是为了引出器官捐赠这个话题； B项 “医生 ”出现在第 2段，说明捐赠同意书的冗长让医生读来很费力；因此，作者对这两类人都没有给出明确的批评态度。第 2段提到同意书的起草者，指出他可能 “怀有恶意并试图阻止人体运往病理化验所 ”。第 3段作者直接批评人体法案的道德短视，该法令的制定者必然也是作者所批判的；第 4段 首句提到 “参议员 ”，作者对他
45、的 “潜在的人 ”的观点予以驳斥。由此可推出 C项 “美国立法者 ”，是作者最严厉批评的一类人。第 4段倒数第 2句提到 “英国政府 ”，指出英国政府持有与美国不同的立场，允许科学家进行胚胎研究。因此作者对它是持肯定态度的。 11 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 主旨题。文章主要讲述的是接种疫苗让人体对病毒或疾病产生免疫力，但是整个过程还有隐患。所以答案为 C(接种：方法和影响 )。 12 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 细节题。 smallpox vaccine出现在文章第 3段第 3句。第 3段的主题是使用疫苗可能会带来负面效果，因此选项 A“使用疫苗可能会带来负面结果 ”为正确选项。 1
46、3 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 词汇题。文中第 2段首句讲述了接种疫苗是让人体对病毒或疾病产生免疫力，万一碰上病毒或疾病，人体可以凭自身之力战胜它。因此选项 B“很轻松地与之对抗 ”为正确选项。 14 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 细节题。本文的中心讲的是免疫系统可以得到特殊的训练以应对疾病的较弱形式，因此选项 B“免疫系统可以得到特殊的训练以应对疾病的较弱形式 ”为正确选项。 15 【 正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 目的题。通读全文，可知作者对这篇文章的语气是客观的，因此选项 D“为了解释和告知信息 ”为正确选项。本文是说明文，选项 A“评论和批判 ”，这是议论文、评论文的模式。选项 B“论证和辩论 ”是议论文的模式。选项 C“为了带来兴趣和娱乐 ”，但这篇文章是科普性的文章。
