1、考博英语（阅读理解）模拟试卷 43及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 To paraphrase 18th-century statesman Edmund Burke, “All that is needed for the triumph of a misguided cause is that good people do nothing.“ One such cause now seeks to end biomedical research because of the theory that animals have rights ruling ou
2、t their use in research.Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates, whose arguments are confusing the public and thereby threatening advances in health knowledge and care.Leaders of the animal rights movement target biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and
3、few people understand the process of health care research.Hearing allegations of cruelty to animals in research settings, many are perplexed that anyone would deliberately harm an animal. For example, a grandmotherly woman starring an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was distributing a br
4、ochure that encouraged readers not to use anything that comes from or is tested in animals-no meat, no far, no medicines.Asked if she opposed immunizations, she wanted to know if vaccines come from animal research.When assured that they do, she replied, “Then I would have to say yes.“ Asked what wil
5、l happen when epidemics return, she said, “Dont worry, scientists will find some way of using computers.“ Such well-meaning people just dont understand. Scientists must communicate their message to the public in a compassionate, understandable way-in human terms, not in the language of molecular bio
6、logy.We need to make clear the connection between animal research and a grandmothers hip replacement, a fathers bypass operation, a babys vaccinations, and even a pets shots.To those who are unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines,
7、animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worst. Much can be done.Scientists could “adopt“ middle school classes and present their own research.They should be quick to respond to letters to the editor, lest animal rights misinformation go unchallenged and acquire a deceptive appearance of
8、truth.Research institutions could be opened to tours, to show that laboratory animals receive humane care.Finally, because the ultimate stakeholders are patients, the health research community should actively recruit to its cause not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made
9、 courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment.If good people do nothing there is a real possibility that an uninformed citizenry will extinguish the precious embers of medical progress. 1 The author begins his article with Edmund Burkes words to_. （
10、 A） call on scientists to take some actions （ B） criticize the misguided cause of animal rights （ C） warn of the doom of biomedical research （ D） show the triumph of the animal rights movement 2 Misled people tend to think that using an animal in research is_. （ A） cruel but natural （ B） inhuman and
11、 unacceptable （ C） inevitable but vicious （ D） pointless and wasteful 3 The example of the grandmotherly woman is used to show the publics_. （ A） discontent with animal research （ B） ignorance about medical science （ C） indifference to epidemics （ D） anxiety about animal rights 4 The author believes
12、 that, in face of the challenge from animal rights advocates, scientists should_. （ A） communicate more with the public （ B） employ hi-tech means in research （ C） feel no shame for their cause （ D） strive to develop new cures 5 From the text we learn that Stephen Cooper is_. （ A） a well-known humani
13、st （ B） a medical practitioner （ C） an enthusiast in animal rights （ D） a supporter of animal research 5 In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly.As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for un
14、der 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails.Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers. Supporters of the new super systems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial cost
15、reductions and better coordinated service.Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks.But many shippers complain that for heavy bulk commodities traveling long distances, such as coal, chemicals, and grain, trucking is too costly and the railroads therefore have
16、them by the throat. The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company.Railroads typically charge such “captive“ shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business.Shippers who feel they are being
17、overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal governments Surface Transportation Board for rate relief, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and will work only in truly extreme cases. Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it
18、 reduces everyones cost.If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line.Its theory to which many economists
19、subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail.“Do we really want railroads to be the arbiters of who wins and who loses in the marketplace?“ asks Martin Bercovici, a Washington lawyer who frequently represents sh
20、ipper. Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be hit with a round of huge rate increases.The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortunes, still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic.Yet railroads continue
21、to borrow billions to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on.Consider the 1.02 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year.ConraiPs net railway operating income in 1996 was just 427 million, less than half of the carrying costs of the transaction.Whos going t
22、o pay for the rest of the bill? Many captive shippers fear that they will, as Norfolk Southern and CSX increase their grip on the market. 6 According to those who support mergers railway monopoly is unlikely because_. （ A） cost reduction is based on competition （ B） services call for cross-trade coo
23、rdination （ C） outside competitors will continue to exist （ D） shippers will have the railway by the throat 7 What is many captive shippers attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry? （ A） Indifferent. （ B） Supportive. （ C） Indignant. （ D） Apprehensive. 8 It can be inferred from Paragra
24、ph 3 that_. （ A） shippers will be charged less without a rival railroad （ B） there will soon be only one railroad company nationwide （ C） overcharged shippers are unlikely to appeal for rate relief （ D） a government board ensures fair play in railway business 9 The word “arbiters“ (Line 6, Para.4) m
25、ost probably refers to those_. （ A） who work as coordinators （ B） who function as judges （ C） who supervise transactions （ D） who determine the price 10 According to the text, the cost increase in the rail industry is mainly caused by_. （ A） the continuing acquisition （ B） the growing traffic （ C） t
26、he cheering Wall Street （ D） the shrinking market 10 It is said that in England death is pressing, in Canada inevitable and in California optional.Small wonder.Americans life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century.Failing hips can be replaced, cataracts removed in a 30-minutes surgical
27、procedure.Such advances offer the aging population a quality of life that was unimaginable when I entered medicine 50 years ago.But not even a great health-care system can cure death, and our failure to confront that reality now threatens this greatness of ours. Death is normal; we are genetically p
28、rogrammed to disintegrate and perish, even under ideal conditions.We all understand that at some level, yet as medical consumers we treat death as a problem to be solved.Shielded by third-party payers from the cost of our care, we demand everything that can possibly be done for us, even if its usele
29、ss.The most obvious example is late-stage cancer care.Physicians-frustrated by their inability to cure the disease and fearing loss of hope in the patient-too often offer aggressive treatment far beyond what is scientifically justified. In 1950, the U.S.spent $12.7 billion on health care.In 2002, th
30、e cost will be $ 1,540 billion.Anyone can see this trend is unsustainable.Yet few seem willing to try to reverse it.Some scholars conclude that a government with finite resources should simply stop paying for medical care that sustains life beyond a certain age-say 83 or so.Former Colorado governor
31、Richard Lamm has been quoted as saying that the old and infirm “have a duty to die and get out of the way“, so that younger, healthier people can realize their potential. I would not go that far.Energetic people now routinely work through their 60s and beyond, and remain dazzlingly productive.At 78,
32、 Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone jokingly claims to be 53.Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor is in her 70s, and former surgeon generalC.Everett Koop chairs an Internet start-up in his 80s. These leaders are living proof that prevention works and that we can manage the health problems that come
33、 naturally with age.As a mere 68-year-old, I wish to age as productively as they have. Yet there are limits to what a society can spend in this pursuit.As a physician, I know the most costly and dramatic measures may be ineffective and painful.I also know that people in Japan and Sweden, countries t
34、hat spend far less on medical care, have achieved longer, healthier lives than we have.As a nation, we may be overrunding the quest for unlikely cures while underfunding research on humbler therapies that could improve peoples lives. 11 What is implied in the first sentence? （ A） Americans are bette
35、r prepared for death than other people. （ B） Americans enjoy a higher life quality than ever before. （ C） Americans are over-confident of their medical technology. （ D） Americans take a vain pride in their long life expectancy. 12 The author uses the example of cancer patients to show that_. （ A） me
36、dical resources are often wasted （ B） doctors are helpless against fatal diseases （ C） some treatments are too aggressive （ D） medical costs are becoming unaffordable 13 The authors attitude toward Richard Lamms remark is one of_. （ A） strong disapproval （ B） reserved consent （ C） slight contempt （
37、D） enthusiastic support 14 In contrast to the U.S., Japan and Sweden are funding their medical care_. （ A） more flexibly （ B） more extravagantly （ C） more cautiously （ D） more reasonably 15 The text intends to express the idea that_. （ A） medicine will further prolong peoples lives （ B） life beyond
38、a certain limit is not worth living （ C） death should be accepted as a fact of life （ D） excessive demands increase the cost of health care 15 If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, you must know how to identify shared experiences and problems.Your humor must be relevant to the
39、 audience and should help to show them that you are one of them or that you understand their situation and are in sympathy with their point of view.Depending on whom you are addressing, the problems will be different.If you are talking to a group of managers, you may refer to the disorganized method
40、s of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you may want to comment on their disorganized bosses. Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses convention, of a story which works well because the audience all shared the same view of doctors.A man arrives in heaven and is
41、 being shown around by St.Peter.He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunny weather, and so on.Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendly until, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenly pushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of the line, grab
42、s his food and stamps over to a table by himself.“Who is that?“ the new arrival asked St.Peter.“Oh, thats God,“ came the reply, “but sometimes he thinks hes a doctor.“ If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will be in a position to know the experiences and problems which are comm
43、on to all of you and itll be appropriate for you to make a passing remark about the inedible canteen food or the chairmans notorious bad taste in ties.With other audiences you mustnt attempt to cut in with humor as they will resent an outsider making disparaging remarks about their canteen or their
44、chairman.You will be on safer ground if you stick to scapegoats like the Post Office or the telephone system. If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that it becomes more natural.Include a few casual and apparently off-the-cuff remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced
45、 manner.Often its the delivery which causes the audience to smile, so speak slowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving look may help to show that you are making a light-hearted remark. Look for the humor.It often comes from the unexpected a twist on a familiar quote “If at first you
46、 dont succeed, give up“ or a play on words or on a situation.Search for exaggerations and understatements.Look at your talk and pick out a few words or sentences which you can turn about and inject with humor. 16 To make your humor work, you should_. （ A） take advantage of different kinds of audienc
47、e （ B） make fun of the disorganized people （ C） address different problems to different people （ D） show sympathy for your listeners 17 The joke about doctors implies that, in the eyes of nurses, they are_. （ A） impolite to new arrivals （ B） very conscious of their godlike role （ C） entitled to some
48、 privileges （ D） very busy even during lunch hours 18 It can be inferred from the text that public services_. （ A） have benefited many people （ B） are the focus of public attention （ C） are an inappropriate subject for humor （ D） have often been the laughing stock 19 To achieve the desired result, h
49、umorous stories should be delivered_. （ A） in well-worded language （ B） as awkwardly as possible （ C） in exaggerated statements （ D） as casually as possible 20 The best title for the text may be_. （ A） Use Humor Effectively （ B） Various Kinds of Humor （ C） Add Humor to Speech （ D） Different Humor Strategies 20 Since the dawn of human ingenuity, people have devised ever more cunning tools to cope with work that is dangerous, boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty.Tha
