1、考博英语（阅读理解）模拟试卷 87及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 When prehistoric man arrived in new parts of the world, something strange happened to the large animals. They suddenly became extinct. Smaller species survived. The large, slow-growing animals were easy game, and were quickly hunted to extinction. N
2、ow something similar could be happening in the oceans. That the seas are being overfished has been known for years. What researchers such as Ransom Myers and Boris Worm have shown is just how fast things are changing. They have looked at half a century of data from fisheries around the world. Their
3、methods do not attempt to estimate the actual biomass(the amount of living biological matter)of fish species in particular parts of the ocean, but rather changes in that biomass over time. According to their latest paper published in Nature, the biomass of large predators(animals that kill and eat o
4、ther animals)in a new fishery is reduced on average by 80% within 15 years of the start of exploitation. In some long-fished areas, it has halved again since then. Dr. Worm acknowledges that these figures are conservative. One reason for this is that fishing technology has improved. Todays vessels c
5、an find their prey using satellites and sonar, which were not available 50 years ago. That means a higher proportion of what is in the sea is being caught, so the real difference between present and past is likely to be worse than the one recorded by changes in catch sizes. In the early days, too, l
6、onglines would have been more saturated with fish. Some individuals would therefore not have been caught, since no baited hooks would have been available to trap them, leading to an underestimate of fish stocks in the past. Furthermore, in the early days of longline fishing, a lot of fish were lost
7、to sharks after they had been hooked. That is no longer a problem, because there are fewer sharks around now. Dr. Myers and Dr. Worm argue that their work gives a correct baseline, which future management efforts must take into account. They believe the date support an idea current among marine biol
8、ogists, that of the “shifting baseline“. The notion is that people have failed to detect the massive changes which have happened in the ocean because they have been looking back only a relatively short time into the past. That matters because theory suggests that the maximum sustainable yield that c
9、an be cropped from a fishery comes when the biomass of a target species is about 50% of its original levels. Most fisheries are well below that, which is a bad way to be business. 1 The extinction of large prehistoric animals is noted to suggest that_. （ A） large animal were vulnerable to the changi
10、ng environment （ B） small species survived as large animals disappeared （ C） large sea animals may face the same threat today （ D） Slow-growing fish outlive fast-growing ones 2 We can infer form Dr. Myers and Dr. Worms paper that_. （ A） the stock of large predators in some old fisheries has reduced
11、by 90% （ B） there are only half as many fisheries are there were 15 years ago （ C） he catch sizes in new fisheries are only 20% of the original amount （ D） the number of larger predators dropped faster in new fisheries than in the old 3 By saying “these figures are conservative“(paragragh 3), Dr. Wo
12、rm means that_. （ A） fishing technology has improved rapidly （ B） the catch-sizes are actually smaller than recorded （ C） the marine biomass has suffered a greater loss （ D） the data collected so far are out of date 4 Dr. Myers and other researchers hold that_. （ A） people should look for a baseline
13、 that cant work for a longer time （ B） fisheries should keep their yield below 50% of the biomass （ C） the ocean biomass should be restored to its original level （ D） people should adjust the fishing baseline to the changing situation 4 When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isnt biting h
14、er nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isnt cutting, filling or polishing as many nails as shed like to, either. Most of her clients spend $ 12 to $ 50 weekly, but last month two longtime customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening economy. “Im a good economic indica
15、tor,“ she says, “I provide a service that people can do without when theyre concerned about saving some dollars. “ So Spero is downscaling, shopping at middle-brow Dillards department store near her suburban Cleveland home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I dont know if other clients are going to abandon
16、 me, too,“ she says. Even before Alan Greenspans admission that Americas red-hot economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For retailers, who
17、last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent from last years pace. But dont sound any alarms just yet. Consumers seem only concerned, not panicked, and many s
18、ay they remain optimistic about the economys long-term prospects even as they do some modest belt-tightening. Consumers say theyre not in despair because, despite the dreadful headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “theres
19、a new gold rush happening in the $4 million to $ 10 million range, predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,“ says broker Barbara Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only get two or three,“ says John Teal
20、di, a Bay Area real-estate broker. And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to find and keep a job. Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldnt mind a little fewer bubbles in the job market. Man
21、y consumers seem to have been influenced by stock-market swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see an upside, too. Getting a table at Manhattans hot new Alain Ducasse restaurant need to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, Greenspan & Co. may s
22、till be worth toasting. 5 How do the public feel about the current economic situation? （ A） Optimistic. （ B） Confused. （ C） Carefree. （ D） Panicked. 6 When mentioning “the $4 million to $10 million range“(paragraph 3)the author is talking about_. （ A） gold market （ B） real estate （ C） stock exchange
23、 （ D） venture investment 7 Why can many people see “silver linings“ to the economic showdown? （ A） They would benefit in certain ways. （ B） The stock market shows signs of recovery. （ C） Such a slowdown usually precedes a boom. （ D） The purchasing power would be enhanced. 8 To which of the following
24、 is the author likely to agree? （ A） A new boom, on the horizon. （ B） Tighten the belt, the single remedy. （ C） Caution all right, panic not （ D） The more ventures, the more chances. 8 Since the dawn of human ingenuity, people have devised ever more cunning tools to cope with work that is dangerous,
25、 boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty. That compulsion has resulted in robotics the science of conferring various human capabilities on machines. And if scientists have yet to create the mechanical version of science fiction, they have begun to come close. As a result, the modern world is increas
26、ingly populated by intelligent gizmos whose presence we barely notice but whose universal existence has removed much human labor. Our factories hum to the rhythm of robot assembly arms. Our banking is done at automated teller terminals that thank us with mechanical politeness for the transaction. Ou
27、r subway trains are controlled by tireless robo-drivers. And thanks to the continual miniaturization of electronics and micro-mechanics, there are already robot systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with submillimeter accuracy far greater precision than highly skilled physici
28、ans can achieve with their hands alone. But if robots are to reach the next stage of laborsaving utility, they will have to operate with less human supervision and be able to make at least a few decisions for themselves goals that pose a real challenge. “While we know how to tell a robot to handle a
29、 specific error,“ says Dave Lavery, manager of a robotics program at NASA, “we cant yet give a robot enough common sense to reliably interact with a dynamic world. “ Indeed the quest for true artificial intelligence has produced very mixed results. Despite a spell of initial optimism in the 1960s an
30、d 1970s when it appeared that transistor circuits and microprocessors might be able to copy the action of the human brain by the year 2010, researchers lately have begun to extend that forecast by decades if not centuries. What they found, in attempting to model thought, is that the human brains rou
31、ghly one hundred billion nerve cells are much more talented and human perception far more complicated than previously imagined. They have built robots that can recognize the error of a machine panel by a fraction of a millimeter in a controlled factory environment. But the human mind can glimpse a r
32、apidly changing scene and immediately disregard the 98 percent that is irrelevant, instantaneously focusing on the monkey at the side of a winding forest road or the single suspicious face in a big crowd. The most advanced computer systems on Earth cant approach that kind of ability, and neuroscient
33、ists still dont know quite how we do it. 9 Human ingenuity was initially demonstrated in_. （ A） the use of machines to produce science fiction （ B） the wide use of machines in manufacturing industry （ C） the invention of tools for difficult and dangerous work （ D） the elites cunning tackling of dang
34、erous and boring work 10 The word “gizmos“(paragraph 2)most probably means_. （ A） programs （ B） experts （ C） devices （ D） creatures 11 According to the text, what is beyond mans ability now is to design a robot that can_. （ A） fulfill delicate tasks like performing brain surgery （ B） interact with h
35、uman beings verbally （ C） have a little common sense （ D） respond independently to a changing world 12 Besides reducing human labor, robots can also_. （ A） make a few decisions for themselves （ B） deal with some errors with human intervention （ C） improve factory environments （ D） cultivate human cr
36、eativity 12 As researchers learn more about how childrens intelligence develops, they are increasingly surprised by the power of parents. The power of the school has been replaced by the home . To begin with, all the factors which are part of intelligence the childs understanding of language, learni
37、ng patterns, curiosity are established well before the child enters school at the age of six. Study after has shown that even after school begins, childrens achievements have been far more influenced by parents than by teachers, This is particularly true about leaning that is language-related, The s
38、chool rather than the home is given credit for variations in achievement in subjects such as science. In view of their power its sad to see so many parents not making the most of their intelligence. Until recently parents had been by educators who asked them not to educate their children. Many teach
39、ers now realize that children cannot be educated only at school and being asked to contribute both before and after the child enters school. Parents have been particularly afraid to teach reading at home. Of course, children shouldnt be pushed to read by their parents, but educators have discovered
40、that reading is best taught individually and the easiest place to do this is at home. Many four and five-year-olds who have been shown a few letters and taught their sounds will compose single words of their own with them even before they have been taught to read. 13 What have researchers found out
41、about the influence of parents and the school on childrens intelligence? 14 What do researchers conclude about childrens about childrens learning patterns? 15 In which area may school play a more important role? 16 Why did many parents fail to make the most of their childrens intelligence? 17 The au
42、thor suggests in the last paragraph that parents should be encouraged to_. 考博英语（阅读理解）模拟试卷 87答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 【知识模块】 阅读理解 1 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 推理题。该题可迅速定位到文章第一段最后一句话： Now something similar couldbe happening in the oceans。这个句子表明了作者的写作方向和部分中心思想。由此可看出作者在第一段描述古代动物的灭绝，是为了影射当今在海洋发生的同样的事情。 C选项 “大
43、型海洋动物可能会面临同样的威胁 ”是正确答案。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 2 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 推理题。定位到原文第二段这么几个句子： According to their latest paperpublished in Nature， the biomass of large predators(animals that kill and eat otheranimals)in a new fishery is reduced on average by 80 within 15 years of the start ofexploitation In some longfis
44、hed areas， it has halved again since then。大意是捕食者的数量在新渔场已经平均下降了 80，而在一些长期捕鱼的区域，即老渔场，这个数目又少了一半 (注意原文中 again这个词，非常关键 )，即由原来的 (100一 80 )下降到了 1 2(100一 80 )=10，因此等价于下降了90。 A选项的意思是：在一些老渔场，大型捕食者的数量已经减少了 90。由此可看出， A选项是正确的。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 3 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 语义题。由题目定位到第三段第一句，意思是说这些数据是保守的。由之后的句子也可以看出，由于捕鱼技术的 进步，鱼类实
45、际减少的数量要大的多。因此可以间接得出这个结论：海洋生物的数量正在大幅减少。因此 C选项正确。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 4 【正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 细节题。可定位到原文的最后一段，观察 Dr Myers所说的话，Dr Myers and Dr Worm argue that their work gives a correct baseline， which future management efforts musttake into account They believe the data support an idea current among marine biologis
46、ts， thatof the“shifting baseline”。意思是说未来的渔业管理应该改变一下基准 (shiftingbaseline)。因此 D选项 “人们应该调节一下渔业基准来改变现在的形势 ”是正确的。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 【知识模块】 阅读理解 5 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 细节 题。定位到原文第二段中： Consumers seem only concerned，not panicked， and many say they remain optimistic about the economys longterm prospects even as theydo
47、some modest belttightening。其中明显可看出optimistic这个词。也就是说大多人说他们还是保持乐观的。故本题选 A。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 6 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析 】 细节题。本题可以从以下两方面考虑。首先，可以从第三段的话题(地产 )判断。其次，根据篇章的一致性，文章反复以 “real estate”的谈论为重要话题。从上下文就可以判断出，作者是在讨论房价的问题。因此根据这些分析，选项 B“地产 ”与原文信息是吻合的。选项 D为 “风险投资 ”，这个词过于笼统，股票、房地产之类的都是风险投资，而文章重点说的是房地产问题，更何况还有 B这个最佳选项，因
48、此不能入选。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 7 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 细节题。本题可以从以下两方面考虑。首先，可以 从第四段的话题判断。该段最后写到不少人包括购房者等，都在 showdown中得到了些好处。其次， “silver linings”本身的意思就是 “黑暗中的一线光明 ”，这个修辞手法经常在某些报文里引用的。根据这些分析， A选项 “他们可以在某些方面受益 ”与原文信息是吻合的。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 8 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 细节题。本题可以从以下两方面考虑。首先，通过作者整篇文章的情态来考虑。其次，从作者反复强调的重点信息来考虑， “不要惊慌 ”。由前面几道题也
49、可看出，作者强调事情并没有那么糟， 要保持乐观，要看到 silver lings。因此 C选项 “只需谨慎，不必惊慌 ”表达了这一含义。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 【知识模块】 阅读理解 9 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 细节题。本题主要考查考生是否看懂了第一段，尤其是文章首句的意思。文章在首句指出了人们为了要处理那些危险的、枯燥的、繁重的或者只是一般肮脏的工作而进行某些智慧性的发明。这句话换个意思就是说人们在一些危险的、枯燥的、繁重的或者只是一般肮脏的工作中体现出了他们的智慧。因此 C选项 “发明针对困难和危险工作的工具 ”是正确的 。 【知识模块】 阅读理解 10 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 猜词题。根据第二段中出现的 “robot assembly arms”， “automated tellerterminals”， “tireless robotdrivers”等信息，而且先后出现了 tools，machines之类的关键词。因此考生可以猜出 “gizmos”是 “设备，装置 ”的意思。 C选项 “设备 ”是
