1、在职艺术硕士（MFA ）全国联考英文阅读理解模拟试卷 12 及答案与解析一、英文阅读理解题0 President Coolidges statement, “The business of America is business,“ still points to an important truth todaythat business institutions have more prestige (威望) in American society than any other kind of organization, including the government. Why do bu
2、siness institutions possess this great prestige?One reason is that Americans view business as being more firmly based on the ideal of competition than other institutions in society. Since competition is seen as the major source of progress and prosperity by most Americans, competitive business insti
3、tutions are respected. Competition is not only good in itself; it is the means by which other basic American values such as individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and hard work are protected.Competition protects the freedom of the individual by ensuring that there is no monopoly (垄断) of power.
4、 In contrast to one all-powerful government, many businesses compete a-gainst each other for profits. Theoretically, if one business tries to take unfair advantage of its customers, it will lose to competing business which treats its customers more fairly. Where many businesses compete for the custo
5、mers dollar, they cannot afford to treat them like inferiors or slaves.A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and government, which is a monopoly. Because business is competitive, many Americans believe that it is more supportive of freedom than government, even though gove
6、rnment leaders are elected by the people and business leaders are not. Many Americans believe, then, that competition is as important, or even more important, than democracy in preserving freedom.Competition in business is also believed to strengthen the ideal of equality of opportunity. Competition
7、 is seen as an open and fair race where success goes to the swiftest person regardless of his or her social class background. Competitive success is commonly seen as the American alternative to social rank based on family background. Business is therefore viewed as an expression of the idea of equal
8、ity of opportunity rather than the aristocratic (贵族的) idea of inherited privilege. (337 words)1 The statement “The business of America is business“ probably means “_“.（A）The business institutions in America are concerned with commerce（B） Business problems are of great importance to the American gove
9、rnment（C） Business is of primary concern to Americans（D）America is a great power in world business2 Americans believe that they can realize their personal values only_.（A）when given equality of opportunity（B） through doing business（C） by protecting their individual freedom（D）by way of competition3 W
10、ho can benefit from business competition?（A）Honest businessmen.（B） Both businessmen and their customers.（C） People with ideals of equality and freedom.（D）Both business institutions and government.4 Government is believed to differ strikingly from business in that government is characterized by_.（A）i
11、ts absolute control of power（B） its function in preserving personal freedom（C） its role in protecting basic American values（D）its democratic way of exercising leadership5 It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes_.（A）Americans are more ambitious than people in other countries（B） i
12、n many countries success often depends on ones social status（C） American businesses are more democratic than those in other countries（D）businesses in other countries are not as competitive as those in America5 In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a checklist of
13、stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be stressful. Negative events like “serious illness of a family member“ were high on the list, but so were some positive life-changing events, like marriage. When you take the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the sc
14、ore does not reflect how you deal with stressit only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you handle these events dramatically affects your chances of staying healthy.By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans
15、 who work and live under stress worried over the reports. Somehow, the research got boiled down to a memorable message. Womens magazines ran headlines like “Stress causes illness!“ If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy, the articles said, avoid stressful events.But such simplistic advi
16、ce is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous, manylike the death of a loved oneare impossible to avoid. Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription (处方) for staying away from opportunities as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person
17、 who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move.The notion that all stress makes you sick also ignores a lot of what we know about people. It assumes were all vulnerable (脆弱的) and passive in the face of adversity (逆境 ). But what about human initiat
18、ive and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental vigor than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom, and physical and mental straia (319 words)6 The result of Holmes-Rahes medical research tells us_.（A）the wa
19、y you handle major events may cause stress（B） what should be done to avoid stress（C） what kind of event would cause stress（D）how to cope with sudden changes in life7 The studies on stress in the early 1970s led to_.（A）widespread concern over its harmful effects（B） great panic over the mental disorde
20、r it could cause（C） an intensive research into stress-related illnesses（D）popular avoidance of stressful jobs8 The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows_.（A）how much pressure you are under（B） how positive events can change your life（C） how stressful a major event can be（D）how you can deal with life-ch
21、anging events9 Why is “such simplistic advice“ (Line 1, Para. 3) impossible to follow?（A）No one can stay on the same job for long.（B） No prescription is effective in relieving stress.（C） People have to get married someday.（D）You could be missing opportunities as well.10 According to the passage peop
22、le who have experienced ups and downs may become（A）nervous when faced with difficulties（B） physically and mentally strained（C） more capable of coping with adversity（D）indifferent toward what happens to them10 Its no secret that many children would be healthier and happier with adoptive parents than
23、with the parents that nature dealt them. Thats especially true of children who remain in abusive homes because the law blindly favors biological parents. Its also true of children who suffer for years in foster homes (收养孩子的家庭) because of parents who cant or wont care for them but refuse to give up c
24、ustody (监护) rights.Fourteen-year-old Kimberly Mays fits neither description, but her recent court victory could eventually help children who do. Kimberly has been the object of an angry custody baffle between the man who raised her and her biological parents, with whom she has never lived. A Florida
25、 judge ruled that the teenager can remain with the only father shes ever known and that her biological parents have “no legal claim“ on her.The ruling, though it may yet be reversed, sets aside the principle that biology is the primary determinant of parentage. Thats an important development, one th
26、ats long overdue.Shortly after birth in December 1978, Kimberly Mays and another infant were mistakenly switched and sent home with the wrong parents. Kimberlys biological parents, Ernest and Regina Twigg, received a child who died of a heart disease in 1988. Medical tests showed that the child wasn
27、t the Twiggs own daughter, but Kimberly was, thus sparking a custody battle with Robert Mays. In 1989, the two families agreed that Mr. Mays would maintain custody with the Twiggs getting visiting rights. Those rights were ended when Mr. Mays decided that Kimberly was being harmed.The decision to le
28、ave Kimberly with Mr. Mays rendered her suit debated. But the judge made clear that Kimberly did have standing to sue (起诉) on her own behalf. Thus he made clear that she was more than just property to be handled as adults saw fit.Certainly, the biological link between parent and child is fundamental
29、. But biological parents arent always preferable to adoptive ones, and biological parentage does not convey an absolute ownership that cancels all the rights of children. (357 words) 11 What was the primary consideration in the Florida judges ruling?（A）The biological link.（B） The childs benefits.（C）
30、 The traditional practice.（D）The parents feelings.12 We can learn from the Kimberly case that_.（A）children are more than just personal possessions of their parents（B） the biological link between parent and child should be emphasized（C） foster homes bring children more pain and suffering than care（D）
31、biological parents shouldnt claim custody rights after their child is adopted13 The Twiggs claimed custody rights to Kimberly because_.（A）they found her unhappy in Mr. Mays custody（B） they regarded her as their property（C） they were her biological parents（D）they felt guilty about their past mistake1
32、4 Kimberly had been given to Mr. Mays_.（A）by sheer accident（B） out of charity（C） at his request（D）for better care15 The authors attitude towards the judges ruling could be described as_.（A）doubtful（B） critical（C） cautious（D）supportive15 Im usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes t
33、hat people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that todays children are significantly m
34、ore anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.Why are Americas kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation
35、brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other thingsand a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.Given that we cant turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a bette
36、r appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will
37、have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. Its not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many
38、 highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesnt have to ruin your life. (314 words)16 The author thinks that the co
39、nclusions of any research about peoples state of mind are_.（A）surprising（B） confusing（C） illogical（D）questionable17 What does the author mean when he says, “we cant turn the clock back“ (Line 1, Para. 3)?（A）Its impossible to slow down the pace of change.（B） The social reality children are facing can
40、not be changed.（C） Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.（D）Its impossible to forget the past.18 According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago_.（A）were less isolated physically（B） were probably less self-centered（C） proba
41、bly suffered less from anxiety（D）were considered less individualistic19 The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is（A）to provide them with a safer environment（B） to lower their expectations for them（C） to get them more involved socially（D）to set a good model for th
42、em to follow20 What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?（A）Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.（B） Childrens anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.（C） Childrens anxiety can be eliminated with more parental care.（D）Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.在职艺
43、术硕士（MFA ）全国联考英文阅读理解模拟试卷 12 答案与解析一、英文阅读理解题1 【正确答案】 C【试题解析】 本题属于词语理解题。第一段第一句破折号后的句子提到，在美国社会，工商业机构比任何其他组织(包括美国政府)的威望要高。结合该句出现的上下文(即第一段) ，可知句中第一个“business” 意为“ 头等大事，重要事务”，第二个“business”为通常意义上的 “商业、贸易、企业”，故选 C。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解2 【正确答案】 D【试题解析】 本题属于细节理解题。由题干的“realize their personal values”确定本题涉及第二段最后一句，“不仅竞争本身
44、好，它还是保护美国其他价值观念，如个人自由、机会平等、勤奋工作等手段”。理解该句即得答案 D。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解3 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于细节判断题。第三段第一句提到“Competition protects the freedom of the individual by ensuring that there is no monopoly of power”，即“竞争通过确保没有垄断来保护商家的公平竞争”；倒数第二句提到“Theoretically，if one business tries to take unfair advantage of its custo
45、mers，it will lose to competing business which treats its customers more fairly”，即“如果商家想不公平地占顾客的便宜，那它就会输给较公平地对待顾客的竞争对手”，也就是说对顾客有利。所以竞争对商家和顾客都有好处。本文中涉及的主体有businessinstitutions，businessmen，government 和 customers 等。综观全文要点，在竞争中获利的是 customers 和 fair businesses。因此选 B。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解4 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于细节理解题
46、。本题考查政府机构和商业机构的不同。第四段第一句话就提到，“A contrast is often made between business，which is competitive，and government，which is a monopoly of power”，即说明两者最大的不同就是商业是竞争性质的，而政府是垄断性质的(monopoly) 。理解“monopoly”可知答案为 A。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解5 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于细节推断题。由本题选项确定本题涉及美国公司和别国公司的比较。推断依据应是最后一段要点：在美国竞争是公开公正的赛跑，成功属于跑得最快的
47、人，不论其社会阶级背景；竞争的成功替代了 基于家庭背景的社会等级；商业是机遇平等的象征，而不是世袭特权的贵族形象。根据这些要点，可推知其反面即是别的国家的情况。因此可知答案为 B。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解6 【正确答案】 C【试题解析】 本题属于主旨题。根据关键词“Holmes-Rahes medical research”我们定位到第一段的第一、二句话。从第二句话得知任何重大事件的变化都会使人产生压力。针对这个论点，作者提出了“serious illness of a family member”(家庭成员的疾病)与“marriage” (结婚)两个例子来论证。在谈 HolmesRahe
48、的测试时，作者指出“it only shows how much you have to deal with”，这仅表明你必须处理的压力有多少，而与你用什么办法无关。综上所述，可以得出结论：Holmes-Rahes 的研究结果只告诉了我们什么样的活动产生压力，故只有 C 是正确答案。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解7 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于细节推断题。根据时间状语“in the early 1970s” ，我们可以定位到第二段。其中“similar studies”=“the studies on stress”，第二句话明确告诉我们上百万的美国人对这些报道非常担忧。从后面女性杂志对
49、此归结出来的结论“Stress causes illness”，我们也可以看出压力所带来的负面的或有害的影响受到人们的广泛关注，也即选项 A“广泛关注压力的有害影响 ”。B“ 压力引起的精神错乱给人们带来巨大恐慌”，文中只用了“worried” 这个词，还没有严重到 “great panic”或“mental disorder” ；C、 D 在文中没有明确提出。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解8 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于细节题。根据关键词“score”和“show” 定位到第一段第四句话：“When you take the HolmesRahe test you must remember that the score does not reflect how you deal with stress-it only shows how much you have to deal with”(当你做 Holmes-Rahe 的测试题时，你必须记住，得分多少不反映你处理压力的好坏一一只与你有多少压力要处理有关。)句中的“
