1、在职艺术硕士（MFA ）全国联考英文阅读理解模拟试卷 34 及答案与解析一、英文阅读理解题0 Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any sensible student with my ai
2、ms would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But thats not what I did.I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts (文科) university that doesnt even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this
3、was not a practical choice; I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who werent studying science or engineering. My paren
4、ts, teachers and other adults praised me for such a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them.I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering “factories“ where they didnt care if you have
5、values or were flexible. I was going to be a complete engineer; technical genius and sensitive humanist (人文 学者 ) all in one.Now Im not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics an
6、d engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调) engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts
7、 simply dont mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult. (348 words)1 The author chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts university be
8、cause he（A）wanted to be an example of practicality and rationality（B） wanted to coordinate engineering with liberal-arts courses in college（C） intended to be a combination of engineer and humanist（D）intended to be a sensible student with noble ideals2 According to the author, by interacting with peo
9、ple who study liberal arts, engineering students can_.（A）broaden their horizons（B） receive guidance in their careers（C） become noble idealists（D）balance engineering and the liberal arts3 In the eyes of the author, a successful engineering student is expected_.（A）to have an excellent academic record（
10、B） to be a technical genius with a wide vision（C） to be imaginative with a value system to guide him（D）to be wise and mature4 The authors experience shows that he was_.（A）creative（B） ambitious（C） irrational（D）unrealistic5 The word “they“ in “ together they threaten to confuse“ (Line 3, Para. 5) refe
11、rs to_.（A）reality and noble ideals（B） engineering and the liberal arts（C） flexibility and a value system（D）practicality and rationality5 Brazil has become one of the developing worlds great successes at reducing population growthbut more by accident than design. While countries such as India have ma
12、de joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.Brazils population growth rate has dropped from 2. 99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1. 93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2. 7 children on av
13、erage. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and installment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, altho
14、ugh indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the worlds biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazils most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters liv
15、ing the hig;h life in big cities.“Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class valuesnot many children, different attitudes towards sex, women working,“ says Martine. “They sent this image to all parts of Brazil
16、 and made people conscious of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package. “Meanwhile, the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. “This led to an enormous change in consumption patterns and consumption was incompatible (不相容的)
17、 with unlimited reproduction,“ says Martine. (293 words)6 According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth_.（A）by educating its citizens（B） by careful family planning（C） by developing TV programmes（D）by chance7 According to the passage, many Third World countries_.（A）havent attach
18、ed much importance to birth control（B） would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rate（C） havent yet found an effective measure to control their population（D）neglected the role of TV plays in family planning8 The phrase “ puts it down to“ (Line 1, Para. 3) is closest in meaning to（A）attribute
19、s it to（B） finds it a reason for（C） sums it up as（D）compares it to9 Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazils birth rate because_.（A）they keep people sitting long hours watching TV（B） they have gradually changed peoples way of life（C） people are drawn to their attractive package（D）they popularize
20、birth control measures10 What is Martines conclusion about Brazils population growth?（A）The increase in birth rate will promote consumption.（B） The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate.（C） Consumption patterns and reproduction patterns are contradictory.（D）A countrys production is limit
21、ed by its population growth.10 There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do. In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with anoth
22、er. In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.W
23、hat is remarkable about the history of toys is not how they changed over the centuries, but how they remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and the
24、ir persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic (北极的) peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings. Nearly every civilization had dolls, littl
25、e weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent (进步).
26、The progress from a rattle (拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 B. C. to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials. (306 words)11 The reason why the toys mo
27、st boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that_.（A）their social roles are rigidly determined（B） most boys would like to follow their fathers professions（C） boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers（D）they like challenging activities12 One aspect of
28、“the universality of toys“ lies in the fact that_.（A）technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys（B） the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universities（C） the exploration of the universe had led to the creation of new kinds of toys（D）the bas
29、ic characteristics of toys are the same over the world13 Which of the following is the authors view on the historical development of toys?（A）The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged.（B） Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries.（C） The toy industry has
30、 witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years.（D）Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a childs character.14 Regarded as a kind of art form, toys_.（A）follow a direct line of ascent（B） also appeal greatly to adults（C） are not characterized by technological progress（D）refle
31、ct the pace of social progress15 The author uses the example of rattle to show that_.（A）in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials（B） even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology（C） it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy making（D）even a simp
32、le toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time15 “Hi, there. Hows it going?“Oh, fine. Fine. How about this weather, huh?“Well, I guess we can always use the rain. “Whats that? This story? Oh, just a little look at small talk. You know, those seemingly meaningless conversations you have dozens of
33、times a day. Maybe youre waiting for the elevator. Or in a line at the bank. It all seems pretty trivial. Idle chatter about traffic doesnt do much more than fill the air with empty words that are quickly forgotten. But you should know that small talk actually has a big place in our lives.Pat Oliver
34、, assistant professor on arts, says that, “Left unchecked, small talk can be an invasion. Its so powerful. It does something to you. “ “Every morning after spending an hour and a half on the freeway I start the day with small talk with my secretary,“ Oliver says, “If I dont make small connection wit
35、h another person, I can t work. “What causes it? As a rule, youre either trying to force something into your life, or youre using conversation as an invisible force field to keep them out. You can be wanting to connect with another person, and small talk is your introduction to more meaningful conve
36、rsation.The way people use small talk is usually determined by where they happen to be at the time.Take the elevator, for instance. Now theres prime territory. Nobody knows anyone and theres no reason to start a conversation, but invariably, someone does. Making conversation in such peaceful social
37、settings, according to Oliver, “can confirm your territory. Its a way of feeling liked and accepted. “The topics of small talk dont matter. In fact, you dont want anything more taxing than the weather or the traffic. Its non-threatening talk in a threatening situation. However, the rules change quic
38、kly when youre with lots of people doing lots of talking.Lets say youre at a party. Now its time to use small talk as a way of making others feel more comfortable around you, so you dont look silly standing by the food table alone all night. (359 words)16 “Small talk“, as interpreted by the author,
39、_.（A）has no real function in communication at all（B） is usually meaningless and therefore useless（C） is not as idle as it may seem to be（D）is restricted to certain topics only17 According to the author, small talk is often used_.（A）to invade others private affairs（B） to share a secret between intima
40、te friends（C） to open and maintain channels of communication（D）to protect ones own privacy18 According to the author, topics of small talk may include comments on_.（A）some political issues（B） one s physical condition（C） others ways of dress（D）the traffic jam19 Why is small talk described as “non-thr
41、eatening talk in a threatening situation“?（A）It is used by people to encourage those who are confronted with danger.（B） It is used to show that one is enthusiastic and hospitable.（C） It is used to create a more friendly atmosphere and to avoid embarrassment.（D）It is used by people to protect others
42、in the threatening situation.20 According to the author, at a big party, small talk is used with the purpose of（A）making both others and yourself feel at ease（B） excluding those you dont like from joining you（C） keeping your voice low so only your friends can hear you（D）comforting those who feel lon
43、ely在职艺术硕士（MFA ）全国联考英文阅读理解模拟试卷 34 答案与解析一、英文阅读理解题1 【正确答案】 C【试题解析】 本题属于综合推理题。根据题干中的关键词“chose to study engineering at a small liberalarts(文科)university”可以定位到文章第二、三段。根据两个“I wanted”的内容，以及文章第一段所说的我的与众不同，可见作者是想两者兼而有之。“complete”=“a combination of”；technical genius=engineer；所以选 C“想要把工程师与人文学者的素质都综合到自己身上 ”。【知识模
44、块】 英文阅读理解2 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于细节推理题。根据题干中的“interacting with people”可以定位到文章第二段的第四句。“open my eyes and expand my vision”=“broaden my horizon”，所以应选 A“拓展他们的视野”。作者选择文科学校攻读工科，目的在于能有机会与文科学生取得联系、受其熏陶，从而拓宽知识、开阔眼界。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解3 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于综合推理题。根据题干中的“a successful engineering student”可以定位到第三段的最后，“with
45、 a wide vision”是文科学生的特征，也是作者选择这所大学的目的。所以应选 B“是技术天才且视野广阔”。A“ 学业记录优秀”，这只是“technical genius”的具体表现；C“具有想象力且有指导行为的价值观 ”，文章未提及此方面。D“智慧并且成熟”，这是利用第二段家人、老师及其他人对他的称赞来进行干扰，但不是作者心目中的工科学生形象。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解4 【正确答案】 D【试题解析】 本题属于综合推理题。从第一段第一句和第四段第一句可推断答案为 D。作者高中时就想成为一名工程师，但他选择去文科院校，认为这样可以文理兼备。后来的经历使他明白这样做是不切实际的，自己是一个
46、远离现实的理想主义者。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解5 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于指代词辨别题。题干中的“they”可以追溯到前一句话的“they”，再追溯到前句话的工科与文科。因此应选 B“工科与文科”。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解6 【正确答案】 D【试题解析】 本题属于主题句理解题。短文第一句中“more by accident than design”相当于“more by chance than on purpose”，因此选 D。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解7 【正确答案】 C【试题解析】 本题属于细节推断题。短文中两处提到“Third World countries”：第一段
47、第二句“countries such as India”； 第二段最后一句“an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries”。两句都暗示这些国家做得不如巴西成功。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解8 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于词语理解题。由上下文确定“put it down to”中的“it” 指上文巴西成功降低人口增长率的事实，句中“to”后接的是导致这一事实的两大原因(电视剧和分期付款计划) ，前后显然是一种因果关系。因此 A 是答案。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解9 【正确答案】 B【试题
48、解析】 本题属于细节归纳题。本题指向第三、四两段关于电视连续剧影响人口出生率的要点：电视剧中把上层阶级行为模式和价值观包装得十分诱人，传递到巴西的各个地方，影响着各个阶层的生活方式。少生孩子就是这一生活方式的一大特点。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解10 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于细节归纳题。结论必然在短文最后一段，由“consumption was incompatible with unlimited reproduction”即可归纳结论 B。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解11 【正确答案】 A【试题解析】 本题属于细节归纳题。由题干确定本题指向第二段要点：男孩女孩玩不同玩具与成人社会
49、中男女社会角色的严格限制有关。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解12 【正确答案】 D【试题解析】 本题属于细节理解题。由“the universality of toys”定位至短文第三段最后三句要点：埃及、美洲、中国、日本、北极都有相同的玩具。因此可确定D 为正确答案。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解13 【正确答案】 B【试题解析】 本题属于细节归纳题。本题涉及玩具 persistence 的特征，即第四段要点：玩具不受技术进步的影响，公元前 3000 年的拨浪鼓和今天的拨浪鼓仅在工艺及材料方面有所差异，再结合第三段第一句(全文主题)，可明确答案为 B。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解14 【正确答案】 C【试题解析】 本题属于词语理解题。由题干确定本题仅涉及对第四段第一句的理解，“have not been subject to”相当于“are not characterized by”，因此可确定 C 为正确答案。【知识模块】 英文阅读理解15 【正确答案】 D【试题解析】 本题属于细节理解题。“rattle”一例出现在最后一段，该
