1、考研英语（阅读）模拟试卷 420 及答案与解析Part ADirections: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. (40 points)0 The quest for wisdom is as old as Socrates, but its also an up-to-the-minute economic indicator. A contrarian one: when things are going well, you dont
2、have to go searching for wisdom. It streams nonstop over CNBC, its avatars sit atop, the Forbes list of billionaires and each day it proves again the eternal truths of the free market. Then in due course things go to hell; the elites humbly confess their ignorance to Congress or a grand jury, and th
3、e search for new patterns begins.Tellingly, scholars date the modem scientific study of wisdom to the work of the American psychologist Vivian Clayton in the malaise-ridden 1970s. Clayton devised the first empirical tests for wisdom, which she defined as the ability to acquire knowledge and analyze
4、it both logically and emotionally-picking up on the work begun by Socrates.So its no coincidence that several dozen researchers in fields ranging from neuroscience to art, music and law have just received wisdom-seeking grants under the auspices of the University of Chicago. The $2.7 million program
5、, funded by the Templeton Foundation, is called Defining Wisdom, a name that implies the researchers will know what they were looking for once they find it. Wisdom, according to Robert J. Sternberg of Tufts University, the author of several books on the topic, is still an obscure field with minimal
6、academic cachet.With so much at stake, the programs directors, psychologists John Cacioppo and Howard Nusbaum, dismissed the traditional approach to wisdom research; rather they cast their nets wide and deep into the pools of academy. The 38 proposals they approved include ones aimed at finding wisd
7、om in computer operations and in classical literature. Starting at the beginning, one scholar observes that “language is the medium by which wisdom-related knowledge is usually conveyed.“ That sounds self-evident, but another scientist proposes to “explore music as a form of wisdom.“ “We are trying
8、to think out of the box,“ says Nusbaum.Cacioppo and Nusbaum dismiss arguments about the inherent circularity of searching for wisdom at the same time as defining it. But they have some preconceptions about what they expect to find. They see “wisdom“ in part as a corrective to the “rational choice“ p
9、attern of decision making, the foundation of free-market economics. Rational choice holds that everyones happiness is best served when people maximize their short-term individual gains, even at the expense of the broad interests of society or the long-term future. That is precisely opposite the appr
10、oach of, for example, ants, which are entirely indifferent to their individual fates and dont, as a rule, over-expand out of reckless greed.1 #NAME?（A）The quest for wisdom is an old-fashioned economic indicator.（B） When things proceed smoothly, people dont need to go searching for wisdom.（C） Billion
11、aires listed on the Forbes are demonstrating the profits of free market.（D）In the long run, all the wealthiest individuals will confess their ignorance. 2 Which of the following is true of Vivian Clayton?（A）Scholars considered her work as the start of modern scientific study of wisdom.（B） She was on
12、e of the greatest American psychologists born in the 1970s.（C） She designed empirical tests for wisdom without defining its concept.（D）She achieved more in the work of questing for wisdom than Socrates. 3 Robert J. Sternberg of Tufts University suggests that（A）defining wisdom requires joint efforts
13、of different fields.（B） research on wisdom still lacks academic achievements.（C） wisdom can only be explained with interdisciplinary supports.（D）researchers have to rely on grants for scientific study.4 The sentence “We are trying to think out of the box“(lines 6-7, Paragraph 4)suggests that（A）they
14、will try to find wisdom out of the box.（B） they will probe deep into the pools of academy.（C） they will break away from the conventions.（D）they will pursue their traditional approach.5 According to the text, “rational choice“ holds that（A）decision making is not linked with wisdom in a sense.（B） happ
15、iness relies on short-term individual gains.（C） individual happiness harms the broad interests of society.（D）individual fates change with reckless greed.5 Apart from a new football stadium and some smart university buildings, most of Middlesbrough looks as though it came to a dead halt in the 1980s.
16、 It boomed on steel and chemicals after iron ore was discovered in 1850. Just over a century later, as Britains traditional industries failed, it seemed to have reached the end of the road. Now government leaders hope that splendor and glamour can revive it.The most startling sign of this improbable
17、 ambition is an expensive art gallery. The 19.2 million Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art(MIMA)houses the local councils collection of modern British paintings and ceramics. It opens on January 28th with works on loan for the occasion by artists rarely seen in the regionPicasso, Matisse, Jackson
18、 Pollockalongside pictures by contemporary names such as Chris Ofili and Damien Hirst.The glass-fronted modernist gallery, by Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat, sits on once-ruined land opposite the Victorian town hall and 1960s council buildings. The landscaped space in between has become a vast ne
19、w square. “Middlesbrough lost its heart years ago,“ says Ray Mallon, the towns frank elected mayor. “Now we have created a new heart.“Locals are dubious. It looks nice, but they cant see many people going to it; those who want culture go to Newcastle. Mr. Mallon is not worried by such comments. He s
20、ays MIMA will lure some of the 7 million people who live within an hour and a halfs drive from the town, and persuade them to spend money there. With 5% of the towns 137,600 residents claiming unemploymenttwice the national averageand business registrations at half the national rate, outside money i
21、s needed.Using art for regeneration is a well-tried process, especially in northern England. Liverpools Tate North gallery and Salfords Lowry Centre succeed because they are part of bigger attractions and in big cities. But Gatesheads Baltic Mills art gallery and Sunderlands National Glass Centre ha
22、ve struggled to draw visitors, and both have needed extra subsidies. Godfrey Worsdale, MIMAs director, reckons he will achieve his aim of 110,000 visitors a year. Galleries that run into trouble, he says, tend to have single themes with niche appeal Still, since 96% of MIMAs cost has come from publi
23、c funds and as two-thirds of the 1 million running cost will fall on local taxpayers, the council is taking a risk. “It is not going to be profitable,“ says Mr. Mallon bravely. “What it can do is make the town profitable.“6 According to the first two paragraphs, the “improbable ambition“(Line 1, Par
24、agraph 2)is（A）to make Middlesbrough boom on steel and chemicals again.（B） to revive the traditional industries in Middlesbrough.（C） to revive Middlesbrough with glitz and glamour.（D）to build an expensive gallery in Middlesbrough.7 By saying “Middlesbrough lost its heart years ago“(Line 3, Paragraph
25、3), Ray Mallon implies that the town has lost（A）its confidence a long time ago.（B） its attraction a long time ago.（C） an important organ long ago.（D）its way a long time ago.8 Money from outside the town is quite needed because（A）few people will pay a visit to Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.（B
26、） the local unemployment rate is high and business registration rate is low.（C） many people will choose to go to Newcastle to experience culture.（D）the town suffers the high unemployment ratetwice the national average.9 Gatesheads Baltic Mills art gallery and Sunderlands National Glass Centre are ci
27、ted as examples to show that（A）they are confronted with difficulties in appealing to the visitors.（B） using art for regeneration ensures the success.（C） they are not part of bigger attractions or in big cities.（D）using art for regeneration sometimes also takes a risk.10 It is suggested in the last p
28、aragraph that the goal of MIMA is（A）to make big profits.（B） to have single themes with big appeal.（C） to bring profits to the whole town.（D）to draw as many as 110,000 visitors a year.10 Harvard thrilled middle-class parents last week by capping its tuition for families with incomes of up to $180,000
29、 at 10 percent of their earnings. The move sparked hopes of a donation race that could ease the soaring costs of college. Earlier this month, Duke joined a group of schools including Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford that promise free rides to low-income students.But many point out that these gesture
30、s will affect only a few hundred lucky students. The outlays are so comparatively small that they are unlikely to divert pressure for reforms in the ways colleges spend their moneyespecially the estimated $380 billion of endowment funds stored in tax-free accounts. “Its an important gesture,“ Colleg
31、e Parents of America President James Boyle says of Harvard. But colleges should do more now with the money theyve socked away for a rainy day, he says.The numbers are smaller, but the story is similar at other colleges. The average endowment has been reaping 10 percent a year on investments since 20
32、04. But colleges spent an average of just 4.6 percent of their endowments last year while raising tuition faster than the rate of inflation. That troubles folks like Sen. Chuck Grassley, whos pushing Congress to require wealthy colleges to spend at least 5 percent of their endowments every year. “Ta
33、x-exempt organizations are supposed to provide public benefit in exchange for their special status,“ he said. “Helping the next generation afford college is a public benefit. “Many college officials, of course, are battling such rule changes. While Harvard, Yale, and Princeton all have more than $1
34、million worth of endowment per student, half of all colleges have no more than $2,000 per student saved up. Even high-earning schools say they already are spending as much as they should. Chris Bittman, chief investment officer of the University of Colorado Foundation, racked up almost 23 percent in
35、 returns last fiscal year, bringing the schools endowment to nearly $800 million. He supports the schools policy of spending 4.5 percent. Recent big profits cant last forever, he says. Instead, endowments should plan on earning the long-term average of 10 percent.Still, pressure appears to be forcin
36、g some changes. In June, Stanford announced it would increase its endowment spending to 5.5 percent, or $160 million a year. If every school followed suit, that would free up about $4 billion a year(or $200 per student)to increase aid or keep tuition prices down. Or as Richard Vedder, an Ohio Univer
37、sity economist, says, “a small step for mankind.“11 According to the first two paragraphs, the “free rides“ to famous schools will probably（A）affect a good many students with excellent academic records.（B） promote the reform of endowment spending of schools greatly.（C） result in the tuition raise fo
38、r some other students.（D）give pressure to school administrators on money policy. 12 Sen. Chuck Grassley suggests that the schools should（A）increase their endowments to suit their particular status.（B） abide by the law on endowment spending.（C） use their tax-free funds to bring social benefits.（D）cre
39、ate learning opportunities outside school for young people.13 According to Paragraph 4, Chris Bittman believes that（A）endowment funds should be invested in business to make money.（B） the endowment spending policies of American colleges should be reformed.（C） schools policy of spending relies on its
40、profits of endowment investment.（D）the gap between rich schools and poor ones still remains.14 The phrase “a small step for mankind“(Last line, Paragraph 5)shows that the increased endowment spending will（A）encourage more public spending.（B） contribute to social development.（C） harmonize different s
41、chools.（D）pave the way for free education.15 What can we infer from the text?（A）Some rich universities feel pressure to share more of their wealth.（B） Harvard is leading the way in promoting the even distribution of wealth.（C） College students will be exempt from tuitions of learning.（D）Less endowme
42、nt spending will earn more long-term benefits.15 Video games get a bad press. Many are unquestionably violent and, as has been the way with new media from novels to comic books to television, they have been accused of corrupting the moral fabric of youth. Nor are such accusations without merit. Ther
43、e is a body of research suggesting that violent games can lead to aggressive thoughts, if not to violence itself. But not all games are shoot-them-ups, and what is less examined is whether those that reward more constructive behavior also have lingering impacts. That, however, is starting to change.
44、 Two studies showing that video games have a bright side as well as a dark one have been carried out recently.One, to be published in June by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, was conducted by Douglas Gentile, of Iowa State Universitys media research laboratory. He and his colleagues te
45、sted the effects of playing so-called “pro-social“ games on children and young adults in three countries.A group of 161 American students played one of six games for 20 minutes. Some were given “Ty2“ or “Crash Twinsanity“, both of which involve cartoonish fighting and destruction. Others were assign
46、ed “Chibi-Robo!“, which involves helping characters in the game by doing their chores, or “Super Mario Sunshine“, in which players clean up pollution and graffiti. A third group, acting as a control, played “Pure Pinball“ or “Super Monkey Ball Deluxe“, both of which involve guiding a ball through ma
47、zes.Their games over, the participants were asked to choose 11 of 30 easy, medium or hard shape-based puzzles for a partner to complete, and told that their partner would receive a $10 gift voucher if he could complete ten of them. Those who had been playing pro-social games were significantly more
48、likely to help their partner by selecting easy puzzles. The opposite was true for those assigned violent games.The other parts of Dr Gentiles study looked at established behavior. In one, a group of 680 Singaporeans aged 12-14 were asked to list their three favorite games and state the number of hou
49、rs they played. They were then given questionnaires, the answers to which suggested that those who spent the longest playing games which involved helping others were most likely to help, share, co-operate and empathize with others. They also had lower scores in tests for hostile thoughts and the acceptance of violence as normal. In the second, Japanese aged 10-17 were asked how much time they spent playing games in which the main character helps others. When questioned three to four months later, those who played these types of games the most were
