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1998年阅读真题精解

时间:2012-11-26 12:44:56    下载该word文档

1998年阅读真题精解

Text 1

Few creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant dams. Perhaps it is humankind's long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascinating. But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, to be blind. Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm than good.

The lesson from dams is that big is not always beautiful. It doesn't help that building a big, powerful dam has become a symbol of achievement for nations and people striving to assert themselves. Egypt's leadership in the Arab world was cemented by the Aswan High Dam. Turkey's bid for First World status includes the giant Ataturk Dam.

But big dams tend not to work as intended. The Aswan Dam, for example, stopped the Nile flooding but deprived Egypt of the fertile silt that floods left — all in return for a giant reservoir of disease which is now so full of silt that it barely generates electricity.

And yet, the myth of controlling the waters persists. This week, in the heart of civilized Europe, Slovaks and Hungarians stopped just short of sending in the troops in their contention over a dam on the Danube. The huge complex will probably have all the usual problems of big dams. But Slovakia is bidding for independence from the Czechs, and now needs a dam to prove itself.

Meanwhile, in India, the World Bank has given the go-ahead to the even more wrong-headed Narmada Dam. And the bank has done this even though its advisers say the dam will cause hardship for the powerless and environmental destruction. The benefits are for the powerful, but they are far from guaranteed.

Proper, scientific study of the impacts of dams and of the cost and benefits of controlling water can help to resolve these conflicts. Hydroelectric power and flood control and irrigation are possible without building monster dams. But when you are dealing with myths, it is hard to be either proper, or scientific. It is time that the world learned the lessons of Aswan. You don't need a dam to be saved.

51. The third sentence of paragraph 1 implies that ________.

 [A] people would be happy if they shut their eyes to reality

 [B] the blind could be happier than the sighted

 [C] over-excited people tend to neglect vital things

 [D] fascination makes people lose their eyesight

52. In paragraph 5, "the powerless" probably refers to ________.

 [A] areas short of electricity [B] dams without power stations

 [C] poor countries around India [D] common people in the Narmada Dam area

53. What is the myth concerning giant dams?

 [A] They bring in more fertile soil. [B] They help defend the country.

 [C] They strengthen international ties. [D] They have universal control of the waters.

54. What the author tries to suggest may best be interpreted as ________.

 [A] "It's no use crying over spilt milk" [B] "More haste, less speed"

 [C] "Look before you leap" [D] "He who laughs last laughs best"

核心词汇

1. few 没有几个,含否定意思,little 没有一点儿,含否定意思;

2. capture 抓住,捕获,吸引住3. like 比如,像,喜欢

4. giant 巨人,巨型物;gigantic 巨大的5. at the mercy of 摆布或控制;

6. flood and drought 洪涝和旱灾;earthquake 地震;tsunami 海啸;

7. ideal 理想,理想的8. do our bidding 按我们的要求办事

9. fascinate 着迷;fascinating 着迷的10. threaten 威胁

11. do more harm than good 弊大于利

12. lesson 教训;teach me a lesson 给我一个教训;lessen 减轻13. symbol 象征

14. achieve 达到;获得成就;achiever 获得成就的人;achievement 成就

15. strive to 努力做16. assert 说明,宣称,认为17. cement 水泥引申为:巩固,加强

18. bid 投标;申请19. tend to 易于,倾向于20. work 起作用;

21. as 正如,复习as的六大考点

22. intended 所料想的;相当于expected=desired=anticipated =designated

23. deprive…of 剥夺;相当于rob…of=deny sth 24. fertile 肥沃的;多产的

25. in return 作为回报26. reserve 保留,预定;reservation; reservoir水库

27. so…that 如此以致28. barely=hardly=scarcely 几乎不

29. generate 产生;regenerate再生;regenerable 可再生的

30. myth 神话,不现实的东西;相当于illusion 幻觉;

31. civilized 文明的;civilization 文明

32. stop just short of 差一点儿就; be short of 缺少;缺乏33. contention 争吵;争论

34. complex 综合工程;综合物;联合体;复杂的;35. bid for =apply for 申请

36. go-ahead =permission容许,许可37. cause 造成,引起;原因;事业

38. hardship 困境;苦难39. powerless 无权利的;powerful 当权的;强大的

40. far from 远非;绝不41. guarantee 保证;确保;担保42. proper 恰当的,合理的

43. study 研究44. impact 影响,相当于influence=effect

45. resolve 解决,相当于solve=settle;决心,决议46. power 电;电源;power-off 断电;

47. irrigation 灌溉48. monster 怪物,在此引申为巨大的

49. deal with 解决;对付,与交往50. hard 艰难的,困难的;强硬的;

51. wrong-headed 执迷不悟的52. hydro-electric 水电的

难句精解

①Perhaps it is humankind's long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascinating.

这个句子中包含了一个强调句型,基本结构是it is... that...,强调部分的关键词是suffering,这个词就是后面that引导的从句的主语,因而这个句子的核心句其实就是Suffering makes the ideal so fascinating。名词suffering加上前后的修饰限定成分是humankind's long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought(人类受水旱灾害控制的长期的苦难);ideal后面跟了一个of引导的分词短语:forcing the waters to do our bidding(让河水听我们吩咐[的这个理想]);后面的so fascinating做宾补。

②It doesn't help that building a big, powerful dam had become a symbol of achievement for nations and people striving to assert themselves.

这个句子中第一个单词it指代的是文章中上面的一句话,即从大型水坝中得到的教训是:大的不一定就是好的help后面是一个从句,在这个从句中,主语是一个现在分词短语,核心句是Building a dam had become a symbol of achievement。分词短语striving to assert themselves是修饰nations and people的限定成分。

③The Aswan Dam, for example, stopped the Nile flooding but deprived Egypt of the fertile silt that floods left — all in return for a giant reservoir of disease which is now so full of silt that it barely generates electricity.

这个句子首先要注意的是有两个谓语:stoppeddeprived;然后可以找出这个句子的核心句:The Aswan Dam stopped the Nile flooding but deprived Egypt of the silt。第一个silt后面有一个that引导的从句that floods left修饰silt;破折号后面的all代替的是破折号前面所说的the fertile silt,介词短语in return for后面的宾语带了一个which引导的从句,修饰的是这个宾语:a giant reservoir of disease,同时这个从句中还有一个so... that的结构。如果把这个which引导的从句分解开来就是The reservoir is now full of silt, so it barely generates electricity

此句理解的关键有三个:一是找到两个谓语:stoppeddeprived;二是要明白all指的是前面所说的the fertile silt;三就是which引导的从句修饰的是the reservoir of disease这个名词短语。

④This week, in the heart of civilized Europe, Slovaks and Hungarians stopped just short of sending in the troops in their contention over a dam on the Danube.

这个句子理解的困难可能出现在短语上。撇开前面的时间状语和地点状语不看,这个句子的核心句其实是Slovaks and Hungarians stopped sending troops。这里有两个短语需要理解:short of差一点就;send in派遣。后面的in their contention over a dam说的是他们sending in the troops的原因。再加上前后的状语短语,就有了一个完整理解。

这个句子的短语和介词非常重要,除了结构分析中所说的两个短语之外,in the contentionsover a damon the Danube都对句子理解非常重要。

⑤Proper, scientific study of the impacts of dams and of the cost and benefits of controlling water can help to resolve these conflicts.

这个句子的核心句是Study can help to resolve conflicts。但是理解的重点却在study后面的修饰成分,因为study后面有两个并列关系的of,说明了study的内容:study of the impacts of damsstudy of the cost and benefits of controlling water。第三个of修饰的是the cost and benefits两个名词,of后面是个动名词短语。这个修饰成分解决了,后面的句子就好理解了,再注意一下help to do sth.的用法。

主要是四个of的用法,注意哪两个of是并列关系(of the impactsof the cost and benefits)。

试题解析

51. [C] 意为:过于兴奋的人容易忽视极为重要的事情。

第一段指出,在重大技术所创造的东西中,很少有比大坝更能体现人的幻想的。也许是因为人类长期遭受洪涝和干旱的袭击,使人类(通过筑坝)制服洪水的愿望显得更加令人兴奋不已(该句是一个强调句,基本句型是:it is... that makes... so fascinating)。这两句谈的是人们的愿望;本段第三、四句话锋一转,指出愿望与现实往往相反,所以,第三句应该在第一、二句意思的基础上理解。第三句可理解为:但是,兴奋有时候也表现为盲目be blind。而第三句的意思又被第四句进一步阐释为:有些大坝工程弊大于利(do more harm than good)。盲目建设大坝的危害在第三、五段都举了具体例子加以说明。

[A]人们如果无视现实就会感到高兴。[B]盲人比有眼睛的人更幸福,常识都不对。[D]兴奋使人双目失明,是对blind字义的歪曲理解。

52. [D] 意为:讷尔默达河大坝周围的平民百姓。

文章中提到,银行的顾问指出,大坝将给powerless带来苦难,给环境带来破坏,但是,银行方面却一意孤行。大坝的建设也许会给powerful(掌权有势的人)带来益处。因为Powerful 绝对不能理解为:有电的意思,只能理解为有权力的人,强大的;强势的;所以上句中的the powerless,只能理解为无权利的人,意思也就理解为平民百姓。在意思上应该对应于下一句的the powerful(有权势者)。属于反义词在上下文中同现来猜题技巧。

[A]缺电力的地区。[B]没建电站的大坝。[C]印度周边的穷国。定冠词the置于形容词之前经常指一类人,如:the poor穷人,the rich富人,the miserable受苦难的人,the young年轻人,等等。

53. [D] 意为:它们普遍能控制住洪水。

第一段第一、二句指出,人们幻想大坝来达到控制洪水的目的,但有时意识不到大坝会带来意想不到的后果。第三段也指出,大坝有时有违其建设目的,埃及的阿斯旺高坝(Aswan High Dam)就是一个例子。大坝起到了制服尼罗河洪水泛滥的作用,但也不再有洪水过后留下的肥沃的冲积土壤;换来的只是(all in return for)一个硕大的病态水库,水库被淤泥填满,几乎无法发电。

第四段指出,尽管如此,制服洪水的神话还在继续传送。这句话的意思是:人们仍然一味地幻想着通过建坝来控制水:其含义是,尽管大坝的建设有时弊多于利,会给人类带来意想不到的后果,但是,人们建坝的热情还是很高,本段下文提到了斯洛伐克和匈牙利拟在多瑙河上建坝的事。最后一段第二句指出,其实,水力发电也好,治水也好,灌溉也好,未必都只有通过建坝进行。因此文章中提到的神话也就是指建坝能控制洪水这一作用。

[A]它们带来更肥沃的土地。 [B]它们有助于国防。第二段第二句指出,有些人把建设硕大的大坝看作是国家成就的象征,是一个民族独立(assert themselves)的体现,这其实是一种幻想(It doesn't help that...);第四段第二、三、四句指出,本周,在文明的欧洲中心,为了多瑙河上的建坝事宜,斯洛伐克人和匈牙利人几乎就要派驻军队了,该大坝也可能产生其他大坝存在的所有问题,但是,斯洛伐克正在闹独立(is bidding for independence),想脱离捷克,它想通过大坝来证明自己的能力和独立性(prove itself)。可见,人们想通过大坝证明自己的国力和独立性,并非将大坝用于国防。 [C]它们增强国际联系。

54. [C] “三思而后行。

该题实际上提问的是作者的观点:作者想通过本文说明什么道理。文章指出,人们对大坝的建设存在很多幻想,所以经常事与愿违。在最后一段最后两句,作者指出,该是我们认真吸取阿斯旺大坝的教训的时候了。言外之意,不要再存在理想化心理,我们应该变得更加理智一点,因为,我们未必非要通过大坝来拯救自己(You don't need a dam to be saved.),这一句回溯该段第二句:其实,水力发电也好,治水也好,灌溉也好,未必都只有通过建坝实现。言外之意,应该消除对大坝的迷恋,多动脑筋,积极寻求更好的措施解决我们的问题。

[A]“覆水难收。比喻后悔是没有用的。[B]“欲速则不达。

[D]“笑到最后才算笑得最好。比喻受到挫折时不要轻易放弃,应该坚持。

参考译文

在重大技术所创造的东西中很少能像大型水坝这样让人痴迷。可能正是因为人类长期遭受旱涝灾害的摆布才使得人们治理江河为我所用的理想如此令人痴迷。但让人着迷有时也就使人盲目。有几个巨型大坝项目就有弊大于利的危险。

建造大坝的教训是:大的未必总是美的。但这个教训也无法阻止修建高大雄伟的大坝已成为那些力争得到自我肯定的国家和人民的伟大成就的象征。埃及由于建造了阿斯旺大坝而巩固了在阿拉伯世界的领导地位。土耳其在力图跻身第一世界的努力中也包括修建阿塔特克大坝。

但大坝不会像预期的那样产生效果。以阿斯旺大坝为例,它阻止了尼罗河洪水泛滥,但也使埃及失去了洪水冲击过后留下的肥沃土壤,换回来的是这么一个疾病滋生的水库。现在这个水库积满了淤泥,几乎不能发电了。

不过,控制水的神话还在继续。本周,在文明的欧洲腹地,斯洛伐克人和匈牙利人就为了多瑙河上的一处水坝引起争端,差点动用了军队。这个大型工程可能会出现大坝上所有的常见问题。但斯洛伐克正在要求脱离捷克而独立,现在他们需要建一个大坝来证明自己的实力。

与此同时,世界银行已经贷款给印度来建造问题很多的纳尔马达大坝。尽管世界银行的顾问说,该大坝将给平民带来苦难,而且也会破坏那里的环境,但世界银行已经这样做了。大坝会给有权有势者带来利益,但这种利益却没有保障。

对于水坝的影响作用、水坝控制水流的成本和收益进行恰当而科学的研究能够有助于解决这些冲突。水利发电,治理洪水以及灌溉即使不建大型水坝也是可能的,不一定非要建大坝。但当你相信神话时就很难做到合理或科学。现在是世界吸取阿斯旺大坝教训的时候了。我们未必要通过大坝来拯救自己。

Text 2

Well, no gain without pain, they say. But what about pain without gain? Everywhere you go in America, you hear tales of corporate revival. What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.

The official statistics are mildly discouraging. They show that, if you lump manufacturing and services together, productivity has grown on average by 1.2% since 1987. That is somewhat faster than the average during the previous decade. And since 1991, productivity has increased by about 2% a year, which is more than twice the 1978-1987 average. The trouble is that part of the recent acceleration is due to the usual rebound that occurs at this point in a business cycle, and so is not conclusive evidence of a revival in the underlying trend. There is, as Robert Rubin, the treasury secretary, says, a "disjunction" between the mass of business anecdote that points to a leap in productivity and the picture reflected by the statistics.

Some of this can be easily explained. New ways of organizing the workplace — all that re-engineering and downsizing — are only one contribution to the overall productivity of an economy, which is driven by many other factors such as joint investment in equipment and machinery, new technology, and investment in education and training. Moreover, most of the changes that companies make are intended to keep them profitable, and this need not always mean increasing productivity: switching to new markets or improving quality can matter just as much.

Two other explanations are more speculative. First, some of the business restructuring of recent years may have been ineptly done. Second, even if it was well done, it may have spread much less widely than people suppose.

Leonard Schlesinger, a Harvard academic and former chief executive of Au Bong Pain, a rapidly growing chain of bakery cafes, says that much "re-engineering" has been crude. In many cases, he believes, the loss of revenue has been greater than the reductions in cost. His colleague, Michael Beer, says that far too many companies have applied re-engineering in a mechanistic fashion, chopping out costs without giving sufficient thought to long-term profitability. BBDO's Al Rosenshine is blunter. He dismisses a lot of the work of re-engineering consultants as mere rubbish — "the worst sort of ambulance-chasing".

55. According to the author, the American economic situation is ________.

[A] not as good as it seems [B] at its turning point

[C] much better than it seems [D] near to complete recovery

56. The official statistics on productivity growth ________.

[A] exclude the usual rebound in a business cycle

[B] fall short of businessmen's anticipation

[C] meet the expectation of business people

[D] fail to reflect the true state of economy

57. The author raises the question "what about pain without gain?" because ________.

 [A] he questions the truth of "no gain without pain"

[B] he does not think the productivity revolution works

[C] he wonders if the official statistics are misleading

[D] he has conclusive evidence for the revival of businesses

58. Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?

[A] Radical reforms are essential for the increase of productivity.

[B] New ways of organizing workplaces may help to increase productivity.

[C] The reduction of costs is not a sure way to gain long-term profitability.

[D] The consultants are a bunch of good-for-nothings.

核心词汇

1. no gain without pain=no pains, no gains 不劳无获;pain without gain 有劳却无获;

no sweat, no sweet 先苦后甜2. what about 怎么样?3. tale 故事,神话

4. corporate 公司的5.revival 复苏6. harder 更难的7. assume 认为;假定;承担;担任

8. preside over 主持;领导9. for real 真实的;for sure 确定的10. statistics 统计数字或数据;

11. mildly 适度地=modestly=moderately12. discouraging=depressing令人沮丧的

13. show=indicate=exhibit表明14. lump 收集起来;堆起来15. on average 平均

16. more than 多于;不只是17. acceleration 加速;加快;快速增长;deceleration 减速

18. be due to 是因为19. rebound 反弹

20. business cycle 商业周期;recycle 回收;recyclable 可以回收的

21. conclusive 结论性的22. underlying 内在的,根本的23. disjunction 脱节,无联系

24. anecdote 奇闻异事,含否定意思,意为不现实的东西25. point to=point out 指出

26. leap 跳跃,上升27. reflect 反映28. the mass of 大量的29. between…and ….之间

30. picture 图,图像,意为真实的东西

31. re-engineering 结构重组;相当于后面的reengineering32. downsize 缩小规模

33. contribution 贡献,促成的因素34. overall 整个的35. drive 驱动;driving force 驱动力

36. factor 因素37. such as 例如38. joint investment 联合投资;joint efforts 共同努力

39. are intended to 目的在于,旨在40. switch to 转向;41. matter 起作用

42. as much 同样多;as well 43. speculative 推测的44. restructure 结构重组

45. ineptly 不合适地;46. academic 学术的;学者47. chain 链条,连锁

48. in many cases 在许多情况下;in no case 绝不;In any case 无论如何

49. mechanistic 机械的,含贬义50. in a …fashion ….方式51. chop out 减少,降低

52. give thought to 考虑到53. long-term 长期的;short-term 短期的54. profitability 获利性

55. dismiss…as…不屑一顾,当做是56. consultant 顾问

57. ambulance chasing 应急补救措施58. revenue 收入

难句精解

①What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.

这个句子首先是由what引导的主语从句what is harder to establish,后面是由whether引导的表语从句。在表语从句中,主语是the productivity revolution,核心句是Whether the productivity revolution is for real,其中主语productivity revolution后面跟了一个that引导的定语从句,这个从句中的businessmen assume是个相当于I think 这样的插入结构,不影响句子的结构,可以去掉,其后they are presiding over 做定语,修饰前面的名词revolution

②The trouble is that part of the recent acceleration is due to the usual rebound that occurs at this point in a business cycle, and so is not conclusive evidence of a revival in the underlying trend.

这个句子有一个很长的表语从句,由that引导。从句中有两个分句,中间用and so连接。第一个分句中又有一个that引导的定语从句,修饰的是rebound,第二个分句的主语与第一个分句的主语一样,都是part of the recent acceleration。这样我们可以得到这个句子的主干部分:The trouble is that part of acceleration is due to rebound, and so is not conclusive evidence.

理解这个句子的关键在于要清楚表语从句中第一个分句所套的修饰rebound的定语从句,再者就是第二个分句的主语与第一个分句的主语一致,并注意conclusive的意思。

③There is, as Robert Rubin, the treasury secretary, says, a "disjunction" between the mass of business anecdote that points to a leap in productivity and the picture reflected by the statistics.

理解这个句子先要找出它的核心句:There is a "disjunction" between the mass and the picture,中间的人名及其职位可以当作插入语。between后面的名词带有一个that引导的定语从句,修饰的是business anecdotethat在这个从句中充当的是主语;and后面的名词the picture后面跟的是过去分词reflected,表示的是一种被动关系。

找出betweenand的宾语(分别是the mass of business anecdotethe picture reflected by the statistics),这个句子就容易理解了。

④New ways of organizing the workplace — all that re-engineering and downsizing — are only one contribution to the overall productivity of an economy, which is driven by many other factors such as joint investment in equipment and machinery, new technology, and investment in education and training.

这个句子看似庞大,分析之下就简单了。先找出核心句:New ways are one contribution,再来看其它部分:new ways后面of organizing the workplace限定了new ways的内容;破折号之间的部分是进一步说明new ways of organizing the workplace的一些具体内容;contribution后面的to接的是名词宾语,这之后有一个which引导的定语从句,修饰的是前面的名词an economy。在这个定语从句中by后面的宾语是factors,后面的such as跟随的三个名词短语就是列举的内容。

⑤His colleague, Michael Beer, says that far too many companies have applied re-engineering in a mechanistic fashion, chopping out costs without giving sufficient thought to long-term profitability.

这个句子的主要部分在于谓语says后面的宾语从句,从句中的重要成分是在状语短语部分,即in a mechanistic fashion,因为后面跟的一个现在分词短语chopping out costs是进一步说明fashion的内容,without后面的动名词短语是补充成分,表示的是一种伴随状态。

关键在于chopping out costs这个现在分词短语的理解,要明白这是in a mechanistic fashion的进一步说明。

试题解析

55. [A] 意为:并不像表面看上去那样好。

第一段第三、四句指出,美国到处都在谈论所谓公司的振兴(tales of corporate revival),但是,商界自认为正在进行的所谓生产率革命究竟是否名符其实(for real),这一点却很难确定。该句实际上是全文的主旨,从反面提出了下文旨在回答的问题,所谓生产率革命根本不存在,官方的统计数字也并不怎么乐观;该段第四句指出,问题是;最近显示出的增长部分是由商业领域里此时出现的正常的反弹(rebound)造成的,因此,不能将它看作是更深层的(当指生产率)振兴的证据。由题目能够定位到第一段的这一句:What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.其意思是:商人们自认为的他们所领导的生产力革命是否确有其事,这一点更加难以确定。因此可以看出作者觉得美国经济形式并不像商人们说的那样好,因此联系到了[A]选项。

最后一段引用了几个专家的评价,对目前进行的促进生产率发展的措施进行了否定,特别是罗森伯格的评价,在他看来,目前负责调整经济的顾问们所做的工作,多数都是垃圾(没有成效),是典型的于事无补”(ambulance-chasing)

[B]处于转折阶段。文章中只是说经济发展并不乐观,但是还没有达到转折的地步,因此该选项属于夸张类干扰项。[C]比现状要好得多。这个和原文意思恰恰相反,同作者的中心思想相违背。换句话说,这个是作者要批驳的观点。[D]几乎要实现全面复苏了。此选项同C选项,都是与作者思想相违背的,更何况,复苏这个词根本无从谈起。

56. [B] 意为:与商人的预想不符。或:不像商人预想的那样好。

第二段指出,官方的统计数字也并不怎么乐观,如果将制造业和服务业算在一起(lump... together)1989年以来生产率平均增长了1.2%,比前十年的平均指数略有增长;1991年后,生产率每年增长约2%,是1978年至1987年这十年平均指数的一倍多。然而问题是:最近显示出的增长部分是由商业领域里此时出现的正常的反弹造成的,因此,不能将它看作是更深层的(当指生产率)振兴的证据。正如财政部长鲁宾所说的那样,一方面,大量的商业神话似乎表明生产率的激增(leap),另一方面,(官方的)统计数字又是另一番景象,二者之间存在着一个差距”(disjunction)。定位到第二段的这几句:There is, as Robert Rubin, the treasury secretary, says, a "disjunction" between the mass of business anecdote that points to a leap in productivity and the picture reflected by the statistics. 其意思是:正如财政部长罗伯特鲁宾所说的,生产力发生飞跃的商业传奇与统计数字所反映的情况之间存在着一种脱节。商业传奇即是说大量的商业神话似乎表明生产率的激增(leap)。因此,可以得出结论,经济发展的实际情况和商人们所塑造的神话有脱节,即联系到了B选项。

[A]意为:排除了商业领域里出现的正常的反弹。此选项定位到了原文第二段中的The trouble is that part of the recent acceleration is due to the usual rebound that occurs at this point in a business cycle,意思是:近年发生的生产力快速增长部分是由于商业周期通常到了这时候就会出现的反弹造成的。所以应该理解为是一个正常的反弹,把动词excludes改成includes就对了。[C]与商人预想的一致。这个与B选项正好矛盾,参考B选项的解释。

[D]没有准确地反映经济的状况。作者在末段最后一句中指出统计数字反映的是现实,现实就是经济适度地令人沮丧,而商业界却认为生产力在快速增长,是一个传奇,这就是二者观点不一致的地方,而题干问的是有关统计数字的细节,所以作者认为是反映了现实的。

57. [B] 他认为所谓的生产率革命并未奏效。

第一段指出,人们常说:不劳则无所获,但是,要是劳而无获呢?美国到处都在谈论所谓公司的振兴,但是,商界自认为正在进行的所谓生产率革命究竟是否名符其实,这一点却很难确定。因此作者认为生产力并未提高,就是说所谓的生产率革命并没起多大作用。

另外,从第三段来看,所谓的生产率革命包括了改组企业(business restructuring, reengineering)等一系列措施,正如第四段所指出的,近年所进行的一些重组措施也许并未奏效,而且,即使有所成效,效果也没有人们想象的那样广泛。

在最后一段,作者引用了几个专家的评价,这几位专家对目前进行的促进生产率发展的措施更是持否定态度。作者的引用当然带有很大的倾向性,用以支持自己的观点。

[A]他对不劳则无所获的真实性提出质疑。该选择项过于局限于字面意思。该选择项过于局限于字面意思,而与作者的真正用意无关。这是一个用字面意思来迷惑考生的干扰项。

[C]他认为官方的统计数字可能有错。正好相反,他们认为所谓的商业振兴仅仅是假象。联系上一道题,作者并未说官方的统计数据不符合实际。如果上道题明白的话,就会第一个排除此选项的。[D]他获得了商业振兴的确凿证据。这个选项有两个大错误。首先作者压根没说商业振兴,反而在说经济情况不如想象中的好。

58. [A] 激进的改革对生产率的提高极其必要。

首先要看清楚题目,是说文章未提到的,大家一定不要犯这种低级错误,选了文章提到过的选项。作者只指出促进生产率革命的措施并未奏效,未达到人们想象的效果,而并末提到应该如何才对。这属于过度引申的干扰项。

[B]用新方法改变工作场所可以提高生产率。第三段第二句指出,重新改变工作场所仅是加快一个国家的国民经济综合生产率水平(overall productivity of an economy)的一种措施,促进生产率发展的因素还有许多,如:设备和机器投资、新技术、教育和培训投资等都会带来生产率的提高。[C]降低成本并不能保证带来长期利润。根据第五段第三句,在比尔看来,许多公司机械地(in a mechanistic fashion)应用改革措施,降低了成本,但对长期盈利却考虑不够。可见,降低成本和长期盈利并非总是成正比。[D]顾问们是一伙饭桶。不要以为这种骂人句肯定不会出现在原文中,那你就犯了主观主义错误了。文章最后一段指出,在罗森伯格看来,目前负责经济调整的顾问们所做的工作,多数都是垃圾(没有成效),是典型的于事无补

参考译文

人们说,不劳就无获。但是,如果有劳却无获又会怎样呢?在美国,无论你走到哪里都会听到企业复苏的故事。商人们自认为的他们所领导的生产力革命是否确有其事,这一点更加难以确定。

官方的统计数字却有点不让人乐观。这些数据表明,如果把制造业和服务业合起来算,1987年以来生产力平均增长1.2%。这比前10年的平均增长速度略快。自1991年来,生产力每年约增长2%。这比1978—1987年的平均增长速度高两倍以上。问题在于,近年发生的生产力快速增长部分是由于商业周期通常到了这时候就会出现的反弹造成的,因而它不是经济复苏已经是潜在趋势的结论性证据。正如财政部长罗伯特·鲁宾所说的,生产力发生飞跃的商业传奇与统计数字所反映的情况之间存在着一种脱节

这其中的一些原因很容易解释。企业重组的新方法——所有那些重新设计和缩小规模的做法——只是促成一个经济国家的整体生产力的唯一因素,而这种经济的发展还受到许多其他因素的驱动,如设备、机械上的联合投资,新技术,以及教育和培训上的投资。另外,公司的大部分改革是为了赢利,而达到赢利的目的不一定非要提高生产力:转入新的市场或改善产品质量也会有同样大的功效。

其他两种解释带有很大的猜测性。一种解释是近年来所进行的公司重组也许并未奏效。另一种则说,即使有所成效,效果也不像人们所设想的那样广泛。

哈佛学者,快速增长的面包连锁店Au Bon Pain的前任总裁莱昂纳多·施莱辛格说,许多重组是粗糙的。他认为很多情况下,企业收益的损失超出了成本的降低。他的同事迈克·比尔说,太多的公司已用机械的方式进行重组,在没有充分考虑到长期赢利能力的情况下降低了成本。BBDO的艾尔·罗森夏恩更加直率。他把许多重组咨询专家所做的工作视为垃圾——“最糟糕的那种应急补救措施

1998 Text 3

Science has long had an uneasy relationship with other aspects of culture. Think of Galileo's 17th-century trial for his rebelling belief before the Catholic Church or poet William Blake's harsh remarks against the mechanistic worldview of Isaac Newton. The schism between science and the humanities has, if anything, deepened in this century.

Until recently, the scientific community was so powerful that it could afford to ignore its critics — but no longer. As funding for science has declined, scientists have attacked "anti-science" in several books, notably Higher Superstition, by Paul R. Gross, a biologist at the University of Virginia, and Norman Levitt, a mathematician at Rutgers University; and The Demon-Haunted World, by Carl Sagan of Cornell University.

Defenders of science have also voiced their concerns at meetings such as "The Flight from Science and Reason," held in New York City in 1995, and "Science in the Age of (Mis)information," which assembled last June near Buffalo.

Anti-science clearly means different things to different people. Gross and Levitt find fault primarily with sociologists, philosophers and other academics who have questioned science's objectivity. Sagan is more concerned with those who believe in ghosts, creationism and other phenomena that contradict the scientific worldview.

A survey of news stories in 1996 reveals that the anti-science tag has been attached to many other groups as well, from authorities who advocated the elimination of the last remaining stocks of smallpox virus to Republicans who advocated decreased funding for basic research.

Few would dispute that the term applies to the Unabomber, whose manifesto, published in 1995, scorns science and longs for return to a pre-technological Utopia. But surely that does not mean environmentalists concerned about uncontrolled industrial growth are anti-science, as an essay in US News & World Report last May seemed to suggest.

The environmentalists, inevitably, respond to such critics. The true enemies of science, argues Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University, a pioneer of environmental studies, are those who question the evidence supporting global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and other consequences of industrial growth.

Indeed, some observers fear that the anti-science epithet is in danger of becoming meaningless. "The term 'anti-science' can lump together too many, quite different things," notes Harvard University philosopher Gerald Holton in his 1993 work Science and Anti-Science. "They have in common only one thing that they tend to annoy or threaten those who regard themselves as more enlightened."

59. The word "schism" (line 3, paragraph 1) in the context probably means ________.

[A] confrontation [B] dissatisfaction

[C] separation [D] contempt

60. Paragraphs 2 and 3 are written to ________.

[A] discuss the cause of the decline of science's power

[B] show the author's sympathy with scientists

[C] explain the way in which science develops

[D] exemplify the division of science and the humanities

61. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

[A] Environmentalists were blamed for anti-science in an essay.

[B] Politicians are not subject to the labeling of anti-science.

[C] The "more enlightened" tend to tag others as anti-science.

[D] Tagging environmentalists as "anti-science" is justifiable

62. The author's attitude toward the issue of "science vs. anti-science" is ________.

[A] impartial [B] subjective

[C] biased [D] puzzling

核心词汇

1. uneasy 不舒服的;不安的;紧张的;easy 不着急,舒服的2. aspect=respect 方面

3. trial 审判;实验;尝试4. rebelling 反叛的,抗议的5. harsh 恶劣的,严厉的

6. remarks 话语;opening remarks 开场白;closing remarks 结束语7. worldview世界观

8. schism 分裂9. humanities 人文学科,人类;人性10. if anything 如果有的话

11. deepen 加深12. scientific community 科学界13. ignore 忽视14. critic 批评家

15. no longer 不再16. funding 资金投入17. decline 刷退,减少;委婉拒绝

18. attack 抨击,反对19. notably 明显地20. voice 发出,说出21. concern 担忧,关注

22. such as 例如23. find fault with 挑剔24. academics 学者25. objectivity 客观性

26. creationism 造物论;evolutionism 进化论27. contradict 矛盾28. survey 调查

29. be attached to 贴到之上;附属于;依恋,爱上某人30. advocate 倡导

31. elimination 消除,淘汰32. remaining=existing 现存的,33. smallpox 天花

34. virus 病毒35. dispute 争议36. term 术语,概念;in terms of ….来说

37. apply to 适用于;向….申请38. manifesto 申明,看法

39. scorns 蔑视;scornful 蔑视的40. long for 渴望41. Utopia 乌托邦,引申为太理想的社会42. concerned with 担忧或关注43. inevitably 不可避免地44. respond to ….做出反应

45. depletion=exhaustion耗尽46. in danger of 面临危险

47. have…in common 共同点48. enlighten 启蒙,启发

难句精解

①Think of Galileo's 17th-century trial for his rebelling belief before the Catholic Church or poet William Blake's harsh remarks against the mechanistic worldview of Issac Newton.

这是一个类似祈使句的无主语句。think of后面的宾语部分比较繁杂,主要有两个宾语,主干部分其实是Think of Galileo's trial or Blake's remarks。剩下的就是关于这两个宾语的修饰限定成分。trial后面for his rebelling解释的是trial的原因,before短语解释的是trial的地点;harsh remarks后面跟的against短语解释的是remarks的内容。

注意think of后面并列的双宾语,以及介词forbeforeagainst等在语义上的作用。另外注意作者举的这两个例子,前者是科学正确,而后者是人文学科正确。

②Defenders of science have also voiced their concerns at meetings such as "The Flight from Science and Reason", held in New York City in 1995, and "Science in the Age of (Mis)information", which assembled last June near Buffalo.

这个句子有一个较长的介词宾语,主干句并不复杂:Defenders have voiced their concerns at meeting。后面such as所跟的成分主要是举例说明meetings,引号里的是两个meeting的名称。第一个引号后用逗号隔开的过去分词短语是修饰前面引号里的内容,指出这个会议召开的地点和时间;第二个引号后面跟了一个which引导的从句,补充说明的是第二个会议召开的时间和地点。

先要知道voice their concerns的意思,然后就是such as后面列举的是两个会议的名称,其后各有限定成分说明会议召开的时间和地点。另外,注意the Age of (Mis)information有双关的意思,the Age of information表示信息时代;而the Age of Misinformation表示充满了错误信息的时代

③A survey of news stories in 1996 reveals that the anti-science tag has been attached to many other groups as well, from authorities who advocated the elimination of the last remaining stocks of smallpox virus to Republicans who advocated decreased funding for basic research.

理解这个句子的关键在于对that引导的宾语从句的剖析,主干句就是A survey reveals that...。宾语从句中的核心句比较简单:The tag has been attached to many groups。剩下的就是对用逗号部分隔开的最后部分进行分析:这是一个是from... to...连接的两个并列名词,每个名词后面都有一个较长的定语从句。第一个名词是authorities,第二个名词是Republicans,后面跟的都是一个who引导的定语从句,who在从句中作主语。

先要解决整个句子的基本句型,然后是宾语从句的句型,接着把from... to...结构找出来,搞清楚其中的定语从句就可以了。在阅读中,考生不一定要关注那些细枝末节的信息,比如smallpox的意思对于本句的理解就不构成障碍,因此只要知道是一种病就可以了。

④Few would dispute that the term applied to the Unabomber, whose manifesto, published in 1995, scorns science and longs for return to a pre-technological Utopia.

这个句子也有一个that引导的、较长的宾语从句。从句的核心句是:The term scorns science and longs for return。需要注意的是term后面跟了一个过去分词短语,这个分词短语的宾语部分the Unabomber跟了一个whose引导的定语从句;return这个名词后面跟的是一个介词to引导的地点(生存状态)——a pre-technological Utopia

找出宾语从句中的主谓宾成分,明白主语后所跟的过去分词结构和定语从句的作用,就会对整个句子有了清晰的理解。

⑤The true enemies of science, argues Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University, a pioneer of environmental studies, are those who question the evidence supporting global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and other consequences of industrial growth.

这个句子主语和谓语成了类似插入语的成分,插在了句子中间,表明的是发表这个观点的是什么人(姓名与身份)。而该句的主要内容在于argue所跟的宾语从句。这个宾语从句中的宾语those有一个who引导的较长的定语从句,其中who是主语,question是谓语,the evidence是宾语,宾语后面跟的现在分词短语修饰的是evidence,这个现在分词supporting后面跟了三个并列宾语。

要弄清suportingevidence的关系:supporting引导的短语修饰evidence,规定了evidence的内容。

试题解析:

59. [C] 分裂,分歧。

该句可译为:本世纪如果有什么变化的话,只是科学和人文学科的schism加深了。本段第一句可以为理解该词提供线索,第一句的意思是:长时间以来,科学和文化其他领域的关系一直不谐调(uneasy)或紧张。不谐调即分歧或分裂,而且和其后的谓语动词deepened搭配合适。

[A]对抗。表面看起来,这似乎与C没有多大差别,但是,考生在理解句子的意思的同时,也应该稍微注意一下该句的措辞:该句的主语是schism,谓语是deepen,只有裂痕才能加深,而对抗只能加强[B]不满;也不和动词deepened 搭配。[D]蔑视。

60. [D] (举例)说明科学和人文学科的分歧。

其实,第二和第三段是对第一段第三句观点句的展开论述,第二段指出,直到近期,科学界(the scientific community)力量壮大,没有必要理睬其批评者,但是,现在情况不同了(but no longer)。由于科学经费减少,科学家开始著书抨击反科学倾向;第三段指出,科学的维护者也在聚会上表达他们的担忧。这两种表现都是在证明科学与人文科学之间矛盾公开化和加深的表现。这道题选对之后,又可以作为59题正确答案的一个依据,这可以启示考生在题干和题目之中有相互照应的地方。

[A]探讨科学的威力减少的原因。[B]表示作者对科学家的同情。[C]说明科学发展的方式。

61. [A] 一篇文章指责环境保护者为反科学者。

第六段第二句指出,但是,这当然不意味着,为工业无限制扩展而担忧的环境保护者都是反科学者,这正如(美国新闻与世界报道)五月刊的一篇文章似乎是想把他们归做反科学者那样。也就是说,在一篇文章中有人指责环境保护主义者是反科学的,但作者并不同意,也是不认同这是有道理的做法,所以[D] 给环境保护者贴上反科学的标签是有道理的,属于错误选项。

[B]政治家没有被贴上反科学的标签。第五段指出,1996年发表的新闻调查表明,反科学的标签也贴在许多其他人的身上,包括主张消除所存的最后的天花病毒样本(the last remaining stocks of smallpox virus)的权威机构,和主张减少基础研究经费的共和党人。这两种人,尤其是共和党人当然是政治家。[C] “更开明的人士经常给别人贴上反科学的标签。属于典型的断章取义。

62. [A] 意为:客观的。

作者似乎只是客观地叙述了科学和人文学科之间的分歧,而并未评价孰是孰非。[B]主观的。[C]有偏向的。[D]令人困惑的。

参考译文

科学与人文学科其他方面的关系一直都很紧张。想想看,17世纪伽利略为他叛逆性的信仰而遭受天主教会的审判,还有诗人威廉·布莱克对艾萨克·牛顿的机械的世界观所发表的尖锐话语。本世纪,如果有的话,(自然)科学与人文科学之间的分裂更深了。

以前,科学界如此之强大以致可以对批评者置之不理——但现在不同了。由于科研经费减少了,科学家出了几本书来抨击反科学势力,其中值得注意的有弗吉尼亚大学生物学家保罗·R·格罗斯和拉特格斯大学的数学家诺曼·莱维特合著的《高级迷信》及康奈尔大学的卡尔·萨根著的《鬼怪世界》。

科学的捍卫者们也在一些会议上表示了他们的担忧。比如,1995年在纽约举行的远离科学和理性会议,以及去年6月在布法罗附近召开的信息(迷信)时代的科学会议。

显然,反科学对不同的人有不同的含义。格罗斯和莱维特主要挑那些质疑科学客观性的社会学家、哲学家和其他学者的毛病。而萨根则更关注那些相信鬼怪、上帝造物论和其他与科学世界观相左的人。

1996年对新闻报道的调查表明,反科学的标签也贴在了许多其他群体上,从提倡消灭所有现存的天花病毒的官方人士到倡议削减基础研究基金的共和党人。

将该词用在仇视现代文明的恐怖主义者身上,也不会引起多大争议,它在1995年公开发表蔑视科学、渴望回到前技术时代理想社会的声明。当然,这并不意味着,对不加控制的工业发展表示担忧的环境主义者也是反科学的,而去年5月份刊登在《美国新闻和世界报导》的一篇文章似乎有此暗示。

毫无疑问,环境主义者要对这些批评做出反应。作为环境研究的先驱者,斯坦福大学的保罗·埃利希认为,科学的真正的敌人是那些对支持全球变暖、臭氧层稀薄和工业增长带来的其他后果的证据提出质疑的人。

的确,一些观察者担心反科学这个词会失去意义。“‘反科学这个词可以涵盖很多截然不同的东西,哈佛大学的哲学家杰拉尔德·霍尔顿在其1993年的著作《科学和反科学》中写道:它们惟一的共同点就是会激怒或威胁那些自以为比别人更有见识的人。

1998 Text 4

Emerging from the 1980 census is the picture of a nation developing more and more regional competition, as population growth in the Northeast and Midwest reaches a near standstill.

This development — and its strong implications for US politics and economy in years ahead — has enthroned the South as America's most densely populated region for the first time in the history of the nation's head counting.

Altogether, the US population rose in the 1970s by 23.2 million people — numerically the third-largest growth ever recorded in a single decade. Even so, that gain adds up to only 11.4 percent, lowest in American annual records except for the Depression years.

Americans have been migrating south and west in larger numbers since World War II, and the pattern still prevails.

Three sun-belt states — Florida, Texas and California — together had nearly 10 million more people in 1980 than a decade earlier. Among large cities, San Diego moved from 14th to 8th and San Antonio form 15th to 10th — with Cleveland and Washington DC dropping out of the top 10.

Not all that shift can be attributed to the movement out of the snow belt, census officials say. Nonstop waves of immigrants played a role, too — and so did bigger crops of babies as yesterday's "baby boom" generation reached its child-bearing years.

Moreover, demographers see the continuing shift south and west as joined by a related but newer phenomenon: More and more, Americans apparently are looking not just for places with more jobs but with fewer people, too. Some instances —

 ● Regionally, the Rocky Mountain states reported the most rapid growth rate — 37.1 percent since 1970 in a vast area with only 5 percent of the US population.

 ● Among states, Nevada and Arizona grew fastest of all: 63.5 and 53.1 percent respectively. Except for Florida and Texas, the top 10 in rate of growth is composed of Western states with 7.5 million people — about 9 per square mile.

 The flight from over-crowdedness affects the migration from snow-belt to more bearable climates.Nowhere do 1980 census statistics dramatize more the American search for spacious living than in the Far West. There, California added 3.7 million to its population in the 1970s, more than any other state.

In that decade, however, large numbers also migrated from California, mostly to other parts of the West. Often they choose — and still are choosing — somewhat colder climates such as Oregon, Idaho and Alaska in order to escape smog, crime and other plagues of urbanization in the Golden State.

As a result, California's growth rate dropped during the 1970s, to 18.5 percent — little more than two-thirds the 1960s' growth figure and considerably below that of other Western states.

63. Discerned from the perplexing picture of population growth the 1980 census provided, America in 1970s ________.

[A] enjoyed the lowest net growth of population in history

[B] witnessed a southwestern shift of population

[C] underwent an unparalleled period of population growth

[D] brought to a standstill its pattern of migration since World War II

64. The census distinguished itself from previous studies on population movement in that ________.

 [A] it stresses the climatic influence on population distribution

[B] it highlights the contribution of continuous waves of immigrants

[C] it reveals the Americans' new pursuit of spacious living

[D] it elaborates the delayed effects of yesterday's "baby boom"

65. We can see from the available statistics that ________.

[A] California was once the most thinly populated area in the whole US

[B] the top 10 states in growth rate of population were all located in the West

[C] cities with better climates benefited unanimously from migration

[D] Arizona ranked second of all states in its growth rate of population

66. The word "demographers" (line 1, paragraph 7) most probably means ________.

[A] people in favor of the trend of democracy

[B] advocates of migration between states

[C] scientists engaged in the study of population

[D] conservatives clinging to old patterns of life

核心词汇

1. emerge 出现;emergence 出现;emergency 紧急情况2. census 人口普查

3. competition 竞争4. standstill 静止;still 静止的5. implication 含义

6. enthrone 给予;授予7. densely populated 人口稠密的8. head counting 人口统计

9. numerically 数字上10. annual 每年的11. Depression years 大萧条年代(1929--1933)

12. migrate 迁移;移动;emigrate 迁出;immigrate 移入13. In large numbers 大量地

14. pattern 方式;模式;15. prevail 盛行;流行;prevalent 流行的;盛行的

16. shift 改变;转变17. attribute to 归因于18. snow belt 寒带19. non-stop 不停地

20. paly a role 发挥作用21. baby boom 婴儿潮22. child-bearing 生育

23. demographers 人口统计学家24. see…as 当做是25. not just…but also 不但,而且

26. respectively 各自的27. except for 除了之外28. be composed of ….组成

29. flight 飞行,逃离30. over-crowdedness 过度拥挤31. bearable 可以忍受的

32. dramatize 戏剧化描述33. spacious 宽敞的34. smog 烟雾

35. plague 恼人的事情;瘟疫,灾害36. urbanization 都市化37. as a result 因此

38. little more than 仅仅是39. growth figure 增长数字40. considerably 大大地

难句精解

①Emerging from the 1980 census is the picture of a nation developing more and more regional competition, as population growth in the Northeast and Midwest reaches a near standstill.

这是主从复合句,逗号前面是主句,是个倒装句,主干句其实是The picture is emerging from the 1988 census。倒装的原因是这个句子的主语the picture后面有一个of引导的很长的修饰成分,其中nation后面跟随的分词短语表述了nation的某种状态;逗号后面是as引导的从句表示伴随,基本结构是population growth reaches a standstill

认识到第一个分句的倒装构成,nation后面的分词结构是对nation的表述;再者就是要搞清楚两个分句之间并列转折的关系。

②This development—and its strong implication for US politics and economy in years ahead—has enthroned the South as America's most densely populated region for the first time in the history of the nation's head counting.

首先不看破折号之间的内容,找出这个句子的主干:This development has enthroned the South as region。再看各个部分的修饰成分:主语后面的破折号之间是对主语的补充,即this development产生的另一种暗示,注意其中介词forin的用法;然后看region后面的状语for the first time in the history(有史以来第一次)。

注意破折号之间的插入部分在意义上是主语的补充部分;enthronehead counting对这个句子的理解很关键。注意head countingcensus通俗的说法。

③Nonstop waves of immigrants played a role, too—and so did bigger crops of babies as yesterday's "baby boom" generation reached its child-bearing years.

这是由两个分句组成的并列句,只不过第二个分句简化了一下。第一个分句很简单,主干是immigrants played a role。主语immigrants前面是其修饰成分。第二个分句是个主从复合句,主句是倒装形式,还原过来应该是Bigger crops of babies also played a role。因为前面已经提到了played a role,为了简洁,用so前导,后跟助动词did加主语就可以了;as引导了一个原因状语从句,指出这种情况发生的社会原因。

关键是要理解破折号后面倒装句的构成与意义,这样就会明白这个句子要说明的就是影响人口增长的两个原因:immigrantsbigger crops of babiescrop在这里是大量,大批的意思。

④Often they choose — and still are choosing — somewhat colder climates such as Oregon, Idaho and Alaska in order to escape smog, crime and other plagues of urbanization in the Golden State.

我们先来分析这个单句的主干:They choose and are still choosing colder climates in order to escape...。注意破折号之间是谓语动词的补充,表示另一种时间状态。在climates后面跟的是such as引导的三个州名,列举的是较为寒冷的几个州;后面是一个由in order to引导的表示目的的短语,其中escape的宾语有三个:smogcrime and other plaguesof短语修饰plagues,说明plagues发生的原因。

在时态上注意同一个谓语动词choose的两种时态,表示的两个时间概念;短语the Golden State是美国加利福尼亚州的别称。

⑤As a result, California's growth rate dropped during the 1970's, to 18.5 percent — little more than two thirds the 1960's growth figure and considerably below that of other Western states.

这个句子的结构是由数字的比较构成。第一处在于dropped to 18.5%(下降到了18.5%),不要理解成下降了18.5%;再一个是two thirds the 1960's growth figure,指的是60年代生长率的三分之二;below后面的that代替的是growth rate,目的是与其它西部各州相比较。对数字的理解是这个句子的关键,注意其中比较的是70年代与60年代、加州与西部其它各州的生长率。

试题解析

63. [B]人口向西南部迁移。

第二段指出,这一变化对美国未来几年(in years ahead)的政治和经济都有很大影响,同时,在人口统计史上,美国南部第一次成为人口最稠密的地区;第四段指出,自第二次世界大战以来,美国人一直有南迁和西迁的趋向,现在还是如此(and the pattern prevails),所谓西迁,主要是指向位于西南部的加利弗尼亚州迁移(见第五、九段);另外,本文所提到的人口增长速度较快的加利弗尼亚、亚利桑那、内华达等州都在美国西南部。

[A]是历史上人口净增长最低的十年。第二段指出,70年代,美国共增长了2320万人,从增长数量上来看,该年代增长幅度居于有史以来第三高位;但这一数字仅为总人口的11.4%,除了大萧条时代以外,这是美国有史最低的。[C]是有史以来人口增长最快的十年,不是最快的,错在用了最高级词汇。[D]自第二次世界大战以来的迁移趋向告一段落。与第四段内容自相矛盾。

64. [C] 意为:它显示了美国人寻求宽阔的生活空间的新倾向。

第七段指出,除了继续的南迁和西迁趋向外,人口统计学家还发现了一个相关的新现象:美国人迁移的目的不仅是寻找工作,而是越来越明显地寻找人口稀少的地区居住;第八段指出,离开拥挤的地区同时也改变了过去美国人一味逃离寒带、迁向气候温和地带(more-bearable climates)的做法;第九段也指出,1980年的统计最清楚地表明:美国人迁向最西部地区,是因为他们想寻找宽阔的生存空间(spacious living)

[A]它强调了气候对人口分布的影响。参考第八段。第六段第一句也指出,统计官员们说:并非所有的迁移都是 因为想脱离寒带。[B]它强调了不断的移民热对人口增长的影响。第六段第二句指出,不断的移民热潮(nonstop waves of immigrants)也起了一定作用,另外还有出生率的增长,因为上一轮出生高潮”(baby boom)出生的一代已经到了生育期。这里虽然提到了移民因素的影响,但作者并未强调它的作用。[D]它(详细地)说明了上一轮婴儿潮的后期效果。

65. [D] 意为:在所有州中,亚利桑那州的人口增长率名列第二。

第七段第二句指出,在所有州中,内华达州和亚利桑那州人口增长最多,分别为63.5%和53.1%。 [A]加利弗尼亚州曾经是美国人口最稀少的州。 [B]人口增长最快的十个州全在西部。第七段第二句指出,除了佛罗里达州(位于东南部)和得克萨斯州(位于中部)以外,人口增长速度最快的前十个州都在美国西部,人口750万,每平方英里约9人。 [C]气候好的城市普遍受益于人口的迁移。

66. [C] 意为:研究人口的科学家。

该词意为:人口统计学家。[A]支持民主运动的人,主要是来自所猜这个词的字形干扰demographers democracy 民主;其实这个词语应该与全文的主题有关,整篇文章在谈论美国国内的人口问题及其迁移,而且上一段提到census officers 人口普查官员,所以可以猜测这个单词也是与人口研究有关的人。[B]主张州际之间迁移的人。[D]坚持旧生活模式的保守分子。

参考译文

1980年美国人口普查显示出这样一幅图像:随着东北部和中西部人口增长近乎停止,地区间的竞争越来越激烈了。

这一发展——以及它对今后几年美国政治和经济的强大影响——使南部在美国人口普查史上第一次成为人口最密集的地区。

20世纪70年代,美国人口总共增长了2320——从数字上看,这是有纪录以来10年期人口增长的第三高峰。即使如此,人口总数也只增加了11.4%,除了大萧条时期,这是美国年度记录最低的增长率。

第二次世界大战以来,美国人大量向南部和西部迁移,而且这种趋势如今仍很盛行。

佛罗里达、得克萨斯和加利福尼亚这三个阳光充沛的地区,1980年的人口比前10年增加了近1000万。在大城市排行榜上,圣地亚哥从第14位上升到第8位,圣安东尼奥从第15位升到第10位,而克利夫兰和华盛顿特区却被挤出了前10位。

普查官员说,并非所有这些人口迁移都是为了离开寒冷地带。不断涌入的移民潮,还有以前生育高峰出生的那些孩子也已到了生育年龄,这些都发挥着作用。

而且,人口学家发现,向南部和向西部的不断迁移还伴随着一种相关却又较新的现象:越来越多的美国人显然不再仅仅寻找有更多工作机会的地方,也在寻找人口稀少的地方。例证如下:从区域上看,洛基山脉各州上报了自1970年以来最高的人口增长率——37.1%,而以前这片广阔的土地上的人口仅占美国总人口的5%。

从各州情况看,内华达和亚利桑那是增长最快的两个州:其增长率分别为63.5%和53.1%。除了佛罗里达州和得克萨斯州外,处于人口增长率前10位的都是西部各州,共有750万人——每平方英里约9个人。

离开人口过度稠密区的做法影响了以前那种离开寒冷地带去气候宜人之地的趋势。

没有哪次调查比1980年美国人口普查更能突出显示美国人迁往最西部是为了找到更广阔的生存空间。正因为如此,加利福尼亚州在70年代人口增加了370万,比其他任何州都多。

70年代也有大量的人离开加利福尼亚,大多数去了西部其他的地方。他们常常选择——现在依然这样选择——一些气候较冷的地区,如俄勒冈、爱达荷和阿拉斯加,为的是躲开金州加利福尼亚)的烟雾、犯罪和其他城市化进程中的问题。

结果,加利福尼亚的人口增长率在70年代降到了18.5——略高于60年代增长率的2/3,但大大低于西部其他各州。

1998 Text 5

Scattered around the globe are more than 100 small regions of isolated volcanic activity known to geologists as hot spots. Unlike most of the world's volcanoes, they are not always found at the boundaries of the great drifting plates that make up the earth's surface; on the contrary, many of them lie deep in the interior of a plate. Most of the hot spots move only slowly, and in some cases the movement of the plates past them has left trails of dead volcanoes. The hot spots and their volcanic trails are milestones that mark the passage of the plates.

That the plates are moving is now beyond dispute. Africa and South America, for example, are moving away from each other as new material is injected into the sea floor between them. The complementary coastlines and certain geological features that seem to span the ocean are reminders of where the two continents were once joined. The relative motion of the plates carrying these continents has been constructed in detail, but the motion of one plate with respect to another cannot readily be translated into motion with respect to the earth's interior. It is not possible to determine whether both continents are moving in opposite directions or whether one continent is stationary and the other is drifting away from it. Hot spots, anchored in the deeper layers of the earth, provide the measuring instruments needed to resolve the question. From an analysis of the hot-spot population it appears that the African plate is stationary and that it has not moved during the past 30 million years.

The significance of hot spots is not confined to their role as a frame of reference. It now appears that they also have an important influence on the geophysical processes that propel the plates across the globe. When a continental plate come to rest over a hot spot, the material rising from deeper layer creates a broad dome. As the dome grows, it develops deep fissures(cracks): in at least a few cases the continent may break entirely along some of these fissures, so that the hot spot initiates the formation of a new ocean. Thus just as earlier theories have explained the mobility of the continents, so hot spots may explain their mutability (inconstancy).

67. The author believes that ________.

[A] the motion of the plates corresponds to that of the earth's interior

[B] the geological theory about drifting plates has been proved to be true

[C] the hot spots and the plates move slowly in opposite directions

[D] the movement of hot spots proves the continents are moving apart

68. That Africa and South America were once joined can be deduced from the fact that ________.

[A] the two continents are still moving in opposite directions

[B] they have been found to share certain geological features

[C] the African plates has been stable for 30 million years

[D] over 100 hot spots are scattered all around the globe

69. The hot-spot theory may prove useful in explaining ________.

 [A] the structure of the African plates

 [B] the revival of dead volcanoes

[C] the mobility of the continents

[D] the formation of new oceans

70. The passage is mainly about ________.

[A] the features of volcanic activities

[B] the importance of the theory about drifting plates

[C] the significance of hot spots in geophysical studies

[D] the process of the formation of volcanoes

核心词汇

1. scatter 分散,散开,遍布2. globe 地球;global 全球的;globalize 全球化

3. more than 多于;不只是,不仅仅是4. isolated 孤立的,分开的

5. volcanic 火山的6. known to 所熟悉;known as 认为是;称作是;

7. hot spots 热点8. drift 漂移;漂浮9. plate 板块

10. make up 形成,构成; 编造;弥补;be made up of 组成

11. On the contrary 恰恰相反12. interior 内部的;exterior 外部的13. trail 痕迹;足迹

14. milestone 里程碑,象征15. mark 标志着16. beyond dispute 无可争议;毋庸置疑

17. inject 注入;注射18. complement 补充;complementary 补充的;compliment 赞扬

19. geological 地质的20. feature 特征21. reminder 提醒物;提醒;暗示

22. once 曾经;一旦,有一次23. motion 运动;动作24. in detail 具体地

25. with respect to 有关26. translate into 转变成;翻译成27. stationary 静止的

28. instrument 仪器,手段;工具29. significance 重要性30. confined to 局限在

31. appear 显得;看起来32. propel 推动;驱使33. at least 至少;at most 最多

34. initiate 开始;开辟35. mutability 不稳定性36. readily 乐意地

难句精解

①Unlike most of the world's volcanoes, they are not always found at the boundaries of the great drifting plates that make up the earth's surface; on the contrary, many of them lie deep in the interior of a plate.

这是一个由两个分句组成的并列句,中间由分号隔开。前一个分句的第一个部分是一个介词短语unlike,修饰的是这个句子的主语they,在plates的后面有一个that引导的定语从句,that所替代的plates在这个从句里作主语;第二个分句用on the contrary开始,表示与前面的情况形成对比,这个句子较简单,注意这里them指的是前文所说的hot spots

注意两个分句的对比关系,弄清哪个特征是they(hot spots)所具有的。

②The complementary coastlines and certain geological features that seem to span the ocean are reminders of where the two continents were once joined.

这个单句的主语是the complementary coastlines and certain geological features,后面带了一个定语从句,从句中that充当的是主语;表语名词reminders跟了一个of加上where引导的名词性表示地点从句的短语。where从句中用的是过去时,表示的是过去存在的结合状态。找出句子的主语、谓语(are)和表语(reminders),再看主语和表语的修饰成分。并注意reminders的意思是值得注意的地方,具有提醒作用的地方

③The relative motion of the plates carrying these continents has been constructed in detail, but the motion of the plates with respect to another cannot readily be translated into motion with respect to the earth's interior.

在这个用but连接的两个并列分句中,前一个分句主语的限定成分the plates带了一个现在分词短语,起修饰作用;后一个分句中注意谓语be translated into意为被解释为,这里的another指的是another plates。介词with respect to出现了两次,意思是相对于……”

对介词的理解是这个句子的关键,注意motion这个词在本句中指的是相对运动。

④It is not possible to determine whether both continents are moving in opposite directions or whether one continent is stationary and the other is drifting away from it.

这个简单句的主语it是个形式主语,真正的主语是后面to引导的不定式短语。这个短语中,determine后面跟的是whether... or whether...引导的选择关系的从句。注意后面whether从句中有两个分句,用and连接,其中the other指的是the other continent

找出该句真正的主语(不定式形式),注意两个whether从句的选择关系,以及后一个从句中两个小句所描述的相对关系。

⑤As the dome grows, it develops deep fissures(cracks): in at least a few cases the continent may break entirely along some of these fissures, so that the hot spot initiates the formation of a new ocean.

这个句子是由四个小分句组成,前两个分句是一个主从复合句,其中it指的是the dome;分号后面的句子有一个状语短语in at least a few cases,逗号后面是so that引导的表示结果的从句。在理解这个句子时,最好是能按时间的先后排列地质变化的过程。

试题解析

67. [B] 意为:地质学上的板块漂移说证明是正确的。

第二段第一句指出,对于板块漂移说目前已不存异议(beyond dispute)。例如,非洲和南美洲正在漂离,新物质不断注入二者之间的海底裂痕。

[A]板块的移动与地球内部的移动是相对应的。第一段指出,地球有100多个地质学家称之为热点的互不相邻的(isolated)火山活跃区。与地球上多数火山不同的是:它们并非都处在构成地球表面的巨大漂游板块的连接处,相反,它们多深埋在板块之下(lie deep in the interior of a plate)。这些热点移动缓慢,有时,当板块从它们上面移动过去时,就会留下死火山痕迹(trails of dead volcanoes)。热点及其火山痕迹标志着板块漂移而过。可见,二者的移动并没有相应处。[C]热点和板块缓慢作反方向移动。根据第一段,二者的移动并没有相应处。参阅上文题解。[D]热点的移动证明:大陆板块正在漂离。根据第一段最后一句,热点及其火山痕迹证明板块是移动的。

68. [B] 它们有某些共同的地质特征。

第二段指出,对于板块漂移说目前已不存异议。例如,非洲和南美洲正在漂离,新物质不断注入二者之间的海底裂痕;虽然有大洋(大西洋)相隔,二者的海岸线(形状)是互补的(complementary),共有某些地质特征,说明它们曾经是联在一起的。

[A]这两个大陆还在向相反方向移动。根据第二段最后一句,通过对热点区域的研究发现,非洲板块似乎是静止的(stationary),至少3000万年未移动了。[C]非洲板块至少3000万年未移动了。这也许是事实,但不是非洲和南美洲曾经是一个板块的证据。[D]地球有100多个热点。这也许是事实,但这也不是非洲和南美洲曾经是一个板块的证据。

69. [D] 意为:新的海洋的形成。

最后一段指出,热点说的意义不限于提供了一个参照点,它看来对推动板块移动的地质物理学过程也提供了解释。当板块处于热点之上时,底层物质会将板块顶起,形成(develop)巨大的弧线(a broad dome),弧线变高时,板块出现深深的裂痕。当有些地方裂痕迸裂后,就形成新的海洋。

[A]非洲板块的结构。[B]死火山的复活。[C]大陆板块的移动性。热点只能说明板块是移动的,但板块为什么是漂移的,本文却并没有解释。

70. [C] 意为:地质物理学中热点说的意义。

本文提到了这种学说的几方面的意义。见上文题解。[A]火山活动的特点。[B]板块漂移说的重要性。[D]火山的形成过程。

参考译文

地球上散落分布着100多个互不相连的小火山活动区,被地质学家称为热点。和世界上大多数火山不同的是,它们并不总是在构成地球表面的巨大漂流板块之间的边界上出现;相反,许多热点处于板块较深的内部。大多数热点移动非常缓慢,有时,板块滑过这些热点便留下了死火山的痕迹。热点及其火山痕迹是板块移动的标志。

板块漂移这一理论现在是毋庸置疑的。例如,以非洲和南美洲为例,由于有新的物质注入二者之间的海底,两大洲距离越来越远。但互相吻合的海岸线和某些似乎跨越海洋的地质特征会使人想到这两个大陆曾经是连在一起的。携带这些大陆的板块的相对运动已经能够被详细地阐述出来,但一个板块相对另一板块的运动还不能轻易地解释为它们相对于地球内部的运动。人们不能确定两个大陆是在朝相反的方向运动,还是一个大陆停止不动而另一个从它身边漂移开去。位于地球更深层的热点提供了解决该问题的测量仪器。从热点地区的人口情况分析来看,非洲板块似乎是固定的,在过去3000万年里也没有移动过。

热点的重要性不仅限于它们作为参照体系的作用。现在看来,它们还对推动板块在地球表面漂移这一地球物理过程有重要影响。当大陆板块漂移到热点上方,来自地球深层的物质便形成了巨大的圆顶状隆起物。随着这个圆顶的增长,板块出现深深的裂缝。至少有几次,大陆可能会沿着其中的一些裂缝完全裂开了,因此这个热点就引发了一个新的海洋的形成。这样,正像早期的理论解释了大陆的移动性一样,热点理论或许能解释大陆板块的不稳定性。

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