考研英语一阅读及答案

Text1(2010)

OfallthechangesthathavetakenplaceinEnglish-languagenewspapersduringthepastquarter-century,perhapsthemostfar-reachinghasbeentheinexorabledeclineinthescopeandseriousnessoftheirartscoverage.

Itisdifficulttothepointofimpossibilityfortheaveragereaderundertheageoffortytoimagineatimewhenhigh-qualityartscriticismcouldbefoundinmostbig-citynewspapers.Yetaconsiderablenumberofthemostsignificantcollectionsofcriticismpublishedinthe20thcenturyconsistedinlargepartofnewspaperreviews.Toreadsuchbookstodayistomarvelatthefactthattheirlearnedcontentswereoncedeemedsuitableforpublicationingeneral-circulationdailies.

WeareevenfartherremovedfromtheunfocusednewspaperreviewspublishedinEnglandbetweentheturnofthe20thcenturyandtheeveofWorldWarII,atatimewhennewsprintwasdirt-cheapandstylishartscriticismwasconsideredanornamenttothepublicationsinwhichitappeared.Inthosefar-offdays,itwastakenforgrantedthatthecriticsofmajorpaperswouldwriteindetailandatlengthabouttheeventstheycovered.Theirswasaseriousbusiness,andeventhosereviewerswhoworetheirlearninglightly,likeGeorgeBernardShawandErnestNewman,couldbetrustedtoknowwhattheywereabout.Thesemenbelievedinjournalismasacalling,andwereproudtobepublishedinthedailypress.“Sofewauthorshavebrainsenoughorliterarygiftenoughtokeeptheirownendupinjournalism,”Newmanwrote,“thatIamtemptedtodefine‘journalism'as‘atermofcontemptappliedbywriterswhoarenotreadtowriterswhoare.'”

Unfortunately,thesecriticsarevirtuallyforgotten.NevilleCardus,whowrotefortheManchesterGuardianfrom1917untilshortlybeforehisdeathin1975,isnowknownsolelyasawriterofessaysonthegameofcricket.Duringhislifetime,though,hewasalsooneofEngland'sforemostclassical-musiccritics,astylistsowidelyadmiredthathisAutobiography(1947)becameabest-seller.Hewasknightedin1967,thefirstmusiccritictobesohonored.Yetonlyoneofhisbooksisnowinprint,andhisvastbodyofwritingsonmusicisunknownsavetospecialists.

IsthereanychancethatCardus'scriticismwillenjoyarevival?Theprospectseemsremote.Journalistictasteshadchangedlongbeforehisdeath,andpostmodernreadershavelittleusefortherichlyupholsteredVicwardianproseinwhichhespecialized.Moreover,theamateurtraditioninmusiccriticismhasbeeninheadlongretreat.

ItisindicatedinParagraphs1and2that.

artscriticismhasdisappearedfrombig-citynewspapers.

English-languagenewspapersusedtocarrymoreartsreviews.

high-qualitynewspapersretainalargebodyofreaders.

youngreadersdoubtthesuitabilityofcriticismondailies.

NewspaperreviewsinEnglandbeforeWorldWarIIwerecharacterizedby.

freethemes.[B]casualstyle.

[C]elaboratelayout.[D]radicalviewpoints.

WhichofthefollowingwouldShawandNewmanmostprobablyagreeon?

Itiswriters'dutytofulfilljournalisticgoals.

Itiscontemptibleforwriterstobejournalists.

Writersarelikelytobetemptedintojournalism.

Notallwritersarecapableofjournalisticwriting.

WhatcanbelearnedaboutCardusaccordingtothelasttwoparagraphs?

Hismusiccriticismmaynotappealtoreaderstoday.

Hisreputationasamusiccritichaslongbeenindispute.

Hisstylecaterslargelytomodernspecialists.

[D]Hiswritingsfailtofollowtheamateurtradition.

Whatwouldbethebesttitleforthetext?

NewspapersoftheGoodOldDays

TheLostHorizoninNewspapers

MournfulDeclineofJournalism

ProminentCriticsinMemory

Text2（2010）

Overthepastdecade,thousandsofpatentshaveseengrantedforwhatarecalledbusinessmethods.Amazoncomreceivedoneforits“one-click”onlinepaymentsystemMerrillLynchgotlegalprotectionforanassetallocationstrategy.Oneinventorpatentedatechniqueforlyingabox.

Nowthenation'stoppatentcourtappearscompletelyreadytoscalehackonbusiness-methodpatents,whichhavebeencontroversialeversincetheywerefirstauthorized10yearsago.Inamovethathasintellectual-propertylawyersabuzztheU.ScourtofAppealsforthefederalcircuitsaiditwoulduseparticularcasetoconductabroadreviewofbusiness-methodpatents.InreBil,saksithecaseisknown,is“averybigdeal,”saysDennisD.CrouchoftheUniversityofMissouriSchooloflaw.It“hasthepotentialtoeliminateanentireclassofpatents.”

Curbsonbusiness-methodclaimswouldbeadramaticabout-facebecauseitwasthefederalcircuititselfthatintroducedsuchpatentswithis1998decisionintheso-calledstateStreetBankcase,approvingapatentonawayofpoolingmutual-fundassets.Thatrulingproducedanexplosioninbusiness-methodpatentfilings,initiallybyemerginginternetcompaniestryingtostakeoutexclusivepintstospecifictypesofonlinetransactions.Later,moveestablishedcompaniesracedtoaddsuchpatentstotheirfiles,ifonlyasadefensivemoveagainstrivalsthatmightbentthemtothepunch.In2005,IBMnotedinacourtfilingthatithadbeenissuedmorethan300business-methodpatentsdespitethefactthatitquestionedthelegalbasisforgrantingthem.Similarly,someWallStreetinvestmentfilmsarmedthemselveswithpatentsforfinancialproducts,evenastheytookpositionsincourtcasesopposingthepractice.

TheBilskicaseinvolvesaclaimedpatentonamethodforhedgingriskintheenergymarket.TheFederalcircuitissuedanunusualorderstatingthatthecasewouldbeheardbyall12ofthecourt'sjudges,ratherthanatypicalpanelofthree,andthatoneissueitwantstoevaluateiswhetheritshould“reconsider”itsstatestreetBankruling.

TheFederalCircuit'sactioncomesinthewakeofaseriesofrecentdecisionsbythesupreme.Countthathasnarrowedthescopeofprotectionsforpatentholders.LastApril,forexamplethejusticessignaledthattoomanypatentswerebeingupheldfor“inventions”thatareobvious.ThejudgesontheFederalcircuitare“reactiontotheanti-patenttrendatthesupremecourt”saysHaroldC.Wegner,apatentattorneyandprofessoratWashingtonUniversityLawSchool.

Business-methodpatentshaverecentlyarousedconcernbecauseof.

theirlimitedvaluetobusiness

theirconnectionwithassetallocation

thepossiblerestrictionontheirgranting

thecontroversyoverauthorization

WhichofthefollowingistrueoftheBilskicase?

Itsrulingcomplieswiththecourtdecisions

Itinvolvesaverybigbusinesstransaction

IthasbeendismissedbytheFederalCircuit

ItmaychangethelegalpracticesintheU.S.

28.Theword“about-face”(Line1,Para3)mostprobablymeans.

lossofgoodwill[B]increaseofhostility

[C]changeofattitude[D]enhancementofdisunity

Welearnfromthelasttwoparagraphsthatbusiness-methodpatents.

areimmunetolegalchallenges

areoftenunnecessarilyissued

lowertheesteemforpatentholders

increasetheincidenceofrisks

Whichofthefollowingwouldbethesubjectofthetext?

Aloomingthreattobusiness-methodpatents

Protectionforbusiness-methodpatentholders

Alegalcaseregardingbusiness-methodpatents

Aprevailingtreadagainstbusiness-methodpatents

Text3(2010)

InhisbookTheTippingPointMalcolmAladuellarguesthat“socialepidemics”aredriveninlargepartbytheactionsofatinyminorityofspecialindividuals,oftencalledinfluentials,whoareunusuallyinformed,persuasive,orwellconnected.Theideaisintuitivelycompelling,butitdoesn'texplainhowideasactuallyspread.

Thesupposedimportanceofinfluentialsderivesfromaplausible-soundingbutlargelyuntestedtheorycalledthe“two-stepflowofcommunication”：Informationflowsfromthemediatotheinfluentialsandfromthemtoeveryoneelse.Marketershaveembracedthetwo-stepflowbecauseitsuggeststhatiftheycanjustfindandinfluencetheinfluentials,thoseselectedpeoplewilldomostoftheworkforthem.Thetheoryalsoseemstoexplainthesuddenandunexpectedpopularityofcertainlooks,brands,orneighborhoods.Inmanysuchcases,acursorysearchforcausesfindsthatsomesmallgroupofpeoplewaswearing,promoting,ordevelopingwhateveritisbeforeanyoneelsepaidattention.Anecdotalevidenceofthiskindfitsnicelywiththeideathatonlycertainspecialpeoplecandrivetrends.

Intheirrecentwork,however,someresearchershavecomeupwiththefindingthatinfluentialshavefarlessimpactonsocialepidemicsthanisgenerallysupposed.Infact,theydon'tseemtoberequiredatall.

Theresearchers'argumentstemsfromasimpleobservationaboutsocialinfluence:WiththeexceptionofafewcelebritieslikeOprahWinfrey—whoseoutsizepresenceisprimarilyafunctionofmedia,notinterpersonal,influence—eventhemostinfluentialmembersofapopulationsimplydon'tinteractwiththatmanyothers.Yetitispreciselythesenon-celebrityinfluentialswho,accordingtothetwo-step-flowtheory,aresupposedtodrivesocialepidemics,byinfluencingtheirfriendsandcolleaguesdirectly.Forasocialepidemictooccur,however,eachpersonsoaffectedmusttheninfluencehisorherownacquaintances,whomustinturninfluencetheirs,andsoon;andjusthowmanyotherspayattentiontoeachofthesepeoplehaslittletodowiththeinitialinfluential.Ifpeopleinthenetworkjusttwodegreesremovedfromtheinitialinfluentialproveresistant,forexample,thecascadeofchangewon'tpropagateveryfaroraffectmanypeople.

Buildingonthebasictruthaboutinterpersonalinfluence,theresearchersstudiedthedynamicsofsocialinfluencebyconductingthousandsofcomputersimulationsofpopulations,manipulatinganumberofvariablesrelatingtopeople'sabilitytoinfluenceothersandtheirtendencytobeinfluenced.Theyfoundthattheprincipalrequirementforwhatiscalled“globalcascades”—thewidespreadpropagationofinfluencethroughnetworks—isthepresencenotofafewinfluentialsbut,rather,ofacriticalmassofeasilyinfluencedpeople.

BycitingthebookTheTippingPointtheauthorintendsto.

analyzetheconsequencesofsocialepidemics

discussinfluentials'functioninspreadingideas

exemplifypeople'sintuitiveresponsetosocialepidemics

describetheessentialcharacteristicsofinfluentials

Theauthorsuggeststhatthe“two-step-flowtheory”.

servesasasolutiontomarketingproblems

hashelpedexplaincertainprevalenttrends

haswonsupportfrominfluentials

[D]requiressolidevidenceforitsvalidity

33.Whattheresearchershaveobservedrecentlyshowsthat.

thepowerofinfluencegoeswithsocialinteractions

interpersonallinkscanbeenhancedthroughthemedia

influentialshavemorechannelstoreachthepublic

mostcelebritieaenjoywidemediaattention

34.Theunderlinedphrase“thesepeople”inparagraph4referstotheoneswho.

stayoutsidethenetworkofsocialinfluence[B]havelittlecontactwiththesourceofinfluence

[C]areinfluencedandtheninfluenceothers[D]areinfluencedbytheinitialinfluential

Whatistheessentialelementinthedynamicsofsocialinfluence?

[A]Theeagernesstobeaccepted[B]Theimpulsetoinfluenceothers

[C]Thereadinesstobeinfluenced[D]Theinclinationtorelyonothers

Text4(2010)

Bankershavebeenblamingthemselvesfortheirtroublesinpublic.Behindthescenes,theyhavebeentakingaimatsomeoneelsetheaccountingstandard-setters.Theirrules,moanthebanks,haveforcedthemtoreportenormouslosses,andit'sjustnotfair.Theserulessaytheymustvaluesomeassetsatthepriceathirdpartywouldpay,notthepricemanagersandregulatorswouldlikethemtofetch.

Unfortunately,banks'lobbyingnowseemstobeworking.Thedetailsmaybeunknowable,buttheindependenceofstandard-setters,essentialtotheproperfunctioningofcapitalmarkets,isbeingcompromised.And,unlessbankscarrytoxicassetsatpricesthatattractbuyers,revivingthebankingsystemwillbedifficult.AfterabruisingencounterwithCongress,America'sFinancialAccountingStandardsBoard(FASB)rushedthroughrulechanges.Thesegavebanksmorefreedomtousemodelstovalueilliquidassetsandmoreflexibilityinrecognizinglossesonlong0termassetsintheirincomestatement.BobHerz,theFASB'schairman,criedoutagainstthosewho“questionourmotives.”Yetbanksharesroseandthechangesenhancewhatonelobbygrouppolitelycalls“theuseofjudgmentbymanagement.”

EuropeanministersinstantlydemandedthattheInternationalAccountingStandardsBoard(IASB)dolikewise.TheIASBsaysitdoesnotwanttoactwithoutoverallplanning,butthepressuretofoldwhenitcompletesitreconstructionofruleslaterthisyearisstrongCharlieMcCreevy,aEuropeancommissioner,warnedtheIASBthatitdid“notliveinapoliticalvacuum”but“intherealworld”andtheEuropecouldyetdevelopdifferentrules.

Itwasbanksthatwereonthewrongplanet；withaccountsthatvastlyovervaluedassets.Todaytheyarguethatmarketpricesoverstatelosses,becausetheyLargelyreflectthetemporaryilliquidityofmarkets,notthelikelyextentofbaddebts.Thetruthwillnotbeknownforyears.Butbank'ssharestradebelowtheirbookvalue；suggestingthatinvestorsareskeptical.Anddeadmarketspartlyreflecttheparalysisofbankswhichwillnotsellassetsforfearofbookinglosses；yetarereluctanttobuyallthosesuppo