20xx年英语六级考试阅读理解技巧训练：社会现象与问题类

20xx年英语六级考试阅读理解技巧

训练：社会现象与问题类20xx年英语六级考试阅读理解技巧训练：社会现象与问题类社会现象与问题类Passage1Somefuturologistshaveassumedthatthevastupsurge（剧增）ofwomenintheworkforcemayportendarejectionofmarriage.Manywomen,accordingtothishypothesis,wouldratherworkthanmarry.Theconverse（反面）ofthisconcernisthattheprospectsofbecomingamulti-paycheckhouseholdcouldencouragemarriages.Inthepast,onlytheearningsandfinancialprospectsofthemancountedinthemarriagedecision.Now,however,theearningabilityofawomancanmakehermoreattractiveasathereisapositivesidetohighheels.First,heelsareexcellentforaerating（使通气）lawns・AnyonewhohaseverwornheelsongrassknowswhatIamtalkingabout.Asimpletriparoundtheyardinapairofthosebabieseliminatesallneedtocallforalawncarespecialist,andprovidestheperfect-sizedholestogiveanylawnoxygenwithoutallthosemessychunksofdirtlyingaround.Second,heelsarequitefunctionalfordefenseagainstoncomingenemies,whocaneasilybescaredawaybythreateningthemwithapairofthesesharp,deadlyfashionaccessories.Regardlessofsuchpracticalusesforheels,thefactremainsthatwearinghighheelsisharmfultoonesphysicalhealth.Talktoanypodiatrist（足病医生），andyouwillhearthatthemajorityoftheirbusinesscomesfromhigh-heel-wearingwomen.Highheelsareknowntocauseproblemssuchasdeformedfeetandtorntoenails.Theriskofseverebackproblemsandtwistedorbrokenanklesisthreetimeshigherforaflatshoewearer.Wearingheelsalsocreatesthethreatofgettingaheelcaughtinasidewalkcrackorasewer-grate（阴沟栅）andbeingthrowntothegroundpossiblybreakinganose,back,orneck.Andofcourse,afterwearingheelsforaday,anywomanknowsshecanlookforwardtoanightofpainasshetriestocomfortherswollen,achingfeet.Whatmakeswomenblindtothedeceptivenatureofhighheels?A)Themulti-functionaluseofhighheels.B)Theirattempttoshowofftheirstatus.C)Therichvarietyofhighheelstyles.D)Theirwishtoimprovetheirappearance.Theauthorspresentationofthepositivesideofhighheelsismeant.A)tobeironicB)topokefunatwomenC)tobefairtothefashionindustryD)tomakehispointconvincingTheauthorusestheexpressionthosebabies(Line3,Para.2)torefertohighheels.A)toshowtheirfragilecharacteristicsB)toindicatetheirfemininefeaturesC)toshowwomensaffectionforthemD)toemphasizetheirsmallsizeTheauthorschiefargumentagainsthighheelsisthat.theyposeathreattolawns B)theyareinjurioustowomenshealththeydontnecessarilymakewomenbeautifultheyareineffectiveasaweaponofdefenseItcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatwomenshould.seethroughtheverynatureoffashionmythsboycotttheproductsofthefashionindustrygotoapodiatristregularlyforadviceavoidfollowingfashiontoocloselyPassage4Intheworldofentertainment,TVtalkshowshaveundoubtedlyfloodedeveryinchofspaceondaytimetelevision.Andanyonewhowatchesthemregularlyknowsthateachonevariesinstyleandformat.Butnotwoshowsaremoreprofoundlyoppositeincontent,whileatthesametimestandingoutabovetherest,thantheJerrySpringerandtheOprahWinfreyshows.JerrySpringercouldeasilybeconsideredthekingoftrashtalk(废话).Thetopicsonhisshowareasshockingasshockingcanbe.Forexample,theshowtakestheever-commontalkshowthemesoflove,sex,cheating,guilt,hate,conflictandmoralitytoadifferentlevel.Clearly,theJerrySpringershowisadisplayandexploitationofsocietysmoralcatastrophes（灾难），yetpeoplearewillingtoeatuptheintriguingpredicaments（逆境）ofotherpeopleslives.LikeJerrySpringer,OprahWinfreytakesTVtalkshowtoitsextreme,butOprahgoesintheoppositedirection.Theshowfocusesontheimprovementofsocietyandanindividualsqualityoflife.Topicsrangefromteachingyourchildrenresponsibility,managingyourworkweek,togettingtoknowyourneighbors.ComparedtoOprah,theJerrySpringershowlookslikepoisonouswastebeingdumpedonsociety.Jerryendseveryshowwithafinalword.Hemakesasmallspeechthatsumsuptheentiremoraloftheshow.Hopefully,thisisthepartwheremostpeoplewilllearnsomethingveryvaluable.Cleanasitis,theOprahshowisnotforeveryone.Theshowsmaintargetaudiencearemiddle-classAmericans.Mostofthesepeoplehavethetime,moneyandstabilitytodealwithlifestougherproblems.JerrySpringer,ontheotherhand,hasmoreofanassociationwiththeyoungadultsofsociety.Theseare18-to21-year-oldswhosemaintroublesinlifeinvolvelove,relationship,sex,moneyandpeers.Theyaretheoneswhoseesomevalueandlessonstobelearnedunderneaththeshowsexploitation.Whilethetwoshowsareasdifferentasnightandday,bothhaveruledthetalkshowcircuitformanyyearsnow.Eachonecaterstoadifferentaudiencewhilebothhaveastrongfollowingfromlargegroupsoffans.Ironically,bothcouldalsobeconsideredpioneersinthetalkshowworld.ComparedwithotherTVtalkshows,boththeJerrySpringerandtheOprahWinfreyare.A)morefamilyorientedB)unusuallypopularC)moreprofoundD)relativelyformal2.ThoughthesocialproblemsJerrySpringertalksaboutappeardistasteful,theaudience.A)remainfascinatedbythemB)arereadytofaceuptothemC)remainindifferenttothemD)arewillingtogetinvolvedinthemWhichofthefollowingislikelytobeatopicoftheOprahWinfreyshow?A)Anewtypeofrobot.B)Racisthatred.C)Familybudgetplanning.D)Streetviolence.Despitetheirdifferentapproaches,thetwotalkshowsareboth.A)ironicalB)sensitiveC)instructiveD)cynicalWecanlearnfromthepassagethatthetwotalkshows.A)havemonopolizedthetalkshowcircuitB)exploittheweaknessesinhumannatureC)appearatdifferenttimesofthedayD)aretargetedatdifferentaudiencesmarriagepartner.Datashowthateconomicdownturnstendtopostponemarriagebecausethepartiescannotaffordtoestablishafamilyorareconcernedaboutrainydaysahead.Astheeconomyrebounds,thenumberofmarriagesalsorises.Coincidentwiththeincreaseinwomenworkingoutsidethehomeistheincreaseindivorcerates.Yet,itmaybewrongtojumptoanysimplecause-and-effectconclusions.Theimpactofawifesworkondivorceisnolesscloudythanitsimpactonmarriagedecisions.Therealizationthatshecanbeagoodprovidermayincreasethechancesthataworkingwifewillchoosedivorceoveranunsatisfactorymarriage.Butthereverseisequallyplausible.Tensionsgroundedinfinancialproblemsoftenplayakeyroleinendingamarriage.Givenhighunemployment,inflationaryproblems,andslowgrowthinrealearnings,aworkingwifecanincreasehouseholdincomeandrelievesomeofthesepressingfinancialburdens.Byraisingafamilysstandardofliving,aworkingwifemaystrengthenherfamilysfinancialandemotionalstability.Psychologicalfactorsalsoshouldbeconsidered.Forexample,awifeblockedfromacareeroutsidethehomemayfeelcagedinthehouse.Shemayviewheronlychoiceasseekingadivorce.Ontheotherhand,ifshecanfindfulfillmentthroughworkoutsidethehome,workandmarriagecangotogethertocreateastrongerandmorestableunion.Also,amajorpartofwomensinequalityinmarriagehasbeenduetothefactthat,inmostcases,menhaveremainedthemainbreadwinners.Withhigherearningcapacityandstatusoccupationsoutsideofthehomecomesthecapacitytoexercisepowerwithinthefamily.Aworkingwifemayrobahusbandofbeingthemasterofthehouse.Dependinguponhowthecouplereactstothesenewconditions,itcouldcreateastrongerequalpartnershiporitcouldcreatenewinsecurities.Thewordportend(Para.1)isclosestinmeaningto ・A)defyB)signalC)sufferfromD)resultfromItissaidinthepassagethatwhentheeconomyslides,・menwouldchooseworkingwomenastheirmarriagepartnersmorewomenwouldgetmarriedtoseekfinancialsecurityevenworkingwomenwouldworryabouttheirmarriagesmorepeoplewouldprefertoremainsingleforthetimebeingIfwomenfindfulfillmentthroughworkoutsidethehome,.theyaremorelikelytodominatetheirmarriagepartnerstheirhusbandsareexpectedtodomorehouseworktheirmarriagetiescanbestrengthenedD)theytendtoputtheircareerbeforemarriageOnereasonwhywomenwithnocareermayseekadivorceisthat・theyfeelthattheyhavebeenrobbedoftheirfreedomtheyareafraidofbeingbossedaroundbytheirhusbandstheyfeelthattheirpartnersfailtoliveuptotheirexpectationstheytendtosuspecttheirhusbandsloyaltytotheirmarriageWhichofthefollowingstatementscanbestsummarizetheauthorsviewinthepassage?A)Thestabilityofmarriageandthedivorceratemayreflecttheeconomicsituationofthecountry.Evenwheneconomicallyindependent,mostwomenhavetostruggleforrealequalityinmarriage.InordertosecuretheirmarriagewomenshouldworkoutsidethehomeandremainindependentTheimpactofthegrowingfemaleworkforceonmarriagevariesfromcasetocase.Passage2Nowomancanbetoorichortoothin.ThissayingoftenattributedtothelateDuchess(公爵夫人)ofWindsorembodiesmuchoftheoddspiritofourtimes.Beingthinisdeemedassuchavirtue.Theproblemwithsuchaviewisthatsomepeopleactuallyattempttolivebyit.Imyselfhavefantasiesofslippingintonarrowdesignerclothes.Consequently,Ihavebeenonadietforthebetterorworsepartofmylife.Beingrichwouldntbebadeither,butthatwonthappenunlessanunknownrelativediessuddenlyinsomedistantland,leavingmemillionsofdollars.Wheredidwegooffthetrack?Whendideatingbutterbecomeasin,andalittlebitofextrafleshunappealing,ifnotrepellent?Allreligionshavecertaindayswhenpeoplerefrainfromeating,andexcessiveeatingisoneofChristianityssevendeadlysins.However,untilquiterecently,mostpeoplehadaproblemgettingenoughtoeat.Insomereligiousgroups,wealthwassymbolofprobablesalvationandhighmoralsandfatnessasignofwealthandwellbeing.Todaytheoppositeistrue.Wehaveshiftedtothinnessasournewmarkofvirtue.Theresultisthatbeingfatorevenonlysomewhatoverweightisbadbecauseitimpliesalackofmoralstrength.Ourobsession（痴迷）withthinnessisalsofuelledbyhealthconcerns.Itistruethatinthiscountrywehavemoreoverweightpeoplethaneverbefore,andthatinmanycases,beingoverweightcorrelateswithanincreasedriskofheartandbloodvesseldisease.Thesediseases,however,mayhaveasmuchtodowithourwayoflifeandourhigh-fatdietsaswithexcessweight.Andtheassociatedriskofcancerinthedigestivesystemmaybemoreofadietaryproblemtoomuchfatandalackoffiberhanaweightproblem.Therealconcern,then,isnotthatweweightoomuch,butthatweneitherexerciseenoughnoreatwell.Exerciseisnecessaryforstrongbonesandbothheartandlunghealth.Abalanceddietwithoutalotoffatcanalsohelpthebodyavoidmanydiseases.Weshouldsurelystoppayingsomuchattentiontoweight.Simplybeingthinisnotenough.Itisactuallyhazardousifthosewhogetthinthinktheyareautomaticallyhealthyandthusfreefrompayingattentiontotheiroveralllife-style.Thinnesscanbepurevainglory(虚荣).Intheeyesoftheauthor,anoddphenomenonnowadaysisthat.theDuchessofWindsorisregardedasawomanofvirtuelookingslimisasymbolofhavingalargefortunebeingthinisviewedasamuchdesiredqualityD)religiouspeoplearenotnecessarilyvirtuousSweptbytheprevailingtrend,theauthor.hadtogoonadietforthegreaterpartofherlifecouldstillpreventherselffromgoingoffthetrackhadtoseekhelpfromrichdistantrelativeshadtowearhighlyfashionableclothesInhumanhistory,peoplesviewsonbodyweight.A)werecloselyrelatedtotheirreligiousbeliefsB)changedfromtimetotimeC)variedbetweenthepo