SectionIIReadingComprehensionPartA
Directions:Readthefollowingfourtexts.Answerthequestionsbeloweachtextby
choosingA,B,CorD.MarkyouranswersontheANSWERSHEET.(40points)
Text1
Inspiteof“endlesstalkofdifference,”Americansocietyisanamazingmachineforhomogenizingpeople.Thereis“thedemocratizinguniformityofdressanddiscourse,andthecasualnessandabsenceofdeference”characteristicofpopularculture.Peopleareabsorbedinto“acultureofconsumption”launchedbythe19th-centurydepartmentstoresthatoffered“vastarraysofgoodsinanelegantatmosphere.Insteadofintimateshopscateringtoaknowledgeableelite,”thesewerestores“anyonecouldenter,regardlessofclassorbackground.Thisturnedshoppingintoapublicanddemocraticact.”Themassmedia,advertisingandsportsareotherforcesforhomogenization.
Immigrantsarequicklyfittingintothiscommonculture,whichmaynotbealtogetherelevatingbutishardlypoisonous.WritingfortheNationalImmigrationForum,GregoryRodriguezreportsthattoday’simmigrationisneitheratunprecedentedlevelsnorresistanttoassimilation.In1998immigrantswere9.8percentofpopulation;in1900,13.6percent.Inthe10yearspriorto1990,3.1immigrantsarrivedforevery1,000residents;inthe10yearspriorto1890,9.2forevery1,000.Now,considerthreeindicesofassimilation--language,homeownershipandintermarriage.
The1990Censusrevealedthat“amajorityofimmigrantsfromeachofthefifteenmostcommoncountriesoforiginspokeEnglish‘well’or‘verywell’aftertenyearsofresidence.”ThechildrenofimmigrantstendtobebilingualandproficientinEnglish.“Bythethirdgeneration,theoriginallanguageislostinthemajorityofimmigrantfamilies.”HencethedescriptionofAmericaasa“graveyard”forlanguages.
By1996foreign-bornimmigrantswhohadarrivedbefore1970hadahomeownershiprateof75.6percent,higherthanthe69.8percentrateamongnative-bornAmericans.
Foreign-bornAsiansandHispanics“havehigherratesofintermarriagethandoU.S.-bornwhitesandblacks.”Bythethirdgeneration,onethirdofHispanicwomenaremarriedtonon-Hispanics,and41percentofAsian-Americanwomenaremarriedtonon-Asians.
RodrigueznotesthatchildreninremotevillagesaroundtheworldarefansofsuperstarslikeArnoldSchwarzeneggerandGarthBrooks,yet“someAmericansfearthatimmigrantslivingwithintheUnitedStatesremainsomehowimmunetothenation’sassimilativepower.”
AretheredivisiveissuesandpocketsofseethingangerinAmerica?Indeed.Itisbigenoughtohaveabitofeverything.ButparticularlywhenviewedagainstAmerica’sturbulentpast,today’ssocialindiceshardlysuggestadarkanddeterioratingsocialenvironment.
21.Theword“homogenizing”(Line2,Paragraph1)mostprobablymeans
________.[A]identifying[B]associating[C]assimilating[D]monopolizing
22.Accordingtotheauthor,thedepartmentstoresofthe19thcentury________.
[A]playedaroleinthespreadofpopularculture[B]becameintimateshopsforcommonconsumers[C]satisfiedtheneedsofaknowledgeableelite[D]oweditsemergencetothecultureofconsumption23.ThetextsuggeststhatimmigrantsnowintheU.S.________.
[A]areresistanttohomogenization
[B]exertagreatinfluenceonAmericanculture[C]arehardlyathreattothecommonculture[D]constitutethemajorityofthepopulation
24.WhyareArnoldSchwarzeneggerandGarthBrooksmentionedinParagraph5?
[A]Toprovetheirpopularityaroundtheworld.[B]Torevealthepublic’sfearofimmigrants.[C]Togiveexamplesofsuccessfulimmigrants.[D]ToshowthepowerfulinfluenceofAmericanculture.
25.Intheauthor’sopinion,theabsorptionofimmigrantsintoAmericansocietyis
________.[A]rewarding[B]successful[C]fruitless[D]harmful
Text2
Stratford-on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry--WilliamShakespeare--buttherearetwodistinctlyseparateandincreasinglyhostilebranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichpresentssuperbproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatreontheAvon.Andtherearethetownsfolkwholargelyliveoffthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplays,buttolookatAnneHathaway’sCottage,Shakespeare’sbirthplaceandtheothersights.
TheworthyresidentsofStratforddoubtthatthetheatreaddsapennytotheirrevenue.TheyfranklydisliketheRSC’sactors,themwiththeirlonghairandbeardsandsandalsandnoisiness.It’salldeliciouslyironicwhenyouconsiderthat
Shakespeare,whoearnstheirliving,washimselfanactor(withabeard)anddidhisshareofnoise-making.
Thetouriststreamsarenotentirelyseparate.Thesightseerswhocomebybus--andoftentakeinWarwickCastleandBlenheimPalaceontheside--don’tusuallyseetheplays,andsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatreinStratford.However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplaygoing.Itistheplaygoers,theRSCcontends,whobringinmuchofthetown’srevenuebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringcashintothehotelsandrestaurants.Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.
Thetownsfolkdon’tseeitthiswayandlocalcouncildoesnotcontributedirectlytothesubsidyoftheRoyalShakespeareCompany.Stratfordcriespoortraditionally.Neverthelesseveryhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingorcocktaillounge.Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyoumaybesurewillbedecoratedwithHamletHamburgerBars,theLearLounge,theBanquoBanquetingRoom,andsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.
Anyway,thetownsfolkcan’tunderstandwhytheRoyalShakespeareCompanyneedsasubsidy.(Thetheatrehasbrokenattendancerecordsforthreeyearsinarow.Lastyearits1,431seatswere94percentoccupiedallyearlongandthisyearthey’lldobetter.)Thereason,ofcourse,isthatcostshaverocketedandticketpriceshavestayedlow.
ItwouldbeashametoraisepricestoomuchbecauseitwoulddriveawaytheyoungpeoplewhoareStratford’smostattractiveclientele.Theycomeentirelyfortheplays,notthesights.Theyallseemtolookalike(thoughtheycomefromallover)--lean,pointed,dedicatedfaces,wearingjeansandsandals,eatingtheirbunsandbeddingdownforthenightontheflagstonesoutsidethetheatretobuythe20seatsand80standing-roomticketsheldforthesleepersandsoldtothemwhentheboxofficeopensat10:30a.m.
26.Fromthefirsttwoparagraphs,welearnthat________.
[A]thetownsfolkdenytheRSC’scontributiontothetown’srevenue[B]theactorsoftheRSCimitateShakespeareonandoffstage[C]thetwobranchesoftheRSCarenotongoodterms[D]thetownsfolkearnlittlefromtourism27.ItcanbeinferredfromParagraph3that________.
[A]thesightseerscannotvisittheCastleandthePalaceseparately[B]theplaygoersspendmoremoneythanthesightseers[C]thesightseersdomoreshoppingthantheplaygoers[D]theplaygoersgotonootherplacesintownthanthetheater
28.Bysaying“Stratfordcriespoortraditionally”(Line2-3,Paragraph4),theauthor
impliesthat________.
[A]Stratfordcannotaffordtheexpansionprojects[B]Stratfordhaslongbeeninfinancialdifficulties[C]thetownisnotreallyshortofmoney[D]thetownsfolkusedtobepoorlypaid
29.Accordingtothetownsfolk,theRSCdeservesnosubsidybecause________.
[A]ticketpricescanberaisedtocoverthespending[B]thecompanyisfinanciallyill-managed
[C]thebehavioroftheactorsisnotsociallyacceptable[D]thetheatreattendanceisontherise
30.Fromthetextwecanconcludethattheauthor________.
[A]issupportiveofbothsides[B]favorsthetownsfolk’sview[C]takesadetachedattitude
[D]issympathetictotheRSC
Text3
Whenprehistoricmanarrivedinnewpartsoftheworld,somethingstrangehappenedtothelargeanimals.Theysuddenlybecameextinct.Smallerspeciessurvived.Thelarge,slow-growinganimalswereeasygame,andwerequicklyhuntedtoextinction.Nowsomethingsimilarcouldbehappeningintheoceans.
Thattheseasarebeingoverfishedhasbeenknownforyears.WhatresearcherssuchasRansomMyersandBorisWormhaveshownisjusthowfastthingsarechanging.Theyhavelookedathalfacenturyofdatafromfisheriesaroundtheworld.Theirmethodsdonotattempttoestimatetheactualbiomass(theamountoflivingbiologicalmatter)offishspeciesinparticularpartsoftheocean,butratherchangesinthatbiomassovertime.AccordingtotheirlatestpaperpublishedinNature,thebiomassoflargepredators(animalsthatkillandeatotheranimals)inanewfisheryisreducedonaverageby80%within15yearsofthestartofexploitation.Insomelong-fishedareas,ithashalvedagainsincethen.
Dr.Wormacknowledgesthatthesefiguresareconservative.Onereasonforthisisthatfishingtechnologyhasimproved.Today’svesselscanfindtheirpreyusingsatellitesandsonar,whichwerenotavailable50yearsago.Thatmeansahigherproportionofwhatisintheseaisbeingcaught,sotherealdifferencebetweenpresentandpastislikelytobeworsethantheonerecordedbychangesincatchsizes.Intheearlydays,too,longlineswouldhavebeenmoresaturatedwithfish.Someindividualswouldthereforenothavebeencaught,sincenobaitedhookswouldhavebeenavailabletotrapthem,leadingtoanunderestimateoffishstocksinthepast.Furthermore,intheearlydaysoflonglinefishing,alotoffishwerelosttosharksaftertheyhadbeenhooked.Thatisnolongeraproblem,becausetherearefewersharksaroundnow.
Dr.MyersandDr.Wormarguethattheirworkgivesacorrectbaseline,whichfuturemanagementeffortsmusttakeintoaccount.Theybelievethedatasupportan
ideacurrentamongmarinebiologists,thatofthe“shiftingbaseline.”Thenotionisthatpeoplehavefailedtodetectthemassivechangeswhichhavehappenedintheoceanbecausetheyhavebeenlookingbackonlyarelativelyshorttimeintothepast.Thatmattersbecausetheorysuggeststhatthemaximumsustainableyieldthatcanbecroppedfromafisherycomeswhenthebiomassofatargetspeciesisabout50%ofitsoriginallevels.Mostfisheriesarewellbelowthat,whichisabadwaytodobusiness.31.Theextinctionoflargeprehistoricanimalsisnotedtosuggestthat________.
[A]largeanimalwerevulnerabletothechangingenvironment[B]smallspeciessurvivedaslargeanimalsdisappeared[C]largeseaanimalsmayfacethesamethreattoday[D]slow-growingfishoutlivefast-growingones
32.WecaninferfromDr.MyersandDr.Worm’spaperthat________.
[A]thestockoflargepredatorsinsomeoldfisherieshasreducedby90%[B]thereareonlyhalfasmanyfisheriesastherewere15yearsago[C]thecatchsizesinnewfisheriesareonly20%oftheoriginalamount[D]thenumberoflargerpredatorsdroppedfasterinnewfisheriesthanintheold33.Bysaying\"thesefiguresareconservative\"(Line1,paragraph3),Dr.Worm
meansthat________.
[A]fishingtechnologyhasimprovedrapidly[B]thecatch-sizesareactuallysmallerthanrecorded[C]themarinebiomasshassufferedagreaterloss[D]thedatacollectedsofarareoutofdate34.Dr.Myersandotherresearchersholdthat________.
[A]peopleshouldlookforabaselinethatcanworkforalongertime[B]fisheriesshouldkeeptheiryieldsbelow50%ofthebiomass
[C]theoceanbiomassshouldberestoredtoitsoriginallevel[D]peopleshouldadjustthefishingbaselinetothechangingsituation35.Theauthorseemstobemainlyconcernedwithmostfisheries’________.
[A]managementefficiency[B]biomasslevel[C]catch-sizelimits[D]technologicalapplication
Text4
Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird.Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artists’onlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad.
Thiswasn’talwaysso.Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.Butsomewherefromthe19thcenturyonward,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasmeaningless,phonyor,worstofall,boring,aswewentfromWordsworth’sdaffodilstoBaudelaire’sflowersofevil.
Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensomuchmisery.Butit’snotasifearliertimesdidn’tknowperpetualwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.
Afterall,whatistheonemodernformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?Advertising.Theriseofanti-happyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenceofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.
Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereindangerandthattheywouldsomedaybe
meatforworms.Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.
TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.Fast-foodeaters,newsanchors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda--tolureustoopenourwallets--theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable.“Celebrate!”commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCelebrex,beforewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks.
Butwhatweforget--whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting--isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.Today,surroundedbypromisesofeasyhappiness,weneedarttotellus,asreligiononcedid,Mementomori:rememberthatyouwilldie,thateverythingends,andthathappinesscomesnotindenyingthisbutinlivingwithit.It’samessageevenmorebitterthanaclovecigarette,yet,somehow,abreathoffreshair.
36.BycitingtheexamplesofpoetsWordsworthandBaudelaire,theauthorintends
toshowthat________.
[A]poetryisnotasexpressiveofjoyaspaintingormusic[B]artgrowsoutofbothpositiveandnegativefeelings[C]poetstodayarelessskepticalofhappiness[D]artistshavechangedtheirfocusofinterest
37.Theword“bummer”(Line5,paragraph5)mostprobablymeanssomething
________.[A]religious[B]unpleasant[C]entertaining[D]commercial
38.Intheauthor’sopinion,advertising________.
[A]emergesinthewakeoftheanti-happyart[B]isacauseofdisappointmentforthegeneralpublic[C]replacesthechurchasamajorsourceofinformation[D]createsanillusionofhappinessratherthanhappinessitself39.Wecanlearnfromthelastparagraphthattheauthorbelieves________.
[A]happinessmoreoftenthannotendsinsadness[B]theanti-happyartisdistastefulbutrefreshing[C]miseryshouldbeenjoyedratherthandenied[D]theanti-happyartflourisheswheneconomybooms40.Whichofthefollowingistrueofthetext?
[A]Religiononcefunctionedasareminderofmisery.[B]Artprovidesabalancebetweenexpectationandreality.[C]Peoplefeeldisappointedattherealitiesofmodernsociety.[D]Massmediaareinclinedtocoverdisastersanddeaths.
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