考研英语二阅读答案 考研英语二阅读理解练习题及答案解析（通用4篇）

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考研《英语二》阅读真题及答案（跨考版【第一篇】

考研《英语二》阅读真题及答案（跨考版）

Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 1

Every Saturday morning, at 9 am, more than 50,000 runners set off to run 5km around their local park. The Parkrun phenomenon began with a dozen friends and has inspired 400 events in the UK and more abroad. Events are free, staffed by thousands of volunteers. Runners range from four years old to grandparents; their times range from Andrew Baddeley’s world record 13 minutes 48 seconds up to an hour.

Parkrun is succeeding where London’s Olympic “legacy” is failing. Ten years ago on Monday, it was announced that the Games of the 30th Olympiad would be in London. Planning documents pledged that the great legacy of the Games would be to level a nation of sport lovers away from their couches. The population would be fitter, healthier and produce more winners. It has not happened. The number of adults doing weekly sport did rise, by nearly 2 million in the run―up to ―but the general population was growing faster. Worse, the numbers are now falling at an accelerating rate. The opposition claims primary school pupils doing at least two hours of sport a week have nearly halved. Obesity has risen among adults and children. Official retrospections continue as to why London 2012 failed to “inspire a generation.” The success of Parkrun offers answers.

Parkun is not a race but a time trial: Your only competitor is the clock. The ethos welcomes anybody. There is as much joy over a puffed-out first-timer being clapped over the line as there is about top talent shining. The Olympic bidders, by contrast, wanted to get more people doing sports and to produce more elite athletes. The dual aim was mixed up: The stress on success over taking part was intimidating for newcomers.

Indeed, there is something a little absurd in the state getting involved in the planning of such a fundamentally “grassroots”, concept as community sports associations. If there is a role for government, it should really be getting involved in providing common goods―making sure there is space for playing fields and the money to pave tennis and netball courts, and encouraging the provision of all these activities in schools. But successive governments have presided over selling green spaces, squeezing money from local authorities and declining attention on sport in education. Instead of wordy, worthy strategies, future governments need to do more to provide the conditions for sport to thrive. Or at least not make them worse.

21. According to Paragraph1, Parkrun has .

[A] gained great popularity

[B] created many jobs

[C] strengthened community ties

[D] become an official festival

答案[A] gained great popularity

22. The author believes that London’s Olympic“legacy” has failed to .

[A] boost population growth

[B] promote sport participation

[C] improve the city’s image

[D] increase sport hours in schools

答案[B] promote sport participation

23. Parkrun is different from Olympic games in that it .

[A] aims at discovering talents

[B] focuses on mass competition

[C] does not emphasize elitism

[D] does not attract first-timers

答案[C] does not emphasize elitism

24. With regard to mass sport, the author holds that governments should .

[A] organize “grassroots” sports events

[B] supervise local sports associations

[C] increase funds for sports clubs

[D] invest in public sports facilities

答案[D] invest in public sports facilities

25. The author’s attitude to what UK governments have done for sports is .

[A] tolerant

[B] critical

[C] uncertain

[D] sympathetic

答案[B] critical

Text 2

With so much focus on children’s use of screens, it’s easy for parents to forget about their own screen use. “Tech is designed to really suck on you in,” says Jenny Radesky in her study of digital play, “and digital products are there to promote maximal engagement. It makes it hard to disengage, and leads to a lot of bleed-over into the family routine. ”

Radesky has studied the use of mobile phones and tablets at mealtimes by giving mother-child pairs a food-testing exercise. She found that mothers who sued devices during the exercise started 20 percent fewer verbal and 39 percent fewer nonverbal interactions with their children. During a separate observation, she saw that phones became a source of tension in the family. Parents would be looking at their emails while the children would be making excited bids for their attention.

Infants are wired to look at parents’ faces to try to understand their world, and if those faces are blank and unresponsive―as they often are when absorbed in a device―it can be extremely disconcerting foe the children. Radesky cites the “still face experiment” devised by developmental psychologist Ed Tronick in the 1970s. In it, a mother is asked to interact with her child in a normal way before putting on a blank expression and not giving them any visual social feedback; The child becomes increasingly distressed as she tries to capture her mother’s attention. “Parents don’t have to be exquisitely parents at all times, but there needs to be a balance and parents need to be responsive and sensitive to a child’s verbal or nonverbal expressions of an emotional need,” says Radesky.

On the other hand, Tronick himself is concerned that the worries about kids’ use of screens are born out of an “oppressive ideology that demands that parents should always be interacting” with their children: “It’s based on a somewhat fantasized, very white, very upper-middle-class ideology that says if you’re failing to expose your child to 30,000 words you are neglecting them.” Tronick believes that just because a child isn’t learning from the screen doesn’t mean there’s no value to it―particularly if it gives parents time to have a shower, do housework or simply have a break from their child. Parents, he says, can get a lot out of using their devices to speak to a friend or get some work out of the way. This can make them feel happier, which lets then be more available to their child the rest of the time.

26. According to Jenny Radesky, digital products are designed to ______.

[A] simplify routine matters

[B] absorb user attention

[C] better interpersonal relations

[D] increase work efficiency

答案[B] absorb user attention

27. Radesky’s food-testing exercise shows that mothers’ use of devices ______.

[A] takes away babies’ appetite

[B] distracts children’s attention

[C] slows down babies’ verbal development

[D] reduces mother-child communication

答案[D] reduces mother-child communication

28. Radesky’s cites the “still face experiment” to show that _______.

[A] it is easy for children to get used to blank expressions

[B] verbal expressions are unnecessary for emotional exchange

[C] children are insensitive to changes in their parents’ mood

[D] parents need to respond to children’s emotional needs

答案[D] parents need to respond to children’s emotional needs

29. The oppressive ideology mentioned by Tronick requires parents to_______.

[A] protect kids from exposure to wild fantasies

[B] teach their kids at least 30,000 words a year

[C] ensure constant interaction with their children

[D] remain concerned about kid’s use of screens

答案[C] ensure constant interaction with their children

30. According to Tronick, kid’s use of screens may_______.

[A] give their parents some free time

[B] make their parents more creative

[C] help them with their homework

[D] help them become more attentive

答案[A] give their parents some free time

Text 3

Robert F. Kennedy once said that a country’s GDP measures “everything except that which makes life worthwhile.” With Britain voting to leave the European Union, and GDP already predicted to slow as a result, it is now a timely moment to assess what he was referring to.

The question of GDP and its usefulness has annoyed policymakers for over half a century. Many argue that it is a flawed concept. It measures things that do not matter and misses things that do. By most recent measures, the UK’s GDP has been the envy of the Western world, with record low unemployment and high growth figures. If everything was going so well, then why did over 17 million people vote for Brexit, despite the warnings about what it could do to their country’s economic prospects?

A recent annual study of countries and their ability to convert growth into well-being sheds some light on that question. Across the 163 countries measured, the UK is one of the poorest performers in ensuring that economic growth is translated into meaningful improvements for its citizens. Rather than just focusing on GDP, over 40 different sets of criteria from health, education and civil society engagement have been measured to get a more rounded assessment of how countries are performing.

While all of these countries face their own challenges , there are a number of consistent themes . Yes , there has been a budding economic recovery since the global crash , but in key indicators in areas such as health and education , major economies have continued to decline . Yet this isn’t the case with all countries . Some relatively poor European countries have seen huge improvements across measures including civil society , income equality and the environment.

This is a lesson that rich countries can learn : When GDP is no longer regarded as the sole measure of a country’s success, the world looks very different .

So, what Kennedy was referring to was that while GDP has been the most common method for measuring the economic activity of nations , as a measure , it is no longer enough . It does not include important factors such as environmental quality or education outcomes C all things that contribute to a person’s sense of well-being.

The sharp hit to growth predicted around the world and in the UK could lead to a decline in the everyday services we depend on for our well-being and for growth . But policymakers who refocus efforts on improving well-being rather than simply worrying about GDP figures could avoid the forecasted doom and may even see progress .

F. Kennedy is cited because he

[A]praised the UK for its GDP.

[B]identified GDP with happiness .

[C]misinterpreted the role of GDP .

[D]had a low opinion of GDP .

答案[D] had a low opinion of GDP

can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that

[A]the UK is reluctant to remold its economic pattern .

[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .

[C]the UK will contribute less to the world economy .

[D]policymakers in the UK are paying less attention to GDP .

答案[B]GDP as the measure of success is widely defied in the UK .

of the following is true about the recent annual study ?

[A]It is sponsored by 163 countries .

[B]It excludes GDP as an indicator.

[C]Its criteria are questionable .

[D]Its results are enlightening .

答案[D]Its results are enlightening .

the last two paragraphs , the author suggests that

[A]the UK is preparing for an economic boom .

[B]high GDP foreshadows an economic decline .

[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .

[D]it requires caution to handle economic issues .

答案[C]it is essential to consider factors beyond GDP .

of the following is the best title for the text ?

[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson

[B]GDP Figures, a Window on Global Economic Health

[C]Rebort , a Terminator of GDP

[D]Brexit, the UK’s Gateway to Well-being

答案[A]High GDP But Inadequate Well-being , a UK Lesson

Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 4

In a rare unanimous ruling, the US Supreme Court has overturned the corruption conviction of a former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell. But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct, which included accepting gifts such as a Rolex watch and a Ferrari automobile from a company seeking access to government.

The high court’s decision said the judge in Mr. McDonnell’s trial failed to tell a jury that it must look only at his “official acts,” or the former governor’s decisions on “specific” and “unsettled” issues related to his duties.

Merely helping a gift-giver gain access to other officials, unless done with clear intent to pressure those officials, is not corruption, the justices found.

The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is “distasteful” and “nasty.” But under anti-bribery laws, proof must be made of concrete benefits, such as approval of a contract or regulation. Simply arranging a meeting, making a phone call, or hosting an event is not an “official act”。

The court’s ruling is legally sound in defining a kind of favoritism that is not criminal. Elected leaders must be allowed to help supporters deal with bureaucratic problems without fear of prosecution for bribery.” The basic compact underlying representative government,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the court,” assumes that public officials will hear from their constituents and act on their concerns.”

But the ruling reinforces the need for citizens and their elected representatives, not the courts, to ensure equality of access to government. Officials must not be allowed to play favorites in providing information or in arranging meetings simply because an individual or group provides a campaign donation or a personal gift. This type of integrity requires well-enforced laws in government transparency, such as records of official meetings, rules on lobbying, and information about each elected leader’s source of wealth.

Favoritism in official access can fan public perceptions of corruption. But it is not always corruption. Rather officials must avoid double standards, or different types of access for average people and the wealthy. If connections can be bought, a basic premise of democratic society―that all are equal in treatment by government―is undermined. Good governance rests on an understanding of the inherent worth of each individual.

The court’s ruling is a step forward in the struggle against both corruption and official favoritism.

36. The undermined sentence () most probably shows that the court

[A] avoided defining the extent of McDonnell’s duties.

[B] made no compromise in convicting McDonnell.

[C] was contemptuous of McDonnell’s conduct.

[D] refused to comment on McDonnell’s ethics.

答案[C] was contemptuous of McDonnell’s conduct.

37. According to Paragraph 4, an official act is deemed corruptive only if it involves

[A] leaking secrets intentionally.

[B] sizable gains in the form of gifts.

[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.

[D] breaking contracts officially.

答案[C] concrete returns for gift-givers.

38. The court’s ruling is based on the assumption that public officials are

[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.

[B] qualified to deal independently with bureaucratic issues.

[C] allowed to focus on the concerns of their supporters.

[D] exempt from conviction on the charge of favoritism.

答案[A] justified in addressing the needs of their constituents.

39. Well-enforced laws in government transparency are needed to

[A] awaken the conscience of officials.

[B] guarantee fair play in official access.

[C] allow for certain kinds of lobbying.

[D] inspire hopes in average people.

答案[B] guarantee fair play in official access.

40. The author’s attitude toward the court’s ruling is

[A] sarcastic.

[B] tolerant.

[C] skeptical.

[D] supportive

答案[D] supportive

Part B

Directions:

The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered box. Paragraphs B and D have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

[A]The first published sketch, “A Dinner at Poplar Walk” brought tears to Dickens’s eyes when he discovered it in the pages of The Monthly Magazine. From then on his sketches ,which appeared under the pen name “Boz” inThe Evening Chronicle, earned him a modest reputation.

[B]The runaway success ofThe Pickwick Papers, as it is generally known today, secured Dickens’s fame. There were Pickwick coats and Pickwick cigars, and the plump, spectacled hero, Samuel Pickwick, became a national figure.

[C]Soon after Sketches by Bozappeared, a publishing firm approached Dickens to write a story in monthly installments, as a backdrop for a series of woodcuts by the ten-famous artist Robert Seymour, who had originated the idea for the story. With characteristic confidence, Dickens successfully insisted that Seymour’s pictures illustrate his own story instead. After the first installment, Dickens wrote to the artist and asked him to correct a drawing Dickens felt was not faithful enough to his prose. Seymour made the change, went into his backyard, and expressed his displeasure by committing suicid. Dickens and his publishers simply pressed on with a new artist. The comic novel, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, appeared serially in 1836 and 1837, and was first published in book form in 1837.

[D]Charles Dickens is probably the best-known and, to many people, the greatest English novelist of the 19th century. A moralist, satirist, and social reformer. Dickens crafted complex plots and striking characters that capture the panorama of English society.

[E]Soon after his father’s release from prison, Dickens got a better job as errand boy in law offices. He taught himself shorthand to get an even better job later as a court stenographer and as a reporter in Parliament. At the same time, Dickens, who had a reporter’s eye for transcribing the life around him especially anything comic or odd, submitted short sketches to obscure magazines.

[F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth, on England’s southern coast. His father was a clerk in the British navy pay office Ca respectable position, but wish little social status. His paternal grandparents, a steward and a housekeeper possessed even less status, having been servants, and Dickens later concealed their background. Dicken’s mother supposedly came from a more respectable family. Yet two years before Dicken’s birth, his mother’s father was caught stealing and fled to Europe, never to return. The family’s increasing poverty forced Dickens out of school at age 12 to work in Warren’s Blacking Warehouse, a shoe-polish factory, where the other working boys mocked him as “the young gentleman.” His father was then imprisoned for debt. The humiliations of his father’s imprisonment and his labor in the blacking factory formed Dicken’s greatest wound and became his deepest secret. He could not confide them even to his wife, although they provide the unacknowledged foundation of his fiction.

[G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world. In Oliver Twist, e traces an orphan’s progress from the workhouse to the criminal slums of London. Nicholas Nickleby, his next novel, combines the darkness of Oliver Twist with the sunlight of Pickwick. The popularity of these novels consolidated Dichens’ as a nationally and internationally celebrated man of letters.

D → 41. → 42. → 43. → 44. → B →45.

答案

41. [F] Dickens was born in Portsmouth

42. [E] Soon after his father’s release from prison

43. [A]The first published sketch

44. [C]Soon after Sketches by Bozappeared

45. [G] After Pickwick, Dickens plunged into a bleaker world

考研英语二真题及答案

2.考研英语真题及答案（word版）

3.考研英语二真题与答案（word版）

4.考研英语（二）翻译真题及答案

5.考研英语二真题答案解析

考研英语二真题试卷及答案参考

考研英语一真题及答案

考研英语新题型真题及答案

考研英语阅读理解真题及答案

考研英语二真题

考研英语二真题答案【第二篇】

Section I Use of English

Directions:

Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

People have speculated for centuries about a future without work. Today is no different, with academics, writers, and activists once again _1_ that technology be replacing human workers. Some imagine that the coming work-free world will be defined by _2_. A few wealthy people will own all the capital, and the masses will struggle in an impoverished wasteland.

A different and not mutually exclusive _3_ holds that the future will be a wasteland of a different sort, one _4_ by purposelessness: Without jobs to give their lives _5_, people will simply become lazy and depressed. _6_, today’s unemployed don’t seem to be having a great time. One Gallup poll found that 20 percent of Americans who have been unemployed for at least a year report having depression, double the rate for _7_ Americans. Also, some research suggests that the _8_ for rising rates of mortality, mental-health problems, and addicting _9_ poorly-educated middle-aged people is shortage of well-paid jobs. Perhaps this is why many _10_ the agonizing dullness of a jobless future.

But it doesn’t _11_ follow from findings like these that a world without work would be filled with unease. Such visions are based on the _12_ of being unemployed in a society built on the concept of employment. In the _13_ of work, a society designed with other ends in mind could _14_ strikingly different circumstanced for the future of labor and leisure. Today, the _15_ of work may be a bit overblown. “Many jobs are boring, degrading, unhealthy, and a waste of human potential,” says John Danaher, a lecturer at the National University of Ireland in Galway.

These days, because leisure time is relatively _16_ for most workers, people use their free time to counterbalance the intellectual and emotional _17_ of their jobs. “When I come home from a hard day’s work, I often feel _18_,” Danaher says, adding, “In a world in which I don’t have to work, I might feel rather different”―perhaps different enough to throw himself _19_ a hobby or a passion project with the intensity usually reserved for _20_ matters.

1.[A] boasting [B] denying [C] warning [D] ensuring

答案C

解析答案为C。动词词义辨析。作家学者警示人们技术会代替人类劳动。boast吹嘘、自负。deny否认。ensure确保。warning警示，警告。

2.[A] inequality [B] instability [C] unreliability [D] uncertainty

答案A

解析答案为A。上下文理解。根据后文富人会拥有所有资产，贫困地区也会扎堆，可以看出此处想表达不平等的意思。inequality不平等，instability不稳定性，unreliability不可靠性，uncertainty不确定性。

3.[A] policy [B]guideline [C] resolution [D] prediction

答案D

解析答案为D。词义辨析。policy政策，guideline指导方针，resolution决心，prediction预测。该句意为：另外一种预测认为……。

4.[A] characterized [B]divided [C] balanced [D]measured

答案A

解析答案为A。动词词义辨析。该句意为未来社会的特点是无目的性。

5. [A] wisdom [B] meaning [C] glory [D] freedom

答案B

解析答案为B。词义辨析，上下文理解。没有了工作富裕生活的意义，人们会变得懒散沮丧。其他几项不符合题意。

6. [A] Instead [B] Indeed [C] Thus [D] Nevertheless

答案B

解析答案为B。考查副词。Indeed实际上，那些失业者生活并不美好。

7.[A] rich [B] urban [C]working [D] educated

答案C

解析答案为C。上下文理解。前面提到失业的美国人在和工作的美国人做对比。

8.[A] explanation [B] requirement [C] compensation [D] substitute

答案A

解析答案为A。词义辨析。死亡率升高，心理健康问题等是因为没有工资待遇较好的工作，这就解释了原因问题。Explanation符合题意。

9.[A] under [B] beyond [C] alongside [D] among

答案D

解析答案为D。介词辨析。没有受到良好教育的中年人中间这些问题比较严重。

10.[A] leave behind [B] make up [C] worry about [D] set aside

答案C

解析答案为C。固定搭配意思辨析。Worry about担心，leave behind丢弃，使落后make up 组成，set aside 留出，把……放在一旁。该句意为这就是为什么人们担心未来无工作的无聊。

11.[A] statistically [B] occasionally [C] necessarily [D] economically

答案C

解析答案为C。副词词义辨析。Necessarily必然地，statistically统计地，occasionally偶然地，economically经济上地。该句想表达并不必然的意思。

12.[A] chances [B] downsides [C] benefits [D] principles

答案B

解析答案为B。理解上下文。前面说没有工作会导致不安，这些观念是来源于在职业概念的社会中失业的消极面。

13. [A] absence [B] height [C] face [D] course

答案A

解析答案为A。固定搭配。In absence of 缺乏，in height of 在…高度，in face of 面临，in course of 在…中。该句意为如果没有工作，也就是in absence of job。

14. [A] disturb [B] restore [C] exclude [D] yield

答案D

解析答案为D。动词词义辨析。没有工作的社会能为人们带来放松。Yield 有获得，带来的意思，disturb打扰，妨碍，restore恢复，交还，exclude排斥

15. [A] model [B] practice [C] virtue [D] hardship

答案C

解析答案为C。词义辨析。根据后面工作的缺点可以推测此处想表达工作的优点被过分夸大了。virtue优点，好处。

16.[A] tricky [B] lengthy [C] mysterious [D] scarce

答案D

解析答案为D。词义辨析和上下文理解。休闲时间对工作人来说相对较少。

17.[A] demands [B] standards [C] qualities [D] threats

答案A

解析答案为A。词义辨析。闲暇时间来平衡人们的智力和情感需求。

18.[A] ignored [B] tired [C] confused [D] starved

答案B

解析答案为B。词义理解。下班回到家感觉到疲惫。Starved饥饿的。

19.[A] off [B] against [C] behind [D] into

答案D

解析答案为D。固定搭配和介词使用。Throw into投身于，throw off摆脱，throw against扔掉，throw behind抛开。投身到自己的爱好之中。

20. [A] technological [B] professional [C] educational [D] interpersonal

答案B

解析答案为B。词义辨析。一些需要专业技能的项目。

Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions：Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)

Text 1

Every Saturday morning, at 9 am, more than 50,000 runners set off to run 5km around their local park. The Parkrun phenomenon began with a dozen friends and has inspired 400 events in the UK and more abroad. Events are free, staffed by thousands of volunteers. Runners range from four years old to grandparents; their times range from Andrew Baddeley’s world record 13 minutes 48 seconds up to an hour.

Parkrun is succeeding where London’s Olympic “legacy” is failing. Ten years ago on Monday, it was announced that the Games of the 30th Olympiad would be in London. Planning documents pledged that the great legacy of the Games would be to level a nation of sport lovers away from their couches。 The population would be fitter, healthier and produce more winners. It has not happened. The number of adults doing weekly sport did rise, by nearly 2 million in the run―up to ―but the general population was growing faster. Worse, the numbers are now falling at an accelerating rate. The opposition claims primary school pupils doing at least two hours of sport a week have nearly halved. Obesity has risen among adults and children. Official retrospections continue as to why London 2012 failed to “inspire a generation.” The success of Parkrun offers answers。

Parkun is not a race but a time trial: Your only competitor is the clock. The ethos welcomes anybody. There is as much joy over a puffed-out first-timer being clapped over the line as there is about top talent shining. The Olympic bidders, by contrast, wanted to get more people doing sports and to produce more elite athletes. The dual aim was mixed up: The stress on success over taking part was intimidating for newcomers.

Indeed, there is something a little absurd in the state getting involved in the planning of such a fundamentally “grassroots”, concept as community sports associations. If there is a role for government, it should really be getting involved in providing common goods―making sure there is space for playing fields and the money to pave tennis and netball courts, and encouraging the provision of all these activities in schools. But successive governments have presided over selling green spaces, squeezing money from local authorities and declining attention on sport in education。 Instead of wordy, worthy strategies, future governments need to do more to provide the conditions for sport to thrive. Or at least not make them worse.

to Paragraph1, Parkrun has______.

考研英语二真题和答案【第三篇】

Text 3

Crying is hardly an activity encouraged by society. Tears, be they of sorrow, anger, on joy, typically make Americans feel uncomforuble and embarrassed. The shedder of tears is likely to apologize, even when a devastating (毁灭性的) tragedy was the provocation. The observer of tears is likely to do everything possible to put an end to the emotional outpouring. But judging form recent studies of crying behavior, links between illness and crying and the chemical composition of tears, both those responses to tears are often inappropriate and may even be counterproductive.

Humans are the only animals definitely known to shed emotional tears. Since evolution has given rise to few, if any, purposeless physiological responset, it is logical to assume that crying has one or more functions that enhance survival.

Although some observers have suggested that crying is a way to clicit assistance form others (as a crying baby might from its mother), the shedding of tears is hardly necessary to get help. Vocal cries would have been quite enough, more likely than tears to gain attention, So, it appears, there must be something special about tears themselves.

Indeed, the new studies suggest that emotional tears may play a direct role in alleviating stress, University of Minnesota researchers who are studying the chemical composition of tears have recently isolated two important chemicals from emotional tears. Both chemicals are found only in tears that are shed in response to emotion. Tears shed because of exposure to =cut onion would contain no such substance.

Researchers at several other institutions are investigating the usefulness of tears as a means of diagnosing human ills and monitoring drugs.

At Tulane University’s Teat Analysis Laboratory Kastl and his colleagues report that they can use tears to detect drug abuse and exposure to medication(药物), to determine whether a contact lens fits properly of why it may be uncomfortable, to study the causes of “dry eye” syndrome and the effects of eye surgery, and perhaps even to measure exposure to environmental pollutants.

At Columbia University Faris and colleagues are studying tears for clues to the diagnosis of diseases away from the eyes. Tears can be obtained painlessly without invading the body and only tiny amounts are needed to perform highly refined analyses.

31. It is known from the first paragraph that ________.

A) shedding tears gives unpleasant feelings to American

B) crying may often imitate people or even result in tragedy

C) crying usually wins sympathy from other people

D) one who sheds tears in public will be blamed

32. What does “both those responses to tears”(Line 6, Para, 1) refer to?

A) Crying out of sorrow and shedding tears for happiness.

B) The embarrassment and unpleasant sensation of the observers.

C) The tear shedder’s apology and the observer’s effort to stop the crying.

D) Linking illness with crying and finding the chemical composition of tears.

33. “Counterproductive” (Lines 6-7, Para,1) very probably means “________”。

A) having no effect at all

B) leading to tension

C) producing disastrous impact

D) harmful to health

34. What does the author say about crying?

A) It is a pointless physiological response to the environment.

B) It must have a role to play in man’s survival.

C) It is meant to get attention and assistance.

D) It usually produces the desired effect.

35. What can be inferred from the new studies of tears?

A) Emotional tears have the function of reducing stress.

B) Exposure to excessive medication may increase emotional tears.

C) Emotional tears can give rise to “dry eye” syndrome in some cases.

D) Environmental pollutants can induce the shedding of emotional tears.

Text 4

When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.

Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.

Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.

The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.

There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by %.

Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.

But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £ programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in ,is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.

36. The author believes that the housing sector__

[A] has attracted much attention

[B] involves certain political factors

[C] shoulders too much responsibility

[D] has lost its real value in economy

37. It can be learned that affordable housing has__

[A] increased its home supply

[B] offered spending opportunities

[C] suffered government biases

[D] disappointed the government

38. According to Paragraph 5,George Osborne may_______.

[A] allow greater government debt for housing

[B] stop local authorities from building homes

[C] prepare to reduce housing stock debt

[D] release a lifted GDP growth forecast

39. It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would_______.

[A]lower the costs of registered providers

[B]lessen the impact of government interference

[C]contribute to funding new developments

[D]relieve the ministers of responsibilities

40. The author believes that after 2015,the government may______.

[A]implement more policies to support housing

[B]review the need for large-scale public grants

[C]renew the affordable housing grants programme

[D]stop generous funding to the housing sector

考研英语二真题和答案【第四篇】

Text 4

Many people talked of the 288,000 new jobs the Labor Department reporled for Jure, along with the drop in the unemployment take to 6 J percent. at good news. And they were right. For now it appears the economy is creating jobs at a decent pace. We still have a long way to go to get back to full employment, but at least we are now finally moving forward at a faster pace.

However there is another important part of the jobs picture that was targely ovedookcd. There was a big jump in the number of people who report voluntarily working part-time. This figure is now 830,000(4,4 percent)above its year ago level.

Before explaining the connection to the Obamacare, it is worth making an important distinction. Many people who work part-time jobs actually want full-time jobs. They take part-time work because this is all they can get. An increase in involuntary part-time work is evidence of weakness in the labor market and it means that many people will be having a very hard time making ends meet.

There was an increase in involuntary part-time in June, but the general direction has been down. Involuntary part-time employment is still far higher than before the recession, but it is down by 640,000( percent)from its year ago level.

We know the difference between voluntary and involuntary part-time employment because people tell us. The survey used by the Labor Department asks people if they worked less than 35 hours in the reference week. If the answer is are classified as working part-time. The survey then asks whether they worked less than 35 hours in that week because they wanted to work less than full time or because they had no choice. They are only elassified as voluntary part-time workers if they tell the survey taker they chose to work less than 35 hours a week.

The issue of voluntary part-time relates to Obamacare becanse one of the main purposes was to allow people to get insurance outside of employment. For many people, especially those with serious health conditions or family mrs with serious health conditions, before Obamacare the only way to get insurance was through a job that provided health insurance.

However, Obamacare has allowed more than 12 million people to either get insurance through Medicaid or the exchanges. These are people who may previously have felt the need to get a full-time job that provided insurance in order to cover themselves and their families. With Obamacare there is no longer a link between employment and insurance.

36. Which part of the jobs picture was neglected?

A. The prospect of a thriving job market.

B. The increase of voluntary part-time jobs.

C. The possibility of full employment.

D. The acceleration of job creation.

37. Many people work part-time because they

A. prefer part-time jobs to full-time jobs

B. feel that is enough to make ends meet

C. cannot get their hands on full-time jobs

D. haven t seen the weakness of the market

38. Involuntary part-time employment in the US

A. is harder to acquire than one year ago

B. shows a general tendency of decline

C. satisfies the real need of the jobless

D. is lower than before the recession

39. It can be learned that with Obamacare, .

A. it is no longer easy for part-timers to get insurance

B. employment is no longer a precondition to get insurance

C. it is still challenging to get insurance for family mrs

D. full-time employment is still essential for insurance

40. The text mainly discusses.

A. employment in the US

B. part-timer classification

C. insurance through Medicaid

D. Obamacares trouble

答案：

the increase of voluntary part-time jobs

cannot get their hands on full-time jobs

shows a general tendency of decline

employment is no longer a precondition to get insurance

employment in the US

Some Old Truths to Help You Overcorne Toucgh Times

Uefortunately, life is not a bed of roses, We are going through life facing sad experiences. Moreover, we are grieving various kinds of loss: a friendship, a rontantic relatlonshlp of a house. Hard times may hold you down at what usually seems like the most inopportune time,but you should remr that they wont last forever.

When our time of mourning is over, we press forward, stronger with a greater understanding and respect for life. Furthermore, these losses make us mature and eventally move as toward future opportunities for growth and happiness. I want to share these old truths Ive learned along the way.

41.

Fear is both useful and harmful. This normal human reaction is used to protect us by signaling danger and preparing us to deal with it. Unfortunately, people create inner barriers with a help of exaggerating fears. My favorite actor will smith once said, Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice. I do completely agree that fears are just the product of our luxuriant imagination.

42 .

If you are by and

43. .

Sometimes it is casy to feel bad because you are going through tough times. You can be easily caught up by life problems that you forget to pause and appreciate the things you have. Only strong people prefer to smile and value their life instead of crying and complaining about something.

44..

No matter how isolated you might feel and how serious the situation is, you should always remr that you are not alone. Try to keep in mind that almost everyone respects and wants to help you if you are trying to make a good change in your life, especially your dearest and nearest people, You may have a circle of friends who provide constant good humor, help and companionship. If you have no friends or relatives. Try to participate in several online communities, full of people who are always willing to share advice andcouragement.

45 .

Today many people find it difficult to trust their own opinion and seek balance by gaining tivity from external sources. This way you devalue your opinion and show that you are incapable of managing your of own life. When you are struggling to achieve something important you should believe in yourself and be sure that your decision is the best. You live in your skin, think your own thoughts, have your own values and make your own choices.

答案：

Most of your fears are unreal

Think about the resent moment

There are many things to be grateful for

you are not alone

Pave your own unique path