2011年的考研英语阅读平行题库.doc

一、从鸡蛋中培养流感疫菌 Modern technology has put men on the moon and deciphered the human genome. But when it comes to brewing up flu to make vaccines, science still turns to the incredible edible egg. Ever since the 1940s, vaccine makers have grown large batches of virus inside chicken eggs. But given that some 36,000 Americans die of flu each year, its remarkable that our first line of defense is still what Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson calls “the cumbersome and archaic egg-based production.” New cell-based technologies are in the pipeline, however, and may finally get the support they need now that the United States is faced with a critical shortage of flu vaccine. Although experts disagree on whether new ways of producing vaccine could have prevented a shortage like the one happening today, there is no doubt that the existing system has serious flaws.Each year, vaccine manufacturers place advance orders for millions of specially grown chicken eggs. Meanwhile, public-health officials monitor circulating strains of flu, and each March they recommend three strainstwo influenza A strains and one B strainfor manufacturers to include in vaccines. In the late spring and summer, automated machines inject virus into eggs and later suck out the influenza-rich goop. Virus from the eggs innards gets killed and processed to remove egg proteins and other contaminants before being packaged into vials for fall shipment.Why has this egg method persisted for six decades? The main reason is that its reliable. But even though the eggs are reliable, they have serious drawbacks. One is the long lead time needed to order the eggs. That means its hard to make more vaccine in a hurry, in case of a shortage or unexpected outbreak. And eggs may simply be too cumbersome to keep up with the hundreds of millions of doses required to handle the demand for flu vaccine.Whats more, some flu strains dont grow well in eggs. Last year, scientists were unable to include the Fujian strain in the vaccine formulation. It was a relatively new strain, and manufacturers simply couldnt find a quick way to adapt it so that it grew well in eggs. “We knew the strain was out there,” recalls Theodore Eickhoff of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, “but public-health officials were left without a vaccineand, consequently, a more severe flu season.”Worse, the viruses that pose the greatest threat might be hardest to grow in eggs. Thats because global pandemics like the one that killed over 50 million people between 1918 and 1920 are thought to occur when a bird influenza changes in a way that lets it cross the species barrier and infect humans. Since humans havent encountered the new virus before, they have little protective immunity. The deadly bird flu circulating in Asia in 1997 and 1998, for example, worried public-health officials because it spread to some people who handled birds and killed themalthough the bug never circulated among humans. But when scientists tried to make vaccine the old-fashioned way, the bird flu quickly killed the eggs.1.The moon-landing is mentioned in the first paragraph to illustrate_.A technology cannot solve all of our human problemsB progress in vaccine research for influenza has lagged behindC great achievements have been made by men in exploring the unknownD the development of vaccine production methods can not be stopped2.What step is essential to the traditional production of flu vaccine?A Manufacturers implant the vaccine into ordered chicken eggs.B Scientists identify the exact strain soon after a flu pandemic starts.C Public health measures are taken as an important pandemic-fighting tool.D Viruses are deadened and made clean before being put into vaccine use.3.The foremost reason why the egg-based method is defective lies in_.A the complex process of vaccine production B its potential threat to human beingC the low survival rate for new flu vaccines D its contribution to the flu vaccine shortage4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?A Flu vaccines now mainly use egg-based technology.B A bird influenza has once circulated among humans.C Safety can be greatly improved with cell-culture vaccines.D Modern vaccine production methods are to replace egg-based methods.5.In the authors view, the new vaccine production method seems to be_.A remarkable B criticized C efficient D accepted答案： 1.B 2.D 3.C 4.A 5.D核心词汇与超纲词汇（1）decipher（v.）破译，辨认（难认、难解的东西）（2）genome（n.）基因组，染色体组（3）brew（v.）酿制（啤酒），沏（茶），煮（咖啡）； up酝酿；（常用于进行时）（不愉快的事）即将来临（4）cumbersome（a.）大而笨重的；繁琐的，复杂的（5）archaic（a.）过时的，陈旧的；古代的，早期的（6）in the pipeline在准备中; 在完成中; 在进行中; (货物)运输中; 即将送递（7）circulate（v.）循环；传播，流传；传递，传阅（ sth. to sb.）（8）strain（n.）（动、植物的）系，品系，品种（9）innards（n.）内脏，内部结构（10）pandemic（a.）广泛流传的，普遍的，流行的；（大范围）传染病的；（n.）全国全世界性的流行病（11）lead time 前置时间，指完成一个程序或作业所需要的一段时间。全文翻译现代技术已经把人类送上了月球，也破解了人类的基因组。但是当涉及到培养流感病毒生产疫苗时，令人难以置信的是科学家依然在使用可食用鸡蛋。自20世纪40年代以来，疫苗的生产者已经在鸡蛋里培植了大批的病毒。但是，考虑到每年有约3万6千美国人死于流感，有意思的是我们的第一防线依然是被美国健康和人类服务部部长汤米汤普森称作为“麻烦的陈旧的鸡蛋方法的生产”。但是，新的细胞生产技术已经投入使用，并且由于美国现在面临的流感疫苗的严重短缺而可能最终得到它们所需要的支持。虽然专家就生产疫苗的新方法能否阻止现在出现的这种短缺现象无法达成共识，但是可以肯定的是现有的系统有严重的缺陷。每一年疫苗的生产者会提前预定成百万的特别培育的鸡蛋。同时，公共健康官员监督正在流行的流感种类，并于每年3月推荐其中的三种，包括两种A型和一种B型流感，为生产者生产疫苗之用。在春末和夏季，由自动的机器将病毒注射到鸡蛋中，然后将充满流感病毒的粘性物质从中吸出。将鸡蛋内脏中的病毒杀死后加工，取出鸡蛋蛋白和其他的杂质，然而装入小瓶，用于秋季时的运输。为什么这种鸡蛋方法持续了60年？重要原因是它可靠。但是尽管鸡蛋是可靠的，它们也有严重的缺陷。首先是订购鸡蛋所需要的前置时间很长。这意味着在突发的疫苗短缺状况下很难立刻生产更多的疫苗。要满足对流感疫苗的需求需要生产几百万的剂量，而使用鸡蛋也许跟不上这个速度。而且一些种类的流行病毒在鸡蛋中不能很好地生长。去年，科学家没能够把福建型流感种类包括在疫苗的生产中。它是一种较新的病毒种类，生产者不能找到很快适应它的方法使它在鸡蛋中很好地生长。科罗拉多州大学健康科学中心的西奥多艾克福回忆说，“我们知道病毒种类在那里”，但是这些公共健康官员没有疫苗，于是结果迎来了一场更严重的流感。更糟糕的是，产生最大威胁的病毒也许是最难在鸡蛋中生长的。这是因为当禽流感改变方式跨越种族界限感染人类时，像1918年至1920年间杀死5000万人的那种全球性流行病就会爆发。由于人类在这之前没有遭遇这样的新病毒，他们的保护性免疫能力就很差。比如，1997年和1998年在亚洲流行的致命的禽流感使公共健康官员很担忧，因为它传播到一些接触禽类的人类身上并使他们死亡。虽然这种病菌还没有在人类中传播过，但当科学家试图用传统的方式生产疫苗时，禽流感迅速杀死了鸡蛋。 二、美私有化方案 The National Association of Securities Dealers is investigating whether some brokerage houses are inappropriately pushing individuals to borrow large sums on their houses to invest in the stock market. Can we persuade the association to investigate would-be privatizers of Social Security? For it is now apparent that the Bush administrations privatization proposal will amount to the same thing: borrow trillions, put the money in the stock market and hope.Privatization would begin by diverting payroll taxes, which pay for current Social Security benefits, into personal investment accounts. The government would have to borrow to make up the shortfall. This would sharply increase the governments debt. “Never mind”, privatization advocates say, “in the long run, people would make so much on personal accounts that the government could save money by cutting retirees benefits.”Even so, if personal investment accounts were invested in Treasury bonds, this whole process would accomplish precisely nothing. The interest workers would receive on their accounts would exactly match the interest the government would have to pay on its additional debt. To compensate for the initial borrowing, the government would have to cut future benefits so much that workers would gain nothing at all. However, privatizersclaim that these investments would make a lot of money and that, in effect, the government, not the workers, would reap most of those gains, because as personal accounts grew, the government could cut benefits.We can argue at length about whether the high stock returns such schemes assume are realistic (they arent), but lets cut to the chase: in essence, such schemes involve having the government borrow heavily and put the money in the stock market. Thats because the government would, in effect, confiscate workersgains in their personal accounts by cutting those workers benefits.Once you realize whatprivatization really means, it doesnt sound too responsible, does it? But the details make it considerably worse. First, financial markets would, correctly, treat the reality of huge deficits today as a much more important indicator of the governments fiscal health than the mere promise that government could save money by cutting benefits in the distant future. After all, a government bond is a legally binding promise to pay, while a benefits formula that supposedly cuts costs 40 years from now is nothing more than a suggestion to future Congresses. If a privatization plan passed in 2005 called for steep benefit cuts in 2045, what are the odds that those cuts would really happen? Second, a system of personal accounts would pay huge brokerage fees. Of course, from Wall Streets point of view thats a benefit, not a cost.1.According to the author, “privatizers”are those_.A borrowing from banks to invest in the stock market B who invest in Treasury bondsC advocating the government to borrow money from citizens D who earn large sums of money in personal accounts2.In the first paragraph, individual borrowing is cited because_.A it shares similarities with the governments Social Security policiesB there is no guarantee that it will be profitable in the stock marketC it is not proper for the brokerage houses to persuade people to borrow moneyD it is an indication of the Bush administrations serious concern over the stock market3.According to its advocates, who will gain from the privatization of Social Security?A Investors in stock markets. B Retired workers in the future. C The future Congresses. D Account information brokers.4.It can be inferred from the passage that Social Security privatization will_.A provide high returns for the new governments B be strongly opposed by Wall StreetC bring the future retirees more benefits D allow individuals to invest in personal accounts5.The authors attitude towards the privatization proposal is_.A impartial B suspicious C neutral D approval答案：1.C 2.A 3.C 4.D 5.B核心词汇和超纲词汇(1)brokerage（n.）经纪人之业务，回扣(2)would-be（a.）想要成为的，自称自许的，自充的，例He founded a school for would-be actors（他创办学校，训练有意做演员的人）。(3)shortfall（n.）不足量(4)cut to the chase 抄捷径去追猎物（不绕圈子，开门见山，单刀直入）(5)confiscate（v.）没收，充公；征用(6)deficit（n.）赤字，不足额全文翻译全国证券交易商协会正在调查一些证券行是否不适当地促使个人以房屋为抵押大举借款投资股票市场。我们能否说服该协会来调查提倡社会保障私有化的人呢？因为现在很明显，布什政府的私有化措施将产生同样的结果：借上万亿的债，投资股市并期望从中获利。将现在用于支付社会福利金的工资税转移到个人投资帐户上，私有化就开始了。政府必须借钱来弥补这种不足。这将急剧增加政府的负债。私有化的提倡者说：没关系，从长远来看，人们在个人帐户上会赚很多钱，以至于政府可以通过削减离退休人员的福利而节省开支。即使如此，如果个人投资帐户被用于投资国库债券，那么这个过程将一无所获。工人们从他们的帐户上得到的利息将恰好等于政府不得不为它的额外债务而支付的利息。为了弥补这种初始借入，政府将不得不大幅度减少未来福利以至于工人将一无所获。然而私有化的提倡者声称，这些投资将赚很多钱，而且实际上是政府而非工人将从中获益最大，因为当个人帐户增长时，政府将减少福利开支。我们能长时间地争论这些方案所认为的高额的股票报酬是否现实（它们并不现实），但是开门见山地说吧：其实，这些方案需要让政府大举借债并将钱投入股票市场。因为实际上政府会通过减少工人的福利而将他们个人帐户中的收益充公。一旦你意识到私有化的真正含义时，它听起来不是很负责，对吗？但是细节使它更糟。首先，金融市场将恰当地把如今的大量赤字看作是政府财政健康状况的重要标志，而不是政府做出的能够在遥远的未来通过减少福利节省开支的轻率承诺。毕竟，政府债券是具有法律效力的偿还承诺，而一个猜想从现在起四十年后会削减开支的利润公式只不过是对未来众国会的一个建议。如果在2005年通过的一个私有化计划要求在2045年大幅度削减收益，那么这种情况真正发生的几率是多少呢？其次，个人帐户系统将偿付巨额的经纪费用。当然，在华尔街来看，那是收益，不是费用。 三、英学业间断期 Talk to any parent of a student who took an adventurous gap year (a year between school and university when some students earn money, travel, etc.) and a misty look will come into their eyes. There are some disasters and even the most motivated, organised gap student does require family back-up, financial, emotional and physical. The parental mistiness is not just about the brilliant experience that has matured their offspring; it is vicarious living. We all wish pre-university gap years had been the fashion in our day. We can see how much tougher our kids become; how much more prepared to benefit from university or to decide positively that they are going to do something other than a degree.Gap years are fashionable, as is reflected in the huge growth in the number of charities and private companies offering them. Pictures of Prince William toiling in Chile have helped, but the trend has been gathering steam for a decade. The range of gap packages starts with backpacking, includes working with charities, building hospitals and schools and, very commonly, working as a language assistant, teaching English. With this trend, however, comes a danger. Once parents feel that a well-structured year is essential to their would-be undergraduates progress to a better university, a good degree, an impressive CV and well paid employment, as the gap companies blurbs suggest it might be, then parents will start organisingand paying forthe gaps.Where there are disasters, according to Richard Oliver, director of the gap companies umbrella organisation, the Year Out Group, it is usually because of poor planning. That can be the fault of the company or of the student, he says, but the best insurance is thoughtful preparation. “When people get it wrong, it is usually medical or, especially among girls, it is that they have not been away from home before or because expectation does not match reality.”The point of a gap year is that it should be the time when the school leaver gets to do the thing that he or she fancies. Kids dont mature if mum and dad decide how they are going to mature. If the 18-year-olds way of maturing is to slob out on Hampstead Heath soaking up sunshine or spending a year working with fishermen in Cornwall, then thats what will be productive for that person. The consensus, however, is that some structure is an advantage and that the prime mover needs to be the student.The 18-year-old who was dispatched by his parents at two weeks notice to Canada to learn to be a snowboarding instructor at a cost of 5,800, probably came back with little more than a hangover. The 18-year-old on the same package who worked for his fare and spent the rest of his year instructing in resorts from New Zealand to Switzerland, and came back to apply for university, is the positive counterbalance.1. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that parents of gap students may_.A help children to be prepared for disasters B receive all kinds of support from their childrenC have rich experience in bringing up their offspring D experience watching children grow up2. According to the text, which of the following is true?A the popularity of gap years results from an increasing number of charities.B Prince William was working hard during his gap year.C gap years are not as fashionable as they were ten years ago.D a well-structured gap year is a guarantee of university success.3. The word “packages” (Line 3, Paragraph 2) means_.A parcels carried in travelling B a comprehensive set of activitiesC something presented in a particular way D charity actions4. What can cause the disasters of gap years?A Intervention of parents. B Careful planning. C Good health. D Realistic expectation.5. An 18-year-old is believed to take a meaningful gap year when he/she_.A lives up to his/her parents expectations B spends time being lazy and doing nothingC learns skills by spending parents money D earns his or her living and gains working experience答案：1.D 2.B 3.B 4.A 5.D核心词汇和超纲词汇(1)a gap year（中学和大学之间）学业间断的一年，间断年(2)vicarious（a.）间接感受到的，如He got a thrill out of watching his son score the winning goal（他看到儿子射入获胜的一球，也同样感到欣喜若狂）(3)package（n.）包，盒，袋；（必须整体接受的）一套东西，一套建议，一揽子交易，如a benefits 一套福利措施an aid 综合援助计划(4)backpack（v.）背包旅行 go ing(5)umbrella（n.）综合体，总体，整体，如an group/fund综合团体/基金(6)fork out（for sth.）（尤指不情愿地）大量花钱，大把掏钱(7)slob（n.）懒惰而邋遢的人（v.）slob out/around游手好闲，无所事事(8)structure（n.）结构，构造；精心组织，周密安排，体系(9)dispatch（v./n.）派遣，调遣，派出；发出，发送(10)at short notice随时，没有提前很长时间通知，at two weeks notice提前两周通知(11)hangover（from sth.）（n.）遗留的感觉（或风俗、习惯等），如the insecure feeling that was a from her childhood（她儿时留下的不安全感）(12)counterbalance（v.）抗衡，抵消；对起平衡作用；（n.）（to sth.）平衡抵消物，抗衡全文翻译与度过了新奇的学业间断年的孩子的父母交谈，他们的眼神中会有一种含糊不清的东西。这一年中有一些危机，即使是目的明确、很有条理的学生，在间断年期间也需要家庭从经济上、情感上和体力上给予帮助。父母眼中的含糊不仅仅是因为让他们的孩子成熟起来的美好经历，也是因为他们自己间接感受到的生活方式。我们都希望在我们那个时代大学前的间断年就已经很时兴了。我们能看着孩子们变得更坚强，更好地准备从上大学中有所收获或者积极地决定他们将做一些除了获得学历之外的事情。学业间断年现在很时兴，这反映在提供它们的慈善团体和私人公司的数目呈巨额增长。威廉王子在智利吃苦的事情发挥了作用，但这种趋势十年来一直在加强。学业间断年期间的一整套活动从背包旅行开始，包括和慈善团体一起工作，修建医院和学校，以及常见的做语言助教、教英语。然而，随着这种趋势而来的也有危险。一旦父母相信那些学业间断年公司介绍的内容，认为精心安排的一个间断年对于想成为本科生的孩子进入更好的大学，获得高学历，得到令人印象深刻的简历和待遇良好的工作是至关重要的，那么他们就会开始组织并资助间断年期间的活动。按照学业间断年公司综合机构“走出学业间断年团体”的负责人理查德奥利弗埃的观点，出现问题往往是因为计划不周。他说，“这可能是公司或学生的责任，但是最保险的方法是作好审慎的准备。当人们把它搞砸时，往往是因为健康问题，尤其是女孩，因为她们从未离开过家，或者期望与现实不符”。学业间断年的意义在于它应该是离校生开始做自己喜欢做的事情的时候。如果由父母来决定孩子怎样成熟，那么他们不会真地变成熟。如果18岁时变成熟的方式是在伦敦汉普斯泰德石南园中无所事事地晒太阳，或者花上一年时间和康沃尔郡的渔夫一起工作，那么对于另外一个人来说将是有所收获的。然而，多数人却认为进行某种安排是有利的，而且行动的安排者应是学生自己。如果18岁的年轻人两周前得到父母的通知，被派去加拿大花5,800英镑学习成为一名滑雪教练，回来后可能只会留下很少的感觉。同样的18岁的年轻人，先通过工作赚钱，再用一年中剩下的时间在从新西兰到瑞士的多个避暑胜地执教，回来后申请大学，这样的经历则是完全不同的积极的做法。 四、生态环境恐怖主义 Islamic terrorism may be a distant threat for Shearer Lumber Products, a timber company based in Idaho. But eco-terrorism is a very real one. In November, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), an underground organization, gave warning that it had“spiked”trees in the Nez Perce national forest to protest against logging. Spiking involves hiding metal bars in tree trunks, thereby potentially crippling chain saws and hurting people. More such attacks are expected. How do they fit into Americas war on terrorism?The nations forests have seen a sharp increase in violent incidentsequipment vandalized, people intimidatedover the past ten years. Shearer now carefully inspects every tree before cutting and has been using metal detectors to check every trunk being processed. Yet Ihor Mereszczak, of the Nez Perce Forest Service, says it has been hard to get the FBIs attent