考研英语一阅读及答案

1、Text1(2010)OfallthechangesthathavetakenplaceinEnglish-languagenewspapersduringthepastquarter-century,perhapsthemostfar-reachinghasbeentheinexorabledeclineinthescopeandseriousnessoftheirartscoverage.Itisdifficulttothepointofimpossibilityfortheaveragereaderundertheageoffortytoimagineatimewhenhigh-qual

2、ityartscriticismcouldbefoundinmostbig-citynewspapers.Yetaconsiderablenumberofthemostsignificantcollectionsofcriticismpublishedinthe20thcenturyconsistedinlargepartofnewspaperreviews.Toreadsuchbookstodayistomarvelatthefactthattheirlearnedcontentswereoncedeemedsuitableforpublicationingeneral-circulatio

3、ndailies.WeareevenfartherremovedfromtheunfocusednewspaperreviewspublishedinEnglandbetweentheturnofthe20thcenturyandtheeveofWorldWarII,atatimewhennewsprintwasdirt-cheapandstylishartscriticismwasconsideredanornamenttothepublicationsinwhichitappeared.Inthosefar-offdays,itwastakenforgrantedthatthecritic

4、sofmajorpaperswouldwriteindetailandatlengthabouttheeventstheycovered.Theirswasaseriousbusiness,andeventhosereviewerswhoworetheirlearninglightly,likeGeorgeBernardShawandErnestNewman,couldbetrustedtoknowwhattheywereabout.Thesemenbelievedinjournalismasacalling,andwereproudtobepublishedinthedailypress.“

5、Sofewauthorshavebrainsenoughorliterarygiftenoughtokeeptheirownendupinjournalism,N”ewmanwrote,“thaItamtemptedtodefinejournalismasatermofcontemptappliedbywriterswhoarenotreadtowriterswhoare.Unfortunately,thesecriticsarevirtuallyforgotten.NevilleCardus,whowrotefortheManchesterGuardianfrom1917untilshort

6、lybeforehisdeathin1975,isnowknownsolelyasawriterofessaysonthegameofcricket.Duringhislifetime,though,hewasalsooneofEnglandforemostclassical-musiccritics,astylistsowidelyadmiredthathisAutobiography(1947)becameabest-seller.Hewasknightedin1967,thefirstmusiccritictobesohonored.Yetonlyoneofhisbooksisnowin

7、print,andhisvastbodyofwritingsonmusicisunknownsavetospecialists.IsthereanychancethatCardusscriticismwillenjoyarevival?Theprospectseemsremote.Journalistictasteshadchangedlongbeforehisdeath,andpostmodernreadershavelittleusefortherichlyupholsteredVicwardianproseinwhichhespecialized.Moreover,theamateurt

8、raditioninmusiccriticismhasbeeninheadlongretreat.21. ItisindicatedinParagraphs1and2that.A artscriticismhasdisappearedfrombig-citynewspapers.B English-languagenewspapersusedtocarrymoreartsreviews.C high-qualitynewspapersretainalargebodyofreaders.D youngreadersdoubtthesuitabilityofcriticismondailies.2

9、2. NewspaperreviewsinEnglandbeforeWorldWarIIwerecharacterizedby.Afreethemes.Bcasualstyle.Celaboratelayout.Dradicalviewpoints.23. WhichofthefollowingwouldShawandNewmanmostprobablyagreeon?A Itiswriters'dutytofulfilljournalisticgoals.B Itiscontemptibleforwriterstobejournalists.C Writersarelikelytob

10、etemptedintojournalism.D Notallwritersarecapableofjournalisticwriting.24. WhatcanbelearnedaboutCardusaccordingtothelasttwoparagraphs?A Hismusiccriticismmaynotappealtoreaderstoday.B Hisreputationasamusiccritichaslongbeenindispute.C Hisstylecaterslargelytomodernspecialists.D Hiswritingsfailtofollowthe

11、amateurtradition.25. Whatwouldbethebesttitleforthetext?A NewspapersoftheGoodOldDaysB TheLostHorizoninNewspapersC MournfulDeclineofJournalismD ProminentCriticsinMemoryText2(2010)Overthepastdecade,thousandsofpatentshaveseengrantedforwhatarecalledbusinessmethods.Amazoncomreceivedoneforits“onelickonline

12、paymentsystemMerrillLynchgotlegalprotectionforanassetallocationstrategy.Oneinventorpatentedatechniqueforlyingabox.Nowthenation'stoppatentcourtappearscompletelyreadytoscalehabuoiness-methodpatents,whichhavebeencontroversialeversincetheywerefirstauthorized10yearsago.Inamovethathasintellectual-prop

13、ertylawyersabuzztheU.ScourtofAppealsforthefederalcircuitsaiditwoulduseparticularcasetoconductabroadreviewofbusiness-methodpatents!reBilski,asthecaseisknown,is“avery,bigaysaHDennisD.CrouchoftheUniversityofMissouriSchooloflaw.It“hasthepotentialtoeliminateanentireclassofpatentsCurbsonbusiness-methodcla

14、imswouldbeadramaticabout-facebecauseitwasthefederalcircuititselfthatintroducedsuchpatentswithis1998decisionintheso-calledstateStreetBankcase,approvingapatentonawayofpoolingmutual-fundassets.Thatrulingproducedanexplosioninbusiness-methodpatentfilings,initiallybyemerginginternetcompaniestryingtostakeo

15、utexclusivepintstospecifictypesofonlinetransactions.Later,moveestablishedcompaniesracedtoaddsuchpatentstotheirfiles,ifonlyasadefensivemoveagainstrivalsthatmightbentthemtothepunch.In2005,IBMnotedinacourtfilingthatithadbeenissuedmorethan300business-methodpatentsdespitethefactthatitquestionedthelegalba

16、sisforgrantingthem.Similarly,someWallStreetinvestmentfilmsarmedthemselveswithpatentsforfinancialproducts,evenastheytookpositionsincourtcasesopposingthepractice.TheBilskicaseinvolvesaclaimedpatentonamethodforhedgingriskintheenergymarket.TheFederalcircuitissuedanunusualorderstatingthatthecasewouldbehe

17、ardbyall12ofthecourt"judges,ratherthanatypicalpanelofthree,andthatoneissueitwantstoevaluateiswhetheritshould“reconsider“itsstatestreet.BankrulingTheFederalCircuit'sactioncomesinthewakeofaseriesofrecentdecisionsbythesupreme.Countthathasnarrowedthescopeofprotectionsforpatentholders.LastApril,

18、forexamplethejusticessignaledthattoomanypatentswerebeingupheldforhatarinobvtionsThetjudgesontheFederalcircuitare“reaction。theanti-patenttrendatthesupremecourt”saysHaroldC.Wegner,apatentattorneyandprofessoratWashingtonUniversityLawSchool.26. Business-methodpatentshaverecentlyarousedconcernbecauseof.A

19、 theirlimitedvaluetobusinessB theirconnectionwithassetallocationC thepossiblerestrictionontheirgrantingD thecontroversyoverauthorization27. WhichofthefollowingistrueoftheBilskicase?A ItsrulingcomplieswiththecourtdecisionsB ItinvolvesaverybigbusinesstransactionC IthasbeendismissedbytheFederalCircuitD

20、 ItmaychangethelegalpracticesintheU.S.28. The wordaboce”(Line1,Para3)mostprobablymeansA loss of good willC change of attitudeBincreaseofhostilityDenhancementofdisunity29. Welearnfromthelasttwoparagraphsthatbusiness-methodpatentsA areimmunetolegalchallengesB areoftenunnecessarilyissuedC lowertheestee

21、mforpatentholdersD increasetheincidenceofrisks30. Whichofthefollowingwouldbethesubjectofthetext?A Aloomingthreattobusiness-methodpatentsB Protectionforbusiness-methodpatentholdersC Alegalcaseregardingbusiness-methodpatentsD Aprevailingtreadagainstbusiness-methodpatentsText3(2010)InhisbookTheTippingP

22、ointMalcolmAladuellarguesthat“socialepidemics"aredriveninlargepartbytheactionsofatinyminorityofspecialindividuals,oftencalledinfluentials,whoareunusuallyinformed,persuasive,orwellconnected.Theideaisintuitivelycompelling,butitdoesn'texplainhowideasactuallyspread.Thesupposedimportanceofinflue

23、ntialsderivesfromaplausible-soundingbutlargelyuntestedtheorycalledthe-stepfltwoofcommunication:Informationflowsfromthemediatotheinfluentialsandfromthemtoeveryoneelse.Marketershaveembracedthetwo-stepflowbecauseitsuggeststhatiftheycanjustfindandinfluencetheinfluentials,thoseselectedpeoplewilldomostoft

24、heworkforthem.Thetheoryalsoseemstoexplainthesuddenandunexpectedpopularityofcertainlooks,brands,orneighborhoods.Inmanysuchcases,acursorysearchforcausesfindsthatsomesmallgroupofpeoplewaswearing,promoting,ordevelopingwhateveritisbeforeanyoneelsepaidattention.Anecdotalevidenceofthiskindfitsnicelywiththe

25、ideathatonlycertainspecialpeoplecandrivetrends.Intheirrecentwork,however,someresearchershavecomeupwiththefindingthatinfluentialshavefarlessimpactonsocialepidemicsthanisgenerallysupposed.Infact,theydonseemtoberequiredatall.Theresearchersargumentstemsfromasimpleobservationaboutsocialinfluence:Withthee

26、xceptionofafewcelebritieslikeOprahWinfreywhoseoutsizepresenceisprimarilyafunctionofmedia,notinterpersonal,influenceeventhemostinfluentialmembersofapopulationsimplydon'tinteractwiththatmanyothers.Yetitispreciselythesenon-celebrityinfluentialswho,accordingtothetwo-step-flowtheory,aresupposedtodriv

27、esocialepidemics,byinfluencingtheirfriendsandcolleaguesdirectly.Forasocialepidemictooccur,however,eachpersonsoaffectedmusttheninfluencehisorherownacquaintances,whomustinturninfluencetheirs,andsoon;andjusthowmanyotherspayattentiontoeachofthesepeoplehaslittletodowiththeinitialinfluential.Ifpeopleinthe

28、networkjusttwodegreesremovedfromtheinitialinfluentialproveresistant,forexample,thecascadeofchangewon'tpropagateveryfaroraffectmanypeople.Buildingonthebasictruthaboutinterpersonalinfluence,theresearchersstudiedthedynamicsofsocialinfluencebyconductingthousandsofcomputersimulationsofpopulations,man

29、ipulatinganumberofvariablesrelatingtopeople'sabilitytoinfluenceothersandtheirtendencytobeinfluenced.Theyfoundthattheprincipalrequirementforwhatiscalled“globalcascades”thewidespreadpropagationofinfluencethroughnetworksisthepresencenotofafewinfluentialsbut,rather,ofacriticalmassofeasilyinfluencedp

30、eople.31. BycitingthebookTheTippingPointtheauthorintendsto.A analyzetheconsequencesofsocialepidemicsB discussinfluentialsfunctioninspreadingideasC exemplifypeoplesintuitiveresponsetosocialepidemicsD describetheessentialcharacteristicsofinfluentials32. Theauthorsuggeststhatthe-step-f“lowtwthoeory_”.A

31、 servesasasolutiontomarketingproblemsB hashelpedexplaincertainprevalenttrendsC haswonsupportfrominfluentialsD requiressolidevidenceforitsvalidity33. Whattheresearchershaveobservedrecentlyshowsthat.A thepowerofinfluencegoeswithsocialinteractionsB interpersonallinkscanbeenhancedthroughthemediaC influe

32、ntialshavemorechannelstoreachthepublicD mostcelebritieaenjoywidemediaattention34. Theunderlinedphrase“thesepeople”inparagraph4refersto_t_h_e_o_n_e_s_w_h.oAstayoutsidethenetworkofsocialinfluenceBhavelittlecontactwiththesourceofinfluenceCareinfluencedandtheninfluenceothersDareinfluencedbytheinitialinf

33、luential35. Whatistheessentialelementinthedynamicsofsocialinfluence?ATheeagernesstobeacceptedBTheimpulsetoinfluenceothersCThereadinesstobeinfluencedDTheinclinationtorelyonothersText4(2010)Bankershavebeenblamingthemselvesfortheirtroublesinpublic.Behindthescenes,theyhavebeentakingaimatsomeoneelsetheac

34、countingstandard-setters.Theirrules,moanthebanks,haveforcedthemtoreportenormouslosses,anditsjustnotfair.Theserulessaytheymustvsomeassetsatthepriceathirdpartywouldpay,notthepricemanagersandregulatorswouldlikethemtofetch.Unfortunately,bankslobbyingnowseemstobeworking.Thedetailsmaybeunknowable,butthein

35、dependenceofstandard-setters,essentialtotheproperfunctioningofcapitalmarkets,isbeingcompromised.And,unlessbankscarrytoxicassetsatpricesthatattractbuyers,revivingthebankingsystemwillbedifficult.AfterabruisingencounterwithCongress,AmericaFinancialAccountingStandardsBoard(FASB)rushedthroughrulechanges.

36、Thesegavebanksmorefreedomtousemodelstovalueilliquidassetsandmoreflexibilityinrecognizinglossesonlong0termassetsintheirincomestatement.BobHerz,theFASBschairman,criedoutagainstthosewho“questionourmoti.v”esYetbanksharesroseandthechangeenshancewhatonelobbygrouppolitelycalls“theuseofjudgmentbyma.n”agemen

37、tEuropeanministersinstantlydemandedthattheInternationalAccountingStandardsBoard(IASB)dolikewise.TheIASBsaysitdoesnotwanttoactwithoutoverallplanning,butthepressuretofoldwhenitcompletesitreconstructionofruleslaterthisyearisstrongCharlieMcCreevy,aEuropeancommissioner,warnedtheIASBthatitdid“notliveinapo

38、liticalvacubut“intherealwolrd”andtheEuropecouldyetdevelodpifferentrules.Itwasbanksthatwereonthewrongplanet,withaccountsthatvastlyovervaluedassets.Todaytheyarguethatmarketpricesoverstatelosses,becausetheyLargelyreflectthetemporaryilliquidityofmarkets,notthelikelyextentofbaddebts.Thetruthwillnotbeknownforyears.Butbank'sharestradebelowtheirbookvalue,suggestingthatinvestorsareskeptical.Anddeadmarketspartlyreflecttheparalysisofbankswhichwillnotsellassetsforfearofbookinglosses,yetarereluctanttobuyallth