《考研英语阅读理解学习资料.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《考研英语阅读理解学习资料.docx（37页珍藏版）》请在taowenge.com淘文阁网|工程机械CAD图纸|机械工程制图|CAD装配图下载|SolidWorks_CaTia_CAD_UG_PROE_设计图分享下载上搜索。
1、Unit 2（1997年真题）Passage 1It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australias Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients wh
2、o wish to die. The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the groups on-line service. Death NET. Says Hofsess
3、:We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isnt just something that happened in Australia. Its world history.HThe full import may take a while to sink in. The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implica
4、tions. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, righl-to-life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia - where an aging population, life-extending technology and
5、changing community attitudes have all played their part other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia. In the US and Canada, where the right-to-die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes lo start falling.Under the new Northern Territo
6、ry law, and adult patient can request death - probably by a deadly injection or pill 一 to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors. After a cooling ofF* period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for dea
7、th can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. nrm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point
8、of view, but what I was afraid of was how Id go, because Ive watched people die in the hospital fighting fbr oxygen and clawing at their masks. he says.1. From the second paragraph we learn that.| A the objection to euthanasia is slow to come in other countriesB physicians and citizens share the sam
9、e view on euthanasia|C changing technology is chiefly responsible for the hasty passage of the law(D it takes lime to realize the significance of the laws passage2. When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means.A observers are taking a wait-and-see attit
10、ude towards the future of euthanasia|B| similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countriesC observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoesD the effect-taking process of the passed bill may finally come to a stop3. When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will.A A face hi
11、s death with calm characteristic of euthanasiaB experience the suffering of a lung cancer patientC have an intense fear of terrible sufferingD undergo a cooling off period of seven days4. The authors attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of.A opposition B suspicion CJ approval D indifferenceP
12、assage 2A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course, exceptions. Small-mi
13、nded officials, rude waiters, and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US. Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and lonel
14、iness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry,
15、 injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice fbr the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didnt take in the stranger and take care of him, there wa
16、s no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and tow
17、ns away from the busy tourist trails.I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner - amazing.* Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly.The casual friendliness of many Ameri
18、cans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of cours
19、e, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to translate cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word friend, the cultural implications of the word may be quite diffe
20、rent from those it has in the visitors language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many Americans value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.5. In the eyes
21、 of visitors from the outside world.A rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the US|B small-minded officials deserve a serious commentC Canadians are not so friendly as their neighborsD most Americans are ready to offer help6. It could be inferred from the last paragraph that.A A culture exercises an
22、influence over social interrelationshipB courteous convention and individual interest are interrelatedC various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friendsD social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions7. Families in frontier settlements used to entertain stranger
23、s.A to improve their hard lifeB in view of their long-distance travelC to add some flavor to their own daily life(D| out of a charitable impulse8. The tradition of hospitality lo strangers.A tends to be superficial and artificialB is generally well kept up in the United States|C is always undersKxxl
24、 properlyD has something to do with the busy tourist trailsPassage 3Technically, any substance other than food that alters our bodily or mental functioning is a drug. Many people mistakenly believe the term drug refers only to some sort of medicine or an illegal chemical taken by drug addicts. They
25、dont realize that familiar substances such as alcohol and tobacco are also drugs. This is why the more neutral term substance is now used by many physicians and psychologists. The phrase substance abuse1 is often used instead of drug abuse to make clear that substances such as alcohol and tobacco ca
26、n be just as harmfully misused as heroin and cocaine.Wc live in a society in which the medicinal and social use of substances (drugs) is pervasive: an aspirin to quiet a headache, some wine to be sociable, coffee to get going in the morning, a cigarette for the nerves. When do these socially accepta
27、ble and apparently constructive uses of a substance become misuses? First of all, most substances taken in excess will produce negative effects such as poisoning or intense perceptual distortions. Repeated use of a substance can also lead to physical addiction or substance dependence. Dependence is
28、marked first by an increased tolerance, with more and more of the substance required to pnxluce the desired effect, and then by the appearance of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the substance is discontinued.Drugs (substances) that affect the central nervous system and alter perception, mood, an
29、d behavior are known as psychoactive substances. Psychoactive substances are commonly grouped according to whether they are stimulants, depressants, or hallucinogens. Stimulants initially speed up or activate the central nervous system, whereas depressants slow it down. Hallucinogens have their prim
30、ary effect on perception, distorting and altering it in a variety of ways including producing, hallucinations. These are the substances often called psychedelic (from the Greek word meaning mind-manifestingH) because they seemed to radically alter ones state of consciousness.9. Substances abuse(Line
31、 4, Paragraph 1) is preferable to drug abuse, in that.| A substances can alter our bodily or mental functioning if illegally usedB drug abuse is only related to a limited number of drug takersC alcohol and tobacco are as fatal as heroin and cocaineD many substances other than heroin or cocaine can a
32、lso be poisonous10. The word pervasiveM (Line 1, Paragraph 2) might mean.A widespread B overwhelming C piercing D fashionable11. Physical dependence on certain substances results from.| A uncontrolled consumption of them over long periods of time.8 exclusive use of them for social purposes|C quantit
33、ative application of them to the treatment of diseases(D careless employment of them for unpleasant symptoms12. From the last paragraph we can infer that.A stimulants function positively on the mind|B| hallucinogens are in themselves harmful to healthC depressants are the worst type of psychoactive
34、substancesD the three types of psychoactive substances are commonly used in groupsPassage 4No company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of nation. MIs this what you intended to accomplish with your careers? Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week.Ybu have so
35、ld your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?” Al Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soul-searching that has involved the company ever since the company was bom in 1990. Its a self-examination that has, at various times
36、, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin,56, who took over for the late Steve Ross in 1992. On the financial front. Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the companys mountainous debt
37、, which will increase to $17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impatiently.The flap over rap is not making life any easier fbr him. Levin has consistently defended the companys rap music
38、on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire fbr releasing Ice-Ts violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture, which deserves an outlet.The test of any democratic society/1 he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column,lies not in ho
39、w well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We wont retreat in the face of any threats.Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs tha
40、t the chairman was backing off his hard-line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last months stockholders meeting. Levin asserted that Hmusic is not the cause of societys ills* and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to commu
41、nicate with students. But he talked as well about the balanced struggle between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he announced that the company would launch a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music.The 15-member Time Warner board is
42、generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say several of them have shown their concerns in this matter.Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited, says Luce.I think it is perhaps the case that some peo
43、ple associated with the company have only recently come to realize this.13. Senator Robert Dole criticized Time Warner for.A its rising of the corporate stock priceB its self-examination of soulC its neglect of social responsibilityD its emphasis on creative freedom14. According to the passage, whic
44、h of the following is TRUE?A Luce is a spokesman of Time Warner.B Gerald Levin is liable to compromise.|C Time Warner is united as one in the face of the debate.D Steve Ross is no longer alive.15. In face of the recent attacks on the company, the chairman.A stuck to a strong stand to defend freedom
45、of expression|B| softened his tone and adopted some new policyC changed his attitude and yielded lo objectionD received more support from the 15-member board16. The best title fbr this passage could be.| A A Company under FireB A Debate on Moral DeclineC A Lawful Outlet of Street CultureD A Form of
46、Creative FreedomPassage 5Much of the language used to describe monetary policy, such as steering the economy to a soft landing or a touch on the brakes*1, makes it sound like a precise science. Nothing could be further from the truth. The link between interest rates and inflation is uncertain. And t
47、here are long, variable lags before policy changes have any effect on the economy.Hence the analogy that likens the conduct of monetary policy to driving a car with a blackened windscreen, a cracked rearview mirror and a faulty steering wheel.Given all these disadvantages, central bankers seem to ha
48、ve had much to boast about of late. Average inflation in the big seven industrial economies fell to a mere 2.3% last year, close to its lowest level in 30 years, before rising slightly to 2.5% this July. This is a long way below the double-digit rates which many countries experienced in the 1970s and early 1980s.It is also less than most forecasters had predicted. In late 1994 the panel of economists which The Economist polls each month said that Americas inflation rate would average 3.5% in 1995. In fact, it fell to 2.6% in Aug