2010 年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题
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 ANSWER SHEET 1.
(10 points)
In 1924 American’National Research Council sent to engineers to supervise a series of industrial experiments at a large telephone-parts factory called the Hawthore Plant near Chicago.It hoped they would learn how stop-floor lignting__1__workers productivity. Instead, the studies ended __2___giving their name to the “Hawthorne effect”, the extremely influential
idea that the very___3____to being experimented upon changed subjects’ behavior.
The idea arose because of the __4____behavior of the women in the Hawthorne plant.According to __5____of the experments, their hourly output rose when lighting was increased, but also when it was dimmed. It did not __6____what was done in the experiment; ___7_something was changed ,productivity rose. A(n)___8___that they were being experimented upon seemed to be
____9___to alter workers’ behavior ____10____itself.
After several decades, the same data were _11__ to econometric the analysis. The Hawthorne experiments have another surprise in store: _12 __the descriptions on record, no systematic _13__ was found that levels of reproductivity were related to
changes in lighting.
It turns out that particular way of conducting the experiments may have led to__ 14__ interpretation of what happed.__ 15___ , lighting was always changed on a Sunday .When work started again on Monday, output __16___ rose compared with the previous Saturday and__ 17 _to rise for the next couple of days.__ 18__ a comparison with data for weeks when there was no experimentation showed that output always went up on Monday. Workers__ 19__ to be diligent for the first few days of the weeking week in any case , before __20 __a plateau and then slackening off. This suggests that the alleged “Hawthorne effect “ is hard
to pin down.
1. [A] affected [B] achieved [C] extracted [D] restored
2. [A] at [B]up [C] with [D] off 3. [A]truth [B]sight [C] act [D] proof
4. [A] controversial [B] perplexing [C]mischievous [D] ambiguous 5. [A]requirements [B]explanations [C] accounts [D] assessments
6. [A] conclude [B] matter [C] indicate [D] work
7. [A] as far as [B] for fear that [C] in case that [D] so long so
8. [A] awareness [B] expectation [C] sentiment [D] illusion
9. [A] suitable [B] excessive [C] enough [D] abundant
10. [A] about [B] for [C] on [D] by
11. [A] compared [B]shown [C] subjected [D] conveyed
12. [A] contrary to [B] consistent with [C] parallel with [D] pealliar to
13. [A] evidence [B]guidance [C]implication [D]source 14. [A] disputable [B]enlightening [C]reliable [D]misleading 15. [A] In contrast [B] For example [C] In consequence [D] As usual
16. [A] duly [B]accidentally [C] unpredictably [D] suddenly
17. [A]failed [B]ceased [C]started [D]continued 20. [A]breaking [B]climbing [C]surpassing [D]hitting
Section II Reading Comprehension
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 ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)
Text 1
Text 2
Over the past decade, thousands of patents have seen granted for what are called business methods. Amazon.com received one for its “one-click” online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for an asset allocation strategy. One inventor
patented a technique for lifting a box.
Now the nation’s top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversial ever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-property lawyers abuzz the U.S. court of Appeals for the federal circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In re Bilski , as the case is known , is “a very big deal”, says Dennis’D. Crouch of the University
of Missouri School of law. It “has the potential to eliminate an entire class of patents.”
Curbs on business-method claims would be a dramatic about-face, because it was the federal circuit itself that introduced such patents with is 1998 decision in the so-called state Street Bank case, approving a patent on a way of pooling mutual-fund assets. That ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive pinhts to specific types of online transactions. Later, move established companies raced to add such patents to their files, if only as a defensive move against rivals that might bent them to the punch. In 2005, IBM noted in a court filing that it had been issued more than 300 business-method patents despite the fact that it questioned the legal basis for granting them. Similarly, some Wall Street investment films armed themselves with patents for financial
products, even as they took positions in court cases opposing the practice.
The Bilski case involves a claimed patent on a method for hedging risk in the energy market. The Federal circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12 of the court’s judges, rather than a typical panel of three,
and that one issue it wants to evaluate is weather it should” reconsider” its state street Bank ruling.
The Federal Circuit’s action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the supreme Count that has nurrowed the scope of protections for patent holders. Last April, for example the justices signaled that too many patents were being upheld for “inventions” that are obvious. The judges on the Federal circuit are “reacting to the anti-patient trend at the supreme court” ,says Harole C.wegner, a partend attorney and professor at aeorge Washington University Law School.
26. Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because of
[A] their limited value to business [B] their connection with asset allocation [C] the possible restriction on their granting
[D] the controversy over authorization
27. Which of the following is true of the Bilski case? [A] Its rulling complies with the court decisions [B] It involves a very big business transaction [C] It has been dismissed by the Federal Circuit [D] It may change the legal practices in the U.S.
28. The word “about-face” (Line 1, Paro 3) most probably means
[A] loss of good will [B] increase of hostility [C] change of attitude [D] enhancement of disnity
29. We learn from the last two paragraphs that business-method patents
[A] are immune to legal challenges [B] are often unnecessarily issued [C] lower the esteem for patent holders [D] increase the incidence of risks
30. Which of the following would be the subject of the text?
[A] A looming threat to business-method patents [B] Protection for business-method patent holders [C] A legal case regarding business-method patents [D] A prevailing trend against business-method patents
Text 3
In his book The Tipping Point,Malcolm Aladuell argues that social epidemics are driven in large part by the acting of a tiny minority of special individuals,often called influentials,who are unusually informed,persuasive,or well-connected.The
idea is intuitively compelling,but it doesn’t explain how ideas actually spread.
The supposed importance of influentials derives from a plausible sounding but largely untested theory called the “two step
flow of communication”: Information flows from the media to the influentials and from them to ereryone else.Marketers have embraced the two-step flow because it suggests that if they can just find and influence the influentials,those selected people will do most of the work for them. The theory also seems to explain the sudden and unexpected popularity of people was wearing, promoting or developing whaterver it is before anyone else paid attention. Anecdotal evidence of this kind
fits nicely with the idea that only certain special people can drive trends.
In their recent work,however,some researchers have come up with the finding that influentials have far less impact on social
epidemics than is generally supposed.In fact,they don’t seem to be required of all.
The researchers’ argument stems from a simple obserrating about social influence,with the exception of a few celebrities like Oprah Winfrey — whose outsize presence is primarily a function of media,not interpersonal,influence — even the most influential members of a population simply don’t interact with that many others.Yet it is precisely these non-celebring influentials who,according to the two-step-flow theory,are supposed to drive social epidemics by influcencing their friends and colleagues directly.For a social epidemic to occur,however,each person so affected,must then influcence his or her own acquaintances,who must in turn influence theirs,and so on;and just how many others pay attention to each of these people has little to do with the initial influential.If people in the network just two degrees removed from the initial influential prove resistant,for example from the initial influential prove resistant,for example the casecade of change won’t propagate
very far or affect many people.
Building on the basic truth about interpersonal influence,the researchers studied the dynamics of populations manipulating a number of variables relating of populations,manipulating a number of variables relating to people’s ability to influence
others and their tendence to be.
31.By citing the book The Tipping Point,the author intends to
[A]analyze the consequences of social epidemics [B]discuss influentials’ function in spreading ideas [C]exemplify people’s intuitive response to social epidemics [D]describe the essential characteristics of influentials. 32.The author suggests that the “two-step-flow theory”
[A]serves as a solution to marketing problems [B]has helped explain certain prevalent trends
[C]has won support from influentials [D]requires solid evidence for its validity
33.what the resarchers have observed recenty shows that [A] the power of influence goes with social interactions [B] interpersonal links can be enhanced through the media [C] influentials have more channels to reach the public
[D] most celebrities enjoy wide media attention
34.The underlined phrase “these people” in paragraph 4 refers to the ones who
[A] stay outside the network of social influnce
[B] have little contact with the source of influnence
[C] are influenced and then influence others [D] are influenced by the initial influential
35.what is the essential element in the dynamics of social influence?
[A]The eagerness to be accepted [B]The impulse to influence others [C]The readiness to be influenced [D]The inclination to rely on others
Text 4
Bankers have been blaming themselves for their troubles in public. Behind the scenes, they have been taking aim at someone else: the accounting standard-setters. Their rules, moan the banks, have forced them to report enormous losses, and it’s just not fair. These rules say they must value some assets at the price a third party would pay, not the price managers
and regulators would like them to fetch.
Unfortunately, banks’ lobbying now seems to be working. The details may be unknowable, but the independence of standard-setters, essential to the proper functioning of capital markets, is being compromised. And, unless banks carry
toxic assets at prices that attract buyers, reviving the banking system will be difficult.
After a bruising encounter with Congress, America’s Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rushed through rule changes. These gave banks more freedom to use models to value illiquid assets and more flexibility in recognizing losses on long-term assets in their income statement. Bob Herz, the FASB’s chairman, cried out against those who “question our motives.” Yet bank shares rose and the changes enhance what one lobby group politely calls “the use of judgment by management.” European ministers instantly demanded that the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) do likewise. The IASB says it does not want to act without overall planning, but the pressure to fold when it completes it reconstruction of rules later this year is strong. Charlie McCreevy, a European commissioner, warned the IASB that it did “not live in a political
vacuum” but “in the real word” and that Europe could yet develop different rules.
It was banks that were on the wrong planet, with accounts that vastly overvalued assets. Today they argue that market prices overstate losses, because they largely reflect the temporary illiquidity of markets, not the likely extent of bad debts. The truth will not be known for years. But bank’s shares trade below their book value, suggesting that investors are skeptical. And dead markets partly reflect the paralysis of banks which will not sell assets for fear of booking losses, yet are reluctant
to buy all those supposed bargains.
To get the system working again, losses must be recognized and dealt with. America’s new plan to buy up toxic assets will not work unless banks mark assets to levels which buyers find attractive. Successful markets require independent and even combative standard-setters. The FASB and IASB have been exactly that, cleaning up rules on stock options and pensions, for example, against hostility form special interests. But by giving in to critics now they are inviting pressure to make more
concessions.