1、考博英语（阅读理解）-试卷 88 及答案解析(总分：48.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：5，分数：48.00)A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement spread ever farther westward. The early trains were impractical curiosities, and for a long time the railroad companie
2、s met with troublesome mechanical problems. The most serious ones were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the development of a safe, effective stopping system. Once these were solved, the railroad was established as the best means of land transportation. By 1860 there were thousand
3、s of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward to the Mississippi. There were also regional southern and western lines. The high point in railroad building came with the construction of the first transcontinental system. In 1862 Congress authorized two western rai
4、lroad companies to build lines from Nebraska westward and from California eastward to a meeting point, so as to complete a transcontinental crossing linking the Atlantic seaboard with the Pacific. The government helped the railroads generously with money and land. Actual work on the project began fo
5、ur years later. The Central Pacific Company, starting from California, used Chinese labor, while the Union Pacific employed crews of Irish laborers: The two groups worked at remarkable speed, each trying to cover a greater distance than the other did. In 1869 they met at a place called Promontory in
6、 what is now the state of Utah. Many visitors came there for the great occasion. There were joyous church bells to honor the great achievement. The railroad was very important in encouraging westward movement. It also helped build up industry and farming by moving raw materials and by distributing p
7、roducts rapidly to distant markets. In linking towns and people to one another it helped unify the United States.（分数：10.00）(1).How many years did the constructions of the transcontinental railroad take?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(2).What did the major problem with Americans railroad system in the mid 19th lie
8、in?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(3).The building of the first transcontinental system brought about 1.（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(4).What most likely made people think about a transcontinental railroad?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(5).What would a suitable title for this passage be?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_Todays worker is no longer willing to
9、work in an authoritarian and dehumanizing environment. Workers want meaning in their work and balance in their lives. They want opportunities to contribute and to know how their work is effective. Employees want to work for organizations that respect them as individuals. They also want to know that
10、they are working for an ethical company that acts in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Today, and in the future, companies must design work so that employees can take responsibility and be rewarded appropriately. By changing altitudes, and conditions in the workplace, organizations
11、can help make work more meaningful. Repetitive factory routines and office work that simply moves paper from in-box to out-box are mindless task that destroy motivation and productivity. Research has shown that mental challenge is closely related to job satisfaction. Too little challenge in the work
12、, as in completely automated tasks, generally leads to boredom and lowered satisfaction. On the other hand, too much challenge may lead to failure and frustration. Thus success or achievement in reaching an accepted standard of competence is an important factor in job satisfaction. Todays workers wa
13、nt to be a valued part of the whole. They want to know that their work is important and how it fits into the corporate strategy. They want to know not only how the work they do affects others and the organizations goals, but how they as individuals can make an impact. Employees will contribute their
14、 knowledge enthusiastically in a corporate culture that values the individual. The profitability of a company is related to the quality and efforts of its workers. Therefore, a direct relationship between job performance and reward makes work more meaningful. Compaq Computers, for example, has an un
15、usually low turnover rate among its employees. Like most companies in the computer field, Compaq expects its people to work long and hard to achieve big results quickly. In many companies an atmosphere of constant push would inspire people to seek employment with less pressure somewhere else. Instea
16、d, high quality people stay with Compaq. The companys culture emphasizes individual responsibility for results and high respect for individuals, Compaq benefits from creating opportunities for employees to perform to the vast of their potential and to be rewarded for their achievements.（分数：10.00）(1)
17、.What is an ethical company?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(2).What kinds of work will kill job satisfaction?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(3).What may happen if there is too much challenge in ones job?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(4).On what condition does high turnover of employees occur?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_(5).How do employees contribute to
18、the profitability under the corporate culture of Compaq Computers?（分数：2.00）填空项 1:_Barbie Dolls Flashy clothes, the perfect boyfriend, a Corvette, Ferrari, full size apartment with beautiful furniture and boat. Shes the woman who has everything and every year receives more. Since her introduction in
19、1959, the Barbie doll may be the most influential icon of American culture in the late twentieth century. 【R1】_She attracted little girls because of her adult-like features. Before this, children looked at toys like Yogi Bear, Howdy Doody, and baby dolls for inspiration. With the creation of Barbie,
20、 girls now had a new toy to stimulate their imaginations. In the 1950s most women stayed at home, cooking, cleaning and caring for their children; they didnt parade around in tight little skirts and high heels. The Barbie doll represented independence and glamour: she could sing solos in the spotlig
21、ht one minute and pilot an airplane the next. She was exciting and completely different from the clinging Betsy Westsys and Chatty Cathys that little girls were used to. In Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll, M. G. Lord tells the story of Barbies creators. Ruth Handler, the yo
22、ungest of ten siblings(同胞), worked as a stenographer for Paramount Pictures as a young woman. Her husband Elliott designed light fixtures and studied art. 【R2】_The Handlers began the factory in their garage but quickly expanded until they had hired a hundred workers who made jewelry and decorative i
23、tems. World War II shortages of labor soon put them out of business. Despite their first failure, the Handlers didnt give up and, in 1945, they joined with Harold Matson, a former worker, and together the three started “Mattel Creations“. Matsons last name along with Elliots was fused together to fo
24、rm the name Mattel. In 1946, Matson sold out his share. The Handlers were not discouraged, though, because of their strong belief in futuristic materials such as Plexiglas, Lucite and plastic. They continued looking for the perfect item to make their company a success. Little did they know that thei
25、r persistence would lead them to establish a multi-million company initiated by the revolutionary Barbie doll. Ruth Handler first encountered the model for Barbie in 1955 while vacationing in Switzerland with her family. The Lilli doll, a comic character from Germany, was usually found in tobacco st
26、ores as a three dimensional(三维的)pinup(挂在墙上的照片，玩偶等). Ruth brought back two dolls, one for her daughter Barbara, and one for herself. 【R3】_Handler recalls: “Through their play Barbara imagined their lives as adults. They used the dolls to reflect the adult world around them. They would sit and carry o
27、n conversations, making the dolls real people. I thought if only we could take this play pattern and three dimensionalize it, we would have something very special. “ Barbie debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City in the winter of 1959. But in her unseasonable black-and-white striped swimsu
28、it, the doll did not impress toy buyers. Even Sears, Mattels biggest customer, refused to put the sexy doll on their shelves. Lord says it was Mattels advertising strategy aimed at the children that finally paved the way for Barbies success. The 1950s was a big decade for child culture. Disneyland h
29、ad opened in July of 1955, and Walt Disneys Mickey Mouse Club television series was a hit for children under the age of 12. Manufacturers and retailers had aimed toy advertising at parents in the past with the focus during Christmas season. But once children actually saw toys advertised on televisio
30、n, toys became a big business. Television advertisements with the child-as-a-consumer revolutionized the toy industry in the twentieth century. Barbie was a fantasy. In a border city it was rare to encounter a white, blue-eyed person. “Maybe thats why I was so attracted to her. “ Most little girls c
31、ouldnt wait to get their hands on Barbie because they had never encountered a doll with such an enormous wardrobe. Angela Loya, an engineer and Barbie collector from Houston, idolized Barbie because of her independence. She said in an interview, “ Barbie was designed for women by women. It taught us
32、 what was expected from us by society. She had it all.the clothes, the boyfriend and whatever career she wanted. She was the symbol of post-war female independence. “ 【R4】_Lord quotes Ruth Handler as saying, “Pregnancy(怀孕)would never be part of Barbies physique, because Barbie would not compromise h
33、er freedom. Just as she did not depend on parents, she would not have offspring dependent on her. “ Barbies sexy image also raised questions among both children and parents. Many parents still did not talk about sex to their children and naked baby dolls usually did not spark great interest. Barbie
34、dolls changed this. Some 700 million Barbie dolls have been sold since 1959 in over 140 countries. Yearly sales exceeded the $ 1 billion mark in 1993. Retail experts estimate that the typical American girl owns an average of eight Barbie dolls. And the doll has her own Hall of Fame in Palo Alto, Cal
35、ifornia, where a collection of over 20, 000 Barbies awaits visitors. 【R5】_A childs imagination can take Barbie anywhere. She easily can be a doctor by simply converting her hot pink kitchen into an operating room. Tissue boxes and packing cartons make great furniture and apartment complexes. A child
36、 really doesnt need the fancy cars or doll houses to make her dreams come alive: all that is really needed is an imagination. A. Barbies biographer reminds us that she was not defined through relationships of responsibility to men or family. B. Barbie, named after the Handlers daughter, has become t
37、he quintessential(典型的) American doll. C. Barbies success may be attributed to the focus on children as consumers for the first time. D. A second contributing factor to the realization of this doll evolved from Ruth watching her daughter and friends play with paper dolls. E. In 1937, they had moved f
38、rom Colorado to California where they gambled their life savings on a plan to build Plexigla.（分数：10.00）(1).【R1】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(2).【R2】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(3).【R3】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(4).【R4】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(5).【R5】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.Negotiation is limited to the corporate boardroom or to high-s
39、takes business settings . By becoming familiar with simple negotiating skills, you can help solve a wide variety of workplace problems, both large and small. When you are discussing a need or problem with your coworkers, choose whichever of the following techniques will help bring your discussion to
40、 a positive close. Learn about the others needs . What does the other person need? How can you help meet these needs? Negotiation often involves exchanges, and your willingness to discover resources you can “swap“ with each other can make your negotiation successful. Listen. 【R1】_ Negotiate with the
41、 right person. 【R2】_. Ask questions . In the course of a typical negotiation, your coworker will say things you disagree with . He might even make an ultimatum or two . Dont respond in kind . Probe his position by asking open-ended questions and posing hypothetical scenarios. You will likely discove
42、r additional negotiating room as a result. Know your strengths but dont let on . 【R3】_. Dont be afraid to give in , but do it point by point. A good rule of thumb: make a concession only when your coworker makes a concession. Think of negotiating as a selling . Imagine you are a salesperson who must
43、 convince your customer of the merits of your product. A sales mindset will help you maintain a positive and persuasive attitude. Anticipate shock tactics. Good negotiators know that “shock tactics“ are a normal part of serious negotiation discussions. 【R4】_. Look at the big picture. If you and your
44、 coworker agree on the big picture , you can agree “in principle“ to your mutual objective-and pursue the details later. An agreement in principle often removes a major stumbling block to successful negotiations, since it may put you and the other person on the same side. Look for “yes“ opportunitie
45、s. 【R5】_When you hear a “yes“ , thank you coworker and reaffirm your desire to conclude an agreement. Remember that winning is not everything. In a productive negotiation, both sides give away something in order to gain something of greater value. Do not enter a negotiation with the intention of bro
46、wbeating your opponent or “winning“ the deal. Instead, seek to arrive at a win-win outcome that leaves both you and your coworker enthusiastic about the result and eager to negotiate again. A. Always maintain a sense of decorum, even when others appear angry, frustrated of disgusted. Your decorum si
47、gnals your willingness to continue the discussion-but on civil terms. B. Remain on the lookout for points you and the other person agree on. When negotiations are not going well even when they seem doomed agreement on a relatively minor point can often change the tone of the discussion. C. Let your
48、coworker talk about her problem first. Try to understand her position before you argue your point of view. D. Dont let your coworker know fully what you can offer in negotiation until the discussion progresses further. Save your best negotiating points and concessions for later. E. Nothing is more f
49、rustrating than approaching an individual to help you solve a problem, only to discover that he cannot. Figure out who can help meet your needs, and then decide how best to approach that individual.（分数：10.00）(1).【R1】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(2).【R2】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(3).【R3】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(4).【R4】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.(5).【R5】（分数：2.00）A.B.C.D.E.In
