1、在职艺术硕士（MFA）全国联考英文阅读理解-试卷 17及答案解析(总分：40.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、英文阅读理解题(总题数：4，分数：40.00)Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course,
2、any sensible student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But that“s not what I did. I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts (文科) university that doesn“t even offer a major in electr
3、ical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice; I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who weren“t studyi
4、ng science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for such a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them. I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering “factories
5、“ where they didn“t care if you have values or were flexible. I was going to be a complete engineer; technical genius and sensitive humanist (人文 学者) all in one. Now I“m not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of
6、struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调) engineering with liberal-arts courses in college. The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student i
7、s that engineering and the liberal arts simply don“t mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult. (348 words)（分数：10.00）(1).The author chose to stu
8、dy engineering at a small liberal-arts university because he（分数：2.00）A.wanted to be an example of practicality and rationalityB.wanted to coordinate engineering with liberal-arts courses in collegeC.intended to be a combination of engineer and humanistD.intended to be a sensible student with noble i
9、deals(2).According to the author, by interacting with people who study liberal arts, engineering students can_.（分数：2.00）A.broaden their horizonsB.receive guidance in their careersC.become noble idealistsD.balance engineering and the liberal arts(3).In the eyes of the author, a successful engineering
10、 student is expected_.（分数：2.00）A.to have an excellent academic recordB.to be a technical genius with a wide visionC.to be imaginative with a value system to guide himD.to be wise and mature(4).The author“s experience shows that he was_.（分数：2.00）A.creativeB.ambitiousC.irrationalD.unrealistic(5).The w
11、ord “they“ in “ together they threaten to confuse“ (Line 3, Para. 5) refers to_.（分数：2.00）A.reality and noble idealsB.engineering and the liberal artsC.flexibility and a value systemD.practicality and rationalityBrazil has become one of the developing world“s great successes at reducing population gr
12、owthbut more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard. Brazil“s population growth rate has dropped from 2. 99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1. 93% a year
13、 between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2. 7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries. Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and ins
14、tallment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world“s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil“s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three other
15、s show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the hig;h life in big cities. “Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class valuesnot many children, different attitudes toward
16、s sex, women working,“ says Martine. “They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package. “ Meanwhile, the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. “This led to
17、an enormous change in consumption patterns and consumption was incompatible (不相容的) with unlimited reproduction,“ says Martine. (293 words)（分数：10.00）(1).According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth_.（分数：2.00）A.by educating its citizensB.by careful family planningC.by developing
18、 TV programmesD.by chance(2).According to the passage, many Third World countries_.（分数：2.00）A.haven“t attached much importance to birth controlB.would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rateC.haven“t yet found an effective measure to control their populationD.neglected the role of TV plays
19、in family planning(3).The phrase “ puts it down to“ (Line 1, Para. 3) is closest in meaning to（分数：2.00）A.attributes it toB.finds it a reason forC.sums it up asD.compares it to(4).Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil“s birth rate because_.（分数：2.00）A.they keep people sitting long hours watching
20、TVB.they have gradually changed people“s way of lifeC.people are drawn to their attractive packageD.they popularize birth control measures(5).What is Martine“s conclusion about Brazil“s population growth?（分数：2.00）A.The increase in birth rate will promote consumption.B.The desire for consumption help
21、s to reduce birth rate.C.Consumption patterns and reproduction patterns are contradictory.D.A country“s production is limited by its population growth.There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give childre
22、n something to do. In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true b
23、ecause boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world. What is remarkable about the history of toys is not how they changed over the centuries, but how they remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mec
24、hanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic (北极的) peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depen
25、ded on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles. Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characteri
26、ze inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent (进步). The progress from a rattle (拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 B. C. to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the ar
27、tistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials. (306 words)（分数：10.00）(1).The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that_.（分数：2.00）A.their social roles are rigidly determinedB.most boys would like to follow their fat
28、hers“ professionsC.boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothersD.they like challenging activities(2).One aspect of “the universality of toys“ lies in the fact that_.（分数：2.00）A.technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toysB.the improvement of craftsmanship
29、 in making toys depends on the efforts of universitiesC.the exploration of the universe had led to the creation of new kinds of toysD.the basic characteristics of toys are the same over the world(3).Which of the following is the author“s view on the historical development of toys?（分数：2.00）A.The craf
30、tsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged.B.Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries.C.The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years.D.Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child“s character.(4).Regarded as a k
31、ind of art form, toys_.（分数：2.00）A.follow a direct line of ascentB.also appeal greatly to adultsC.are not characterized by technological progressD.reflect the pace of social progress(5).The author uses the example of rattle to show that_.（分数：2.00）A.in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of ma
32、terialsB.even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technologyC.it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy makingD.even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time“Hi, there. How“s it going?“ “Oh, fine. Fine. How about this weather, huh?“ “Well, I guess we ca
33、n always use the rain. “ What“s that? This story? Oh, just a little look at small talk. You know, those seemingly meaningless conversations you have dozens of times a day. Maybe you“re waiting for the elevator. Or in a line at the bank. It all seems pretty trivial. Idle chatter about traffic doesn“t
34、 do much more than fill the air with empty words that are quickly forgotten. But you should know that small talk actually has a big place in our lives. Pat Oliver, assistant professor on arts, says that, “Left unchecked, small talk can be an invasion. It“s so powerful. It does something to you. “ “E
35、very morning after spending an hour and a half on the freeway I start the day with small talk with my secretary,“ Oliver says, “If I don“t make small connection with another person, I can“ t work. “ What causes it? As a rule, you“re either trying to force something into your life, or you“re using co
36、nversation as an invisible force field to keep them out. You can be wanting to connect with another person, and small talk is your introduction to more meaningful conversation. The way people use small talk is usually determined by where they happen to be at the time. Take the elevator, for instance
37、. Now there“s prime territory. Nobody knows anyone and there“s no reason to start a conversation, but invariably, someone does. Making conversation in such peaceful social settings, according to Oliver, “can confirm your territory. It“s a way of feeling liked and accepted. “ The topics of small talk
38、 don“t matter. In fact, you don“t want anything more taxing than the weather or the traffic. It“s non-threatening talk in a threatening situation. However, the rules change quickly when youre with lots of people doing lots of talking. Let“s say you“re at a party. Now it“s time to use small talk as a
39、 way of making others feel more comfortable around you, so you don“t look silly standing by the food table alone all night. (359 words)（分数：10.00）(1).“Small talk“, as interpreted by the author, _.（分数：2.00）A.has no real function in communication at allB.is usually meaningless and therefore uselessC.is
40、 not as idle as it may seem to beD.is restricted to certain topics only(2).According to the author, small talk is often used_.（分数：2.00）A.to invade other“s private affairsB.to share a secret between intimate friendsC.to open and maintain channels of communicationD.to protect one“s own privacy(3).Acco
41、rding to the author, topics of small talk may include comments on_.（分数：2.00）A.some political issuesB.one“ s physical conditionC.other“s ways of dressD.the traffic jam(4).Why is small talk described as “non-threatening talk in a threatening situation“?（分数：2.00）A.It is used by people to encourage thos
42、e who are confronted with danger.B.It is used to show that one is enthusiastic and hospitable.C.It is used to create a more friendly atmosphere and to avoid embarrassment.D.It is used by people to protect others in the threatening situation.(5).According to the author, at a big party, small talk is
43、used with the purpose of（分数：2.00）A.making both others and yourself feel at easeB.excluding those you don“t like from joining youC.keeping your voice low so only your friends can hear youD.comforting those who feel lonely在职艺术硕士（MFA）全国联考英文阅读理解-试卷 17答案解析(总分：40.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、英文阅读理解题(总题数：4，分数：40.00)Eng
44、ineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any sensible student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engine
45、ering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But that“s not what I did. I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts (文科) university that doesn“t even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice; I came here for mor
46、e noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who weren“t studying science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for s
47、uch a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them. I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering “factories“ where they didn“t care if you have values or were flexible. I was going to be a
48、 complete engineer; technical genius and sensitive humanist (人文 学者) all in one. Now I“m not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts cou
49、rses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调) engineering with liberal-arts courses in college. The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply don“t mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult. (348 words)（分数：10.00）(1).The author chose to study engi
