1、在职艺术硕士（MFA）全国联考英文阅读理解-试卷 21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)“Opinion“ is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn“t attach too much importance to opinion
2、. Unfortunately, most do attach great importance to it. “I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours,“ and “Everyone“s entitled to his opinion,“ are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another“s opinion is likely to be branded intolerant. Is that label accurate? Is it into
3、lerant to challenge another“s opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend “What do you think of the new Ford cars?“ And he may reply, “In my opinion, they“re ugly. “ In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, bu
4、t foolish. For it“s obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, “It“s pointless to argue about matters of taste. “ But consider this very different use of the term, a newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a
5、controversial case. Obviously the justices did not share their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes; they stated their considered judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and deliberation. Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extrem
6、es. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence. Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed. We are f
7、ree to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others. (311 words)（分数：10.00）(1).Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the author?（分数：2.00）A.Everyone has a right to hold his own opinion.B.Free expression of opinions often leads to confusion.C.Most people ten
8、d to be careless in forming their opinions.D.Casual use of the word “opinion“ often brings about quarrels.(2).According to the author, who of the following would be labeled as intolerant?（分数：2.00）A.Someone who turns a deaf ear to others“ opinions.B.Someone who can“t put up with others“ tastes.C.Some
9、one who values only their own opinions.D.Someone whose opinion harms other people.(3).The new Ford cars are cited as an example to show that_.（分数：2.00）A.it is foolish to criticize a famous brandB.one should not always agree to others“ opinionsC.personal tastes are not something to be challengedD.it
10、is unwise to express one“s likes and dislikes in public(4).Considered judgment is different from personal preference in that_.（分数：2.00）A.it is stated by judges in the courtB.it reflects public likes and dislikesC.it is a result of a lot of controversyD.it is based on careful thought(5).As indicated
11、in the passage, being free to act on one“s opinion_.（分数：2.00）A.means that one can ignore other people“s criticismB.means that one can impose his preferences on othersC.doesn“t mean that one has the right to do things at willD.doesn“t mean that one has the right to charge others without evidenceA rec
12、ent study, published in last week“s Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a fatal accident as a teenager driving alone. By contr
13、ast, the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.The authors also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased dramatically after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight, with passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a l
14、ate-night accident Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior“ than with just a lack of driving experience. “The basic issue,“ He says, “is that adults who a
15、re responsible for issuing licenses fail to recognize how complex and skilled a task driving is. “ Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to mitigate (使.缓解) the problem is to have states institute so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a multistage pro
16、cess. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with night of passenger restrictions, before graduating to full driving privileges. Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes,
17、according to recent studies. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of those states have restrictions on passengers. California is the strictest, with a novice (新手) driver prohibited from carrying any passenger under 20 (with-out the presence
18、of an adult over 25) for the first six months. (311 words)（分数：10.00）(1).Which of the following situations is most dangerous according to the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p. m.B.A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car.C.Adults drivi
19、ng with three or more teenage passengers late at night.D.A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight.(2).According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly due to（分数：2.00）A.their frequent driving at nightB.their improper way of drivingC.their lack of
20、driving experienceD.their driving with passengers(3).According to Paragraph 3, which of the following statements is TRUE?（分数：2.00）A.Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive.B.Driving is a skill too complicated for teenagers to learn.C.Restrictions should be imposed on teenagers applying to
21、 take driving lessons.D.The licensing authorities are partly responsible for teenagers“ driving accidents.(4).A suggested measure to be taken to reduce teenagers“ driving accidents is that（分数：2.00）A.driving in the presence of an adult should be made a ruleB.they should be prohibited from taking on p
22、assengersC.they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p.m.D.the licensing system should be improved(5).The present situation in about half of the states is that the graduated licensing system_.（分数：2.00）A.is under discussionB.is about to be set upC.has been put into effectD.has been perfectedHenry
23、Ford, the famous U.S. inventor and car manufacturer, once said, “The business of America is business. “ By this he meant that the U.S. way of life is based on the values of the business world. Few would argue with Ford“s statement. A brief glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows how much people i
24、n the United States think about business. For example, nearly every newspaper has a business section, in which the deals and projects, finances and management, stock prices and labor problems of corporations are reported daily. In addition, business news can appear in every other section. Most natio
25、nal news has an important financial aspect to it. Welfare, foreign aid, the federal budget, and the policies of the Federal Reserve Bank are all heavily affected by business. Moreover, business news appears in some of the unlikeliest places. The world of arts and entertainment is often referred to a
26、s “the entertainment industry“ or “show business“. The positive side of Henry Ford“s statement can be seen in the prosperity that business has brought to U.S. life. One of the most important reasons so many people from all over the world come to live in the United States is the dream of a better job
27、. Jobs are produced in abundance (大量地) because the U.S. economic system is driven by competition. People believe that this system creates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life. The negative side of Henry Ford“s statement, however, can be seen when the word business is taken to
28、mean big business. And the term big businessreferring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor. Throughout U.S. history working people have had to fight hard for higher wages, better working conditions, and the right to form unions. Today, many of the old labor disputes are over, but
29、 there is still some employee anxiety. Downsizingthe laying off of thousands of workers to keep expenses low and profits highcreates feelings of insecurity for many. (337 words)（分数：10.00）(1).The United States is a typical country_.（分数：2.00）A.which encourages free trade at home and abroadB.where peop
30、le“s chief concern is how to make moneyC.where all businesses are managed scientificallyD.which normally works according to the federal budget(2).The influence of business in the U.S. is evidenced by the fact that_.（分数：2.00）A.most newspapers are run by big businessesB.even public organizations conce
31、ntrate on working for profitsC.Americans of all professions know how to do businessD.even arts and entertainment are regarded as business(3).According to the passage, immigrants choose to settle in the U. S. , dreaming that（分数：2.00）A.they can start profitable businesses thereB.they can be more compe
32、titive in businessC.they will make a fortune overnight thereD.they will find better chances of employment(4).Henry Ford“s statements can be taken negatively because_.（分数：2.00）A.working people are discouraged to fight for their rightsB.there are many industries controlled by a few big capitalistsC.th
33、ere is a conflicting relationship between big corporations and laborD.public services are not run by the federal government(5).A company“s efforts to keep expenses low and profits high may result in_.（分数：2.00）A.reduction in the number of employeesB.improvement of working conditionsC.fewer disputes b
34、etween labor and managementD.a rise in workers“ wagesWhen families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma“s generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best. But in many other homes, this ch
35、ina-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) -and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times. Last week Royal Doulto
36、n, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobsone-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier. Although a strong pound
37、 and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company “has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend“ toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he expl
38、ained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television. Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone casual. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it“s better to share a takeout pizza on pap
39、er plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a “real“ dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time? Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (礼节) that chil
40、dren might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (“Chew with your mouth closed. “ “Keep your elbows off the table. “) must be picked up elsewhere. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but cl
41、ueless socially. (347 words)（分数：10.00）(1).The trend toward casual dining has resulted in_.（分数：2.00）A.bankruptcy of fine china manufacturersB.shrinking of the pottery industryC.restructuring of large enterprisesD.economic recession in Great Britain(2).Which of the following may be the best reason for
42、 casual dining?（分数：2.00）A.Family members need more time to relax.B.Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.C.People want to practice economy in times of scarcity.D.Young people won“t follow the etiquette of the older generation.(3).It can be learned from the passage that Royal Doulton is_.
43、（分数：2.00）A.a retailer of stainless steel tablewareB.a dealer in stonewareC.a pottery chain storeD.a producer of fine china(4).The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is_.（分数：2.00）A.the increased value of the poundB.the economic recession in AsiaC.the change in people“s way of lifeD.the
44、 fierce competition at home and abroad(5).Refined table manners, though less popular than before in current social life,（分数：2.00）A.are still a must on certain occasionsB.are bound to return sooner or laterC.are still being taught by parents at homeD.can help improve personal relationships在职艺术硕士（MFA）
45、全国联考英文阅读理解-试卷 21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)“Opinion“ is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn“t attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunat
46、ely, most do attach great importance to it. “I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours,“ and “Everyone“s entitled to his opinion,“ are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another“s opinion is likely to be branded intolerant. Is that label accurate? Is it intolerant to ch
47、allenge another“s opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend “What do you think of the new Ford cars?“ And he may reply, “In my opinion, they“re ugly. “ In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. F
48、or it“s obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, “It“s pointless to argue about matters of taste. “ But consider this very different use of the term, a newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversia
49、l case. Obviously the justices did not share their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes; they stated their considered judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and deliberation. Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence. Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this
