1、笔译二级综合能力（阅读理解）模拟试卷 5及答案与解析 0 To Legalize Pot or Not Legalizing pot is not now as radical a proposal as it might seem. All manner of “establishment“ figures have supported similar plans: from a Presidential Commission in the US to the Principal of Kings College, London, who wanted to see the drug tax
2、es and proceeds used for university research. There are, indeed, several unsatisfactory problems created by the present ban on cannabis: the law is widely disregarded and thus helps to bring other laws into disrespect; it can lead to unnecessary and possibly illegal police searches; and it increases
3、 friction between the police and minority groups. Finally, if drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are permitted, then why not pot? The last point is easy to counter: quasi-Government approval for two harmful drugs is no argument for permitting a third. Unlike drink and tobacco, there is still some
4、doubt about the harmful effects of cannabis, but research here is in its early days. Already Columbia University scientists in New York have completed one project which suggests that the drug could open the door to metabolic diseases, including cancer, by affecting cellular immunity. The team found
5、that white blood cells of cannabis users were 40 per cent less effective in fighting viruses than those of non-cannabis users. Any responsible Government would hold back in such circumstances; not least because the fad appears to be on the wane. To legalize it now might promote the drug just as its
6、use was beginning to decline. But if Mr. Jenkins wants to maintain his reputation as a reformer, there are useful amendments he could make to the law. Far too many people are still ending up in prison over 100 in 1972 merely for using the drug. The last Conservative Government finally recognized a s
7、harp distinction which must be made between users and pushers, and cut the maximum sentence for users from twelve months to six. But is prison necessary at all for users, particularly now that criminologists have demonstrated so starkly the damage that prison can cause? In the American state of Oreg
8、on, cannabis users are treated like traffic offenders, fined heavily but are never sent to prison. It is right that the big pushers, coining thousands of pounds from their trade, should receive heavy sentences. But the courts must also take note that there are two types of pushers: the professional
9、and the amateur. The latter is often as much a user as seller in the drug sub-culture. A community service order, which would allow an amateur pusher a chance to contribute to society, seems a far more appropriate sentence than prison. 1 Pot prohibition is being challenged for the following reasons
10、EXCEPT_. （ A） it does not reduce the prevalence of pot use effectively （ B） the police may take pot possession as an excuse to search people or their houses （ C） it increases tension between the police and civilians （ D） pot is no more harmful than cigarettes and alcohol 2 The phrase “proceeds“ unde
11、rlined in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） profits （ B） progress （ C） proceedings （ D） files 3 According to Paragraph 2, the idea of legalizing pot should be opposed because_. （ A） the government has already approved two other harmful drugs （ B） People who smoke cannabis might have a grea
12、ter tendency to develop metabolic diseases. （ C） fewer people are using cannabis （ D） more people are using cannabis 4 The phrase “hold back“ underlined in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） hesitate （ B） control （ C） conceal （ D） prohibit 5 In the American state of Oregon, people are able
13、to_. （ A） sell cannabis without fear of jail time. （ B） use cannabis without fear of jail time. （ C） produce cannabis without fear of heavy fine. （ D） break traffic laws without fear of heavy fine. 6 The author suggests Mr. Jenkins_to win public support. （ A） release pot users from prison （ B） cut t
14、he maximum sentence for pot users from twelve months to six （ C） order pot users to do some unpaid work in the community but do not put them in jail （ D） fine pot traffickers heavily and put them in jail 7 A community service order is an appropriate sentence for_. （ A） a habitual traffic offender （
15、B） a minor traffic offender （ C） a professional cannabis producer （ D） an amateur cannabis seller 8 The author believes that putting cannabis users in jail may_. （ A） arouse public anger （ B） cause damage to them （ C） help reduce drug abuse （ D） impose a huge burden on police forces 9 According to t
16、he passage,_is/are most likely to be against legalizing pot. （ A） the Principal of Kings College （ B） Columbia University scientists （ C） Mr. Jenkins （ D） the author 10 Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? （ A） Legalizing pot would generate more tax revenue. （ B） Legalizing pot w
17、ould bring more investment in university research. （ C） Using cannabis leads to leukemia, a type of cancer caused by the rapid increase of white blood cells. （ D） Using cannabis leads to leukemia, a type of cancer caused by the rapid decrease of white blood cells. 10 Zimbabwes banking sector has bee
18、n hit with massive withdrawals by risk-loathing depositors over the past five months, with banking sector sources indicating that reports of a return of the domestic currency have further unsettled bank customers. The Zimbabwe dollar was banished from circulation in 2009 to stem a hyperinflationary
19、crisis that plunged the economy into an unprecedented catastrophe characterized by commodity shortages. A source from one top bank said since December last year, most businesses have been transacting in cash and avoiding the banking sector. He said this is likely to have resulted in an overall shrin
20、kage in deposit levels within the banking sector. “I have not noticed any panic withdrawals as a result of reports of a Zimbabwe dollar return, but since December, many people have been preferring cash transactions and avoiding banks,“ said the source. Total banking sector deposits amounted to US $
21、473 billion as at December 31, 2013, according to latest statistics from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe(RBZ). This was an increase from deposit levels of US $384 billion in June 2013. Deposits have since the adoption of a hard currency economy grown slowly due to a combination of factors. These factor
22、s include low deposit rates being offered by banks, which the RBZ says have conspired with high bank charges to militate against efforts geared at broadening the countrys deposit base. An acceleration of deposit withdrawals is likely to worsen a liquidity crunch in a country desperate for cash to re
23、vive an economy back in intensive care after stabilising briefly when government adopted a hard currency regime. Another banking sector source said liquidity in the banking sector was “gradually thinning. “ He suggested that this could have something to do with reports of the Zimbabwe dollars resurg
24、ence. Panic over the comeback of the Zimbabwe dollar would be regardless of assurances from government that it would not bring back the local currency into circulation soon, despite a liquidity crunch certain to impede government business unless a rescue package is secured. Another banking sector so
25、urce said deposits were plummeting due to significant withdrawal levels by the corporate sector. 11 After 2009, the domestic currency in Zimbabwe has_. （ A） appreciated （ B） depreciated （ C） been dumped （ D） been introduced 12 The deposit run in Zimbabwe is associated with_. （ A） depositors speculat
26、ion on the possible bankruptcy of the local banks （ B） depositors speculation on the possible return of the local currency （ C） depositors fear of a hyperinflationary crisis （ D） depositors fear of commodity shortages 13 According to a source from one top bank, peoples preference for cash transactio
27、ns may have led to_. （ A） the decline in total bank deposits （ B） the massive withdrawals from Zimbabwe banks （ C） the adoption of a multi-currency regime （ D） the adoption of a hard currency economy 14 Zimbabwe banks saw_in deposits in the latter half of 2013. （ A） significant growth （ B） slow grow
28、th （ C） significant decline （ D） slow decline 15 The phrase “militate against“ underlined in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_. （ A） ameliorate （ B） deteriorate （ C） launch an attack against （ D） conflict with 16 The possible consequences of a deposit run could be_. （ A） a high interest rate （ B
29、） high bank charges （ C） the countrys broadening deposit base （ D） a short supply of cash resources 17 According to the passage, the government of Zimbabwe_. （ A） is contemplating to bring back the Zimbabwe dollar into the economy （ B） pledged to stick to the current hard currency regime （ C） pledge
30、d to protect government business （ D） pledged to launch a rescue package 18 The phrase “impede“ underlined in Paragraph 5 most probably means_. （ A） hinder （ B） impact （ C） cool down （ D） slow down 19 The passage indicates that_contributed the most to the dramatic drop in deposits. （ A） individuals
31、（ B） businesses （ C） the government （ D） the banks 20 Which of the following statement CANNOT be inferred from the passage? （ A） Local currency was rendered worthless by hyper-inflation in 2009. （ B） The introduction of the hard currency system in 2009 gave Zimbabwe a short period of economic stabil
32、ity. （ C） Some depositors withdrew their money due to the termination of the hard currency regime. （ D） The decline in deposits is likely to be temporary if authorities provide credible guarantees of the continued existence of the hard currency regime 20 The late Paul Samuelson once quipped that “wo
33、men are just men with less money. “ As a father of six, he might have added something about womens role in the reproduction of the species. But his aphorism is about as good a one-sentence summary of classical feminism as you can get. The first generations of successful women insisted on being judge
34、d by the same standards as men. They had nothing but contempt for the notion of special treatment for “the sisters“ , and instead insisted on getting ahead by dint of working harder and thinking smarter. Margaret Thatcher made no secret of her contempt for the wimpish men around her.(There is a joke
35、 about her going out to dinner with her cabinet. “Steak or fish?“ asks the waiter. “Steak, of course,“ she replies. “And for the vegetables?“ “Theyll have steak as well.“) During Americas most recent presidential election Hillary Clinton taunted Barack Obama with an advertisement that implied that h
36、e, unlike she, was not up to the challenge of answering the red phone at 3am. Many pioneering businesswomen pride themselves on their toughness. Dong Mingzhu, the boss of Gree Electric Appliances, an air-conditioning giant, says flatly, “I never miss. I never admit mistakes and I am always correct.
37、“ In the past three years her company has boosted shareholder returns by nearly 500% . But some of todays most influential feminists contend that women will never fulfill their potential if they play by mens rules. According to Avivah Wittenberg-Cox and Alison Maitland, two of the most prominent exp
38、onents of this position, it is not enough to smash the glass ceiling. You need to audit the entire building for “gender asbestos“ in other words, root out the inherent sexism built into corporate structures and processes. The new feminism contends that women are wired differently from men, and not j
39、ust in trivial ways. They are less aggressive and more consensus-seeking, less competitive and more collaborative, less power-obsessed and more group-oriented. Judy Rosener, of the University of California, Irvine, argues that women excel at “ transformational“ and “ interactive“ management. Peninah
40、 Thomson and Jacey Graham, the authors of “A Womans Place is in the Boardroom“, assert that women are “better lateral thinkers than men“ and “more idealistic“ into the bargain. Feminist texts are suddenly full of references to tribes of monkeys, with their aggressive males and nurturing females. Wha
41、t is more, the argument runs, these supposedly womanly qualities are becoming ever more valuable in business. The recent financial crisis proved that the sort of qualities that men pride themselves on, such as risk-taking and bare-knuckle competition, can lead to disaster. Lehman Brothers would neve
42、r have happened if it had been Lehman Sisters, according to this theory. Even before the financial disaster struck, the new feminists also claim, the best companies had been abandoning “ patriarchal“ hierarchies in favor of “ collaboration“ and “networking“ , skills in which women have an inherent a
43、dvantage. This argument may sound a little like the stuff of gender workshops in righteous universities. But it is gaining followers in powerful places. McKinsey, the most venerable of management consultancies, has published research arguing that women apply five of the nine “ leadership behaviors“
44、that lead to corporate success more frequently than men. Niall FitzGerald, the deputy chairman of Thomson Reuters and a former boss of Unilever, is as close as you can get to the heart of the corporate establishment. He proclaims, “Women have different ways of achieving results, and leadership quali
45、ties that are becoming more important as our organizations become less hierarchical and more loosely organized around matrix structures. “ Many companies are abandoning the old-fashioned commitment to treating everybody equally and instead becoming “ gender adapted“ and “ gender bilingual“ in touch
46、with the unique management wisdom of their female employees. A host of consultancies has sprung up to teach firms how to listen to women and exploit their special abilities. The new feminists are right to be frustrated about the pace of womens progress in business. Britains Equality and Human Rights
47、 Commission calculated that, at the current rate of progress, it will take 60 years for women to gain equal representation on the boards of the FTSE 100. They are also right that old-fashioned feminism took too little account of womens role in raising children. But their arguments about the innate d
48、ifferences between men and women are sloppy and counterproductive. People who bang on about innate differences should remember that variation within subgroups in the population is usually bigger than the variation between subgroups. Even if it can be established that, on average, women have a higher
49、 “emotional-intelligence quotient“ than men, that says little about any specific woman. Judging people as individuals rather than as representatives of groups is both morally right and good for business. Besides, many of the most successful women are to be found in hard-edged companies, rather than the touchy-feely organizations of the new feminist imagination: Areva(nuclear energy), AngloAmerican( mining ), Archer Daniels Midland( agribusiness ), DuPont(che
