1、考研网 http:/ 2010年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections: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 Americas National Research Council sent two engineers to supervise a series of industrial experimen
2、ts at a large telephone-parts factory called the Hawthorne Plant near Chicago. It hoped they would learn how stop-floor lighting workers productivity. 大 1家Instead, the studies ended giving their name to the “Hawthorne 大 2家effect“, the extremely influential idea that the very to being 大 3家experimente
3、d upon changed subjects behavior.The idea arose because of the behavior of the women in the 大 4家Hawthorne plant. According to of the experiments, their hourly 大 5家output rose when lighting was increased, but also when it was dimmed. It did not what was done in the experiment; something was 大 6家 大 7家
4、changed, productivity rose. A(n) that they were being 大 8家experimented upon seemed to be to alter workers behavior 大 9家itself.大 10家After several decades, the same data were to econometric 大 11家the analysis. Hawthorne experiments has another surprise store the descriptions on record, no systematic wa
5、s found that 大 12家 大 13家levels of productivity were related to changes in lighting.It turns out that peculiar way of conducting the experiments may be have let to interpretation of what happed. , lighting 大 14家 大 15家was always changed on a Sunday. When work started again on Monday, 考研网 http:/ output
6、 rose compared with the previous Saturday and 17 to 大 16家rise for the next couple of days. , a comparison with data for 大 18家weeks when there was no experimentation showed that output always went up on Monday, workers to be diligent for the first few 大 19家days of the week in any case, before a plate
7、au and then 大 20家slackening off. This suggests that the alleged “Hawthorne effect“ is hard to pin down.1. A affected B achieved C extracted D restored2. A at B up C with D off3. A truth B sight C act D proof4. A controversialB perplexing C mischievous D ambiguous5. A requirements B explanations C ac
8、counts D assessments6. A conclude B matterC indicate D work7. A as far as B for fear thatC in case that D so long as8. A awareness B expectation C sentiment D illusion9. A suitable B excessive C enoughD abundant10. A about B for C on D by11. A compared B shown C subjected D conveyed12. A contrary to
9、 B consistent with C parallel withD peculiar to13. A evidence B guidance C implication D source14. A disputable B enlightening C reliable D misleading15. A In contrast B For example C In consequence D As usual16. A duly B accidentally C unpredictablyD suddenly考研网 http:/ 17. A failedB ceasedC started
10、 D continued20. A breaking B climbing C surpassing D hittingSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections: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 1Of all the changes that have taken place in
11、 English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage. It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-qua
12、lity arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were on
13、ce deemed suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies.We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered
14、an ornament to the publications in 考研网 http:/ which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly
15、, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. “So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism,” Newman wr
16、ote, “that I am tempted to define journalism as a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are.”Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely
17、 as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of Englands foremost classical-music critics, a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of
18、his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.Is there any chance that Carduss criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly up
19、holstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.21. It is indicated in Paragraphs 1 and 2 thatA arts criticism has disappeared from big-city newspapers.B English-language newspapers used to carry more arts reviews.考研
20、网 http:/ C high-quality newspapers retain a large body of readers.D young readers doubt the suitability of criticism on dailies.22. Newspaper reviews in England before World War II were characterized byA free themes.B casual style.C elaborate layout.D radical viewpoints.23. Which of the following wo
21、uld Shaw and Newman most probably agree on?A It is writers duty to fulfill journalistic goals.B It is contemptible for writers to be journalists.C Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism.D Not all writers are capable of journalistic writing.24. What can be learned about Cardus according to
22、the last two paragraphs?A His music criticism may not appeal to readers today.B His reputation as a music critic has long been in dispute.C His style caters largely to modern specialists.D His writings fail to follow the amateur tradition.25. What would be the best title for the text?A Newspapers of
23、 the Good Old DaysB The Lost Horizon in NewspapersC Mournful Decline of JournalismD Prominent Critics in MemoryText 2Over the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for 考研网 http:/ what are called business methods. A received one for its “one-click“ online payment system. Merrill Lynch g
24、ot legal protection for an asset allocation strategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box.Now the nations 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 th
25、at 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
26、 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
27、 pooling mutual-fund assets. That ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive rights to specific types of online transactions. Later, move established companies raced to add such patents to their files, if onl
28、y as a defensive move against rivals that might beat 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 themsel
29、ves 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 考研网 http:/ risk in the energy market. The Federal circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12
30、 of the courts judges, rather than a typical panel of three, and that one issue it wants to evaluate is whether it should “reconsider“ its state street Bank ruling.The Federal Circuits action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the supreme Court that has narrowed the scope of protec
31、tions 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-patent trend at the Supreme Court“, says Harold C. Wegner, a patent attorney and professor at
32、 George Washington University Law School.26. Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because ofA their limited value to businessB their connection with asset allocationC the possible restriction on their grantingD the controversy over authorization27. Which of the following is true of
33、the Bilski case?A Its ruling complies with the court decisionsB It involves a very big business transactionC It has been dismissed by the Federal CircuitD It may change the legal practices in the U.S.28. The word “about-face“ (Line 1, Para 3) most probably meansA loss of good willB increase of hosti
34、lityC change of attitudeD enhancement of dignity考研网 http:/ 29. We learn from the last two paragraphs that business-method patentsA are immune to legal challengesB are often unnecessarily issuedC lower the esteem for patent holdersD increase the incidence of risks30. Which of the following would be t
35、he subject of the text?A A looming threat to business-method patentsB Protection for business-method patent holdersC A legal case regarding business-method patentsD A prevailing trend against business-method patentsText 3In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell argues that social epidemics ar
36、e 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 doesnt explain how ideas actually spread.The supposed importance of influentials derives fr
37、om 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 everyone else. Marketers have embraced the two-step flow because it suggests that if they can just find and influence the influential
38、s, those selected people will do most of the work for them. The theory also seems to explain the sudden and unexpected popularity of certain looks, brands, or neighborhoods. In many such cases, a cursory search for causes finds that some small group of people was 考研网 http:/ wearing, promoting, or de
39、veloping whatever it is before anyone else paid attention. Anecdotal evidence of this kind fits nicely with the idea that only certain special people can drive trendsIn their recent work, however, some researchers have come up with the finding that influentials have far less impact on social epidemi
40、cs than is generally supposed. In fact, they dont seem to be required of all.The researchers argument stems from a simple observing about social influence, with the exception of a few celebrities like Oprah Winfreywhose outsize presence is primarily a function of media, not interpersonal, influencee
41、ven the most influential members of a population simply dont interact with that many others. Yet it is precisely these non-celebrity influentials who, according to the two-step-flow theory, are supposed to drive social epidemics by influencing their friends and colleagues directly. For a social epid
42、emic to occur, however, each person so affected, must then influence 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 rem
43、oved from the initial influential prove resistant, for example from the initial influential prove resistant, for example the cascade of change wont propagate very far or affect many people.Building on the basic truth about interpersonal influence, the researchers studied the dynamics of populations
44、manipulating a number of variables relating of populations, manipulating a number of variables relating to peoples ability to influence others and their tendency to be influenced. Our work shows that the principal requirement for what we call “global cascades“ the widespread 考研网 http:/ propagation o
45、f influence through networks is the presence not of a few influentials but, rather, of a critical mass of easily influenced people, each of whom adopts, say, a look or a brand after being exposed to a single adopting neighbor. Regardless of how influential an individual is locally, he or she can exe
46、rt global influence only if this critical mass is available to propagate a chain reaction.31. By citing the book The Tipping Point, the author intends toA analyze the consequences of social epidemicsB discuss influentials function in spreading ideasC exemplify peoples intuitive response to social ep
47、idemicsD describe the essential characteristics of influentials.32. The author suggests that the “two-step-flow theory“A serves as a solution to marketing problemsB has helped explain certain prevalent trendsC has won support from influentialsD requires solid evidence for its validity33. What the researchers have observed recently shows thatA the power of influence goes with social interactionsB interpersonal links can be enhanced through the media
