Practice 25
Culture is activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty and humane feeling. 1 of information have nothing to do with it. A merely well-informed man is the most useless 2 on God’s earth. What we should 3 at producing is men who 4 both culture and expert knowledge in some special direction. Their expert knowledge will give them the 5 to start from, and their culture will lead them as deep as philosophy and as high as art. We have to remember that the valuable 6 development is self-development, and that it mostly takes 7 between the ages of sixteen and thirty. As to training, the most important part is given by mothers 8 the age of twelve. In training a child to activity of thought, 9 all things we must beware of “inert ideas”—that is to say, ideas that are merely 10 into the mind without being 11 , or tested, or thrown into fresh combination.
In the history of education, the most 12 phenomenon is that schools of learning, which at one epoch are alive with a craze for genius, in a 13 generation exhibit merely pedantry (迂腐) and routine. The reason is that they are 14 with inert ideas. Except at rare 15 of intellectual ferment, education in the past has been radically 16 with inert ideas. That is the reason why 17 clever women, who have seen much of the world, are in middle life so much the most cultured part of the community. They have been saved from this horrible 18 of inert ideas. Every intellectual revolution which has ever stirred humanity 19 greatness has been a passionate protest 20 the inert ideas. 1. [A] Scraps [B] Fractions [C] Fragments [D] Shatters 2. [A] terror [B] culprit [C] bore [D] despair 3. [A] attempt [B] aim [C] point [D] wonder 4. [A] possess [B] occupy [C] cover [D] contain 5. [A] canon [B] base [C] lever [D] ground 6. [A] intellectual [B] graceful [C] substantial [D] rational 7. [A] action [B] place [C] effect [D] care 8. [A] after [B] upon [C] at [D] before 9. [A] above [B] among [C] for [D] beyond 10. [A] included [B] embedded [C] received [D] rushed 11. [A] combined [B] absorbed [C] evaluated [D] utilized 12. [A] striking [B] profound [C] subtle [D] obscure 13. [A] remaining [B] preceding [C] succeeding [D] emerging 14. [A] equipped [B] overloaded [C] populated [D] concerned 15. [A] episodes [B] periods [C] epochs [D] intervals 16. [A] influenced [B] contented [C] infected [D] abounded 17. [A] unrefined [B] uneducated [C] unintended [D] unrestrained 18. [A] load [B] pattern [C] gap [D] burden 19. [A] with [B] off [C] into [D] away 20. [A] with [B] from [C] forth [D] against
25 / 34
Practice 26
Many foreigners who have not visited Britain call all the inhabitants English, for they are used to thinking of the British Isles as England. 1 , the British Isles contain a variety of peoples, and only the people of England call themselves English. The others 2 to themselves as Welsh, Scottish, or Irish, 3 the case may be; they are often slightly annoyed 4 being classified as “English.”
Even in England there are many 5 in regional character and speech. The chief 6 is between southern England and northern England. South of a 7 going from Bristol to London, people speak the type of English usually learnt by foreign students, 8 there are local variations. Further north regional speech is usually “ 9 “than that of southern Britain. Northerners are 10 to claim that they work harder than Southerners, and are more 11 . They are open- hearted and hospitable; foreigners often find that they make friends with them 12 . Northerners generally have hearty 13 : the visitor to Lancashire or Yorkshire, for instance, may look forward to receiving generous 14 at meal times. In accent and character the people of the Midlands 15 a gradual change from the southern to the northern type of Englishman.
In Scotland the sound 16 by the letter “R” is generally a strong sound, and “R” is often pronounced in words in which it would be 17 in southern English. The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious, thrifty people, 18 inventive and somewhat mystical. All the Celtic peoples of Britain (the Welsh, the Irish, the Scots) are frequently 19 as being more “fiery” than the English. They are 20 a race that is quite distinct from the English. 1. [A] In consequence [B] In brief [C] In general [D] In fact 2. [A] confine [B] attach [C] refer [D] add 3. [A] as [B] which [C] for [D] so 4. [A] with [B] by [C] at [D] for 5. [A] similarities [B] differences [C] certainties [D] features 6. [A] factor [B] virtue [C] privilege [D] division 7. [A] line [B] row [C] border [D] scale 8. [A] unless [B] when [C] though [D] for 9. [A] narrower [B] broader [C] rarer [D] scarcer 10. [A] used [B] apt [C] possible [D] probable 11. [A] perfect [B] notorious [C] superior [D] thorough 12. [A] swiftly [B] promptly [C] immediately [D] quickly 13. [A] appetites [B] tastes [C] interests [D] senses 14. [A] helpings [B] offerings [C] fillings [D] findings 15. [A] designate [B] demonstrate [C] represent [D] reckon 16. [A] delivered [B] denoted [C] depicted [D] defined 17. [A] quiet [B] obscure [C] faint [D] silent 18. [A] rather [B] still [C] somehow [D] even 19. [A] rendered [B] thought [C] impressed [D] described 20. [A] with [B] of [C] among [D] against
26 / 34
Practice 27
In his 1979 book, The Sinking Ark, biologist Norman Myers estimated that a/an 1 of more than 100 human-caused extinctions occur each day, and that one million species would have lost 2 the century’s end. Yet there is little evidence to 3 that number of extinctions. 4 , only seven species on the endangered species list have become extinct 5 the list was created in 1973. 6 is an important value, according to many scientists. Nevertheless, the supposed mass extinction rates are 7 by multiplying unknowns by improbables to get imponderables (something that is 8 to measure or estimate). Many estimates, for instance, rely a great deal on a “species-area
9 ,”which predicts that twice as many species will be found on 100 square miles 10 on ten square miles. The problem is that species are not distributed 11 , so which parts of a forest are 12 may be as important as how much. “ 13 says Ariel Lugo, director of the International Institute of Forestry in Puerto Rico, “biologists who predict high extinction rates 14 the resiliency of nature.”
One of the main causes of extinctions is 15 According to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, what destroys 16 trees is not commercial logging, but “poor farmers who have no other 17 for feeding their families than slashing and burning a 18 of forest.” In countries that 19 modem high-yield agriculture, forests are in no danger. In 1920, U. S. forests covered 732 million acres. Today they cover 737 million. Forests in Europe 20 from 361 million to 482 million acres between 1950 and 1990. 1. [A] figure [B] total [C] amount [D] average 2. [A] through [B] by [C] on [D] at 3. [A] contrast [B] compare [C] show [D] convey 4. [A] In a word [B] As a result [C] In addition [D] For example 5. [A] though [B] when [C] since [D] unless 6. [A] Bio-capacity [B] Bio-diversity [C] Bio-productivity [D] Bio-prosperity 7. [A] affected [B] extracted [C] restored [D] achieved 8. [A] difficult [B] different [C] diligent [D] distinct 9. [A] equation [B] means [C] coordination [D] correspondence 10. [A] than [B] like [C] over [D] as 11. [A] consequently [B] widespreadly [C] randomly [D] densely 12. [A] detached [B] developed [C] discovered [D] destroyed 13. [A] Furthermore [B] Likewise [C] Nonetheless [D] Therefore 14. [A] undermine [B] underestimate [C] understate [D] underline 15. [A] plantation [B] reforestation [C] deforestation [D] transplantation 16. [A] tropical [B] territorial [C] thermal [D] temperamental 17. [A] preference [B] selection [C] opportunity [D] option 18. [A] stack [B] patch [C] field [D] plot 19. [A] practice [B] exercise [C] apply [D] follow 20. [A] expanded [B] extended [C] enhanced [D] enriched
27 / 34
Practice 28
The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics, first introduced by a British philosopher Philippa Foot, one of the founders of contemporary virtue ethics, 1 extensively analyzed by Judith Jarvis Thomson, Peter Unger, and Frances Kamm. Outside of the 2 of traditional philosophical discussion, the trolley problem has been a significant 3 in the fields of cognitive science and, more recently, of neuroethics.
Foot’s original formulation of the problem ran as follows:
A trolley is running out of control down a 4 . In its path are five people who have been tied to the track by a mad philosopher. Fortunately, you could press a switch, which will lead the trolley 5 a different track to safety. 6 , there is a single person tied to that track. Should you press the switch or do 7 ? A practical view 8 that it is obligatory to press the switch. 9 simple practicalism, pressing the switch would be not only 10 , but, morally speaking, the better option (the other option being no action at all).
A/An 11 viewpoint is that 12 moral wrongs are already in 13 in the situation, pressing the switch constitutes a participation in the moral wrong, making one 14 responsible for the death when 15 the mad philosopher would be the sole wrongdoer. An opponent of action may also point 16 the incommensurability of human lives. 17 , under some interpretations of moral obligation, simply being present in this situation and being able to influence its outcome 18 an obligation to participate. 19 this were the case, then deciding to do nothing would be considered an 20 act if one values five lives more than one. 1. [A] but also [B] whereas [C] meanwhile [D] though 2. [A] domain [B] region [C] governance [D] boundary 3. [A] topic [B] theme [C] feature [D] attribute 4. [A] path [B] track [C] trail [D] avenue 5. [A] near [B] towards [C] down [D] in 6. [A] Crazily [B] Importantly [C] Surprisingly [D] Unfortunately 7. [A] nothing [B] anything [C] something [D] everything 8. [A] alerts [B] announces [C] assents [D] asserts 9. [A] By means of [B] According to [C] With regard to [D] In line with 10. [A] permissible [B] accessible [C] impossible [D] indispensable 11. [A] identical [B] successive [C] alternative [D] confidential 12. [A] since [B] if [C] before [D] after 13. [A] place [B] control [C] question [D] charge 14. [A] completely [B] partially [C] equally [D] unfairly 15. [A] meanwhile [B] alike [C] indeed [D] otherwise 16. [A] at [B] for [C] to [D] up 17. [A] However [B] Therefore [C] Anyway [D] Furthermore 18. [A] establishes [B] authorizes [C] constitutes [D] institutes 19. [A] Unless [B] If [C] As [D] Lest 20. [A] imperfect [B] immature [C] impatient [D] immoral
28 / 34
Practice 29
In October 2002, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank create a new electronic market for economic indices that represent substantial economic risks, such as nonfarm payroll (a measure of job availability) and retail sales. This new market was made possible by a/an 1 rating technology, developed by Longitude, a New York company providing software for financial markets, 2 the Parimutuel Digital Call Auction. This is “digital” 3 of a digital option: i.e., it pays out only if an underlying index lies in a narrow, discrete range. In effect, Longitude has created a horse race, where each “horse” wins if and 4 the specified index falls in a specified range. By creating horses for every possible 5 of the index, and allowing people to bet 6 any number of runners, the company has 7 a liquid integrated electronic market for a wide array of options on economic indices.
Ten years ago it was 8 impossible to make use of electronic information about home values. Now, mortgage lenders have online automated valuation models that allow them to estimate values and to 9 the risk in their portfolios. This has led to a proliferation of types of home loan, some of which have 10 risk-management characteristics. We are also beginning to see new kinds of 11 for homes, which will make it possible to protect the 12 of what, for most people, is the single most important 13 of their wealth. The Yale University-Neighbourhood Reinvestment Corporation programme, 14 last year in the city of Syracuse, in New York state, may be a model for home-equity insurance policies that 15 sophisticated economic indices of house prices to define the 16 of the policy. Electronic futures markets that are based on econometric indices of house prices by city, already begun by City Index and IG Index in Britain and now being 17 in the United States, will enable home-equity insurers to 18 the risks that they acquire by writing these policies.
These examples are not impressive successes yet. But they stand 19 early precursors of a technology that should one day help us to deal with the massive risks of inequality that 20 will bother us in coming years. 1. [A] sophisticated [B] expensive [C] available [D] established 2. [A] made [B] called [C] asked [D] read 3. [A] in the course [B] in the event [C] in the light [D] in the sense 4. [A] when [B] until [C] now that [D] only if 5. [A] extent [B] range [C] line [D] area 6. [A] for [B] in [C] on [D] up 7. [A] produced [B] invested [C] impacted [D] promoted 8. [A] virtually [B] admittedly [C] absolutely [D] originally 9. [A] assume [B] assess [C] dismiss [D] erase 10. [A] corrected [B] improved [C] destroyed [D] achieved 11. [A] management [B] insurance [C] security [D] technology 12. [A] value [B] importance [C] status [D] quality 13. [A] guarantee [B] protection [C] component [D] source 14. [A] secured [B] adopted [C] released [D] launched 15. [A] look to [B] set up [C] lay down [D] rely on 16. [A] terms [B] specifications [C] concepts [D] consequences 17. [A] assigned [B] developed [C] objected [D] inspired 18. [A] help [B] hedge [C] turn [D] trap 19. [A] against [B] beyond [C] as [D] under 20. [A] somehow [B] anyway [C] otherwise [D] thereby
29 / 34
考研英语完形填空专项练习(含答案)
