专八阅读理解模拟试题

专八阅读理解模拟试题（

6

）

< br>

Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but

how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that

the expression of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a

universal sign of friendliness and approval. Baring the teeth in a hostile way,

asnoted by Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, may be a universe sign of

anger. As the originator of the theory of evolution, Darwin believed that the

universal recognition of facial expressions would have survival value. For

example, facial expressions could signal the approach of enemies (or friends) in

the absence of language.

Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same

emotions in a people. Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the

emotions manifested by the facial expressions. In classic research Paul Ekman

took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear,

happiness, and sadness. He then asked people around the world to indicate

what emotions were being depicted in them. Those queried ranged from

European college students to members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the

New Guinea highlands. All groups including the Fore, who had almost no contact

with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also

displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they

were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman

and his colleagues morerecently obtained similar results in a study of ten

cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions

were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which

two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.

Psychological researchers generally recognize that facial expressions reflect

emotional states. Infact, various emotional states give rise to certain patterns of

electrical activity in the facial muscles and in the brain. The facial-feedback

hypothesis argues, however, that the causal relationship between emotions and

facial expressions can also work in the opposite direction. According to this

hypothesis, signals from the facial muscles (

emotion centers of the brain, and so a person's facial expression can influence

that person's emotional state.

ConsiderDarwin's words:

intensifies it. On the otherhand, the repression, as far as possible, of all outward

signs softens our emotions.

example, and frowning to anger?

Psychological research has given rise to some interesting findings concerning

the facial-feedback hypothesis. Causing participants in experiments to smile,

for example, leads them to report morepositive feelings and to rate cartoons

(humorous drawings of people or situations) as being morehumorous. When

they are caused to frown, they rate cartoons as being more aggressive.

What are the possible links between facial expressions and emotion? One link is

arousal, which is the level of activity or preparedness for activity in an organism.

Intense contraction of facial muscles,such as those used in signifying fear,

heightens arousal. Self-perception of heightened arousal then leads to

heightened emotional activity. Other links may involve changes in brain

temperature and the release of neurotransmitters (substances that transmit

nerve impulses.) The contraction of facial muscles both influences the internal

emotional state and reflects it. Ekman has found that theso-called Duchenne

smile, which is characterized by

asubtle drop in the eye cover fold so that the skin above the eye moves down

slightly toward theeyeball, can lead to pleasant feelings.

Ekman's observation may be relevant to the British expression

upper lip

suppresses emotional response-as long as the lip is not quivering with fear or

tension. But when the emotion that leads to stiffening the lip is more intense,

and involves strong muscle tension, facial feedback may heighten emotional

response.

1. The word despondent in the passage is closest in meaning to

A curious

B unhappy

C thoughtful

D uncertain

2. The author mentions

A differentiate one possible meaning of a particular facial expression from other

meanings of it

B upport Darwin's theory of evolution

C provide an example of a facial expression whose meaning is widely

understood

D contrast a facial expression that is easily understood with other facial

expressions

3. The word concur in the passage is closest in meaning to

A estimate

B agree

C expect

D understand

4. According to paragraph 2, which of the following was true of the Fore people

of

New Guinea?

A They did not want to be shown photographs.

B They were famous for their story- telling skills.

C They knew very little about Western

culture.

D They did not encourage the expression of

emotions.

5. According to the passage, what did Darwin believe would happen to human

emotions that werenot expressed?

A They would become less intense.

B They would last longer than usual.

C They would cause problems later.

D They would become more negative.

参考答案（反白可见）：

B C B C A

B C B C A

专八阅读理解模拟试题（

5

）

Students of United States history, seeking to identify the circumstances that

encouraged the emergence of feminist movements, have thoroughly

investigated the mid-nineteenth-century American economic and social

conditions that affected the status of women. These historians, however, have

analyzed less fully the development of specifically feminist ideas and activities

during the same period. Furthermore, the ideological origins of feminism in the

United States have been obscured because, even when historians did take into

account those feminist ideas and activities occurring within the United States,

they failed to recognize that feminism was then a truly international movement

actually centered in Europe. American feminist activists who have been

described as

movement -utopian socialism--which was already popularizing feminist ideas in

Europe during the two decades that culminated inthe first women's rights

conference held at Seneca Falls. New York, in 1848. Thus, a complete

understanding of the origins and development of nineteenth-century feminism

in the United Statesrequires that the geographical focus be widened to include

Europe and that the detailed study already made of social conditions be

expanded to include the ideological development of feminism.

The earliest and most popular of the utopian socialists were the

Saint-Simonians. The specifically feminist part of Saint-Simonianism has,

however, been less studied than the group's contribution toearly socialism. This

is regrettable on two counts. By 1832 feminism was the central concern

ofSaint-Simonianism and entirely absorbed its adherents' energy; hence, by

ignoring its feminism. European historians have misunderstood

Saint- Simonianism. Moreover, since many feminist ideascan be traced to

Saint- Simonianism, European historians' appreciation of later feminism in

Franceand the United States remained limited.

Saint-Simon's followers, many of whom were women, based their feminism on

an interpretation ofhis project to reorganize the globe by replacing brute force

with the rule of spiritual powers. Thenew world order would be ruled together by

a male, to represent reflection, and a female, to represent sentiment. This

complementarity reflects the fact that, while the Saint-Simonians did not reject

the belief that there were innate differences between men and women, they

nevertheless foresaw an equally important social and political role for both

sexes in their Utopia.

Only a few Saint-Simonians opposed a definition of sexual equality based on

gender distinction. This minority believed that individuals of both sexes were

born similar in capacity and character, and they ascribed male-female

differences to socialization and education. The envisioned result of both

currents of thought, however, was that women would enter public life in the new

age and that sexual equality would reward men as well as women with an

improved way of life.

can be inferred that the author considers those historians who describe

early feminists in the United States as

A insufficiently familiar with the international origins of nineteenth-century

American feminist thought

B overly concerned with the regional diversity of feminist ideas in the period

before 1848

C not focused narrowly enough in their geo-graphical scope

D insufficiently aware of the ideological consequences of the Seneca Falls

conference

ing to the passage, which of the following is true of the Seneca Falls

conference on women's rights?

A It was primarily a product of nineteenth-century Saint-Simonian feminist

thought.

B It was the work of American activists who were independent of feminists

abroad.

C It was the culminating achievement of the Utopian socialist movement.

D It was a manifestation of an international movement for social change and

feminism

author's attitude toward most European historians who have studied the

Saint-Simonians is primarily one of

A approval of the specific focus of their research

B disapproval of their lack of attention to the issue that absorbed most of the

Saint- Simonians'energy after 1832

C approval of their general focus on social conditions

D disapproval of their lack of attention to links between the Saint-Simonians

and their American counterparts

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that study of

Saint-Simonianism is necessary for historians of American feminism because

such study

A would clarify the ideological origins of those feminist ideas that influenced

American feminism

B would increase understanding of a movement that deeply influenced the

Utopian socialism ofearly American feminists

C would focus attention on the most important aspect of Saint-Simonian

thought before 1832

D promises to offer insight into a movement that was a direct outgrowth of the

Seneca Falls conference of 1848

5. According to the passage, which of the following would be the most accurate

description of the society envisioned by most Saint-Simonians?

A A society in which women were highly regarded for their extensive education

B A society in which the two genders played complementary roles and had equal

status

C A society in which women did not enter public life

D A social order in which a body of men and women would rule together on the

basis of their spiritual power

参考答案

A D B A B

专八阅读理解模拟试题（

4

）

Stratford-on-Avon, as we all know, has only one industry-William

Shakespeare-but there are two distinctly separate and increasingly hostile

branches. There is the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), which presents

superb productions of the plays at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre on the

Avon. And there are the townsfolk who largely live off the tourists who come,

not to see the plays, but to look at Anne Hathaw

ay’s Cottage, Shakespeare’s

birthplace and the other sights.

The worthy residents of Stratford doubt that the theatre adds a penny to their

revenue. They frankly dislike the RSC’s actors, them with their long hair and

beards and sandals and noisiness. It’s

all deliciously ironic when you consider

that Shakespeare, who earns their living, was himself anactor (with a beard)

and did his share of noise - making.

The tourist streams are not entirely separate. The sightseers who come by bus-

and often take in Warwick Castle and Blenheim Palace on the side

–

don’t

usually see the plays, and some of them are even surprised to find a theatre in

Stratford. However, the playgoers do manage a little sight -seeing along with

their play going. It is the playgoers, the RSC contends, who bring in much of the

town’s revenue because they spend the night (some of them four or five nights)

pouring cash into the hotels and restaurants. The sightseers can take in

everything and get out of town by nightfall.

The townsfolk don’t see

it this way and local council does not contribute directly

to the subsidy ofthe Royal Shakespeare Company. Stratford cries poor

traditionally. Nevertheless every hotel in town seems to be adding a new wing

or cocktail lounge. Hilton is building its own hotel there, which you may be sure

will be decorated with Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, the Banquo

Banqueting Room, and so forth, and will be very expensive.

Anyway, the townsfolk can’t understand why the Royal Shakespeare Company

needs a subsidy. (The theatre has broken attendance records for three years in

a row. Last year its 1,431 seats were 94 per cent occupied all year long and this

year they’ll do better.) The reason, of course, is that costs have rocketed and

ticket prices have stayed low.

It would be a shame to raise prices too much because it would drive away the

young people who are Stratford’s most attractive clientele. They come entirely

for the plays, not the sights. They all seem to look alike (though they come from

all over)

–

lean, pointed, dedicated faces, wearing jeansand sandals, eating their

buns and bedding down for the night on the flagstones outside thetheatre to buy

the 20 seats and 80 standing-room tickets held for the sleepers and sold to

them when the box office opens at 10:30 a.m.

1. From the first two paragraphs , we learn that

A. the townsfolk deny the RSC ’ s contribution to the town’s revenue

B. the actors of the RSC imitate Shakespeare on and off stage

C. the two branches of the RSC are not on good terms

D. the townsfolk earn little from tourism

2. It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that

A. the sightseers cannot visit the Castle and the Palace separately

B. the playgoers spend more money than the sightseers

C. the sightseers do more shopping than the playgoers

D. the playgoers go to no other places in town than the theater

3. By saying “Stratford cries poor traditionally” (Line 2

-3, Paragraph 4), the

author implies that

A. Stratford cannot afford the expansion projects

B. Stratford has long been in financial difficulties