2013年考研英语二真题及答案解析

2013

考研英语（二）真题

Section I

Use of English

Directions:

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)

Given

the

advantages

of

electronic

money,

you

might

think

that

we

would

move

quickly

to

the

cashless

society

in

which

all

payments

are

made

electronically. ___1___

a

true

cashless

society

is

probably

not

around

the

corner.

Indeed,

predictions

have

been___2___for

two

decades

but

have

not

yet

come

to

fruition.

For

example,

Business

Week

predicted

in

1975

that

electronic

means

of

payment

would

soon

the

very

___3___

of

money

itself,

only

to___4___ itself

several

years

later.

Why

has

the

movement

to

a

cashless

society

been so___5___in coming?

Although electronic means of payment may be more efficient than a payments

system based on paper, several factors work___6___the disappearance of the paper

system.

First,

it

is

very___7___to

set

up

the

computer,

card

reader,

and

telecommunications networks necessary to make electronic money the___8___form

of

payment

Second,

paper

checks

have

the

advantage

that

they___9___receipts,

something that many consumers are unwilling to___10___. Third, the use of paper

checks

gives

consumers

several

days

of

-

it

takes

several

days___11___ a

check is cashed and funds are___12___from the issuer's account, which means that

the

writer

of

the

check

can

cam

interest

on

the

funds

in

the

meantime.

___13___electronic

payments

arc

immediate,

they

eliminate

the

float

for

the

consumer.

Fourth, electronic means of payment may___14___security and privacy concerns.

We often hear media reports that an unauthorized hacker has been able to access a

computer database and to alter information___15___there. The fact that this is not

an ___16___ occurrence means that dishonest persons might be able to access bank

accounts in electronic payments systems and___17___from someone else's accounts.

The___18___of this type of fraud is no easy task, and a new field of computer science

is

developing

to___19___security

issues.

A

further

concern

is

that

the

use

of

electronic

means

of

payment

leaves

an

electronic___20___that

contains

a

large

amount

of

personal

data.

There

are

concerns

that

government,

employers,

and

marketers might be able to access these data, thereby violating our privacy.

1. [A] However [B] Moreover [C] Therefore

[D] Otherwise

2. [A] off

[B] back

[C] over

[D] around

3. [A] power

[B] concept

[C] history

[D] role

4. [A] reward

[B] resist

[C] resume

[D] reverse

5. [A] silent

[B] sudden

[C] slow

[D] steady

6. [A] for [B] against

[C]with

[D] on

7. [A] imaginative

[B] expensive [C] sensitive

[D] productive

8. [A] similar

[B] original

[C] temporary

[D] dominant

9. [A] collect

[B] provide

[C] copy

[D] print

10. [A] give up

[B] take over [C] bring back [D] pass down

11. [A] before

[B] after

[C] since

[D] when

12. [A] kept

[B] borrowed

[C] released

[D] withdrawn

13. [A] Unless

[B] Until

[C] Because [D] Though

14. [A] hide

[B] express

[C] raise

[D]ease

15. [A] analyzed

[B] shared

[C] stored

[D] displayed

16. [A] unsafe

[B] unnatural

[C] uncommon

[D] unclear

17. [A] steal

[B] choose

[C] benefit

[D] return

18. [A] consideration

[B] prevention [C] manipulation [D] justification

19. [A] cope with

[B] fight against

[C] adapt to

[D] call for

20. [A] chunk [B] chip

[C] path

[D] trail

Section II Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions:

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 1

In

an

essay

entitled

“Making

It

in

America”,

the

author

Adam

Davidson

relates

a

joke

from

cotton

about

just

how

much

a

modern

textile

mill

has

been

automated: The average mill only two employees today,” a man and a dog. The

man is there to feed the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.”

Da

vidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared

making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and

declining

middle-class

incomes

today

is

also

because

of

the

advances

in

both

globalization

and

the

information technology revolution,

which are

more

rapidly

than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign worker.

In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job

，

could earn an

average lifestyle ,But ,today ,average is officially over. Being a

verage just won’t

earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much

more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics,

cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to

find

their

extra- their

unique

value

contribution

that

makes

them

stand

out

in

whatever is their field of employment.

Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. But there’s

been an acceleration. As Davidson notes,” In the 10 years endin

g in 2009, [U.S.]

factories shed workers so fast that they erased almost all the gains of the previous

70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs-about 6 million in total

-disappeared.

There will always be changed-new jobs, new products, new services. But the

one thing we know for sure is that with each advance in globalization and the I.T.

revolution, the best jobs will require workers to have more and better education to

make themselves above average.

In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do

to support employment, but nothing would be more important than passing some

kind of for the 21st century that ensures that every American has access to

poet-high school education.

21. The joke in Paragraph 1 is used to illustrate_______.

[A] the impact of technological advances

[B] the alleviation of job pressure

[C] the shrinkage of textile mills

[D] the decline of middle-class incomes

22. According to Paragraph 3, to be a successful employee, one has to______

[A] work on cheap software

[B] ask for a moderate salary

[C] adopt an average lifestyle

[D] contribute something unique

23. The quotation in Paragraph 4 explains that ______

[A] gains of technology have been erased

[B] job opportunities are disappearing at a high speed

[C] factories are making much less money than before

[D] new jobs and services have been offered

24. According to the author, to reduce unemployment, the most important is_____

[A] to accelerate the I.T. revolution

[B] to ensure more education for people

[C] to advance economic globalization

[D] to pass more bills in the 21st century

25. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?

[A] New Law Takes Effect

[B] Technology Goes Cheap

[C] Average Is Over

[D] Recession Is Bad

Text 2

A century ago, the immigrants from across the Atlantic included settlers and

sojourners. Along with the many folks looking to make a permanent home in the

United States came those who had no intention to stay, and 7millin people arrived

while

about

2

million

departed.

About

a

quarter

of

all

Italian

immigrants,

for

example,

eventually

returned

to

Italy

for

good.

They

even

had

an

affectionate

nickname, “uccelli di passaggio,” birds of passage.

Today, we are much more rigid about immigrants. We divide newcomers into

two

categories:

legal

or

illegal,

good

or

bad.

We

hail

them

as

Americans

in

the

making,

or

our

broken

immigration

system

and

the

long

political

paralysis

over

how to fix it. We don’t need more categories, but we

need to change the way we

think

about

categories.

We

need

to

look

beyond

strict

definitions

of

legal

and

illegal.

To

start,

we

can

recognize

the

new

birds

of

passage,

those

living

and

thriving

in

the

gray

areas.

We

might

then

begin

to

solve

our

immigration

challenges.

Crop pickers, violinists, construction workers, entrepreneurs, engineers, home

health-

care

aides

and

physicists

are

among

today’s

birds

of

passage.

They

are

energetic participants in a global economy driven by the flow of work, money and

ideas .They prefer to come and go as opportunity calls them , They can manage to

have a job in one place and a family in another.

With or without permission, they straddle laws, jurisdictions and identities with

ease. We need them to imagine the United States as a place where they can be

productive for a while without committing themselves to staying forever. We need

them to feel that home can be both here and there and that they can belong to two

nations honorably.

Accommodating this new world of people in motion will require new attitudes

on both sides of the immigration battle .Looking beyond the culture war logic of

right

or

wrong

means

opening

up

the

middle

ground

and

understanding

that

managing

immigration

today

requires

multiple

paths

and

multiple

outcomes.

Including some that are not easy to accomplish legally in the existing system.

26 “Birds of passage” refers to those who____.

[A] immigrate across the Atlantic

[B] leave their home countries for good

[C] stay in a foreign temporarily

[D]find permanent jobs overseas

27 It is implied in paragraph 2 that the current immigration system in the US ____.

[A] needs new immigrant categories

[B] has loosened control over immigrants

[C] should be adopted to meet challenges

[D]has been fixed via political means

28 According to the author, today’s birds of passage want___

[A] financial incentives.

[B] a global recognition.

[C] opportunities to get regular jobs.

[D]the freedom to stay and leave.

29 The author suggests that the birds of passage today should be treated __

[A] as faithful partners.

[B] with economic favors.

[C] with regal tolerance.

[D]as mighty rivals.

30 which is the best title of the passage?

[A] come and go: big mistake

[B] living and thriving : great risk

[C] with or without : great risk

[D]legal or illegal: big mistake

Text 3

Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we

take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even

eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses.

Snap

decisions

can

be

important

defense

mechanisms;

if

we

are

judging

whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard-wired to react very

quickly,

within

milliseconds.

But

we

need

more

time

to

assess

other

factors.

To

accurately

tell

whether

someone

is

sociable,

studies

show,

we

need

at

least

a

minute, preferably five. It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like

neuroticism or open- mindedness.

But

snap

decisions

in

reaction

to

rapid

stimuli

aren’t

exclusive

to

the

interpersonal realm. Psychologists at the University of Toronto found that viewing a

fast-food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read 20 percent faster, even

though reading has little to do with eating. We unconsciously associate fast food

with

speed

an

d

impatience

and

carry

those

impulses

into

whatever

else

we’re

doing, Subjects exposed to fast-food flashes also tend to think a musical piece lasts

too long.

Yet we can reverse such influences. If we know we will overreact to consumer

products

or

housing

options

when

we see a

happy

face

(one reason

good

sales

representatives and real estate agents are always smiling), we can take a moment

before buying. If we know female job screeners are more likely to reject attractive

female applicants, we can help screeners understand their biases-or hire outside

screeners.

John

Gottman,

the

marriage

expert,

explains

that

we

quickly

“thin

slice”

information reliably

only after

we

ground

such

snap reactions

in

“thick

sliced”

long-term study. When Dr. Gottman really wants to assess whether a couple will

stay together, he invites them to his island retreat for a muck longer evaluation; two

days, not two seconds.

Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates

us from animals: doge can think about the future only intermittently or for a few

minutes. But historically we have spent about 12 percent of our days contemplating

the longer term. Although technology might change the way we react, it hasn’t

changed

our

nature.

We

still

have

the

imaginative

capacity

to

rise

above

temptation and reverse the high-speed trend.

31. The time needed in making decisions may____.

[A] vary according to the urgency of the situation

[B] prove the complexity of our brain reaction

[C] depend on the importance of the assessment

[D] predetermine the accuracy of our judgment

32. Our reaction to a fast-food logo shows that snap decisions____.

[A] can be associative

[B] are not unconscious

[C] can be dangerous

[D] are not impulsive

33. To reverse the negative influences of snap decisions, we should____.

[A] trust our first impression

[B] do as people usually do

[C] think before we act

[D] ask for expert advice

34. John Gottman says that reliable snap reaction are based on____.

[A] critical assessment

[B]‘thin sliced’study

[C] sensible explanation

[D] adequate information

35. The author’s attitude toward reversing the high

-speed trend is____.

[A] tolerant

[B] uncertain

[C] optimistic

[D] doubtful

Text 4

Europe is not a gender-equality heaven. In particular, the corporate workplace

will

never

be

completely

family

—

friendly

until

women

are

part

of

senior

management decisions, and Europe’s top corporate

-governance positions remain

overwhelmingly male. Indeed, women hold only 14 percent of positions on Europe

corporate boards.

The Europe Union is now considering legislation to compel corporate boards to

maintain a certain proportion of women- up to 60 percent. This proposed mandate

was

born

of

frustration.

Last

year,

Europe

Commission

Vice

President

Viviane

Reding issued a call to voluntary action. Reding invited corporations to sign up for

gender balance goal of 40 percent female board membership. But her appeal was

considered a failure: only 24 companies took it up.

Do we need quotas to ensure that women can continue to climb the corporate

Ladder fairy as they balance work and family?

“Personally, I don’t like quotas,” Reding said recently. “But i like what the

quotas do.” Quotas get action: they “open the way t

o equality and they break

through the glass ceiling,” according to Reding, a result seen in France and other

countries

with

legally

binding

provisions

on

placing

women

in

top

business

positions.

I

understand

Reding’s

reluctance

-

and

her

frustration.

I

don’t

like

quotas

either; they run counter to my belief in meritocracy, government by the capable.

Bur, when one considers the obstacles to achieving the meritocratic ideal, it does

look as if a fairer world must be temporarily ordered.

After all, four decades of evidence has now shown that corporations in Europe

as

the

US

are

evading

the

meritocratic

hiring

and

promotion

of

women

to

top

position

—

no matter how much “soft pressure ” is put upon them. When women

do

break

through

to

the

summit

of corporate

power--as,

for

example,

Sheryl

Sandberg

recently

did

at

Facebook

—

they

attract

massive

attention

precisely

because they remain the exception to the rule.

If appropriate pubic policies were in place to help all women

—

whether CEOs or

their

children’s

caregivers—

and

all

families,

Sandberg

would

be

no

more

newsworthy than any other highly capable person living in a more just society.

36. In the European corporate workplace, generally_____.

[A] women take the lead

[B] men have the final say

[C] corporate governance is overwhelmed

[D] senior management is family-friendly

37. The European Union’s intended legislation is ________.

[A] a reflection of gender balance

[B] a reluctant choice

[C] a response to Reding’s call

[D] a voluntary action

38. According to Reding, quotas may help women ______.

[A] get top business positions

[B] see through the glass ceiling

[C] balance work and family

[D] anticipate legal results

39. The author’s attitude toward Reding’s appeal is one of _________.

[A] skepticism

[B] objectiveness

[C] indifference

[D] approval

40. Women entering top management become headlines due to the lack of ______.

[A] more social justice

[B] massive media attention

[C] suitable public policies

[D] great

er“soft pressure”

Part B

Directions:

You are going to read a list of headings and a text. Choose the most suitable

heading from the list A-F for each numbered paragraph (41-45).Mark your answers

on ANSWER SHEET1. (10 points)

The hugely popular blog the Skint Foodie chronicles how Tony balances his

love of good food with living on benefits. After bills, Tony has ?60 a week to spend,

?40

of

which

goes

on

food,

but

10

years

ago

he

was

earning

?130,000

a

I

year

working in corporate communications and eating at London's betft restaurants'

least twice a week. Then his marriage failed, his career burned out and his drinking

became serious.

that again, to a certain degree, when people responded to the blog so well. It gave

me the validation and confidence that I'd lost. But it's still a day-by-day thing.

he's

living

in

a

council

flat

and

fielding

offers

from

literary

agents.

He's

feeling

positive,

but

he'll

carry

on

blogging

-

not

about

eating

as

cheaply

as

you

can

-

on food

[A] Live like a peasant

[B] Balance your diet

[C] Shopkeepers are your friends

[D] Remember to treat yourself

[E] Stick to what you need

[F] Planning is everything

[G] Waste not, want not

41._____________________

Impulsive

spending

isn't

an

option,

so

plan

your

week's

menu

in

advance,

making shopping lists for your ingredients in their exact quantities. I have an Excel

template for a week of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop laughing: it's not just cost

effective but helps you balance your diet. It's also a good idea to shop daily instead

of weekly, because, being-human, you'll sometimes change your mind about what

you fancy.

4 2_________________________________________________ ___________

This

is

where

supermarkets

and

their

anonymity

come

in

handy.

With

them,

there's

not

the

same

embarrassment

as

when

buying

one

carrot

in

a

little

greengrocer. And if you plan properly, you'll know that you only need, say, 350g of

shin

of

beef and

six

rashers

of

bacon,

not

whatever

weight

is

pre-packed

in

the

supermarket chiller.

43_________

You may proudly claim to only have frozen peas in the freezer - that's not good

enough. Mine is filled with leftovers, bread, stock, meat and fish. Planning ahead

should eliminate wastage, but if you have surplus vegetables you'll do a vegetable

soup, and all fruits threatening to

44___________________________________

Everyone says this, but it really is a top tip for frugal eaters. Shop at butchers,

delis and fish-sellers regularly, even for small things, and be super friendly. Soon

you'll feel comfortable asking if they've any knuckles of ham for soups and stews,

or beef bones, chicken carcasses and fish heads for stock which, more often than

not, They will let you have for free.

45__________________

You won't be eating out a lot, but save your pennies and once every few

months treat yourself to a set lunch at a good restaurant -

?1.75 a week for three

months

gives

you

?21

-

more

than

enough

for

a

three-course

lunch

at

Michelin-

starred

Arbutus.

It's

?16.95

there

-

or

?12.99

for

a

large

pizza

from

Domino's: I know which I'd rather eat.

Section III Translation

Directions:

Translate the following text from English into Chinese. Write your translation on

ANSWER SHEET 2. (15 points)

I can pick a date from the past 53 years and know instantly where I was, what

happened in the news and even the day of the week. I’ve been able to do this since

I was four.

I never feel overwhelmed with the amount of information my brain absorbs my

mind seems to be able to cope and the information is stored away reatly. When I

think of a sad memory, I do what everyone does-

try to put it to one side. I don’t

think

it’s

harder

for

me

just

because

my

memory

is

clearer.

Powerful

memory

doesn’t

make

my

emotions

any

more

acute

or

vivid.

I

can

recall

the

day

my

grandfather died and the sadness I felt when we went to the hospital the day before.

I also remember that the musical play Hair opened on the Broadway on the same

day- they both just pop into my mind in the same way.

Section IV Writing

47. Suppose your class is to hold a charity sale foe kids in need of help. Write your

classmates an email to

1) inform them about the details and encourage them to participate .

2)

Don’t

use

your

own

name,

use

“Li

Ming”

instead.

Don’t

write

your

address.(10 points)

48 write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing, you should

1)interpret the chart and

2)give your comments

You should write about 150 words