GMAT考试阅读资料(一)b
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Passage 2
  Woodrow Wilson was referring to the liberalidea of the economic market when he said thatthe free enterprise system is the most efficienteconomic system. Maximum freedom means(5) maximum productiveness; our “openness” is tobe the measure of our stability. Fascination1 withthis ideal has made Americans defy the “OldWorld” categories of settled possessiveness versusunsettling deprivation3, the cupidity4 of retention(10) versus2 the cupidity of seizure5, a “status quo”defended or attacked. The United States, it wasbelieved, had no status quo ante. Our only “sta-tion” was the turning of a stationary6 wheel, spin-ning faster and faster. We did not base our(15) system on property but opportunity——whichmeant we based it not on stability but on mobil-ity. The more things changed, that is, the morerapidly the wheel turned, the steadier we wouldbe. The conventional picture of class politics is(20) composed of the Haves, who want a stability tokeep what they have, and the Have-Nots, whowant a touch of instability and change in whichto scramble7 for the things they have not. ButAmericans imagined a condition in which spec-(25) ulators, self-makers, runners are always using thenew opportunities given by our land. These eco-nomic leaders (front-runners) would thus hemainly agents of change. The nonstarters wereconsidered the ones who wanted stability, a(30) strong referee8 to give them some position in therace, a regulative hand to calm manic specula-tion; an authority that can call things to a halt,begin things again from compensatorily stag-gered “starting lines.”
  (35)“Reform” in America has been sterile9 becauseit can imagine no change except through theextension of this metaphor10 of a race, wider inclu-sion of competitors, “a piece of the action,” as itwere, for the disenfranchised. There is no(40) attempt to call off the race. Since our only sta-bility is change, America seems not to honor thequiet work that achieves social interdependenceand stability. There is, in our legends, no hero-ism of the office clerk, no stable industrial work(45) force of the people who actually make the systemwork. There is no pride in being an employee(Wilson asked for a return to the time wheneveryone was an employer)。 There has been noboasting about our social workers——they are(50) merely signs of the system‘s failure, of opportu-nity denied or not taken, of things to be elimi-nated. We have no pride in our growinginterdependence, in the fact that our system canserve others, that we are able to help those in(55) need; empty boasts from the past make usashamed of our present achievements, make ustry to forget or deny them, move away fromthem. There is no honor but in the Wonderlandrace we must all run, all trying to win, none(60) winning in the end (for there is no end)。

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
 (A) criticize the inflexibility11 of American economic mythology13
 (B) contrast “Old World” and “New World” economic ideologies14
 (C) challenge the integrity of traditional political leaders
 (D) champion those Americans whom the author deems to be neglected
 (E) suggest a substitute for the traditional metaphor of a race

2. According to the passage,“Old World” values were based on
 (A) ability
 (B) property
 (C) family connections
 (D) guild15 hierarchies16
 (E) education

3. In the context of the author‘s discussion of regulating change, which of the following could be most probably regarded as a “strong referee” (line 30) in the United States?
 (A) A school principal
 (B) A political theorist
 (C) A federal court judge
 (D) A social worker
 (E) A government inspector17

4. The author sets off the word “Reform” (line 35) with quotation18 marks in order to
 (A) emphasize its departure from the concept of settled possessiveness
 (B) show his support for a systematic19 program of  change
 (C) underscore the flexibility12 and even amorphousness20 of United States society.
 (D) indicate that the term was one of Wilson‘s favorites 
 (E) assert that reform in the United States has not  been fundamental

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author most probably thinks that giving the disenfranchised “a piece of the action ” (line 38) is
 (A) a compassionate21, if misdirected,legislative measure 
 (B) an example of Americans‘ resistance to profound social change
 (C) an innovative22 program for genuine social reform
 (D) a monument to the efforts of industrial reformers
 (E) a surprisingly “Old World” remedy for social ills

6. Which of the following metaphors23 could the author most appropriately use to summarize his own assessment24 of the American economic system (lines 35-60)?
 (A) A windmill 
 (B) A waterfall
 (C) A treadmill25
 (D) A gyroscope 
 (E) A bellows26

7. It can be inferred from the passage that Woodrow Wilson‘s ideas about the economic market
 (A) encouraged those who “make the system work” (lines 45-46)
 (B) perpetuated27 traditional legends about America
 (C) revealed the prejudices of a man born wealthy
 (D) foreshadowed the stock market crash of 1929
 (E) began a tradition of presidential proclamations on economics

8. The passage contains information that would answer which of the following questions?
 Ⅰ.What techniques have industrialists28 used to mani
 Ⅱ.In what ways are “ New World” and “ Old World”economic policies similar?
 Ⅲ. Has economic policy in the United States tended to reward independent action?
 (A) Ⅰonly 
 (B) Ⅱonly
 (C) Ⅲ only 
 (D) Ⅰand Ⅱ only
 (E) Ⅱand Ⅲ only

9. Which of the following best expresses the author‘s  main point?
 (A) Americans‘ pride in their jobs continues to give them stamina29 today. 
 (B) The absence of a status quo ante has undermined United States economic structure.
 (C) The free enterprise system has been only a useless concept in the United States
 (D) The myth of the American free enterprise system is seriously flawed.
 (E) Fascination with the ideal of “openness” has made Americans a progressive people.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 fascination FlHxO     
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋
参考例句:
  • He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
  • His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。
2 versus wi7wU     
prep.以…为对手,对;与…相比之下
参考例句:
  • The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
  • The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。
3 deprivation e9Uy7     
n.匮乏;丧失;夺去,贫困
参考例句:
  • Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous.多实验都证实了睡眠被剥夺是危险的。
  • Missing the holiday was a great deprivation.错过假日是极大的损失。
4 cupidity cyUxm     
n.贪心,贪财
参考例句:
  • Her cupidity is well known.她的贪婪尽人皆知。
  • His eyes gave him away,shining with cupidity.他的眼里闪着贪婪的光芒,使他暴露无遗。
5 seizure FsSyO     
n.没收;占有;抵押
参考例句:
  • The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
  • The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。
6 stationary CuAwc     
adj.固定的,静止不动的
参考例句:
  • A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。
  • Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。
7 scramble JDwzg     
v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料
参考例句:
  • He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
  • It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。
8 referee lAqzU     
n.裁判员.仲裁人,代表人,鉴定人
参考例句:
  • The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
  • The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。
9 sterile orNyQ     
adj.不毛的,不孕的,无菌的,枯燥的,贫瘠的
参考例句:
  • This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上,保持奶嘴无菌。
  • The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。
10 metaphor o78zD     
n.隐喻,暗喻
参考例句:
  • Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方,我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
  • In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。
11 inflexibility 73709869d6362de15495566c92f3fc0e     
n.不屈性,顽固,不变性;不可弯曲;非挠性;刚性
参考例句:
  • One basic advantage of organization planning is avoidance of organizational inflexibility. 组织规划的一个基本优点就是可避免组织缺乏弹性。 来自辞典例句
  • Allenda was brought down by his own incompetence and inflexibility. 阿连德之所以倒台,是由于他自己的无能和固执。 来自辞典例句
12 flexibility vjPxb     
n.柔韧性,弹性,(光的)折射性,灵活性
参考例句:
  • Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
  • The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。
13 mythology I6zzV     
n.神话,神话学,神话集
参考例句:
  • In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中,宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
  • He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。
14 ideologies 619df0528e07e84f318a32708414df52     
n.思想(体系)( ideology的名词复数 );思想意识;意识形态;观念形态
参考例句:
  • There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态,都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比,才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句
15 guild 45qyy     
n.行会,同业公会,协会
参考例句:
  • He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
  • You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。
16 hierarchies 363a3f0eb8ee21c582e96e99979801de     
等级制度( hierarchy的名词复数 ); 统治集团; 领导层; 层次体系
参考例句:
  • That's a trip of two hierarchies. 那是两个领导层之间的互访。
  • Hierarchies of authority, spans of control, long-range plans, and budgets. 等级森严的权力机构,控制范围,长期计划,预算。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦
17 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员,监察员,视察员
参考例句:
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。
18 quotation 7S6xV     
n.引文,引语,语录;报价,牌价,行情
参考例句:
  • He finished his speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.他讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。
  • The quotation is omitted here.此处引文从略。
19 systematic SqMwo     
adj.有系统的,有计划的,有方法的
参考例句:
  • The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
  • The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。
20 amorphousness b16a4ba46b1ccf04cff7dbc6c32e2dae     
无结构性
参考例句:
21 compassionate PXPyc     
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的
参考例句:
  • She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
  • The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。
22 innovative D6Vxq     
adj.革新的,新颖的,富有革新精神的
参考例句:
  • Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
  • He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。
23 metaphors 83e73a88f6ce7dc55e75641ff9fe3c41     
隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • I can only represent it to you by metaphors. 我只能用隐喻来向你描述它。
  • Thus, She's an angel and He's a lion in battle are metaphors. 因此她是天使,他是雄狮都是比喻说法。
24 assessment vO7yu     
n.评价;评估;对财产的估价,被估定的金额
参考例句:
  • This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
  • What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何?
25 treadmill 1pOyz     
n.踏车;单调的工作
参考例句:
  • The treadmill has a heart rate monitor.跑步机上有个脉搏监视器。
  • Drugs remove man from the treadmill of routine.药物可以使人摆脱日常单调的工作带来的疲劳。
26 bellows Ly5zLV     
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
  • You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想,你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句
27 perpetuated ca69e54073d3979488ad0a669192bc07     
vt.使永存(perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
  • I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况,而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句
28 industrialists 0dad60c7e857d7574674d1c3c3f6ad96     
n.工业家,实业家( industrialist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • This deal will offer major benefits to industrialists and investors. 这笔交易将会让实业家和投资者受益匪浅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The government has set up a committee of industrialists and academics to advise it. 政府已成立了一个实业家和学者的委员会来为其提供建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
29 stamina br8yJ     
n.体力;精力;耐力
参考例句:
  • I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
  • Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。
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