《2006考研英语阅读理解精读200篇》

Test 1

Text 1
The United States is said to have a mixed economy because privately owned businesses and government both play important roles. Indeed, some of the most enduring debates of American economic history focus on the relative roles of the public and private sectors.
The American free enterprise system emphasizes private ownership. Private businesses produce most goods and services, and almost two-thirds of the nation's total economic output goes to individuals for personal use (the remaining one-third is bought by government and business). The consumer role is so great, in fact, that the nation is sometimes characterized as having a “consumer economy.”
This emphasis on private ownership arises, in part, from American beliefs about personal freedom. From the time the nation was created, Americans have feared excessive government power, and they have sought to limit government's authority over individuals—including its role in the economic realm. In addition, Americans generally believe that an economy characterized by private ownership is likely to operate more efficiently than one with substantial government ownership.
When economic forces are unfettered, Americans believe, supply and demand determine the prices of goods and services. Prices, in turn, tell businesses what to produce; if people want more of a particular goods than the economy is producing, the price of the goods rises. That catches the attention of new or other companies that, sensing an opportunity to earn profits, start producing more of that goods. On the other hand, if people want less of the goods, prices fall and less competitive producers either go out of business or start producing different goods.
There are limits to free enterprise, however. Americans have always believed that some services are better performed by public rather than private enterprise. For instance, in the United States, government is primarily responsible for the administration of justice, education, the road system, and national defense.
In this mixed economy, individuals can help guide the economy not only through the choices they make as consumers but through the votes they cast for officials who shape economic policy. In recent years, consumers have voiced concerns about product safety, environmental threats posed by certain industrial practices, and potential health risks citizens may face; government has responded by creating agencies to protect consumer interests and promote the general public welfare.

1. In Line 1, Para. 4, the expression “economic forces are unfettered” means   .
[A] prices are determined by consumers  [B] supply and demand are allowed to operate freely
[C] economic regulations are not enforced [D] the economy is growing
2. The last paragraph tells us that  .
[A] a mixed economy is guided by both individual citizens and the government
[B] the role of the government in a mixed economy is more important than that of the consumer
[C] individual Americans can influence the economy in multiple ways
[D] the government does not regard the concerns of individual citizens
3. According to the text, the U.S. is sometimes called a “consumer economy” because  .
[A] most goods and services are produced by consumers
[B] privately owned business plays a major role in the economy
[C] individual consumption plays a major role in the economy
[D] consumers' rights are very important in the U.S.
4. This text is mainly about  .
[A] how average Americans view their economic system
[B] the role of the government in the American economy
[C] how supply and demand determine prices in the American economy
[D] the roles of the public and private sectors in the American economy
5. From the first sentence of the third paragraph, we learn that  .
[A] American political beliefs have influenced its economic system
[B] Americans fear excessive governmental control of the economy
[C] private ownership is important because of American beliefs in personal freedom
[D] personal freedom is the basis for private ownership in the U.S.

Text 2
The Internet began in the 1960s as a small network of academic and government computers primarily involved in research for the U.S. military. Originally limited to researchers at a handful of universities and government facilities, the Internet has quickly become a worldwide network providing users with information on a range of subjects and allowing them to purchase goods directly from companies via computer. By 1999, 84 million U.S. citizens had access to the Internet at home or work. More and more Americans are paying bills, shopping, ordering airline tickets, and purchasing stocks via computer over the Internet.
Internet banking is also becoming increasingly popular. With lower overhead costs in terms of staffing and office space, Internet banks are able to offer higher interest rates on deposits and charge lower rates on loans than traditional banks. “Brick and mortar" banks are increasingly offering online banking services via transactional websites to complement their traditional services. At present, 14 percent of Internet households conduct their banking by means of the Internet, and the figure is expected to double or triple during the next two or three years.
Increasing commercial use of the Internet has heightened security and privacy concerns. With a credit or debit card, an Internet user can order almost anything from an Internet site and have it delivered to their home or office. Companies doing business over the Internet need sophisticated security measures to protect credit card, bank account, and social security numbers from unauthorized access as they pass across the Internet. Any organization that connects its networks to the global Internet must carefully control the access point to ensure that outsiders cannot disrupt the organization's internal networks or gain unauthorized access to the organization's computer systems and data.

6. According to the text, Internet banking  .
[A] requires minimal usage fees    [B] offers price advantages to users
[C] is more efficient than traditional banking  [D] is environmentally-conscious
7. The term “brick and mortar banks” (Line 3, Para.2) refers to   .
[A] banks with dependable reputations   [B] banks with competitive interest rates
[C] banks with traditional walk-in services  [D] banks with reliable on-line services
8. The last sentence of the third paragraph tells us that  .
[A] any organization's networks may be at risk of security breaches
[B] current technology cannot safeguard against unauthorized access to online networks
[C] information security should be a pressing concern for Internet commerce
[D] organizations must secure their networks and data against unauthorized use
9. What is this text mainly about?
[A] Conveniences brought to consumers through use of the Internet.
[B] Implications of increasing commercial use of the Internet.
[C] Security risks posed by commercial use of the Internet.
[D] Advantages of Internet banking versus traditional banking.
10. Which commercial usage of the Internet does the author NOT refer to?
[A] Buying airline tickets .  [B] Trading stocks. 
[C] Applying for a credit card.  [D] Opening a bank account.

Text 3
Some of today's most cutting-edge technology is now being used to help students with special needs. No longer just the province of games for “video needs," virtual reality has come into its own as a tool for special education teachers and therapists. As such, it is used for assessment, teaching, and practice, according to Skip Rizzo, research assistant/professor at the University of Southern California.
For example, virtual reality has been used effectively to assess students' depth perception, with the results being quite different from those obtained from traditional paper and pencil tests. It is also used to help students gain transition skills: Students with autism or developmental delay can visit a virtual supermarket, take public transportation, cross the street, or organize his or her day. Students in wheelchairs can learn how to navigate buildings. And the beauty is, these students can make any number of mistakes without endangering themselves.
In fact, one of the biggest virtues of virtual reality is that it allows students to learn in a safe environment, and this holds true for students with behavior disorders. After a student has learned an appropriate behavior or way of controlling his or her anger, the student is put in progressively more difficult virtual social situations where he or she can practice the new technique. And it is expected that future teachers will be exposed to virtual classes, complete with “difficult students” to help them master behavior management techniques.
Virtual reality even allows us to tailor the world to meet a child's needs. Let's say we're teaching a child to cross the street by paying attention to traffic signs. Educators have found that it is often difficult for the child to locate the traffic sign in a busy environment. With virtual reality, we can blow up the “walk sign" so the student knows what it looks like. Then we gradually begin shrinking the sign and adding other environmental elements. Once the student has mastered this virtually, he or she transfers the knowledge to the real world. In the end, this is the most important function of virtual reality programs for special students.

11. In Line 2, Par. 1, the word “province” means  .
[A] technology  [B] domain  [C] basis  [D] region
12. Virtual reality can help future teachers learn  .
[A] how to assess students' skill levels   [B] how to respond to individual student's needs
[C] how to deal with students who misbehave  [D] how to run an orderly classroom
13. This text mainly deals with  .
[A] The importance of using virtual reality in special education
[B] The applications of virtual reality for special students
[C] The advantages of virtual reality over conventional special education methods
[D] The potential role of virtual reality in special education
14. Which group does the author NOT suggest might benefit from virtual reality applications to education?
[A] students with mental illness   [B] students with behavioral disorders
[C] students with physical handicaps  [D] students with developmental problems
15. According to the text, what is the ultimate purpose of virtual reality in education?
[A] to give special students a chance to experience life in the outside world
[B] to train teachers to work with students with special needs
[C] to allow special students to learn life-skills in a safe environment
[D] to prepare special students to transition into mainstream society

Text 4
In today's world, racial, ethnic, and national categories no longer impose fixed barriers or unbending traditions. This is not to say that these categories have disappeared. Rather, they are mixing and interacting in new ways . The hybrid nature of today's society is a valuable resource that companies and businesses should tap into in their quest to innovate.
The ability to apply knowledge to new situations is the most valued currency in today's economy. More than ever, creativity rewards those who exercise it, so curiosity about the source of creativity has never been higher. How creativity comes about is a riddle, but a few things seem clear. Highly creative people don't necessarily excel in raw brainpower. They are misfits on some level. They tend to question accepted views and to consider contradictory ones.
The implications are plain to see: Divergent thinking is an essential ingredient of creativity. Diverse groups produce diverse thinking. Therefore, diversity promotes creativity. This logic applies to corporations, research teams, think tanks, and other groups of creators. Those who rely on a team of diverse people are more likely to innovate than those who rely on platoons of similar people.
To be sure, hybridity poses risks. A hybrid person may lose himself in a jumble of affiliations. A hybrid nation may botch the process of reinvention. Still, the price of such errors seems lower than the cost of circling the ethnic wagons and either shutting out people who are different or forcing them to become “one of us." Never before have so many people married across racial and ethnic lines. Never before have so many people left their homelands for work or pleasure. Never before have so many people touched or tasted the clothes, foods, musical styles, and ideas of cultures not available to them in their youth. These people are not becoming phantoms or dilettantes. Rather, they are part of an outpouring of human creativity that is being driven by radical mixing.
“You cannot spill a drop of American blood," Herman Melville wrote in 1849, “without spilling the blood of the whole world." More than ever, Melville's declaration applies not only to America, but to all nations.

16. The author's attitude towards mixing of cultures is one of  .
[A] unrestricted enthusiasm [B] eager advocacy [C] genuine concern [D] satisfied approval
17. According to the text, people are curious about sources of creativity because  .
[A] creativity is profitable    [B] creativity is a basic human instinct
[C] creativity is directly related to diversity [D] creative thought is valued by almost everybody
18. In the fourth paragraph, the term “botch" most likely means   .
[A] complicate  [B] err in  [C] excel at  [D] flourish in
19. The author suggests of current times that  .
[A] without diversity, creativity would cease [B] the growth of the economy depends on a diverse workforce
[C] businesses can gain from the diversity [D] today's creative individual does best in business
20. This text is mainly about  .
[A] the significance of diversity to creative thought
[B] the advantages of diversity for innovative businesses
[C] the impact of an increasingly multicultural society on the economy
[D] the advantages and disadvantages of diversity