专八阅读模拟题及答案解析（6）

专八阅读模拟题及答案解析（6）

　　英语专八阅读理解要求考生能读懂一般英美报刊杂志上的社论，政治和书评，既能理解其主旨和大意，又能分辨出其中的事实与细节，相对较难，那就需要考生们多做阅读练习，新东方在线整理了专八阅读模拟题及答案解析供考生们习作。

　　Passage Six (Equality of opportunity in the twentieth Century Has Not Destroyed the Class System)

　　These days we hear a lot of nonsense about the ‘great classless society'. The idea that the twentieth century is the age of the common man has become one of the great clichés of our time. The same old arguments are put forward in evidence. Here are some of them: monarchy as a system of government has been completely discredited. The monarchies that survive have been deprived of all political power. Inherited wealth has been savagely reduced by taxation and, in time, the great fortunes will disappear altogether. In a number of countries the victory has been complete. The people rule; the great millennium has become a political reality. But has it? Close examination doesn't bear out the claim.

　　It is a fallacy to suppose that all men are equal and that society will be leveled out if you provide everybody with the same educational opportunities. (It is debatable whether you can ever provide everyone with the same educational opportunities, but that is another question.) The fact is that nature dispenses brains and ability with a total disregard for the principle of equality. The old rules of the jungle, ‘survival of the fittest', and ‘might is right' are still with us. The spread of education has destroyed the old class system and created a new one. Rewards are based on merit. For ‘aristocracy' read ‘meritocracy'; in other respects, society remains unaltered: the class system is rigidly maintained.

　　Genuine ability, animal cunning, skill, the knack of seizing opportunities, all bring material rewards. And what is the first thing people do when they become rich? They use their wealth to secure the best possible opportunities for their children, to give them ‘a good start in life'. For all the lip service we pay to the idea of equality, we do not consider this wrong in the western world. Private schools which offer unfair advantages over state schools are not banned because one of the principles in a democracy is that people should be free to choose how they will educate their children. In this way, the new meritocracy can perpetuate itself to a certain extent: an able child from a wealthy home can succeed far more rapidly than his poorer counterpart. Wealth is also used indiscriminately to further political ends. It would be almost impossible to become the leader of a democracy without massive financial backing. Money is as powerful a weapon as ever it was.

　　In societies wholly dedicated to the principle of social equality, privileged private education is forbidden. But even here people are rewarded according to their abilities. In fact, so great is the need for skilled workers that the least able may be neglected. Bright children are carefully and expensively trained to become future rulers. In the end, all political ideologies boil down to the same thing: class divisions persist whether you are ruled by a feudal king or an educated peasant.

　　1. What is the main idea of this passage?

　　[A] Equality of opportunity in the twentieth century has not destroyed the class system.

　　[B] Equality means money.

　　[C] There is no such society as classless society.

　　[D] Nature can't give you a classless society.

　　2. According to the author, the same educational opportunities can't get rid of inequality because ___________

　　[A] the principle ‘survival of the fittest' exists.

　　[B] Nature ignores equality in dispensing brains and ability.

　　[C] Material rewards are for genuine ability.

　　[D] People have the freedom how to educate their children.

　　3. Who can obtain more rapid success ___________

　　[A] those with wealth.

　　[B] Those with the best brains.

　　[C] Those with the best opportunities.

　　[D] Those who have the ability to catch at opportunities.

　　4. Why does the author say the new meritocracy can perpetuate itself to a certain extent? Because ___________

　　[A] money decides everything.

　　[B] Private schools offer advantages over state schools.

　　[C] People are free to choose the way of educating their children.

　　[D] Wealth is used for political ends.

　　5. According to the author, class divisions' refers to ___________

　　[A] the rich and the poor.

　　[B] Different opportunities for people.

　　[C] Oppressor and the oppressed.

　　[D] Genius and stupidity.

　　Vocabulary

　　1. discredit 损害，破坏，败坏(某人的名声)，不可信

　　2. monarch 国王，女皇，君主政体

　　3. millennium 千年

　　the millennium 千僖年

　　4. bear out 证实

　　5. level out (升跌之后)呈平稳状态

　　6. meritocracy 英才管理，英才教育，能人统治

　　7. knack 技巧，诀窍

　　8. perpetuate 使永久，永存或持续

　　9. indiscriminate 不加鉴别的，不加分析的，任意的

　　10. boil down 归结为……

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