英語閱讀理解

PARTVREADINGCOMPREHENSION[35MIN]

SECTIONAMULTIPLECHOICEQUESTIONS

PASSAGEONE

(1)LifecanbetoughforimmigrantsinAmerica.AsaRomanianbankclerkinAtlantaputsit,tofindagoodjob"youhavetobelikeawolfintheforest--abletosmelloutthebestmeat.”Andifyoucan'tfindwork,don’texpectthetaxpayertobailyouout.UnlikeinsomeEuropeancountries,itisextremelyhardforanable-bodiedimmigranttoliveoffthestate.Alawpassedin1996explicitlybarsmostimmigrants,eventhosewithlegalstatus,fromreceivingalmostanyfederalbenefits.

(2)ThatisonereasonwhyAmericaabsorbsimmigrantsbetterthanmanyotherrichcountries,accordingtoanewstudybytheUniversityofCalifomnia.Theresearcherssoughttomeasuretheeffectofimmigrationonthenative-bornin20richcountries,takingintoaccountdifferencesinskillsbetweenimmigrantsandnatives,imperfectlabormarketsandthesizeofthewelfarestateineachcountry.

(3)Theirresultsofferammunitionforfansofmoreopenborders.In19outof20countries,theauthorscalculatedthatshuttingthedoorsentirelytoforeignworkerswouldmakethenative-bornworseoff.Nevermindwhatitwoulddototheimmigrantsthemselves,whobenefitfarmorethananyoneelsefrombeingallowedtocrossborderstofindwork.

(4)Thestudyalsosuggeststhatmostcountriescouldhandlemoreimmigrationthantheycurrentlyallow.InAmerica,aone-percentagepointincreaseintheproportionofimmigrantsinthepopulationmadethenative-born0.05%betteroff.Theoppositewastrueinsomecountrieswithgenerousorill-designedwelfarestates,however.Aone-pointriseinimmigrationmadethenative-bornslightlyworseoffinAustria,Belgium,Germany,Luxembourg,theNetherlands,SwedenandSwitzerland.InBelgium,immigrantswholosejobscanreceivealmosttwo-thirdsoftheirmostrecentwageinstatebenefits,whichmustmakethehuntforanewjoblessurgent.

(5)Noneoftheseeffectswaslarge,butthestudyunderminestheclaimthatimmigrantsstealjobsfromnativesordragdowntheirwages.ManyimmigrantstakejobsthatAmericansdonotwant,thestudyfinds.This“smooths"thelabormarketandultimatelycreatesmorejobsforlocals.Native-ownedgrocerystoresdobetterbusinessbecausethereareimmigrantstopickthefruittheysell.IndiancomputerscientistshelpAmericansoftwarefirmsexpand.Apreviousstudyfoundthatbecauseimmigrantstypicallyearnlessthanlocalswithsimilarskills,theyboostcorporateprofits,promptingcompaniestogrowandhiremorelocals.

41.IncreaseinimmigrationinAustriafailstoimprovelocals’lifemainlybecauseof_____.

A.inadequateskillsofimmigrantsB.imperfectlabormarkets

C.lowwagesforlocalsD.thedesignofthewelfaresystem

42.WhowillfavorthestudyresultsbyresearchersfromtheUniversityofCalifornia?

A.Peoplewhohavelegalstatus.B.Peoplewhorunbusinesses.

C.Peoplewhoreceivestatebenefits.D.Peoplewhoarewillingtoearnless.

43.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethattheauthor’sattitudetowardimmigrantis_____.

A.cautiouslyfavorableB.slightlynegativeC.stronglynegativeD.quiteambiguous

PASSAGETWO

(1)Therewassomethingintheelderlywoman’sbehaviorthatcaughtmyeye.Althoughslowgestures,andunsureofstepthewomanmovedwithdeliberation,andtherewasnohesitationinhergestures.Shewasasgoodasanyoneelse,hermovementsuggested.Andshehadajobtodo.

(2)Itwasafewyearsago,andIhadtakenapart-timeholiday-seasonjobinavideostoreatthelocalshoppingmall.Frominsidethestore,I’dbeguntoseethepeoplerushingbyoutsideinthemall’sconcourseasariverofhumanity.

(3)Theelderlywomanhadwalkedintothestorealongwithayoungerwomanwhoguessedwasherdaughter.Theduaghterwasdisplayingaseriouscaseofimpatience,rollinghereyes,huffingandsighing,checkingherwatcheveryfewseconds.Ifshehadpossessedaleash,hermotherwouldhavebeenfastenedtoitasameansoftuggingheralongtokeepstepwiththerushofothershoppers.

(4)TheolderwomandetachedfromtheyoungeroneandbegantotickthroughtheDVDsonthenearestshelf.Afterthesightesthesitation,IwalkedoverandaskedifIcouldhelpherfindsomething.Thewomansmiledupatmeandshowedmeatitlescrawledonacrumpledpieceofpaper.Thetitlewasunusualandabitobscure.Clearlyapersonlookingforitknewalittleaboutmovies,aboutquality.

(5)RatherthanrushingofftolocatetheDVDforthewoman,IaskedhertowalkwithmesoIcouldshowherwhereshecouldfindit.Lookingback,IthinkIwantedtoenjoyhercompanyforamoment.Somethingaboutherdeliberatemovementsremindedmeofmyownmother,who’dpassedawaythepreviousChristmas.

(6)Aswewalkedalongthebackofthestore,Inarrateditsfloorplan:oldtelevisionshows,actionmovies,cartoons,sciencefiction.Thewomanseemedgladoftheunrushedcompanyandcasualconversation.

(7)Wefoundthemovie,andIcomplimentedheronherchoice.Shesmiledandtoldmeitwasoneshe’denjoyedwhenshewasherson’sageandthatshehopedhewouldenjoyitasmuchasshehad.Maybe,shesaidwithahintofwistfulnesshecouldenjoyitwithhisownyoungchildren.Then,reluctantly,Ihadtoreturntheelderlywomantoherkeeper,whowasstilltappingherfootatthefrontofthestore.

(8)Iescortedtheolderwomantothequeueatthecashregisterandthensteppedbackandlingeredneartheyoungwoman.Whentheolderwoman’sturninlinecame,shepaidincash,countingoutthedollarsandcoinswiththesamesurenessshe’ddisplayedearlier.

(9)AsthecashiertuckedtheDVDintoaplasticbag,Iwalkedovertotheyoungerwoman.

(10)“Isthatyourmom?”Iasked.

(11)Ihalfwayexpectedhertotellmeitwasnoneofmybusiness.Butpossiblybelievingmetobetolerantofherimpatience,sherolledhereyesandsaid,“Yeah.”Therewasexasperationinherreply,halfsighandhalfgroan.

(12)Stillwatchingthemother,Isaid,“Mindsomeadvice?”

(13)“Sure,”saidthedaughter.

(14)IsmiledtoshowherIwasn’tcriticizing.“Cherishher,”Isaid.AndthenIansweredhercuriousexpressionbysaying,“Whenshe’sgone,it’sthelittlemomentsthat’llcomebacktoyou.Momentslikethis.Iknow.”

(15)Itwastrue.ImissedmymomstillandrememberedwithmelancholyclaritythemomentswhenI’dusedmyimpatiencetomakeherlifemiserable.

(16)Theelderlywomanmovedwithherdeliberateslownessbacktoherdaughter’scustody.Togethertheymadetheirwaytowardthestore’sexit.Theystoodthereforamoment,sidebyside,watchingtherushoftheholidaycurrentandfortheirplaceinit.Thenthedaughterglancedoverandmomentarilyregardedhermother.Andslowly,almostreluctantly,sheplacedherarmwithapparentlyunaccustomedaffectionaroundhermother’sshouldersandgentlyguidedherbackintothecrowds.

44.Whatdoes“Shehadajobtodo.”(Para.1)meanaccordingtothecontext?

A.Shehadaregularjobinthestore.B.Shewasthinkingofwhattobuy.

C.Shewantedtoaskforhelp.D.ShewantedtobuyaDVD.

45.WhatdoesthetitleoftheDVDrevealaccordingtotheshopassistant?

A.Theelderlywomanhadsomeknowledgeaboutmovies.

B.Theelderlywomanlikedmoviesforyoungchildren.

C.Theelderlywomanpreferredmovieshersonliked.

D.Theelderlywomanlikedbotholdandnewmovies.

46.Inthepassagetheelderlywoman’sdaughterisdescribedasbeing_____.

A.ImpoliteB.uncaringC.naiveD.miserly

47.WhilelookingfortheDVDwiththeoldwoman,theshopassistantwas_____.

A.HesitantB.indifferentC.frustratedD.patient

PASSAGETHREE

(1)Readingaward-winningliteraturemayboostyourabilitytoreadotherpeople,anewstudysuggests.ResearchersattheNewSchoolforSocialResearch,inNewYorkCity,foundthatwhentheyhadvolunteersreadworksofacclaimed“l(fā)iteraryfiction”,itseemedtotemporarilyimprovetheirabilitytointerpretotherpeople’semotions.Thesamewasnottrueofnonfictionor“popular”fiction,themystery,romanceandscience-fictionbooksthatoftendominatebestsellerlists.

(2)Expertssaidthefindings,reportedonlineinScience,suggestthatliteraturemighthelppeopletobemoreperceptiveandengagedintheirlives.

(3)“Readingliteraryfictionisn’tjustforpassingthetime.It’snotjustanescape.”saidKeithOatley,aprofessoremeritusofcognitivepsychologyattheUniversityofToronto.“Italsoenablesustobetterunderstandothers,andthentakethatintoourdailylives.”

(4)Oatleywasnotinvolvedinthenewresearch,butworkedonsomeofthefirststudiestosuggestthatreadingliteraturecanboostpeople'sempathyforothers.Histeamhasfoundthatthosewhoreadalotoffictiontendtoshowgreaterempathyonstandardtests,butthesameisnottrueofavidnonfictionfans.

(5)But,thestudybyOatleyandhisteamcannotprovethatliteratureboostsempathy---empatheticfolksmayjustbedrawntoreadingfiction,whereasthenewstudydoesoffersome"cause-and-effect"evidence,Oatleysaid.Forthestudy,researcherssetupaseriesoffiveexperimentsinwhichparticipantsreadeitherliteraryfiction,popularfiction,nonfictionornothingatallbeforetakingsomestandardtests.Oneofthetestsisknownas"ReadingtheMindintheEyes".Peoplehavetolookatphotosofactors'eyes,andthenguesswhatemotionisbeingexpressedineach.Thetestisconsideredameasureofempathy.Overall,studyparticipantsfaredbetteronthetestafterreadingliteraryfiction,versustheotherthreeconditions.

(6)Itwasasmallimprovement,accordingtothepincipalresearcherDavidComerKidd,"It’snotliketakingpeoplefroma(grade)'C'toan"A',"hesaid.But,Kiddadded,theeffectwasseenafteronlyabout10minutes'reading,anditwasastatisticallystrongfinding,meaningit'sunlikelytohavebeenduetochance.

(7)"Literary"fictionhasnohard-and-fastdefinition.SoKiddandhiscolleagueschosecontemporaryworksthathavewonorbeenfinalistsforoutstandingliteraryawards.Theyincluded"TheRoundHouse",byLouiseErdrich,"SalvagetheBones",byJesmynWardandtheshortstory“Corrie"byAlíceMunro.And"popular"fictionincludedbest-sellerslike"GoneGirl"byGillianFlynn,andDanielleSteel's“TheSinsoftheMother".

(8)What'ssospecialaboutliteraryfiction?“Forone,it'susuallymorefocusedoncharactersthanonplot,"Kiddnoted.Butbeyondthat,hesaid,thereisusallynosingle"authoritativenarrator"whotakesusthroughthestory."Itdemandsthatthereaderalmostbecomeawriterandfillinthegaps.Youreallyhavetothinkaboutthecharacters,“Kiddsaid.

(9)Oatleyagreed.“AliceMunrodoesn'ttellyouwhattothink,”hesaid.“Youhavetomakeinferencesaboutcharacters.Andthat’softenwhatwe’redoinginourreal-lifeconversations.”O(jiān)ratleastthat’swhatpeoplecoulddo.

(10)Readingliteraryfictioncouldalsoofferawayto“practice”yoursocialskillsandusethemmoreinreallife,accordingtoanotherresearchernotinvolvedinthestudy.“It’slikehowpilotstraininaflightsimulator,”saidRaymondMar,anassociateprofessorofpsychologyatYorkUniversity,inToronto,whohascollaboratedwithOatley.“Thisisagreatstudy,”Marsaidofthenewstudy.Butheaddedthattheoverallresearchinthisareais“stillinitsinfancy”andonekeyquestioniswhetherliteraryfictionreallyisbetterthanotherfiction.

(11)Marandhiscolleaguesrecentlyfoundthatfansofromancenovelstendedtodobestontestsofempathy.Unlikethecurrentstudy,Mar’sstudydidnottestpeopleafterhavingthemreaddifferenttypesoffiction.Soit’sposssiblethatthereissomethingelseaboutromance-novelreadersthatmakethemmoreunderstandingofothers.

(12)Still,accordingtoMar,it’stooearlytotellpeopletotradeintheirDanielleSteelforAliceMunro,atleastifthegoalisboostingempathy.

(13)It'salsopossiblethatplays,moviesorevenTVshowscouldbuildyourempathymuscles,accordingtoKidd.Butreadingmaybespecial,hesaid,becauseitprovidesnovisualsandyouhavetoengageyourimaginationmore.

(14)Everyoneagreedthatthefindingssuggestliteratureisimportantbeyondentertainmentorimprovingvocabulary.“There'sacommonbeliefthatreadingliteraturei