2009年全国硕士研究生入学考试英语试题分析
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
Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine. “Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting herd,” William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word “habit” carries a negative connotation.
So it seems paradoxical to talk about habits in the same context as creativity and innovation. But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try—the more we step outside our comfort zone—the more inherently creative we become, both in the workplace and in our personal lives.
But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.
“The first thing needed for innovation is a fascination with wonder,” says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind. “But we are taught instead to ‘decide’, just as our president calls himself ‘the Decider’.” She adds, however, that “to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities. ”
All of us work through problems in ways of which we’re unaware, she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the capacity to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally, relationally (or collaboratively) and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that capacity, preserving only those modes of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.
The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us inherently use our innovative and collaborative modes of thought. “This breaks the major rules in the American belief system—that anyone can do anything,” explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will... and Ms. Markova’s business partner. “That’s a lie that we have perpetuated, and it fosters commonness. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence. ” This is where developing new habits comes in.
21. In Wordsworth’s view, “habits” is characterized by being
[A] casual. [B] familiar. [C] mechanical. [D] changeable.
22. The brain researchers have discovered that the formation of new habits can be
[A] predicted. [B] regulated. [C] traced. [D] guided.
23. The word “ruts” (Line 1, Para. 4) is closest in meaning to
[A] tracks. [B] series. [C] characteristics. [D] connections.
24. Dawna Markova would most probably agree that
[A] ideas are born of a relaxing mind. [B] innovativeness could be taught.
[C] decisiveness derives from fantastic ideas. [D] curiosity activates creative minds.
25. Ryan’s comments suggest that the practice of standard testing
[A] prevents new habits from being formed.
[B] no longer emphasizes commonness.
[C] maintains the inherent American thinking mode.
[D] complies with the American belief system.
答案解析
21. 答案C 考点 识别人物的观点
分析 本题要求考生判断 William Wordsworth针对 “习惯 ”表达了什么观点 ,即在他看来 “习惯 ”有何特征。四个选项如下 :
[A]随便的。 [B]熟悉的。 [C]机械的。 [D]多变的。
根据文章第一段 , Wordsworth曾说 :“不是选择 ,而是习惯主宰了不加思索的民众。”在这里 ,“选择 ”与 “不加思索 ”相对照 ,意思相反 :如果有 “选择 ”就不是习惯 ,而习惯正是 “无心地” ( mindlessly)顺应程序 ,让大脑自动导航 ( auto-pilot),无意识地让 “熟悉的惯例 ” (familiar routine)控制自己的行为。这说明 ,在 Wordsworth看来 ,习惯的特征是 “机械的 ”,而不是 “随便的”、 “熟悉的 ”或是 “多变的”。因此 , [C] mechanical与文意相符 ,是正确答案。
22. 答案D 考点 识别正确信息
分析 本题要求考生判断从事大脑研究的人员发现了什么 ,即 “新习惯的形成 ”是在什么情况下发生的 ?四个选项如下 :
[A]预测。 [B]调节。 [C]跟踪。 [D]引导。
首先 ,题干中的 brain researchers have discovered出现在文章的第二段 : But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths (但是从事大脑研究的人员发现 ,当我们有意识地培养新习惯的时候 ,我们会形成平行的轨迹)。另外 ,“有意识地培养新习惯 ”在第三段中也有所提及 : Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits (我们不要把自己看成不可改变的习惯性动物 ,相反 ,我们能通过有意识地培养新习惯来引导自己的改变)。两处都暗示新习惯是可以有意识地培养的 ,是我们的选择和 “引导 ”的结果。因此 ,选项 [D] guided是正确答案。
23. 答案A 考点 猜测生词
分析 本题要求考生根据上下文猜测生词 ruts的意思。四个选项如下 :
[A]路径。 [B]系列。 [C]特征。 [D]联系。
该生词出现在第四段对旧习惯的讨论中 ,实际上是对习惯进行定义或解释 : But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay (但是不要麻烦去努力消除旧习惯 :一旦那些程序性的惯例被磨进大脑 ,它们就会保留在那里)。如果将两句话联系起来 ,我们不难发现 , those ruts of procedure指的就是 old habits。文章将 “习惯 ”视为一种路径 (paths)或轨迹 (tracks);还用 pathways和 roads来指 “习惯”。因此, 选项 [A]是正确答案。
24. 答案 D 考点 识别人物的观点
分析 本题要求考生判断 Dawna Markova将会赞同选项中的哪个观点。四个选项如下 :
[A]思想放松才会产生想法。 [B]创新精神可以教授。
[C]果断源自奇异的想法。 [D]好奇心可启动创新思维。
在文章第五段中 , Dawna Markova说: “The first thing needed for innovation is a fascination with wonder” ( “创新所需要的第一要素就是对奇迹着迷”)。 fascination with wonder意为 “对奇观、奇事着迷 ”,即 “具有强烈的好奇心”。因此 ,选项 [D]与文意最接近 ,是正确答案。选项 [A]强调的是 “思想放松 ”;选项 [B]强调的是 “教授 ”;选项 [ C]强调的是 “果断 ”,都与 Dawna Markova的观点不符。
25. 答案 A 考点 识别人物的观点
分析 本题要求考生判断 Ryan的话暗示了什么 ,即 “标准化考试 ”的实践产生了什么后果。四个选项如下 :
[A]阻止了新习惯的形成。 [B]不再强调平庸。
[C]维护了内在的美国思维方式。 [D]与美国信仰体系保持一致。
文章第六段介绍了四种思维方式 ,即 analytical, procedural, relational (or collaborative) and innovative的思维方式。然后紧接着 ,第七段提到 ,“标准化考试 ”强调了前两种思维方式 ,而忽视了后两种思维方式 ( The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us inherently use our innovative and collaborative modes ofthought)。并且还补充说 ,这与美国的信仰体系不一致。根据文章的说法 ,思维定势是一种习惯 ,而创新思维需要培养新的思维习惯。“标准化考试 ”忽视了后两种思维模式 ,那么它也就阻止了新的思维习惯的形成。因此可以判断选项 [A]是正确答案。
参考译文
习惯是一种有趣的东西。我们顺应习惯是无心的 ,把我们的大脑调到自动导航状态 ,放松地进入熟悉的惯例所带来的无意识的舒适状态。 19世纪时 ,威廉 •华兹华斯曾说 :“不是选择 ,而是习惯主宰了不加思索的民众。”在日新月异的 21世纪 ,甚至 “习惯 ”这个词都带有负面含义。
所以 ,把习惯与创造力和创新精神相提并论似乎有点矛盾。但是从事大脑研究的人员发现 ,当我们有意识地培养新习惯的时候 ,我们会形成平行的轨迹 ,甚至全新的脑细胞 ,它们可以使我们的思路跳跃到新的创新性轨迹上来。
我们不要把自己看成不可改变的习惯性动物 ,相反 ,我们能通过有意识地培养新习惯来引导自身的改变。事实上 ,我们尝试的新事物越多——我们离自己的舒适地带越远——我们自身就越具有创造力 ,在工作中和在个人生活中皆是如此。
但是不要麻烦去努力消除旧习惯 :一旦那些程序性的惯例被磨进大脑 ,它们就会保留在那里。相反 ,我们有意识培养的新习惯会形成能绕过它们的平行轨迹。
“创新所需要的第一要素就是对奇迹着迷 ,”《开放的心灵》的作者 Dawna Markova说,“但是我们却被训练去 ‘决策 ’,正像我们的总统称他自己为 ‘决策者 ’一样。”然而 ,她补充道 :“决策意味着抹杀所有可能性 ,只留下一个。一个优秀的、富有创新精神的人总是在探索诸多可能性。”
她说 ,我们所有人都在以自己没有意识到的方式去处理问题。 20世纪 60年代后期的研究人员发现 ,人类生来就具有用四种基本方法应付挑战的能力 :分析法、程序法、关联法 (合作法 )和创新法。然而在青春期结束时 ,大脑关闭了那些能力的一半 ,只保留生命前十年左右似乎最重要的思维模式。
目前对于标准化考试的重视强调了分析和程序 ,意味着我们之中很少有人生来就能运用自己的创新和合作型思维模式。“这就打破了美国信仰体系的主要规则——任何人能做任何事 ,” 2006年出版的《今年我要……》一书的作者、 Markova女士的合伙人 M. J. Ryan解释道。“那是一个我们使之永恒的谎言 ,它培养了平庸。知道你擅长什么并且多做可以创造卓越。”这就是为什么要培养新习惯。
