Section C: Reading Comprehension
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
The trend toward rationality and enlightenment was endangered long before the advent of the World Wide Web. As Neil Postman noted in his 1985 book *Amusing Ourselves to Death*, the rise of television introduced not just a new medium but a new discourse: a gradual shift from a *typographic* (印刷的) culture to a photographic one, which in turn meant a shift from rationality to emotions, exposition to entertainment. In an image-centered and pleasure-driven world, Postman noted, there is no place for rational thinking, because you simply cannot think with images. It is text that enables us to “uncover lies, confusions and overgeneralizations, and to detect abuses of logic and common sense. It also means to weigh ideas, to compare and contrast assertions, to connect one generalization to another.”
The dominance of television was not confined to our living rooms. It overturned all of those habits of mind, fundamentally changing our experience of the world, affecting the conduct of politics, religion, business, and culture. It reduced many aspects of modern life to entertainment, sensationalism, and commerce. “Americans don’t talk to each other, they entertain each other,” Postman wrote. “They don’t exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions, they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials.”
At first, the web seemed to push against this trend. When it emerged towards the end of the 1980s as a purely text-based medium, it was seen as a tool to pursue knowledge, not pleasure. Reason and thought were most valued in this garden—all derived from the project of the Enlightenment. Universities around the world were among the first to connect to this new medium, which hosted discussion groups, informative personal or group blogs, electronic magazines, and academic mailing lists and forums. It was an intellectual project, not about commerce or control, created in a scientific research center in Switzerland. And for more than a decade, the web created an alternative space that threatened television’s grip on society.
Social networks, though, have since colonized the web for television’s values. From Facebook to Instagram, the medium refocuses our attention on videos and images, rewarding emotional appeals—‘like’ buttons—over rational ones. Instead of a quest for knowledge, it engages us in an endless *zest* (热情) for instant approval from an audience, for which we are constantly but unconsciously performing. (It’s telling that, while Google began life as a PhD thesis, Facebook started as a tool to judge classmates, appearances. It reduces our curiosity by showing us exactly what we already want and think, based on our profiles and preferences. The Enlightenment’s motto (座右铭) ‘Dare to know’ has become ‘Dare not to care to know.’)
46. What did Neil Postman say about the rise of television?
47. According to the passage, what is the advantage of text reading?
48. How has television impacted Americans?
49. What does the passage say about the World Wide Web?
50. What do we learn about users of social media?
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
According to a recent study, a small but growing proportion of the workforce is affected to some degree by a sense of entitlement. Work is less about what they can contribute but more about what they can take. It can lead to workplace dysfunction and diminish their own job satisfaction. I’m not referring to employees who are legitimately dissatisfied with their employment conditions due to, say, being denied fair pay or flexible work practices. I’m talking about those who consistently believe they deserve special treatment and generous rewards. It’s an expectation that exists irrespective of their abilities or levels of performance.
As a result of that discrepancy between the privileges they feel they’re owed and their inflated sense of self-worth, they don’t work as hard for their employer. They prefer to slack off instead to work hard. It’s a tendency which many scholars believe begins in childhood due to parents who overindulge their kids. This thereby leads them to expect the same kind of spoilt treatment throughout their adult lives. And yet despite how these employees feel, it’s obviously important for their manager to nonetheless find out how to keep them motivated.
The research team from several American universities surveyed more than 240 individuals. They sampled managers as well as team members. Employee entitlement was measured by statements such as “I honestly feel I’m just more deserving than others.” The respondents had to rate the extent of their agreement. Employee engagement, meanwhile, was assessed with statements like “I really throw myself into my work.” The findings revealed ethical leadership is precisely what alleviates the negative effects of employee entitlement. That’s because rather than indulging employees or neglecting them, ethical leaders communicate very direct and clear expectations. They also hold employees accountable for their behaviors and are genuinely committed to doing the right thing. Additionally, these leaders are consistent in their standards. They’re also less likely to deviate in how they treat employees.
This means, when confronted by an entitled team member, an ethical leader is significantly disinclined to accommodate their demands. He or she will instead point out, constructively and tactfully, exactly how their inflated sense of deservingness is somewhat distorted. They’d then go further to explain the specific, and objective, criteria the employee must meet to receive their desired rewards. This shift away from unrealistic expectations is successful because entitled employees feel more confident that ethical leaders will deliver on their promises. This occurs because they’re perceived to be fair and trustworthy.
The researchers, however, exercise caution by warning no one single response is the perfect remedy. But there’s no denying ethical leadership is at least a critical step in the right direction.
51. What does a recent study find about a growing number of workers?
52. Why don’t some employees work hard according to many scholars?
53. What is a manager supposed to do to enable workers to do a better job?
54. What do the research findings reveal about ethical leaders?
55. What kind of leaders are viewed as ethical by entitled employees?
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
Passage One
46. A。解析：题干问“尼尔·波兹曼对于电视的崛起说了些什么？”第一段指出：“...the rise of television introduced not just a new medium but a new discourse: a gradual shift from a typographic culture to a photographic one, which in turn meant a shift from rationality to emotions, exposition to entertainment. In an image-centered and pleasure-driven world...” （电视的崛起……意味着从理性到情感、从阐述到娱乐的转变。在一个以图像为中心和受快乐驱使的世界里……）。从“理性”转向“情感和娱乐”，这与选项 A（It initiated a change from dominance of reason to supremacy of pleasure 引起了从理性的主导到快乐至上的转变）完美对应。
47. D。解析：题干问“根据文章，文本阅读的优势是什么？”第一段最后指出：“It is text that enables us to ‘uncover lies, confusions and overgeneralizations, and to detect abuses of logic and common sense. It also means to weigh ideas, to compare and contrast assertions...’” （正是文本使我们能够揭露谎言、困惑和过度概括，并发现对逻辑和常识的滥用。它还意味着权衡思想，比较和对比主张……）。这些都是“批判性思维”的核心特征，对应选项 D（It is conducive to critical thinking 它有助于批判性思维）。
48. D。解析：题干问“电视是如何影响美国人的？”第二段指出：“Americans don’t talk to each other, they entertain each other... They don’t exchange ideas, they exchange images.” （美国人不互相交谈，他们互相娱乐……他们不交流思想，他们交换图像）。这说明美国人之间的互动变得越来越停留在表面、娱乐和图像层面，缺乏深度思想交流，对应选项 D（It has rendered their interactions more superficial 它使他们的互动变得更加肤浅）。
49. C。解析：题干问“关于万维网，文章说了什么？”第三段指出：“When it emerged... as a purely text-based medium, it was seen as a tool to pursue knowledge, not pleasure.” （当它作为一个纯粹基于文本的媒介出现时，它被视为一种追求知识的工具，而不是为了娱乐）。pursue knowledge（追求知识）对应 quest for knowledge，因此选 C（It was viewed as a means to quest for knowledge 它被视为一种寻求知识的手段）。
50. B。解析：题干问“我们从社交媒体用户身上了解到什么？”第四段指出社交网络重新将注意力集中在视频和图片上，随后强调：“Instead of a quest for knowledge, it engages us in an endless zest for instant approval from an audience, for which we are constantly but unconsciously performing.” （它不是为了寻求知识，而是让我们无休止地热衷于从观众那里获得即时的认可，为此我们不断地无意识地进行表演）。seek approval from their audience 对应 endless zest for instant approval from an audience，因此选 B。
Passage Two
51. B。解析：题干问“一项最近的研究发现了关于越来越多员工的什么情况？”第一段指出：“...a small but growing proportion of the workforce is affected to some degree by a sense of entitlement... I’m talking about those who consistently believe they deserve special treatment and generous rewards.” （一小部分但在不断增长的劳动力在某种程度上受到一种特权感的影响……我指的是那些一贯认为自己理应得到特殊待遇和慷慨回报的人）。这说明他们觉得自己理应得到比实际贡献更多的东西，对应选项 B（They feel they deserve more than they get 他们觉得他们理应得到比他们获得的更多）。
52. B。解析：题干问“根据许多学者的观点，为什么有些员工不努力工作？”第二段解释了这种不努力工作的倾向：“It’s a tendency which many scholars believe begins in childhood due to parents who overindulge their kids. This thereby leads them to expect the same kind of spoilt treatment throughout their adult lives.” （许多学者认为这是一种始于童年的倾向，原因是父母过度溺爱他们的孩子。因此，这导致他们在成年后的生活中期望同样的被宠坏的待遇）。这直接对应选项 B（They were spoiled when growing up 他们在成长过程中被宠坏了）。
53. D。解析：题干问“为了使员工能做得更好，管理者应该做些什么？”第二段最后一句指出：“And yet despite how these employees feel, it’s obviously important for their manager to nonetheless find out how to keep them motivated.” （然而，尽管这些员工有这种感觉，对他们的经理来说，弄清楚如何保持他们的积极性显然是很重要的）。keep them motivated（保持积极性）对应 sustain their motivation（维持他们的动机），因此选 D。
54. C。解析：题干问“研究结果揭示了关于有道德的领导者的什么信息？”第三段指出：“The findings revealed ethical leadership is precisely what alleviates the negative effects of employee entitlement. That’s because rather than indulging employees or neglecting them, ethical leaders communicate very direct and clear expectations.” （研究结果揭示，有道德的领导正是减轻员工特权感负面影响的因素。那是因为道德领袖不是放纵或忽视员工，而是传达非常直接和清晰的期望）。communicate very direct and clear expectations 对应 convey their requirements in a straightforward way（以直截了当的方式传达他们的要求），因此选 C。
55. A。解析：题干问“有特权感的员工认为哪种领导者是有道德的（ethical）？”第四段最后指出：“This shift away from unrealistic expectations is successful because entitled employees feel more confident that ethical leaders will deliver on their promises.” （这种摆脱不切实际期望的转变之所以成功，是因为有特权感的员工更确信，有道德的领导者会兑现他们的承诺）。deliver on their promises 对应 fulfill commitments，因此选 A（Those who can be counted on to fulfill commitments 那些被指望能履行承诺的人）。
核心搭配与高分句型
【核心搭配与高频短语】
bring about：引起，导致（brought about a gradual shift）
be conducive to：有助于，对...有益（It is conducive to critical thinking）
push against：抵制，反抗（the web seemed to push against this trend）
a sense of entitlement：特权感，自以为应得的心理（affected... by a sense of entitlement）
slack off：懈怠，偷懒（prefer to slack off instead to work hard）
hold sb accountable for：让某人为...负责（hold employees accountable for their behaviors）
deliver on one's promises：兑现承诺（ethical leaders will deliver on their promises）
【亮点句型解析】
It is... that... 强调句：
"It is text that enables us to uncover lies, confusions and overgeneralizations..."
（正是文本使我们能够揭露谎言、困惑和过度概括……）使用了经典的强调句型来突出“text（文本）”的核心作用，在写作中可以用来强烈地表达观点。
"It is text that enables us to uncover lies, confusions and overgeneralizations..."
（正是文本使我们能够揭露谎言、困惑和过度概括……）使用了经典的强调句型来突出“text（文本）”的核心作用，在写作中可以用来强烈地表达观点。
Rather than 平行结构：
"That’s because rather than indulging employees or neglecting them, ethical leaders communicate very direct and clear expectations."
（那是因为有道德的领导者不是放纵或忽视员工，而是传达非常直接和清晰的期望。）通过 `rather than` 形成对比，突出正确的做法，逻辑严密，表达高级。
"That’s because rather than indulging employees or neglecting them, ethical leaders communicate very direct and clear expectations."
（那是因为有道德的领导者不是放纵或忽视员工，而是传达非常直接和清晰的期望。）通过 `rather than` 形成对比，突出正确的做法，逻辑严密，表达高级。